Review: Scraps of Evidence by Barbara Cameron

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis from goodreads.com

Tess has taken some ribbing from her fellow officer, Logan, for her quilting hobby. He finds it hard to align the brisk professional officer he patrols with during the day with the one who quilts in her off-time. Besides, he's been trying to get to know her better and he'd like to be seeing her during those few nights a week she spends with her quilting guild. Then one afternoon Tess and Logan visit her aunt in the nursing home, and the woman acts agitated when Tess covers her with the story quilt. Aunt Susan is attempting to communicate a message to them about Tess's uncle. There's a story behind this quilt, they realize, one that may lead them to a serial killer. Will they have a chance to have a future together, or will the killer choose Tess for his next victim before they find him?

My Review

I love Barbara Cameron's Amish stories, so I wasn't surprised that her quality writing carried over to another genre for this suspense novel. The beginning was rather slow as we are introduced to the characters, but quickly picks up the pace as Tess and Logan start investigating their first case together. Much of the conversation between them happens over meals shared- it seems they are always eating! :) I loved the level of anticipation from their relationship progressing as well as the mystery of who-done-it. Subtle clues begin to appear about midway through the novel that reveal the killer to the reader, so the ending is not quite a surprise but suspenseful nonetheless as Tess and Logan get closer to solving the case. This has been my favorite so far of the Quilts of Love series. (Sidenote: the publisher's synopsis above isn't quite true to the story, so don't let it prejudice you towards Logan, who is actually more gentlemanly than it implies).

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)