Author Allie Pleiter has created another Craft Cozy series. Pleiter follows formula with the fan favorite trope of a woman returning back to her small home town to start over when her life falls apart. When Shelby Phillips loses her job due to a corporate merger, she agrees to manage her mother's needlepoint shop while her parents take an extended vacation. But when she discovers a body and the police assume it is a freak accident, Shelby becomes a sleuth. The plot is well planned and the clues are plentiful, but it is the variety of quirky characters that provide most of the entertainment. Besides her mothers staff, there are the shop regulars who often gather there to gossip as they work on their latest projects. They call themselves NYAGs- Not Your Average Grandmother. Shelby gathers her own friends old and new. with the colorful characters and interesting plot threads, Pleiter weaves a great story.

One Sharp Stitch by Allie Pleiter is the first A Nimble Needle Mystery. I have been looking for an engaging needlepoint cozy mystery for years (the one that got me hooked on cozy mysteries ended much to my disappointment). I was not a fan of Shelby in the beginning. She is a character that grew on me along with Shelby’s sister. I like Shelby’s mother, Nina, who is lively and has an upbeat personality. There are a variety of characters in the story. I hope we get to learn more about the shop employees in a future book. Shelby’s sister is Mrs. Perfect who gives Shelby an inferiority complex. The sibling’s relationship will improve as they reconnect and discuss their issues. I liked the small-town setting and the cozy needlework shop (I could envision the beautiful canvases and the colorful threads). The mystery is a tad predictable. It was obvious which character was going to die from the moment the individual was mentioned. There is a twist or two along the way which may or may not surprise a reader. There are repetitive details and the spacing varies. The ending was expected (sigh). I am hoping for improvement in the next A Nimble Needle Mystery. One Sharp Stitch is a lighthearted tale with Needlepoint Nina off on a jaunt, an Avante Garde artist, grand opening tragedy, a curious cat, a perfect sister, boisterous nephews, and stunning canvases.