Patchwork Mysteries Books In Order

Publication Order of Patchwork Mysteries Books

The Patchwork Mysteries is a cozy mystery series written by a variety of authors, including Kristin Eckhardt, Jo Ann Brown, Vera Dodge, Cara Putman, Kelly Ann Riley, Susan Page Davis, Camy Tang, and Cara Putman. With some of the authors having 2 or even three titles to their name, the series has 27 novels that were published between 2010 and 2013. The chief protagonist on the mysteries is a quilter named Sarah Hart. When we first meet Sarah, she is an expert quilter living in Maple Hill, New England. An expert weaver and restorer, she puts her skill to work restoring quilts and knitting new ones. Her love for quilt restoration results in the revelations of some of the town’s most intricate secrets that helps the community bond together and assist each other in dealing with challenges. When we first meet Sarah, she was widowed with her husband having died five years ago, leaving her in the house where they had lived all their lives with their two children. What makes Sara Hart so successful at what she does is her power of observation, her faith, and curiosity, which always lead her to the right conclusions. Sara is the chief protagonist in all the novels, though the series comes with an assortment of characters most of who are refreshing and fascinating. While several authors have been involved in the writing of the novel, all the novels maintain the personality of the lead character who uses her faith and natural curiosity to unravel centuries old mysteries. Over the course of the novels, she finds the answers to many mysteries, including con artists, disappearances, murders, counterfeit bills, theft of quilts and antiques, and answers to ancient family histories among others.

Published by Guideposts, the Patchwork Mysteries series of novels is one of the best-selling cozy mysteries ever. While the publishers had initially tapped Kristin Eckhardt, a very well-known cozy mystery writer to write the series, they later brought in more writers starting from the second novel. The decision to bring on several cozy mystery writers paid off handsomely as the novels exploded in popularity, resulting in the publication of over 27 novels over the course of three years. The first novel in the series, Family Patterns by Kristin Eckhardt was published in 2010, with Something Borrowed by Camy Tang coming out in 2013. The huge success of the series may be attributed to the fact that bringing in several writers meant that each novel, while having the same character gave the novels a unique perspective and flavor derived from each author’s own nuances and writing style. For instance, while Camy Tang grew up in Hawaii and is a biological researcher, Cara Putman is an attorney and teacher at Purdue, while Eckhardt is a well known romance writer. Since the series is published by a religious organization, there are a lot of Christian references, but not so much as to be heavy handed. The series offers the thrill and enjoyment that you would expect from the classic cozy mystery with unexpected twists and turns, fast-paced narration, lively characterization, and unexpected resolutions of mysteries.

Set in idyllic settings in New England, most novels of the Patchwork mysteries series have the theme of faith and hope that good will always triumph over evil. The power of faith and prayer is a constant theme in the novels, though it is not presented a ham-fisted manner. While not all of the mysteries talk about quilts, they play quite a significant role in most. Nonetheless, the novels can be a great resource for learning about quilting design and construction, history, the Civil Right Movement, World War II, and the Underground Railroad. The name of the series is a little misleading since these stories are not all about quilting, but rather about the telling of narratives of women of strength and courage, and reminders that the divine is always in control. Each mystery comes with fascinating characters, beautiful landscapes, rich histories and an intriguing mystery that always has something to do with a quilt. The greater message is that solving these mysteries comes down to finding pieces of the puzzle, just as Sarah does.

The first novel of the Patchwork Mysteries is Family Patterns by Kristin Eckhardt, which introduces us to Sara Hart who has been recently widowed. Sarah makes a living restoring antique quilts and renting out some of the rooms in her house. One of the biggest mysteries in her family is the disappearance of her grandmother Molly in 1920, leaving behind a six-year-old boy and a husband. The young woman had disappeared without a trace and Hart’s grandfather had been under a cloud of suspicion ever since, with many townspeople believing he had something to do with it. In what could be termed a lucky break, Sarah’s granddaughters stumble upon a secret passageway in the old family home. The passageway leads to a room that has a quilt that belonged to her father – the then six-year-old boy. When she presents the lost quilt to her father, it seems that she is on the path to solving one of the oldest mysteries of her hometown. However, with her father suffering from Alzheimers, will she be able to get anything from him to clear her grandfather?

Another popular novel in the Patchwork series is Secret in the Stitches by Jo Ann Brown. Sarah Hart is about to leave Maple Hill to go visit Jenna her daughter, when Ella Buttonwood one of her closest friend ambushes her with an intriguing discovery: it turns out that her old house had a false wall, behind which were fabrics and patterns that are proof that her family had been an important stop in the Underground Railroad. Could it be true that runaway slaves had found refuge in her hometown? Could the little town have been a critical stop in the flight to freedom? Rushing back to town, she finds that every person in town is in a state of euphoria. They are now raising money to make the old house part of an Underground Railroad Museum. Sarah harbors doubts about the authenticity of the quilt, as it does not appear to be as old as claimed. She is soon proven right when soon after, Ella disappears with all the money. She now has the task of unraveling the mystery of the quilt and find Ella. Will she find Ella’s secret in the stitches? This is one of Sarah Hart’s toughest assignments yet, and makes for quite a thrilling read.

One Response to “Patchwork Mysteries”

1. Jimmie Gay: 12 months ago

   love your books

   Reply