Description
Thirteen women, each in turn lead the Station Road Sewing Circle of the West Wales town of Pembroke in solving thirteen mysteries. Their weekly meetings draw upon the best intelligence available within the town boundaries. Gossip on doorsteps, overheard news on the bus and waiting in queues at the shop are their main sources of information. Not much goes on in Pembroke that escapes them.
Whether flushing out a money-making litter spree, exposing an alleged victim to be their own unwitting poisoner or turning the tables on a furniture thief, the Circle members complete their detective work in secret.
The burial of a loved one that goes awry, pumpkin carnage at the annual vegetable show or the bringing of a ghost to account for stealing hay are taken in the Circle’s stride. Each mystery is well set out, studied by the most appropriate members and solved with a constant theme of doing what is right and fair.
Kindness shown by the members’ children to a homeless family encourages the Circle to welcome the newcomers into Station Road. Inviting candidates’ wives to an investigative afternoon tea resolves a hiring dilemma for the Town Council. A door-to-door deception purporting to sell ‘yet to develop’ diamonds is reduced to coal dust by a timely Circle intervention.
Missing jewellery and an absent guest from a wedding photograph, a battle for chapel supremacy between the choir and the congregation and an unexplained flare up of midnight bonfires across the town take the Circle well beyond their crafting comfort zone.
Linby (Amazon review) –
A wonderful collection of charming and intriguing short stories. Set in Wales these stories are a flashback to a more gentler and easier time, when life was simpler. When all it took for minor wrong doings to be sorted out was a word in the ear by the local Policeman. This is where Bessie the Law comes in as her husband is a Policeman. Each of the women in the circle have a moniker determined by their husbands profession. Not very PC these days – but this is the 1950s.
Each tale was a joy to read. One in particular concerning antiques reminded me of the TV series Lovejoy – if anyone can remember that! The tales are like little puzzle to solve or let the ladies of the circle do it for you.