Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
by Allie Pleiter
About Two Purloined Pillows
Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication date : March 31, 2026
Print length : 272 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 : 1496752031
ISBN-13 : 978-1496752031
Digital
ISBN-13 : 978-1496752055
ASIN : B0FGRZ45KV
Audiobook ASIN: B0FR3WWJ4M
Audio CD ISBN-13 : 979-8228762817
When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…
It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .
Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.
To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.
Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.
What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Shelby Phillips has been managing her mother’s needlepoint shop for just over a year now and is very excited about Gwen Lake’s two-week-long arts festival. Two well-known needlepoint designers will be featured artists for the event. Two pillows stitched by Paul Bardo and Laura Bitters are being auctioned off as the headlined pieces for the festival’s auction, and their new needlepoint designs will be available to purchase at Nina’s Nimble Needle.
Sadly, the two stitchers do not get along. Shelby tries to schedule them to be in the shop at separate times, but when the two pillows disappear, the artists meet face-to-face and square off with barbs and accusations. They meet again at the auction dinner, where Shelby notices Laura is clearly unwell, but before she can render aid, the woman falls to the floor convulsing. By the time the paramedics arrived, Laura Bitters had died. Tests show that she had been poisoned. Police Chief Tallen asks Shelby to leave the case to him, but soon Shelby, her friends, and a magazine reporter very familiar with both needlepointers are trying to unravel the evidence and canvassing clues to stitch together everything they need to pin down the killer.
In this second Nimble Needle Mystery, Shelby’s mom is having trouble letting Shelby take control of the shop and their part in the festival. This is compounded by needlepoint designer Paul Bardo’s lack of trust in Shelby’s abilities. I admired Shelby’s patience with her mother and her professionalism in dealing with Paul. I also enjoyed how she brought together a group of her peers to enjoy needlepoint and how she nurtures the NYAGs (Not Your Average Grannies) group. The police chief and the mayor being married brings a fun dynamic to the story.
The festival brought a variety of artists and art lovers to town, a few with motives to murder Laura Bitters. I took great pleasure tagging along with Shelby and her friends, as they worked through all the twists and turns. The confession was intense, and the arrest was harrowing. I was pleased to see that my armchair sleuthing was on the right track.
I especially liked how Ms. Pleiter mixed in relevant subplots seamlessly, taking into account how a business could be hurt during a murder investigation and how a community comes together to help rectify the situation, the funny festival events, and Shelby’s quest to bring needlepoint to the younger generations.
Two Purloined Pillows was a fast-paced, entertaining cozy mystery with charming characters and a fun, crafty theme. The future looks bright for the Nimble Needle. I look forward to returning to Gwen Lake for another needling adventure with Shelby and her friends.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About Allie Pleiter
An avid crafter, coffee junkie, and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction, working on as many as four books at a time. The bestselling author of over seventy books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-plus-year career with over 1.9 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and the world’s most adorable dog. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.
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Great Escapes Praise for Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
by Allie Pleiter
Author Allie Pleiter has followed up with a second Nimble Needle Mystery. With the colorful characters and interesting plot threads, Pleiter weaves a great story.
~Storybook Lady
My rating for Two Purloined Pillows by Allie Pleiter is four stars, and I do recommend it. Ms. Pleiter is a good author and kept me guessing on who did it. The biggest reason I recommend it is that Ms. Pleiter wrote the book without letting anything from the first book slip out. I love that.
~Baroness’ Book Trove
A positive push for the arts and a fun mystery make TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS a delightful read.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
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