One Sharp Stitch

A Nimble Needle Mystery, Book 1

By: Allie Pleiter

Narrated by: Carrie Coello

It's only temporary. That's what Shelby Phillips tells herself when she returns to excruciatingly harmless Gwen Lake after her graphic arts career—and the office romance blooming with it—get tossed like rejected design mockups. Her plan is as simple and fool-proof as a tent stitch: manage the family needlepoint shop during her parents' RV vacation. It's just a month. It's not as if they're retiring . . . right?

When Shelby becomes responsible for hosting a trunk show with local vendors, she's determined to pull it off. Even if that means dealing with former classmate Kat Katsaros, a rising entrepreneur specializing in needlework scissors. Kat has changed since high school—and she's angling to take over the Nimble Needle herself. The tension unspools when Shelby makes a terrible discovery on the morning of the event: Kat's dead body.

Shelby can't believe the death was an accident. That's why she's set on exposing who committed the murder with Kat's own equipment. She finds help in a new friend, a potential crush, and the surprising support of her sister and the Nimble Needle stitchers. Still, Shelby must move quickly to stop the crafty culprit before her maybe not-so-temporary new life in Gwen Lake comes apart at the seams . . .

©2025 Alice Stanko Pleiter (P)2025 Tantor Media

A Stitcher’s Must

As a fan of true crime and needlepoint, this book gave me everything that I love.

Clever and Entertaining

As a needle pointer, it was enjoyable to read a story written by someone who is really knowledgeable about needle point and doesn’t get it mixed up with other forms of needle work. The mystery kept me guessing and was well done. You don’t have to be needle pointer to enjoy this story. The characters were interesting and I hope this author is working on her next book based on these people.

Engaging, interesting and murder - linked creatively into needlepoint one stitch at a time.

I enjoyed having a murder mystery set around small town life, connections and of course needlepoint. All set in beloved North Carolina.

great fun read

liked the characters and fast pace
the description of the small town gave a nice cozy feel

Superb Cozy Mystery

Allie Pleiter is a marvelous storyteller, a total superstar. The book kept me guessing the whole way during the story. On my way to download her second book in this series. Thank you Allie for an enjoyable listen!