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Patchwork #1
Family Patterns
Sarah Hart, expert in vintage quilt restoration, finds herself in position to solve the hundred year old mystery of her grandmother's disappearance, and clear her grandfather's name. Takes place in the small town of Maple Hill, MA. First in a series.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
11 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Eckhardt
50 books53 followersKristin Eckhardt
aka
Kristin Gabriel
Kristin Eckhardt is the author of more than thirty-five books, including fourteen for Guideposts. She's won two national awards for her writing, and her first book was made into a TV movie. She and her husband have three children and live in central Nebraska. Kristin enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her family.
aka
Kristin Gabriel
Kristin Eckhardt is the author of more than thirty-five books, including fourteen for Guideposts. She's won two national awards for her writing, and her first book was made into a TV movie. She and her husband have three children and live in central Nebraska. Kristin enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
May 24, 2018
Sarah is happy her son is moving home and has bought the Victorian house where Sarah’s grandfather lived. Her grandmother had disappeared without a trace a century ago. Her grandfather was always blamed and Sarah finding an old quilt sets out to figure out what really happened to her. An interesting mystery and as with all the Guidepost books, no bad language or gore just a good story.
October 24, 2013
Family Patterns is a fictitious mystery novel about a vintage quilt restorer named Sarah, with a knack for not only piecing together quilts, but family mysteries also.
Sarah's son Jason moves his family into Sarah's late grandfather's Victorian house. A shroud of mystery surrounds Sarah's grandparents. Her grandmother went missing 90 years ago, and her grandfather was suspected of her disappearance. Sarah doesn't believe the rumors, and she makes it her mission to discover what really happened to her grandmother 90 years ago.
As she pieces together a vintage quilt made by her missing grandmother, (that was discovered in the old Victorian), she discovers clues along the way that lead her to the truth of her disappearance.
I didn't realize this till half way through the book, but Guideposts, a Christian publisher, published this book. There isn't a heavy Christian theme throughout this book, so it can be read and enjoyed by a diverse audience.
The story itself is interesting, but it read slow at times. I gave this book three stars.
Sarah's son Jason moves his family into Sarah's late grandfather's Victorian house. A shroud of mystery surrounds Sarah's grandparents. Her grandmother went missing 90 years ago, and her grandfather was suspected of her disappearance. Sarah doesn't believe the rumors, and she makes it her mission to discover what really happened to her grandmother 90 years ago.
As she pieces together a vintage quilt made by her missing grandmother, (that was discovered in the old Victorian), she discovers clues along the way that lead her to the truth of her disappearance.
I didn't realize this till half way through the book, but Guideposts, a Christian publisher, published this book. There isn't a heavy Christian theme throughout this book, so it can be read and enjoyed by a diverse audience.
The story itself is interesting, but it read slow at times. I gave this book three stars.
October 4, 2021
July - Massachusetts
Family is a big part of the story. The story also involves an antique shop, a missing person, a hidden passage, and a quilt. There are secrets and lies and what may or may not have been murder. Faith and religion are minor parts of the story. There are also some characters with Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease. It makes this quite sad.
Family is a big part of the story. The story also involves an antique shop, a missing person, a hidden passage, and a quilt. There are secrets and lies and what may or may not have been murder. Faith and religion are minor parts of the story. There are also some characters with Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease. It makes this quite sad.
January 31, 2013
...and you can't judge a book by its publisher! This book has a religious publisher (Guideposts) and while I'm not against that, I don't enjoy books that are preachy and many of the religious publisher books are. This one is not. It's the first book in a series called Patchwork Mysteries. It combines my love of genealogy with my love of mystery and wraps it all up in a gentle cozy story that grabbed my attention.
Sarah Hart's grandmother, Molly Drayton, disappeared without a trace 90 years earlier and Sarah's gentle grandfather was blamed for foul play. Nothing was ever proven but the stigma has followed the family. Now the old house where they lived is being restored to its previous glory by Sarah's son and the quilt that she hand made for her 6 year-old son, Sarah's father, is discovered. Sarah, an expert in antique quilt restoration, determines to restore the quilt and give it to her aged and sometimes confused father. But as she works on the quilt she discovers clues within the fabric to Molly's life. Can she trace the clues and learn what happened to Molly nearly a century ago and clear the family name once and for all? It's satisfyingly complicated.
I will definitely be searching for more of these books!
Sarah Hart's grandmother, Molly Drayton, disappeared without a trace 90 years earlier and Sarah's gentle grandfather was blamed for foul play. Nothing was ever proven but the stigma has followed the family. Now the old house where they lived is being restored to its previous glory by Sarah's son and the quilt that she hand made for her 6 year-old son, Sarah's father, is discovered. Sarah, an expert in antique quilt restoration, determines to restore the quilt and give it to her aged and sometimes confused father. But as she works on the quilt she discovers clues within the fabric to Molly's life. Can she trace the clues and learn what happened to Molly nearly a century ago and clear the family name once and for all? It's satisfyingly complicated.
I will definitely be searching for more of these books!
December 26, 2020
This light mystery is very appealing and well written. Tucked into the beautiful Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts is a lovely old family home recently purchased back into the family by great grandson Jason. Jason's mother Sarah is an expert at vintage quilt restoration. Such a quilt launches the story. There are missing persons to be found, reputations to be put right, and old scores to be put to rest. The object is to find out what happened to Sarah's grandmother Molly, who disappeared from home without a trace in 1920, leaving behind a happy marriage and her little boy. The process which Sarah follows to research family history and solve obscure puzzles with the help of the local historical society is fairly complex and quite interesting, resulting in head spinning surprises. Indeed Sarah's painstaking process of restoring an old stained child's quilt is fascinating and rather terrifying! One false move......Family Patterns is considered a cozy mystery what with its beautiful setting, interesting characters, family love, and wonderful sounding cookies, but there is plenty of desperation, stalking, domestic abuse, and dirty politics, to give it an edge that kept me turning the pages. A fine quick read.
January 30, 2017
This is the first book in this series and I was glad I sent off for this one. I just really enjoyed the characters and the atmosphere that was in this one. The mystery of Grandma Molly and the quilt that Sara and the girls found might be solved with just the right clues but will her boarders have anything to do with any of it...you have to read it and find out...
April 19, 2018
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book! I am just finally getting back to reading again since losing my husband to cancer in 2015 at the age of 50. I am really trying hard to read again and this one was a really good story! Looking forward to the next one!
June 4, 2015
I enjoyed this book and the cover art was amazing! I loved how the mystery was solved in the end and it all started with a quilt. Definitely check this book out!
July 14, 2021
Glad I finally got to reread this book! I first read it in 5th grade. There are some parts that are slower and kind of boring, especially if you don’t have an interest in quilting or are Christian. But overall, I really enjoyed it! I’ll be looking into getting more of the series.
March 16, 2024
Picked this up at the Goodwill and read it in about 24 hours. Really enjoyable and fast paced cozy mystery. I had my suspicions, but did not solve the mystery before the sleuth did, and I enjoyed the details about quilt restoration. I’ll seek out more in this series.
July 13, 2017
great read
July 2, 2024
Not bad, but I didn't care for it enough to read more in the series.
January 17, 2025
Fun cozy mystery!
February 19, 2025
I liked it. Easy read. Likable characters. Interesting plot. I will be starting the second book in the series. Overall it was a relaxing read which is where I’m at right now 😉
January 1, 2016
SUMMARY: Sarah Hart, expert in vintage quilt restoration, finds herself in position to solve the hundred year old mystery of her grandmother's disappearance, and clear her grandfather's name. Takes place in the small town of Maple Hill, MA. First in a series.
REVIEW: This debut book in the Patchwork Mystery series published by Guideposts and penned by a variety of Christian fiction authors is a very good, clean cozy mystery. Much like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, there are no murders but rather a different kind of mystery to solve. In this case, Sarah Hart, her two 12 year old twin granddaughters son and daughter-in-law, and friends around her small town help her solve the mystery of her disappearing grandmother 90 years previously. I loved the relationships between Sarah's family members and well as between Sarah and her friends in her small town. The plot was interesting and would be especially appealing to those who are interested in both history and genealogy. This book would also be appropriate for pre-teen and teen readers.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "Sometimes people get angry when they don't understand something. It doesn't help us to get mad at them, too. We should pray for them instead."
"These are supposed to be our golden years. They just got pretty tarnished." (I certainly can identify with this one!)
"Even if you can't laugh today, don't give his illness so much power that it robs you of the joy of living."
"You tried and failed, then moved on. That's how it's supposed to be. Failure isn't something we should fear."
REVIEW: This debut book in the Patchwork Mystery series published by Guideposts and penned by a variety of Christian fiction authors is a very good, clean cozy mystery. Much like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, there are no murders but rather a different kind of mystery to solve. In this case, Sarah Hart, her two 12 year old twin granddaughters son and daughter-in-law, and friends around her small town help her solve the mystery of her disappearing grandmother 90 years previously. I loved the relationships between Sarah's family members and well as between Sarah and her friends in her small town. The plot was interesting and would be especially appealing to those who are interested in both history and genealogy. This book would also be appropriate for pre-teen and teen readers.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "Sometimes people get angry when they don't understand something. It doesn't help us to get mad at them, too. We should pray for them instead."
"These are supposed to be our golden years. They just got pretty tarnished." (I certainly can identify with this one!)
"Even if you can't laugh today, don't give his illness so much power that it robs you of the joy of living."
"You tried and failed, then moved on. That's how it's supposed to be. Failure isn't something we should fear."
September 21, 2010
All the old storytelling hooks you loved as a child: secret passages, written messages, a wrong to be righted. Sarah Hart is 60 years old, a grandmother, yet is able to solve the mystery of her own grandmother's disappearance a hundred years earlier. Her twin grandchildren are essential to the plot. Sometimes it's a little like: Let's run off and have fun and not tell the busy parents. Sarah has an ongoing conversation with the Almighty which she shares with us as easily as she shares her quilt restoration techniques.
June 14, 2012
Blest be the tie that binds! This very cute modern-day mystery includes oldsters, youngsters, and a decades old mystery ... all entwined in a backgroud of crazy quilts! My 91 year old aunt recommended this one to me! I think she especially enjoyed the main character, Sarah Hart, a senior citizen always on the go and with a special talent for restoring old quilts. Themes include love of family and friends, faith and appreciating one's family history play key roles throughout the book. It was also wonderful to see that the author lives in Central Nebraska!
August 3, 2016
4.5/5 Stars
Really good, easy read.
It's about Sarah Hart and her family (mostly Sarah) trying to solve a mystery from the past and trying to figure out the mysterious woman living as a boarder in Sarah's home.
I did enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. I really loved all the characters. This is a Christian cozy mystery but the Christian aspects weren't overwhelming...not to me anyway.
I do have the 2nd book on my shelf, that is written by another author. I'm hoping I enjoy it as much as this one. Not sure when I'll get to it but hopefully within the next few months.
Really good, easy read.
It's about Sarah Hart and her family (mostly Sarah) trying to solve a mystery from the past and trying to figure out the mysterious woman living as a boarder in Sarah's home.
I did enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. I really loved all the characters. This is a Christian cozy mystery but the Christian aspects weren't overwhelming...not to me anyway.
I do have the 2nd book on my shelf, that is written by another author. I'm hoping I enjoy it as much as this one. Not sure when I'll get to it but hopefully within the next few months.
July 25, 2012
After reading Timeless Treasures, I decided I wanted to read the preceding books in the series. The unusual part is that they are written by different authors but they all hold true to the characters. If you didn't read the author's name, you wouldn't know it was written by someone else. This is a series of good, gentle cozies.
Read
February 6, 2017This is a light-hearted mystery that keeps your interest from the start. With twist and turns you will be surprised at the end. Love it!!
March 16, 2020
Another book that has been on my to-read list for years read!
This was an extremely interesting and well-written story. An older woman looks into a mystery from her family's history while restoring an old quilt. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
This was an extremely interesting and well-written story. An older woman looks into a mystery from her family's history while restoring an old quilt. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
September 22, 2011
I will admit to tearing up at the end of this book. Family Patterns is a great read. I loved the story and the characters.
July 18, 2022
A cool fictitious mystery. Love the steps taken to research family history. Will be happy to read more of Patchwork Mysteries.
February 7, 2020
Plot Summary:
Sarah Hart, an older, but upbeat sort of a lady, has come back to her childhood home to visit her son, Jason, and his family. While she was visiting, she and her granddaughters went into a secret tunnel that, Amy, one of her twin granddaughters found. They discovered an old quilt with a piece of paper attached in the corner of it. The quilt once belonged to Grandpa William, Sarah’s father. In finding the quilt, Sarah wondered if it had something to do with her grandmother, Molly Drayton, disappearing years before Sarah was born. When Molly vanished, the quilt did too.
Sarah is determined to find out what happened to her great grandmother. Her search leads her to the local library and historical society. She questions the town’s people on any knowledge of her family history.
She eventually stumbles upon a genealogy book that begins to answer her questions, but it also adds new twists. With some time she connects the loose ends and ends up finding the answer.
Sarah’s search leads her on trails that she did not expect, leading her to discover family secrets that would never have been revealed without the mystery of a quilt.
Drug and Alcohol Content:
The reader is told that one character needs to go smoke a cigarette.
Profanity/Violence;
A girl had to keep running from her mad father. Another girl continually has to run and hide from her ex-boyfriend. No specific details of the relationship are given.
Sex/Romance;
None
Conclusion:
This book is the first book in the Patchwork Mysteries. My outlook on the book is that it would be appropriate for ages 11 on up. It is a light read, but the story line skips around quite a bit. The reader may find the middle of the book slows down, but once the details of the mystery begin to come together, the pace picks back up again.
Sarah Hart, an older, but upbeat sort of a lady, has come back to her childhood home to visit her son, Jason, and his family. While she was visiting, she and her granddaughters went into a secret tunnel that, Amy, one of her twin granddaughters found. They discovered an old quilt with a piece of paper attached in the corner of it. The quilt once belonged to Grandpa William, Sarah’s father. In finding the quilt, Sarah wondered if it had something to do with her grandmother, Molly Drayton, disappearing years before Sarah was born. When Molly vanished, the quilt did too.
Sarah is determined to find out what happened to her great grandmother. Her search leads her to the local library and historical society. She questions the town’s people on any knowledge of her family history.
She eventually stumbles upon a genealogy book that begins to answer her questions, but it also adds new twists. With some time she connects the loose ends and ends up finding the answer.
Sarah’s search leads her on trails that she did not expect, leading her to discover family secrets that would never have been revealed without the mystery of a quilt.
Drug and Alcohol Content:
The reader is told that one character needs to go smoke a cigarette.
Profanity/Violence;
A girl had to keep running from her mad father. Another girl continually has to run and hide from her ex-boyfriend. No specific details of the relationship are given.
Sex/Romance;
None
Conclusion:
This book is the first book in the Patchwork Mysteries. My outlook on the book is that it would be appropriate for ages 11 on up. It is a light read, but the story line skips around quite a bit. The reader may find the middle of the book slows down, but once the details of the mystery begin to come together, the pace picks back up again.
February 10, 2023
I got this from my grandmother's house after she passed away so I had a lot of emotional attachment to the book while reading. This kind of cozy mystery is not something I would normally choose for myself, but I just had to start the series.
For what it is, I think this book is pretty decent. The mystery unravels in a nice, slow meander. There are a few twists to shake things up. The character development isn't great, but at least a few of them are vivid and believable. Some things are extremely convenient, but for a cozy mystery with quilting as a main theme, the book is quite cute.
For this book, when the actual mystery is "solved," I found myself kind of glossing over it and not totally understanding what happened. The actual mechanics of the plot muddy toward the end as the "current" story takes shape. The mystery isn't quite as important as solving the mystery, which is fine, but a little anticlimactic.
If these weren't my dead grandmother's books, I most likely wouldn't go forward, but as it is, I will definitely see what the rest of them are all about! Not great for a good piece of literature, but good for feeling like you're reading a warm hug.
For what it is, I think this book is pretty decent. The mystery unravels in a nice, slow meander. There are a few twists to shake things up. The character development isn't great, but at least a few of them are vivid and believable. Some things are extremely convenient, but for a cozy mystery with quilting as a main theme, the book is quite cute.
For this book, when the actual mystery is "solved," I found myself kind of glossing over it and not totally understanding what happened. The actual mechanics of the plot muddy toward the end as the "current" story takes shape. The mystery isn't quite as important as solving the mystery, which is fine, but a little anticlimactic.
If these weren't my dead grandmother's books, I most likely wouldn't go forward, but as it is, I will definitely see what the rest of them are all about! Not great for a good piece of literature, but good for feeling like you're reading a warm hug.
February 7, 2023
I really enjoyed Family Patterns! This sweet mystery is the perfect solution for those who like a little intrigue sans violence, obscenities, sexual content, etc. Sarah is a wonderfully relatable character who I likened to Angela Lansbury's character, JB Fletcher. Real family relationships and issues are met with a Christian viewpoint bringing in prayer and other references to the authors faith. I am thrilled to be at the beginning of a heartfelt series and am looking forward to learning more about the town of Maple Hill (which I would pack my bags for any day of the week!) and it's host of townspeople.
April 21, 2023
Sarah's son Jason and his family move into Sarah's grandfathers Victorian home. One day while visiting her twin granddaughters they find a secret passage and a quilt that Sarah's grandmother Molly made for her son, Sarah's dad. Molly had disappeared in 1920 and her husband Noah was the prime suspect. Molly decides to find out what really happened while also repairing the quilt for her dad. Also, she has two tenants renting rooms in her house. What secret is Kelly hiding? What is the significance of chocolate cookies? Read this good book to find out what really happened to Molly Drayton. Enjoy!
May 9, 2019
I have absolutely fallen in love with this series... And I've only read the first book!!! I am dying to find the rest and jump in! Kristen has such a wonderful way of weaving the sweet life of so many characters into her mystery. You can feel the gentleness of Sarah and her way with life, friends, those around her, the quilts she loves to restore and the stories that surround them. I had no idea what to expect when I started this book. Now I can't wait to read the other 26!! Great job Kristin! Well done!
September 5, 2020
3.5 stars. This is the very definition of a cozy mystery: a mystery that springs from a child's quilt that's been lost for 90 years. I really enjoyed the way Sarah Hart, the protagonist, investigated genealogy, history, and memories to discover what happened to her grandmother, who disappeared in 1920. It kept me guessing till the end. The whole atmosphere of this story was cozy and warmhearted as readers spend time getting to know the town of Maple Hill and its inhabitants between the clues and the surprising, sometimes exciting, events.
January 9, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It was a very light mystery with just enough suspense to keep me going. And it had a fun element of the main character being a quilt restorer, so that was fun to get the tie to fabric art. I felt like the reveal at the end came waaaaaaay too late and she had a hard time tying it up. I look forward to the rest of the Patchwork series as easy to read books that I can read before bed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews