Weaver’s Needle was an interesting book. Part adventure, part whodunit, part romance, the book leads the reader down a somewhat predictable path. The story starts slowly, with Landry and Nicolai needing money for different reasons—Landry to rescue her business; Nicolai to restore his sister to normal life.
Enter a murder and a widow determined to recover the property stolen from her dead husband. Landry and Nicolai both run property recovery businesses and Mrs. Winslet has decided to pit them against each other with the successful person earning a $50,000 fee. The property to be recovered? An ancient map to the Dutchman’s Lost Gold Mine.
And they’re off! Landry to Apache Junction, Arizona, with Stan Hauge, Mrs. Winslet’s representative, and Nicolai to research the murder trying to get info from his former partner, Chris. Of course, the trail leads him to Apache Junction as well.
I found the story very slow at the beginning—so slow I almost stopped reading the book, but I’m glad I continued. The character of Nicolai was more believable to me than Landry’s. I also found Stan Hauge well drawn. Landry is the Christian in the story, praying before every meal. Nicolai is the sceptic—how could God have allowed the death of his parents and the hospitalization of his sister? The Christian elements were more of a diversion than an asset to the plot.
Even with the sketchy character development and the distraction of the Christian elements, Caroll draws you into the story and makes you want to know the outcome. Add in the Apache Thundergod mystique and you’re entrapped—enticed to read the book to the ending. Three-plus stars.
Robin Caroll says she “loves to keep you on the edge of your seat with her Southern-style, romantic mysteries/suspense.” Her passion is storytelling and presenting the faith element to her readers. She’s married with three daughters, two grandsons, and a menagerie of pets. You can find out more at RobinCaroll.com.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.