Wow, I certainly didn't see that ending! ( )

I really like this author and the first book in this series - and I really liked a lot of things about this book. The mystery plot was excellent. But... there is so much of this story line that has left me utterly confused. Specifically concerning one of the characters, Gracie. I really feel like a page was missing from my book or something. Throughout the second half of the book, Harlow and her family keep referring to Gracie's relationship to them and the secrets and how are they going to tell her about her charm, etc. etc. But it's never explained HOW she is related to them or why she should be charmed. So much of the storyline feels disjointed and confusing - I even re-read the book before writing this review, thinking I must not have paid enough attention to the storyline and missed key points - but nothing became clearer after the second reading.

I really wanted to give this book 4 stars, but there were too many threads that I felt weren't tied up at the end of the book and no indication that they are meant to be part of an ongoing story in the next book. Even so, I eagerly await the next book. And hope my confusion clears. ( )

In Bourbon’s paranormal mystery novel, Buttons & Bows, Harlow Cassidy’s custom dressmaking shop is overflowing with business. The Margaret Maffette Lea Pageant is around the corner and to her surprise; Mrs. Zinnia James hires her to make her granddaughter’s pageant gown. Not surprisingly the local golf pro is found dead and the new deputy in town suspects Harlow since her scissors appear to be the weapon. Determined to find answers, Harlow sets out to solve the crime and complete the perfect pageant gown all with the assistance of her dearly departed great-grandmother.

The Cassidy women are a sure winner when it comes to mystery and murder. What a wonderful addition to the A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series. ( )

Miss Harlow Jane Cassidy, once a New York fashion designer, is now the proud owner of Buttons and Bows, a unique dressmaking shop in Bliss, Texas. Thanks to a magical wish made by her great-great-great grandfather, Butch Cassidy (yep, that Butch Cassidy!), all of the women in the family are blessed with a special “gift.” While her grandmother is a goat charmer, and her mom has a powerful green thumb, Harlow has the ability to sew magic into the garments she makes, giving the wearer a little supernatural help.

In A FITTING END, the town of Bliss is in a tizzy over the upcoming Margaret Moffette Lea Pageant and Ball, and Harlow has been hired to make the gown for Libby Allen, the granddaughter of Senator and Mrs. Jebediah James. Things go terribly wrong when the golf pro is murdered at the country club where the event will be held, and evidence points to Mrs. James (Zinnia) as the murderer. Harlow can sense that Zinnia is innocent, so while her client is being held in the county jail, she does some investigating of her own. What she discovers is that the people of Bliss, Texas, have more secrets than you can shake a stick at, and someone is willing to commit murder to keep them buried.

I fell in love with this series after reading the first book, PLEATING FOR MERCY, and the follow up, A FITTING END, was equally enjoyable. We learn more about the Cassidy family tree and the magical gifts the women possess. The ghostly presence of great-grandmother Meemaw joins the cast again, and she’s gaining strength for helping out and for some mischief, too. The mystery was well written; it kept me guessing until the end. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new discoveries in this book play out in the next installment. This was a great read, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries with a touch of the paranormal. ( )

The murder of a Casanova Golf Pro with Harlow's scissors at the local country club, disrupts the town's tradional annual 'Margaret Moffette Lea Pageant and Ball, where the debutants are displayed in period costumes. Zinnia, Senator Jebediah James' wife, has been Harlow's patron and best word-of-mouth advertising has been held by the police in connection to the murder. Harlow jumps in to help the pageant go on as scheduled, but she feels strongly that she must help Zinnia clear her good name.

This book is all about the web of secrets spun in people's lives. Harlow is a descendent from Butch Cassidy and all the Cassidy women possess a special gift of some kind. For Harlow, she can sew up the perfect dress that helps a person tangibly in their life. But the Cassidy women try to keep their little gift/curse a secret. But she is finding there are more Cassidy family secrets than she cares for. As Harlow investigates the town's Casanova, she finds many secrets such as illegitimate children in the pedigreed families. But there is one secret among them all that got the promiscuous golf pro killed.

I like Harlow, but she seems even busier in this book, which makes it hard to really get to know her much. What does shine forth is her compassion for others. Her mother seems even more flighty this time around which I am finding a bit annoying. The potential love interest, Will Flores, is well portrayed. He is a compliment to Harlow thus far with just enough male flaws (come on, you know what I mean ;-) to make him realistic. I think the author portrays the teens in the story particularly well.

The plot was not as obvious as you might imagine. The pacing maintained a sense of urgency when two elderly seamstresses are in danger, which also added complications to the storyline. The sense of place was acutely present in every sentence, from dialect to the tradition of the pageant.

The confrontation with the killer was tense and a little bit of a nail biter, but I have to admit that the killer's identity seemed to come from left field. I liked that I did not anticipate who the killer was, but I also felt like there were no clues to indicate this person either - not even a teensy hint. Which made me question if that was a cheat or just good writing. Hmmmm. Any thoughts readers?

Overall, I like the main character, the plot kept me reading and engaged, the setting was fully integrated, and the revealing of the killer was dramatic - so it met all my main criteria strongly. The wrap-up successfully has me anxious for next book in the series. I have been really burned out on books set in small southern towns lately, but this one is my only exception. If you don't care for paranormal books, this book is primarily a cozy with only moderate paranormal touches.

2nd in Magical Dressmaking Mysteries

Main Character: Harlow Jane Cassidy, Manhattan fashion designer who has moved back to her small hometown

Setting: modern day, Bliss Texas

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review

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