I love this series and this book, Deadly Patterns, didn't let me down. I was extremely confused reading the last book and I truly think there was a continuity or editing error, concerning two of the characters, but everything is resolved and clearly so, in this book.

I thought the mystery was excellent, lots of clues and lots of things distracting this reader from seeing all of them When the murderer was revealed it wasn't a total shock, but it was someone I hadn't given a lot of thought too.

I absolutely love the characters and the setting and I can't wait for the next book to catch up with them all. ( )

Decent plotting, interesting characters ( )

In Bourbon’s mystery novel, dressmaker Harlow Jane Cassidy is preparing for a holiday fashion show set in a recently restored mansion for the annual Winter Wonderland festival in Bliss, Texas. Dan Lee Chrisson has volunteered to play Santa Claus when his body is found unexpectantly after he apparently fell from the Widow’s Walk of the mansion. Harlow finds the body and sets her own investigation into motion allowing her natural sleuthing skills to blend with her special magic as she follows the pattern of clues to find the murderer.

Harlow Jane is an amazing amateur sleuth and I love the advice she gets from her dearly departed great-grandmother! Another fabulous addition to the A Magical Dressmaking Mystery. ( )

Deadly Patterns is the third book in the A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series.

Life back in Bliss, Texas is going well for Harlow Jane Cassidy and her dressmaking shop is going well, too. Preparation are well underway for the Holiday fashion show that will be held at a beautiful mansion that is currently being restored. When the recently divorced Dan Lee Chrisson goes to inspect the railing around the widow's walk and doesn't return in a few minutes, Harlow and some other members of the planning committee go see where he might be. When they get there they find that the railing has broke and Chrisson has fallen to his death. Harlow, in the chaos that happened upon finding the body, also falls, but is save by a tent that has been erected in the back. So with numerous bumps and bruises she sets out to finish several outfits for the show and a new Santa's suit for Will.

But, naturally, her mind keeps going back to the death of Chrisson. Everyone knew that the railing was weak, so was it an accident or murder? There are several possible suspects. The ex-wife, Raylene, who feared that Chrisson would try to get custody of their child or maybe Hattie, Raylene's sister, for divorcing her sister. The house has a colorful past, what with Bonnie and Clyde having stayed there after a robbery in town. Possibly something valuable had been hidden in the house and the murderer thought that Chrisson might have found it.

I always try to read a series in order, but somehow I missed #2. The author causally mention things that had occurred in that book and would have help me to understand better, those parts.

This is a delightful series, with a fun and interesting cast of characters and just a little bit of woo-woo, too. And a little romance too.

Looking forward to book #4. ( )

DEADLY PATTERNS is another fun installment in the Magical Dressmaking Mystery series. Christmas is coming to the small town of Bliss, Texas, and with it the Winter Wonderland festival. Dressmaker Harlow Jane Cassidy has been put in charge of the fashion show, which is being held in the newly renovated Denison Mansion. Preparations for the event are rolling along until the man hired to play Santa winds up dead, the victim of foul play.

After some investigating, Harlow finds out that this particular Santa was on several people's naughty list, and perhaps he wanted in the old Denison House for a reason other than spreading holiday cheer. With a little encouragement from her deceased great-grandmother's ghost, Harlow sets out to solve the Santa murder mystery and have the fashion show set to go on time.

This is one of my favorite new cozy mystery series, so I can't miss a book. I love visiting Bliss, Texas, and Harlow is a very interesting and likable main character. In addition to the mystery, the story also delves deeper into the Cassidy family tree. It did get confusing remembering who was related to whom and how, all the way back to Butch Cassidy himself, but luckily there's a family tree chart at the back of the book.

I would probably recommend reading the prior two books in the series first, just because Harlow has a complex family history and it would help to know the backstory. Fans of cozy mysteries with a little romance and a little magic are sure to be pleased. ( )