I was initially drawn to this book by the title, as I am a keen needlewoman. I have not previously read any of the "Miss Seeton" novels series, but understand that this is the first to be published after a break of many years. Being unfamiliar with any of the characters, I didn't understand some of the nuances that underpinned some of the main players - not least Miss Seeton herself. For that reason I'd probably recommend reading some of the earlier titles in the series first (I may take my own advice here and do that before re-reading this!)

Miss Seeton is a gentle soul (not on a par with Miss Marple by any means). The plot is quite complex - there are several sub-plots - but overall this is an entertaining read for lovers of the village mystery genre.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a copy in return for my honest review.

Cute, fun. Quick read with charming characters and weak plot. I don't think I'll read the previous!

Miss Seeton is back in her first new adventure in 20 years! Yay!! She is still armed with her sketch pad, pencils and trusty umbrella.....and her uncanny ability to uncover secrets that even Scotland Yard can't ferret out!

This time Miss Seeton agrees to help create a quilt to honor the wedding of a local couple. As usual her handiwork reveals some underlying secrets in the village including espionage. A hidden historical mural discovered under old plaster in the newlyweds home also added some interesting bits to the plot. All in all, an enjoyable addition to the Miss Seeton series (now at 22 books!). She was her usual clueless self and the village characters were all their usual gossipy selves.....made me smile the entire time I was reading!

I'm a sucker for the sweet-old-lady-as-detective or period mysteries....so I love Miss Seeton. The humor is always witty and dry....the umbrella is always put to good use....and Miss Seeton never quite realizes that she knows things that are important.

Readers who are new to Miss Seeton can jump in at this newest book and be fine. It isn't necessary to have read any of the prior novels. There is enough explanation of the characters to understand the basics and enjoy the plot of this newest book. For those who have read some, or all, of the other Miss Seeton books, I think the humor and characters carry over well to this new story, despite 20 years passing since the last book.

The series was started in 1968 by Heron Carvic. The series was continued by Hampton Charles and Hamilton Crane. Hamilton Crane is a pseudonym used by author Sarah J. Mason.

The continuing adventures of Miss Seeton. This entry in the series has Miss Seeton helping to make a quilt with the members of her community depicting their own homes and their shared town. Miss Seeton also continues her consultancy with Scotland Yard, owing to the prophetic nature of her drawings.

Despite being the 22nd book in this series, this is only the second Miss Seeton book I've read. I found this one more enjoyable, as I was able to see where things were going more clearly, with regard to writing style and was able to tell better whom was whom when talking, even when not stated, which was something I found difficult while reading my previous MS book. The difficulty is still present in this book but less so than before. I also was more used to this author's style of humor and so found this book much funnier than I'd found the first one. I might even go back and re-read the first now having this further knowledge of the world and characters and see if I like it better than I originally did. (I suspect I might.) Another failing I found with the book is it jumps around to other characters points of view and I don't feel we get to spend enough time with the main character, Miss Emily. However, I find the main character delightful and the cast of surrounding characters entertaining and I look forward to reading the previously released books in this series while hoping we get other future installments as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, dry-humored cosy mystery.

I received an ARC of this book from the publishers, via Netgalley, and am voluntarily providing a review.

This book is one of a series and it is never easy coming into a series part way through, particularly when you don't realise that.... There is little description or set up - because its part of a series.
The book is in the midsummer murders/Agatha Raisin school of "nice English Village" detective fiction. Miss Seaton is a talented artist who occasionally draws pictures revealing facts about ongoing police cases.
I found the lack of descriptions problematic, and would encourage the author and publisher to put in a picture of the portrait which is central to the case- I simply could not imagine what was described. Overall a pleasant evenings read, but I won't be rushing out to complete the series.

Yet another charming installment in a sweet series. I love Miss Seeton and wish that I lived in the village with her. She has an uncanny way of solving crimes, all the while not realizing that she's doing it! I totally recommends this book, and series. They keep me coming back for more!

Another entertaining Miss Seeton adventure! Although Miss Seeton is unusually removed from the physical action of this tale, her psychic drawing ability provides important clues as the Oracle and Ranger hunt down traitors, and treasure hunters abound.

First – A thank you to NetGallery and Farrago for the preview of this Miss Seaton book.
The book starts out with the return to the village of Plummergen from the wedding of Nigel and Louise Colveden. During a celebration for the newlyweds, the local ladies club get an idea to create a tapestry of the village to commemorate the local village history. The idea is generated by a random comment from the French bride, Louise, regarding the Bayeaux Tapestry. This sets the background for a lot of village tension and secrecy because the ladies of the village want to “out do” each other with their quilted piece. Miss Seaton is called in to help organize and layout the pattern for the quilt.
At the same time as this background story, the main story picks up relating to Summerset Cottage that is owned by Nigel’s family. A mysterious mural is found of Henry VIII during the renovation of the cottage for the newlyweds. Historians are brought in and further findings in the cottage are uncovered from the prior residents who appear to have been Nazi supporters. The secretive foreigners living near the village also might, or might not, be mixed up with the goings on in the cottage.
Detective Chief Superintendent Delphick, and Detective Sergeant Bob Ranger are on hand during all this activity because they have called on Miss Seaton to help investigate the supposed homicide of an agent. This leads down a very “cloak and dagger” storyline with various government agencies, spies and potential espionage.
This is the first Miss Seaton book I have read. From the description, I was expecting a standard mystery set in an English village. It took me a while to figure out the history of the characters, timeframe of the book (set in mid-1970s) and the various storylines. The jumble of story lines, especially the spy stuff, in the beginning made this more difficult than it needed to be. Once the threads of the stories became more solid and the focus of the book became more and more the village, its inhabitants and Miss Seaton, the story became much more enjoyable. By the end, I was invested in the characters and the outcome.
For those that have read Miss Seaton, this book will likely be a hit. For those new to Miss Seaton, I would recommend the reader to be patient… the book is worth investing time in the beginning even though it might be slightly confusing. It all works out to be a good solid village mystery with a little wit mixed in. With the strong ending to the book, I give it 4 stars.

This is only the second Miss Seeton book that I've read - and the other one was the first in the series. I love the idea behind the series and Miss Seeton is a great character. But, perhaps because I haven't read enough of the rest of the series, this didn't work for me as much as I wanted it too. There are two competing plots going on in this, and I didn't think that they integrated quite well enough together and felt a bit disjointed. But I like the set up so much that I would definitely read more of the series.

I struggled with this book and had to give up after reading 20%of it.. This was the first Miss Seeton book I had read and possibly if I had read the series from the start may have understood the characters more.

This latest Miss Seeton story is, as always, a real pleasure. We have reached the 1970s, but Miss Seeton herself remains unchanged, thank heavens.

The plot, as if it matters, is an enjoyable load of old hokum concerning Cold War mysterious findings during the renovations of an old cottage, rumours of Nazi gold and a revolution in a (fictional) South American country. Miss Seeton is recruited, as always, to make her inspired sketches which reveal important facets of the investigations.

This is all good stuff, but as always for me, the pleasure in these books is the characters, their development and interaction and the wonderful picture of the Village rumour mill (especially those splendid creations, the Nuts) and the tides of rivalries and alliances, through which Miss Seeton glides, innocently and benignly unaware – this time fuelled by a supposedly collaborative embroidery effort to mark an anniversary in the village. It's probably enough to say that this is a good Miss Seeton book: to her admirers (like me) that's all that need be said. If you're new to Miss Seeton it might be best to start earlier in the series; this stands alone as a story, but it's helpful to know a little about the characters' history and background to get the most out of the wit and story development. (The first three books are now available as an omnibus. )

In short, Miss Seeton Quits The Village, is a pleasure to read and a very enjoyable light diversion. Warmly recommended.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)

Really enjoyed this,Agatha Christie meets Midsomer Murders. Amazing what goes on in sleepy English villages!. Really can see it on TV. Will look out for others in the series

Farce personified, another mystery where Miss Seeton draws her pictures and solves unusual goings on in the village. Hilarious in parts and farcical in others and an enjoyable, light read.

I have not read but a couple of books in this venerable series so I'm less invested than some, who I suspect will have much stronger feelings about this new installment. I like Miss Seeton because she's mature, she's got some quirks (the sketches, the yoga, the umbrella), and she's intrepid. The village, not so much. These are sniping people, but that's what sometimes happens when everyone is cooped in around one another with nothing else to interest them. I liked the tapestry, I liked the interplay with Delphick and Ranger, and I generally liked the book. There are lots of secrets (perhaps one too many) and sometimes the book become a tad too twee. That said, it is an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You can read this, I think, as a standalone and be fine. Note that it's less a cozy than a tale about a small British village.

What an absolutely gorgeous book,it was a real treat to read! I have never come across this series before and wondered about Miss Seaton,would she be like Jane Marple who solves murders by observing the happenings in her village,or would she be like Agatha Raisin,who annoys all those she comes into contact with and is usually hauled in by the Police in her well meaning attempts to solve crimes?
Miss Emily Seaton is a retired Art teacher,living in Plummergen,who is known for going into trances and creating intuitive,psychic drawings that have bearings upon cases that her local constabulary are investigating and for this,she is paid a retainer. She is also a Yoga devotee and demonstrates her nimbleness in the matter of somersaults,or the knack of looking at paintings upside down! A highly commendable skill at any age!!
This story involves German spies and hidden radios,buried Nazi uniforms and a hidden fresco of Henry v111. Add to this eclectic mix Spanish strangers,metal detectors in the local churchyard and a murder sanctioned by the Foreign Office, not to mention the titular quilt along the lines of the Bayeaux Tapestry,then the whole story reads like a Brian Rix farce,which is high praise indeed!!
I enjoyed this so much,it being so amusing and laugh out loud. A fine collection of unusual Christian and surnames added to the humour and surely DCS Delphick begs to have the nickname of Delphinium? Police humour can be so cruel.
This is the first book after a 20 year gap and the 22nd in total,so I have some catching up to do!! If you like light hearted humour and a good giggle,then this book is for you. Enjoy!! I have left a copy of this review on Goodreads today.

I have to be honest, this is the first British sleuth novel I have encountered since the Greats (Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, etc.) and I'm impressed. I requested the book on a whim, mainly because I love mystery and I was pleasantly surprised by Miss Seeton. I haven't read the previous books in the series, however, now I am definitely putting them on my "To Read" list. The new "Crane's" writing style is very thought provoking and definitely paints the scene. Likewise is Miss Seeton's otherworldly mental prowess as she uncovers the truth behind a few mysteries: assassinations, Nazi treasure, and of course her prophetic sketches.

This is the second book I’ve devoured in this series, and it’s every bit as good as the first. Miss Seeton is fast becoming one of my favourite series characters.

A completely different kind of mystery baffles the police this time round and they can’t make head nor tail of it. What is going on in Plummergen, that hot bed of gossip and rumour? What is true and what is fact? And what is pure conjecture – because let’s face it, left to the gossips untruths abound!

Hamilton Crane excels at writing with an easy style which lulls the reader into a false sense of security, but never let your attention wander as the small details all count and, until you read the final page, you cannot discount any words on the page – or screen. It’s all down to the ‘little grey cells’, to borrow some words from the renowned detective, Hercule Poirot.

Exciting, well-plotted and quite plausible – even though, at times, the reader doubts that very much – this is a very entertaining read and is tremendously appealing to the mystery lover. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to all such readers and look forward to more novels in this charming series.

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my original, honest and unbiased review.

Eh... this was my second Miss Seeton book (the first was Miss Seeton's Finest Hour, which I really enjoyed), and if this is what the rest of them are like, I may have to take a pass. I love the concept of an elderly female lead (love the Mrs. Pollifax series!), but I couldn't get into the elderly female lead who is totally oblivious to the rest of the world and whose only asset is a psychic ability to draw (and apparently some decent yoga poses). That's it. I thought the book would be a cozy mystery taking place in a cozy, quaint village, but instead, it was very, very slow and rather boring. The village characters reminded me how horrible small-town living can be (nosy, gossipy, insular, etc etc). Mrs. Seeton didn't get "on the case" until almost 50% through the book (i.e., where she meets up with Chief Superintendent Delphick), and that was much too late. The village quilt - egad - was an all-consuming plot point and stultifying in the extreme... and the book didn't even include a discussion of the finished product! urgh. I put this book down numerous times and had to force myself to pick it back up each time so I could finish it. I read somewhere that the author of the Miss Seeton series characterized it as a satire. If this was satirical, I guess satire is not my thing. I did enjoy some of the author's turns of phrases and wry observations on human nature, and I really enjoyed the first Miss Seeton book I had read, so I will try one more before I give up on the series.

I had a hard time getting through this book. The pace was rather slow throughout although the story itself was good.

I have to admit that I had never heard of the Miss Seeton series before I read this book. However, that was no barrier to my enjoyment and it was a quick read.

I was a bit frustrated by several interesting plot lines which seemed to be either complete but irrelevant to the main plot, or just fizzled out. Nevertheless, I shall be on the look out for other Miss Seeton books for a holiday read.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy.