Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery) by Allie Pleiter. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
by Allie Pleiter
Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication date : March 31, 2026
Print length : 272 pages
Hardcover
When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…
It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .
Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.
To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.
Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.
What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . .
Author Guest Post
We all want a close batch of great friends.
Sometimes it happens in real life, and those friendships are to be treasured. Many times, our real-life friendships disappoint us, fade in and out, or offer more strain than support.
Cozy mysteries tap into that desire for community. My favorite letters from readers talk about wanting to live in Gwen Lake or having friendships like Shelby my sleuth enjoys. Everyone seems to especially love the band of fearless NYAGs—the “Not Your Average Grannies” who are store regulars at the Nimble Needle. We love to solve the puzzle of a mystery and see justice done, but we want a trusty squad of buddies by our side while we do it.
Building that kind of community within a mystery series takes a unique mix of human personalities, a dash of humor (and perhaps romance), and a sense of balance. The book needs to be as much about the people solving the mystery as the mystery itself.
Shelby is a creative. Her friend Deb has a scientific, analytical mind. Her sister Jessica is the social perfectionist. Jake is the handsome practical guy you can always count on. The most rewarding friendships aren’t crafted of people who all think or act the same. Everyone brings something unique to the blend.
One of my favorite elements of TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS is the generational mix that happens between Shelby’s younger friends and the more “seasoned” NYAGs. It’s a lovely reflection of what’s happening in the crafting world—younger knitters, needlepoints, crocheters, and quilters are discovering the crafts that have enriched the lives of older generations for decades. They have more in common than they realize.
And then there are the furry friends.
I couldn’t’ discuss cozy mystery friendships without including the four-legged friendships we all love in this genre. In the case of TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS, it’s Shelby’s cat Nabbit. He, like most felines, is part companion, part character critic, part confessor, and part source of trouble. Nabbit brings a unique element to Shelby’s life and to the story. Readers love him as much as Shelby does.
There are a cast of other characters in Gwen Lake, too. Like good friends, you’ll want to spend time with them and share the quirky traditions that make the town memorable. Mayor Rose will insist you come back again and again, while Police Chief Tallen will make sure you behave when you do.
…Unless you’re planning to kill someone. Then I can guarantee you justice will be done in Gwen Lake. Shelby, her friends and neighbors will see to it.
About Allie Pleiter
An avid crafter, coffee junkie, and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction, working on as many as four books at a time. The bestselling author of over seventy books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-plus-year career with over 1.9 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and the world’s most adorable dog. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.
Author Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliepleiterauthor/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alliepleiter
Facebook group (books): https://www.facebook.com/groups/firesidewithallie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-pleiter-6a021b139
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliepleiter
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alliepleiter/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453346.Allie_Pleiter
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allie-pleiter
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Allie-Pleiter/e/B001H6IEUO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Purchase Links – Author Website – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org
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Two Purloined Pillows TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 1 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
April 1 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 1 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW
April 2 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 3 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 4 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 6 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 6 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 7 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST
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