Terrific start to another series by talented author Diane Vallere. Who wouldn’t be drawn to a character named Polyester because she was born on it in a shop she’s just inherited? Poly Monroe is an interesting woman and after you meet her I’m sure you’ll want to get to know her better.

Poly is living her life in Los Angeles. A successful dress designer who hasn’t been back to her family’s fabric shop in years since her aunt was murdered and her uncle shut everyone out. When he dies she learns she has inherited the store. Her plan is to drive down to San Ladrón, sign a few papers so she can sell it, and then head home. But, you know, plans don’t always work out as we expect. She never expected the pull she feels upon entering the store. She certainly didn’t expect the pressure from high school friend Ken who is going to handle the transaction for her. She didn’t even realize a developer owned every store on the street except hers and that he was determined to buy it – whatever it takes. And she absolutely didn’t expect her boyfriend in LA to suddenly go behind her back and try to make a deal “because we could make a lot of money!” We???

Poly realizes she has some thinking to do, but before she can even start her car is vandalized and she must spend the night in the store. When she’s taking out trash she sees a man lurking near the dumpster. In the morning she finds a body outside the store and suddenly what was just curious becomes suspect, and she is determined to stick around until she finds out why she’s getting the hard sell from everyone and who is trying to scare her away.

Vallere provides a good, solid mystery with intriguing characters and twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Family secrets surface, people don’t behave as expected, and Poly stands her ground. I listened to an audiobook of Suede to Rest and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend it without hesitation and can’t wait to take the next step with Poly on her new adventure. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own. ( )

Have a tissue handy and allow a day for this family-friendly cozy mystery set in San Ladron, California where Polyester Monroe has inherited Land of a Thousand Fabrics from her greatuncle Marius.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ( )

Not without it's faults, but a strong start to a new series.

When Poly Monroe was little, she loved playing in her family’s textile store. But after a fatal tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. Now, as inheritor of the shuttered shop, she’s ready to restore the family business. Not everyone wants Poly back in San Ladrón, but even when the threats turn deadly, she’s not ready to bolt. Because Poly is beginning to suspect that the murder behind the shop is tied to a mystery in her family’s past that she’s determined to solve…

I'm not sure if I like Poly or not; her reactions are, well, reactive - she doesn't strike me at all as take-charge or rational. That sounds like a condemnation, but it isn't: Poly's bombarded upon her arrival by people and events. She struck me as shell-shocked, and that made her reactive behaviour believable to me; it also explained her careening around town like a pinball as events heated up. Her treatment of Vaughn, however... By the end of the book it started to feel like she was kicking a puppy. The author would have been more successful reigning in this lack of trust as it started looking like paranoia instead and Poly lost my empathy.

The rest of the cast of characters were really well done: I want to know more about a lot of them. San Ladrón needs some work; the author has the town pretty distinctly divided: residents are either angelic or they're asses.

The mystery involved a cold case murder and a modern day murder. The author wanted to involve long kept family secrets to add an element of drama, and it should have worked – but it didn't, at least not for me. I didn't understand the level of betrayal Poly felt over the secrets her parents kept; they just weren't that earth-shattering. But on Poly's side, I didn't get why her parents felt like those were secrets worth keeping, either. The whole thing had a tempest-in-a-teacup feel about it.

Which brings me to the denouement: The murderer was not obvious and the plotting/pace was good. But the motivation for the murderer? Lame! This person would have had to have been a true psychopath to commit these crimes for these reasons (man, writing gender-neutral is a bitch!), and the author just didn't sell it. At least, not to me. The motivation to commit either crime just wasn't strong enough.

I did like this book though - I swear! It was the kind of book I didn't have to struggle to lose myself in. The author writes very well; I just felt like she tried to force a couple of things so they just didn't work. Might just be me though.

I'll definitely check out the next book - I'm interested in getting to know Poly once she has her grip back and she's in control. ( )

I really liked this book and it is a 4.5 stars for me. This is a great start to this series and I will definitely be looking for the next one in this series.

Polyester Monroe inherits "The Land of a Thousand Fabrics", the family store filled with wonderful old fabrics and sewing notions, when her Uncle Marius passes away. Her Aunt Millie was murdered in the store 10 years earlier, on the night of Poly's highschool graduation, and it has been closed ever since. Poly grew up in the store, literally, as she was born there which is where her name came from. Poly's plan is to drive the three hours to the town, sign the paper's to take ownership of the store, then sign the papers to sell the store and go back to LosAngeles to her job and boyfriend. When she enters the store, something tugs at her and she decides she does not want to leave until she figures out what happened to her Aunt, what happened to the gold charm bracelet, and are the store's contents still usable. As Poly is trying to figure these things out she becomes a victim of vandalism, first her car, then the store as well as almost drowning in a shower?? All of this makes her more determined to get to the bottom of her Aunt's mysterious murder and how some of the town's people may play into the whole picture.

Author, Diane Vallere, creates a wonderful plot and weaves the characters together is a delightful way. Poly is quite an interesting character. You can see her confidence grow from the beginning to the end of this mystery. The supporting characters are all different personalities and bring different twists to the story. There appears to be a love interest for Poly that I hope will bloom in the next book. An enjoyable first cozy in a new series. ( )

Poly (short for Polyester, I kid you not) is a winning main character. Readers see her at a crossroads in her life. Up to this point, she's always settled for feeling and being safe, but now this talented woman with a sharp eye for design and a good sense of humor is ready to embark on something new.

That something new seems to be bringing Land of a Thousand Fabrics back to life, and Poly is sharp enough to know that she won't be able to bring it back exactly the way it used to be. To survive, Poly is going to have to make changes, and I have to tell you that I'm really looking forward to seeing what they are. The hook in this Material Witness series is fabric, and in Diane Vallere's skillful hands it's a hook that excites yet doesn't overpower the mystery. Poly looks at fabric the same way I look at yarn, so I felt a strong kinship with the character on that point (and others). To take her mind off all the things that had gone wrong, one night Poly got an idea to spruce up a new friend's business. She spent hours with fabrics and trims, and by the time she was finished, she had a treasure trove of goodies. I was downright disappointed when she never had a chance to deliver the things she made to her friend. I'm hoping to see her reaction in book two!

The secondary characters are also a strength in Suede to Rest. It's refreshing to have a main character whose parents aren't chock full of neuroses. San Ladrón is a small town filled with characters. The Senior Patrol is a group of retired citizens who patrol the streets at various times throughout the day to make sure no one's up to any hanky panky. In this first book, their role appears to be that of gossip mongers rather than crime busters because plenty happens that they don't seem to see. Yes, San Ladrón does have a bit of an edge. All the residents don't welcome Poly with open arms, but she does make friends like the Lopez family who own and operate a local bakery.

Although I did find the killer to be rather easily guessed, Vallere has laid a solid foundation for her series with a strong setting, a cast of fascinating characters-- and a fabric store I'd love to spend some money in once it's cleaned up. Bring on book two! ( )