From the author of Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women comes a novel for fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and Elin Hilderbrand’s Summerland about the secrets that hide in the shadows of even the most ordinary-seeming lives.~ 2013 ~Idyllic Port Elspeth, Connecticut is rocked by tragedy. Shortly after their high school graduation, Evangeline Maddingly, daughter of one of the … graduation, Evangeline Maddingly, daughter of one of the town’s wealthiest old-money families, and Oliver Prescott, son of one of the town’s wealthiest new-money families, are found dead in an isolated cabin in the woods outside of town. The circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths are murky at best, thanks in large part to a sweeping effort from those in power to shut down any negative publicity that could harm the reputation of the pristine, oceanside community.
~ Five years later ~
A small group of strangers gathers to create jewelry for one of Port Elspeth’s many fundraisers. Before long, friendships are forming and old secrets are being revealed. Along with discovering how to make a perfect pair of chandelier earrings or cabochon necklace, these unlikely sleuths find themselves at the heart of solving the murders that took place half a decade earlier.
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This special book club edition includes a list of discussion questions at the back of the book.
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This book comes out in audio format in Autumn, 2019.
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Praise for The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club:
“I loved this book! It is in my opinion one of those perfect summer reads! It has been one of the highlights of my current reads whether for pleasure or review. It was exactly what I needed to have read.”
— Whitney of Honestly Austen book blog
“FIVE BOUNDLESS STARS
This book was excellent. It is a book that grabs you. It was full of drama and mystery. … I picked it up and couldn’t put it down. I just wanted more. It was written in a very well detailed and enthralling.”
— Stormi of Boundless Book Reviews
“Tierney-Bedord crafts a tightly woven plot that drops hints about the true identity of the killer in a masterful way that reminds me of Gillian Flynn’s writing. The twists in this novel are fabulous!”
— Valerie Biel, author of the Circle of Nine series
“Everything stops when Author Bedord has a new release. And you’ll want to grab her latest book, too.”
— Jena C. Henry, author of The Golden Age of Charli series
”…I recommend this book for anyone that likes chick-lit with a brain, mystery, and contemporary settings.”
–Hardly A. Goddess book blog
“The mystery of this book was also wonderful as it left you both laughing, worried and just wanting to turn the page to another leading to another chapter and another until you finish the book.”
–Hufflepuff Nerdette book blog
“Holly Tierney-Bedord, a gifted story-teller, has given us yet another gem!”
–Geralyn Corcillo, author of Queen of the Universe and Catch a Falling Star
“This was the perfect cozy murder mystery book and I enjoyed every word of it.”
–Books in the Skye book blog
“There really is something for everyone at Port Elspeth, which is why it was more than deserving of the five stars I’ve given it.”
–Sara Steven of Chick Lit Central
“A cross between Jessica Fletcher and the Desperate Housewives … I’m so glad I read this book; packed with fun and mystery, this has turned me into a fan of this author’s work!”
–Grace J. Reviewerlady, book blogger
“I loved this novel.”
–The Haunted Reading Room
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The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club made the Chick Lit Central ‘Favorites of 2018’ list.
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The characters were not well defined and I had a hard time keeping up with who was who. I became bored with it, but did finish the reading to see if it improved. It did not.
I really liked this book. There’s a nice little twist to the end. I would like more like this one.
did not really like it; could not get into it and so I did not finish it.
I can’t recommend this book. The description for the book was misleading as it never mentioned the lesbian theme. Also, while the murderer was a crazy woman, a good portion of the book was spent bashing the male characters.
It was boring and I gave up about 1/2 through. I skipped to the last chapter and found the ending was totally predictable. Don’t waste your time with this one.
Not terribly well written. Would not recommend this
This was such a good book! A murder mystery, a woman’s club and a haughty town- so much fun!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I loved this book! Totally believable story line. I had a hard time putting it down & was sad when I finished it.
really enjoyed it
good light read
Avery different, but entertaining.
Characters were ridiculous.
Very different from other mysteries I’ve read. Very interesting characters and quirky relationships. I liked it!
Easy fun read with clever dialogue!
A motley group of lonely women meet together ostensibly to make jewellery. Instead they form firm friendships and solve a cold-case mystery. Great fun to read.
All the mystery and fun of a cozy mystery with the fun and friendship of a bozy book club meeting.
Cadence and her career (power) driven husband are new arrivals to Port Elspeth. He wants to be a mover and shaker getting in with the right people and being part of the right clubs. She just wants to make new friends now that she has gone from a career woman to a kept woman. Cadence decides to send out a notice to the community to see if there are any women interested in signing up to make jewelry for a charity event. Five people show up and they couldn’t be more diverse from one another coming from different social stations in life.
The book is told from several POV of the characters which allows the reader to see all sides to a multifaceted story. There is Margo who has come back home after having lived in Paris. She is back to the town she grew up in and must face the people who hold prejudices against her for being gay. Luckily, she has the love and support of her aging & wise mother Pearl. Then there is Vivienne who was the “it” girl until a tragedy struck and caused her and her young daughter Olivia to fall from grace. Lastly, there is Audra the art teacher who finds her life intertwined with the other woman as the story unfolds.
As for the story itself, it is like no other I have read before. There is a horrific tragedy in the past that seems to still be front in center in the present and filled with great mystery. Some people want to forget the past, others want to move forward, and then there is poor Vivienne who wants her past glory. It is also a story of struggle for being different, wanting to be recognized for individuality, and the coming together of women from different backgrounds and forming lasting bonds.
The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedford will keep you turning pages well into the night. This story is well written and the characters are well developed. It is a combination of new friendships forming, a murder mystery, a strange love affair and lots of plot twists.
Jewelry making is just part of the theme. The characters are realistic and believable. The Port Elspeth Women’s Club is filled with the usual uppity people that are sadly climbing the social ladder.
I highly recommend this book. It will keep you guessing.
4 Stars
The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord is such a well thought out and intricately planned story. The author has written extremely well- developing a complex and fascinating mystery, full of intricate details and rich descriptions. She definitely had me engrossed- right from the outset.
Cadence Sommerset gets a whole lot more than she bargained for when she starts a jewellery making club as a way of raising funds for charity, but also a way for her to fit in and make friends, in this new town she and her husband were making their home. What unfolds makes for wonderful and intriguing reading. I tried to predict where the story would lead, but Ms. Tierney-Bedord managed to keep me guessing right till the end.
I have read quite a few of Ms. Tierney-Bedord’s books now, but this is my first full length novel from her. I enjoyed getting to sink my teeth it this longer story and feel that it delivered everything I could hope for from a great mystery. The main characters were all fully developed, realistic and very likeable. The secondary characters were also well developed, with their own individual personalities.
Ms. Tierney-Bedord has her own unique style and always delivers an entertaining and original story. The book is fast paced and flows smoothly. The story is a standalone, and a great addition to the other books in her body of work/s.
So, allow yourself a few hours- curl up with a hot chocolate or a glass of wine and dive into this captivating read. Just like me, you’ll be happy you did.
Thank you Ms. Tierney-Bedord!
The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord was a fun, light hearted read that wasn’t what I was expecting. I was hooked!
Sometimes you come across a book where you’re like, this could be good or bad, to be honest I wasn’t really expecting much from this. Everything from the cover to synopsis was screaming tropevill. But holy hell I was wrong, way, way wrong. This book was entertaining, fun, and the was witting down right awesome. I loved everything about it, form the sudden mystery, to the history of the town, to the well rounded realistic characters.
Oh the characters. These ladies were something else I tell you. Each had their own voice, crazy personality and most of all they all somehow, fit together. Mix that with superb writing, a solid engaging plot, rich detail and a evolving complex mystery, and you got one hell of a fun exciting read.
I highly recommend you get you hands you this little gem. Don’t do what I did and almost pass it over because it’s outer appearances needs a little makeover. This isn’t you’re typical run of-the-mill made for TV lifetime movie, where you know how everything will play out and end. This is a layered wonder that builds you up, knocks you down, and makes you invested in the characters and their lives, right until you get you that ending.. I can’t even right now! Like that ending.. wow.. wow… wow.
And that is where I’m going to leave you.. (I know your intrigued, go on get that book)
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh