Thread the Halls

Thread the Halls
Lea Wait
Kensington Publishing Corp.
New York, New York
ISBN:  978-1-4967-0630-0
Paperback
2017
$ 7.99
310 pages

Angie Curtis is looking forward to her first, of what she hopes is many, quiet Christmas holidays with Patrick West.   Patrick is also looking forward to his first holiday spent with Angie.  Both are anxious to see how their relationship grows during this holiday season.
Unfortunately, his mother has other ideas.
Skye West is both a movie star and Patrick’s mother.   She is planning on taking a break from her current movie, along with some co-stars, writers, and the director at her Victorian mansion in this small Maine town.   Of course, a well-known and loved celebrity who rarely visits her home mansion, can come home for Christmas bringing along a few friends, or acquaintances, and it won’t affect the town people at all.  Why would it?
Skye wants everything perfect.   The mansion needs to be decorated for Christmas like a picture perfect Currier and Ives postcard, complete with a horse-drawn sleigh, needlepoint pillows, high-class meals available at all hours, and of course, carolers.    Not to mention that to attend these events would require the proper outfits for Angie.
Patrick is at a slight disadvantage in decorating since his hands were injured in a fire.  He is still recuperating and wonders if he will ever return to his life as a painter.   For now, he seems content managing the local art gallery.
Relaxing quickly turns into a hectic race to get ready and to keep the secret from the media.
Lea Wait writes delightful cozy mysteries and phenomenal historical fiction for young adults regarding her home state, Maine.   Her needlepoint and antique print mysteries are fun to read.  Her historical fiction is outstanding, placing the reader immediately inside and feeling part of the story.
Her stories in this her needlepoint and antique print books carry the main characters from the first book forward.   Even though the books are part of a series, these can easily be read as standalone mysteries.  Obviously, there is more enjoyment if you follow the characters from the first book.
Lea Wait beautifully sets her readers with the taste, recipe included, smells, climate immersing you into her state of Maine.
The plot is clever and keeps the reader guessing as you turn each page.
Lea Wait’s books are great mysteries to warm up during these chilly winter nights.