Stitches and Secrets
(2026)(The first book in the Pins and Paws Mystery series)
A novel by Hailey Hartley
Retired elementary school teacher Margaret "Maggie" Fletcher thought her days of solving puzzles were behind her—until a five-dollar embroidery hoop from an estate sale turns her quiet Vermont retirement upside down. Hidden within the beautiful 1920s needlework is a coded message that leads Maggie and her food-motivated Beagle, Buttons, straight into the heart of a century-old family secret. What starts as innocent curiosity about the delicate stitches becomes something far more dangerous when Maggie realizes the coded treasure map might be connected to the recent death of Maple Hollows' most reclusive resident, Vivian Ashworth.
When the town's antique dealer starts acting suspiciously and valuable family heirlooms surface in unexpected places, Maggie's teacher instincts tell her that something doesn't add up. With Buttons sniffing out clues in the most unlikely locations and her best friend Beth providing crucial town gossip, Maggie begins to unravel a tangled web of forbidden romance, stolen jewelry, and bitter inheritance disputes. But the deeper she digs into the past, the more dangerous the present becomes—and someone in town is desperate to keep the truth buried forever.
Racing against time to decode the complete message before the killer strikes again, Maggie must use all her puzzle-solving skills to separate friend from foe in this charming small town where everyone has secrets and nothing is quite as simple as it seems. Can a retired teacher and her loyal Beagle companion crack a hundred-year-old code and catch a killer before it's too late? Grab your favorite cozy reading spot and join Maggie Fletcher on her first needlework adventure in this delightful new cozy mystery series that proves the most precious treasures are the truths we uncover along the way.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
When the town's antique dealer starts acting suspiciously and valuable family heirlooms surface in unexpected places, Maggie's teacher instincts tell her that something doesn't add up. With Buttons sniffing out clues in the most unlikely locations and her best friend Beth providing crucial town gossip, Maggie begins to unravel a tangled web of forbidden romance, stolen jewelry, and bitter inheritance disputes. But the deeper she digs into the past, the more dangerous the present becomes—and someone in town is desperate to keep the truth buried forever.
Racing against time to decode the complete message before the killer strikes again, Maggie must use all her puzzle-solving skills to separate friend from foe in this charming small town where everyone has secrets and nothing is quite as simple as it seems. Can a retired teacher and her loyal Beagle companion crack a hundred-year-old code and catch a killer before it's too late? Grab your favorite cozy reading spot and join Maggie Fletcher on her first needlework adventure in this delightful new cozy mystery series that proves the most precious treasures are the truths we uncover along the way.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Hailey Hartley's Stitches and Secrets