Innocent Until Proven Quilty

Innocent Until Proven Quilty photo

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Bean Town is the backdrop when Emma Cotton and Kelly Grace, the owners of Cotton & Grace quilt design shop in Mystic Harbor, Massachusetts, take on the next suspect who may have been involved in the death of their friend Rose. Vanessa Nelson, now an assistant curator at a prestigious Boston art museum, was one of the last to see Rose alive.

Vanessa is in trouble with the museum, accused of stealing an exquisite painting, and has been dismissed from her position. She seems like the kind of person accustomed to living on the wrong side of the law. Could she be both a thief and a murderer?

Emma and Kelly must go undercover at the museum, hoping to find a link between the theft of a priceless work of art and an unsolved death fifteen years ago.

Meanwhile, it’s not enough for Emma to be immersed in the latest clue to the mystery that has haunted her all these years. She also finds herself in the crosshairs of a conspiracy between her aunt, Dottie Faye Sinclair, and Kelly’s mother, Maeve Quigley. 

Dottie Faye and Maeve, normally adversaries, have joined forces to “help” Emma gain the attention of Eric Hart, the handsome doctor whom Dottie Faye believes is destined to be Emma’s soul mate. But can Emma balance a business, a murder investigation, and such a complication in her personal life?

Thanks to Vanessa’s underhanded scheming, Emma and Kelly must get to the bottom of the museum heist before they can move forward in their quest to discover the true identity of Rose’s killer. Will that journey once again throw their lives into mortal danger?

The Characters

Meet Emma Cotton, a busy 41-year-old who runs Cotton & Grace Quilt Designs with her good friend, Kelly Grace. Emma is an artistic, warm and caring person who expresses herself through her unique quilt designs. But behind her easygoing demeanor lies a troubled heart that is haunted by the suspicious death of her childhood friend, Rose. Known for her unwavering loyalty to those she cares about, it comes as no surprise when Emma decides to pursue a clue found in an old quilt once belonging to Rose that could finally bring her dear friend's killer to justice.

Kelly Grace, petite and outspoken with strong Irish roots, is a 41-year-old mother of two. She's had a love for quilting since she was old enough to thread a needle. As co-owner of Cotton & Grace Quilt Designs, Kelly has a shrewd business sense that balances Emma's visionary side well. Like Emma, she also wants to solve the mystery of Rose's untimely death, but she worries about the emotional toll it takes on Emma and what Rose's killer might do to try and keep them from learning the truth.

Rose Peterson was a 26-year-old graduate student studying textile and apparel design when she mysteriously died 15 years ago. The local police ruled her death "accidental" almost immediately, despite evidence to the contrary provided by Rose's two best friends, Emma and Kelly. Shortly before her death, Rose had confided to them that she felt like she was being watched and that one of her students frightened her. Who was stalking her? And did they have a hand in her fatal fall?

Originally from Mississippi, 66-year-old Dottie Faye Sinclair is a self-proclaimed "Southern belle living in Yankee territory." Always full of drama, Emma's spunky aunt loves to be the center of attention and has been known to drive through downtown Mystic Harbor, Massachusetts, with her confederate flag flying from the window of her white Cadillac -- just for kicks. A widow with no children of her own, Dottie Faye loves Emma like a daughter and would do anything for her favorite niece, including fund the investigation into the mysterious death of Emma's childhood friend, Rose. But Dottie Faye has one stipulation: She must be allowed to "help" with any undercover detective work. Will her less-than-subtle approach land them in more trouble than they can handle?

A lifelong resident of Mystic Harbor, Tokala Abrams is a wife, mother of two boys, and lead chemist for a pharmaceutical company. She is a core member of the Nimble Thimbles quilting group that meets weekly at the Uncommon Threads fabric shop in town. A loyal confidante to Emma and Kelly, she and the other "Thimbles" support the women in their sleuthing efforts and often help them piece together the clues they uncover.

At 45, Dr. Eric Hart is a physician who moved to Mystic Harbor five years ago, after his beloved wife passed away. Since his arrival, his focus has been solely on raising his 10-year-old daughter and building his practice. His office is located in the historic downtown district, not far from Cotton & Grace Quilt Designs. He and Emma cross paths often at Grounds for Suspicion, the local coffee shop, and she counts him among her trusted friends. He proves to be a valuable ally as she begins her investigation, but as dangerous events occur he becomes increasingly concerned for her safety. Is his concern purely that of a friend, or do his feelings run deeper?