A Tread of Truth – Marie Bostwick – Book Review
Kensington Books/2009
By – Sheri de Grom
A Thread of Truth is the second book in Marie Bostwick’s Cobbled Court series.
Like fragments of fabric in a cherished handmaid quilt, Ms. Bostwick’s novel, pieces together a story of women and their ability to change lives, both each other’s and their own.
The point of view alternates between two main characters in A Thread of Truth. There’s also just the right amount of deep faith shared among the women in the story.
Themes throughout A Thread of Truth are domestic violence, unemployment, entrepreneurship, court battles, breast cancer and motherhood. Mothering crosses generations as demonstrated in the sisterhood of this story.
The characters are brought together in a quilt shop in a charming New England town. Ivy Peterman, the leading character, arrives in town while running from an abusive husband. Ivy told a story and, while it was untrue, it did allow her and her two children to gain safety at the town’s battered women’s shelter.
Ivy is hired by Evelyn Dixon, a breast cancer survivor and owner of Cobbled Court Quilt Shop. Ivy’s truth unravels and Evelyn, along with the other workers, convince Ivy to stop running with her children.
Ivy’s new friends become instrumental in helping her face her abusive husband in a nail-biting court battle wherein the father seeks custody of the children.
The employees of Cobbled Court Quilt Shop are not just women who happen to work at the same location. They become friends who care for each other on a deep emotional level. Additional characters take quilting classes at the shop and are woven in for a complete and total community. Marie Bostwick is a master in writing series women’s fiction.
With each of Bostwick’s books I meet new characters and I become invested in their stories. I’m also reacquainted with familiar ones. The women of Cobbled Court are strong, determined, and modern. They are allowed to confront their fears in a realistic manner and find solutions that aren’t from a fairytale setting. Happiness doesn’t fall into anyone’s lap. Each woman has to work to make her own life. But, above all, she has the friendship of the other characters.
I’ve now read three of the Cobbled Court Series: A Single Thread, A Thread of Truth and A Thread So Thin. I have two more to read and have them on order. I’m looking forward to the next chapter evolving in the lives of the characters created by Ms. Bostwick. Each book adds new dimensions to familiar characters and introduces new characters and locations as needed to enhance her storytelling.
The series does not need to be read in order. I read the third novel first and still enjoyed the first two immensely. For anyone wanting to know how to write a successful women’s work, you can’t go wrong in reading Marie Bostwick’s series. She has the talent for pulling together all that’s necessary for bringing the reader back for more.
I unconditionally recommend A Thread of Truth and the entire Cobbled Court series. The reads are series women’s fiction at its best. If you are a quilter, there’s an even greater bonus. Marie develops a quilt pattern exclusively for each novel and if you sign in along with her registered reading friends at http://mariebostwick.com, you’ll receive an exquisite pattern along with the release of each new book.
I also saw the quilt pattern as a great draw. The designs are exquisite. Marie Bostwick has a loyal following among quilters and does many book signings across the country in quilt shops. Perhaps one of the many reasons I enjoy her stories is that my mother quilted by hand (not a single machine stitch was to be found on her quilts) and the characters in Ms. Bostwick’s novels are the same. Thanks for stopping by to read with me. I appreciate it.
I like the idea of developing a specific quilt pattern for each book in the series and offering it to her devoted readers.
This sounds wonderful! I’ll have to check it out as soon as I finish my list I’m working on now…LOL I love the recommendation. Thanks! 😀
Thanks for the review, Sheri. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by to read with me. I truly appreciate it.
Sheri, I think this is exactly what so many women identify with … not only running from abusive husbands, but trying to outrun their past and finally confroting it. Of course, with a bit of help from theri friends. Yet another great review 🙂
Florence – Thanks for weighing in on the subject. I was cheering for Ivy (the character with the abusive husband all the way). She had the courage to leave and set out on her own. I’ve loved Marie Bostwick’s reviews since I read the first book and she has a new read out I want to get my hands on. I understand it’s the prequel to all of the books in this series. Marie Bostwick’s novels are a perfect example of women fiction series at it’s best in my opinion.
An excellent post as always! Thank you for sharing your gifts. 🙂 as well as those of others!
Thank you, Joe. You are so kind.
great post!
Terry – Thanks for stopping by.
Oh, this series sounds SO good, Sheri. I love the “strong women” theme. Thanks for the review.
Patti
Patti – This is a great series. The characters are fully developed and so real.
While any book with a theme of domestic violence always makes me shudder, I enjoy stories with strong friendships between women. I like the idea of the quilt shop being used as a foundation to bring the characters together and I love the “thread” connection in the titles of the novels. You always recommend good books, Sheri! 🙂
Mae – The domestic abuse is certainly not the main theme of the novel. It is the background story the author uses to bring a main character into an already established story. I hope I didn’t give the wrong impression.
Sounds like a really good book series Sheri, thanks, will check it out
It’s a terrific series and the characters are ever evolving. Marie Bostwick is a master storyteller.
Thank you for stopping by.