Patterned After Death by Elizabeth Lynn Casey is the twelfth (and final) book in The Southern Sewing Circle Mystery series. Librarian, Victoria “Tori” Sinclair lives in Sweet Briar, South Carolina with her elementary school teacher husband, Milo. Tori’s car is on the fritz and Margaret Louise tells Tori take it over to her son, Jake Davis. Milo and Tori are going out after dinner to check on Rose Winters and stop by Jake’s garage. Jake is working on a fancy silver car, but takes time out to show them around the newly expanded garage. Tori notices the trunk of the silver car ajar and goes to close it. A piece of fabric is in the way and as she tucks it inside the car, Tori touches a hand. Inside the trunk is Jake’s new business partner, Noah Madden. People in town were surprised when Noah and Jake went into business together. The town has been split since the two men were rival quarterbacks in high school (over eighteen years prior). Unfortunately, the evidence is stacked against Jake, and he is arrested for Noah’s murder. Margaret Louise is extremely distraught and she asks Tori to find the real killer. Tori starts asking questions and gathering clues so she can get Jake out of jail and back to his family. Tori’s attention is split, though, with Rose being under the weather. Tori is worried and cannot bear to lose the dear woman. The members of the sewing circle will need to band together to help their friends during their time of need and to capture a murderer.

Patterned After Death is well-written and has a good pace which made the book easy to read. It contains delightful, friendly characters and a welcoming, Southern town. It was wonderful to catch up with Tori, Milo, Rose, Margaret Louise, Leona, Georgina, Charles, and the other members of sewing circle (and town). I have read this series from the beginning and each book is better than the previous one (Wedding Duress is my favorite). Patterned After Death has a sweet ending that will delight admirers of the series. While Patterned After Death can be read alone, I recommend reading the series in order. You can watch the characters (and their relationships/friendships) grow and develop over the course of the series. I give Patterned After Death 5 out of 5 stars. I thought that the mystery was well-crafted. There is a good twist that will surprise many readers. The whodunit can be solved, but not easily (my favorite type). Elizabeth Lynn Davis took various elements and stitched them together into one engaging, heartwarming cozy mystery. I am sorry to see this charming cozy mystery series come to end. ( )

Patterned After Death is the twelfth book in the Southern Sewing Circle series.

This was another enjoyable visit to Sweet Briar to see what Tori and the other ladies of the Southern Sewing Circle are up to.

This story center around a rivalry that goes back some 20 years to high school football days of Jake Davis and Noah Madden. The residents are surprised when the two of the joined together and modernized Jake’s auto repair business, having aligned themselves with either Team Jake or Team Noah.

Tori is having car problems and Margaret Louise, a member of the Sewing Circle and Jake’s mother, convinces her to take it to Jake’s, as she is sure he would get right on it. As she is waiting for Jake to get from under another car, Tori notices that cars trunk isn’t shut and notices a hand sticking out. The hand is that of the lifeless body of Noah, lying in the trunk of his own car. Nearby Jake is a crowbar with Noah’s blood covering it. When somebody sends a copy of the agreement for the running of the business that spells out that in event of the death of either, the survivor will get the other half of the business, Jake soon finds himself arrested for murder.

Margaret Louise convinces Tori to put on her sleuthing cap and find out who had murdered Noah. Her investigation becomes difficult as the members of the Sewing Circle are divided between Jake’s guilt and innocence.

Most of the usual characters are back once again. But my favorite character from this series, Rose, is around much as see is having health problems.

Sadly, this is the last book in the series and I will miss my visits to Sweet Briar and especially Rose. ( )