Quilt City - Bruce Leonard

. .

Résumé :
During a weekly Paducah Quilters Quorum session, Hadley worries about her looming deadline for the cookbook she's writing, the pain her best friend is in, her depressed young housemate, and the Paducah mayoral race she's favored to win against her nemesis-corrupt businessman Nick Stoddard. Then she learns that fellow quilter Donna considers the death of a coworker to be suspicious. Adding to her concerns, Hadley will meet the family of her beau, Detective Brandon Green, that night, and her younger sister, Jenny, will arrive for a visit, bringing three kinds of trouble with her. But then bricks shatter Hadley's windows, transforming worry into danger. Just when Hadley fears her burdens will cause her to crack up, people in and around Paducah die in what could become a major public health crisis. She steels herself and enlists the services of private eye Garrett Hunt. They investigate the murders, but when her family's secrets emerge from her late mother's trunk, Hadley questions who she is and whether her future is doomed. ...

Biographie:
Bruce Leonard is the author of the Hadley Carroll Mysteries, a character-driven mystery series set in Paducah, Kentucky-known as Quilt City-and the award-winning private-eye novel Hard Exit.He earned a B.A. in English with a creative writing emphasis from UCLA and has spent more than four decades working as a professional writer and editor. Over the years, he has been a travel writer, an editor, a bakery owner, and-briefly-a guinea pig for the U.S. government.Bruce frequently visits Paducah, where he created Hadley Carroll: a smart, resilient journalist whose humor and determination help her navigate murder, grief, civic responsibility, and complicated relationships. The series explores real-world challenges with emotional honesty while keeping violence off the page and community at the center.Hard Exit, his romantic mystery set primarily in Malibu, is narrated by grieving private investigator Jack Drake, and has won multiple awards. The novel pays homage to classic private-eye fiction while telling a deeply personal narrative about love, loss, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.Bruce is grateful for the thousands of readers who have welcomed his characters into their lives. He lives and writes with the support of his wife, Sedonia, who believes in his work-especially during those early-morning hours when the plot refuses to cooperate....

Sommaire:
Hadley Carroll has a lot on her plate. In fact, it's overflowing. While writing a cookbook, supporting a friend in pain, worrying about a depressed young housemate, and running a mayoral campaign she's expected to win, Hadley is stretched thin. Then a fellow quilter voices suspicions about a coworker's death-and Hadley's instincts tell her the concern is justified. As personal stress collides with professional danger, Hadley prepares to meet Detective Brandon Green's family and braces for a visit from her younger sister, Jenny, whose arrival brings old wounds and new complications. When bricks shatter Hadley's windows, worry turns into real threat. Soon after, people across Paducah begin dying in what may be a public health crisis-and the city looks to Hadley for answers. With the help of private investigator Garrett Hunt, Hadley digs into the truth. But when secrets from her late mother's past surface, Hadley is forced to confront painful questions about her own identity-and whether the future she's built can withstand the truth. Measure Once, Cut Twice is a powerful cozy mystery about resilience, family legacy, and the strength it takes to persevere when a newfound reality forces you to reassess who you are and what you believe. Perfect for readers who enjoy:Cozies with depth and real-world stakes Strong, witty female protagonists who lead with empathy and intelligence Small-town mysteries where relationships matter as much as clues For readers who want more time with Hadley, see Quilt City Cookbook, a companion book narrated by Hadley herself....