Mahon’s sleepy third St. Rose Quilting Bee mystery to feature Maggie Browne (after 2006’s An Ominous Death
) gets off to a promising start, but a dialogue-driven plot slows the momentum. When Kate Upland and her five-year-old twin daughters perish in an explosion at their Scottsdale, Ariz., house, the police are certain Kate’s missing husband, Kenny, an Iraq veteran who suffers from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), is responsible. Maggie receives a phone call from her elderly quilter friend, Clare Patterson, who, having seen a story about Kenny on TV’s Wanted Criminals
, is sure she’s spotted him at a Big-Mart. Clare follows Kenny out of town in her car, but has an accident near his cabin hideaway. Kenny rescues Clare and convinces her of his innocence. Though intriguing in spots, this so-so cozy tells too much and shows too little. (Jan.)
