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Chloe Ellefson Mystery #9
The Lacemaker's Secret
Greed, Uncertainty, and Death Get Tangled in the Mystery of a Rare Piece of Belgian Lace
Curator Chloe Ellefson needs distraction from the unsettling family secret she's just learned. It doesn't help that her boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, has been troubled for weeks and won't say why. Chloe hopes a consulting job at Green Bay's Heritage Hill Historical Park, where an old Belgian-American farmhouse is being restored, will be a relaxing escape.
Instead she discovers a body in a century-old bake oven.
Chloe's research suggests that a rare and valuable piece of lace made its way to nearby Door County, Wisconsin, with the earliest Belgian settlers. More importantly, someone is desperate to find it. Inspired by a courageous Belgian woman who survived cholera, famine, and the Great Fire, Chloe must untangle clues to reveal secrets old and new . . . before the killer strikes again.
Curator Chloe Ellefson needs distraction from the unsettling family secret she's just learned. It doesn't help that her boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, has been troubled for weeks and won't say why. Chloe hopes a consulting job at Green Bay's Heritage Hill Historical Park, where an old Belgian-American farmhouse is being restored, will be a relaxing escape.
Instead she discovers a body in a century-old bake oven.
Chloe's research suggests that a rare and valuable piece of lace made its way to nearby Door County, Wisconsin, with the earliest Belgian settlers. More importantly, someone is desperate to find it. Inspired by a courageous Belgian woman who survived cholera, famine, and the Great Fire, Chloe must untangle clues to reveal secrets old and new . . . before the killer strikes again.
408 pages, Paperback
Published October 8, 2018
About the author
Kathleen Ernst
53 books362 followersI grew up in Maryland, in a house full of books! Both of my parents were avid readers, thank goodness. Before we traveled to a new area, my librarian-mom used to bring home historical novels set in that place. It was a great way to get excited about history.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
September 16, 2018
Great cozy mystery with historical background. It was so interesting reading about the Belgian settlers in Wisconsin and the history of the Belgian lacemakers. There are two stories here one in present time period and one in the 1800s - tied together by lacemaking. I liked them both.
In the current time period Chloe is hired to restore furnishings in a early farmhouse and while driving to her destination, stops at an old summer kitchen she spots and finds a dead body in the bake oven! This is the beginning of a mystery and a series of events that brings in the story of the past.
Seraphine learned to make beautiful bobbin lace in a convent in Belgium and she had the gift of being able to design her own patterns before marrying and travelling to America with her husband. Upon arrival they found the land they purchased was wilderness and they had to clear the land, build a home, and make a life there. I found the descriptions of lacemaking very interesting - I had no idea what was involved. The history of the Belgians in Wisconsin was interesting as well.
This was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or murder mysteries.
Thanks to Kathleen Ernst and Midnight Ink through Netgalley for an advance copy.
In the current time period Chloe is hired to restore furnishings in a early farmhouse and while driving to her destination, stops at an old summer kitchen she spots and finds a dead body in the bake oven! This is the beginning of a mystery and a series of events that brings in the story of the past.
Seraphine learned to make beautiful bobbin lace in a convent in Belgium and she had the gift of being able to design her own patterns before marrying and travelling to America with her husband. Upon arrival they found the land they purchased was wilderness and they had to clear the land, build a home, and make a life there. I found the descriptions of lacemaking very interesting - I had no idea what was involved. The history of the Belgians in Wisconsin was interesting as well.
This was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or murder mysteries.
Thanks to Kathleen Ernst and Midnight Ink through Netgalley for an advance copy.
May 10, 2018
Thank you Netgalley and Midnight Ink for the ARC.
Holy toboggans! what an amazing story. I loved learning about the Belgium-American pioneers in Wisconsin, their barns and chapels and the Bruges lacemaking tradition. The descriptions of the people and their surroundings are just beautiful.
I enjoyed going back and forth in history watching the modern day heritage park come to life, in the meantime catching a killer and following the secret of the lacemaker.
Moving through the decades, the events just kept coming, with a strong woman behind every man. Written in a pleasant tone and pace, I couldn't put it down.
All wrapped up in a satisfying outcome.
Holy toboggans! what an amazing story. I loved learning about the Belgium-American pioneers in Wisconsin, their barns and chapels and the Bruges lacemaking tradition. The descriptions of the people and their surroundings are just beautiful.
I enjoyed going back and forth in history watching the modern day heritage park come to life, in the meantime catching a killer and following the secret of the lacemaker.
Moving through the decades, the events just kept coming, with a strong woman behind every man. Written in a pleasant tone and pace, I couldn't put it down.
All wrapped up in a satisfying outcome.
October 12, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This installment of this wonderful series takes Chloe Ellefson on the road to Green Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park. They are restoring a historic Belgian-American farmhouse and have asked her to consult on its furnishings. She recently learned some upsetting news about her family and something is definitely bothering her boyfriend. Roelke McKenna, so maybe a week away, doing the thing she loves will do them both some good. She is meeting a woman there who she has worked with in the past. The woman is a lace expert and she has been told a valuable piece of lace is part of Heritage Hill’s collection. Both women are excited to learn about the lace and its origins.
It is winter in Wisconsin and driving north Chloe encounters some slippery conditions. Just before she reaches the B&B where she will be staying she notices a summer kitchen building right off the road. She pulls over quickly to check the place out, but she makes a grisly discovery. A dead body has been stuffed into the old bake oven. This is not the way she planned to start her week. The death has nothing to do with her. Maybe she can leave everything to the police and just do what she came to Green Bay to do. But she knows that is not going to happen, she is going to find herself right in the middle of another investigation and her favorite police officer is many miles away.
I know when I pick up a book by Kathleen Ernst I am in for a delightful read. This book was no exception. I have spent my whole life in Wisconsin and every time I read a book by this wonderful author I still learn something new. I knew the basics of the historical events that take place in this story but her fictional telling of the time period resonates and makes the time, place, and people come alive.
The historical part of the story begins in Belguim in 1848 when 12-year-old Seraphine Moreau’s father dies and she and her twin sister, Octavie are taken by their uncle to a convent school in Bruges. She leaves her friend Jean-Paul Lejeune behind but he doesn’t forget her, he visits her and the convent often and they pledge their love to each other. While at the convent both Seraphine and Octavie learn to make the beautiful bobbin Belgian lace. In 1854, Jean-Paul returns to ask Seraphine to be his wife and travel with him to America where there are new opportunities for farmers. The story then follows their lives in Wisconsin and joins together with the current story which is set in the 1980’s.
Again, Ernst really shows her storytelling chops by marrying these two time periods together seamlessly. Both time periods feature strong women in Chloe and Seraphine and even Octavie who remains in Belguim. We see through the letters to her sister what is happening across the Atlantic. Seraphine and the immigrants struggle to just survive at times was both heartbreaking and inspirational, the perseverance shown throughout their lives was remarkable. Chloe shows her strength time and time again and she strives the find the truth even while putting herself in danger.
In Chloe’s timeframe, I always need to remind myself, 1980’s, no cell phones, no easy access to the internet, no text messages. I love the nightly phone calls between Chloe and Roelke, the calling collect, and reversing the charges. Something the current generation of kids and young adults will never know. For them, both parts of this story would be historical. I know Ms. Ernst’s books would be a great way for them to learn about history. She makes it personal and her stories stick with her readers. Her stories are well-researched but fictional so she does juggle the dates sometimes to fit her narrative while still giving an accurate picture of the things her characters endure.
I do love that the stories in this series take place in actual destinations near where I live. As my grandchildren get older these are places I would love to take them. According to their website, “Heritage Hill has earned a reputation as a jewel of the Midwest for guests from within the area and those visiting the community.” I really thank the author for bringing this treasure to my attention.
The Lacemaker’s Secret is a fantastic story filled with characters that are truly believable. They will draw readers deep into their lives. The theme of Belgian lace and the setting in Wisconsin really shows the author’s love of the history of our state. This was an amazing read!
This installment of this wonderful series takes Chloe Ellefson on the road to Green Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park. They are restoring a historic Belgian-American farmhouse and have asked her to consult on its furnishings. She recently learned some upsetting news about her family and something is definitely bothering her boyfriend. Roelke McKenna, so maybe a week away, doing the thing she loves will do them both some good. She is meeting a woman there who she has worked with in the past. The woman is a lace expert and she has been told a valuable piece of lace is part of Heritage Hill’s collection. Both women are excited to learn about the lace and its origins.
It is winter in Wisconsin and driving north Chloe encounters some slippery conditions. Just before she reaches the B&B where she will be staying she notices a summer kitchen building right off the road. She pulls over quickly to check the place out, but she makes a grisly discovery. A dead body has been stuffed into the old bake oven. This is not the way she planned to start her week. The death has nothing to do with her. Maybe she can leave everything to the police and just do what she came to Green Bay to do. But she knows that is not going to happen, she is going to find herself right in the middle of another investigation and her favorite police officer is many miles away.
I know when I pick up a book by Kathleen Ernst I am in for a delightful read. This book was no exception. I have spent my whole life in Wisconsin and every time I read a book by this wonderful author I still learn something new. I knew the basics of the historical events that take place in this story but her fictional telling of the time period resonates and makes the time, place, and people come alive.
The historical part of the story begins in Belguim in 1848 when 12-year-old Seraphine Moreau’s father dies and she and her twin sister, Octavie are taken by their uncle to a convent school in Bruges. She leaves her friend Jean-Paul Lejeune behind but he doesn’t forget her, he visits her and the convent often and they pledge their love to each other. While at the convent both Seraphine and Octavie learn to make the beautiful bobbin Belgian lace. In 1854, Jean-Paul returns to ask Seraphine to be his wife and travel with him to America where there are new opportunities for farmers. The story then follows their lives in Wisconsin and joins together with the current story which is set in the 1980’s.
Again, Ernst really shows her storytelling chops by marrying these two time periods together seamlessly. Both time periods feature strong women in Chloe and Seraphine and even Octavie who remains in Belguim. We see through the letters to her sister what is happening across the Atlantic. Seraphine and the immigrants struggle to just survive at times was both heartbreaking and inspirational, the perseverance shown throughout their lives was remarkable. Chloe shows her strength time and time again and she strives the find the truth even while putting herself in danger.
In Chloe’s timeframe, I always need to remind myself, 1980’s, no cell phones, no easy access to the internet, no text messages. I love the nightly phone calls between Chloe and Roelke, the calling collect, and reversing the charges. Something the current generation of kids and young adults will never know. For them, both parts of this story would be historical. I know Ms. Ernst’s books would be a great way for them to learn about history. She makes it personal and her stories stick with her readers. Her stories are well-researched but fictional so she does juggle the dates sometimes to fit her narrative while still giving an accurate picture of the things her characters endure.
I do love that the stories in this series take place in actual destinations near where I live. As my grandchildren get older these are places I would love to take them. According to their website, “Heritage Hill has earned a reputation as a jewel of the Midwest for guests from within the area and those visiting the community.” I really thank the author for bringing this treasure to my attention.
The Lacemaker’s Secret is a fantastic story filled with characters that are truly believable. They will draw readers deep into their lives. The theme of Belgian lace and the setting in Wisconsin really shows the author’s love of the history of our state. This was an amazing read!
December 17, 2021
I looked forward to reading this book because I thought it connected me to my Belgian ancestors who emigrated to Eastern Wisconsin in the 19th Century, but while I was reading it my genealogical and historical research showed me that my ancestors were not Belgian at all, but Luxembourger!
Due to European wars and border shifting and a bureaucratic mix up in Wisconsin town naming records, Belgium is Luxembourg and Luxembourg is Belgium.
And my ancestors started out as Jacobite Scots anyway, who by the time we got to the mid 20th Century thought they were German.
Thank God for DNA records, Ancestry.com and 23 and me.
Anyway, "The Lacemaker's Secret" was a fun read. The modern story was not as interesting as the historic half, the story of a Belgian immigrant from Wall on is and her struggles to make a life in the late 1800's and early 1900's in Door County Wisconsin.
I learned that there was another devastating fire in Wisconsin the same day as the Peshtigo Fire and the Chicago Fire. I don't remember ever learning about this one in school.
If you are a fan of the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, you will enjoy this one, too.
Due to European wars and border shifting and a bureaucratic mix up in Wisconsin town naming records, Belgium is Luxembourg and Luxembourg is Belgium.
And my ancestors started out as Jacobite Scots anyway, who by the time we got to the mid 20th Century thought they were German.
Thank God for DNA records, Ancestry.com and 23 and me.
Anyway, "The Lacemaker's Secret" was a fun read. The modern story was not as interesting as the historic half, the story of a Belgian immigrant from Wall on is and her struggles to make a life in the late 1800's and early 1900's in Door County Wisconsin.
I learned that there was another devastating fire in Wisconsin the same day as the Peshtigo Fire and the Chicago Fire. I don't remember ever learning about this one in school.
If you are a fan of the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, you will enjoy this one, too.
October 5, 2018
What a treasure! I hadn’t heard of Kathleen Ernst’s character-driven historical fiction cozy mysteries before, but I am glad I had the chance to read The Lacemaker’s Secret, #8 in the Chloe Ellefson series.
It’s apparent that the author was bringing her real life experience as a historian to the book and I learned a lot about lacemakers and Belgian immigrants in Wisconsin. The author managed to tie together a current day mystery surrounding historical artifacts and a murder interspersed with chapters from the viewpoint of a Belgian immigrant lacemaker. At parts in the middle, it felt like a little slow and unbelievable but it was connected together nicely in the end. I will be reading the rest of this series.
Thanks to NetGalley, Midnight Ink, and the author Kathleen Ernst for an advanced electronic reading copy. The book comes out October 8, 2018.
It’s apparent that the author was bringing her real life experience as a historian to the book and I learned a lot about lacemakers and Belgian immigrants in Wisconsin. The author managed to tie together a current day mystery surrounding historical artifacts and a murder interspersed with chapters from the viewpoint of a Belgian immigrant lacemaker. At parts in the middle, it felt like a little slow and unbelievable but it was connected together nicely in the end. I will be reading the rest of this series.
Thanks to NetGalley, Midnight Ink, and the author Kathleen Ernst for an advanced electronic reading copy. The book comes out October 8, 2018.
July 14, 2018
This is my first Chloe Ellefson Mystery so felt like the chracters were not as fleshed out as if I had read the prior books. Roelke McKenna is a police detective and the love of Chloe's life. He is struggling with guilt over his actions that must have happened in an earlier book. His story line was a bit boring for me. Chloe has embarked on a research journey to help in the restoration of an old Belgian barn. Flash backs of the early settlers and their struggles were the redeeming parts of the book. Seraphine's family ancestry and her lace-making talent is what the present characters uncover and what Ernst uses to build this murder mystery. The genealogy is what made me give this a four star instead of a three. If you are a fan of "Murder She Wrote" then this will be your ticket for a favorite read. "Copy of this book was supplied by Midnight Ink via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."
September 2, 2020
With Kathleen Ernst's books, I can be sure that both my love of mysteries and my love of history will be addressed. This book is no exception: in addition to a wonderfully plotted mystery, I also learned some fascinating history. A bonus is that the story is set in my part of Wisconsin: living in Oshkosh, I am only about 15 minutes from Appleton & 45 minutes from Green Bay. And I have visited the Neville Museum she references. Outstanding book!
July 21, 2018
Curator Chloe heads to Green Bay to consult on the restoration of an old Belgian-American farmhouse. When she arrives, she can't help but check out a historic summer kitchen - and discovers a dead body in the bake oven! Alongside the the bake oven mystery is the tale of Seraphine, a Belgian immigrant skilled in art of making lace. The hardships she faced forging a new life in Wisconsin in the mid 1800s provided a background for the events in the modern day mystery.
I can think of 2 authors off the top of my head who wreck me with their books and #1 is Kathleen Ernst. I just know this review won't do the book justice, it's so hard for me to detail why this book was so remarkable without giving away what makes it so remarkable! The author's ability to weave an emotionally haunting old-world story with a gripping modern day mystery is hypnotic! Just like Memory of Muskets, it will stay with me for a long, long time. Seraphine's strength in the face of such adversity and heartbreak was inspiring and the very detailed descriptions brings it all to life. It's one thing to read about life in earlier times, but the events are narrated so vividly, it's like being there.
There was a lot packed into this book without feeling burdensome or overwhelming, from Roelke's struggles to Seraphine's heartbreak to Chloe's tenacious investigating, and the lessons are all the same; strength, faith, and family will help you through any hardship. There's no better message for anyone to take away from this and I think it's what sets this series apart from so many others; that it effortlessly entertains, thrills and inspires.
Oh dear, now I'm waxing poetic but really, this was an excellent 5 star read that kept me glued to the pages. Can't wait for the next one!
I can think of 2 authors off the top of my head who wreck me with their books and #1 is Kathleen Ernst. I just know this review won't do the book justice, it's so hard for me to detail why this book was so remarkable without giving away what makes it so remarkable! The author's ability to weave an emotionally haunting old-world story with a gripping modern day mystery is hypnotic! Just like Memory of Muskets, it will stay with me for a long, long time. Seraphine's strength in the face of such adversity and heartbreak was inspiring and the very detailed descriptions brings it all to life. It's one thing to read about life in earlier times, but the events are narrated so vividly, it's like being there.
There was a lot packed into this book without feeling burdensome or overwhelming, from Roelke's struggles to Seraphine's heartbreak to Chloe's tenacious investigating, and the lessons are all the same; strength, faith, and family will help you through any hardship. There's no better message for anyone to take away from this and I think it's what sets this series apart from so many others; that it effortlessly entertains, thrills and inspires.
Oh dear, now I'm waxing poetic but really, this was an excellent 5 star read that kept me glued to the pages. Can't wait for the next one!
January 14, 2019
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The Lacemaker’s Secret
Chloe Ellefson Mystery #9
By Kathleen Ernst
ISBN 9780738753546
Author’s website: kathleenernst.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Curator Chloe Ellefson needs distraction from the unsettling family secret she’s just learned. It doesn’t help that her boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, has been troubled for weeks and won’t say why. Chloe hopes a consulting job at Green Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park, where an old Belgian-American farmhouse is being restored, will be a relaxing escape. Instead she discovers a body in a century-old bake oven.
Chloe��s research suggests that a rare and valuable piece of lace made its way to nearby Door County, Wisconsin, with the earliest Belgian settlers. More importantly, someone is desperate to find it. Inspired by a courageous Belgian woman who survived cholera, famine, and the Great Fire, Chloe must untangle clues to reveal secrets old and new . . . before the killer strikes again.
Review:
This is one of my favorite historical mystery series, and The Lace Maker’s Secret exceeds my expectations! In this captivating mystery, Chloe goes to Door County, Wisconsin, to help develop a furnishings plan for the new Belgian farmhouse at Heritage Hill, an outdoor museum. She learns more about the history of the area, specifically the Belgian culture and customs which overlap with the family at whose B&B where she is staying. One of the delights, or at times drawbacks, is that the setting is the 1980’s, so cell phones or computers of any kind not available. Another delight is that the mystery of the current day is skillfully woven with a or mystery from an earlier era with people or situations related to what she is currently working on.
Chloe Ellefson works at Old World Wisconsin, a living history museum, and is a Curator of Collections. Chloe has helped solve many murders and doesn’t want to get involved again. Roelke, the man she lives with, is a police officer who wants to keep her safe. One thing I found endearing is how Chloe ‘hears’ in her head what Roelke would say in certain situations. A unique ‘gift’ Chloe has is being able to feel the emotions, whether positive, negative, or frightening in historical homes.
Chloe has reservations at a B&B within an easy drive of the of the museum just outside of Green Bay and is looking forward to meeting up with Elise, a woman she had worked with as an interpreter at a Virginia museum. Studying for post-graduate degrees has brought Elise to her current position, working with the lace curator at the National Museum of History at the Smithsonian. She became interested in Belgian lace, at one time the finest in the world.
On her way to the B&B, Chloe is passing an old farmhouse and slows to view the various buildings. She spots what looks like a summer kitchen and wants to see the structure better. The farmhouse is boarded up so she enters the unlocked summer kitchen. As she pictures those who might have used the kitchen and the oven in the past, she can almost smell bread baking. Curious, she opens the oven door only to find a dead body.
The body is identified of Hugh Lejeune, cousin of Sharon Bertrand, who owns the B&B. The neighboring properties have been in their respective family branch for several generations. Hugh had been leasing out the fields and stopped by the farm occasionally to check on it. He must have been there within the past couple days based on the estimated time of death.
Approximately 130 years earlier, orphaned 12-year-old Serephine Moreau and her sister Octavie were sent to live at a convent school in Flanders. Girls at the convent school begin training from the age of 7 or 8 to make lace, so the two sisters worked hard to catch up. Serephine has a gift for making lace as well as designing patterns that can be used to make lace and feels it is her vocation. Octavie has the call to become a nun, so becomes a novitiate at age 17.
Honestly, I appreciated all of the ladies in this mystery, as well as Chloe’s boyfriend, Roelke. The women from the 1800’s worked hard, and helped each other out, especially in the Wisconsin forest. Serephine and Octavie did not have an easy life, yet each found the life they were called to at the convent school. Chloe and Elise appear to have found the life in which they find purpose, as does Sharon, their hostess at the B&B. Each woman is brilliant and gifted in their own way, and each is very well defined for their role.
This novel is an exciting read! I appreciate how the author fills in the social and cultural details of whatever time period she writes. The way she alternates between chapters of Chloe in the present (1980’s) and the historical characters portrayed shows how the past, present, and future are inexorably entwined. I find it fascinating to read about the homes and, in this novel, how the settlers from Europe adapted and contributed to life in 1800’s Wisconsin. The mysteries are equally fascinating, with regards to the murder, the treasure, and what might have happened to Serephine’s lace. Plot twists in both centuries kept me thinking, and I was so wrapped up in the 1800’s and 1900’s that at times I forgot the perplexing murder and ensuing danger Chloe faced. While I had an idea who the killer might be, I was in for a surprise! In this case, I was happy to be wrong due to the circumstances and was overall very satisfied with how all situations were resolved at the end. I highly recommend this novel to those who appreciate cozy mysteries with a serving of history and thoughtful, engaging characters.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
The Lacemaker’s Secret
Chloe Ellefson Mystery #9
By Kathleen Ernst
ISBN 9780738753546
Author’s website: kathleenernst.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Curator Chloe Ellefson needs distraction from the unsettling family secret she’s just learned. It doesn’t help that her boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, has been troubled for weeks and won’t say why. Chloe hopes a consulting job at Green Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park, where an old Belgian-American farmhouse is being restored, will be a relaxing escape. Instead she discovers a body in a century-old bake oven.
Chloe��s research suggests that a rare and valuable piece of lace made its way to nearby Door County, Wisconsin, with the earliest Belgian settlers. More importantly, someone is desperate to find it. Inspired by a courageous Belgian woman who survived cholera, famine, and the Great Fire, Chloe must untangle clues to reveal secrets old and new . . . before the killer strikes again.
Review:
This is one of my favorite historical mystery series, and The Lace Maker’s Secret exceeds my expectations! In this captivating mystery, Chloe goes to Door County, Wisconsin, to help develop a furnishings plan for the new Belgian farmhouse at Heritage Hill, an outdoor museum. She learns more about the history of the area, specifically the Belgian culture and customs which overlap with the family at whose B&B where she is staying. One of the delights, or at times drawbacks, is that the setting is the 1980’s, so cell phones or computers of any kind not available. Another delight is that the mystery of the current day is skillfully woven with a or mystery from an earlier era with people or situations related to what she is currently working on.
Chloe Ellefson works at Old World Wisconsin, a living history museum, and is a Curator of Collections. Chloe has helped solve many murders and doesn’t want to get involved again. Roelke, the man she lives with, is a police officer who wants to keep her safe. One thing I found endearing is how Chloe ‘hears’ in her head what Roelke would say in certain situations. A unique ‘gift’ Chloe has is being able to feel the emotions, whether positive, negative, or frightening in historical homes.
Chloe has reservations at a B&B within an easy drive of the of the museum just outside of Green Bay and is looking forward to meeting up with Elise, a woman she had worked with as an interpreter at a Virginia museum. Studying for post-graduate degrees has brought Elise to her current position, working with the lace curator at the National Museum of History at the Smithsonian. She became interested in Belgian lace, at one time the finest in the world.
On her way to the B&B, Chloe is passing an old farmhouse and slows to view the various buildings. She spots what looks like a summer kitchen and wants to see the structure better. The farmhouse is boarded up so she enters the unlocked summer kitchen. As she pictures those who might have used the kitchen and the oven in the past, she can almost smell bread baking. Curious, she opens the oven door only to find a dead body.
The body is identified of Hugh Lejeune, cousin of Sharon Bertrand, who owns the B&B. The neighboring properties have been in their respective family branch for several generations. Hugh had been leasing out the fields and stopped by the farm occasionally to check on it. He must have been there within the past couple days based on the estimated time of death.
Approximately 130 years earlier, orphaned 12-year-old Serephine Moreau and her sister Octavie were sent to live at a convent school in Flanders. Girls at the convent school begin training from the age of 7 or 8 to make lace, so the two sisters worked hard to catch up. Serephine has a gift for making lace as well as designing patterns that can be used to make lace and feels it is her vocation. Octavie has the call to become a nun, so becomes a novitiate at age 17.
Honestly, I appreciated all of the ladies in this mystery, as well as Chloe’s boyfriend, Roelke. The women from the 1800’s worked hard, and helped each other out, especially in the Wisconsin forest. Serephine and Octavie did not have an easy life, yet each found the life they were called to at the convent school. Chloe and Elise appear to have found the life in which they find purpose, as does Sharon, their hostess at the B&B. Each woman is brilliant and gifted in their own way, and each is very well defined for their role.
This novel is an exciting read! I appreciate how the author fills in the social and cultural details of whatever time period she writes. The way she alternates between chapters of Chloe in the present (1980’s) and the historical characters portrayed shows how the past, present, and future are inexorably entwined. I find it fascinating to read about the homes and, in this novel, how the settlers from Europe adapted and contributed to life in 1800’s Wisconsin. The mysteries are equally fascinating, with regards to the murder, the treasure, and what might have happened to Serephine’s lace. Plot twists in both centuries kept me thinking, and I was so wrapped up in the 1800’s and 1900’s that at times I forgot the perplexing murder and ensuing danger Chloe faced. While I had an idea who the killer might be, I was in for a surprise! In this case, I was happy to be wrong due to the circumstances and was overall very satisfied with how all situations were resolved at the end. I highly recommend this novel to those who appreciate cozy mysteries with a serving of history and thoughtful, engaging characters.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
November 27, 2018
I always look forward to a new book by this author, and her most recent book continues a good series. Set in Wisconsin Chloe Ellefson is the curator of collections at Old World Wisconsin (a real place and a fascinating one, see more at https://oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhi...). Each book both continues Chloe's own story and also tells the story of immigrant life in Wisconsin in alternate chapters. The Lacemaker's secret looks at the Belgian enclave in Door County through the life of Seraphine Lejeune an immigrant but also a skilled lacemaker whose lace features in both parts of the story. It all starts when Chloe discovers yet another body....
January 4, 2022
I always enjoy reading books set in a place I've visited. That was the case with this book, which is set in northeastern Wisconsin. I'm very familiar with Heritage Hill Historical Park, Belgian pies, booyah, roadside chapels along the back roads of Kewaunee and southern Door County, the chapel at Champion, the story of Adele Brise, and the Belgian history center in Namur. Somehow I did not know the background of bobbin lacemaking and the role of lacemaking during WWI. It's a whodunit with a mix of likable characters and scoundrels.
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December 31, 2018I read and reviewed this editorially for Mystery Scene Magazine see my full review in the holiday edition of Mystery Scene Magazine
November 16, 2018
First, thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one. I read the first book in this series a few years ago and I didn't like Chloe. Since I hadn't read one since, and the description of this one sounded so interesting I decided to give it a go. Too bad Chloe hasn't really changed and I still don't like her. Seraphine's story in this one was excellent and I really liked the information about bobbin lace. The present day story was more than a little so-so. The historical part of this story is highly recommended, but otherwise? Not so much.
October 8, 2018
The Lace Maker’s Secret is the ninth book in the Chole Effelson Mystery series.
This is a very enjoyable and interesting series, each book contains two stories. One being about Chole Effelson who works at Old World Collection as a curator of collections. The second being a historical story that the author skillfully ties into the Chole story.
In this book Chole is on her way to Green Bay, WI to visit the Heritage Hill State Historical Park, who wants to restore a Belgian-American home to how it would have been in the early 1900’s. She is also looking forward to seeing her old friend, Elise O’Rourke who is an expert on Belgian Lace. As Chole is nearing the Belgian Acres B&B, where she will be staying, she notices a summer-oven and having never seen one she stops and goes to inspect it. As she opens the door she is shocked to find a body. That body is soon identified as Hugh Lejune, a cousin of Sharon Bertrand owner of the B&B where Chole is staying. When Roy Galuska, restoration specialist, is found dead and then Elise goes missing, Chole knows she has to get busy searching for Elise and work to find the killer.
What I really enjoyed in this book(and others in this series) is the historical aspect of the book. The reader will follow Seraphine Lejune, her husband Jean-Paul, Etienne Lejune, Jean-Paul’s brother and Emelie, Etienne wife. Seraphine was very accomplished at making bobbin lace. These young folks come to America and settle near what would become Green Bay. The land that they were going to farm was virgin land and see what the two families had to go through to first provide shelter let alone being able to farm. In addition, they had to fight cholera and the great Peshtigo Fire of 1871. This gained no notoriety as it started on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. This historical part of the book was extremely interesting and exciting to read what the early settlers had to endure begin their new lives in their new country.
A wonderful addition to this very exciting series. It is well-plotted and well written with wonderful characters.
I will be watching for the next book in this series.
This is a very enjoyable and interesting series, each book contains two stories. One being about Chole Effelson who works at Old World Collection as a curator of collections. The second being a historical story that the author skillfully ties into the Chole story.
In this book Chole is on her way to Green Bay, WI to visit the Heritage Hill State Historical Park, who wants to restore a Belgian-American home to how it would have been in the early 1900’s. She is also looking forward to seeing her old friend, Elise O’Rourke who is an expert on Belgian Lace. As Chole is nearing the Belgian Acres B&B, where she will be staying, she notices a summer-oven and having never seen one she stops and goes to inspect it. As she opens the door she is shocked to find a body. That body is soon identified as Hugh Lejune, a cousin of Sharon Bertrand owner of the B&B where Chole is staying. When Roy Galuska, restoration specialist, is found dead and then Elise goes missing, Chole knows she has to get busy searching for Elise and work to find the killer.
What I really enjoyed in this book(and others in this series) is the historical aspect of the book. The reader will follow Seraphine Lejune, her husband Jean-Paul, Etienne Lejune, Jean-Paul’s brother and Emelie, Etienne wife. Seraphine was very accomplished at making bobbin lace. These young folks come to America and settle near what would become Green Bay. The land that they were going to farm was virgin land and see what the two families had to go through to first provide shelter let alone being able to farm. In addition, they had to fight cholera and the great Peshtigo Fire of 1871. This gained no notoriety as it started on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. This historical part of the book was extremely interesting and exciting to read what the early settlers had to endure begin their new lives in their new country.
A wonderful addition to this very exciting series. It is well-plotted and well written with wonderful characters.
I will be watching for the next book in this series.
May 13, 2018
Told in 2 different time periods this book follows Curator Chloe Ellefson as she comes to Heritage Hill Historical Park to design time appropriate furnishings for the Norwegian farm buildings on this site. On her way to the B and B where she will be staying, she discovers a body in an old summer kitchen oven. The dead man is the uncle of the B and B owner whose ancestors we follow beginning in the 1800s period of this book. Two sisters who had previously lost their mother, now lose their father too. They are taken to a convent in Bruges, Belgium where they are taught to make bobbin lace. Years later one sister decides to stay at the convent and take her vows and the other immigrates to a young America with her husband, his brother and sister-in-law. The telling of Seraphine’s life in Wisconsin, where the story is set, is so very interesting and tragic. Piece by piece we learn of her life here through the trials of establishing a homestead, the Civil War, the Great Fire and WW1. Meanwhile, in present time Chloe is coping with finding first one, then a second man, murdered, a friend who has become very distant suddenly and who subsequently disappears. Are the murders and Elises’s disappearance connected to the stories of a hidden treasure? Can Chloe, with the help of her police officer boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, discover who’s behind all of this before someone else is murdered? That is something you will have to read the book to find out. I loved this book and would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
June 1, 2019
I enjoyed this latest mystery, more than the earlier one in the series that I read.
Usually I dislike flashbacks/chapters in another time/place, but it really worked here. Just as you are getting sucked in, the POV changes and you are left wanting. In this case both stories were interesting, so I was not disappointed to change.
This story involves two orphan girls in Belgium who are sent to a facility run by nuns where they learn lace making. It profoundly affects the rest of their lives. As they grow older one falls in love and moves to America. The other becomes a nun. They write to each other, until WWI begins and they lose touch, each worrying about the other.
Most of the book is about the development of Wisconsin by the Belgium born immigrants. It was a very difficult time, and their trials and tribulations were lovingly told.
The current story involves murder and assault and kidnapping.
In the end the secrets are all revealed so there is not any unresolved mysteries.
I won a copy through the author's contest.
I have already recommended this author to my reading group and one of the ladies is so thankful to know about this series. She is reading it outside our monthly selections.
Usually I dislike flashbacks/chapters in another time/place, but it really worked here. Just as you are getting sucked in, the POV changes and you are left wanting. In this case both stories were interesting, so I was not disappointed to change.
This story involves two orphan girls in Belgium who are sent to a facility run by nuns where they learn lace making. It profoundly affects the rest of their lives. As they grow older one falls in love and moves to America. The other becomes a nun. They write to each other, until WWI begins and they lose touch, each worrying about the other.
Most of the book is about the development of Wisconsin by the Belgium born immigrants. It was a very difficult time, and their trials and tribulations were lovingly told.
The current story involves murder and assault and kidnapping.
In the end the secrets are all revealed so there is not any unresolved mysteries.
I won a copy through the author's contest.
I have already recommended this author to my reading group and one of the ladies is so thankful to know about this series. She is reading it outside our monthly selections.
October 5, 2018
This is a delightful cozy mystery, I loved the mix of history and mystery plot.
It was the first one I read in this series and had no problem in understanding the characters and their story.
The historical part was fascinating and informative, with a well researched background.
The mystery plot was sound, no plot hole, and kept me guessing till the end.
A very good book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to Midnight Ink and Netgalley for this ARC
It was the first one I read in this series and had no problem in understanding the characters and their story.
The historical part was fascinating and informative, with a well researched background.
The mystery plot was sound, no plot hole, and kept me guessing till the end.
A very good book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to Midnight Ink and Netgalley for this ARC
October 18, 2018
Just when I thought I had the story figured out, there was another twist and turn to the mystery! It is so great to have a Wisconsin author with historical fiction related to places that I actually live near. Miss Ernst does a wonderful job once again in her latest novel. My only question is, when is the next one?!
February 12, 2020
This was very good. Read for book club. Murder mystery takes place in Door Brown county. Keeps bouncing back to 1800's Belgium community than forward to current times. Got to know a some about Bobbin lacemakers.
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January 31, 2021Chloe Ellefson, expert on historical things at Old World Wisconsin historical village, has been called in to consult. Fellow historical village, Heritage Hill Historical Park, is creating a Belgian farmhouse exhibit, and Chloe is going to help make sure they have all the correct furnishings. On her way to the bed and breakfast where she will be staying, Chloe passes an abandoned farmhouse, with a classic historic bake oven. Chloe can’t help stopping to just to check it out. She opens the bake oven, and inside finds a dead body.
These things only happen to poor Chloe. The historic artifacts business is not usually so exciting. Although items of priceless historical value can be objects of intense desire, and human nature being what it is… people will behave badly, and Chloe must find out who is willing to kill, and why. As always, I enjoyed Chloe’s combination of intelligence and Midwest Nice. I enjoyed the progression of Chloe’s relationship with her boyfriend Roelke, who is both decent human and troubled cop. But in this book, what I enjoyed most was the historical story. Wisconsin really did have a Belgian community, and the Belgians really were expert lacemakers. This book flashes back to one family of Belgian immigrants.
Seraphine and her sister Octavie were orphaned in 1840-something. They went to a convent in Bruges, Belgium, where they learned to make lace. Both became good at it, but Seraphine became really good at it, an artist making work of the highest quality. Then Seraphine’s childhood sweetheart, in trouble with the law, has to leave the country quickly. Seraphine marries him and they go to America. Octavie, who has become a nun, stays home in Belgium.
Seraphine’s husband, Jean-Paul, has promised her that once their farm is up and running, he will make sure she is able to continue her lace making. But in the woods of Wisconsin, it’s one damn thing after another. First the backbreaking labor of clearing the trees, then cholera, then war, then fire. Seraphine’s dream of making lace slides farther and farther out of her grasp.
But she has brought one large and beautiful piece of her own work with her. The way she kept finding uses for this treasure that were more important than just holding onto it reminded me of the story The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke, a heart-warming lesson about generosity.
One of my favorite moments of the book is when Seraphine and Jean-Paul finally arrive at their farm, after a grueling trip across and ocean and half a continent. They find there is no farm at all, but old growth forest. They are more than disappointed. Jean-Paul says, “This is not what I expected. Not what I was promised.” Seraphine is equally distraught, but she says, “Well, here we are. Let’s get to work.” That shrug, and getting down to business, encapsulates for me the Great American Spirit, if there is such a thing. Back when Americans accomplished great things because they just rolled up their sleeves and set about doing them. Many still do, of course, but it seems that a whole generation today is busy complaining and casting blame.
Seraphine’s story is both sad and beautiful. I loved it for its own sake, but I also felt a special connection, because when I was a teenager, I got to go to Belgium, and I visited the city of Bruges, and I actually got to see some women sitting with a pillow in their lap, with the threads on multiple bobbins, as Seraphine describes. A dying art, but a true art, requiring knowledge and skill to make items of great beauty.
These things only happen to poor Chloe. The historic artifacts business is not usually so exciting. Although items of priceless historical value can be objects of intense desire, and human nature being what it is… people will behave badly, and Chloe must find out who is willing to kill, and why. As always, I enjoyed Chloe’s combination of intelligence and Midwest Nice. I enjoyed the progression of Chloe’s relationship with her boyfriend Roelke, who is both decent human and troubled cop. But in this book, what I enjoyed most was the historical story. Wisconsin really did have a Belgian community, and the Belgians really were expert lacemakers. This book flashes back to one family of Belgian immigrants.
Seraphine and her sister Octavie were orphaned in 1840-something. They went to a convent in Bruges, Belgium, where they learned to make lace. Both became good at it, but Seraphine became really good at it, an artist making work of the highest quality. Then Seraphine’s childhood sweetheart, in trouble with the law, has to leave the country quickly. Seraphine marries him and they go to America. Octavie, who has become a nun, stays home in Belgium.
Seraphine’s husband, Jean-Paul, has promised her that once their farm is up and running, he will make sure she is able to continue her lace making. But in the woods of Wisconsin, it’s one damn thing after another. First the backbreaking labor of clearing the trees, then cholera, then war, then fire. Seraphine’s dream of making lace slides farther and farther out of her grasp.
But she has brought one large and beautiful piece of her own work with her. The way she kept finding uses for this treasure that were more important than just holding onto it reminded me of the story The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke, a heart-warming lesson about generosity.
One of my favorite moments of the book is when Seraphine and Jean-Paul finally arrive at their farm, after a grueling trip across and ocean and half a continent. They find there is no farm at all, but old growth forest. They are more than disappointed. Jean-Paul says, “This is not what I expected. Not what I was promised.” Seraphine is equally distraught, but she says, “Well, here we are. Let’s get to work.” That shrug, and getting down to business, encapsulates for me the Great American Spirit, if there is such a thing. Back when Americans accomplished great things because they just rolled up their sleeves and set about doing them. Many still do, of course, but it seems that a whole generation today is busy complaining and casting blame.
Seraphine’s story is both sad and beautiful. I loved it for its own sake, but I also felt a special connection, because when I was a teenager, I got to go to Belgium, and I visited the city of Bruges, and I actually got to see some women sitting with a pillow in their lap, with the threads on multiple bobbins, as Seraphine describes. A dying art, but a true art, requiring knowledge and skill to make items of great beauty.
August 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this latest Chloe Ellefson novel, how well the author skillfully weaves the past and present together to sd in this novel, people who have left behind lives and family members to find a better life in America.
A pair of sisters in Belgium were sent to a convent school after the death of their father; their mother passed away years earlier. At the convent, one of the things every girl learned was how to make lace. It was one of the ways the convent supported itself, as Belgium lace was one the finest in the world. One sister found her calling as a nun, and the other as a lace maker, who would begin designing her own patterns to make lace from. The description of how the lace was made is stunning, making each accomplished lace maker a true artist.
Chloe Ellefson, a curator at the living history museum, Old World Wisconsin, is to Door County for a week to help prepare a list of furnishings for the new Belgium farm exhibit. She is looking forward to learning more about the Belgian customs and lives in 1800's Wisconsin. She also looks forward to meeting Elise, a woman she had worked with years earlier, who is visiting the area to learn more about Belgian lace. Elise has secrets she isn't willing to share, and at times her secrets seem to be dangerous lies to Chloe.
When almost at the B&B, Chloe spots a farm with an old summer kitchen, a separate structure from the boarded up farmhouse. Interested in the structure, she stops to examine it. Sometimes she is able to feel the emotions of those who have inhabited a place in the past, so she is open to those feelings. Finding only positive expressions, she looks in the oven of the kitchen, large enough to bake many loaves of bread at a time, but finds a body, the cousin of the woman who owns the neighboring B&B.
Chloe has helped solve murders and other mysteries in the past, and has no desire to do so now. She wants to stay focused on the Belgian farm she is there to study. As other threats are faced, however, then Elise disappears, she is drawn into the series of occurrences.
There are several plot twists, both with the history of the early settlers and how they relate to their descendents, including the woman who owns the B&B and her murdered cousin at the neighboring farm, as well as the present-day mysteries. I enjoy how well-written and plotted this novel is, and how fascinating both past and present are. The "present" setting is in the 1980's, a simpler time for technology, when we had to rely primarily on personal intellect and study of real print books, to learn and determine courses of action. I was unable to find who the real killer was, and was surprised at the solution and satisfied with each of the other situation outcomes. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates historical cozy mysteries that are intriguing and informative; one does not need to read the earlier books in the series to fully enjoy this one.
I received an e-arc from the publisher and this is my honest review.
A pair of sisters in Belgium were sent to a convent school after the death of their father; their mother passed away years earlier. At the convent, one of the things every girl learned was how to make lace. It was one of the ways the convent supported itself, as Belgium lace was one the finest in the world. One sister found her calling as a nun, and the other as a lace maker, who would begin designing her own patterns to make lace from. The description of how the lace was made is stunning, making each accomplished lace maker a true artist.
Chloe Ellefson, a curator at the living history museum, Old World Wisconsin, is to Door County for a week to help prepare a list of furnishings for the new Belgium farm exhibit. She is looking forward to learning more about the Belgian customs and lives in 1800's Wisconsin. She also looks forward to meeting Elise, a woman she had worked with years earlier, who is visiting the area to learn more about Belgian lace. Elise has secrets she isn't willing to share, and at times her secrets seem to be dangerous lies to Chloe.
When almost at the B&B, Chloe spots a farm with an old summer kitchen, a separate structure from the boarded up farmhouse. Interested in the structure, she stops to examine it. Sometimes she is able to feel the emotions of those who have inhabited a place in the past, so she is open to those feelings. Finding only positive expressions, she looks in the oven of the kitchen, large enough to bake many loaves of bread at a time, but finds a body, the cousin of the woman who owns the neighboring B&B.
Chloe has helped solve murders and other mysteries in the past, and has no desire to do so now. She wants to stay focused on the Belgian farm she is there to study. As other threats are faced, however, then Elise disappears, she is drawn into the series of occurrences.
There are several plot twists, both with the history of the early settlers and how they relate to their descendents, including the woman who owns the B&B and her murdered cousin at the neighboring farm, as well as the present-day mysteries. I enjoy how well-written and plotted this novel is, and how fascinating both past and present are. The "present" setting is in the 1980's, a simpler time for technology, when we had to rely primarily on personal intellect and study of real print books, to learn and determine courses of action. I was unable to find who the real killer was, and was surprised at the solution and satisfied with each of the other situation outcomes. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates historical cozy mysteries that are intriguing and informative; one does not need to read the earlier books in the series to fully enjoy this one.
I received an e-arc from the publisher and this is my honest review.
September 7, 2018
I need more stars!
Honestly, this is the best book I have read recently! It took my breathe away.
I admit it was a slow start, but once I started reading about Seraphine and her life, it was almost impossible to put this book down. Every emotion was expressed as I read about her life in the convent, her finding a calling in life, her love of lace, then her elopement and immigration to America in the 1850's. And the promised "good life" in the New World was fraught with labors and sorrows. It seemed that when things were getting better, another blow would strike her, but she always kept going.
Seraphine is an inspiration. Although as a single person, she probably did not exist, when I think of all the women who were truly a part of this story, who lived portions of Seraphine's life, I am in awe. We are so coddled and pampered. I wonder if today's woman could survive in Seraphine's world. The pioneer women who lived through this period were amazingly strong.
Through this novel I learned of history I had never encountered before. I had no idea that there was a Great Fire in 1871 and how devastating it was. I am now almost angry when I think of how everyone knows about the little fire caused by a cow the same day in Chicago, but totally ignorant of the great loss of life and livelyhood the the Peshtigo Fire. I googled to read more about this disaster.
I was enthralled by the idea of bobbin lace. When I read about the lacemakers in the book, I could hear the bobbins clicking. So I looked it up on a video thinking I do needle work and might give this a try. I watched as fingers flew moving the bobbins from one place to another, turning and twisting. One view of a video of lacemakers in Belgium and I knew it was beyond my abilities.
I had no idea that the people of Wisconsin had done so much to help the Belgians during the First World War. Actually, I had no idea that Belgians had settled so much in Wisconsin! And so as I was reading about the lace project, I looked up Belgian War Lace and found some of the most beautiful pieces of lace I have ever seen. The thrilling part of that is that so many pieces are in the Smithsonian that I hope to see some in person when I make a trip to Washington, DC. Seeing these pieces make me wish I could see the lace that Seraphine made. I can't even begin to imagine the intricate nature of her work done in the mid 1850's.
In this book I had a fascinating story with characters who came alive for me (and some who were real people!), a story that was engaged my mind and emotions, a book that taught me things I had no knowledge of before and wouldn't have even thought to ask about. There is no way that I can think of that I could have learned about this if I hadn't read this book.
I don't think I can recommend this book highly enough!
Honestly, this is the best book I have read recently! It took my breathe away.
I admit it was a slow start, but once I started reading about Seraphine and her life, it was almost impossible to put this book down. Every emotion was expressed as I read about her life in the convent, her finding a calling in life, her love of lace, then her elopement and immigration to America in the 1850's. And the promised "good life" in the New World was fraught with labors and sorrows. It seemed that when things were getting better, another blow would strike her, but she always kept going.
Seraphine is an inspiration. Although as a single person, she probably did not exist, when I think of all the women who were truly a part of this story, who lived portions of Seraphine's life, I am in awe. We are so coddled and pampered. I wonder if today's woman could survive in Seraphine's world. The pioneer women who lived through this period were amazingly strong.
Through this novel I learned of history I had never encountered before. I had no idea that there was a Great Fire in 1871 and how devastating it was. I am now almost angry when I think of how everyone knows about the little fire caused by a cow the same day in Chicago, but totally ignorant of the great loss of life and livelyhood the the Peshtigo Fire. I googled to read more about this disaster.
I was enthralled by the idea of bobbin lace. When I read about the lacemakers in the book, I could hear the bobbins clicking. So I looked it up on a video thinking I do needle work and might give this a try. I watched as fingers flew moving the bobbins from one place to another, turning and twisting. One view of a video of lacemakers in Belgium and I knew it was beyond my abilities.
I had no idea that the people of Wisconsin had done so much to help the Belgians during the First World War. Actually, I had no idea that Belgians had settled so much in Wisconsin! And so as I was reading about the lace project, I looked up Belgian War Lace and found some of the most beautiful pieces of lace I have ever seen. The thrilling part of that is that so many pieces are in the Smithsonian that I hope to see some in person when I make a trip to Washington, DC. Seeing these pieces make me wish I could see the lace that Seraphine made. I can't even begin to imagine the intricate nature of her work done in the mid 1850's.
In this book I had a fascinating story with characters who came alive for me (and some who were real people!), a story that was engaged my mind and emotions, a book that taught me things I had no knowledge of before and wouldn't have even thought to ask about. There is no way that I can think of that I could have learned about this if I hadn't read this book.
I don't think I can recommend this book highly enough!
January 21, 2019
“Greed, uncertainty, and death get tangled in the mystery of a rare piece of Belgian lace.”
Museum curator Chloe Ellefson has just learned some disturbing family news and takes a consulting job at Green Bay, Wisconsin’s, Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park to distract herself. She thinks she’ll have a nice week planning the restoration of a Belgian farmhouse. On the way to what she thinks will be a relaxing visit, she stumbles over a body in a bake oven and life takes a hard turn into not relaxing, not relaxing at all.
Book 9 in this well-written, richly detailed series held my interest from start to finish. The “present day” story (set in the 1980s) is presented in alternating chapters with the historical mystery upon which the present day mystery rests. I am a Philistine, I skip past the historical chapters, because what I come to these books for is the relationship between Chloe and her cop boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, and their current day life.
I have worked alongside people like Chloe, smart, dedicated people who should be making way more money than they are for protecting and preserving a state’s natural and cultural resources, but who stay for the love of history and the properties they are charged with caring for. She is very real to me, as is the relationship between her and Roekle, a complicated man who loves his work and just wants to do the next right thing.
This is a series I always look forward to, and so far the only series where I have willingly regularly paid in the $10 range for an e-book.
You could read these out of order, but I’d suggest in order, because you’ll get a better sense of Chloe and the other characters, and watching them struggle and grow just makes the story better. Also, if you are a fan of historical mysteries, you’ll find the chapters I just skip right over a plus – they are well-written as well, and provide rich detail about the current day topic. I am just so tied to Chloe and Roelke that I get impatient with things that take the focus off them and the current mystery. I hope Chloe and Roelke are around for a long time.
Museum curator Chloe Ellefson has just learned some disturbing family news and takes a consulting job at Green Bay, Wisconsin’s, Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park to distract herself. She thinks she’ll have a nice week planning the restoration of a Belgian farmhouse. On the way to what she thinks will be a relaxing visit, she stumbles over a body in a bake oven and life takes a hard turn into not relaxing, not relaxing at all.
Book 9 in this well-written, richly detailed series held my interest from start to finish. The “present day” story (set in the 1980s) is presented in alternating chapters with the historical mystery upon which the present day mystery rests. I am a Philistine, I skip past the historical chapters, because what I come to these books for is the relationship between Chloe and her cop boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, and their current day life.
I have worked alongside people like Chloe, smart, dedicated people who should be making way more money than they are for protecting and preserving a state’s natural and cultural resources, but who stay for the love of history and the properties they are charged with caring for. She is very real to me, as is the relationship between her and Roekle, a complicated man who loves his work and just wants to do the next right thing.
This is a series I always look forward to, and so far the only series where I have willingly regularly paid in the $10 range for an e-book.
You could read these out of order, but I’d suggest in order, because you’ll get a better sense of Chloe and the other characters, and watching them struggle and grow just makes the story better. Also, if you are a fan of historical mysteries, you’ll find the chapters I just skip right over a plus – they are well-written as well, and provide rich detail about the current day topic. I am just so tied to Chloe and Roelke that I get impatient with things that take the focus off them and the current mystery. I hope Chloe and Roelke are around for a long time.
July 13, 2019
I have not read all the Chloe Ellefson mysteries but after reading this latest installment and meeting the author I certainly intend to read all these stories set in Wisconsin. These cozy mysteries are unique for several reasons: 1. First, they take place in the 1980's, so they are refreshingly pre-cell phones/technology, meaning mysteries are solved by observation, common sense, and even a few well executed hunches. 2. All the mysteries have a Wisconsin connection, as the main character works at Old World Wisconsin, a living museum in southern Wisconsin, about 25 minutes from where I grew up. As Chloe Ellefson is called to consult at other Wisconsin historic sites , it seems murder, theft, and other deceitful acts follow (much like Murder She Wrote) 3. Each book is actually two tales, one the 1980's mystery and the other a historic look at that particular location in an earlier time, the details somehow connecting to Chloe's reason for being there. In THE LACEMAKER'S SECRET, Chloe has traveled to Door County to meet an old friend and to help the nearby Green Bay Heritage Hill (real place) historic site set up a donated farmstead from the Door County Belgium community. Packed with historical details, the book tells about the early Belgium settlers and how the same fire which destroyed much of Peshitigo also hit Southern Door County. Behind both stories is the story of Belgium lacemaking, a truly fascinating story. I was personally drawn to this book and became totally involved in its tiniest details after hearing Kathleen Ernst speak. The research behind each of her books is her passion and it was a delight to hear her speak about how she does it. My daughter is currently the archivist for the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay which includes Door County and its high Belgium Catholic population so I already knew about the Walloon language, the Belgium pies, the tiny chapels and the earliest settlers, but seeing them become part of a mystery story was very special. That my youngest granddaughter has this interesting piece of Wisconsin as part her ancestry made the whole read even more fascinating.
November 4, 2018
A solid 3-1/2 stars rounded up.
I enjoyed the back story of the orphaned sisters, Octavia who remains in Belgium, and Seraphine who leaves to marry and resettle in Wisconsin. Both are devoted to the lace making industry. The history of Belgian lace making is fascinating and I only wish even more time had been devoted to it. I have travelled to Bruges and visited the lace museum. I have watched the women weave their bobbins at dizzying speed. It is a sight to behold. I purchased a remnant of antique lace for a small fortune and look at it every day and remember my visit to the convent and the city of Bruges.
The story of the Belgian Walloon immigrants’ struggles in Wisconsin was also well told, informative and heartbreaking. The telling of their stories as part of the current story is powerful and allows the reader to become well acquainted with their history. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the modern day story was nearly as strong. Yes there is a mystery and it gets deeper and darker but there were too many tangents that I found distracting. I credit Ms. Ernst with being a good storyteller by tying it all together but still found some of it superfluous.
A minor point but some of the expressions, e.g. “Hunh”, “Holy Toboggans” just struck a discordant note. Thank you NetGalley and Midnight Ink for a copy
December 29, 2018
As usual in most of the books in this series, there are two timelines: a contemporary one, set in 1983, and an historic one from 1848 to 1853 in Belgium, and 1854 to 1919 in Wisconsin. To begin with, when an elderly relative tells Chloe a long-held family secret, Chloe begins to wonder about her own sense of identity. But she needs to put these ponderings aside as she sets out for the Green Bay area to give advice on restoration of an old Belgian farmhouse there. She also plans to meet an old friend who will be giving a lace making workshop. But nothing quite goes as plans, especially when Chloe discovers a dead body!
Back home, Chloe's boyfriend, Roelke, has problems of his own, with a secret that is weighing on his mind. When his cousin Libby decides to take her children to church with her, Roelke begins to think about also returning, especially after meeting Father Dan.
In the past the reader follows the story of a Belgian lace maker, Seraphine Moreau Lejeune through her life, first in Belgium, where she learns to make lace, and later through all her trials and tribulations in her new country. The various parts of the story mesh together well, giving the reader a sense of the time and the place, and the feelings of the various characters. Another excellent book in this series. Highly recommended.
Back home, Chloe's boyfriend, Roelke, has problems of his own, with a secret that is weighing on his mind. When his cousin Libby decides to take her children to church with her, Roelke begins to think about also returning, especially after meeting Father Dan.
In the past the reader follows the story of a Belgian lace maker, Seraphine Moreau Lejeune through her life, first in Belgium, where she learns to make lace, and later through all her trials and tribulations in her new country. The various parts of the story mesh together well, giving the reader a sense of the time and the place, and the feelings of the various characters. Another excellent book in this series. Highly recommended.
February 28, 2019
This is by far the best Kathleen Ernst novel from the Chloe Ellefson Mystery series! She brings the challenges that our ancestors went through with when they lived in the 'old country' and the hardship they encountered when they arrived in Wisconsin to us. Like Ernst's characters, they never lost hope and brought their faith, culture and strength to the new country. Their strong faith permeates this Belgium area of Door County and seeps its way through history to Ernst's current day characters. Ernst thoroughly researched the area of the late 1850s and paints a picture of what it most likely looked like when the settlers claimed their land and worked to build their new life, complete with the cholera outbreak, Virgin Mary apparition and Great Fire. I cried for these characters and celebrated when their resilience resurfaced. As in other books in this series, Ernst's modern-day character, Chloe stumbles on a murder while on a historic furnishings report project for an outdoor museum in Green Bay. The murder is only a minor clue in the mystery though. Traveling back and forth in history she's able to unravel the reasons desperate people do desperate things. After reading this book you just might begin planning a road trip to Heritage Hill, the area's roadside chapels and the Lady of Good Hope shrine while anxiously awaiting for the next in this awesome series.
September 16, 2018
Thanks to Net Galley and Midnight Ink for the ARC.
I'm a big fan of the author. I met her years ago at a book signing for her children's books, which my oldest was reading at the time. So when she started writing her Chloe Ellefson books for adults, I gladly picked them up and have enjoyed all of them.
I live in Green Bay, so I wondered if Chloe would ever make her way to Heritage Hill and this is the book that brought her there. Some time was also spent in the Belgian Settlement of northern Brown/southern Door counties, which I also found interesting as some of my ancestors lived there when they first came to the United States.
I read a lot of history, but I didn't know much about Belgian lace until I read this book. That's the thing about Ernst's books. You learn about some aspect of European pioneers, usually set in Wisconsin, that you might not have known before.
If you haven't read any other Chloe books, you'd notice that the characters aren't really fleshed out in this book. And most of the way through the book, you might wonder why Roelke is even there. But as usual, he comes to save the day.
The one thing I don't like about this series is Chloe's supposed psychic abilities. Seems out-of-place.
I'm a big fan of the author. I met her years ago at a book signing for her children's books, which my oldest was reading at the time. So when she started writing her Chloe Ellefson books for adults, I gladly picked them up and have enjoyed all of them.
I live in Green Bay, so I wondered if Chloe would ever make her way to Heritage Hill and this is the book that brought her there. Some time was also spent in the Belgian Settlement of northern Brown/southern Door counties, which I also found interesting as some of my ancestors lived there when they first came to the United States.
I read a lot of history, but I didn't know much about Belgian lace until I read this book. That's the thing about Ernst's books. You learn about some aspect of European pioneers, usually set in Wisconsin, that you might not have known before.
If you haven't read any other Chloe books, you'd notice that the characters aren't really fleshed out in this book. And most of the way through the book, you might wonder why Roelke is even there. But as usual, he comes to save the day.
The one thing I don't like about this series is Chloe's supposed psychic abilities. Seems out-of-place.
July 26, 2018
Kathleen Ernst continues to push the limit in getting me interested in things I could not imagine caring about until I read her books. Each story consists of the current day (1980s) mystery plus a murder, and running parallel to that is a story of immigrants to the Wisconsin setting from earlier days. Eventually the stories connect over time, when an artifact or a building reveals the historical secrets to the current day characters. I love reading about immigrants and history, but I did not know I would also like learning about Nordic heritage and running a museum and, in this episode, lacemaking. Of course, the soap opera of Chloe and Roelke is also a draw, and this time the relationship is threatened both by Roelke's guilt over crossing an ethical line in his job as a cop, and by his returning to the church to salve his conscience. He can't tell Chloe what he did and she does not share his renewed interest in the church. Frankly, the churchiness of this one knocked it down a star compared to previous books in the series. But I'll still be waiting eagerly for the next installment!
(Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)
(Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)
September 30, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The ninth Chloe Ellefson mystery has two timelines that come together in one lacy mystery. In the present, Chloe is on a consulting job for Heritage Hill Historical Park, which is restoring a Belgian American farmhouse. Chloe is drawn into the story of the early Belgian immigrants to Wisconsin and their ties to the crafts of their home country, especially some tantalizing mentions of lace making.
What should have been a relaxing week, turns I to a harrowing investigation of murders and kidnappings.
Chloe must understand the past to her able to save her future.
The second timeline is that of the Belgian immigrants. Many clues to the present are there, if Chloe can find them in time.
I really enjoyed The Lacemakers Secret. The book was very well researched, the characters were dynamic, and the mystery was a good puzzle. This book reads fine as a stand alone novel, but you will probably be like me and want to read all the rest of the series after getting this taste of it.
The ninth Chloe Ellefson mystery has two timelines that come together in one lacy mystery. In the present, Chloe is on a consulting job for Heritage Hill Historical Park, which is restoring a Belgian American farmhouse. Chloe is drawn into the story of the early Belgian immigrants to Wisconsin and their ties to the crafts of their home country, especially some tantalizing mentions of lace making.
What should have been a relaxing week, turns I to a harrowing investigation of murders and kidnappings.
Chloe must understand the past to her able to save her future.
The second timeline is that of the Belgian immigrants. Many clues to the present are there, if Chloe can find them in time.
I really enjoyed The Lacemakers Secret. The book was very well researched, the characters were dynamic, and the mystery was a good puzzle. This book reads fine as a stand alone novel, but you will probably be like me and want to read all the rest of the series after getting this taste of it.
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