Polyester Monroe is back!

After a brief(ish) hiatus, Poly is back to solve a new crime in San Ladron, California. Naturally, there's a connection back to Material Girl, her fabric shop. I loved revising this small town (based on San Dimas) and dropping in on Charlie, Vaughn, Adelaide, Giovanni, and the rest of the gang--plus researching all kinds of facts about the world of ballet.

Hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it!
xo,
Dianeamateur-sleuth california chick-lit ...more5 s Kristine 1,729 11

This is a gratifying mystery that kept me turning the pages until the end. The story is filled with an engaging plot, intriguing characters, and so much more. I look forward to reading more in this series. 2023 cozy-mystery3 s Melissa Kay4

I've been a fan of Ms. Vallere since I first found her "Samantha Kidd" series, so I was delighted to find that she'd decided to continue the Poly Monroe storyline. I came across this series after I'd already been introduced to several of her other characters and found it quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Poly inherited her family's fabric store and made the decision to totally upend her life and move away from the big city and do something unpredictable. Tulle Death has her questioning whether it really was unpredictable and whether she really had changed all while tripping over a dead body, then trying to track down a murderer...all to help out the ex-boyfriend she left behind in the city.

I enjoy the character and relational development, the return of familiar faces, humor, and the inclusion of new personalities to round out and more deeply define Poly and her story.

I would recommend this story to anyone from 12 years of age on up, as it is not graphic in any way and provides for a very entertaining read. You do not have to read this series in order, but it would help so that you can understand more clearly the conflict within which Poly finds herself. How ever you choose to dive into this series, I wish you happy reading!

I received a free copy in exchange for my review1 Carlin1,512 10

This was a completely wonderful cozy mystery with plenty of red herrings keeping me guessing till the end. All the characters, especially the residents of small town San Ladrón, California, were perfectly realized and made me really want to know what will happen next in their lives. Poly and Vaughn seem just right for each other so I have my fingers crossed about the next chapter in their lives.

The mystery involved former and current members of an LA ballet company and the impending nuptials between the prima ballerina and Poly's ex-boyfriend Carson. When Beatriz's dance partner is murdered in the wedding chapel, suspicion falls on both the bride and bridegroom and several other members of the wedding party. Ultimately, Poly discovers the perpetrator and needs rescuing from a dangerous situation.

Poly is a great protagonist, smart but klutzy, always falling over her feet and making me laugh out loud at her antics. She also has two marvelous cats, Pins and Needles, aptly named for Poly's fabric store, Material Girl who live with Poly in the apartment over the store but spend time in the shop itself as well. Now I can't wait for the next book in this series and highly recommend both. Thank you to the author for the ARC and for requesting my honest review.arc-from-author on-kindle1 Kelly846 19

Poly Monroe is such a great main character. It's wedding season and Poly has pulled all of her fabric to display in the store to appeal to brides. Poly closes the store for a private appointment with a bride that Adelaide has sent to her that is getting married at The Waverly. This was an interesting story, having Poly's past and present collide in San Ladron. With a famous prima ballerina, Poly's ex, and a dead body there is not a dull moment. I have read all of the books in this series and have enjoyed them all. I hope that there will be more in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.1 Sandy710 10

I love this delightful series, which is set in a fabric shop! Endearing characters, nice twisty plots and superb craftsmanship make Diane Vallere’s work hard to put down. This book finds Poly’s shop in the middle of wedding season, with a surprise celebrity wedding to add to the intensity. But, a body in the chapel halts plans. Can Poly find the murderer in a large pool of suspects? I enjoyed this fabulous book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.1 Melanie125

Fun, Engaging Mystery with Delightful Characters
Smart, talented, and slightly clumsy, Poly Monroe is a delightful main character that loves fabrics and cats, and has a nose for solving mysteries. She is a smart, self-sufficient business owner as well as a caring friend. I enjoyed this visit to the fictional town of San Ladron and seeing Poly work through some relational issues as well as solve a murder. Ms. Vallere's characters are well-developed and her books are well-written. I felt I could see Poly's shop, the Waverly House and the town itself from her descriptions.

The story provided laughs as well as a very intriguing mystery which kept me reading well past bedtime! There were plenty of suspects as well as twists and turns, and although I can usually guess the culprit when I read a mystery, this one surprised me. There was some light romance, but nothing that overpowered the story. For me, the mystery struck the perfect balance between cozy and edgy and I look forward to more books in this series! I am a member of the ARC team and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.1 Sally713 26

What fun to meet up again with Polyester Monroe. A small business owner with an amazing talent for fabric and design and a unique personality that makes her a pretty good amateur sleuth. Even if she’s sometimes too curious for her own good and if she is at times oblivious to the danger she’s gotten herself into.

Author Diane Vallere has several series going at one time, and they are all great reads, because all of Vallere’s main characters have a couple of things in common: loyalty, dedication, never-ending quest for justice and most important to me as the reader, the ability to learn from their experiences and mistakes and to grow as the series all progress. Poly is one of those fascinating characters.

Poly has been in San Ladrón running her fabric story, Material Girl, for a while now. She becomes a little more settled there each day. When her aunt died and left the family fabric shop to her, she figured she’d need a couple of days to take care of business and then back to Hollywood she’d go. Now she can’t imagine living anywhere else.

When a secret celebrity customer requests a private fabric showing for her upcoming wedding, Poly has to dig deep to maintain that evolving growth and maturity – because the groom-to-be is none other than her ex-boyfriend. It’s stressful enough that they didn’t really part on the best of terms, but when a wedding guest is murdered that stress level goes way, way, way up. Accusations are flying, everyone is a suspect, and Poly is dragged into helping solve the crime.

Tulle Death Do Us Part is a fun, funny, exciting, suspenseful story, fast-paced, well written, strongly plotted, and populated with a quirky cast of characters you love – or love to hate. Poly jumps right in to try and find the murderer, and to keep her shop – and her life – safe. She’s got some tough choices to make and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the next book in this delightful series. Thanks to the author for providing an advance copy of Tulle Death Do Us Part as part of the review crew. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
2023-read Eileen2,091

Tulle Death Do Us Part by Diane Vallere, book four in her Material Witness Mystery series, is another “grab you on page one and not let go until the end” whodunit; with lots of red herrings keeping me guessing till the end. Once again Poly becomes involved in solving a murder that occurred in San Ladron, California.

Poly closes Material Girl for a private client, never expecting the chaos and tangled web of intrigue she will be facing. With former and current members of an LA ballet company and the impending nuptials between the prima ballerina, Beatriz, and Poly's ex-boyfriend Carson, havoc reigns when Beatriz's dance partner is murdered in the wedding chapel, suspicion falls on both the bride and bridegroom and several other members of the wedding party. A packed week of secrets and suspicions with surprises about many characters brings a few people closer while alienating others. Many of the townspeople are reoccurring characters, making it fun to find out what they are doing. What a fun and exciting episode in the life of Polyester Malone.

I genuinely enjoyed reading this book and had trouble putting this book down. The story line provided laughs as well as being riveting, edgy and kept my attention to the very end; including the twists and turns I didn't expect. Ms. Vallere does an excellent job keeping her readers on their toes, including red herrings, causing me to wrongly guess who the killer was and boy was I surprised when I found out. I highly recommend Tulle Death Do Us Part to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.arc author Mark Baker2,173 165

Poly Monroe has been asked to close her fabric shop, Material Girl, for a private customer. It makes sense when she realizes that the customer is Beatriz Rosen, a famous ballerina trying to hide from the paparazzi, and she is looking for material for her wedding dress. Even with all the secrecy, a man shows up and picks a fight with Beatriz. That evening, Poly witnesses the two of them fighting on the street. A little while later, Poly finds the man dead. It’s only then she learns her connection to the wedding. Suddenly, Poly wants to figure out what is going on. Can she do it?

It's been seven years since we last visited these characters, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed them until I was reading this book. Yes, there is plenty of context given so if you are new to the series or haven’t read them recently, you’ll be in Poly’s world in no time. While I was happy to see the characters again, I really appreciated the growth that came out of the story. The mystery unfolds a little differently than a typical cozy, but that’s not a complaint since I was hooked the entire way through. There were a couple of small timeline issues, although they were minor overall. The worst made me chuckle. There’s a fun shout out to one of the author’s other series in the pages. Old fans will be happy to be back in Poly’s world, and new fans will be quickly hooked.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.2023 mystery11 s Susan584 10

Tulle Death Do Us Part is another entertaining installment in Vallere's Material Witness cozy mystery series. A bridal client has been referred to Poly by the Waverly House which is being transformed into a wedding venue. Poly closes her fabric store for the day so she can meet with this mysterious client. Things don't go exactly as planned when the bride requests that Poly make her wedding gown herself using some fabric from her store. An unattainable deadline is not the worst of it for Poly when she discovers the body of the wedding guest before the wedding. Things go from bad to worse when Poly's ex becomes a suspect so Poly decides she needs to figure out this mystery fast.

Vallere sets up a good mystery full of many twists and turns. By bringing Poly's past into her potential future, Vallere sets up a good conflict for her main character. Poly needs to come to terms with the past before she can truly move on and make her new life her own. I also loved seeing my favorite secondary characters back as well especially Charlie. The book captures the reader's interest from the beginning and never lets go. Overall Tulle Death Do Us Part proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Received a copy of Tulle Death Do Us Part from the author.for-review Deborah Almada987 28

I had really enjoyed this series by Diane Vallere when it came out years ago. Unfortunately it was three books and done, so I was excited to see that after all this time a new one was released! It was not hard to catch up with Poly, Charlie, Vaughan and Adelaide, not to mention the fur babies, a chapter or two in, I felt I had never left San Ladron and Material Girl. Fortunately or unfortunately for Poly her past and future are about to collide, the celebrity mystery client that demands she shut down her shop so she could shop undisturbed is not only a famous ballerina, but she is engaged to Poly's ex. When our ballerina's dance partner is found murdered in town, after a confrontation with the bride, Poly needs to figure out who did the deed, was it the bride, her ex or one of the mysterious members of the wedding party? Definitely a mystery that will keep you guessing. J Young1,828 10

A fun mystery that kept me guessing to the very end!

A private shopping appointment for a wedding dress at Material Girl is the first step leading Polyester Monroe to the discovery of a murder victim. How can this wedding possibly take place? There is a body in the wedding chapel, the bride and groom are prime suspects, and the groom-to-be is Poly’s ex-boyfriend. If Poly wants to get paid for the dress and make sure her ex is out of her hair forever, she will have to solve this case in a hurry. The wedding is only a week away!

This is the first book I have read in this series and I was pleasantly surprised. The plot has depth, the characters are well-developed, and the twists and turns held my interest until the very end. I definitely want to read more of this series. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary. MommyO217

The Material Witness Mysteries is now one of my favorite series and Diane Vallere didn’t disappoint with this book. I honestly stayed up way to long to finish it!

What kept me up?? First, information related to the life and career ending injuries that can plague a prima ballerina made the story extremely interesting.

Second, the reoccurrence of specific characters from previous books in the series wove a tale of finding oneself through reflection and changes needed to move on in life.

Third, the characters have lots of depth, the story line was extremely interesting, and I honestly couldn’t wait to see what happened between Poly & Vaughn along with Clark & Charlie.

I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Big Fat Hairy Man165 2

Poly, the owner of Material Girl a local fabric store, has a private wedding dress fitting for a mysterious celebrity. She soon learns that the groom is actually her ex-boyfriend which makes her life a bit more complicated. Before the couple gets to tie the knot, one of the guests is found dead in the wedding chapel and both the bride and the groom are implicated. It's up to Poly to solve the murder in order to restore peace and order to her life. This is an interesting cozy mystery with plenty of twists along the way leading to a slightly surprising ending.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily. Debbi711 3

So glad to see a new Material Girl mystery. Poly is helping a bride create her wedding dress. And she happens to be Poly’s ex-boyfriend’s fiancé. Their wedding is to take place in San Ladron. But finding a dead body in the wedding chapel is causing issues. Can Poly figure out who the culprit is and get things back to normal? Could her ex be capable of murder? I love the way Diane weaves the story. Very well written. I really didn't see the ending coming as to who committed the murder. Hope there will be more in the series. I want to see what happens with Poly, Vaughn, Charlie and the townspeople of San Ladron. Barbara Hackel2,257 36

When Poly closes Material Girl for a private client, she has no idea of the tangled future she will be facing! A packed week of secrets and suspicions with surprises about many characters brings a few people closer as it also alienates others. A lot of the townspeople are reoccurring characters and it's fun to find out what they are doing and enjoy the continuity between books. What a fun and exciting episode in the life of Polyester Malone. It was a compelling story that kept me reading into the night to find out what happened. I love that kind of book!1 Janet Graham2,319 5

Wonderful Material Girl Episode
This book is the newest addition to a great series. Our main character owns and runs a fabric store in a small California town. She loves fabric and classic fashion, but she is very good at solving murders. This is a nice cozy mystery with a certain amount of humor and romance on the side. all of this author's books, she is very good at bringing a new reader up to date with the series. If you haven't read the entire series, or it's been a while, her little references will set you straight. Great book in a great series.
1 Aighmi*398

Poly Monroe is marvelous. I love how she navigates the mysteries that cross her path. She is determined, thorough, and her kitties are adorable. She takes a long look at her life over this book and, amid the fast pace of the mystery, really evaluates the decisions she has made and the ones she has avoided. The mystery is wedding-based and around both San Ladron and the cutthroat world of ballet, with Poly's fabric shop, the wonderfully named Material Girl, at its epicenter. It is a very difficult book to put down! Kelly1,436 62

Something about the cover design suggests a historical mystery, but this was a modern cosy mystery. I thought it sounded a fun read, and the tone of the writing was fun and lighthearted. Unfortunately though, I didn't really find myself connecting with the protagonist , or any of the other characters, and I didn't feel too invested in the story. I would still try another book by this author though.

Thank you to Booksprout and the author for a free copy to review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Fleur3,252 23

I was not happy when I learnt who it really was who referred the bride to Poly for the wedding dress, so took some satisfaction in the bride being the first suspect. Seeing Poly so settled into her new life and Carson popping back into her life irked me, but she is a better person than me as whilst the murder appears linked to either Carson or his bride Poly wants to solve it.
I really enjoyed this mystery and the twists along the way from the beginning till the guilty party is nabbed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.2023 Robyn 370 2

Poly inadvertently finds herself in the thick of things, and she wishes she wasn't involved. This story had a lot of twists and turns, with funny, and edge of your seat moments. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I couldn't stop reading it until the end. Nadine61 3

What a fun book! A great main character named Polyester (Poly) who inherited a fabric shop. Go figure. With a great bunch of fellow characters, the mystery of a murder and other weird stuff, gets unraveled. It's too cute and a laugh a minute. I can't wait to read the rest in the series. Barbara293

It had been so long since the third book in this series that I had given up hope. I love the fabric shop aspect of it. I was just a little disappointed in the beginning of it and it was confusing at times. But it finished fairly strongly so I'll give it four stars. Barbara Tobey2,416 66

A charming and delightful cozy mystery. It kept me guessing to the end. Very clever. Interesting characters. Quite entertaining. Thanks to the author for providing a copy. My review is voluntary.1 Lynn238 2

Poly and her group friends bring a lot of mystery and fun to this story. The characters have grown, which moved the storyline. Im looking forward to more books in this series. Cathy Cole2,103 60

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