Meet Fleck Parker: Mother, Crafter and Amateur Detective.
Fleck loves a good puzzle. She spends most of her time feeling invisible, caring for three small children, and that’s fine, really. But it does make her brain itch occasionally.
When Trixie, fellow school-mum and avid crafter, is accused of stealing money from Many Hands, the women’s charity known for its charming store full of handmade crafts, Fleck feels compelled to investigate and clear Trixie’s name. From playground stake-outs to tailing cars while nursing the baby to sleep, Fleck and Trixie uncover a case more complex than either of them could have imagined.
Will they crack the case?
Review
If you love crafting, community drama, and a dash of amateur sleuthing, The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up has plenty to offer. Kate Solly’s latest novel is set in a charity-run craft store and follows Fleck, a full-time mum, serial hobbyist and puzzle fan, who turns detective when her friend Trixie is accused of stealing money. While this book checked many of my personal boxes—crafting, strong female friendships, neurodivergent representation—I closed the book with mixed feelings.
One of the highlights of this novel is its thoughtful portrayal of neurodivergence. Fleck suspects she has ADHD but has never been formally diagnosed, citing common barriers like cost and stigma around adult diagnoses. Trixie, on the other hand, was able to access an assessment and proudly identifies as ‘neurosparkly.’ She also has an autistic son, Joseph, and there’s a fantastic moment where she corrects Fleck’s misconceptions and language choices around his diagnosis (such as outlining why it is problematic to call someone ‘barely autistic’).
The novel’s setting—a charity-run craft store—provides an excellent backdrop for volunteer committee drama and maker representation. Trixie, in particular, is deeply passionate about fibre arts, and her constant crocheting is endearing. The way craft is woven into her backstory, including the death of her partner, is beautifully written: “Crafting is all about being in the moment, just focusing on what’s in front of me. And everything is one stitch at a time. There were days that felt endless and full of grief, but I could get through the next minute, the next row of stitches. So, I would focus on that. Crafting brought me hope.”
Fleck’s role as a mother of three is central to the story, and it was refreshing to see a protagonist juggling parenthood and an unexpected mystery-solving career. One particularly memorable scene involves a stranger chastising her for checking her phone while watching her children at the park—a moment that will resonate with many mothers who have felt judged for their choices. The book also explores the tensions and camaraderie within the charity’s volunteer group, with conflicts between tradition and modernisation playing out through characters like Helen (stuck in her ways) and Trixie (eager to update outdated processes). However, I would have liked to see more of Fleck’s relationship with her husband, who felt underdeveloped despite a few engaging moments together.
The setup for the mystery is intriguing, and the parade of quirky suspects and red herrings makes for a generally enjoyable ride. However, I found the actual investigation somewhat repetitive and stretched plausibility at times, including several scenes where Fleck follows suspects to uncover their habits. While this is marketed as a cosy mystery, there’s a tonal shift in the latter part of the book that leans into unexpectedly dark territory. Without spoiling anything, I found this shift jarring, and felt that the aftermath wasn’t given enough space to unpack its repercussions.
Overall, The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up is a fun read with moments of humour and heart. If you enjoy (mostly) cosy mysteries with a strong cast of characters, it’s worth picking up.
Thank you to Affirm Press who provided a copy of her novel in exchange for a review.
Review by Elise
Novel Feelings 