Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

Clare has a special talent.  Is it a curse or a gift?  She's not real sure...

Delacorte Press and Edelweiss allowed me to download an ebook of this story for review (thank you).  The book will be published September 11th, so watch for it in your local bookstore.

Cloth speaks to Clare.  She loves to take vintage clothes home and add buttons, bobbles, other cloth, lace, fur, or whatever her whim might be with that item to dress it up and reuse it.  It creates an eclectic style that intrigues people and she's doing well with sales.  The only downside is sometimes the clothes talk to her.  If the person was wearing them during times of stress, it's like it's embedded in the clothes.  And Clare can pick it up and experience it.

Her mother thinks this is a curse and has forbidden her to do it or talk about it.  Her Nana has the same talent but she's hesitant to talk about it also.  This makes things very difficult when she buys a denim jacket at a flea market sale and it shows her that bad things happened to its owner.

Clare is sixteen, still a virgin, and struggling with puberty.  They've just moved back to the small town she grew up in, but her best friend is "different" and she thinks she's hiding things.  She like Jack but he has a reputation as a bad boy.  Her father has never paid any attention to her after the divorce.  So who can she talk to?

Her psychic ability aside, this a well written story that is quite realistic.  The killer is still there in the small town and doesn't want anyone to solve the crime.  As a matter of fact the killer is willing to continue killing to keep it secret.

This is the story of Clare coming of age and she has plenty of challenges in this story.  It's very hard when you don't who to trust and who may kill you... 

Happy reading.