Jean and Spence Collins are about to discover the magic of living—with magic. After thirty-two years in the corporate grind, the Collinses need a quiet time-out. But that's not what they get when Jean buys a hope chest at an estate sale. Its false bottom hides an extraordinary eighteen-inch piece of fabric—and Jean finds it. The magnificent birds on it are vivid, alive, and impossibly ancient…and they change.

Mary Coulter, an elderly widow, has sold most of her treasures to move into a senior community. But there is one precious heirloom she can't find the magical fabric. It's the key to her immortality, and she wants it back. Mary's greedy son, Raleigh, wants to get his hands on the fabric too—for its potential worth. Raleigh needs money fast. An FBI agent has his eye on him for insider trading. And Raleigh has his eye on the Collinses.

Jean and Spence track down Mary Coulter, who knows many of the fabric's secrets…but not all its secrets. With Raleigh and the FBI on their heels, the Collinses set off on a transforming quest to London, and finally to Cairo, to unlock the fabric's secrets of life…and death. They learn that living with magic comes with a responsibility: for every one thing they give, numerous rewards will come their way. STITCHES is the debut novel of a series that follows the scintillating trail Jean and Spence leave in their wake as they sleuth their way toward retirement—with a little immortal help. It celebrates a new coming-of-age story: the adventurous spirit of the boomers who want to put away the remote and run to the next phase of life. Magic exists for every generation, but what you do with it can change your life forever.

Courtney Pierce