Knit, Purl, Die by Anne Canadeo

Book 2 of the Black Sheep Knitting Mystery series.

Another fun cozy mystery. I am not a knitter.. my daughter is so maybe that is why I like knitting mysteries.  And really knitting is sort of what holds the characters together (or should I say Yarn is!) but knitting is not the main focus.  I am a quilter and have a small close knit (oh what a pun!) group of quilting buddies who remind me a great deal of the Black Sheep Knitters.  It is just that camaraderie that occurs when you share a hobby or interest with a small group of people.. people you might not even speak to otherwise.. and you find that you share more than that hobby... you actually like each other!

Gloria Sterling has it all... looks, money, and a gorgeous young husband that other women drool over.  She is well thought of.. a savvy business woman.. charitable.. and in an odd way one of the gang when it comes to the Black Sheep Knitters. Not one of the regular group, but Gloria floats in whenever she can to chat and knit with the girls.

So when she is found dead, they take it personally.  The police are quick to rule her death an accident and certainly everything points to that, but the BSK have their doubts. And when they doubt they snoop!  Secret relationships.. business deals.. troubles.. all turn up as they try to unravel this mystery without smearing their deceased friend's name and adding sorrow to the grieving husband.

If you are a knitter, there are knitting ideas and links to patterns. Throughout the book you read of yummy meals and snacks.  Canadeo has been kind enough to put recipes in the back of the book for many of those yummy treats!

A fun cozy mystery... great way to relax and escape for a bit.

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

Book 1 of the Black Sheep Knitting Mystery series.  A cute book.. honestly not the best mystery I have read, but not the worst.  A bit weak in plot and characters.  But still entertaining. And I already have book 2 in my to read stack.

There are several series out there that center around groups of knitters... the Seaside Knitters series by Sally Goldenbaum and the Knitting Mysteries by Maggie Sefton are 2 I love. I have reviewed books from each here (search the tags for Mystery and Knitting) Given my like of these series and my love of cozy mysteries, I was drawn to this book.

The Black Sheep Knitters are a group of ladies who are very diverse in lifestyle but connected through their love of knitting and their love of Maggie Messina's shop.. Black Sheep Knitting (hence the name of the group and the series).

Everyone is excited about an upcoming workshop with a celebrity knitter and the shop is all a buzz as Maggie tries to get everything just right for the event.  Even her competitor, Amanda Goran, owner of Knitting Nest, is looking forward to attending. Maggie is shocked that she will come and more shocked at her friendly attitude.

But as the case in most mysteries, tragedy strikes.. in the form of Amanda being found dead the morning of the event and Maggie becomes the prime suspect.  The Black Sheep Knitters rally round Maggie and set out to find the real killer and clear Maggie's name.

Fleece Navidad by Maggie Sefton

Another Christmas themed book read out of season.... another cozy mystery series I love!  Fleece Navidad is part of Sefton Knitting Mystery series... which definitely needs to be read in order!

The holidays are fast approaching and knitting needles are flying at Lambspun in Fort Connor, CO. So many Christmas projects to finish up and so little time. And definitely no time for a murder!  Juliet is a local librarian... quiet as a mouse.. and finally has a Romeo in her life...that is until Claudia comes to town.  Vivacious.. full of life.. flirtatious.. Claudia who is on the hunt for the right man.  A bit of a love triangle ensues and then death kicks it up to a whole new level.  Add to this a former daughter-in-law who is certain Claudia is a money hungry gold-digger who married wealthy men and then kills then for their fortunes.  The holidays are heating up and Christmas cheer is hard to find.

Can the ladies at Lambspun put the pieces together and tie up this mystery in time to restore harmony for the holidays to their cozy little town?

A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum

I don't normally read Christmas themed books throughout the year. I save them up and read them from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. It is just one of those quirky things I do.  That said.. I am obsessed with reading books in the order they were written, especially those in a series as they tend to build on each other.  One series I love it Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitters Mystery series.  Love the characters.. the setting..and the coziness of it all! I had planned to read this one during my Christmas-book-read-a-thon, but it didn't happen. So I broke the "rules" and decided to have a bit of Christmas in April!  And I am glad I did!  I would not want to wait until November to go back to Sea Harbor and visit my dear friends!

Christmas is in the air there.. cookies baking.. knitters feverishly finishing up Christmas projects.. snow falling.. Santa is anticipated.. and Mary Pisano is busy transforming her grandfather's estate into a bed-and-breakfast. It won't be officially opened until after the holidays, but Mary's large family will hold their annual meeting there at Christmas and she wants it all ready.

Busyness abounds and a bit of tension over Mary's inheritance of the property instead of one of the other Pisano cousins, but overall everyone is behaving... or so it seems until Pamela Pisano is found dead on the B & B's back porch.

The peace and excitement of the season is shattered as a murdered is sought.  Suspicions run amuck as the police investigate and theorize.  And of course the Sea Side Knitters feel the need to do their own sleuthing.  Can they catch a killer and return Sea Harbor to its normal quiet self? Or will it ever be the same when they find there is a killer in their midst?

Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton

By now, if you read my blog, you know I love cozy mysteries and Sefton's Knitting series is one of my faves.  This is book 5. Sidenote: the next book in this series, as well as another fave (Seaside Sitters) are both set at Christmastime. I only read Christmas themed books from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so perfect timing! :-)

In Dyer Consquences, the knitters from Lambspun are ready to the winter thaw and the return of Spring, especially Kelly Flynn who is about to embark of the grand adventure of building a home.  Kelly is ready to move from the cottage in town and up into the mountains with her grand scenic views.  She will miss being able to walk over to the shop and enjoy coffee, knitting and conversation with her friends, but she won't miss the vandalism that has been plaguing her lately. What is it with these kids? Why are they targetting her? Slashed tires.. red paint on her stucco.. cracked windshields.. it's enough to drive a girl crazy!

The "pranks" escalate as Kelly's precious Carl is endangered and Mimi's shop falls prey to the vandals and when Kelly thinks the worst has come, a young woman is found dead in Mimi's basement floating in a tub of dye.  Are all the incidents related? Do they have anything to do with the canyon land Kelly has bought? Who would be so angry with her?

Kelly's sleuthing gene kicks into gear and she goes looking for answers.. and, as usual, finds trouble along the way.

A Killer Stitch by Maggie Sefton

Book 4 in the Knitting Mysteries series. Guess what? I loved this book. LOL!  I have loved every book in this series. Fun characters... good storylines... charming setting... my kind of cozy mystery.

In A Killer Stitch,  a local fella is found dead... one who apparently wooed many a lady in Ft. Connor including The House of Lambspun's newest instructor, Lucy Adair.  Lucy quickly becomes the prime suspect, but Kelly can't see it... not mild mannered Lucy.  So she decides to do a bit of digging to clear her friend's name and find the truth.

Read these books in order... there are storylines that carry from book to book like Kelly's relationship with Steve.

A Deadly Yarn by Maggie Sefton

Another book in the Knitting Mysteries by Sefton. Love this series. Love the characters and setting.  Once again Kelly is drawn into a mystery... local up and coming fiber artist AllisonDubois has committed suicide.. or has she. Kelly has her doubts and is determined to find the truth.

Along the way she has to deal with a friendship that is becoming more and make decisions concerning her career and whether she will stay in Colorado or return to the East Coast.  Fortuntely she has friends to help her deal with all the questions in her life.

Wonderful read as always!  Already have the next book in the series checked out from the library and in my to read basket!

Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton

Book 2 of Sefton's Knitting Mysteries series.

You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy these books... I know, I love reading this series and have never knitted a stitch in my life (haven't purled either! LOL!)  I do think you will relate a bit more to the characters if you are a crafter. There is something about a community of people who share a love of fibers or fabrics or embellishments or beads etc.  But as with knitting, I don't think it is necessary to be a crafter to enjoy these books.

Kelly Flynn is settling into her "temporary" life in Fort Connor, Colorado... telecommuting from her office in DC, taking breaks for caffeine and knitting with friend at the House of Lambspun, attempting a casual relationship with a handsome fella and trying to keep her dog in the yard and away from stray golf balls.  If only she could figure out a way to make this permanent.

But it seems homicide is a part of this new life also.  Volunteering to drive a group of touring knitters to a local alpaca farm seems harmless enough, until Kelly finds the owner dead on her latest creation. The police jump right in, but Kelly feels the need to aid them, whether they really want her help or not.

Needled to Death is a fun cozy mystery.. just like book 1 (Knit One, Kill Two) was and just like I expect all the others to be! Book 3 is winging its way here via USPS even as I type!

If you like mysteries... especially the cozy kind, check out Sefton's Knitting Series. You won't be disappointed.

Moon Spinners by Sally Goldenbaum

I told you I love this series!  This is book 3 and the momentum holds. I adore the characters and this sweet sea side village. Much like other fictional towns, I want to go here... to sit on Nell and Ben's deck enjoying delicious fare and the warmth of friendship amongst cool salty breezes.

The Seaside Knitters and friends are reluctantly setting aside their Friday night ritual on Nell and Ben's deck to attend a local yacht club dinner.  Decked out in their finest, dancing and mingling and dining on gourmet treats, the night is magical.  Only just minutes away a group of night time divers watch in shock as a red Ferrari plunges into the depths of the sea.  The car is local and one known by all.  Sea Harbor awakens after a night of enchantment to learn that one of their own has perished and then as the grief settles in they learn it was murder.

Once again the Seaside Knitters cannot sit back and watch as the authorities dive into the details of the case and the lives of those connected.  Gossip and rumors run amuck and it becomes evident that this is not a random event as many hoped.  Will the Sea Side Knitters unravel the mystery once again and stop a killer in his or her tracks?

Patterns in the Sand by Sally Goldenbaum

Book 2 of the Seaside Knitters Mystery. This has quickly become one of my favorite "cozy murder" series. I confess I am not a big fan of real-to-life tense mysteries.  I use to read mysteries that were very realistic and chilling.  Then one day I read one about a young college couple who were murdered. It hit so close to home as a friend's son and girlfriend had been murdered while in college. The murder in the book was very similar and it just totally bothered me. That was the last of realistic mysteries for me. I later found out that the writer took her plot lines from actual cases and this book was based on the friend's son's murder. No wonder it seemed so real to me!

So I now stick with safe mysteries that grab the readers attention and provide mental exercise in whodunit, but don't bring on nightmares or deep fright.  Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitters series fits the bill!  Book 2 brings the introduction of a new character.... Willow Adams... and she is a character!  A wispy little elf of a girl, Willow is found in the front window of Izzy Chambers Seaside Knitting Studio asleep! Curled up among skeins of soft wool, silk and mohair yarns along with Izzy's cat, Purl.  Despite her strange introduction to Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, Willow is immediately accepted and loved.

As Art at Night, a summer event held in Sea Harbor's Canary Cove art colony, burst into full festive array, a local gallery owner and artist is found dead.  The Seaside Knitters are sure someone close at hand is to blame and discuss at great length who had motive and opportunity.  When the will is produced and the name of Peabody's sole heir revealed, the plot thickens (as they say!) and the Seaside Knitters are thrown for a complete loop as one of their own becomes the prime suspect.

Quick as a flash they start detecting and deducing and snooping to learn the truth and set all right again in their bit of paradise.

Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton

This is book one in Sefton's Knitting Mysteries series.... a new to me series, but one that has been out a while.  It is also a secular book. I am careful these days about what secular books I read as so many are vulgar and distasteful. This one was not.... very good read and very clean read.

I am not a knitter, but that in no way hinders the reading experience.  Being a person who loves to create (I am a quilter), I understand the way knitters feel about yarns and fibers (I feel the same about fabrics)... and the sense of accomplishment when a project is completed or the frustration when it isn't going the way you planned.  I also understand how the creative process fuels thought and peace.  All that said.. knitting is woven with in the book since a good bit revolves around a Knitting Store, but even if you are a non-creative person, you can enjoy this book. Knitting is not the focal point, just a useful catalyst.

Kelly Flynn is an up and coming CPA in Washington, DC. She has come home to handle her Aunt Helen's estate.  It is still difficult for her to believe Helen is gone and more difficult to understand how the accident happened. In fact, the more Kelly thinks about it, the more certain she becomes that it wasn't an accident. And so what starts out as a desire to make sense of it all, turns into an investigation to uncover the truth.

Along the way, Kelly finds family secrets, new friends, doubts about her own path and maybe even a twinge of love.

Wonderful cozy mystery!  Looking forward to the others in the series. (There are 9 so far!)

Barb

Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

I really enjoy Debbie Macomber books and the Blossom Street books are some of my favorites! I originally bought them for my daughter, who is a knitter, but I found that I love them even though I don't knit.

Like the first two books in the series, Back on Blossom Street centers around A Good Yarn, Lydia Goetz's knitting shop on Blossom Street in Seattle. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the folks you find there are as different as night and day... yet the bond they share is strong and unbreakable.

Many of the old favorites are back... Alix, Jacqueline, Margaret... and there are new faces... Collette, Susannah (not new if you have read Susannah's Garden), Anne Marie.

Things are busy on Blossom Street.... Alix and Jordan are in the midst of wedding plans and things are not going well. His mother and Jacqueline have taken over and Alix is about to implode under the pressure.

Tragedy strikes Margaret's family and brings about a change that threatens to destroy the very core of her family.

Collette is the newest member of the Blossom Street family and she has a secret... one she is determined to hide for as long as possible.

And Lydia has decided it is time for a new knitting class. This time they will be making a prayer shawl... and along the way the knitters learn that the comfort the shawl is intended to give the recipient, leaks its way into their own lives.

As always this is a wonderful read with rich characters and strong story lines.