A Crime of a Different Stripe (Seaside Knitters Society) by Sally Goldenbaum #Review

A Crime of a Different Stripe (Seaside Knitters Society)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series (with the publisher)
Setting – Massachusetts
Publisher: Kensington (October 27, 2020)
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1496729374
ISBN-13: 978-1496729378
Kindle ASIN: B085LT3SKN

As sleepy Sea Harbor, Massachusetts settles into the glow of autumn, a baby-on-the-way has the Seaside Knitters feeling warm and fuzzy. Only, these crafty ladies can’t get too cozy when sweater weather delivers an unexpected arrival—murder!

 

While no-nonsense mother-to-be Cass Halloran tries downplaying her pregnancy and her frequent doctor’s visits as an “older” mother-to-be, a softer side of the lobsterwoman emerges as she joins the Seaside Knitters in knitting an abundance of delicate hats and booties. But in contrast to the happy news, terrifying events unfold at the town’s art series that puts a real chill in their New England fall . . .

 

Izzy Perry’s husband Sam had reservations about inviting his one-time mentor Harrison Grant to speak at the opening reception, although he never imagined the famed and charismatic photographer would rudely embarrass his hosts that evening. But when a dead body turns up along the wooded shoreline the next day, startling secrets come into focus that could undo the tight-knit community of local artists . . .

 

With a mysterious murder pitting neighbors against each other, Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and a vulnerable Cass find themselves entangled in a dangerous hunt for answers. Can four best friends somehow tie together scattered clues and pacify a list of potential culprits before a cascade of fallen foliage buries the pièce de résistance of a ruthless killer?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Back in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts is a place I love to be. Birdie, Izzy, Nell, and Cass have become friends I look forward to catching up with when each new book comes out.

This time the Sea Harbor Art Colony is hosting a week-long photography event. Sam was asked to invite one of his mentors Harrison Grant to be the keynote speaker. The man arrives for the opening ceremony but when it is time for his speech the photographer is nowhere to be found. Sam is quite upset but is sure Harrison will show up in his own sweet time.

The next morning, while on her morning run, Izzy finds Mr. Grant, but he won’t be giving any lectures. Dead men tell no tales, but knowing there is a murderer in the vicinity, Izzy, Birdie, Cass, and Nell find themselves wrapped up in another murder mystery. They are knitting together the clues while also knitting caps and booties for a community baby shower and for the bundle of joy that Cass will soon be delivering.

Ms. Goldenbaum has a lovely writing style that draws her readers into the story and wraps them in a warm hand-knit blanket on a cool autumn night. She has created a cast diverse in age and experience that gather together to knit and for some amazing meals. They discuss the events of the day like the current murder.

These characters have continued to develop over the years but Cass is the one the changes the most in this story. She is blissfully happy in her marriage and impending motherhood. She has made a new friend and they are taking a pregnancy yoga class. I love seeing her this way and I am excited to see how she takes on motherhood.

The mystery was intriguing especially as we learn more about the victim and his past. The author throws some red herrings into the mix along with several twists. The story unfolds at a comfortable pace but I missed some of the things I have come to expect in this series. I needed more dinners together and more time at Izzy’s shop knitting. The time spent at the new art was interesting. It is quite a place.

My visits to Sea Harbor and the beautiful beaches and shoppes always end much too soon. I enjoyed A Crime of a Different Stripe very much. I anxiously wait for the next installment next year.

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About The Author

Sally Goldenbaum was born on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Manitowoc, WI, to a homemaker mother and a ship-building father. Although she now lives in landlocked Prairie Village, KS, her longing for lakes and the sea is satisfied in part by writing the USA Today bestselling Seaside Knitters Mystery series, set on Cape Ann, MA. She is a sometime philosophy teacher, a knitter, and an editor, and the author of more than thirty novels. Her fictional knitting friends are teaching her the intricacies of women’s friendship, the mysteries of small-town living, and the very best way to pick up dropped stitches on a lacy knit shawl. Murder Wears Mittens is the first book in the Seaside Knitters Society series. How to Knit a Murder was just released. A continuation of the Seaside Knitters Mystery Series.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”