On Skein of Death (A Riverbank Knitting Mystery)
by Allie Pleiter
About On Skein of Death
On Skein of Death (A Riverbank Knitting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Maryland
Publisher: Berkley (June 1, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0593201787
ISBN-13: 978-0593201787
Digital ASIN: B08H15VG1T
For Libby Beckett, opening her charming yarn shop, and introducing customers to the joys of knitting and crochet, is the work she was meant to do. Until the yarn she loves is used for murder….
Libby has come home to Collinstown, Maryland to live her dream and open her own yarn shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., along the Chester River. To Libby, Y.A.R.N. stands for “You’re Absolutely Ready Now.” But the acronym changes whenever inspiration strikes, and customers add to the list of suggestions that fill the blackboard wall in a shop stuffed with color, fiber, and comfort.
Libby is thrilled when she lands famous Norwegian knitting celebrity Perle Langager for a series of events at Y.A.R.N. Libby’s English bulldog, Hank, has been modeling one of Perle’s doggie sweaters, and customers just can’t wait to see Perle in action. The mayor of Collinstown even decrees a Collinstown Yarn Day to celebrate. But once Perle arrives in town, she seems distracted and on edge. And when she’s found strangled with a skein of red yarn, Libby knows she has to solve a knotty mystery before her new life unravels.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Libby Beckett is living her dream of opening up her Y.A.R.N. shop to spread her joy of yarn crafts with the masses. Y.A.R.N. stands for “You’re Absolutely Ready Now” but she wasn’t ready to find Perle Langager dead. Perle was a famous Norwegian knitting celebrity who had come to Collinstown, Maryland to lead several events at Y.A.R.N. Perle seemed very nervous and distracted when she arrived but was looking forward to each event. Sadly she was found strangled with a skein of red yarn before a big event and Libby knows she needs to untangle all the suspects and unravel all the clues to knit her life back together so she can continue to live her dream.
I really liked Libby. Her passion for yarn and knitting just oozed out of her. I loved the way she encouraged an overwrought businesswoman to try knitting to alieve her stress. The woman was hooked after her first lesson. She also taught a 13-year-old girl anxious to learn to knit. Libby also realizes sorting out clues is easier with a pair of needles in her hands. You will rarely find the woman not knitting up some wonderful creation.
Ms. Pleiter has surrounded her protagonist with a wonderful supporting cast. Her mom and “the Gals” bring a lot of humor to the story, you never know what these ladies are going to come up with. That young 13-year-old knitter, Jillian is the daughter of Gavin, Collinstown’s mayor, and Libby’s high school boyfriend, who just may want to rekindle their relationship. But it was Hank the completely stole my heart. Hank is an English Bulldog, who is the shop’s mascot and quite the model of doggie sweaters. He is also good to have around when you’re feeling blue or in a bit of trouble. Libby is truly blessed to be Hank’s person.
This book suffers from first book-itis. It is really hard to introduce all the characters so readers get invested in their lives and try to give readers a complicated mystery. There were a few star suspect choices and I was able to knit and purl the clues and picked out the culprit pretty quickly. I was waiting for an epic twist to prove me wrong but that didn’t happen. I am sure now that we know the characters the mystery in the next book will be more complex.
I will say though that while the mystery was light I really enjoyed this story. The setting is delightfully described and if Y.A.R.N. was a real place I would be there in an instant to add my own words of inspiration to store blackboard. Y – You A – Are – R – Really N – Nice or Y- You A- Are – R- Raving N – Now, okay those are just off the top of my head. I also liked all the characters and want to know them better. Lily is very creative and I am excited to see what her next project will be.
On Skein of Death
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About Allie Pleiter
An avid knitter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four novels at a time. The bestselling author of over fifty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-year career with over 1.5 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.
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Coming February 1, 2022
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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.”
I was just thinking I need to get back into knitting and crochet.
I hope you do! It’s a wonderful craft with so many options on how to release your creative spirit.
This sounds like my kind of cozy. A yarn shop and a cute dog. Is now added to my list to read.
Delighted to hear it! So many knitters are avid readers. I loved being able to combine the two.
I love anything concerning mystery and fiber arts. Looking forward to reading this!
I hope you enjoy it! All the Riverbank Knitting Mysteries will feature knitting, yarn, and other fiber arts.
Thank you so much for your review–I’m delighted you found Libby and Hank and the Gals such wonderful characters!
This sounds like a fun book! I would love to learn to crochet but I’m afraid our pup would pull on the yarn! LOL
What an interesting cozy mystery! Cute cover too. I enjoying reading mysteries that focus on crafts and have added this book to my tbr list.