Review (+ Tour GIVEAWAY): A Knit before Dying

A Knit before Dying
By Sadie Hartwell
A Tangled Web Mystery #2
Kensington, 2017


Summary

A new business might add some much-needed charm to downtown Dorset Falls—and draw tourists to Josie’s yarn shop. But when someone gets murdered, a close-knit community could come undone . . .

Shop owner Josie Blair is finally settling into the pace of living in Dorset Falls, Connecticut. Between running Miss Marple Knits, jumpstarting a blog, and handcrafting items with the help of her knitting pals, Josie’s too preoccupied to worry about her past in New York. And thanks to Lyndon and Harry, the owners of the brand-new antique shop next door, she has another project in her midst—repurposing a box of vintage crocheted doilies adorned with the most curious needlework . . .

But before Josie can formally welcome her neighbors, she discovers Lyndon on the floor of his shop stabbed to death by a rusty old pair of sheep shears. Police have pinned Harry as the killer, but Josie isn’t so sure. Now, she’s lacing up for another homicide investigation—and no eyelet or stitch can go unexamined, lest she herself becomes ensnared in the criminal’s deadly design . . .

Includes original knitting patterns!


My thoughts

I enjoyed A Knit before Dying so much and instantly became a fan of Sadie Hartwell’s Tangled Web series. It is well written, imaginative, and has that perfect blend of small-town setting, likeable characters that you want to spend time with, and a well-crafted mystery.

A story can succeed or fail based on the main character’s appeal, and Josie is an endearing leading lady. Having previously worked in the New York fashion industry, she returns to her hometown of Dorset Falls and takes over a knitting shop in the business-challenged town. Josie is delightful as she finds herself “living on a farm in rural Connecticut – and actually doing chores on that farm.” And honestly, could there be a more appropriate name for Josie’s shop than “Miss Marple Knits”? This is book #2 in the Tangled Web series and can stand alone, but I’m eager to read the previous book, Yarned and Dangerous.

There’s several things I like about Josie. Although she manages a knitting shop, she hasn’t yet conquered the art of knitting. She’s surrounded by a wonderful circle of friends. And I loved her for the way she cares for her great uncle Eb, cantankerous though he may be.

A box of vintage doilies draws Josie into an old mystery as she is also drawn into the murder of the man who was renting the shop next door to her. Both storylines blend seamlessly into a plot that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The solution is not obvious or one that is easily solved. There’s a sweet hint of romance between Josie and Mitch, but it takes second place to the main theme.

I loved that A Knit before Dying is a clean read and am eager to spend more time in Dorset Falls with these characters.

Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries.

I was provided a free copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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Sadie Hartwell grew up near the Canadian border in northern New York State, where it’s cold, dark, and snowy almost half the year—a perfect environment for nurturing a simultaneous love of mystery fiction and needlework.

She attended St. Lawrence University, graduating with a degree in history, and has worked as a waitress, handbag designer/manufacturer, paralegal, and copy editor before turning to writing full time. Now she gets to play with yarn and make up stories whenever she wants, and wishes everyone had a job as much fun as hers.

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