A Crafter Knits a Clue
When a heartbroken Samantha “Sammy” Kane returns to her hometown of Heartsford, WI, for her best friend Kate’s funeral, she learns that Kate’s much-loved craft store is in danger of perishing with its owner. Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft.
A few doors down Main Street, a new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. When Sammy strolls over to the Yarn Barn, she finds Ingrid’s dead body, with a knitting needle lodged in her throat.
Detective Liam Nash is thrown for a loop as every single citizen of Heartsford seems to have a theory about Ingrid’s murder. And nearly everyone in town seems to be a suspect. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam find the killer. When Liam arrests affable woodworker Miles Danbury, Sammy puts everything on the line to help clear Miles.
As the case comes dangerously close to unraveling, Sammy must put the clues together. But the killer has other plans, and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up the next victim.
Series: A Handcrafted Mystery – Book #1
Author: Holly Quinn
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Hobby
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Rating: 
A Crafter Knits a Clue is the first book in a new series by author Holly Quinn. Ms. Quinn’s writing style is easy to follow. The plot is unusual, giving the series a good base to build on. The small-town setting is typical of this type of cozy.
A city girl turned small shop owner is interesting. The fact that Sammy took over the shop from her deceased beloved friend and community favorite puts additional stress on her that most business owners never have to deal with. Sammy doesn’t want to let anyone down, not even a newcomer who is demanding and disliked by almost everyone.
For the first book in a series, the setup is fairly good but needs improvement. The characters are not well defined, but character building is normally expanded as more books are added to the series. Many readers might not be willing to give this series a chance based on the fact that none of the characters are notable.
The character of Sammy is not very likable; her words and actions seem more of those attributed to a much younger woman, closer to a teenager. The love interest isn’t credible either as Sammy does nothing other than insult the detective (Liam) and acts as if he hasn’t got a clue about how to investigate a murder after only the first meeting. Sammy’s sister and cousin are nice characters that need to be more involved in the investigations if the series is to grow.
The murder itself appears to be motivated by reasons no one can fathom until the end of the story. When the killer is unmasked as well as the motive for the killing, readers will not be disappointed.
Unfortunately, A Crafter Knits a Clue is a bit disappointing. It is hoped that with time and experience, this series will get better, and the reader will be less likely to set the book aside unfinished and uncaring about the characters or the story.
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