A Stitch Before Dying by Anne Canadeo ~ review

Product Description


Stitching it together . . .

The Black Sheep Knitters: a fivesome with a knack for knitting—and for solving crimes.
When Maggie Messina, owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, is invited to give knitting workshops at a Berkshires spa resort, she manages to negotiate a cottage that fits all five of the Black Sheep for what promises to be a weekend of knitting bliss. But while the friends are expert at counting stitches, they haven’t counted on murder.
Guests and staff at the Crystal Lake Inn are as varied as a mixed bag of yarn, but most colorful is certainly the owner, charismatic self-help guru and former psychiatrist Dr. Max Flemming. The doctor may have told all in a revealing autobiography, but from his ex-wife to the widow of his former business partner—both employees at the inn—Max seems mired in shad­ows from his past. And when a killer strikes during a mountaintop retreat, the Black Sheep wonder what the good doctor might be hiding.
The police seem to be following the wrong thread. But while Maggie’s workshops have given the knitters a unique view of the tensions at the little inn, can they make sense of a crime that is as complexly stranded as a Fair Isle sweater? When the killer murders a second time, the Black Sheep won­der if they’ve dropped a stitch and put themselves in mortal danger. . . .

My take on this book:
I am a huge fan of cozy mysteries, and "A Stitch Before Dying" hooked me from the first pages, with a great story that kept me guessing who the killer might be.

The Black Sheep Knitting Shop is where the five members of The Black Sheep Knitters meet. The group consists of Maggie Messina, the shop owner, and Lucy, Suzanne, Dana and Phoebe. While there love of knitting is what drew them together, they have become great friends, and they use their weekly meetings to knit, gossip and share their lives in general.
When Maggie is invited by her old friend Nadine to teach a few knitting workshops at the Crystal Lakes Inn, she agrees. The inn is under new ownership, and the owners are New Age, and are having a Creative Spirit Weekend. Part of her pay is a guest cottage, so she asks the ladies of Black Sheep to join her for the weekend!
Their weekend of relaxation, quickly turns into much more, when two murders take place can the Black Sheep Ladies figure out who the killer is?

While this is the third installment of the Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries, it can easily be read as a stand alone work. The author adds a neat little meet the knitters page at the beginning of the book that quickly gives you the background you need so you can dive right into the story. The ladies are fun to read about, and their distinct personalities add to the story. An added bonus is a few recipes for readers to try.

A fantastic book for mystery lovers, where you will feel like your visiting old friends. I am anxious for my next visit to the Black Sheep Knitting Shop.

rating 5/5