ARC Review: A Crafter Knits a Clue by Holly Quinn

A Crafter Knits a Clue
Author: Holly Quinn
Series: A Handcrafted Mystery
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (October 9, 2018)

Description: Sammy Kane just moved back to her hometown to run a craft store. But when the owner of a nearby yarn shop is murdered, Sammy will needle little help finding the killer.

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. Confounding all her expectations of the life she would live, Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft. A few doors down Main Street, fellow new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. But when Sammy strolls over to see if Ingrid could use a little help, she finds Ingrid’s dead body―with a green aluminum 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. But the last time Sammy did any sleuthing was as a little moppet. And this is not fun and games. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam―who seems to be endlessly inventive in finding reasons to talk with her―and 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 stitch the clues together. But the killer has other plans―and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up in a perilous knot in A Crafter Knits a Clue, the first warm and woolly yarn of Holly Quinn’s new Handcrafted mysteries.

My Thoughts: This is the first book in a new cozy series. Sammy has moved back home to take over the Community Craft store that was begun by her best friend who recently died in a freak accident. The store is a consignment shop for all sorts of local crafts and also hosts a number of different groups of crafters. She is busy getting ready for the Spring Fling - a community event complete with a parade - when her helper and adopted younger brother gets a call to go help the older woman who runs the knitting shop nearby. Sammy decides that she'll go see if she can help her rather annoying neighbor but she isn't in any hurry to get there.

Unfortunately, when she does arrive, it is to find Ingrid Wilson dead in her shop with a knitting needle as the murder weapon. Sammy does recall seeing a dark blue car driving quickly out of the parking lot but didn't pay too much attention to it. She decides to get her sister and her cousin back together, recreating their childhood detective club, to try to find out who killed Ingrid much to the dismay of the new cop in town - Detective Liam Nash.

As Sammy investigates, she finds that Ingrid has angered a number of the people in the small town leading to quite a variety of suspects and a nice glimpse into small town life.

I liked the small town setting. I liked Sammy's close relationship with her sister and her cousin. I liked Sammy's golden retriever. I had some problems with her relationship with Liam because she couldn't make up her mind about what she thought of him. I also found that some of her actions in the investigation were very impulsive and could have gotten her in a lot of trouble.

Knitters will enjoy the patterns at the end of the book for a couple of different kinds of socks.

Favorite Quote:

He leaned an elbow on the counter casually. "It certainly seems that I irritate you. I guess I'm trying to figure out...why?"

Sammy opened her mouth to respond and then changed her mind and closed it. She wanted to say, Because I'm wildly attracted to you. And it scares the piss out of me because just when I think you're interested in me too you either want cake or you find me mildly annoying.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.