What do you think?
Rate this book
Seaside Knitters Mystery #4
A Holiday Yarn
Holiday time is magical in Sea Harbor, as the Seaside Knitters turn winter yarns of deep reds, greens, and golds into gifts. But when murder comes to this small New England town, they must set aside their needles to pursue justice--and restore joy to the season.
In Sea Harbor the scent of snow fills the salty air, and at Izzy's Seaside Yarn Studio, the Knitters feast on cookies, knit their gifts, and plan their holiday gatherings. Across town, Mary Pisano is sparing no expense to transform the estate she inherited from her grandfather into a bed-and-breakfast. When the Pisano family gathers for their annual meeting, Mary offers to put up her cousins in the refurbished family home, hoping to dispel any ill will over her inheriting the estate. But hard feelings are likely the cause when Mary's cousin Pamela is found dead on the B and B's snowy back porch.
While the Seaside Knitters begin unraveling the case, Izzy Chambers is knitting her brow over her own mystery--the mystery of love. As the holiday draws nigh, the four friends will need all their crafty know-how to solve the crime and restore holiday peace--and the magic of mistletoe--to Sea Harbor.
In Sea Harbor the scent of snow fills the salty air, and at Izzy's Seaside Yarn Studio, the Knitters feast on cookies, knit their gifts, and plan their holiday gatherings. Across town, Mary Pisano is sparing no expense to transform the estate she inherited from her grandfather into a bed-and-breakfast. When the Pisano family gathers for their annual meeting, Mary offers to put up her cousins in the refurbished family home, hoping to dispel any ill will over her inheriting the estate. But hard feelings are likely the cause when Mary's cousin Pamela is found dead on the B and B's snowy back porch.
While the Seaside Knitters begin unraveling the case, Izzy Chambers is knitting her brow over her own mystery--the mystery of love. As the holiday draws nigh, the four friends will need all their crafty know-how to solve the crime and restore holiday peace--and the magic of mistletoe--to Sea Harbor.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
280 people are currently reading
1334 people want to read
About the author
Sally Goldenbaum
38 books911 followersSally Goldenbaum is a philosophy teacher, knitter, editor, and the author of more than two-dozen novels.
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
December 14, 2019
Mary Pisano plans to make her grandfather's house a bed-and-breakfast, but when her cousin Pamela's corpse turns up dead on the property, the knitters find themselves investigating another murder. Light on mystery but full of small-town charm, this mystery works best for fans of the series who already know the characters. While this installment bore the "next in series" notation for me, I read the previous ones so long ago I had forgotten most characters. I suspect it marred my enjoyment.
July 4, 2020
A Holiday Yarn (2010) by Sally Golden Baum takes place, as one might guess, in the days leading up to Christmas. Mary Pisano has been hard at work turning her family's Massachusett's home (and her recent inheritance) into a charming Bed and Breakfast. All her friends in Sea Harbor have been encouraging and helping her--and she's so close to putting the finishing touches on it. But then she opens the house to her family--for the traditional clan gathering. Oh, not for holiday cheer exactly--but to go over the family finances and see how everyone has been taking care of their portion of the inheritance from the Pisano patriarch, Enzo Pisano.
Mary's cousin, Pamela, is one of the few people who don't think a B&B is such a stellar idea. But then, Pamela doesn't seem to think any idea that she didn't come up with is all that. Pam stirs up trouble among her relatives and manages to ruffle feathers all over town. So, we really shouldn't be all that surprised when she's found dead of a gunshot wound--sprawled in a snowdrift outside the future B&B. Her murderer tried to make it look like suicide, but either forgot or never realized that their victim was left-handed. Planting the revolver in Pam's right hand was just their first mistake. And Nell and the Seaside Knitters are ready to pounce on other mistakes and hunt for clues to help Chief Jerry Thompson find Pam's murderer and keep the rumor mill from blaming Mary and her Bed & Breakfast for bringing a murderer to their town.
This was a nice, middle-of-the-road cozy mystery. With more emphasis on cozy than on mystery--it is a comfortable little book about good friends in a small town who knit and eat and, apparently, occasionally solve murder together. [After all, this is book four of a series that currently has 13 entries...] The characters show a nice, diverse slice of small-town life without being cardboard cutouts or stereotypes. It was also refreshing to have a theme-based [knitting] cozy where the theme didn't overshadow the whole book. The knitting references were worked into the story carefully and it didn't feel like they were shoe-horned in. The mystery isn't terribly complicated, but that was all to the good for me--it's a busy time of the year and it was nice to settle down with an easy, charming little mystery.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Mary's cousin, Pamela, is one of the few people who don't think a B&B is such a stellar idea. But then, Pamela doesn't seem to think any idea that she didn't come up with is all that. Pam stirs up trouble among her relatives and manages to ruffle feathers all over town. So, we really shouldn't be all that surprised when she's found dead of a gunshot wound--sprawled in a snowdrift outside the future B&B. Her murderer tried to make it look like suicide, but either forgot or never realized that their victim was left-handed. Planting the revolver in Pam's right hand was just their first mistake. And Nell and the Seaside Knitters are ready to pounce on other mistakes and hunt for clues to help Chief Jerry Thompson find Pam's murderer and keep the rumor mill from blaming Mary and her Bed & Breakfast for bringing a murderer to their town.
This was a nice, middle-of-the-road cozy mystery. With more emphasis on cozy than on mystery--it is a comfortable little book about good friends in a small town who knit and eat and, apparently, occasionally solve murder together. [After all, this is book four of a series that currently has 13 entries...] The characters show a nice, diverse slice of small-town life without being cardboard cutouts or stereotypes. It was also refreshing to have a theme-based [knitting] cozy where the theme didn't overshadow the whole book. The knitting references were worked into the story carefully and it didn't feel like they were shoe-horned in. The mystery isn't terribly complicated, but that was all to the good for me--it's a busy time of the year and it was nice to settle down with an easy, charming little mystery.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
January 3, 2012
I've read on some blogs where people had been reading this series (The Seaside Knitters Mysteries), and when I saw this at the bookstore and it had a holiday theme to it, I decided to use the rest of a gift card I'd been carrying around to buy it, and I'm so glad I did!
The Seaside Knitters are a group of women who live in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, not far from Cape Ann. A varied (and not stereotypical, THANK GOD) group, they are proud of their community and their families. At the beginning of this book, a former resident of the community, home for the settling of her grandfather's estate, is murdered right in front of the family home, which her cousin, who inherited the property, hopes to turn into a B&B. The story goes from there, and the Seaside Knitters - one of whom is the person who inherited the property - try to close in on who may have committed this crime. There are plenty of suspects, including an elderly woman who has made it her mission to stop the B&B from coming into existence, a flashy former male model who had been humiliated in public by the deceased, and the young man who is to be the new cook at the B&B.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is well-done, evocative of place and time, and the characters actually have some development. In this book, the women doing the investigating happen to be knitters - but they are also quite varied in their backgrounds and other interests. The story is enjoyable without being sappy, and the suspense keeps you going. I will definitely try to find more in this series, and hope that I will have found a new group of people to visit now and then.
The Seaside Knitters are a group of women who live in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, not far from Cape Ann. A varied (and not stereotypical, THANK GOD) group, they are proud of their community and their families. At the beginning of this book, a former resident of the community, home for the settling of her grandfather's estate, is murdered right in front of the family home, which her cousin, who inherited the property, hopes to turn into a B&B. The story goes from there, and the Seaside Knitters - one of whom is the person who inherited the property - try to close in on who may have committed this crime. There are plenty of suspects, including an elderly woman who has made it her mission to stop the B&B from coming into existence, a flashy former male model who had been humiliated in public by the deceased, and the young man who is to be the new cook at the B&B.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is well-done, evocative of place and time, and the characters actually have some development. In this book, the women doing the investigating happen to be knitters - but they are also quite varied in their backgrounds and other interests. The story is enjoyable without being sappy, and the suspense keeps you going. I will definitely try to find more in this series, and hope that I will have found a new group of people to visit now and then.
August 16, 2015
Title: A Holiday Yarn
Author: Sally Goldenbaum
Series: Seaside Knitters Mystery #4
Synopsis (from bn.com): In Sea Harbor the scent of snow fills the salty air, and at Izzy’s Seaside Studio, the Seaside Knitters feast on cookies, knit their gifts, and plan their gatherings. And Mary Pisano is transforming the estate she inherited from her grandfather into a bed-and-breakfast. But then Mary’s cousin Pamela is found dead on the B and B’s snowy back porch, and as the holiday draws nigh, the four friends will need all their crafty know-how to solve the crime.
My thoughts: Alas, I finally got my hands on the 4th book in the lovely Seaside Knitters Mystery series through paperbackswap.com. I have the rest of the books in the series on my shelf waiting to be read, but I am one of those series readers who has to read all the books in order! I know, I know . . . :)
Anyway, I truly enjoy this wonderful cozy series. It offers all of the necessary pieces of a great cozy mystery . . . an amazing cozy location on the seashore, a group of kind, loving characters, and warm fuzzies throughout!
If you are a fan of cozies, I highly suggest this series! You won’t be disappointed.
Author: Sally Goldenbaum
Series: Seaside Knitters Mystery #4
Synopsis (from bn.com): In Sea Harbor the scent of snow fills the salty air, and at Izzy’s Seaside Studio, the Seaside Knitters feast on cookies, knit their gifts, and plan their gatherings. And Mary Pisano is transforming the estate she inherited from her grandfather into a bed-and-breakfast. But then Mary’s cousin Pamela is found dead on the B and B’s snowy back porch, and as the holiday draws nigh, the four friends will need all their crafty know-how to solve the crime.
My thoughts: Alas, I finally got my hands on the 4th book in the lovely Seaside Knitters Mystery series through paperbackswap.com. I have the rest of the books in the series on my shelf waiting to be read, but I am one of those series readers who has to read all the books in order! I know, I know . . . :)
Anyway, I truly enjoy this wonderful cozy series. It offers all of the necessary pieces of a great cozy mystery . . . an amazing cozy location on the seashore, a group of kind, loving characters, and warm fuzzies throughout!
If you are a fan of cozies, I highly suggest this series! You won’t be disappointed.
May 10, 2023
A cozy mystery set during Christmas. Two murders, can you figure it out before the murderer is revealed? It was good but coming into it blind (not having read the first three books) I felt I was behind on character recognition. Is Izzy the daughter? Nope, the niece. Stuff like that. My bad for reading out of order but the author doesn’t do anything to reintroduce the characters.
June 8, 2017
It's Christmas time in Sea Harbor and before the big day two murders will occur and the knitters will have their hands full trying to figure out the murderer. The book was a quick easy read.
November 6, 2021
I love myself a cozy mystery.
December 14, 2018
I actually, after several wrong guesses, managed to figure out whodunit! I don't always do that - in fact, rarely. I usually wait for it to be revealed and don't work too hard at it.
I kind of skimmed over the last of it because of all the mention and description of food and I was trying to get over a stomach bug, so wasn't too thrilled with that. It's amazing how many mysteries have so many food descriptions and recipes in them. Not good when you're trying to read while nauseous........
Pretty good story.
I kind of skimmed over the last of it because of all the mention and description of food and I was trying to get over a stomach bug, so wasn't too thrilled with that. It's amazing how many mysteries have so many food descriptions and recipes in them. Not good when you're trying to read while nauseous........
Pretty good story.
March 28, 2023
i didn’t hate it
August 28, 2019
The holiday season should be all joy and light, but things are not going well in Sea Harbor.
With the death on Enzo Pisano, Mary (his granddaughter) has inherited his house and estate, she is putting her two cousins up and at the same time working to turn the house into a B & B but a local neighbour is complaining (and putting posters up complaining and other stuff to throw the work off), this is the least of Mary's problems though when one of her cousins ends up well and truly dead, supposedly a suicide but the seaside knitters, and the police are not so sure, and when there is another death it seems as though one person is in the frame, the thing is that no-one believes he could have done either deed, or indeed why he would!
With the death on Enzo Pisano, Mary (his granddaughter) has inherited his house and estate, she is putting her two cousins up and at the same time working to turn the house into a B & B but a local neighbour is complaining (and putting posters up complaining and other stuff to throw the work off), this is the least of Mary's problems though when one of her cousins ends up well and truly dead, supposedly a suicide but the seaside knitters, and the police are not so sure, and when there is another death it seems as though one person is in the frame, the thing is that no-one believes he could have done either deed, or indeed why he would!
May 20, 2021
Everyone should be having an awesome time around the holidays, but there's gloomy air in Sea Harbor. When Mary Pisano's cousin is found dead in her backyard, the Seaside Knitters are determined to find the killer before the death can ruin the entire season.
I enjoyed this edition of the series. I am really liking getting to know all the characters and their personalities. I really like Izzy and Nell. I love the relationship they have with each other and with the rest of the people in their lives. I do keep hoping that the books will be from Izzy's point of view because of the descriptions. I feel a bit lied to by the descriptions. I'm excited to read the next one!
I enjoyed this edition of the series. I am really liking getting to know all the characters and their personalities. I really like Izzy and Nell. I love the relationship they have with each other and with the rest of the people in their lives. I do keep hoping that the books will be from Izzy's point of view because of the descriptions. I feel a bit lied to by the descriptions. I'm excited to read the next one!
December 8, 2025
This was my first encounter with this cozy mystery series and I really enjoyed the seaside town, knitting community and the rich family and friend groups. And of course, the holiday storyline! I’ll be looking for more titles in this series.
Source: purchased used at local indie
Source: purchased used at local indie
November 7, 2018
I like that this took place at Christmas. I enjoyed all of the Christmas festivities in this story. Those were my favorite parts of the story, especially the cookie exchange. The mystery was interesting, and the characters are still likeable. Also, the ending was sweet; it made me happy.
January 1, 2019
Another great book by Ms. Goldenbaum
February 27, 2019
Embarrassed over how much I enjoyed this
April 22, 2023
I enjoy cozies that revolve around small towns and some type of craft, food, or animals. This one fits the bill. The Seaside Knitters are back. One of there members is turning the estate she inherited into a Bed and Breakfast. While she is doing this, her Pisano family descends on the town for their annual gathering and business meeting. Her cousin Pamela is the head of a fashion magazine and not a very nice person. She takes joy is using men and then spitting them out. When she is killed, Izzy, Nell, and the others Seaside Knitters want to help. Not only will the murder leave a stain on the new Bed and Breakfast, but another neighbor is bent on stopping the venture before it even has it's first paying guest.
I enjoyed this plot. Lots of suspects and slowly the clues start to unravel the mystery. Easy to read, likeable characters and you won't be lost if you read out of order.
I enjoyed this plot. Lots of suspects and slowly the clues start to unravel the mystery. Easy to read, likeable characters and you won't be lost if you read out of order.
November 27, 2023
A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum is the fourth book in the Seaside Knitters Mystery series. IMO, the books make the most sense when they are read in order, because characters come and go, and relationships build or deteriorate from one book to another.
Nell, around early sixties, and Birdie, around early eighties, are both senior citizens who are well known on this Massachusetts island. They are both active in the community. Cass and Izzy are probably mid thirties, and are also very active and well known on the island. All four love to knit, eat, attend charity events, and solve mysteries. As a reader, you will either love the folksy writing style, or you will be frustrated and annoyed by all the side trips down memory row, etc.
a Holiday Yarn takes place during the count down to the Christmas celebrations on the island. A new Bed and Breakfast is completing the final stages of preparation to open. A neighbor lady is protesting the opening and is even resorting to destruction of property. The fact that two murders occur on the grounds makes matters even worse. Thanks to the help provided by the Seaside Knitters, the murders are solved and the opening does take place.
Nell, around early sixties, and Birdie, around early eighties, are both senior citizens who are well known on this Massachusetts island. They are both active in the community. Cass and Izzy are probably mid thirties, and are also very active and well known on the island. All four love to knit, eat, attend charity events, and solve mysteries. As a reader, you will either love the folksy writing style, or you will be frustrated and annoyed by all the side trips down memory row, etc.
a Holiday Yarn takes place during the count down to the Christmas celebrations on the island. A new Bed and Breakfast is completing the final stages of preparation to open. A neighbor lady is protesting the opening and is even resorting to destruction of property. The fact that two murders occur on the grounds makes matters even worse. Thanks to the help provided by the Seaside Knitters, the murders are solved and the opening does take place.
December 13, 2018
It's that time of year where I read primarily cozy mysteries and/or books set during the winter holidays. Murder and mayhem, sometimes paranormal. That's what I like to do. This fits the cozy/amateur sleuth holiday mystery and murder and a bit of mayhem set.
I liked this book a lot. It doesn't really seem to have one main character, but several, so that there are many points of view and many brains working on the mystery at hand. Different ages and ideas make the mystery even more intriguing.
Holiday setting in a seaside town with traditions set the mood even more so. A group of characters I would love to know, a town I'd like to visit [let alone live in], I had a real feel for everything going on.
I look forward to reading more in this series, likely go back to the beginning and meet everyone slowly.
I can definitely recommend this book and this author and more than likely this series.
I liked this book a lot. It doesn't really seem to have one main character, but several, so that there are many points of view and many brains working on the mystery at hand. Different ages and ideas make the mystery even more intriguing.
Holiday setting in a seaside town with traditions set the mood even more so. A group of characters I would love to know, a town I'd like to visit [let alone live in], I had a real feel for everything going on.
I look forward to reading more in this series, likely go back to the beginning and meet everyone slowly.
I can definitely recommend this book and this author and more than likely this series.
January 17, 2016
Another great addition to the Seaside Knitters mystery series!
I enjoyed the mystery, this one involved Mary, one of my favorite background characters in this series, she is the person who writes the columns for the local newspaper that relate the comings and goings of her neighbors and adds a little gossip in to add a little spice to her writings.
This time however the gossip is about her, the beautiful bed and breakfast she is trying to open in her family's ancestral home and a beautiful but evil cousin that soon ends up dead.
Once again not only did I enjoy the mystery but I also loved learning more about the lives of the lovely people that live in the beautiful little sea coast town and especially the lives of the members of the Seaside Knitters group.
It's Christmas time and snow, holiday cheer, delicious food, romance and of course murder make this a great story!
I enjoyed the mystery, this one involved Mary, one of my favorite background characters in this series, she is the person who writes the columns for the local newspaper that relate the comings and goings of her neighbors and adds a little gossip in to add a little spice to her writings.
This time however the gossip is about her, the beautiful bed and breakfast she is trying to open in her family's ancestral home and a beautiful but evil cousin that soon ends up dead.
Once again not only did I enjoy the mystery but I also loved learning more about the lives of the lovely people that live in the beautiful little sea coast town and especially the lives of the members of the Seaside Knitters group.
It's Christmas time and snow, holiday cheer, delicious food, romance and of course murder make this a great story!
December 30, 2012
I was delighted to find this on my shelf of unread cozies recently - it is, after all, the holidays! As with the others in this series, this a quick read and certainly had more to it than the average cozy. But WHY is everyone so sanctimonious and good in these books? I live in a small village - have done for 7 years - and when I have a crisis, there are not hoards of lovely people looking out for me. Yes, it is fiction, but it stretches well beyond what is believeable in terms of human kindness and village togetherness. Everyone is constantly munching on lobster rolls and exchanging cozy gazes. After a short while, reading this kind of thing makes my teeth hurt. Certainly something worth tucking away for a stormy day, but not really all that sustaining.
January 10, 2011
You love the town and you love the people who live there and you think about how you would like to stay at Ravenswood-by-the-Sea and enjoy Kevin's scones until you think about the number of homicides in this small town!! Sally Goldenbaum writes such a good mystery. There are always a handful of suspects that clues show could possibly be the murderer. The book had 260 pages and I wasn't able to put the final pieces into place until page 247. Wow! That is a great mystery. I would definately look forward to visiting the town again - don't think I will check the price of real estate, however - an outsider might be the next person on the list.
February 26, 2011
These knitting yarns are rather mindless...so why do I read them? It is always fun to see what is happening at the Thursday Nite "Knit'n'Bitches" around the US. These women had wonderful relationships and spent more time talking about their friends than bitching. They also had a great setup for dining during their time together. Good food and lots of wine as they knit colorful squares to be made into blankets for children in South Africa. They all wear beautiful swaeters and don't seem to gain weight as they eat their way through numerous scones in the mornings and restaurant dinners.
The mystery? Well, it was rather transparent and not terribly engaging.
The mystery? Well, it was rather transparent and not terribly engaging.
May 3, 2015
A generous 3 stars! I worked out whodunnit quite early on. There was also a bit too much soul searching on behalf of the amateur detectives. However, I did enjoy the setting of the books because I have visited Cape Ann and thought it was a really lovely place. I became hooked on Clam Chowder there, I think that the town of Sea Harbor is based on Rockport, so this took me back to a very happy holiday. I think that I will read more of Sally Goldenbaum's books for this very reason!!
June 5, 2016
I love the character of Nell and of Izzy. Aunt and niece and they have a true friendship and are pretty good at solving murders while enjoying their knitting group and the small town they live in. Nurturing friendships and proving the innocents of others as well as finding out the truth is what they do best.
January 19, 2019
An enjoyable mystery, set in a seaside tourist village in Maine. Somehow Goldenbaum produces an idealized little community where the fishermen socialize with the wealthy retirees, and injects mayhem and murder without completely breaking the spell. This time, though, I could identify the killer way too soon.
May 16, 2016
There wasn't much excitement here and I thought the clues leading to the killer were a little too obvious, which then annoyed me that it took the knitters so long to figure it out!
Read
December 10, 2020Fun read, likable characters in a picturesque town in New England.
I love that this series includes patterns at the end, and that this one is focused on charity knitting!
Favorite Quotes
• It said little, leaving readers to fill in the blanks, which they would eagerly do. (p29)
• “If only … if only I hadn’t kept Mary so long that night…”
Nell shushed her. “Tragedies always bring about a list of ‘if only’s.’ You know that better than anyone. And you know what a waste of energy that kind of thinking is. No one could have done anything. If it hadn’t happened that night, it might have been the next. Or next week. We can’t control other people’s lives or what they do with them. We just can’t.” (p44)
• “I’m always amazed and inspired at the creative things busy people come up with,” Nell said… (p84)
• ...once rumors took root, they could so easily mask truths. (p91)
• ...hiding every inch of vulnerability beneath a protective facade that dared anyone to broach it. Stay away, the look said. Don’t touch. (p93)
• Mary’s eyes locked into Nell’s. “Everyone has secrets. You do. I do. Everyone. We keep them to ourselves, for better or worse--which is what makes them secrets. And revealing confidences won’t help anything. It only hurts; trust me.” (p113)
• Nell laughed as she mentally rearranged her afternoon schedule. It was a serious character flaw, she often told Ben--how quickly she could be lured away from a carefully planned schedule.
Ben said that on the contrary, it intrigued him. Charmed him, even--the fact that rarely was anyone allowed to impose on Nell Endicott’s life. People were always welcomed into it and made to feel she’d been waiting just for them. No, Ben said firmly, it wasn’t a flaw. It was simply Nell relishing the moment--something she did easily and graciously. That, and a firm belief that what needed to get done would certainly find its way to the surface in due time. (p119)
• Sharing the rough puzzle pieces with Ben was comforting. As if in the simple telling, the edges would become smooth. (p145)
• Sometimes what wasn’t said screamed louder than actual words. (p149)
• We all do things like that, at times--make decisions we regret, take a wrong turn, say something--things that inadvertently have a bad outcome. It’s not intentional. It’s life.” (p183)
• Perhaps in the repetition something would magically appear. (p226)
• An odd request like theirs would be better asked in person. (p241)
• Learn more about KasCare at www.kascare.org
o http://www.knit-a-square.com for mailing instructions and more ideas
I love that this series includes patterns at the end, and that this one is focused on charity knitting!
Favorite Quotes
• It said little, leaving readers to fill in the blanks, which they would eagerly do. (p29)
• “If only … if only I hadn’t kept Mary so long that night…”
Nell shushed her. “Tragedies always bring about a list of ‘if only’s.’ You know that better than anyone. And you know what a waste of energy that kind of thinking is. No one could have done anything. If it hadn’t happened that night, it might have been the next. Or next week. We can’t control other people’s lives or what they do with them. We just can’t.” (p44)
• “I’m always amazed and inspired at the creative things busy people come up with,” Nell said… (p84)
• ...once rumors took root, they could so easily mask truths. (p91)
• ...hiding every inch of vulnerability beneath a protective facade that dared anyone to broach it. Stay away, the look said. Don’t touch. (p93)
• Mary’s eyes locked into Nell’s. “Everyone has secrets. You do. I do. Everyone. We keep them to ourselves, for better or worse--which is what makes them secrets. And revealing confidences won’t help anything. It only hurts; trust me.” (p113)
• Nell laughed as she mentally rearranged her afternoon schedule. It was a serious character flaw, she often told Ben--how quickly she could be lured away from a carefully planned schedule.
Ben said that on the contrary, it intrigued him. Charmed him, even--the fact that rarely was anyone allowed to impose on Nell Endicott’s life. People were always welcomed into it and made to feel she’d been waiting just for them. No, Ben said firmly, it wasn’t a flaw. It was simply Nell relishing the moment--something she did easily and graciously. That, and a firm belief that what needed to get done would certainly find its way to the surface in due time. (p119)
• Sharing the rough puzzle pieces with Ben was comforting. As if in the simple telling, the edges would become smooth. (p145)
• Sometimes what wasn’t said screamed louder than actual words. (p149)
• We all do things like that, at times--make decisions we regret, take a wrong turn, say something--things that inadvertently have a bad outcome. It’s not intentional. It’s life.” (p183)
• Perhaps in the repetition something would magically appear. (p226)
• An odd request like theirs would be better asked in person. (p241)
• Learn more about KasCare at www.kascare.org
o http://www.knit-a-square.com for mailing instructions and more ideas
November 10, 2025
⭐⭐⭐
A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum is a cozy holiday mystery that hits all the right notes for the season, even if it doesn't quite stand out from the pack.
I love the premise. Mary Pisano turns her inherited home into a B&B just in time for the holidays, and her first guests are her own family there to hash out their grandfather's will. You know that's going to go well, right? When her cousin Pam ends up murdered, the Seaside Knitters jump in to help unravel what happened.
The setting is charming. Sea Harbor, Massachusetts during the holidays feels warm and inviting, and the knitting circle dynamic is really what makes this series work. There's something comforting about settling in with these characters and their craft projects while they solve a murder.
The mystery itself is decent. Nothing groundbreaking, but it kept me turning pages. I figured out some of it before the reveal, but that didn't ruin my enjoyment. This is book four in the series, and if you're already invested in these characters, you'll enjoy catching up with them.
It's a solid book from a good series with great characters. If you're looking for a comforting holiday read with a mystery woven in, this one delivers.
#AHolidayYarn #SallyGoldenbaum #SeasideKnittersMyster #CozyMystery #HolidayReads #MysteryBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #ChristmasReads #KnittingMystery #BookLovers #MysteryReader #BookCommunity #InstaBooks #AmReading #BookNerd #CozyReads #BookBlogger #ReadersOfInstagram #Booktok #BookstagramCommunity #MysteryAddict #BookObsessed #WinterReads #BooksOfInstagram #HolidayMystery #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity #BookAddict #Whodunit
A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum is a cozy holiday mystery that hits all the right notes for the season, even if it doesn't quite stand out from the pack.
I love the premise. Mary Pisano turns her inherited home into a B&B just in time for the holidays, and her first guests are her own family there to hash out their grandfather's will. You know that's going to go well, right? When her cousin Pam ends up murdered, the Seaside Knitters jump in to help unravel what happened.
The setting is charming. Sea Harbor, Massachusetts during the holidays feels warm and inviting, and the knitting circle dynamic is really what makes this series work. There's something comforting about settling in with these characters and their craft projects while they solve a murder.
The mystery itself is decent. Nothing groundbreaking, but it kept me turning pages. I figured out some of it before the reveal, but that didn't ruin my enjoyment. This is book four in the series, and if you're already invested in these characters, you'll enjoy catching up with them.
It's a solid book from a good series with great characters. If you're looking for a comforting holiday read with a mystery woven in, this one delivers.
#AHolidayYarn #SallyGoldenbaum #SeasideKnittersMyster #CozyMystery #HolidayReads #MysteryBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #ChristmasReads #KnittingMystery #BookLovers #MysteryReader #BookCommunity #InstaBooks #AmReading #BookNerd #CozyReads #BookBlogger #ReadersOfInstagram #Booktok #BookstagramCommunity #MysteryAddict #BookObsessed #WinterReads #BooksOfInstagram #HolidayMystery #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity #BookAddict #Whodunit
June 27, 2021
This is a series where the author has meticulously maintained character continuity from one book to the next. That does translate to a lot of characters. Going to guess reviewers who awarded reduced stars had not read previous Seaside Knitters books. That’s an unfair knock on the author, especially since she did the all but unheard of here .
Besides having an overall Christmas atmosphere throughout, there are two subplots. Something is generating tension between Izzy and Sam. And a neighbor is resorting to vandalism and a smear campaign to try to stop the opening of a new bed & breakfast. The resolution to that problem/mystery was a bit saccharin but in the spirit of a Christmas story, we’ll call it good
There was enough references to knitting to justify the story being classified as a 'knitting cozy'. For those of us who have no interest or knowledge of the skill, with the exceptions of a couple of instances, mention of knitting was done in a manner that would be considered normal behavior.
Besides having an overall Christmas atmosphere throughout, there are two subplots. Something is generating tension between Izzy and Sam. And a neighbor is resorting to vandalism and a smear campaign to try to stop the opening of a new bed & breakfast. The resolution to that problem/mystery was a bit saccharin but in the spirit of a Christmas story, we’ll call it good
There was enough references to knitting to justify the story being classified as a 'knitting cozy'. For those of us who have no interest or knowledge of the skill, with the exceptions of a couple of instances, mention of knitting was done in a manner that would be considered normal behavior.
February 14, 2023
Overall this was a very good mystery. The plot and pacing were above average, in spite of the fact that I called the turn early enough to be a bit annoyed with the oblivious characters. But they didn't have the advantage of knowing they were in a novel, so... My big complaint with this book is actually that I spotted one instance of GLARING oversight in internal consistency that I feel should have been caught by anyone who read the novel with editing purposes in mind, be that the author, the editor, an arc reviewer, etc... but it didn't particularly impact the story as a whole, only my immersion in it. I liked that the tension between Sam and Izzy was legitimate but approached with empathy on both sides and ultimately wasn't the typical issue causing tension between couples.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews