Hilda Hopkins, Murder, She Knit #1

by Vivienne Fagan

Nobody suspects little old ladies of doing bad things... like sedating their house guests and strangling them with a machine knitted garrotte! Hilda Hopkins hits the road and outwits the police and everyone chasing her, but no one can run forever, especially not at her age and in those stockings!

Hilda can't help knitting a lifelike effigy of each of her 'Gentlemen' and it could be her passion for wool brings her undone.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Knitting, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Ebooks, Humor

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2011

Reviews

[Diane Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little read.

I have a lot of physical books right now and i needed a kindle book since I don't have a bedside lamp.

It's like a criminal version of Miss Marple. Nice light diversion.

[Laura-leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could do with editing but a good murderous comedy caper regardless.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first in the Hilda Hopkins machine-knitting serial killer series. Short and light-hearted, it is an enjoyable read from start to finish. I found the character of Hilda immensely likeable in spite of the heinous murders she has committed, and I found myself rooting for her against the police as they chased her down from one small English town to the next.

For me, the knitting link was key in my selection of the book, and the author’s knowledge of machine knitting comes through strongly, which is nice. All in all, a pleasant cosy read with a good cliff-hanger at the end, prompting me to read the next book in the series to find out whether Hilda will continue to kill again.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aside from being too silly to finish, the writing is not very competent and I just couldn't slog through any further.

[Gracia Borchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murderers can knit too!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as the author writes in a very conversational style and the action starts almost immediately! The main character is presented as an intelligent, elderly lady who manages to outwit the police until the very end. There were no long-winded descriptions and I found the author's sense of light-hearted humour very entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective stories and knitting. I'll be looking for more books from this author.

[sherryn brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun with a wit and flare of retirement

When thinking of the retired there is often a sense of what do they do? This is a fast moving, thoughtful, witty accounting of just a wonderful knitter. Lots of twists, smiles and giggles. Fun to read, great to share with friends who are looking to supplement their retirement.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing, fun, and quick read. Interesting premise. Of course I'd like to go deeper into Hilda's mind to find out just how she came to be, but I think this is a much lighter series than that. I doubt it will become a favorite collection, but I will give the next in the series a go when available to me.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cozy mystery is different from most because it’s told by the murderer instead of the detective. It was entertaining but got creepy near the end when she was talking about missing the feeling she got when murdering someone. I think I’ll stick to the ones where I’m on the side of the good guy.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing little story about an elderly woman who has an interesting way of funding her hobby.

[Heather Marchand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read

Fun suspense to while away a few hours. Wonder how many other seniors have a bent towards these actions. Think I'll pass.

[Ms. Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABULOUS,

The story was fast reading with many new twist and turns to the plan of the killer. Very good at not knowing what she would do next.

[Christina Potter Bieloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkly humorous and very entertaining!

[LizH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me longer to read than it should have, and I think it was just too “British” for me, and I am not overly fond of short books, which this is. Will not continue with series.

[Sherry McWilliams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strange, but very entertaining. A few chuckles along the way. Read it, you might be surprised you like it.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Hilda was very good or she thought she was. But I loved the way the police outsmarted her. I would love to read more from this author.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - cute story about a murdering elderly women who is clever, though overly confident…..on to no. 2!

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book

What an odd little knitting murder mystery. I heard about this series in What Should I Read Next podcast as something another book club had found and loved to talk about.

[Lauren Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf

This is not typically a genre that I review, but it being a novella I thought it would be a fun, quick read- and I was right. Hilda Hopkins has finally found her calling in life- as a serial killer preying on elderly men who board at her home and then she drains them of their bank accounts. What she loves about her new career is that she can combine it with her love of knitting and she creates replica dolls in memory of the victims.
Murder She Knit is a witty, fast paced novella about a serial killing granny who is on the run from the authorities and by `run’ I mean that she shuffles along at a leisurely pace.

Hilda is certainly mentally unstable but the author creatively makes the reader feel sympathy for her as the old lady that no one pays any attention to. Well, she shows them! Hilda is quite often chuffed with her escapades-if not slightly grandiose but there’s also something about her that is quite endearing.

The author has a succint, witty writing style and provides just enough background information on Hilda to make sense of her without the unneccesary waffling. This is a great mystery, crime novella with a splash of humour that any age (ok not children!) will enjoy.

[Perry Gamsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous crime thriller and excellent guide to machine knitting! The author, a handy machine knitter herself, has her anti-heroine use her craft skills to make lifelike effigies of her victims. Yes, Hilda Hopkins is a serial killer, albeit retired and widowed! As a fun black comedy like story of murder and machine knitting it can;t be beaten. It reads well and cracks along at a great pace. The police procedures are spot on and the nitty gritty details, from death by knitted garrotte to disposal of bodies are all plausible and accurate. Plus there is the knitting instruction!

This book will appeal to anyone who likes a good laugh or even a malevolent smirk. If you ever felt ignored or overlooked, judged poorly due to your outward appearances, then you will associate with Hilda. Forever overlooked as some harmless little old lady, this woman is lethal! She is also cunning and clever, but perhaps a little too clever for her own good as she escapes from police custody and keeps one step ahead of the lwa with her wits and streetsmarts... and her knitting!

[Angie Kariofilli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Περνάω αρκετές ώρες μέσα στα αστικά και έτσι εκμεταλεύομαι αυτές τις "νεκρές" ώρες διαβάζοντας... Μπορώ να πω πως όταν είμαι σπίτι δεν διαβάζω τόσο πολύ. Ίσως είναι απλά θέμα συνήθειας.
Στο θέμα μας όμως.
Άρχικά να πω ότι το βιβλίο το κατεβασα δωρεαν από το Kiddle. Μιλάει για μια κυρία μεγάλης ηλικίας που φιλοξενεί ηλικιωμένους στο σπίτι της (κάτι σαν ενοικιαζόμενα δωμάτια)και καταλήγει να τους δολοφονεί.
Λοιπόν το βιβλίο μιλάει για φόνους αλλά σίγουρα δεν ανοίκει στην κατηγορία θρίλερ και προσωπικά δε θα μπορούσα να το εντάξω ούτε στην κατηγορία μυστηρίου.
Παρόλα αυτά είναι ένα β��βλίο που διαβάζεται εύκολα και γρήγορα. Τα κεφάλαια είναι μικρά και κυρίως οι περιγραφές δεν κουράζουν με λεπτομέρειες.

[Maureen Vincent-Northam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Hilda Hopkins, Murder, She Knit and only wish it had been longer! The main character in this novella kills off her elderly male paying guests and then hides the bodies in her coal shed, her garden and in quiet spots along the local towpath. And to commemorate them, she knits lifelike replicas!

We follow Hilda as she tries to outwit the police and, although murdering old men isn’t something to applaud, the reader does rather hope she gets away with it, if only so we can read more of her exploits. Loved it.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutley loved murder she knit it reminded me a little of an old movie Arsenic and Old lace . Hilda murders her male boarders than drains their bank accounts. She than hides their bodies in different places like her garden, her coal shed or along the local tow path in a quiet spot. She does however knit replica dolls of her victims to remember them by. The story follows Hilda as she tries to outwit the police. Full of black humor, It was a quick fun read i look forward to reading more books by Vivienne Fagan.

[Elayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't bother unless you like books with knitting in it. I was hopeful and rather liked the police in the story but it was a weak storyline and almost read as though there had been a challenge at a knitting group to write a mystery/murder about a knitter. Or it was written for Women's Weekly... am I being dismissive there of a magazine? Maybe - at least in the stories it prints - it used, many years ago, to have some good recipes or knitting patterns though, but haven't read it for many years.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

a quirky little story of Hilda Hopkins avid knitter who takes in lodger and then kills them. When the police start inquiring about her activities, Hilda high tails it out of town. Hilda stays one town ahead of the police embarking on her own little adventure. Hilda gets a bit wearing as the police track her down but the ending is amusing.

[Doreena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one I read just as a "quickie" read. It was. It was also a lot of fun. It is a fresh take on the Granny/Murder relationship. She doesn't solve the murders, she commits them. Then knits their likenesses!

If you want a quick, fun read, then this fits the bill.

[Littlelixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free on kindle then later books in the series are about £1.50. The kind of character I'm sure a lot of crafters will recognise. Entertaining escapades with realistic detail about English cutesy towns and even a knitting show. Will def try one of the others.

[patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilda Hopkins, Murder She Knit was read in under two hours. Black humor, quick read. Vivienne Fagan wrote an amusing tale. Hilda reminded me of Arsenic and Old Lace in that she murders her boarders. Her motives are different and she has no help.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny read with laugh out loud moments. On the down side the book does have lots of grammar errors and the name of the road Hilda lived in changed part way through the book at one point. I know it was only 99p but as a proofreader it is really annoying that the errors were there.

[Mary Jolayne Papania · Rating 5 out of 5]

great knitting yarn! Quite interesting story.

5 stars-- interesting story line with well developed characters.
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more adventures of HIlda Hopkins.

[Emma E Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute vignette left me wanting to read more

I was rooting for Hilda from the beginning. A fast and fun read, about an elderly lady who loves knitting and has psychotic tendencies. I would have given it five stars if that annoying policewoman hadn't been there.