Murder of a Needled Knitter

A Scumble River Mystery #17

by Denise Swanson

School psychologist Skye Denison has been waiting forever for her happily-ever-after with police chief Wally Boyd. But her bliss threatens to unravel on the very first day of their luxurious honeymoon cruise, when Skye becomes convinced that she has glimpsed her mother on board! Surely even momzilla May wouldn’t have manipulated Wally into booking the same trip that her knitting group is taking…or would she?

May’s possible presence can’t cool Skye and Wally’s ardor on their personal Love Boat, but discovering knitting expert Guinevere Stallings as she lies dying from a stab wound leaves them untangling the clues of yet another murder investigation rather than getting tangled in the sheets. Since Skye found the body, she’s considered a top suspect, but she’s far from the only one. Guinevere’s imperious ways needled nearly everyone, and she left an impressive number of enemies. It’s up to the crafty newlyweds to figure out which of the wronged parties was angry enough to cast Guinevere off…permanently.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Humor, Audiobook, Romance

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 2, 2014

About the author

Denise Swanson lives in rural Illinois with her husband, classical composer David Stybr.

After 22 years as a practicing school psychologist, she's happiest sitting in her scree porch reading. However, when the weather turns too cold, she's willing to leave the Midwest to cruise the sunny Caribbean.

Denise is an animal lover, but her home is currently furless, since her kitty of 20 years passed away in August of 2016. Instead, she enjoys watching the wildlife out her office window.

Reviews

[Bunny]

::grips face in hands:: Why do I do this to myself?

If this one sucks, I'm giving up on knitting fiction all together.
-----

Page 5: Wally had won her heart years ago, but their wedding vows had unlocked her soul.



Page 14: "I'm sure we will," Skye cooed as he ran his soapy hands over her back, then commented with a wicked smile, "It's getting steamy in here. We should have turned on the exhaust fan."

"We don't really need to see anything." Wally's fingers continued their journey south. "We can just feel our way to paradise."



Page 16: Before stepping inside the restaurant, Wally and Skye used the hand sanitizer dispenser at the entrance. It took a bit away from the glamour of cruising, but norovirus outbreaks were always a threat on a ship this size and the resulting gastroenteritis would be a lot worse than the antiseptic odor of the gel.



49: Someone finally dies.



I'm done. Done.

[Moondance · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Miss?"

Skye and Wally have made it safely to their honeymoon cruise. it is no surprise that her mother, father, best friend Trixie and her husband Owen are all on the ship. May is with a knitter's group being lead by an obnoxious woman. May becomes a suspect in the woman's murder after a loud confrontation.

Skye and Wally simply cannot catch a break. Not only are they sharing this special time with family and friends, but they get caught up in a murder as well. I did enjoy how they all worked together to solve the mystery.

The description of the ship and all the excursions made me realize how long it has been since I have cruised. ( It will be a bit longer now due to the pandemic.) The food descriptions alone were enough to make me sigh.

I am glad that Skye and Wally had some alone time to enjoy each other. It has been a long time coming and they deserve it.

The mystery was well done with the usual twists and turns. I did like how they sniffed out the culprit and brought them to justice.

I look forward to the next book in the series because I have a feeling where it is leading.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this series relatively well up until now. Good cozy mysteries are hard to come by. Skye has always struck me as rather prim and prudish, though not as bad as some of the heroines in these books. But it's because of that fact that THIS book was so cringe-worthy. I KNOW they're on their honeymoon, but all the lovey-dovey crap made me want to hurl. Also, when did Wally become a hottie? I've always pictured him as the much more staid, serious option. I get that Skye has always been into him, but I certainly didn't picture him as the male model version he's presented as here. Maybe I missed something? I don't know. This entire book made me cringe. I've always enjoyed Skye's parents, but they were just horrible in this book. Who the hell goes on the same cruise as their honeymooning child? Especially when your other child's wife is about to have a baby AT ANY MINUTE?! And even if you look past the meddlesome mother, her best friend and her husband is ALSO on the same cruise? Seriously? Who does that?

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am generally a big fan of the Scrumble River series with its folksy, easy way; however, I found this installment more annoying than fun. The constant references to how lucky Skye was to have married this remarkable man of her dreams got on my nerves. All Ms. Dennison's stories require some suspension of belief but the reaction to people crowding in on her honeymoon cruise and her husband's response to Skye's need to solve the murder is just too much of a suspension for me. Oh well, I look forward to the next installment and hope the series gets back on track.

[Candace Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT! One particular chapter is the best!

**Spoiler alert**
I liked how Skye and Wally both stood up for Skye, when it came to how May treats her.

[Samantha Ania · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my least favorite books in the series. May was so frustrating. Wally and Skye were kind of nauseating.

[Pamela Bodine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The newest Scumble River mystery has arrived and as usual it did not disappoint! Skye and Wally made it to the altar and now we get to go on their honeymoon with them. As did, Skye's parents, May and Jed and her BFF, Trixie and her husband, Owen. It was nice getting to know the parents and friends better. Now maybe Wally has a new pal in Owen.
The honeymoon cruise was going great until a body is discovered. The whole gang had to work together to find the real killer, as May was the prime suspect. Throw in some beautiful descriptions of the islands they visited and the meals they had, you will feel as though you were there and it makes me want to visit the areas they did. The killer was a total surprise, yet it made sense! There was nothing boring about this story!
Ms. Swanson has kept this series fresh and interesting and making us want more. After 17 books in a series, it is hard to keep the story going, but Ms. Swanson has done just that. I am so looking forward to hearing more about Skye and Wally and their family and friends.
If you are like me and always want more after you finish a good book, start with Scumble River and read them all in order. The progression of the characters is impressive as is all the plots. As you can tell, I am a huge fan of this series.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

UGH! I just couldn't finish this book. The creepy fact that the mother manipulated the son-in-law to book their honeymoon on the same cruise she was on and the derogatory puns just made me loose interest in this series. I forced myself to complete the last book but just could not do it with this one.

[Casceil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a long-time fan of this series, which is pretty consistently amusing. In this latest book, the author plays it somewhat straighter than usual, with more focus on plot and less on laughs. The mystery is competently executed, if not as funny as some of the earlier books in the series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder of a Needled Knitter ( #17 in A Scumble River Mystery Series)
By: Denise Swanson
This is the 17th book in A Scumble River Mystery series. Swanson has done it again. I think this is her best one yet. This is one of those books when you start reading you do not want to put it down till the end. Skye Denison has waited a long time for Wally Boyd, and now they are on their honeymoon on a cruise.. Who do you think that Skye thinks that she saw the first day , yes her mother ,May. Surely May would not do something like book a cruise on the same one as Skye and Wally are on . What is a honeymoon without a murder? Guinevere, the leader of the knitting club that May and her friends belong to has been found stabbed with a knitting needle and left to die. To top it all Skye is the one that finds her and that will make her the top suspect. So now, Skye , Wally, May, and friends are trying to solve a murder. Skye is not the only suspect, we have May that is also a top suspect and there is the others in the knitting club that did not like their leader. When Skye found Guinevere, her friend also found some evidence and there is someone who will stop at nothing to get that evidence.So here we have Skye and Wally solving a murder while on their honeymoon. I really loved Murder of a Needled Knitter and I know you will too. Grab you a copy and find out more about Skye, Wally, and who was mad enough to commit murder.
I was given an ARC copy of this book by the author for my honest review, and I have given it.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scumble River Mystery series is a fun series to read. The books are pretty short and they are fast and funny reads. School psychologist Skye Denison gets into all kinds of trouble when she plays around as an amateur investigator in each book. The mysteries are full of twists, turns and surprises and there are always plenty of suspects to choose from. I almost never know for sure whodunit until fairly close to the end. The whole series makes for excellent pool or beach reads for the summer.

[Gale Penton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great series. I love Skye and Wally together.

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The mystery was pretty good, but dear god there was way too much May.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. Another good book from Denise Swanson. It was weird not to be in Scumble River but I did enjoy that Skye and Wally were on a cruise for their honeymoon so we got to learn about various islands in the Caribbean. It was also nice to get more of Trixie and her husband Owen as well. A fun twist that Skye's parents, May and Jed are also on the cruise for a Knitters retreat and our lovely and feisty May ends up as a suspect when a well-known knitter is murdered. The couples all team up to investigate so they can clear May's name.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read.

[Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skye and her new husband take a honeymoon cruise only to find folks from home aboard it. When the nasty leader of her mother May's on-board knitting group is found murdered, May becomes the primary suspect. Thus, Skye and the gang focus on finding the real killer in order to clear May's name. I have been with this series since its debut and have always related to Skye's character for a variety of reasons. Early on, I was a huge fan and turned many of my family and friends onto the series. As more romance was introduced into the series, I’ve watched some of those friends leave the series behind. In all honesty (and it pains me to write this), I have very mixed feelings about this installment. On the positive side, I thought the mystery itself was quite good; I was kept guessing as to the identity of the killer(s) until near the end. The subplots were okay. And, I enjoyed getting to know their friends better (no spoilers here) and to learn some of the behind-the-scenes workings of the cruise ship. However, it was just far too "convenient" to have her parents and friends aboard the same ship. I grew up in a small town, and if I knew that all those people were going on a cruise at the same time I was, you can bet I would have checked as to what cruise they were on. And, it's her honeymoon! I was shocked that they spent so much time with the others even when they weren't trying to solve the murder. As much as I love and adore my family, if my mother were to constantly speak to me in such a critical and sexist manner, we'd have to have a serious talk. I was glad that Skye's husband spoke up for her, but he shouldn't have to. Skye should. To me, Skye just didn’t seem like herself in this book. The character of May seems to have become far more critical and unlikeable to me as the books have progressed. It's gotten to a point where I'm almost hoping she is the culprit one day so they haul her away. And, Skye's dad seemed a lot more surly in this book as well. Where's the quiet, kind soul who is always on his daughter's side? And, what grandparents-to-be, especially ever-controlling May, go on vacation right when their first grandchild is due to arrive anyway? I've resigned myself to the fact that I will never accept who Skye married (not that I wanted her to marry the other guy, either). There's just something about this guy I don't completely trust. And, keeping his background a secret is growing a wee bit tiresome for me. I’d be upset if my close friends and family repeatedly deceived me in such a way. The fact that this story takes place seven years prior to the book’s publication throws me as a reader off a bit, too, as it is semi-current but not so current that I can recall what all was and wasn’t available then. To top it all off, this story took place on a cruise - on a boat - on the ocean. I really hate the water, so I knew going into it that I wouldn't like that aspect of it. Besides, I missed Scumble River. There was some foreshadowing at the end that I certainly hope against hope is misleading. In summary, I liked the actual mystery, but I was not a fan of the personal story and some of the “coincidences” that set up the story. Now that the wedding and honeymoon are out of the way, I’m hoping future installments will focus more on what won my heart in the first place all those years ago – the mystery – and that the characters (including Skye) will return to normal.

[Smitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally post on Smitten by Books Blog


For fans of: Jessica Beck

Wally Boyd and Skye Denison are finally husband and wife, and to celebrate, they’re spending a week sailing the Caribbean aboard the Diamond Countess. Sounds like a romantic way to start a new life, right? And it would be – were Skye’s best friend Trixie, Trixie’s husband Owen, and Skye’s parents, May and Jed, not on the same cruise. May claims she had no idea Skye and Wally booked the same trip as her knitting group, U-Knitted Nations, but Skye’s positive she’s there to mettle.

The newlyweds are determined not to let anything or anyone distract them from their honeymoon, but when the woman in charge of U-Knitted Nations is stabbed in the neck with a pair of knitting needles and May becomes the prime suspect, Skye and Wally are forced to set down their champagne flutes and don their sleuthing caps. Can the gang from Scumble River catch the real killer and save the day, or will Skye’s mother be forced to walk the plank for a murder she didn’t commit?

Murder of a Needled Knitter is the seventeenth full-length installment in Denise Swanson’s Scumble River Mystery series. While this book isn’t terrible, there’s not much to recommend it, either. Swanson’s setup is cute; because the story takes place on a cruise ship, it’s essentially a locked-room mystery. Unfortunately, though, while the concept has great potential, Swanson never fully capitalizes on it, nor does she ever successfully establish the stakes. Sure, Skye’s mother is a suspect, but ship security doesn’t seem all that interested in investigating or prosecuting the crime, and because the boat’s at sea, US laws don’t apply, so it’s not like there’s any genuine concern May will be arrested or charged.

The pace is slow; there’s very little action, tension, or drama; and too many scenes do little if anything to forward the plot. Swanson introduces a fair number of suspects with viable motives, but she never really develops any of them beyond rough sketches, and her main characters aren’t terribly well drawn, either. Skye spends most of the book obsessing over calorie counts, drinking Diet Coke, and observing how her new husband’s pants ride low on his hips; Wally runs around giving orders and making suggestive comments about his new wife; and May, Jed, Trixie, Owen essentially function as a Greek chorus. The dialogue is forced and artificial, as are the character interactions. The plot is convoluted, the solution to the mystery feels arbitrary, and the denouement is ridiculous.

I never once found myself thinking about this book while I wasn’t actively reading it, and I never had difficulty abandoning it in favor of other activities. If you’re a fan of Denise Swanson’s Scumble River Mysteries, you may want to borrow Murder of a Needled Knitter from your local library; if you want a mystery that’ll suck you in and keep you guessing, though, you’d best look elsewhere.

Reviewed by Kat

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fairly new to Scrumble River and every story is like meeting a new friend. In Murder of a Needled Knitter we not only get to watch our favorite couple solve a murder with very little official help while they are on their honeymoon, we get to travel on their first cruise with them and we are not the only ones. Elements of the cruise and the excitement of cruising are woven into the story in such a way to enhance the adventure. I was also impressed with how well Ms. Swanson was able to convey the fact that they were enjoying their honeymoon while staying clearly within the boundaries of the cozy mystery genre. There a several small but positive shifts in relationships that I was glad to see. This story is one that would be fun to discuss with friends. It is so great when a series is not static.
I won my copy of this book via the cozy mystery blog, Dru’s Musing.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cozy for some reason gets under my skin and that reason is the character of Skye's mother May. Most cozy's have a side cast of quirky characters and that is what helps make a cozy a cozy. May, however is not quirky she suffers from a severe classic mental illness called "The Borderline/Narcissistic Mother" with the following classic symptoms:
Have unexpected emotional outbursts
Make themselves the victim
Feel like their children owe them for life
Use fear, guilt, or threats to manipulate children
Are threatened by their children’s success https://overcomingtoxicpeople.com/Nar...

This kind of character belongs in a thriller not a cozy, it is not quirky it is mental illness. What the heck was the author thinking having her manipulate going on her daughter's honeymoon!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was set on a cruise ship which made for the perfect winter read. The way the author described the events on the ship (bingo, specialty dining, the picture kiosk, the staterooms, etc!) really made me feel like I was on one of my cruise vacations. They even described the excursions Skye and Wally did on the Caribbean islands, further setting the scene. A really fun read!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. If you didn't want to take a cruise before you started it, you will by the time you are done. Only Skye would get mixed up in a murder investigation on her honeymoon. Fun adventures through the Caribbean as she tries to solve the murder with the help of her new husband and a few folks from home.

[Meredith VanOordt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, but this one had too much food description!

[Marilynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick enjoyable read that ends with a detailed confession.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newly married Skye Denison Boyd and Wally, her brand-new husband have set sail on a romantic honeymoon cruise. The two of them are happy little love birds until they realize that there are a group of knitters on the cruise with them. Knitting doesn’t bother either of them, but they didn’t realize that Skye’s overbearing mother May is part of the knitting group and her father Jed has joined her. When they also see Skye’s friend Trixie and her husband aboard ship, the newlyweds realize they are sailing into different seas than they imagined.

When an obnoxious knitting instructor is found dying by Skye and Trixie, they realize a murderer is also aboard the ship. The bad news is, May is the lead suspect. The good news is Wally is a member of the police force back home and this isn’t the first dead body Skye and Trixie have stumbled upon. The three of them team up with a little help from Skye’s parents and Trixie’s husband to find the real killer before they reach the end of the cruise so May can go home instead of being remanded to FBI custody.

I love cozies, and Swanson is a master of this genre. Murder of a Needled Knitter has all of the elements cozy readers love. Amateur sleuths, hot hubbies and boyfriends, just enough bloodshed, but not too much and a solid plot that wraps up splendidly in the end. Swanson’s books are fun to read and beautifully written. The descriptions of the food on the cruise ship made me hungry and phrases like, “Rumors were spread like suntan lotion at the pool—thickly and with little regard for the slippery consequences.” made me chuckle.

This is not the first book I have read in the Scumble River Mystery Series. Denise Swanson is one of my favorite cozy writers. Since I live close to where the series is set, it is fun to read about places the characters go that I have been to myself. But you certainly don’t have to live near Chicago to relate to this fabulous cozy series. I highly recommend any and all of Denise Swanson’s books to readers who love a well-written cozy with interestingly engaging characters.

Copyright © 2020 Laura Hartman

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guinevere Stallings learned too late that it's tough, nay impossible to function with knitting needles buried in your throat. Perhaps if she had been kinder to those around her there would be far fewer people interested in her demise.

It's the cruise of a lifetime for Skye Boyd, the newly married school psychologist. The fictional town's top cop, Wally, got a good deal on the cruise because other people from town were taking the same one. He didn't check carefully to see who those people were. As it turns out, one couple included Skye's parents. The other couple from town were Skye's best friend and taciturn husband.

Skye stumbles on Guinevere's body within minutes of the murder, and it looks like Skye's mom, May, will be off to jail for the killing as soon as the ship docks in Florida. Well, not if Skye can help it.

This is a fun read, and you get some information about how cruise ships operate with their hierarchy of staff. The suspense runs brief but high at one point when someone mugs Skye during a shore activity, taking her bag and some photos Skye had printed that could be useful in finding the real killer.

I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series; none of these books have disappointed me yet.

[Karen Voitik · Rating 5 out of 5]

>Book Review – Murder of a Needled Knitter
>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 17th in the Scumble River Mystery series and ends in an HEA. Wally and Skye are on their honeymoon cruise. Skye’s meddling parents, along with Trixie and Qwen are also on the cruise. This story does have a mystery involving May’s knitting club leader and how everyone hated her. The fun part of the story is the sexual tension between Skye and Wally. This series is G rated on romantic description, but this book really ramps up the inference. I don’t think I’ve read anything so hot without any explicitness. Good job Denise Swanson!
>This story is so funny. There are little asides where Skye mentions all of the stupid questions the cruise guests ask the employees. My favorite was when a lady wanted to buy an ice sculpture in the gift shop! Wally is so sexy. He not only says the sweetest things to Skye, he stands up for her when her mother is less than kind.
>The mystery was interesting, involving a bit more actual danger to Skye than earlier stories. This book is appropriate for a young adult (18+) audience. I am giving this book 5 stars. This series is still going strong.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kinda like being back in eighth grade, but instead of watching Love Boat and then Fantasy Island back to back, the two were rolled into one and combined with an episode of Charlie's Angels (1979, if you want to do the math). Total escapism. Also, it was a much smoother read than previous books. Finally, I think I relaxed a little, knowing there are only two more to go in the series after this. As much as I've enjoyed my time with the denizens of Scumble River, I seriously think I'm going to have to revisit my death march approach to plowing through mystery series, cozy or not. They're probably (for me, at least) better read in a combination of three or four at the outset, wait a while, two or three, then get in sync with the author's real time publishing schedule.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this Scumble River installment was one of my favorites that I've read so far in the series. Absolutely loved the cruise ship setting; it gives readers the chance to see their favorite characters in a fun, new location. And boy, did it make me want to go on a cruise! I'm not a knitter and have zero interest in knitting, so I was thrilled to find that the knitting-theme is very much part of the background. Skye and Wally are focused on having fun and enjoying their honeymoon, while still finding time to solve a mystery. With the vivid descriptions, I felt like I was there, enjoying the Caribbean alongside them.

[Deb S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ship full of eccentric guests & a murdere are going to make Skye & Wally’s honeymoon cruise one they’ll always remember. A body is found which prompts Skye, Wally along with their friends & family to try to find out who the killer is among the hundreds of people onboard. As the problems escalate it begins to look like someone is targeting them. A white pair of gloves & a guest exiting someone else’s cabin play a major role in finding the killer. After talking to the security chief
everyone gets in place to apprehend the killer before the cruise ends. Back in the U.S. the murderer
is arrested. One of the group has a secret that will soon come out.

[Janiska nordstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am glad that the “love triangle “ with Simon has ended, it ran its course a few books ago. I enjoyed the story and the change of venue, a cruise ship. I have to protest the constant warnings that in other countries, especially mentioned Dutch laws, where they arrest you and hold you for long times in jail before sentencing for drug possession. I grew up in the Netherlands and had never met anyone who had gotten arrested until I came to the US , which has the largest prison population per capita of all developed countries. Especially drug charges are very minor.