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Crochet and Crumpets Mystery #1
Death Among the Stitches
Meet Annie newly inherited yarn and tea shop owner and reluctant amateur sleuth.
Annie Hart, daughter of Bryan Hart - talent agent to the stars - spends her life getting roped into whatever new task her father needs her to do for his VIP clients. So when she inherits a yarn shop in the small Indiana town of Franklin, she is curious to see what it feels like to have something that is solely hers!
But when her arrival is greeted by the local law enforcement, Annie senses things are not quite as they seem in this idyllic town . . . everyone knows everybody in Franklin yet when it comes to the death of the shop's previous owner, nobody seems sure of anything!
Annie soon discovers that Eleanor Danton was in fact murdered, strangled with her own yarn . . . invigorated by her need to find out the truth, and feeling somehow at home with the friendly bunch of local yarn artists who frequent the shop, she sets out to finding the killer. Much can be achieved over a cuppa and a yarn . . .
Readers who love super cosy culinary mysteries will eat up this new charming cosy mystery series.
Annie Hart, daughter of Bryan Hart - talent agent to the stars - spends her life getting roped into whatever new task her father needs her to do for his VIP clients. So when she inherits a yarn shop in the small Indiana town of Franklin, she is curious to see what it feels like to have something that is solely hers!
But when her arrival is greeted by the local law enforcement, Annie senses things are not quite as they seem in this idyllic town . . . everyone knows everybody in Franklin yet when it comes to the death of the shop's previous owner, nobody seems sure of anything!
Annie soon discovers that Eleanor Danton was in fact murdered, strangled with her own yarn . . . invigorated by her need to find out the truth, and feeling somehow at home with the friendly bunch of local yarn artists who frequent the shop, she sets out to finding the killer. Much can be achieved over a cuppa and a yarn . . .
Readers who love super cosy culinary mysteries will eat up this new charming cosy mystery series.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published January 7, 2025
66 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Betty Hechtman
33 books714 followersI grew up on the south side of Chicago and in a very busy weekend, got married, graduated college and moved to Los Angeles.
Although my degree is in Fine Arts, all I ever wanted to be was a writer and I've been doing it in one form or another for as long as I can remember. My shining moments in elementary and high school always involved stories or poetry I'd written. I wrote news stories and a weekly column in my college newspaper. My first job out of college was working on the newsletter of a finance company. I worked for a public relations firm and wrote press releases and biographies. Later I wrote proposals for video projects and television shows that went through various stages of development.
I tried writing screenplays and wrote three. I sold one and another was a winner in a Writers' Digest contest.
I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom and did all kinds of volunteering at my son's schools including editing and writing several newsletters.
I wrote essays and small pieces that ran in the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News and Woman's Day among others. My short romantic and mystery fiction appeared in Woman's World, and Futures magazine.
From time I was a thirteen-year-old babysitter cooking for the kids I babysat, I dreamed of writing a book about babysitting. It took a little longer than I'd expected, but BLUE SCHWARTZ AND NEFERTITI'S NECKLACE was published in 2006.
My affair with crochet began in Las Vegas. I had always had a fascination with crochet, particularly granny squares, but thought there was some magic involved with making them that was beyond me. And then everything changed that day in Vegas when I saw the kids' kit in FAO Schwartz. If the instructions were easy enough for kids, I thought they might work for me.
My first granny square was missing a corner, but when I tried again, all four corners were there. I was in awe of my own accomplishment. I had found the magic. I went granny square crazy until pretty soon I didn't need directions anymore. Then I learned there were more squares than just basic grannies and I made squares with sunflowers in the middle and other patterns. I moved beyond squares and made flowers, hearts, bookmarks and more.
I was in love with crochet and began to make scarves, purses, afghans, and shawls. I started carrying my hooks everywhere. A plane trip became a pile of granny square wash cloths, or part of a shawl. A vacation in Hawaii turned into a tote bag.
And now I get to write about it...
** Sourced from authors website
Series:
* A Crochet Mystery
* Yarn Retreat
Although my degree is in Fine Arts, all I ever wanted to be was a writer and I've been doing it in one form or another for as long as I can remember. My shining moments in elementary and high school always involved stories or poetry I'd written. I wrote news stories and a weekly column in my college newspaper. My first job out of college was working on the newsletter of a finance company. I worked for a public relations firm and wrote press releases and biographies. Later I wrote proposals for video projects and television shows that went through various stages of development.
I tried writing screenplays and wrote three. I sold one and another was a winner in a Writers' Digest contest.
I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom and did all kinds of volunteering at my son's schools including editing and writing several newsletters.
I wrote essays and small pieces that ran in the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News and Woman's Day among others. My short romantic and mystery fiction appeared in Woman's World, and Futures magazine.
From time I was a thirteen-year-old babysitter cooking for the kids I babysat, I dreamed of writing a book about babysitting. It took a little longer than I'd expected, but BLUE SCHWARTZ AND NEFERTITI'S NECKLACE was published in 2006.
My affair with crochet began in Las Vegas. I had always had a fascination with crochet, particularly granny squares, but thought there was some magic involved with making them that was beyond me. And then everything changed that day in Vegas when I saw the kids' kit in FAO Schwartz. If the instructions were easy enough for kids, I thought they might work for me.
My first granny square was missing a corner, but when I tried again, all four corners were there. I was in awe of my own accomplishment. I had found the magic. I went granny square crazy until pretty soon I didn't need directions anymore. Then I learned there were more squares than just basic grannies and I made squares with sunflowers in the middle and other patterns. I moved beyond squares and made flowers, hearts, bookmarks and more.
I was in love with crochet and began to make scarves, purses, afghans, and shawls. I started carrying my hooks everywhere. A plane trip became a pile of granny square wash cloths, or part of a shawl. A vacation in Hawaii turned into a tote bag.
And now I get to write about it...
** Sourced from authors website
Series:
* A Crochet Mystery
* Yarn Retreat
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
January 6, 2025
I enjoyed Death Among the Stitches, the first of a new series A Crochet and Crumpet Mystery series. Annie Sara Hart traveled to a small town in Indiana to check out property her uncle left her. Leaving obligations behind in LA, her plan is to get it on the market to sell but it turns out to be a yarn shop needing some sprucing up to make it more appealing. She is a helper for her father in LA as he works with celebrities and she needs to get back home as soon as possible. Things change when the daughter of a client goes to help her. Annie Sara makes friends quickly with the yarn group who met in the shop and they offer to help her get things in order but thee is a mystery about the death of the former owner that needs to be resolved for Annie Sara. This is a fun and different sort of cozy mystery that I enjoyed and look forward to more in the future.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my thoughts.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my thoughts.
October 16, 2024
~Cozy, Crochet, Small-town, Murder-Mystery, and more!~
Death Among the Stitches is a cozy crochet themed murder mystery following Annie Hart. After inheriting a yarn shop from her late uncle, Annie is headed to a small town in Franklin, Indiana, to check the place out and sell it as soon as possible so she can get back to her real-life responsibilities. Those responsibilities include babysitting her father's clients adult daughter, Gray. Making sure she sticks to her diet plan, listening to constant breakdowns, and helping her run her shop. So when Annie arrives in Franklin and realizes the place needs more time and money than she has, she makes a deal and gets financial help from Grays mother in exchange for keeping her daughter in check. As the renovation goes on, Annie realizes all isn't as it seems in the small town; the previous owner before her uncle was murdered in the shop. With the case gone cold, Annie is fine leaving it alone until she starts receiving threatening messages. Will the truth come out before anyone else is hurt?
2.5| The was a fast read. I did enjoy aspects of it, but sadly found it as a whole disappointing. The whole thing, especially the end, felt unfinished. The pacing was odd; the first part of the book doesn't have much going on, and then, in the very end, everything happens with not enough time to wrap it up properly, making the ending feel abrupt. The premise is fun; as someone who loves to crochet, I was excited to read a crochet-themed book, but the jokes were cringy and overly juvenile for my taste. I also think if you went into this book without any knowledge of crochet or knitting, you would be lost at certain parts. The writing itself was way more causal than I would have preferred. This book is marked as a murder mystery, but Annie never does any actual investigating, which is a letdown. I did enjoy some of the characters, my favorite being Toby, who was very endearing. Though I do think there are far too many names in this book, while it helps establish the small-town vibe, it also made me feel overwhelmed and confused. I love a good atmospheric read, but the descriptions of scenery here were out of place and far too long.
I needed more depth in this book. There were so many potential avenues to be explored, for example Gray's constant pressure to fit her mother's standards or Annies tense relationship with her father. So much could have been done to further explore these points while also adding context to why Annie and Gray act and feel the way they do. I honestly felt like this book should have been focused on Gray, not Annie. She was by far the more interesting character and seemed to have so much more backstory that wasn't explored. In fact, I actually found Annie a tad unlikable. For someone she says she sees as a little sister, she is quite awful to Gray. Inforcing her diet and disregarding her feelings. She follows her father's orders without question. While her attitude does change eventually, it was upsetting to see. As for the murder mystery aspect, it was a letdown. I enjoy a surprise murderer, but in this case, it was too unpredictable. I like being able to figure out the killer, but here, there were no clues, so it came as a total blind side. It just didn't seem very well thought out at times.
Overall, this is a quick and easy read. Besides the abrupt ending, it is not half bad. I did enjoy reading it, but it's not very memorable or something I would ever pick up again. I think the characters and town have potential. It's a good book to pick up if you want something mindless; just don't expect much depth.
*I received this book through Severn House via NetGalley as an eARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book*
Expected publication is January 7, 2025
Death Among the Stitches is a cozy crochet themed murder mystery following Annie Hart. After inheriting a yarn shop from her late uncle, Annie is headed to a small town in Franklin, Indiana, to check the place out and sell it as soon as possible so she can get back to her real-life responsibilities. Those responsibilities include babysitting her father's clients adult daughter, Gray. Making sure she sticks to her diet plan, listening to constant breakdowns, and helping her run her shop. So when Annie arrives in Franklin and realizes the place needs more time and money than she has, she makes a deal and gets financial help from Grays mother in exchange for keeping her daughter in check. As the renovation goes on, Annie realizes all isn't as it seems in the small town; the previous owner before her uncle was murdered in the shop. With the case gone cold, Annie is fine leaving it alone until she starts receiving threatening messages. Will the truth come out before anyone else is hurt?
2.5| The was a fast read. I did enjoy aspects of it, but sadly found it as a whole disappointing. The whole thing, especially the end, felt unfinished. The pacing was odd; the first part of the book doesn't have much going on, and then, in the very end, everything happens with not enough time to wrap it up properly, making the ending feel abrupt. The premise is fun; as someone who loves to crochet, I was excited to read a crochet-themed book, but the jokes were cringy and overly juvenile for my taste. I also think if you went into this book without any knowledge of crochet or knitting, you would be lost at certain parts. The writing itself was way more causal than I would have preferred. This book is marked as a murder mystery, but Annie never does any actual investigating, which is a letdown. I did enjoy some of the characters, my favorite being Toby, who was very endearing. Though I do think there are far too many names in this book, while it helps establish the small-town vibe, it also made me feel overwhelmed and confused. I love a good atmospheric read, but the descriptions of scenery here were out of place and far too long.
I needed more depth in this book. There were so many potential avenues to be explored, for example Gray's constant pressure to fit her mother's standards or Annies tense relationship with her father. So much could have been done to further explore these points while also adding context to why Annie and Gray act and feel the way they do. I honestly felt like this book should have been focused on Gray, not Annie. She was by far the more interesting character and seemed to have so much more backstory that wasn't explored. In fact, I actually found Annie a tad unlikable. For someone she says she sees as a little sister, she is quite awful to Gray. Inforcing her diet and disregarding her feelings. She follows her father's orders without question. While her attitude does change eventually, it was upsetting to see. As for the murder mystery aspect, it was a letdown. I enjoy a surprise murderer, but in this case, it was too unpredictable. I like being able to figure out the killer, but here, there were no clues, so it came as a total blind side. It just didn't seem very well thought out at times.
Overall, this is a quick and easy read. Besides the abrupt ending, it is not half bad. I did enjoy reading it, but it's not very memorable or something I would ever pick up again. I think the characters and town have potential. It's a good book to pick up if you want something mindless; just don't expect much depth.
*I received this book through Severn House via NetGalley as an eARC reader. This will not in any way affect my thoughts or opinions on the book*
Expected publication is January 7, 2025
November 20, 2024
What a fun start to a new series. I am totally in love with Annie Sara and her new adventure. Annie is the daughter of a well-known Hollywood talent agent and has spent a lot of her life making clearly entitled people happy as her father's assistant. When her uncle leaves her a yarn shop in rural Indiana, Annie Sara is determined to check out this place that is hers before she sells it. So begins a journey that is many miles from home, in more ways than one. Greeted by friendly people, a beautiful historic building, a lovely special cat, and the sad history of the previous owner Annie Sara is enchanted with her inheritance and decides to give it a little love before she moves on, but can she? This is a wonderful journey that I was so happy to go on. Can't wait for the next book in the series. Many thanks to #Netgally, #SevernHouse, and the author for a chance to read. #DeathAmongtheStiches #BettyHechtman #CrochetandCrumpetsMysteries #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader
November 9, 2024
Death Among the Stitches is the first in the charming Crochet and Crumpets mystery series, and I was captivated from the start! Annie Sara Hart has spent most of her life being her father's gopher, as he works as a talent agent to the stars. When Annie suddenly inherits a yarn shop in small-town Indiana, she takes off to see her new inheritance before planning to sell. The characters and setting provided such warmth and coziness, I found myself smiling throughout much of this well-plotted mystery. Highly recommend this book to those who enjoy cozy mysteries with well-developed characters. Looking forward to book two in the series!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
January 5, 2025
A really enticing premise, but it just didn't deliver. The two main characters were so frustratingly immature, and although this is being marketed as a cosy murder mystery, there is nothing that could be classed as an investigation. Just a nosy young woman asking new acquaintances for gossip (which she often doesn't get!), so when the murderer is eventually revealed, there has been zero build-up.
What I did enjoy was the setting; the old schoolhouse and even the town of Franklin were vividly described. It seemed like the kind of place I'd enjoy visiting.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC to read and review.
What I did enjoy was the setting; the old schoolhouse and even the town of Franklin were vividly described. It seemed like the kind of place I'd enjoy visiting.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC to read and review.
October 20, 2024
#DeathAmongtheStitches #NetGalley is the first in a new series by one of my favorite authors.
When Annie Hart learns of an inheritance, she's quite excited to see what she owns.
Annie's role in life is being a gopher to whatever need her talent agent to the stars has.
This inheritance sparks excitement in her life, and she can't wait to see what's in store for her next.
I enjoyed this book and I love that the characters are so easy to like.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
When Annie Hart learns of an inheritance, she's quite excited to see what she owns.
Annie's role in life is being a gopher to whatever need her talent agent to the stars has.
This inheritance sparks excitement in her life, and she can't wait to see what's in store for her next.
I enjoyed this book and I love that the characters are so easy to like.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
February 8, 2025
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Bryan Hart is the talent agent to the stars and he employs his daughter Annie Sara Hart to help him keep his clients happy. She has been “working” with a VIP’s daughter, Gray since they were in Girl Scouts together. Of late, she has been working at the daughter’s store as “support staff” meaning she did everything.
Now Annie Sara has inherited a yarn shop just outside of Franklin, Indiana that her uncle purchased to turn into a restaurant before he died. She plans to go there for a week to tie up loose ends, put the place up for sale, and return to California.
Franklin is a typical small town where everyone knows everyone and their business. She finds out the previous owner of the yarn shop died but no one wants to talk about it. Then she learned that Eleanor Danton was murdered and her death was blamed on an unknown summer tourist. Annie Sara finds herself intrigued by the mystery of the woman’s death and as she meets her new neighbors she decides to try to find the truth. But the truth could get her killed!
In this first Crochet and Crumpets Mystery Ms. Hechtman introduces readers to an eclectic group of characters. Annie Sara is truly on her own in Franklin but her father does call often to encourage her to hurry up and come home. She meets several Franklin, Indiana residents including Jenny who owns the local bakery, and her son, Toby. Toby is an excellent baker and has Down syndrome. He is sweet and so kind and gives excellent customer service. He is so proud of the wonderful things he bakes, that he can barely wait for Annie Sara to try his cinnamon rolls.
We also meet Don Spenser, a friendly local mechanic who aids Annie Sara when her rental car breaks down. Poor Patty gets migraines but she is an awesome cake baker and decorator but she is a perfectionist so there always seems to be a cake with a wonky flower or letter that needs to be eaten. Jenny, Toby, and Patty are all part of a knitting group that used to meet at Annie Sara’s store. As the story continues we meet the rest of the group and other Franklin residents. All felt true to life but we have just scratched the surface of the people of Franklin, Annie Sara, and Gray. Eleanor had a special cat named Jack. He was able to return to the shop with Annie Sara there and they became quick friends.
I was surprised when Gray came to town with orders from her mother to lose weight. She even had packaged meals delivered and a pair of jeans Gray had to fit into to come home. This was Gray’s first time being out from under her mother’s thumb and she blossomed.
The mystery of Eleanor Danton’s death was always on Annie Sara’s mind. She was trying to determine who she could trust to help her find the truth. The store being vandalized gave Annie Sara plenty of work to do before she could put the place up for sale. The knitting group was happy to help but the store was vandalized again leading Annie Sara to believe she was getting some information that made the killer uncomfortable enough to act. The mystery had more depth than I expected. The motive was unclear until a huge clue was revealed. But it wasn’t until Annie Sara made a keen observation that all the clues fell into place for both of us.
I expected the ending but was surprised by how long it took Annie Sara to make a final decision. I think there are going to be some fireworks ahead.
Death Among the Stitches has laid a great foundation for this series. Ms Hechtman has left plenty of room for the characters to grow as the series continues. This was an entertaining whodunit that leaves me eager for book two to find out what happens next!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Bryan Hart is the talent agent to the stars and he employs his daughter Annie Sara Hart to help him keep his clients happy. She has been “working” with a VIP’s daughter, Gray since they were in Girl Scouts together. Of late, she has been working at the daughter’s store as “support staff” meaning she did everything.
Now Annie Sara has inherited a yarn shop just outside of Franklin, Indiana that her uncle purchased to turn into a restaurant before he died. She plans to go there for a week to tie up loose ends, put the place up for sale, and return to California.
Franklin is a typical small town where everyone knows everyone and their business. She finds out the previous owner of the yarn shop died but no one wants to talk about it. Then she learned that Eleanor Danton was murdered and her death was blamed on an unknown summer tourist. Annie Sara finds herself intrigued by the mystery of the woman’s death and as she meets her new neighbors she decides to try to find the truth. But the truth could get her killed!
In this first Crochet and Crumpets Mystery Ms. Hechtman introduces readers to an eclectic group of characters. Annie Sara is truly on her own in Franklin but her father does call often to encourage her to hurry up and come home. She meets several Franklin, Indiana residents including Jenny who owns the local bakery, and her son, Toby. Toby is an excellent baker and has Down syndrome. He is sweet and so kind and gives excellent customer service. He is so proud of the wonderful things he bakes, that he can barely wait for Annie Sara to try his cinnamon rolls.
We also meet Don Spenser, a friendly local mechanic who aids Annie Sara when her rental car breaks down. Poor Patty gets migraines but she is an awesome cake baker and decorator but she is a perfectionist so there always seems to be a cake with a wonky flower or letter that needs to be eaten. Jenny, Toby, and Patty are all part of a knitting group that used to meet at Annie Sara’s store. As the story continues we meet the rest of the group and other Franklin residents. All felt true to life but we have just scratched the surface of the people of Franklin, Annie Sara, and Gray. Eleanor had a special cat named Jack. He was able to return to the shop with Annie Sara there and they became quick friends.
I was surprised when Gray came to town with orders from her mother to lose weight. She even had packaged meals delivered and a pair of jeans Gray had to fit into to come home. This was Gray’s first time being out from under her mother’s thumb and she blossomed.
The mystery of Eleanor Danton’s death was always on Annie Sara’s mind. She was trying to determine who she could trust to help her find the truth. The store being vandalized gave Annie Sara plenty of work to do before she could put the place up for sale. The knitting group was happy to help but the store was vandalized again leading Annie Sara to believe she was getting some information that made the killer uncomfortable enough to act. The mystery had more depth than I expected. The motive was unclear until a huge clue was revealed. But it wasn’t until Annie Sara made a keen observation that all the clues fell into place for both of us.
I expected the ending but was surprised by how long it took Annie Sara to make a final decision. I think there are going to be some fireworks ahead.
Death Among the Stitches has laid a great foundation for this series. Ms Hechtman has left plenty of room for the characters to grow as the series continues. This was an entertaining whodunit that leaves me eager for book two to find out what happens next!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
April 29, 2025
3.5⭐️
I hope if there is a sequel it will grab me more than this one.
I hope if there is a sequel it will grab me more than this one.
July 30, 2025
Honestly, didn’t like any of the main characters(I loved the knit/crochet club ladies and Toby) and found the story rather boring. By the time the killer was revealed I didn’t even care.
October 14, 2024
I can't stop reading! I had to tear myself away from the book to take care of my mom duties, that's how hooked I am. Every page is a mystery and I can't stop turning them. The ending totally satisfied me. I always judge a book based on my feelings at the time, and let me tell you, this one left a lasting impression. I may forget the characters' names, but the feelings this book stirred up will linger for a long time.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
December 11, 2024
EDIT TO ADD- I got the opportunity to read this as an ARC through netgalley in exchange for an honest review! (my cat is on me so please excuse typos, i only have one hand to use)
87% and I have been -struggling- to finish these last few pages. I was going to DNF but out of guilt, and the need to know if anything changes my rating, I pushed through the last 10% of the book. I swear I'm not trying to be mean, this book started out strong and I had sky high hopes for it when I started it.
95% of the way through and we finally get something. PLEASE rework this book before releasing because the conclusion is SO FREAKING COOL!!!! I know there isn't much time, and I don't know what kind of time frames the publishing industry works on, but this whole premise is amazing. Scatter more hints throughout the book and make sure the reader can actually start to piece things together gradually instead of force feeding all the info at the end of the book. Please please please, because I'm reading the ending right now and it's shaping up to be AWESOME. If the book is reworked, I'll gladly re-read and adjust my rating accordingly!
TL;DR - characters are 2d, I'm getting details about the "wrong" things, character and interpersonal relationship development is weak, the book forgets to bring up the mystery consistently at all to the point that I forgot I was reading a mystery, and the magic cat stops showing up consistently.
This book started out strong! Super cozy vibes. My "string art" of choice is embroidery but I can definitely relate to the feeling of crafting and especially crafting with a group of good vibe friends!! I loved Annie getting away from her responsibilities and finally owning something that is only hers. The beginning of the book was so great, she's in this cozy new home, with a cozy cottage that sounds so beautiful to live in.
When Liv visits, she smudges the building with sage, which sounds a whole lot like a (to my knowledge) Native American closed practice. There was no mention of Liv's ethnicity that I can recall right now, but they way she was described sounded to me like she is a white hippie lady. In case she is white, there are other ways to cleanse a space without appropriating a culture, such as using incense, my favorite and a popular one is Dragon's Blood.
She also brings this cat, who ends up living there. His name is Jack, and I love him! I love that he is a cute little mind reading fluffball! However, he shows up and does extraordinary feats and then we just don't hear from or about him as much, if at all. Also, I thought it was strange that they think cats get more attached to places than people. I haven't been able to find any claims that back that belief up, so I don't know if this was something made up for this book to make it make sense as to why he should stay there, or what but that little bit of weird misinformation bothered me.
I think I would have liked this a lot more had Jack maybe been more involved. Maybe that sounds silly, but he could gradually get more and more attached to Annie, wanting to be near her. it would make sense for the end for him to be more prevalent throughout the book.
Ok I'm going to be reaching in to Spoiler Sections here, so BE WARNED
*****POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD*****
I am so extremely frustrated that after finding a place that just belongs to her, the -second- she is offered money to babysit Gray, she says yes without even a second thought. There was no internal conflict or struggle with giving up the only thing you've ever had that only belonged to you???? How!?! This bothers me to absolutely no end, and this also marks where I started to struggle to continue with this book.
I wanted Annie to have something on her own!
Of course I kept reading, for a short moment I thought maybe we were getting a sapphic romance, and Annie and Gray could have a relationship based on finding their own freedom from their parents. That was an exciting thought, but it soon became clear that was not going to happen. Instead we are told that they're supposed to have a sisterly relationship, which shocks me. First of all - SHOW, don't tell. The way their feelings are portrayed for each other are so far from sisterly. Annie is constantly acting like Gray is some vapid princess type that she clearly holds a lot of disdain for, On top of the fact that she is using Gray for money to finish the only thing she's ever owned all on her own before she can give it up forever.
I wrote notes while reading because at some point I was getting angry at this book. Annie's thoughts are so compartmentalized. Normal humans have mixed thoughts and feelings and emotions that all flow together, but Annie is either hating on Gray OR loving Gray. There is no internal conflict or blending of her feelings, and this compartmentalization is consistent in every area of her inner thoughts, and it is grinding and frustrating to read. I read this as an e-book but for some reason wrote the page number, pg 119 Annie is trouble that Gray has a date with Cooper and claims to have a "soft spot" for her, but also she wants to follow Camille's orders to starve her. (I have a huge problem with this, too, but we'll get to that) She keeps caring and then not caring about the diet and rather than expressing this as internal conflict she just switches on and off like a light switch and it is very jarring.
When they all went to have dinner at (Matt's house, Matt and Annie absolutely could have helped with dishes. So saying, "well that leaves these two with nothing to do" felt unnatural. You're telling me there was zero cleaning that could have been done? Or, they even could have just gone off together without needing to bring up a reason for it. That's allowed, it's ok to let the reader's come to their own conclusions sometimes.
Also this sentence "The dining table was in front of a window that looked out on the back of the property. It looked as if it was ready to be planted with something." I had to read this sentence 5+ times to understand that you meant the property looked ready to be planted with something. I did read this to other people and ask for them to tell me what they thought looked ready to be planted and every single person looked at me, extremely confused, and said, "the.. table?" The subject of the first sentence is the table, not the property and this makes this quote extremely confusing and jarring to read.
I need there to be more blending of the characters' traits. Whenever Gray is described, only one trait is at a time is mentioned. I wish I had better words for this, but I feels like the characters are extremely two dimensional.
Annie and Gray -say- they're like sisters to each other, but they don't show it. We are just being told that they're like sisters and are expected to just believe it without them actually acting like it. The diet that Camille puts Gray on is abusive and would have been a great opportunity to have a conversation on the dangers of weight expectations in the industry, but the author just glossed over it entirely. The diet seemed extremely pointless and included for no reason, considering both characters just kinda don't stick to it. Annie continuously thinks about making Gray stick to it, but doesn't follow through and doesn't even have the decency to have real conflicting feelings over it.
There's zero rage for her "sister" being put on this horrendous "diet"!!! how?? If anyone did this to someone I loved, I'd be beside myself with anger! Gray has no internal conflict either. She breaks her "diet" without a second thought, when you would think this character would have some kind of conflict over disappointing her mom. She resents her mom enough, but there's nothing real happening on the inside.
Now, some of these scenes gave us erroneous details and it started to feel like the author was just trying to meet a word count or something. Frustratingly, I had to read a list of items in Annie's purse, but when the car got towed, I wasn't told at all what they did to fix it -this- time. They specific sentence was " I ordered her to stay put and got into the fixed SUV." You told me every item in her purse but glossed over entirely how the car was fixed? Was it a permanent fix this time? Or another temp one? Did the mechanic even say anything to Annie?
Annie is Camille and Bryan's tool to keep Gray from being allowed to have any autonomy. "make sure she (an adult) can't date this guy she's interested in" I let the people who I think of as sisters have autonomy over their lives, idk why Annie doesn't think Gray needs to be allowed that or why she doesn't at all try to support her. Simply not telling Bryan and Camille about her dating Cooper, is not supporting her dating him, and not supporting her autonomy.
Another weird moment was having to read that Jed brought his truck over to Annie's place because it was too far a distance to walk with the supplies. I can ascertain myself from context clues that he wouldn't want to carry all his supplies the whole way there, not to mention the fact that he was just dropping stuff off and then running errands anyway? At this point, I was really feeling like reading this had become a chore. I'm not getting story and substance, I am mundane, unimportant details that aren't giving anything to the story.
And then why does Jed suggest putting a sink outside the "Powder Room"??? We were told Annie calls the restroom a powder room because it sounds better to her, and this suggests that there isn't a sink -inside- the restroom??????
I entirely forgot this was meant to be a mystery, and by the time we finally get on to that at all were about 75% of the way through the book, and Annie is still not interested in it herself.
Matt. Matt matt matt matt maaaaaatt. Really took his daughter to Annie's store. and then said he wanted the day to be him and his daughter???? Sir, you don't take your daughter to see the woman you're trying to date(???) Not that it looks like he and Annie are flirting anywhere at all. I am once again being told that that's happening, but not shown. During this scene, Annie offends Bethany, but the author doesn't tell me how Bethany reacted to what Annie said, that's some detail I would have been interested. Again, rather than the contents of Annie's purse. And then Matt makes himself even less likeable by saying "no body appreciates the nice guys." I instantly did not want anything to do with him. My eyes rolled so hard they nearly fell out of their sockets. And there are plenty of ways to say that there are people who like nice guys without flirting, Annie.
So Annie then decides she is going to pick between Bryan and Camille or Gray, and she chooses Gray! I was so excited but there was still a lack of any actual internal debate or struggle and then we find out she didn't *actually* choose Gray, she just chose to put off restricting Gray's life choices until later.
-When- did Gray and Hannah become such besties?!?!?! I have so many details that I desperately don't need and no character or relationship building happening and it's driving me insane! Annie, at some point, activated the card service?
I have even more thoughts, but I feel like this review has gone on long enough to show that I gave this book the most honest shot I could. I'm still going to force myself through these last few pages but the final 10% of the book is not going to change all of these thoughts I've had.
Also the Jack isn't doing any more magic cat stuff and that bothers me. :( (I decided to push through the rest of the book real quick before posting this, and Jack could do a hell of a lot more damage than just swishing his tail in front of the attackers face. I would suggest adding some more there, look into cat attacks, because they are brutal and terrifying. No one would be able to do what the attacker tried to do, if a cat was legit attacking them. They'd be thrashing and panicking a lot more. It would still have the same effect but be a bit more realistic. The way it's written is very bland and short and I was so pulled in to it that when it ended I was disappointed it wasn't described in more detail, this is a great part to draw out a bit and create more suspense!!!
87% and I have been -struggling- to finish these last few pages. I was going to DNF but out of guilt, and the need to know if anything changes my rating, I pushed through the last 10% of the book. I swear I'm not trying to be mean, this book started out strong and I had sky high hopes for it when I started it.
95% of the way through and we finally get something. PLEASE rework this book before releasing because the conclusion is SO FREAKING COOL!!!! I know there isn't much time, and I don't know what kind of time frames the publishing industry works on, but this whole premise is amazing. Scatter more hints throughout the book and make sure the reader can actually start to piece things together gradually instead of force feeding all the info at the end of the book. Please please please, because I'm reading the ending right now and it's shaping up to be AWESOME. If the book is reworked, I'll gladly re-read and adjust my rating accordingly!
TL;DR - characters are 2d, I'm getting details about the "wrong" things, character and interpersonal relationship development is weak, the book forgets to bring up the mystery consistently at all to the point that I forgot I was reading a mystery, and the magic cat stops showing up consistently.
This book started out strong! Super cozy vibes. My "string art" of choice is embroidery but I can definitely relate to the feeling of crafting and especially crafting with a group of good vibe friends!! I loved Annie getting away from her responsibilities and finally owning something that is only hers. The beginning of the book was so great, she's in this cozy new home, with a cozy cottage that sounds so beautiful to live in.
When Liv visits, she smudges the building with sage, which sounds a whole lot like a (to my knowledge) Native American closed practice. There was no mention of Liv's ethnicity that I can recall right now, but they way she was described sounded to me like she is a white hippie lady. In case she is white, there are other ways to cleanse a space without appropriating a culture, such as using incense, my favorite and a popular one is Dragon's Blood.
She also brings this cat, who ends up living there. His name is Jack, and I love him! I love that he is a cute little mind reading fluffball! However, he shows up and does extraordinary feats and then we just don't hear from or about him as much, if at all. Also, I thought it was strange that they think cats get more attached to places than people. I haven't been able to find any claims that back that belief up, so I don't know if this was something made up for this book to make it make sense as to why he should stay there, or what but that little bit of weird misinformation bothered me.
I think I would have liked this a lot more had Jack maybe been more involved. Maybe that sounds silly, but he could gradually get more and more attached to Annie, wanting to be near her. it would make sense for the end for him to be more prevalent throughout the book.
Ok I'm going to be reaching in to Spoiler Sections here, so BE WARNED
*****POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD*****
I am so extremely frustrated that after finding a place that just belongs to her, the -second- she is offered money to babysit Gray, she says yes without even a second thought. There was no internal conflict or struggle with giving up the only thing you've ever had that only belonged to you???? How!?! This bothers me to absolutely no end, and this also marks where I started to struggle to continue with this book.
I wanted Annie to have something on her own!
Of course I kept reading, for a short moment I thought maybe we were getting a sapphic romance, and Annie and Gray could have a relationship based on finding their own freedom from their parents. That was an exciting thought, but it soon became clear that was not going to happen. Instead we are told that they're supposed to have a sisterly relationship, which shocks me. First of all - SHOW, don't tell. The way their feelings are portrayed for each other are so far from sisterly. Annie is constantly acting like Gray is some vapid princess type that she clearly holds a lot of disdain for, On top of the fact that she is using Gray for money to finish the only thing she's ever owned all on her own before she can give it up forever.
I wrote notes while reading because at some point I was getting angry at this book. Annie's thoughts are so compartmentalized. Normal humans have mixed thoughts and feelings and emotions that all flow together, but Annie is either hating on Gray OR loving Gray. There is no internal conflict or blending of her feelings, and this compartmentalization is consistent in every area of her inner thoughts, and it is grinding and frustrating to read. I read this as an e-book but for some reason wrote the page number, pg 119 Annie is trouble that Gray has a date with Cooper and claims to have a "soft spot" for her, but also she wants to follow Camille's orders to starve her. (I have a huge problem with this, too, but we'll get to that) She keeps caring and then not caring about the diet and rather than expressing this as internal conflict she just switches on and off like a light switch and it is very jarring.
When they all went to have dinner at (Matt's house, Matt and Annie absolutely could have helped with dishes. So saying, "well that leaves these two with nothing to do" felt unnatural. You're telling me there was zero cleaning that could have been done? Or, they even could have just gone off together without needing to bring up a reason for it. That's allowed, it's ok to let the reader's come to their own conclusions sometimes.
Also this sentence "The dining table was in front of a window that looked out on the back of the property. It looked as if it was ready to be planted with something." I had to read this sentence 5+ times to understand that you meant the property looked ready to be planted with something. I did read this to other people and ask for them to tell me what they thought looked ready to be planted and every single person looked at me, extremely confused, and said, "the.. table?" The subject of the first sentence is the table, not the property and this makes this quote extremely confusing and jarring to read.
I need there to be more blending of the characters' traits. Whenever Gray is described, only one trait is at a time is mentioned. I wish I had better words for this, but I feels like the characters are extremely two dimensional.
Annie and Gray -say- they're like sisters to each other, but they don't show it. We are just being told that they're like sisters and are expected to just believe it without them actually acting like it. The diet that Camille puts Gray on is abusive and would have been a great opportunity to have a conversation on the dangers of weight expectations in the industry, but the author just glossed over it entirely. The diet seemed extremely pointless and included for no reason, considering both characters just kinda don't stick to it. Annie continuously thinks about making Gray stick to it, but doesn't follow through and doesn't even have the decency to have real conflicting feelings over it.
There's zero rage for her "sister" being put on this horrendous "diet"!!! how?? If anyone did this to someone I loved, I'd be beside myself with anger! Gray has no internal conflict either. She breaks her "diet" without a second thought, when you would think this character would have some kind of conflict over disappointing her mom. She resents her mom enough, but there's nothing real happening on the inside.
Now, some of these scenes gave us erroneous details and it started to feel like the author was just trying to meet a word count or something. Frustratingly, I had to read a list of items in Annie's purse, but when the car got towed, I wasn't told at all what they did to fix it -this- time. They specific sentence was " I ordered her to stay put and got into the fixed SUV." You told me every item in her purse but glossed over entirely how the car was fixed? Was it a permanent fix this time? Or another temp one? Did the mechanic even say anything to Annie?
Annie is Camille and Bryan's tool to keep Gray from being allowed to have any autonomy. "make sure she (an adult) can't date this guy she's interested in" I let the people who I think of as sisters have autonomy over their lives, idk why Annie doesn't think Gray needs to be allowed that or why she doesn't at all try to support her. Simply not telling Bryan and Camille about her dating Cooper, is not supporting her dating him, and not supporting her autonomy.
Another weird moment was having to read that Jed brought his truck over to Annie's place because it was too far a distance to walk with the supplies. I can ascertain myself from context clues that he wouldn't want to carry all his supplies the whole way there, not to mention the fact that he was just dropping stuff off and then running errands anyway? At this point, I was really feeling like reading this had become a chore. I'm not getting story and substance, I am mundane, unimportant details that aren't giving anything to the story.
And then why does Jed suggest putting a sink outside the "Powder Room"??? We were told Annie calls the restroom a powder room because it sounds better to her, and this suggests that there isn't a sink -inside- the restroom??????
I entirely forgot this was meant to be a mystery, and by the time we finally get on to that at all were about 75% of the way through the book, and Annie is still not interested in it herself.
Matt. Matt matt matt matt maaaaaatt. Really took his daughter to Annie's store. and then said he wanted the day to be him and his daughter???? Sir, you don't take your daughter to see the woman you're trying to date(???) Not that it looks like he and Annie are flirting anywhere at all. I am once again being told that that's happening, but not shown. During this scene, Annie offends Bethany, but the author doesn't tell me how Bethany reacted to what Annie said, that's some detail I would have been interested. Again, rather than the contents of Annie's purse. And then Matt makes himself even less likeable by saying "no body appreciates the nice guys." I instantly did not want anything to do with him. My eyes rolled so hard they nearly fell out of their sockets. And there are plenty of ways to say that there are people who like nice guys without flirting, Annie.
So Annie then decides she is going to pick between Bryan and Camille or Gray, and she chooses Gray! I was so excited but there was still a lack of any actual internal debate or struggle and then we find out she didn't *actually* choose Gray, she just chose to put off restricting Gray's life choices until later.
-When- did Gray and Hannah become such besties?!?!?! I have so many details that I desperately don't need and no character or relationship building happening and it's driving me insane! Annie, at some point, activated the card service?
I have even more thoughts, but I feel like this review has gone on long enough to show that I gave this book the most honest shot I could. I'm still going to force myself through these last few pages but the final 10% of the book is not going to change all of these thoughts I've had.
Also the Jack isn't doing any more magic cat stuff and that bothers me. :( (I decided to push through the rest of the book real quick before posting this, and Jack could do a hell of a lot more damage than just swishing his tail in front of the attackers face. I would suggest adding some more there, look into cat attacks, because they are brutal and terrifying. No one would be able to do what the attacker tried to do, if a cat was legit attacking them. They'd be thrashing and panicking a lot more. It would still have the same effect but be a bit more realistic. The way it's written is very bland and short and I was so pulled in to it that when it ended I was disappointed it wasn't described in more detail, this is a great part to draw out a bit and create more suspense!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
Summary: Annie Sara Hart lives in California and works hard to keep her celebrity boss (and her father, a talent agent) happy. When a relative leaves her a property in his will, she is very curious to see what she owns. When Annie arrives in the quaint town of Franklin, Indiana, she discovers that she owns a former heritage schoolhouse turned yarn shop. She is charmed and decides to work on it to make it saleable. In the interim, she finds joy in smalltown life, friendship, and a swirl of intrigue around the former owner of the yarn shop, who was mysteriously murdered there.
Thoughts: This novel has the makings of a charming cozy mystery series. Annie Sara is a likeable amateur detective who finds herself surprised to enjoy small-town life and owning her own business. At first I didn’t know if I would like the addition of Gray, Camille’s daughter, to the storyline but they make a fun duo, with sister vibes. There is a hint of potential romance in there as well, quite sweet with Gray and Officer Cooper. However any potential romance between Annie and Matt needs a little more warmth to make it believable. And of course Jack the problem-solving cat is a crowd-pleaser. I found the ending a little abrupt and off-putting, but otherwise this is a novel that will please cozy mystery fans.
Thoughts: This novel has the makings of a charming cozy mystery series. Annie Sara is a likeable amateur detective who finds herself surprised to enjoy small-town life and owning her own business. At first I didn’t know if I would like the addition of Gray, Camille’s daughter, to the storyline but they make a fun duo, with sister vibes. There is a hint of potential romance in there as well, quite sweet with Gray and Officer Cooper. However any potential romance between Annie and Matt needs a little more warmth to make it believable. And of course Jack the problem-solving cat is a crowd-pleaser. I found the ending a little abrupt and off-putting, but otherwise this is a novel that will please cozy mystery fans.
January 1, 2025
Death Among the Stitches is the first book in the Crochet and Crumpets Mystery series, a new cozy mystery book series from Betty Hechtman, author of the Crochet Mystery series and the Yarn Retreat Mystery series.
The crocheting sleuth is Annie Sara Hart. Annie is the daughter of a talent agent and the new owner of an inherited yarn shop in small town Indiana. Annie travels to Indiana to see the shop and stumbles straight into a mystery.
Annie has a celebrity offspring sidekick (Gray) who comes to Indiana and has some life changing experiences. Annie is also assisted by the yarn shop's mysterious resident cat (Jack) and a few other locals who are knitting and/or crocheting enthusiasts.
I liked the characters in this story, the crocheting hook, and the setting. The writing was good, and the cover is super cute.
I am interested in continuing on with this series to see where it goes. I especially liked Gray and will enjoy watching her character develop.
Thanks to Net Galley and Severn House for the ARC.
The crocheting sleuth is Annie Sara Hart. Annie is the daughter of a talent agent and the new owner of an inherited yarn shop in small town Indiana. Annie travels to Indiana to see the shop and stumbles straight into a mystery.
Annie has a celebrity offspring sidekick (Gray) who comes to Indiana and has some life changing experiences. Annie is also assisted by the yarn shop's mysterious resident cat (Jack) and a few other locals who are knitting and/or crocheting enthusiasts.
I liked the characters in this story, the crocheting hook, and the setting. The writing was good, and the cover is super cute.
I am interested in continuing on with this series to see where it goes. I especially liked Gray and will enjoy watching her character develop.
Thanks to Net Galley and Severn House for the ARC.
December 26, 2024
In this easy-to-read cozy mystery, the main character, Annie, inherits a yarn store from her uncle in Franklin, a lovely small town in Indiana. She decides to check it out before selling it. She finds out that Eleanor, the former owner was murdered. She slowly discovers throughout the book, with the help of some locals, what happened to Eleanor.
The ending is a little predictable, if you have read a lot of these types of books, but still very enjoyable.
Most of the characters are a little quirky and very loveable and I have a particular soft spot for Jack the very smart (maybe even magical) cat.
This is my personal and honest review. The book is set to be published on Jan 07, 2025.
Thank you NetGalley, Severn House and Betty Hechtman for this digital ARC.
The ending is a little predictable, if you have read a lot of these types of books, but still very enjoyable.
Most of the characters are a little quirky and very loveable and I have a particular soft spot for Jack the very smart (maybe even magical) cat.
This is my personal and honest review. The book is set to be published on Jan 07, 2025.
Thank you NetGalley, Severn House and Betty Hechtman for this digital ARC.
February 18, 2025
Cute, cozy mystery…I must admit I hadn’t figured it out🤷♀️😆 I loved that it included knitting, crochet, reading, tea, a cat that has more abilities than it should, and a mystery that made you ponder.
March 25, 2025
3.5 stars. I enjoyed it as a cozy romance. Unfortunately, I didn’t remember who the villain was when they were revealed. I can’t remember how that character fit into the story and don’t care enough to go back and figure out when they were mentioned before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2025
Absolutely loved this book. I even cried “no!” when I got to the “before you go…” page. Another very well done book by Betty Hechtman !
December 4, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Betty Hechtman for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death Among the Stitches coming out January 7, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Annie Hart, daughter of Bryan Hart – talent agent to the stars – spends her life getting roped into whatever new task her father needs her to do for his VIP clients. So when she inherits a yarn shop in the small Indiana town of Franklin, she is curious to see what it feels like to have something that is solely hers!
But when her arrival is greeted by the local law enforcement, Annie senses things are not quite as they seem in this idyllic town . . . everyone knows everybody in Franklin yet when it comes to the death of the shop's previous owner, nobody seems sure of anything! Annie soon discovers that Eleanor Danton was in fact murdered, strangled with her own yarn . . . invigorated by her need to find out the truth, and feeling somehow at home with the friendly bunch of local yarn artists who frequent the shop, she sets out to finding the killer. Much can be achieved over a cuppa and a yarn . . .
I really enjoy this author! I was excited for this sewing cozy mystery. I thought Annie was a fun character. It’s always nice when the main character gets to live their dreams. I loved the small town vibes. It did feel like a lot of the story was being set up for future books. I’d definitely like to read more books in the future and hopefully they go further in depth with the amateur sleuthing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy sewing mysteries!
Annie Hart, daughter of Bryan Hart – talent agent to the stars – spends her life getting roped into whatever new task her father needs her to do for his VIP clients. So when she inherits a yarn shop in the small Indiana town of Franklin, she is curious to see what it feels like to have something that is solely hers!
But when her arrival is greeted by the local law enforcement, Annie senses things are not quite as they seem in this idyllic town . . . everyone knows everybody in Franklin yet when it comes to the death of the shop's previous owner, nobody seems sure of anything! Annie soon discovers that Eleanor Danton was in fact murdered, strangled with her own yarn . . . invigorated by her need to find out the truth, and feeling somehow at home with the friendly bunch of local yarn artists who frequent the shop, she sets out to finding the killer. Much can be achieved over a cuppa and a yarn . . .
I really enjoy this author! I was excited for this sewing cozy mystery. I thought Annie was a fun character. It’s always nice when the main character gets to live their dreams. I loved the small town vibes. It did feel like a lot of the story was being set up for future books. I’d definitely like to read more books in the future and hopefully they go further in depth with the amateur sleuthing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy sewing mysteries!
January 19, 2025
The advice of “show, don’t tell” has never felt more important 🫣 There was no showing in this entire story. Nothing to visualise. No rhythm to get lost in, no music to the writing. It didn’t take long for me to realise that pretty much every sentence was “I did [x]. Then [x] happened. I thought [x]. I told [X] what I thought. [X] said [x] in response.” Boring in and of itself but there was so much repetition that the story felt m u c h longer than it was, if this hadn’t been an ARC I would’ve just DNF’d. Weird direction, too many characters with no development, bizarre encouraged-disordered-eating subplot, hints at a slightly magical cat that’s never properly addressed in a world that is otherwise not magical at all????? Basically 94% filler followed by an extremely abrupt ending. The final line could’ve been lifted directly from a 9 year old’s creative writing assignment. Definitely not the cozy mystery I’d expected, if you’re looking for a crochet-themed Murder She Wrote situation I’d advise looking elsewhere.
December 3, 2024
I love the yarn/crafty theme! The book is slow-paced— not much happens—but it makes for a quick read. I found myself moving through it quickly, but this was really the only upside.
Unfortunately, I don’t think I like the main character. She feels flat, lacking depth and growth. She also doesn’t seem interested in the main plot—Eleanor’s death—until about 70% of the way through the book. For someone who is supposedly “invigorated by her need to find out the truth,” she sure doesn’t seem to care much. This made her character feel weird and boring.
I also didn’t like the storyline around Gray and her relationship with food. It feels extremely unhealthy and seems to be promoting an eating disorder, all while disguising it as a “diet.”
Overall, the book felt bogged down with mundane, day-to-day details and offered very little investigation or new information about Eleanor’s death. It became repetitive, with the same backstory about the Airbnb party and the constant “that’s for the next owner,” which made it feel tedious. The “reveal,” if you can even call it that, was both predictable and anticlimactic. I was hoping for something more engaging, something closer to an actual mystery, but ultimately I was disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC!
Unfortunately, I don’t think I like the main character. She feels flat, lacking depth and growth. She also doesn’t seem interested in the main plot—Eleanor’s death—until about 70% of the way through the book. For someone who is supposedly “invigorated by her need to find out the truth,” she sure doesn’t seem to care much. This made her character feel weird and boring.
I also didn’t like the storyline around Gray and her relationship with food. It feels extremely unhealthy and seems to be promoting an eating disorder, all while disguising it as a “diet.”
Overall, the book felt bogged down with mundane, day-to-day details and offered very little investigation or new information about Eleanor’s death. It became repetitive, with the same backstory about the Airbnb party and the constant “that’s for the next owner,” which made it feel tedious. The “reveal,” if you can even call it that, was both predictable and anticlimactic. I was hoping for something more engaging, something closer to an actual mystery, but ultimately I was disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC!
November 23, 2024
This book was so good! The Characters are well defined and likeable. Loved the main Character Annie Hart. The story was well written and the mystery intriguing. When the book ended I so wanted the story to continue. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the pleasure of reading this wonderful book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the pleasure of reading this wonderful book.
November 17, 2024
Annie Sara Hart's background may be touched by Hollywood glamour from her father's job as an agent to the stars, but Annie isn't loving it. She works as an assistant of sorts to her father, which largely means keeping Gray's superstar mother happy. When we first meet Gray, it's pretty clear why Annie may not be loving her job. Gray is both demanding and spoiled, used to the best in life, expecting others to be impressed when they find out who her mother is. So, how they heck does Gray wind up in a small town, sleeping in a small cottage and, gasp, actually working to help out? It seems Annie needed a quick influx of cash and Gray's mother needed someone to monitor Gray's diet. Seems her mother expects Gray to fit into basically a size zero pair of jeans to be acceptable in public as her daughter. Yikes. And this is only a small part of the story.
I won't detail the plot as the blurb for this first book in a new series does an excellent job. What I will share is that the characters, and there are quite a few, come across as likable and real people with real lives, not just cut-out characters. Some are quirky, such as mega-perfectionist Patty and Toby, Jenny's seemingly autistic son who does much of the superb baking at the bake shop. Then there's Liv, who appears to be a major character. She's married to a mystery writer Bill and adores having folks over to eat. Then there's Matt Austin, owner/publisher of the local paper, who appears to be a potential romantic interest. Officer Cooper Smith, a former military guy who still seems rigid at times, is one we'll meet early on, too. And, oh, my, I can't forget Jack, the cat, who seems to have some talents that aren't quite explainable yet. I actually found it relatively easy to differentiate characters as the book went along although I did make a list early on and was glad to have it handy at first. This small town seemed to all come out to meet Annie and Gray. My hunch is that, like me, you'll start off rolling your eyes at Gray but wind up liking her by the end. There are definitely layers there, not to mention a sidestory for the future on expectations imposed on the children of stars, such as being stick-thin, in Gray's case. Watching both Annie and Gray slowly, almost apologetically breaking away from their rather controlling parents was fun.
As for the mystery, it appears a former owner of Classy Yarn, the shop Annie inherits from her late uncle, died a rather mysterious death. Not sharing, especially since it takes Annie awhile to get all the details. As it turns out, she wasn't an easy person to like. Prickly and strict on the rules she set for the knitting group who used the shop. Jack was her cat, however, and seems happy to be back in his known home with Annie thanks to Liv's efforts. There's lots of growth and definitely lots of fun and friendship. Thanks #SevernHouse for this early introduction to Annie, Gray, and the rest. Anyone who enjoys character driven books where the characters are likable and have room to grow in future books, should give this one a read. Heck, you don't even need to knit or crochet. The schoolhouse now Classy Yarn shop sounds delightful and can't wait to explore the town more. But, oh, that ending!
I won't detail the plot as the blurb for this first book in a new series does an excellent job. What I will share is that the characters, and there are quite a few, come across as likable and real people with real lives, not just cut-out characters. Some are quirky, such as mega-perfectionist Patty and Toby, Jenny's seemingly autistic son who does much of the superb baking at the bake shop. Then there's Liv, who appears to be a major character. She's married to a mystery writer Bill and adores having folks over to eat. Then there's Matt Austin, owner/publisher of the local paper, who appears to be a potential romantic interest. Officer Cooper Smith, a former military guy who still seems rigid at times, is one we'll meet early on, too. And, oh, my, I can't forget Jack, the cat, who seems to have some talents that aren't quite explainable yet. I actually found it relatively easy to differentiate characters as the book went along although I did make a list early on and was glad to have it handy at first. This small town seemed to all come out to meet Annie and Gray. My hunch is that, like me, you'll start off rolling your eyes at Gray but wind up liking her by the end. There are definitely layers there, not to mention a sidestory for the future on expectations imposed on the children of stars, such as being stick-thin, in Gray's case. Watching both Annie and Gray slowly, almost apologetically breaking away from their rather controlling parents was fun.
As for the mystery, it appears a former owner of Classy Yarn, the shop Annie inherits from her late uncle, died a rather mysterious death. Not sharing, especially since it takes Annie awhile to get all the details. As it turns out, she wasn't an easy person to like. Prickly and strict on the rules she set for the knitting group who used the shop. Jack was her cat, however, and seems happy to be back in his known home with Annie thanks to Liv's efforts. There's lots of growth and definitely lots of fun and friendship. Thanks #SevernHouse for this early introduction to Annie, Gray, and the rest. Anyone who enjoys character driven books where the characters are likable and have room to grow in future books, should give this one a read. Heck, you don't even need to knit or crochet. The schoolhouse now Classy Yarn shop sounds delightful and can't wait to explore the town more. But, oh, that ending!
December 9, 2024
Annie Sara has inherited a yarn shop in Franklin, Indiana, and for the first time in her life she has something that is all her own. After a lifetime of doing someone else's bidding - her father's, the famous Camille's, or Camille's daughter's - Annie is going to be doing her own thing, making her own decisions. She'll make a quick trip to Franklin, clean up the old schoolhouse a bit, and then sell it and go home. Or will she?
I've read other books by Betty Hechtman but the reason I picked up this one is because it takes place in Franklin, Indiana, a picturesque town south of Indianapolis... except it doesn't. It takes place in the fictional town of Franklin, Indiana, near Lake Michigan. OK... well I love the small-town setting, and the area (in real life) is an amazing one with the sand dunes and the tempestuous climate.
There are some lovely characters, like Toby, the baker who literally could not be more charming; Liv, who is a bit of a hippy, nature-loving and artsy; and Dorothy, who's kind of a basket case you can't help but want to befriend. Annie Sara is a good main character, she's accepting and takes care of people, including the massively dependent Gray (famous Camille's useless daughter) who is initially incredibly annoying but kind of comes into herself alongside Annie Sara.
Throughout there were subtle digs, like the handyman Jed who won't write up a contract for his work because his word is good (and he probably can't read). The only people who didn't feel like they came fresh out of a brainwashing commune were the transplants from Chicago. It felt too much like another Californian looking down their nose at us ignorant, illiterate bumpkin Hoosiers and I found myself pretty offended several times.
One other thing I noticed about the book is that there wasn't really a mystery. There was a mysterious death, but the main character had only a vaguely passing interest in it and did no investigation. There was no gathering of suspects, no looking deeply into the circumstances of the death. No woolgathering (pun intended) with other characters. We do have a resolution in the end, and we find that clues were dropped throughout, but it felt a bit transparent and anti-climactic.
Yet somehow, despite these things, I actually enjoyed this book quite a lot. In fact, I would say this is my favorite book of Hechtman's of the half dozen or so I've read from both her other series. While I certainly do hope that Hechtman forms a better impression of Indiana between now and book two in this series, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the schoolhouse and all its many visitors and I will definitely read book two.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
I've read other books by Betty Hechtman but the reason I picked up this one is because it takes place in Franklin, Indiana, a picturesque town south of Indianapolis... except it doesn't. It takes place in the fictional town of Franklin, Indiana, near Lake Michigan. OK... well I love the small-town setting, and the area (in real life) is an amazing one with the sand dunes and the tempestuous climate.
There are some lovely characters, like Toby, the baker who literally could not be more charming; Liv, who is a bit of a hippy, nature-loving and artsy; and Dorothy, who's kind of a basket case you can't help but want to befriend. Annie Sara is a good main character, she's accepting and takes care of people, including the massively dependent Gray (famous Camille's useless daughter) who is initially incredibly annoying but kind of comes into herself alongside Annie Sara.
Throughout there were subtle digs, like the handyman Jed who won't write up a contract for his work because his word is good (and he probably can't read). The only people who didn't feel like they came fresh out of a brainwashing commune were the transplants from Chicago. It felt too much like another Californian looking down their nose at us ignorant, illiterate bumpkin Hoosiers and I found myself pretty offended several times.
One other thing I noticed about the book is that there wasn't really a mystery. There was a mysterious death, but the main character had only a vaguely passing interest in it and did no investigation. There was no gathering of suspects, no looking deeply into the circumstances of the death. No woolgathering (pun intended) with other characters. We do have a resolution in the end, and we find that clues were dropped throughout, but it felt a bit transparent and anti-climactic.
Yet somehow, despite these things, I actually enjoyed this book quite a lot. In fact, I would say this is my favorite book of Hechtman's of the half dozen or so I've read from both her other series. While I certainly do hope that Hechtman forms a better impression of Indiana between now and book two in this series, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the schoolhouse and all its many visitors and I will definitely read book two.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
November 20, 2024
This is a delightful first book in a new cozy series featuring Annie Sara Hart and her friends old and new, human and feline. When we meet Annie Sara, she is preparing to take a trip away from her home in a studio apartment in her father's LA home and her job in an upscale shop ostensibly run by her friend, Gray. Annie's mother died when she was 10 and has spent the time since then doing what others wanted her to do. Her father is a Hollywood talent agent who gets a leg up by 'going above and beyond,' which usually means Annie has to take care of various issues as they arise. Gray is the daughter of two famous actors who Annie's dad represents and Annie has been her companion and problem solver since she was 14. Gray has never had a chance to live her own life either, since her parents expect much of her, especially since she's been spoiled in some ways. Annie is also a crocheter, who sells her amigurumi in Gray's upscale shop. When she learns that her recently deceased uncle has left her a yarn shop he bought in very rural Indiana, she is puzzled about why and plans to sell it. But before she does, she wants to go to see it and to experience what it's like to be in her own space--one that she owns. In spite of the pushback she gets from her father, Gray, and Gray's mother, she is determined to go. Once she gets there, things get a bit strange as she learns that the reason her uncle was able to buy the shop was because the previous owner had been killed. The crime was attributed to people on holiday and was never solved, although gossip runs rampant in the small town. As Annie gets her bearings, she meets people in the town and learns more about the building and the people and sets about preparing to put her place up for sale.
I really enjoyed this book. I mean, a yarn shop with a bookstore and a new tea shop, complete with resident cat? Count me in! In the town there's a bakery I would love to sit and have a cup of coffee in. One or two of the characters could be considered a bit quirky, but mostly they were women who seemed like they'd be fun to sit and crochet with for a while. To be honest, the mystery was a bit peripheral and I wouldn't call Annie a detective, but that didn't matter to me at all. I was immersed in the setting, the mentions of what people were crocheting and knitting, and the treats made by Toby, a baker with Down syndrome. I was also cheering both Annie and Gray on as they learned new things about themselves and stepped out of the world their parents were trying so desperately to keep them in. It was just a very pleasant book and I will definitely read on in the series.
I really enjoyed this book. I mean, a yarn shop with a bookstore and a new tea shop, complete with resident cat? Count me in! In the town there's a bakery I would love to sit and have a cup of coffee in. One or two of the characters could be considered a bit quirky, but mostly they were women who seemed like they'd be fun to sit and crochet with for a while. To be honest, the mystery was a bit peripheral and I wouldn't call Annie a detective, but that didn't matter to me at all. I was immersed in the setting, the mentions of what people were crocheting and knitting, and the treats made by Toby, a baker with Down syndrome. I was also cheering both Annie and Gray on as they learned new things about themselves and stepped out of the world their parents were trying so desperately to keep them in. It was just a very pleasant book and I will definitely read on in the series.
March 20, 2025
I love the cover. It’s not typical cozy, and yet it has some cozy elements in it.
I didn’t like the protagonist much. She has a business relationship with her father, which is the reason she refers to him by his first name. To me, that suggested a familiarity that the two of them don’t have. Her father is an agent to a few Hollywood stars and roped his daughter in as an assistant from an early age. As a result, Annie is a doormatt to Camille and Gray. Later someone mentions that Gray is like her little sister and while Annie turns to that idea, she doesn’t start to behave like a big sister, i.e. she doesn’t stand up to “her sister’s” bully (Camille), but rather keeps worrying about getting blamed by Camille when Gray doesn’t lose enough weight or dates the local cop.
There’s not much sleuthing. Annie suspects a few people, but her snooping consists of tapping into small town gossip. She’s more concerned with cleaning up the yarn room and setting up a tea room. A yarn shop/tea room, now there’s an idea that will only work in fiction. (Never mind that the previous owner apparently had a large empty space in her business.) The same with everyone being a tourist would fall in love with the place and buy it. Tourists generally already have lives and generally stick to just dreaming about buying property and opening a business in their favourite holiday destination.
The murder mystery is not much interesting. The victim died a year previously. The killer is obvious from the first time they visit the yarn shop.
The mystery fails to get exciting. Then someone confesses the murder, but in such an anti-climactic way, you know for sure it’s a set-up and someone else is responsible. Then it just seems silly Annie tries to convince us the killer has been found. Most peculiar, why is everyone in town buying into this confession now? Why aren’t there people doubting this person would ever confess to any crime?
The protagonist of course has a confrontation with the killer, but why did this murder even happen?
Don’t like the reason Annie decides to stay. It would have been nice to see that she had finally grown a bit of a spine and chose her own happiness, but that’s not her reason.
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
I didn’t like the protagonist much. She has a business relationship with her father, which is the reason she refers to him by his first name. To me, that suggested a familiarity that the two of them don’t have. Her father is an agent to a few Hollywood stars and roped his daughter in as an assistant from an early age. As a result, Annie is a doormatt to Camille and Gray. Later someone mentions that Gray is like her little sister and while Annie turns to that idea, she doesn’t start to behave like a big sister, i.e. she doesn’t stand up to “her sister’s” bully (Camille), but rather keeps worrying about getting blamed by Camille when Gray doesn’t lose enough weight or dates the local cop.
There’s not much sleuthing. Annie suspects a few people, but her snooping consists of tapping into small town gossip. She’s more concerned with cleaning up the yarn room and setting up a tea room. A yarn shop/tea room, now there’s an idea that will only work in fiction. (Never mind that the previous owner apparently had a large empty space in her business.) The same with everyone being a tourist would fall in love with the place and buy it. Tourists generally already have lives and generally stick to just dreaming about buying property and opening a business in their favourite holiday destination.
The murder mystery is not much interesting. The victim died a year previously. The killer is obvious from the first time they visit the yarn shop.
The mystery fails to get exciting. Then someone confesses the murder, but in such an anti-climactic way, you know for sure it’s a set-up and someone else is responsible. Then it just seems silly Annie tries to convince us the killer has been found. Most peculiar, why is everyone in town buying into this confession now? Why aren’t there people doubting this person would ever confess to any crime?
The protagonist of course has a confrontation with the killer, but why did this murder even happen?
Don’t like the reason Annie decides to stay. It would have been nice to see that she had finally grown a bit of a spine and chose her own happiness, but that’s not her reason.
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
July 22, 2025
This book was ridiculous and I will not be reading the next in the series. There was so much repetition and not much happened.
The obsession with the Hoosier cabinet was bizarre. It's mentioned 13 times in the book, mostly about its placement in the kitchen. How many times do we need to be told this cabinet is a good fit for the kitchen? The MC also tells multiple people about the Hoosier cabinet, either in conversation or while giving a tour of the house. Serious nonsense.
What's also nonsense is the notion that a baker is going to completely start a cake over from scratch if they make a mistake in the icing. This would not happen ever. Seriously, why would you make a new cake just because you made a mistake on the outside. If it's that bad, just scrape the frosting off and start that over. There's zero reason to make a whole new cake. If the mistake is in the decorative icing, you can either remove the icing and spread out the frosting and repeat whatever decoration you were doing with the icing or you can for example add an extra leaf to cover a mistake if making flowers or whatever. Somehow it's always fixable. It's especially ludicrous that a baker would start over completely with a second cake because what if they made a mistake on that one? Would they make a third? And a fourth and a fifth? All profits would be out the window. I can't imagine where the author got this idea that a baker would do this because it is just plain stupid.
The ending is also stupid and is the reason I'm not going to read the second book if there even is one. The MC spends this entire book saying how she is just fixing up the yarn/tea shop to sell. She insists that the buyer must promise to keep this store the way she intends. She sells the store to someone, but then finds out they do intend to change it and she cancels the sale. Then she says she'll have to keep looking for a buyer and the book ends. So that tells me the second book is going to be filled with more repetition about the MC wanting to sell the store and looking for a buyer instead of the obvious which is to keep something for yourself and not go back to being a fucking doormat to your dad and that bitch actress whatever her name is.
There's probably more about this book that I hated but I read this book all the way back in April and it's July now. I just couldn't get around to reviewing this piece of nonsense before now.
The obsession with the Hoosier cabinet was bizarre. It's mentioned 13 times in the book, mostly about its placement in the kitchen. How many times do we need to be told this cabinet is a good fit for the kitchen? The MC also tells multiple people about the Hoosier cabinet, either in conversation or while giving a tour of the house. Serious nonsense.
What's also nonsense is the notion that a baker is going to completely start a cake over from scratch if they make a mistake in the icing. This would not happen ever. Seriously, why would you make a new cake just because you made a mistake on the outside. If it's that bad, just scrape the frosting off and start that over. There's zero reason to make a whole new cake. If the mistake is in the decorative icing, you can either remove the icing and spread out the frosting and repeat whatever decoration you were doing with the icing or you can for example add an extra leaf to cover a mistake if making flowers or whatever. Somehow it's always fixable. It's especially ludicrous that a baker would start over completely with a second cake because what if they made a mistake on that one? Would they make a third? And a fourth and a fifth? All profits would be out the window. I can't imagine where the author got this idea that a baker would do this because it is just plain stupid.
The ending is also stupid and is the reason I'm not going to read the second book if there even is one. The MC spends this entire book saying how she is just fixing up the yarn/tea shop to sell. She insists that the buyer must promise to keep this store the way she intends. She sells the store to someone, but then finds out they do intend to change it and she cancels the sale. Then she says she'll have to keep looking for a buyer and the book ends. So that tells me the second book is going to be filled with more repetition about the MC wanting to sell the store and looking for a buyer instead of the obvious which is to keep something for yourself and not go back to being a fucking doormat to your dad and that bitch actress whatever her name is.
There's probably more about this book that I hated but I read this book all the way back in April and it's July now. I just couldn't get around to reviewing this piece of nonsense before now.
January 19, 2025
An enjoyable read, with the potential to become the first book in a great modern day America cosy crime series.
I really enjoyed reading this. Yes, I am a textile junkie and yarn lover. Lace knitting is my jam. So perhaps my review is biased... but small town country setting, a yarn store in an historic building, friendly town folk, a relatable main character and "sibling" with the extra helping of a murder mystery - yes please!
The following may sound harsh, but it is meant with the best intention of constructive criticism. Please know I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but...!
It had an okay balance of all of that... though I have to say I found the whodunit clues rather obvious, while the characters were portrayed as overly clueLESS to them. That got rather frustrating as you could tell the reader was having it spelt out for them, while the characters seemed to miss them entirely. And that abrupt ending? Ick. Surely the author could have polished it off a little nicer?
I loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the under current of mystery. I just found it so blatantly obvious. I'd also have liked a little more detail to the every day things. We got the summed up description of the reno, and crafting rather than that “inviting us in to be there doing it too” description other cosy crimes include.
Again, I apologise for sounding so harsh. I guess my inner copy writer saw potential for a smoother read.
From the book nerd side of things, yes it has its usual typos and repetitive text. But it was an ARC I read, so expected. I also found the formatting for Kindle very heavy. Just chunky pages full of text, giving the appearance of heavy reading for what was actually a lovely, light read.
But, despite all my niggling, I DID enjoy it, truly do hope it is the first in a great series, as I would read them!
Definitely one I'd recommend, but with the above feedback.
I really enjoyed reading this. Yes, I am a textile junkie and yarn lover. Lace knitting is my jam. So perhaps my review is biased... but small town country setting, a yarn store in an historic building, friendly town folk, a relatable main character and "sibling" with the extra helping of a murder mystery - yes please!
The following may sound harsh, but it is meant with the best intention of constructive criticism. Please know I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but...!
It had an okay balance of all of that... though I have to say I found the whodunit clues rather obvious, while the characters were portrayed as overly clueLESS to them. That got rather frustrating as you could tell the reader was having it spelt out for them, while the characters seemed to miss them entirely. And that abrupt ending? Ick. Surely the author could have polished it off a little nicer?
I loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the under current of mystery. I just found it so blatantly obvious. I'd also have liked a little more detail to the every day things. We got the summed up description of the reno, and crafting rather than that “inviting us in to be there doing it too” description other cosy crimes include.
Again, I apologise for sounding so harsh. I guess my inner copy writer saw potential for a smoother read.
From the book nerd side of things, yes it has its usual typos and repetitive text. But it was an ARC I read, so expected. I also found the formatting for Kindle very heavy. Just chunky pages full of text, giving the appearance of heavy reading for what was actually a lovely, light read.
But, despite all my niggling, I DID enjoy it, truly do hope it is the first in a great series, as I would read them!
Definitely one I'd recommend, but with the above feedback.
December 11, 2024
Death Among the Stitches I think is a good first book in a series. I love the small-town setting, and I loved that she just wanted something for herself, especially with all she does for her father, and being a kind of caretaker for this a-listers daughter.
When Annie arrived to find her new little yarn shop I was smitten with it right away, it's such a cute little shop, along with Jack the cat who seems to know where to find whatever you're looking for. I thought the mystery of who killed Eleanor took a back seat to learning about the town, and Annie making friends, we didn't get too much of it up until almost the end when the killer was revealed. But I didn't mind that so much because I really liked learning about the town and its citizens and having Annie become more confident surrounded by people who have become her friends.
The only part I had a bit of an issue with was her relationship with her father, his client, and the client's daughter Gray. I kept waiting for her to stand up for herself when dealing with them, instead, she takes money from the client to fix up her shop and ends up babysitting Gray the client's grown-ass daughter, whom up until this point she has said repeatedly that she resents having had to do since she was thirteen. I did end up liking Gray a bit more as the story progressed, But I didn't feel she was necessary to the plot of the story. I am hoping in the next book Annie will be able to stand up for herself and let those people taking advantage of her know how she feels.
As a whole I liked most of the characters, I loved the town and the yarn shop, and I have high hopes for what's going to happen with the upcoming books for this series.
When Annie arrived to find her new little yarn shop I was smitten with it right away, it's such a cute little shop, along with Jack the cat who seems to know where to find whatever you're looking for. I thought the mystery of who killed Eleanor took a back seat to learning about the town, and Annie making friends, we didn't get too much of it up until almost the end when the killer was revealed. But I didn't mind that so much because I really liked learning about the town and its citizens and having Annie become more confident surrounded by people who have become her friends.
The only part I had a bit of an issue with was her relationship with her father, his client, and the client's daughter Gray. I kept waiting for her to stand up for herself when dealing with them, instead, she takes money from the client to fix up her shop and ends up babysitting Gray the client's grown-ass daughter, whom up until this point she has said repeatedly that she resents having had to do since she was thirteen. I did end up liking Gray a bit more as the story progressed, But I didn't feel she was necessary to the plot of the story. I am hoping in the next book Annie will be able to stand up for herself and let those people taking advantage of her know how she feels.
As a whole I liked most of the characters, I loved the town and the yarn shop, and I have high hopes for what's going to happen with the upcoming books for this series.
January 4, 2025
Death Among the Stitches by Betty Hechtman is the debut of A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery series. I enjoy cozy mysteries that incorporate crafts, so I was looking forward to reading Death Among the Stitches. The story moved at an unhurried pace (I swear I saw snails zipping by me). I did not like the main character, Annie Sara. I wanted to tell her to grow a backbone and learn to say no. The author needed to flesh her out more. I wish the author had not included Gray in the book (this character was more developed than Annie Sara). The girl cannot please her mother who is a famous actress. I did not like the body shaming (there was so much of it). I did not enjoy the talk about the “diet,” getting Gray to fit into these ridiculously tiny jeans, and Annie Sara afraid to eat regular food in front of Gray. There is also Gray’s romance with Officer Smith. It is just plain silly (a police officer is, of course, no good enough for the daughter of Camille Constatine). The mystery was lackluster. The murder took place long before Annie Sara inherited the schoolhouse. Annie Sara makes a half-hearted attempt to learn what happened to the murdered woman. The clues drop at the end of the story before the anticlimactic reveal. Those who are avid cozy mystery readers will have no problem unraveling the puzzle. I enjoyed the snippets about knitting and crochet. I wish the story had focused more on the craft. My favorite part of the book was hearing about the Hoosier cabinet Annie Sara picked up for the kitchen at the schoolhouse (there was one in our kitchen when I was a child). I like that the history of the cabinet was included. Death Among the Stitches mostly dealt with Annie Sara’s day to day activities. There were repetitive details particularly about the summer people who rented homes and liked to party. I wish Death Among the Stitches had likeable characters, more depth, and an intriguing mystery. I felt that this story missed the mark.
October 18, 2024
That's was such a good enjoyable cozy little story. Yes, there was a murder mystery but it was low stakes for most of it, while still managing to keep me intrigued.
It was really sweet to see two girls make their own way, meet friends in a new place, and develop their bond outside of their parents.
The writing was really good and did a great job depicting the house. I've never fallen in love with a house I couldn't see before, and I was jealous of her inheriting the school house! There were some issues with rhythm due to fairly consistent sentence length, that made it a bit more difficult to stop and enjoying what I was reading.
--Minor Spoilers Below--
I would've liked a little bit more showing rather than telling, about them being sisters instead of a job, and a more thought out conclusion about what they were gonna do about their parents not wanting them to stay, considering they spent the whole lives listening to them, this seemed like a big aspect not to include. I get finally breaking free, but there was like zero thought, and it ended very abruptly. I actually checked a couple times to see if my version was missing some pages.
Maybe a page about how the parents are happy their girls finally found something of their own, and they apologize for being so overbearing. Or the girls cutting them off and going out on their own. Either would've gone a long way to making it feel like a more rounded conclusion. And a little hint at having a date set up with Matt wouldn't hurt either..
Thank-you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
It was really sweet to see two girls make their own way, meet friends in a new place, and develop their bond outside of their parents.
The writing was really good and did a great job depicting the house. I've never fallen in love with a house I couldn't see before, and I was jealous of her inheriting the school house! There were some issues with rhythm due to fairly consistent sentence length, that made it a bit more difficult to stop and enjoying what I was reading.
--Minor Spoilers Below--
I would've liked a little bit more showing rather than telling, about them being sisters instead of a job, and a more thought out conclusion about what they were gonna do about their parents not wanting them to stay, considering they spent the whole lives listening to them, this seemed like a big aspect not to include. I get finally breaking free, but there was like zero thought, and it ended very abruptly. I actually checked a couple times to see if my version was missing some pages.
Maybe a page about how the parents are happy their girls finally found something of their own, and they apologize for being so overbearing. Or the girls cutting them off and going out on their own. Either would've gone a long way to making it feel like a more rounded conclusion. And a little hint at having a date set up with Matt wouldn't hurt either..
Thank-you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
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