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Seaside Knitters Mystery #1
Death By Cashmere
This brand-new mystery series spins a yarn about knitters and murder in a quaint seaside village.
Not long after Isabel, Izzy, Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters.
Izzy raises some eyebrows when she rents the apartment above her shop to Angie Archer, whose reputation for loose behavior and a quick temper has made her unpopular with many locals. But could any of them have wanted her dead? Angie's body is discovered drowned in the harbor, her long red hair tangled like seaweed in a lobster trap.
An official investigation rules the death an accident. There are speculations of too many whiskey sours, a slippery wharf, a dark night? But Izzy and the Seaside Knitters smell something fishy. When several strange incidents occur above the shop, the women decide to take matters into their own hands. But before long, their small-town sense of security is frayed, and the threat of more violence hangs over this tightly knit community.
Not long after Isabel, Izzy, Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters.
Izzy raises some eyebrows when she rents the apartment above her shop to Angie Archer, whose reputation for loose behavior and a quick temper has made her unpopular with many locals. But could any of them have wanted her dead? Angie's body is discovered drowned in the harbor, her long red hair tangled like seaweed in a lobster trap.
An official investigation rules the death an accident. There are speculations of too many whiskey sours, a slippery wharf, a dark night? But Izzy and the Seaside Knitters smell something fishy. When several strange incidents occur above the shop, the women decide to take matters into their own hands. But before long, their small-town sense of security is frayed, and the threat of more violence hangs over this tightly knit community.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
401 people are currently reading
4710 people want to read
About the author
Sally Goldenbaum
38 books916 followersSally Goldenbaum is a philosophy teacher, knitter, editor, and the author of more than two-dozen novels.
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 564 reviews
December 3, 2024
This turns out to be a first in a series about knitters in a quaint seaside village who just happen upon murder.
This story starts out about Izzy Chambers, a former Boston lawyer who has fled the corporate world, to return home and open a knitting shop.
She rents the small apartment over her shop to Angie Archer, another local girl who has returned.
And... It appears, has a hidden agenda.
And then... There is a murder.
I was looking forward to a cozy mystery that took place in a yarn shop located in a Massachusetts coastal village. I was expecting to read descriptive passages about: the coastline, the ocean, the surrounding areas, the village, the residents of the village, the projects that were being knit, the puzzle that needed solving insofar as whodunit.
The author fulfilled all of those expectations.
But... The problem was that she did so in a way that did not draw me in to the story.
There is really nothing new in this book. The town is quaint, the inhabitants are quirky, and everyone spends a lot of time eating and drinking.
Note to author: perhaps this should have been a culinary mystery.
Unfortunately for me, I figured out who the murderer was (including the motive) before I reached the halfway point in the story.
And once again...I was left disappointed.
This story starts out about Izzy Chambers, a former Boston lawyer who has fled the corporate world, to return home and open a knitting shop.
She rents the small apartment over her shop to Angie Archer, another local girl who has returned.
And... It appears, has a hidden agenda.
And then... There is a murder.
I was looking forward to a cozy mystery that took place in a yarn shop located in a Massachusetts coastal village. I was expecting to read descriptive passages about: the coastline, the ocean, the surrounding areas, the village, the residents of the village, the projects that were being knit, the puzzle that needed solving insofar as whodunit.
The author fulfilled all of those expectations.
But... The problem was that she did so in a way that did not draw me in to the story.
There is really nothing new in this book. The town is quaint, the inhabitants are quirky, and everyone spends a lot of time eating and drinking.
Note to author: perhaps this should have been a culinary mystery.
Unfortunately for me, I figured out who the murderer was (including the motive) before I reached the halfway point in the story.
And once again...I was left disappointed.
November 4, 2009
Here are my main gripes with this 1st entry in a mystery series:
1. It is called “a seaside knitters mystery.” In truth, there are more food descriptions than yarn descriptions. Why not just “a seaside mystery?”
2. When I started reading this, I thought/hoped that Izzy, the knitting store’s proprietor, would be the sleuth. Alas! Her aunt, Nell, is the sleuth, and frankly, she’s not the most appealing character.
3. There are so many characters. After a while, it was tough to keep track of who’s who.
Very slow and unsatisfying, but a decent sense of place.
1. It is called “a seaside knitters mystery.” In truth, there are more food descriptions than yarn descriptions. Why not just “a seaside mystery?”
2. When I started reading this, I thought/hoped that Izzy, the knitting store’s proprietor, would be the sleuth. Alas! Her aunt, Nell, is the sleuth, and frankly, she’s not the most appealing character.
3. There are so many characters. After a while, it was tough to keep track of who’s who.
Very slow and unsatisfying, but a decent sense of place.
January 17, 2016
I got this book as a daily deal on Kindle. I liked the setting in Cape Ann Massachusetts but would have liked a little more local color. There was some including erstaz references to "Boston accents" (don't get me started on that topic as there are numerous variations on the accent all along the Massachusetts coast). I also am a knitter but often find knitting-themed books inadequately address knitting.
This book is 50 -100 pages too long. I used to read a lot of cozies and many were under 250 pages and nicely concise. After the murder at the beginning almost nothing happens for half the book. Few leads or clues as to who may be responsible. The last 40% of the book finally gives us more grist and starts going someplace.
As far as the knitting, the author includes a lot including the setting in a yarn store. But there are many clues that the author is fairly clueless about the craft/art. A clue is a knit cashmere sweater which is lent to the victim. First of all, cashmere yarn is so pricey, few knitters make entire garments of pure cashmere and would never lend out such a garment. Later a character describes the "weave" of the cashmere sweater. Knits are described as "fabric", never weaves. Plus she describes baskets full of cashmere yarn the cat plays in. Really! At around $50 a skein, yarn shops would never put cashmere in a basket. And wouldn't have cats in the shop or play in the yarn. Many people are allergic and getting cat hair on yarn to be sold is a huge no-no. I could go on about the knitting faux pas because they are many.
These books are all $11.99 on Kindle - the cost of a e-book version of a brand new release best selling hardcover. Save your money!
This book is 50 -100 pages too long. I used to read a lot of cozies and many were under 250 pages and nicely concise. After the murder at the beginning almost nothing happens for half the book. Few leads or clues as to who may be responsible. The last 40% of the book finally gives us more grist and starts going someplace.
As far as the knitting, the author includes a lot including the setting in a yarn store. But there are many clues that the author is fairly clueless about the craft/art. A clue is a knit cashmere sweater which is lent to the victim. First of all, cashmere yarn is so pricey, few knitters make entire garments of pure cashmere and would never lend out such a garment. Later a character describes the "weave" of the cashmere sweater. Knits are described as "fabric", never weaves. Plus she describes baskets full of cashmere yarn the cat plays in. Really! At around $50 a skein, yarn shops would never put cashmere in a basket. And wouldn't have cats in the shop or play in the yarn. Many people are allergic and getting cat hair on yarn to be sold is a huge no-no. I could go on about the knitting faux pas because they are many.
These books are all $11.99 on Kindle - the cost of a e-book version of a brand new release best selling hardcover. Save your money!
April 18, 2019
Death By Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum is the first book in the Seaside Knitters Mystery series. Izzy Chambers opens up a knitting and yarn shop in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts and a group of women come together for companionship and form the Seaside Knitters group.Angie Archer rents the apartment above the shop and is found drowned and murdered and the Seaside Knitters investigate, led by Izzy's aunt Nell. An interesting mystery although I found it moved too agonizedly slow for me and the culprit seemed obvious. Nell was not really much of a sleuth and I was left a bit disappointed in the investigation.
May 24, 2011
I thought the author created a warm and supportive group of friends in a believable setting. I'd like to go there for dinner on Friday night. Warning: don't read this on an empty stomach since the aromas of the food seem to lift off the page. Great fun reading
January 25, 2021
It was a good mystery but a bit too much drawn out and the bad people a too obvious. I enjoyed the knitting aspect and the yummy food descriptions.
August 31, 2018
Hello! Sally, if you see this, please do not read it! I feel as though I was not being completely considerate or sensitive in this particular review, and additionally it will not offer anything of use to you. I highly respect that you are an author and put so much time into something you clearly enjoy doing - so don't stop!
Okay: to start, I’d like to make it clear that this book was really bad. It was really bad, and for a multitude of reasons. The plot itself was well thought out and quite engaging, but the way the author executed it made the book fall so short of being even a relatively good one. Goldenbaum’s writing was repetitive - delving much too deeply over the same topics over and over again throughout the entire story and also using the same words repeatedly in one given sentence. The characters were so ridiculously underdeveloped that I would have no problem setting fire to the drawn-out monstrosity and all of it’s one-dimensional souls - which there were a ton of (made the whole thing very confusing). Also it took me five months to read. Conclude what you will from that.
Being a book under the genre of “mystery”, this next flaw I can almost pardon - almost. But then I think of the countless other mystery books that never encounter this issue throughout the story, and then I allow myself to be disappointed with this particular problem along with the others. This frustrating recurring theme is that from the reader’s perspective, or mine, at least, is that all of the characters involved in the story’s conflict are completely and utterly pea-brained. Yes, they are well functioning contributors to society, but they appear to be incapable of thinking; putting two and two together. To expand: the author would provide information through a character’s thoughts that obviously had relevance to furthering progress in finding the murderer, and the character wouldn’t seem to actually process that information until 50 pages later. This occurred multiple times. So, considering all of the factors in my experiences of “Death By Cashmere”, I would like to conclude that I am truly elated to be finished with this work of writing. This joy is so intense that I have decided to rate it at two stars rather than just one. Thank you.
Okay: to start, I’d like to make it clear that this book was really bad. It was really bad, and for a multitude of reasons. The plot itself was well thought out and quite engaging, but the way the author executed it made the book fall so short of being even a relatively good one. Goldenbaum’s writing was repetitive - delving much too deeply over the same topics over and over again throughout the entire story and also using the same words repeatedly in one given sentence. The characters were so ridiculously underdeveloped that I would have no problem setting fire to the drawn-out monstrosity and all of it’s one-dimensional souls - which there were a ton of (made the whole thing very confusing). Also it took me five months to read. Conclude what you will from that.
Being a book under the genre of “mystery”, this next flaw I can almost pardon - almost. But then I think of the countless other mystery books that never encounter this issue throughout the story, and then I allow myself to be disappointed with this particular problem along with the others. This frustrating recurring theme is that from the reader’s perspective, or mine, at least, is that all of the characters involved in the story’s conflict are completely and utterly pea-brained. Yes, they are well functioning contributors to society, but they appear to be incapable of thinking; putting two and two together. To expand: the author would provide information through a character’s thoughts that obviously had relevance to furthering progress in finding the murderer, and the character wouldn’t seem to actually process that information until 50 pages later. This occurred multiple times. So, considering all of the factors in my experiences of “Death By Cashmere”, I would like to conclude that I am truly elated to be finished with this work of writing. This joy is so intense that I have decided to rate it at two stars rather than just one. Thank you.
August 12, 2017
After reading two Seaside Knitters series (book 10 and 11) I had to pickup the first. I like the setting of small town by the ocean. Food and friends. All her books I read are quite slow. I wish they are more concise and with fewer characters. I have to look up the characters all the time. Still an enjoyable read.
As usual, the first book was just as slow. There were sooo many characters that it didn't help at all to start from the first book.
As usual, the first book was just as slow. There were sooo many characters that it didn't help at all to start from the first book.
July 30, 2009
This book feels a bit like an English pantomime to me, minus the man dressed up as a lady.
The characters are a bit dense, and I feel that as the "audience" I should be yelling "He's behind you!" and then the characters will answer "No, he's not!" And I'll say "Yes, he is!" and so on. I just wish they'd catch on!
The obvious choice for the main character is Izzy, a young, bright woman who has opened her own knitting store in the quaint village of Sea Harbor, which you guessed it, is on the seaside. After training as a lawyer and winner her first case, she decided the law was not for her and returned to the village where she spent most of her childhood summers.
However, Izzy is not the main character; her aunt Nell is. I find Nell completely dull, which is unfortunate.
I get that this book is supposed to be about a tight-knit (har har) and safe community. But if the characters repeat one more time that they can't believe a murder happened in their safe and cozy village, I may scream. And, they constantly refer to the death of the poor girl Angie as "stealing" their summer. A bit self-centered, eh? I'm sure it wasn't on Angie's to do list to get murdered either.
The characters also constantly go over the possible suspects at their Thursday night knitting circle. They keep mentioning the men who were with Angie the night she died, but they can never figure out what the motive would be. Or if maybe it could be someone who wasn't seen with her that night...
I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. But mostly I was glad it was finished.
The characters are a bit dense, and I feel that as the "audience" I should be yelling "He's behind you!" and then the characters will answer "No, he's not!" And I'll say "Yes, he is!" and so on. I just wish they'd catch on!
The obvious choice for the main character is Izzy, a young, bright woman who has opened her own knitting store in the quaint village of Sea Harbor, which you guessed it, is on the seaside. After training as a lawyer and winner her first case, she decided the law was not for her and returned to the village where she spent most of her childhood summers.
However, Izzy is not the main character; her aunt Nell is. I find Nell completely dull, which is unfortunate.
I get that this book is supposed to be about a tight-knit (har har) and safe community. But if the characters repeat one more time that they can't believe a murder happened in their safe and cozy village, I may scream. And, they constantly refer to the death of the poor girl Angie as "stealing" their summer. A bit self-centered, eh? I'm sure it wasn't on Angie's to do list to get murdered either.
The characters also constantly go over the possible suspects at their Thursday night knitting circle. They keep mentioning the men who were with Angie the night she died, but they can never figure out what the motive would be. Or if maybe it could be someone who wasn't seen with her that night...
I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. But mostly I was glad it was finished.
July 16, 2018
A solid 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the characters & it had a good mystery with lots of suspects. Good ending.
I saved the knitting project at the end. I might use it to learn to knit. Sounds beautiful!
I saved the knitting project at the end. I might use it to learn to knit. Sounds beautiful!
July 17, 2024
Esta encantadora historia comienza después de que Izzy se mude de nuevo a Sea Harbor, abandonando su carrera de abogada para abrir una tienda de tejidos. Su tía Nell, la anciana amiga de Nell, Birdie, y la langostera Cass se reúnen una noche a la semana para compartir comida, chismes y tiempo para tejer. Cuando Angie, que vive encima de la tienda de Izzy, es encontrada ahogada, con su hermoso cabello rojo enredado en una de las trampas de langosta de Cass, la policía de Sea Harbor se apresura a asumir que el culpable es un acto aleatorio de un extraño. El grupo de tejedoras siente que algo anda mal en su pequeño pueblo y quieren que se arregle para poder sentirse seguros de nuevo.
Nell, Cass, Izzy y Birdie son personajes bien desarrollados con interesantes historias de fondo que se introducen en la narrativa. Goldenbaum les da muchas escenas para interactuar en grupos más pequeños, con personajes secundarios y como un cuarteto, lo que los hizo sentir como personas reales. Tienen personalidades distintas y una rica dinámica de grupo.
Cuando hablan sobre el asesinato y comienzan a investigar, no es la investigación agresiva y abierta de "debo resolver este crimen yo mismo" al contrario, sus esfuerzos son más orgánicos, surgen de su miedo por su comunidad, y las piezas del rompecabezas tardan en encajar para formar una conclusión satisfactoria.
En conclusión, espero haberte convencido de leer esta primera entrega de el club de las tejedoras ya que pasarás un rato inmensamente agradable de lectura recorriendo e investigando en un adorable pueblo.
Nell, Cass, Izzy y Birdie son personajes bien desarrollados con interesantes historias de fondo que se introducen en la narrativa. Goldenbaum les da muchas escenas para interactuar en grupos más pequeños, con personajes secundarios y como un cuarteto, lo que los hizo sentir como personas reales. Tienen personalidades distintas y una rica dinámica de grupo.
Cuando hablan sobre el asesinato y comienzan a investigar, no es la investigación agresiva y abierta de "debo resolver este crimen yo mismo" al contrario, sus esfuerzos son más orgánicos, surgen de su miedo por su comunidad, y las piezas del rompecabezas tardan en encajar para formar una conclusión satisfactoria.
En conclusión, espero haberte convencido de leer esta primera entrega de el club de las tejedoras ya que pasarás un rato inmensamente agradable de lectura recorriendo e investigando en un adorable pueblo.
January 14, 2018
Thanks Amy for the book 🌸
October 26, 2020
I loved this book and stayed up all night reading it.
1. I love cats.
2. I knit and love to buy yarn
3. I took photography courses in college.
I related to so much in this book. I kept wanting to play with yarn while I was reading! It drove me crazy! Ms. Goldenbaum's descriptions and discussions of yarn and knitting were so real I wanted to be a part of it. At least my cat was curled up in my lap the whole time.
The characters got a little bit mixed up at times, but it was the middle of the night. Several times I had to stop and figure out who was who. I kept confusing Nell and Izzy. But overall the characters were well done and the plot and mystery were very well written. This is the first cozy I've read that I've had a strong idea as to the solution before the end. I won't say it was a giveaway, but I felt there were indicators enough to point the way. Recommended.
1. I love cats.
2. I knit and love to buy yarn
3. I took photography courses in college.
I related to so much in this book. I kept wanting to play with yarn while I was reading! It drove me crazy! Ms. Goldenbaum's descriptions and discussions of yarn and knitting were so real I wanted to be a part of it. At least my cat was curled up in my lap the whole time.
The characters got a little bit mixed up at times, but it was the middle of the night. Several times I had to stop and figure out who was who. I kept confusing Nell and Izzy. But overall the characters were well done and the plot and mystery were very well written. This is the first cozy I've read that I've had a strong idea as to the solution before the end. I won't say it was a giveaway, but I felt there were indicators enough to point the way. Recommended.
May 11, 2010
I was looking forward to a cozy mystery that took place in a yarn shop located in a Massachusetts coastal village. I was expecting to read descriptive passages about: the coastline, the ocean, the surrounding areas, the village, the residents of the village, the projects that were being knit, the puzzle that needed solving insofar as whodunit. The author fulfilled all of those expectations, the problem was that she did so in a way that did not draw me in to the story. The author, also, included many descriptions of food and references to delicious meals served by and eaten by the main characters in the book. Sadly, she did not include any recipes! Sh did include a pattern for knitting a lovely sounding shawl; but, I am not a knitter, so, I don't know whether it is a good pattern, or not. I would like to give the book a better rating than 2 stars; but, I just cannot do it. I figured out who the murderer was before I reached the halfway point in the story. The characters were too one dimensional for me. I didn't really care what happened to them.
June 21, 2009
This book should've been right up my alley, death in a small town, knitting circles, lots of quaint settings. Problem was the pace was seriously slow, the point of view was all over the place, and I got seriously bored. There wasn't a lot of emotional investment in the story since there wasn't one point of view to consider or care about.
Sad, really, because it could've been a really good book. As it is, it's just okay.
Sad, really, because it could've been a really good book. As it is, it's just okay.
January 23, 2025
Este libro fue una media decepción.
La forma en que está narrada me parece muy linda, me hace acordar a novelas románticas y creo que esa es la sensación que trata de dar para que sea una historia cozy. Pero el desarrollo del crimen no me gustó mucho.
Faltó la presencia de pistas concretas para poder llevar el asesinato para algún lado. Durante muchas partes del libro, todo el pueblo parecía ser sospechoso, pero esto porque no había ninguna pista. Me hubiera gustado que la lista se achicara más temprano en el libro y que las pistas nos marearan entre esos sospechosos. El final me pareció muy rápido y un tanto absurdo por todo lo que pasó. Por más que la autora quería darle un sentido, creo que no logró que sea convincente.
Un gran punto a favor, junto con la narración, fueron los personajes. Tanto el grupo de punto, como el resto del pueblo, estuvo muy bien desarrollados. Terminas encariñandote con ellos y queriendo vivir en un pueblo así, claro que sin los asesinatos.
La forma en que está narrada me parece muy linda, me hace acordar a novelas románticas y creo que esa es la sensación que trata de dar para que sea una historia cozy. Pero el desarrollo del crimen no me gustó mucho.
Faltó la presencia de pistas concretas para poder llevar el asesinato para algún lado. Durante muchas partes del libro, todo el pueblo parecía ser sospechoso, pero esto porque no había ninguna pista. Me hubiera gustado que la lista se achicara más temprano en el libro y que las pistas nos marearan entre esos sospechosos. El final me pareció muy rápido y un tanto absurdo por todo lo que pasó. Por más que la autora quería darle un sentido, creo que no logró que sea convincente.
Un gran punto a favor, junto con la narración, fueron los personajes. Tanto el grupo de punto, como el resto del pueblo, estuvo muy bien desarrollados. Terminas encariñandote con ellos y queriendo vivir en un pueblo así, claro que sin los asesinatos.
November 5, 2008
Death by Cashmere is the first in Sally Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitters series (she is also the author of the Queen Bees Quilt mystery series), and it's a lovely introduction to Sea Harbor, Massachusetts and the knitting group that meets in Izzy's shop. This charming story begins after Izzy has moved back to Sea Harbor, abandoning her law career to open a knitting shop. Her aunt Nell, Nell's elderly friend Birdie (a hoot!), and lobsterwoman Cass get together one evening a week to share food, gossip, and knitting time. When Angie, who lives above Izzy's shop, is found drowned, her beautiful red hair tangled in one of Cass's lobster pots, the police in Sea Harbor are quick to assume the culprit is a random act by an outsider. The knitting group senses something is wrong in their little town, and they want it fixed so they can feel safe again.
Sea Harbor is the kind of town I love to read about: truly close-knit and caring, families who have lived there for generations, and in one of my favorite locales, New England. It's a bonus that the picturesque seaside town gives Goldenbaum plenty of opportunities to demonstrate her gift for descriptive writing. Nell, Cass, Izzy, and Birdie are well-developed characters with interesting backstories eased into the narrative. Goldenbaum gives them plenty of scenes to interact in smaller groups, with secondary characters, and as a quartet, which made them feel like real people. They have distinct personalities and a rich group dynamic. When they talk about the murder and begin investigating, it's not the pushy, overt "I must solve this crime myself" investigation that I've come to expect from amateur sleuths. Their efforts are more organic, arising from their fear for their community, and the pieces of the puzzle are slow to drop in place to form a satisfying conclusion. Sea Harbor is more developed than I expect in a mystery, with great secondary and even tertiary characters who give the reader a real sense of the place. The mystery was engaging, but at times I would be immersed in Sea Harbor, then suddenly be reminded that I was reading a murder mystery. This made the book an even more complex, fun read for me, but readers who like the murder at the forefront and are not as interested in getting to know the town and characters may find the book slow-moving.
Goldenbaum seems unconcerned with the conventions of contemporary cozy mysteries, and I found that refreshing. She eschews the usual youngish, single point-of-view character who spends much of her time looking for a guy (though, don't get me wrong, I enjoy plenty of those) in favor of Nell, Izzy's aunt, who is happily married. There is a sweet bit of romance for Izzy, but it's in the background. The mystery is complex and satisfying, with numerous threads that come together nicely. There is no sense of imminent danger to the sleuths (I often find those scenes to be annoying in other mysteries), and no confront-the-killer ending. I found the writing and editing to be excellent, and I found very little to nitpick there. One annoyance is in the dialogue: the characters frequently refer to each other by name while they're speaking to each other, and no one talks that way. I found that I could skim past the references without my inner Grammar Nerd going nuts. There was a reference to a "unique, one-of-a-kind sweater" that made me grimace, but for the most part, the writing and editing were great (not always true of cozy mysteries). None of these little things diminished my pleasure in reading, though as someone who cooks, I'm still scratching my head over an herbed spinach frittata apparently made with cumin and coriander AND topped with parmesan AND sour cream. And I have a bone to pick with whoever approved the jacket copy, which makes it seem that Izzy is the point-of-view character, not even mentioning Nell's name! I spent the first few pages annoyed at the wandering POV, only to realize that the misleading jacket copy was the problem.
To sum up, Death by Cashmere is a thoroughly enjoyable start to a new mystery series, and I highly recommend it to knitters, mystery readers, readers of women's fiction, and anyone who enjoys a cozy visit to a small town.
http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com
Sea Harbor is the kind of town I love to read about: truly close-knit and caring, families who have lived there for generations, and in one of my favorite locales, New England. It's a bonus that the picturesque seaside town gives Goldenbaum plenty of opportunities to demonstrate her gift for descriptive writing. Nell, Cass, Izzy, and Birdie are well-developed characters with interesting backstories eased into the narrative. Goldenbaum gives them plenty of scenes to interact in smaller groups, with secondary characters, and as a quartet, which made them feel like real people. They have distinct personalities and a rich group dynamic. When they talk about the murder and begin investigating, it's not the pushy, overt "I must solve this crime myself" investigation that I've come to expect from amateur sleuths. Their efforts are more organic, arising from their fear for their community, and the pieces of the puzzle are slow to drop in place to form a satisfying conclusion. Sea Harbor is more developed than I expect in a mystery, with great secondary and even tertiary characters who give the reader a real sense of the place. The mystery was engaging, but at times I would be immersed in Sea Harbor, then suddenly be reminded that I was reading a murder mystery. This made the book an even more complex, fun read for me, but readers who like the murder at the forefront and are not as interested in getting to know the town and characters may find the book slow-moving.
Goldenbaum seems unconcerned with the conventions of contemporary cozy mysteries, and I found that refreshing. She eschews the usual youngish, single point-of-view character who spends much of her time looking for a guy (though, don't get me wrong, I enjoy plenty of those) in favor of Nell, Izzy's aunt, who is happily married. There is a sweet bit of romance for Izzy, but it's in the background. The mystery is complex and satisfying, with numerous threads that come together nicely. There is no sense of imminent danger to the sleuths (I often find those scenes to be annoying in other mysteries), and no confront-the-killer ending. I found the writing and editing to be excellent, and I found very little to nitpick there. One annoyance is in the dialogue: the characters frequently refer to each other by name while they're speaking to each other, and no one talks that way. I found that I could skim past the references without my inner Grammar Nerd going nuts. There was a reference to a "unique, one-of-a-kind sweater" that made me grimace, but for the most part, the writing and editing were great (not always true of cozy mysteries). None of these little things diminished my pleasure in reading, though as someone who cooks, I'm still scratching my head over an herbed spinach frittata apparently made with cumin and coriander AND topped with parmesan AND sour cream. And I have a bone to pick with whoever approved the jacket copy, which makes it seem that Izzy is the point-of-view character, not even mentioning Nell's name! I spent the first few pages annoyed at the wandering POV, only to realize that the misleading jacket copy was the problem.
To sum up, Death by Cashmere is a thoroughly enjoyable start to a new mystery series, and I highly recommend it to knitters, mystery readers, readers of women's fiction, and anyone who enjoys a cozy visit to a small town.
http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com
November 14, 2010
DEATH IN CASHMERE was my cozy escape choice for the month. I usually read cozies as a break from the realistic, dark and depressing volumes currently making the best seller list.
Set in the charming harbor town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts it tells of Izzy Chambers, a former Boston lawyer who has fled the dog-eat-dog intensity of the corporate world, to return home and open a knitting shop. She rents the small apartment over her shop to Angie Archer, another local girl who has returned and, it appears, has a hidden agenda. Of course, this being a mystery, Angie’s body is soon discovered floating in the harbor. Who is the culprit and what is the motive? Could it be the lobster poacher, or perhaps a spurned lover, or maybe it’s the creepy night watchmen George Gideon? There is definitely something fishy about Angie’s death and the inquisitive knitters are looking for answers.
There is really nothing new in this book. The town is quaint, the inhabitants are quirky, and everyone spends a lot of time eating and drinking. We have salads, tacos and frittatas as well as lots of wine being consumed. (Why they are so busy eating they barely have time to knit, let alone solve the crime).
I am not certain that this book will hold your interest as a mystery but it will certainly leave you rifling your refrigerator for something to eat. If your “fridge” is empty, perhaps you could try to satisfy your appetite with one of the many red herrings the author has served up. Note to author: Perhaps this should have been a culinary mystery.
Set in the charming harbor town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts it tells of Izzy Chambers, a former Boston lawyer who has fled the dog-eat-dog intensity of the corporate world, to return home and open a knitting shop. She rents the small apartment over her shop to Angie Archer, another local girl who has returned and, it appears, has a hidden agenda. Of course, this being a mystery, Angie’s body is soon discovered floating in the harbor. Who is the culprit and what is the motive? Could it be the lobster poacher, or perhaps a spurned lover, or maybe it’s the creepy night watchmen George Gideon? There is definitely something fishy about Angie’s death and the inquisitive knitters are looking for answers.
There is really nothing new in this book. The town is quaint, the inhabitants are quirky, and everyone spends a lot of time eating and drinking. We have salads, tacos and frittatas as well as lots of wine being consumed. (Why they are so busy eating they barely have time to knit, let alone solve the crime).
I am not certain that this book will hold your interest as a mystery but it will certainly leave you rifling your refrigerator for something to eat. If your “fridge” is empty, perhaps you could try to satisfy your appetite with one of the many red herrings the author has served up. Note to author: Perhaps this should have been a culinary mystery.
September 9, 2016
Ugh. With a side of ugh. There were so many things about this book that turned me off. How shall I list the ways?
1) The main character we follow around is NOT Izzy. Its her Aunt Nell who is always attending "board meetings". YAWN.
2) It takes 135 pages, quite literally half the book, before the sleuthing even begins.
3) Said sleuthing is Nell haphazardly talking to the right people but usually too "confused" to put the pieces together and draw connections.
4) The conclusion was inept. The last line, I kid you not, was "Finally summer could begin." I was almost offended, poor Angie is probably just as upset shes dead as the rest of the group.
5) I don't think it is ever mentioned what Ben does. Hes just a husband without flaws that all other women admire. Uh huh.
6) So many side characters! Who is who became quite annoying. Its the first book in a series, I don't need to know the ENTIRE town within the first twenty pages.
Summation: I will only read the next book in this series if the point of view is from one of the other characters. Nell can go sit on her board meetings far away from me.
1) The main character we follow around is NOT Izzy. Its her Aunt Nell who is always attending "board meetings". YAWN.
2) It takes 135 pages, quite literally half the book, before the sleuthing even begins.
3) Said sleuthing is Nell haphazardly talking to the right people but usually too "confused" to put the pieces together and draw connections.
4) The conclusion was inept. The last line, I kid you not, was "Finally summer could begin." I was almost offended, poor Angie is probably just as upset shes dead as the rest of the group.
5) I don't think it is ever mentioned what Ben does. Hes just a husband without flaws that all other women admire. Uh huh.
6) So many side characters! Who is who became quite annoying. Its the first book in a series, I don't need to know the ENTIRE town within the first twenty pages.
Summation: I will only read the next book in this series if the point of view is from one of the other characters. Nell can go sit on her board meetings far away from me.
August 14, 2020
My guilty pleasure is cozy mysteries, and I am especially partial to those set in New England. This was my first knitting mystery and it takes place in the fictitious village of Sea Harbor, which is clearly located on Cape Ann, not very far from my own town. With interesting characters and a well constructed story, Death by Cashmere was fun to read, and I look forward to more of Sally Goldenbaum's work.
January 10, 2025
Sé a lo que iba con este libro (y todos los de la colección cozy mystery) y me dio lo que esperaba. Creo que con este tipo de historias disfruto más si hay un romance o el prospecto de un romance. Pero aquí disfruté bastante que las protagonistas fueran mujeres mayores en su mayoría.
En un pequeño pueblito, Nell, Birdie, Izzy y Cass tienen un pequeño club de tejido en la tienda de Izzy, una ex abogada que volvió a su pueblo natal para escapar de una vida que no la hacía feliz. Ahí, una amiga de Izzy será encontrada muerta y este grupo de mujeres será el único dispuesto a defenderla y buscar la verdad de su muerte.
La protagonista es Nell, la tía de Izzy, la mayor parte del tiempo es a través de sus ojos que vamos viendo lo que sucede y conociendo a los personajes. Los personajes estuvieron bien, muy en la onda de estos libros, me gustó mucho la dinámica que tuvo de este grupo de mujeres apoyándose y que fueran ellas las que no creían los rumores de la chica que murió y buscaran la verdad.
Estos libros suelen funcionar en pueblos pequeños o ambientes limitados (como una universidad o un centro de investigación) para que todos conozcan a todos. Aquí fue un pueblito pequeño costero, con las clásicas personas que son líderes, el personaje borracho, el abuelito solo, la familia millonaria, etc. Algo que sí me gustó fue el motivo del asesinato, me pareció interesante el trasfondo detrás y el cómo la autora fue entregando esta información a los lectores.
Como dije, creo que disfruto más estas historias con un toque de romance, muy en la onda de las series policiales de los 90 o inicios 2000 con un romance lentísimo que en tres temporadas recién avanzaba. Acá sí que hubo un romance con el personaje más joven, Izzy, pero no fue especialmente interesante. Creo que me faltó un poco más de carisma en el grupo protagonista para que una parte de mí quiera seguir leyendo de ellas.
Punto letal es la primera entrega de un cozy mystery ambientado en un club de tejido en un pueblito costero. Un misterio interesante y bien construido, pero cuyos personajes no resultaron especialmente interesantes.
En un pequeño pueblito, Nell, Birdie, Izzy y Cass tienen un pequeño club de tejido en la tienda de Izzy, una ex abogada que volvió a su pueblo natal para escapar de una vida que no la hacía feliz. Ahí, una amiga de Izzy será encontrada muerta y este grupo de mujeres será el único dispuesto a defenderla y buscar la verdad de su muerte.
La protagonista es Nell, la tía de Izzy, la mayor parte del tiempo es a través de sus ojos que vamos viendo lo que sucede y conociendo a los personajes. Los personajes estuvieron bien, muy en la onda de estos libros, me gustó mucho la dinámica que tuvo de este grupo de mujeres apoyándose y que fueran ellas las que no creían los rumores de la chica que murió y buscaran la verdad.
Estos libros suelen funcionar en pueblos pequeños o ambientes limitados (como una universidad o un centro de investigación) para que todos conozcan a todos. Aquí fue un pueblito pequeño costero, con las clásicas personas que son líderes, el personaje borracho, el abuelito solo, la familia millonaria, etc. Algo que sí me gustó fue el motivo del asesinato, me pareció interesante el trasfondo detrás y el cómo la autora fue entregando esta información a los lectores.
Como dije, creo que disfruto más estas historias con un toque de romance, muy en la onda de las series policiales de los 90 o inicios 2000 con un romance lentísimo que en tres temporadas recién avanzaba. Acá sí que hubo un romance con el personaje más joven, Izzy, pero no fue especialmente interesante. Creo que me faltó un poco más de carisma en el grupo protagonista para que una parte de mí quiera seguir leyendo de ellas.
Punto letal es la primera entrega de un cozy mystery ambientado en un club de tejido en un pueblito costero. Un misterio interesante y bien construido, pero cuyos personajes no resultaron especialmente interesantes.
January 18, 2018
In Sally Goldenbaum's Death by Cashmere, the first installment in the Seaside Knitters crafty cozy series, this debut's mystery will have you tangled up in knots by the climax's end. When former lawyer Izzy Chambers opened up her knitting studio in the picturesque town of Seaside Harbor, Massachusetts, she didn't expect to get caught up in a mystery of her own. It all started when she rented her apartment above the studio to Angelina Archer, a wild child with wild red hair as her first tenant. But when she was discovered death in Izzy's borrowed cashmere sweater, trapped by lobster traps in the ocean, it had stunned Izzy and her friends in the knitting studio to talk about her murder in this sleepy peaceful town. As the police had ruled it out as an accident, Izzy's Aunt Nell didn't believe so and called it suspicious. They dug deeper into her private and personal life and questioned their own neighbors. The closer they had gotten to the truth, another suspect had fallen to his untimely death. Now they had to look harder into her belongings on what caused her death and who would do bodily harm to her. And when someone close to them who was harmless ended up hospitalized, they beg to differ than someone would make sure they would be silenced for knowing the truth.
July 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book as a light hearted mystery series. It wasn't super deep and I definitely had the mystery figured out pretty quickly. But I still enjoyed the read and liked all the woman in the knitter's club. I hope in future books we get to see more of their interactions because they were some of my favorite moments. I wanted them to spend more time together figuring out all the details. I really enjoyed Nell's voice as our main one as she was a solid voice of reason within which we experience all of the actions going on in the cove. Birdie was another stand out just for her sheer audacity as the little old lady.
This was a good first book in the series, but I do hope that there's a little more depth to the mysteries in future novels. :)
This was a good first book in the series, but I do hope that there's a little more depth to the mysteries in future novels. :)
May 14, 2020
Izzy's tenant Angie mysteriously drowns on the breakwater in their small seaside town. The women's knitting group suspects foul play, and looks into solving the case.
As far as cozy mysteries go, I enjoyed this one because it wasn't a ridiculous woman trying to solve a million mysteries. She had a good head on her shoulders, and a strong support group. She wasn't pining for a man, and her sidekick wasn't trying to beat up her arch enemy. The premise is set in seaside Massachusetts, and the descriptions are lovely. Food (of course!) included.
As far as cozy mysteries go, I enjoyed this one because it wasn't a ridiculous woman trying to solve a million mysteries. She had a good head on her shoulders, and a strong support group. She wasn't pining for a man, and her sidekick wasn't trying to beat up her arch enemy. The premise is set in seaside Massachusetts, and the descriptions are lovely. Food (of course!) included.
June 26, 2025
Death by Cashmere begins what promises to be a delightful cozy mystery series. I can picture the setting to be somewhere on the northern coast of Massachusetts in a picturesque seaside village. New England is one of my favorite settings and the author created a most appealing locale.
The mystery is well plotted and intriguing. I suspected something to do with land ownership, but had no idea of who or where until the ending. The four main "seaside knitters" - Nell, Izzy, Cass, and Birdie - have depth and I look forward to getting to know them better. Nell's thought process in piecing things together is logical and emotional.
The mystery is well plotted and intriguing. I suspected something to do with land ownership, but had no idea of who or where until the ending. The four main "seaside knitters" - Nell, Izzy, Cass, and Birdie - have depth and I look forward to getting to know them better. Nell's thought process in piecing things together is logical and emotional.
November 21, 2021
We are visiting Sea Harbor, Massachusetts where
the Seaside Knitters Society meet at Isabel "Izzy"
Chambers’s knit shop. It is a diverse and very
interesting group of knitters. Each character has
their individual emotions, flaws and all have a
loyalty to the group and each other.
Above the shop is an apartment which a young
woman is renting. She is hard to get to know.
Izzy lends her a beautifully created cashmere
sweater to wear.
The young woman is found murdered. She is
found drowned in a lobster pot.
Who would have murdered her? What happened
to the cashmere sweater? What project had the
young woman been looking into involving the town?
Te description of the seaside town made me
feel as if I was right there. I could smell the sea,
hear the wind blow and seethe boats.
I loved the descriptions of the various colors and
textures of the wool plus I could taste the various
food dishes brought to the knitter’s weekly night
to meet.
An artfully written and creatively plotted story.
the Seaside Knitters Society meet at Isabel "Izzy"
Chambers’s knit shop. It is a diverse and very
interesting group of knitters. Each character has
their individual emotions, flaws and all have a
loyalty to the group and each other.
Above the shop is an apartment which a young
woman is renting. She is hard to get to know.
Izzy lends her a beautifully created cashmere
sweater to wear.
The young woman is found murdered. She is
found drowned in a lobster pot.
Who would have murdered her? What happened
to the cashmere sweater? What project had the
young woman been looking into involving the town?
Te description of the seaside town made me
feel as if I was right there. I could smell the sea,
hear the wind blow and seethe boats.
I loved the descriptions of the various colors and
textures of the wool plus I could taste the various
food dishes brought to the knitter’s weekly night
to meet.
An artfully written and creatively plotted story.
December 16, 2010
I have mixed emotions about this book. For starters, I loved the fact that it was set in Maine. The details about the small town living and living on the coast were wonderful! I liked the characters however, when I purchased the book I thought the story would be told from Izzy's point of view. I was wrong. The story is told from the aunt's point of view and while that is ok, I felt the author could have made the book more interesting if she had led with Izzy's story. I did figure out "who did it" well over a hundred pages from the end, which is always disappointing. I also felt portions of the book were hard to believe, and yes I understand this is a fiction piece, however- there would be more police involvement, and I find it hard to believe Ben, the aunt's husband, would not have a greater concern for this wife and her attempt to solve crime.
I own the next two books in the series, but I think it will be awhile before I am able to read them. I wouldn't recommend anyone buy this book, if you are truly interested then I would visit the nearest library.
I own the next two books in the series, but I think it will be awhile before I am able to read them. I wouldn't recommend anyone buy this book, if you are truly interested then I would visit the nearest library.
October 30, 2015
I was looking forward to a good mystery among a knitting community. When I started the story, I was given the impression that Izzy was the central character, but really, it was Nell. There was much too much conversation about things that didn't really relate. The conversations sounded way too formal, and not real. Who says "refuse pile"? Nell's conversation and voice made her sound old, and yet her running and other descriptions made her sound young. The conflicting characterizations where unsettling. There was not really much conversation about knitting, and where there was, it sounded like a non-knitter wrote it.
Sorry! I so wanted to like this book, and was so looking forward to having a whole series to read. But, stopping here.
Sorry! I so wanted to like this book, and was so looking forward to having a whole series to read. But, stopping here.
April 12, 2012
Cute beginning to a series, and nice shawl pattern included! I wish there was a photo of the shawl - now I'm going to have to actually try the pattern to see how it looks. The descriptions of meals make it easy to imaging the gatherings, and the town sounds like a wonderful place. Looking forward to the next titles.
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July 11, 2015There's nothing wrong with this book except that it didn't hold my interest. I'm not going to finish it.
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