Knot on Your Life

Yarn Retreat Mystery #7

by Betty Hechtman

In a new Yarn Retreat Mystery from national bestselling author Betty Hechtman, Casey Feldstein will have to unravel an assortment of tangled clues to solve a knotty murder mystery . . . “A cozy mystery that you won’t want to put down. It combines cooking, knitting and murder in one great book!” —Fresh Fiction on Yarn to Go The yarn retreat group visiting scenic Vista Del Mar has already planned their own activities, so part-time dessert maker and retreat host Casey Feldstein is looking forward to a stress-free weekend. But the rustic locale is also playing host to a mindfulness retreat for Silicon Valley start-up entrepreneurs along with a flock of bird-watchers, and soon everyone at the resort is getting wound up. And when Casey discovers the dead body of one of the tech gurus on the rocky shore of the Pacific, she begins to suspect that what looks like an accident is actually a calculated murder. With so many suspects to choose from and mysterious connections emerging between members of the groups, Casey will have to knit together a colorful array of clues as she wrangles with Vista Del Mar’s prickly manager and the curmudgeonly local police lieutenant. And as she closes in on the likely culprit, she’ll have to tie up the loose ends of her investigation before the killer can stitch her full of holes . . . Includes a fun, easy knitting project and a mouthwatering muffin recipe! More Praise for the Yarn Retreat “If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend giving it a go. The mystery will delight you, and afterward you’ll be itching to start a knitting or crochet project of your own.” —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews “The California seaside is the backdrop to this captivating cozy that will have readers heading for the yarn store in droves.” —Debbie’s Book Bag on Yarn to Go About the Betty Hechtman is the national bestselling author of the Crochet Mysteries and the Yarn Retreat Mysteries. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago and has a degree in Fine Art. Since College, she has studied everything from improv comedy to magic, and has had an assortment of professions, including volunteer farm worker, nanny at a summer resort, waitress at a coffee house, and telephone operator. She lives with her family and stash of yarn in Southern California. You can learn more about Betty and find excerpts from all her books at BettyHechtman.com. She blogs on Fridays at Killerhobbies.blogspot.com, and you can join her on Facebook at BettyHechtmanAuthor and on Twitter at @BettyHechtman.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Knitting, Audiobook, Fiction

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 29, 2019

About the author

I 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

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Feldstein is hoping for a relaxing weekend as she hosts a yarn retreat group at Vista Del Mar. However trouble seems to have way of finding Casey. The Vista Del Mar is also playing host to a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and a group of bird watchers. When Casey discovers the body of one of the Silicon Valley tech guys, it looks like an accident. But as more details come to light it becomes increasingly apparent it may have been murder.
This is a light and entertaining cosy mystery. I had met Casey and her sleuthing skills in book 5 of the Year Retreat Series. But you would not need to read the others in the series as it stands alone. Actually I first found it a little repetitive to begin with as it felt like it had been covered in the earlier book. But if reading as a stand alone that will not be an issue. I like Casey and her police boyfriend Dane and her ex, Sammy, who thought a doctor enjoys his hobby as a magician and several other supportive friends to Casey. The chief of police typically resents Casey, as in the past her detective skills have picked up clues Lieutenant Borgnine has missed in other cases.
The dialogue at times is playful and works well and there is a small dog that causes problem when Kevin St John, refuses to let it stay with its owner at the Vista Del Mar. This causes Casey to seek a solution to the dilemma as well as seeking the answers to the murder. In her spare time she bakes desserts and muffins. There is a recipe at the end as well as a yarn project for those so inclined. An enjoyable read and worth investing the time for something light and fun with a mystery to solve.

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know how I managed to miss this series! I’m just glad I didn’t miss this book! Knot on Your Life is fun, captivating and an ultimate cozy. The plot is well-developed. The characters are fleshed out well. The dialogue is delightful and the mystery will keep you guessing.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey continues to host yarn retreats at the resort across from the home she inherited from a relative. In this installment she finds herself hosting a group of women all acquainted with one another. A Silicon Valley entrepreneurial group on a mindfulness treat also booked the resort. The entrepreneurs are a bit jealous of the extra perks the women receive and ask for knitting lessons which one man thinks would be more "mindful" than the activities the resort's owner planned for them. Casey discovers one of the women dying near the dangerous rocks. A former Chicago private investigator, Casey remains one step ahead of the police investigator. Although not a complex mystery, it was enjoyable. The only other book in the series I read was the first. I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey, who bakes for local restaurants in addition to being a crafter, has organized a crocheting retreat on the California coast, but the calm is disrupted when a participant in a nearby mindfulness retreat is murdered. Casey wants to help the local police, but they warn her to stay out of it. I enjoyed reading a cozy mystery by someone who is obviously familiar with yarn crafts; both a knitting pattern and a recipe are provided at the end. Even though this is part of a series, I had no problem reading it as a stand-alone. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for this ARC.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezza
Piacevole lettura, come accaduto spesso con questa serie. Non ho capito se la serie è finita oppure no...

[Micky Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when your life is about to blow up and you helped cause it? Hold another yarn retreat of course! In this case, things are a bit more complicated as you've introduced long lost relatives to each other and you've scheduled a private yarn retreat that your normal retreaters and friends can't attend! Once again Casey has a set of complicated balls juggling in the air and she needs to make sure that she doesn't miss one or her entire life could come cascading down around her ears! To make matters worse, she finds a dead body that has a connection to her group as well as the group the hotel is sponsoring! A cast of well developed characters enhance an intriguing plot wrought with many potential suspects and a mystery that the main character can't help trying to untangle. While you absolutely could read this book as a stand alone story and enjoy it, you would be missing out on hours of enjoyment and backstory that helps solidify the characters personalities. I absolutely can not wait for the next book in this series to become available as I so want to see the direction the author takes the characters' lives next as some big changes are on the horizon! For those that enjoy audiobooks, this series is available on audio and the narrator does an excellent job of bringing the characters and story lines to life!

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apart from reading i do enjoy various crafts, so couldn't resist reading 'Knot on Your Life'. Really enjoyed and do hope to eventually read the previous books in this series. I rarely write what a book is about as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but if you enjoy cozy mysteries, i would recommend giving this book a try.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey once again finds herself embroiled in solving a murder, but at least this time it's not one of her retreat attendees or someone she knows.

There were several suspects worth considering for the murder, although it was hard to figure out motives for some of them. I was surprised when the culprit was identified, but I probably should have leaned in that direction earlier in the book.

I like the personal developments for several characters in this story, and look forward to the next book to see how those play out.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy this cozy mystery series even though after seven books, I'm beginning to think that a real Vista del Mar resort might be bankrupt from all the murders that have taken place there. (Lethal word of mouth, don't you know-- and imagine the Yelp reviews.) The enjoyment arises from a wonderful California coast setting, a fun cast of characters, and a succession of intriguing mysteries to solve.

There's quite a bit of fun to be found while Casey tries to solve another murder. Where does one of her retreat members keep sneaking off to? Is learning to crochet really that easy? Will resort manager Kevin St. John get a chance to enforce his No Pets on the Premises rule? And how about that mindfulness retreat he put together? (Three raisins?!?) Other things that made me smile were the attempts Casey makes in order to keep her burgeoning romance a secret in her small town, and the fact that it seems as though everyone beats a path to the Blue Door Restaurant after hours to talk to her. How on earth does she manage to get her baking done?

And guess what? While I was having so much fun with the characters and the various situations, I found myself led astray by some very good misdirection in the mystery. All in all, Knot on Your Life is light and fun and a pleasure to read. More, please!

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel and this series! We join Casey as she coordinates a new retreat and tries to stay out of a new mystery. Casey inherited her Aunt Joan’s home and business when she died unexpectedly a short time after Casey came to stay with her at Cadbury by the Sea. Casey works several part time jobs, so life is never dull. I like Casey and situations she finds herself in. The characters are as well-defined as necessary, and the intriguing plot is finely planned and executed. The setting sounds gorgeous; to sit at the ocean at the edge of the continent would be amazing!

Before leaving Chicago for California, Casey’s favorite temp job was as an assistant to a private investigator, Frank. That job and friendship with Frank prepared her for things that just seem to happen around her. Yarn2Go is the business Casey’s aunt left to her. Casey is learning more about various fiber/ yarn arts as she coordinates retreats. They are held at Vista Del Mar Resort and Spa, an unplugged place where many retreats are held. It is hard on some of the folks to leave behind internet, TV, and phones.

This retreat is to honor one of the ladies’ birthday, and as avid knitters, they want to learn to crochet and work on a pattern to take with them. It is the easiest that Casey has done, as they arranged their side trips. The group in the meeting room next to theirs is on a Mindfulness retreat, a bare-bones schedule planned by the resort manager. When the head of that group sees what Casey is offering, he is willing to pay her directly for what her ladies have – goodie bags, snacks, and a project they can take home after Casey showed him how knitting can be a mindfulness task. She and Crystal, her instructor for the weekend, will give a group session special for them.

Casey’s group is unhappy to see the mindfulness group, as they work together during the week. Madison, the birthday lady, is manager of a shared workspace, similar to what used to be called executive suites. Most of the leased spaces/ offices are startups, including the group of four men and one woman next door.

After her initial group session, Casey went to the ocean to do some quiet knitting. Only minutes later she glimpses something off to her side, goes to look, and as she hears sirens in the distance, checks out a man below a rocky area who is bleeding profusely. She finds a weak pulse as the first responders arrive, but he dies soon afterwards. No. She is not getting involved with another death, accidental or otherwise. Even if it is someone from the mindfulness retreat group.

This fun 7th in series is a roller coaster ride of LOL wit interspersed with a gathering of women, quirky characters, drama amongst the resort’s owning family and management, Casey and her boyfriend’s stolen moments, and of course, Casey trying to not help solve the real cause of death. There are what appear to be solid suspects, but nothing prepared this armchair sleuth for who it really was! I highly recommend this delightful story to all who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, knitting and crocheting, an oceanside setting, and a healthy serving of humor.

From a thankful Heart: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

[Nina Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever twist of the classic “remote county-house murder mystery” featuring part-time dessert maker and retreat host Casey Feldstein and her cat Julius.
Casey runs a guesthouse in Cadbury by the Sea, California but used to work for a private investigator. This comes in very handy when there is death at the Yarn Retreat she has arranged at Vista Del Mar, a local hotel and conference centre on the coast. The special attraction? It is so remote that there is no cell service, Wi-Fi or even a TV to distract the guests.
That weekend there are two other groups of guests - some friendly birdwatchers who regularly visited the resort, and a small group of impatient business people. Before long the entrepreneurs are asking Casey to provide goodie bags and yarn training. Shame that she is the one who discovers on of them dead on the rocks.
The investigation quickly turns to her own group of crochet experts and their connection to the entrepreneurs they work with, who don’t seem to recognise them. But one of them does – and they have an argument to settle.
The community of Cadbury and their personal relationships mesh into a tightly woven murder story, told from Casey’s point of view.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey has a group of friends coming to celebrate one of the friends' birthdays. At the same time, the retreat center's manager had a group there for a mindfulness retreat, too. The mindfulness retreaters don't seem to enjoy the retreat, though, or its minimalist accommodations, and the leader asks Casey to do some knitting sessions with their group too. When one of the mindfulness members gets offed, Casey learns that more of her own retreat members know the other group than she realized. Now she's got two groups to handle, AND a murder to solve.

I appreciate that the detective is starting to give Casey a little more credit for her investigative skills now, though he still hates that she gets involved. And finally, there's movement in the romance department. But the overarching plot points seem to only come in rarely, and yet again, it ends while drama is happening on that front again.

These are fun. I'm glad I have something to listen to while I'm getting Christmas stuff done!! Two more nights! I wonder if I'll get finished the series before then!

[Stephanie Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time around Casey's retreat is a yarn birthday retreat. A group of friends come to celebrate an upcoming birthday. However, another retreat is happening and they are not strangers to the birthday group. When Casey stumbles across a body.... the craziness starts all over again...

This story is a good one. It's interesting that people know each other from the different retreats so it adds a dynamic. Glad a relationship is "growing". Overall a great story. However.... this is currently the last book in the series (not sure if another one is in the works seeing as it's been a few years since this one was published) so if it isn't the last book, it ended fine. If it is the last book, I feel it ended with so much up in the air. It left me wanting so much more and feeling a bit disappointed in not knowing how everything worked out. I do realize all things must come to an end eventually, but.... still sad.

[Anna Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey has her hands full with a unique birthday group having booked a yarn retreat, a departure from her usual weekends; things get a bit tangled when another group, there for a mindfulness weekend, decide they’d like the more productive therapy of knitting. Casey helps both groups, but finds herself entangled in a tricky situation when she finds one of the mindfulness group collapsed on the rocks near the ocean, bloodied and unconscious. When he later dies, she can’t help but wonder whether it was the accident it appeared, or was there something more sinister behind it? And if so, who would have wanted him out of the picture? It’s a knotty problem, and her skills are put to the test as she tries to follow the threads of clues.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vista Del Mar is the setting for two retreat groups. One is a yarn group, hosted by Casey. The other is a Silicon Valley group, hosted by Kevin St. John. True to form, not only does a dead body turn up on the beach, Casey is the one to find him. At first look, it’s seems like a tragic accident, but after a further investigation, it appears to be murder. And Casey is right in the middle of then case. No one wants her interference, but that never stops Casey from poking into corners and into other people’s lives. This time, her inquisitiveness almost is fatal. It’s an entertaining tale, with a surprising solution to the murder. There is a budding romance in Casey’s life, adding interest to the series.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 7 in the Yarn Retreat Cozy series and it's a nice addition. Usually about 6 0r 7 books into a series the characters get stale or the story line doesn't grow. Not here, Casey has a birthday crochet group arriving at Vista Del Mar and it should be easy peazy. With several other retreats going on a murder makes the entire weekend crazy. Now the management is questioning not only Casey's retreats but reviewing the manager's group outings. Lots of returning characters with a few new twists. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This yarn retreat is different from the others Casey has run, this one is to celebrate a birthday. But when the guests arrive it seems strange when another group arrives for a different retreat and they know each other. When one man from the other group is found dead the mystery begins. Which person from which group was responsible, or was it someone else? And will Mr. St John get his way and take over running all of the retreats?

[Jean Pilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Yarn Retreat

This book is a winner. The ethereal backdrop of the Lodge and its beautiful grounds make you want to curl up with hot tea, and your knitting while listening to the ocean churning outside. Betty has once again knitted bunches of clues together to craft us a fine yarn. Can hardly wait for the surprise coming in the book. Thanks Betty once again.

[Karen O'Conor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. I suspect this book would also be enjoyable if read alone, but I read several in the series before this one. Betty Hechtman has created and interesting village and set of characters. With the premise of the book, she can bring in new victims and murderers with each book making for more variety in the twists and turns.

[Margaret Shumaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun light mystery

This is my first by this author and it was a fun light read which I need right now. I don't like to be critical as I admire everyone who completed a book and sends it out into the world and I do enjoy reading, everyone doesn't have to produce the great American novel, producing a light but entertaining novel is an accomplishment.

[Keri Stone]

Casey is at it again with her yarn retreats and mystery solving. I enjoyed this audiobook in the series, even though hosting 2 groups I sometimes had trouble keeping all the characters straight. Lol. There’s all the regulars returning though and these are really a lighthearted, easy listen. Just what I needed after a couple more emotional books.

[Marita · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this has been the most well developed plot of the series. My only issue with this book was that it appears to have been incredibly hastily put together with so many typos. In some cases it was almost on every other page.

[Katie Andrews-Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Throw-away ending. Not a character one would have thought of, no build-up to the reveal and a very unlikely motive for the murder. A reasonable series but this one did not come together well from start to finish.

[Traci Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the mystery in this one! I still feel like Casey spends far too much time trying not to have to confront anyone about anything unpleasant, instead of standing up for her business, but maybe that's just a me thing!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must-read, cozy mystery. You can read as a stand-alone as the author updates. You have a great plot, continued likable and interesting characters that keep the story going. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I liked this story because I am getting to know the characters in this series better. Though I am a crocheter I still like seeing the patterns of the items. I especially like the way the women support each other.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great addition to the series. I really love Casey and all her friends, and have enjoyed the mystery of the who-done-it very much. I already have the next book from the library and can't wait to dive in.

[Sam Riner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of the long-time coming plot lines finally come to a head. The idea of a collaboration space coming to a retreat is interesting and I wish we spent a little more time with that. Love the pay off of the dog.

[Rachel Dicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

I love this series. I feel like I'm on the retreat and catching up with old friends. It's easy reading and very enjoyable

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books. Waiting anxiously for the next.