As sleepy Sea Harbor, Massachusetts settles into the glow of autumn, a baby-on-the-way has the Seaside Knitters feeling warm and fuzzy. Only, these crafty ladies can’t get too cozy when sweater weather delivers an unexpected arrival—murder!
While nonchalant mother-to-be Cass Halloran tries downplaying her pregnancy, a softer side of the no-nonsense lobsterwoman emerges as the Seaside Knitters create heaps of delicate hats and booties for her bundle of joy. But in contrast to the happy news, terrifying events unfold at the town’s art series that puts a real chill in their New England fall…
Izzy Perry’s husband had reservations about inviting Louis Mansfield to speak at the opening festivities, although he never imagined the sketchy photographer would ditch the party. When Louis’s dead body turns up along the wooded shoreline the next day, startling secrets come into focus that could undo the tight-knit community of local artists…
With a mysterious murder pitting neighbors against each other, Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and a vulnerable Cass find themselves entangled in a dangerous hunt for answers. Can four best friends somehow tie together scattered clues and pacify a list of potential culprits before a cascade of fallen foliage buries the pièce de résistance of a ruthless killer?
This is a knitting theme cozy with a pattern at the end of the book. I don't knit but still enjoy the characters and the quiet seaside town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts with small shops and nice restaurants. These ladies are eating all the time and the food sounds delicious.
The mystery involves a guest of honor for the Canary Cove Art Colony event. It's very slow-moving but not unusual for this series. There are tons of characters so be sure to grab a print edition that includes a cast of characters.
I've only read a few books in the series and started by chance with a holiday one. It's my very first cozy mystery! I like that the characters are on the older side, retirees mostly. The yarn shop owner, a former attorney, Izzy may be the youngest with a small baby.
A CRIME OF A DIFFERENT STRIPE by Sally Goldenbaum is the fifteenth book in the Seaside Knitters Society cozy mystery series and takes place in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts. The book worked as a standalone novel, but reading the first books may provide some additional background on the characters and town.
The main characters in this novel are a soon-to-be mom and co-owner of the Halloran Lobster Company, Cass Halloran and her friend Izzy Perry, mother of a toddler, former attorney, and current owner of the Sea Harbor Yarn Studio. They are supported by friends Birdie Favazza, an octogenarian, and Nell Endicott, a retired nonprofit director. These four friends are kind, hard-working, and very involved with the local community. When a death occurs after the town’s art series reception, these Seaside Knitters look for answers.
The main characters are likeable and definitely someone you can root for. They felt three-dimensional, but perhaps a little too virtuous. Their flaws did not come through and would have made for a more realistic portrayal of people in small towns. Despite this, their goals were clear and influenced the plot. The secondary characters brought depth to the story line.
While the viewpoint is switched a few times between chapters, the story line progresses smoothly. The plot twists were believable, and partially unexpected. The author did a great job of world-building. The descriptions were vivid and gave a clear sense of time and place without detracting from the flow of the story.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read with relatable characters. Due to the large number of characters, there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book. Additionally, there is even a baby hat knitting pattern at the end of the book. Themes included death, grief, community support, gossip, amateur sleuthing, secrets, motherhood, friendship, family, and much more. If you enjoy good-hearted protagonists, knitting and cozy mysteries, then I recommend you check out this series.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Kensington Books and Sally Goldenbaum for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
This is a cozy mystery, and this is the 4th book in the Seaside Knitters Society mystery series. I cannot get into this book. There was parts of the book, but there was nothing I hated about the book. I think it was just ok. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Publishing Corporation) or author (Sally Goldenbaum) via NetGalley/Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. (*)
This is a cozy mystery, and this is the 4th book in the Seaside Knitters Society mystery series. I cannot get into this book. There was parts of the book, but there was nothing I hated about the book. I think it was just ok. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Publishing Corporation) or author (Sally Goldenbaum) via NetGalley/Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
A charming mystery with it's caring friendly characters that will make you care about this energetic group of knitters in A Crime of A Different Stripe. When you have the book just add a cat in your lap,a warm blanket and a cup of tea and you'll have the perfect evening. Includes a knitting pattern as well.
Pub Date 27 Oct 2020 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own
Back in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts is a place I love to be. Birdie, Izzy, Nell, and Cass have become friends I look forward to catching up with when each new book comes out.
This time the Sea Harbor Art Colony is hosting a week-long photography event. Sam was asked to invite one of his mentors Harrison Grant to be the keynote speaker. The man arrives for the opening ceremony but when it is time for his speech the photographer is nowhere to be found. Sam is quite upset but is sure Harrison will show up in his own sweet time.
The next morning, while on her morning run, Izzy finds Mr. Grant, but he won’t be giving any lectures. Dead men tell no tales, but knowing there is a murderer in the vicinity, Izzy, Birdie, Cass, and Nell find themselves wrapped up in another murder mystery. They are knitting together the clues while also knitting caps and booties for a community baby shower and for the bundle of joy that Cass will soon be delivering.
Ms. Goldenbaum has a lovely writing style that draws her readers into the story and wraps them in a warm hand-knit blanket on a cool autumn night. She has created a cast diverse in age and experience that gather together to knit and for some amazing meals. They discuss the events of the day like the current murder.
These characters have continued to develop over the years but Cass is the one the changes the most in this story. She is blissfully happy in her marriage and impending motherhood. She has made a new friend and they are taking a pregnancy yoga class. I love seeing her this way and I am excited to see how she takes on motherhood.
The mystery was intriguing especially as we learn more about the victim and his past. The author throws some red herrings into the mix along with several twists. The story unfolds at a comfortable pace but I missed some of the things I have come to expect in this series. I needed more dinners together and more time at Izzy’s shop knitting. The time spent at the new art was interesting. It is quite a place.
My visits to Sea Harbor and the beautiful beaches and shoppes always end much too soon. I enjoyed A Crime of a Different Stripe very much. I anxiously wait for the next installment next year.
A famous photographer comes to Sea Harbor as a guest speaker and lecturer at the fall art series of events. At Jane’s request but with reservations of his own, Sam has invited Harrison Grant, his former mentor. Grant comes with his own agenda, one the proves his downfall. The fourth in the series, this well-written mystery works as a stand-alone, especially since the author has kindly included a list of the many characters and their relationships. Though the mystery is an intriguing one, much of the enjoyment of the story comes from the interaction of the characters as well as the seaside setting.
The Seaside Knitters are in action once again and this time things are really dicey as Izzy is finding that Sam is still holding secrets from her, Cass is about to pop a baby out and a mysterious older man who begrudgingly befriended the knitters is looking pretty guilty for a murder that he definitely has a motive to commit! The knitters need to figure out this latest mysterious death before the art colony is jeopardized as well as their town and before one of their own is locked away for a murder they may not have committed. The characters are so endearingly real that you can't help but connect with them and feel like you are visiting old friends not just reading a book. The plots are well drafted to not only connect with the reader, but to draw you in and have you invested in the outcome. I absolutely love this series and can't wait to read what comes next!
This is one of my favorite series. I enjoy reading books that involve yarn work, small stores, and fun, colorful characters. This series by Sally Goldenbaum fits perfectly. Birdie, Izzy, Nell, Cass, and all the other characters make the words in the page come alive, sweeping me into the story and into their tight knit circle of friends. In A Crime of a Different Stripe, Sam, Izzy’s husband, has a piece of his past brought back to life, causing pain and anger amongst other residents in their seaside neighborhood. When the death of an invited guest shakes their town, Izzy refuses to sit back, and before long she finds herself wrapped up in a horrible investigation.
I loved this book and can’t wait to see what happens next to some of my favorite people.
I picked this one up without reading previous entries in the series, which worked better than it does for many cozy series. I don't knit or even do any craft particularly, but I enjoyed the kindness of the characters and the sense of care within their community. 3.5 stars, and I will now start the series from the beginning.
A Crime of a Different Stripe is the 15th book in the Seaside Knitters Society Mystery series.
The Seaside Knitters Society, Nell, Cassie, Birdie and Izzy, are friends in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts. The main characters in this novel are soon-to-be mum and co-owner of the Halloran Lobster Company, Cassie Halloran, and Izzy Perry, mother of a toddler and current owner of the Sea Harbor Yarn Studio. Nell Endicott is Izzy's aunt and a retired company director and Birdie Favazza is an octogenarian. When a body is found on the day following the town’s autumn art reception, the Seaside Knitters search for answers.
A Crime of a Different Stripe was my 1st in this series. Although it was book fifteen, I had no difficulties keeping up with characters and events and it worked for me as an individual story.
The four women had a brilliant friendship and the great cast of characters, including the fun townsfolk, and strong friendship bonds, helped to zhoosh up this autumnal cozy as did the switching viewpoints. I was sold on this compulsive story from the very beginning, and Sally Goldenbaum really impressed me with her fluid writing. The details of the plot were very well-executed, the story was amusing and easy to follow, and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on. This was an intriguing yarn, the elements of a good mystery - red herrings, twists, and measured pacing –skillfully applied to a community of delightful characters, thus creating a captivating tale until the very end.
It was a very good cozy and I am looking forward to reading book 16, as well as the others from the series. If you adore a great cozy mystery, don't miss out on A Crime of a Different Stripe!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
The seaside knitter members are an amazing group, who have come together to solve the crime of a photographer. There was a lot going on both mystery and personal as well with Cass being pregnant and about to give birth. To be honest, I was a bit lost or couldn’t get into this series as this book is the 15th installment. It would be better to read this series if followed in order. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book.
Cass is downplaying her pregnancy and is helping her employee’s wife with her pregnancy by starting yoga classes. A man is found dead and Cass and her knitter friends have to figure out how it all fits together.
A Crime of a Different Stripe is a fantastic addition to this series. The multiple narratives from the main characters keep you ingrained in the story and their lives. You don't know just the thoughts of one character; you get all of them. You learn about their lives, from having babies to their craft of knitting, to deep relationship fears and joys. Each character plays a vital intricate role in the lives of the other characters; they work, play, and live together as one big family. They take strangers under their wing and make them feel as though they are a part of everything and everyone. These characters feel grief when a stranger dies and joy when a child is born. They keep readers smiling, and at times crying. They are impossible to forget.
The small-town setting gives you a sense of closeness and life in a place where everyone knows everyone. New England is a picturesque setting for any series and ideal for this one. Add in a knitting group who love each other, several expectant mothers, a murder, and you have a combination that keeps a small town filled with life, gossip, and love.
There is little to no police involvement in this book. If readers are looking for an in-depth hard-driven murder investigation, this is not the book for them. There are suspects, perhaps more than you would expect. The evidence is found within the writer's words, but readers may need to sit back and think things over before realizing that a red herring may be more important than they thought. This is not a book that you can rush through. Readers will need to find a quiet place, a hot beverage, and the time to immerse themselves in the character's lives. This is not a stand-alone book; most readers will be lost if they have not read at least one of the other installments in this series. The knitting patterns in the back would be terrific for those interested in the craft. A Crime of a Different Stripe has an intensity you may not find in other stories of the same type. This is a character drive experience you won't want to miss with an ending that will have readers filled with joy and hope.
Well another cozy Seaside Knitters Society mystery story read. It always feels great to reunite with Nell, Birdie, Izzy and Cass along with their families. I have read the entire series (I believe this is the 15th one). As always, I love the connection between all of the characters and their love of each other. In this series you always get a mystery to solve, knitting products to envision and yummy food! I enjoyed this story which can be read as a “stand alone” but I really recommend starting from the beginning of the series so you can enjoy everyone connected to this fictional town in New England.
This is the 4th in the series of the Seaside Knitters. Famous photographer comes to town and stirs up old memories and actions that cause him to be murdered. This is a cozy mystery and a quick read. If one likes to knife, you do want to be part of this group.
I don't often read cozy mysteries. I prefer police procedurals and psychological mysteries. This one was set in Rockport Massachusetts, and a knitting store was also a minor part of the plot. Lots of cozies feature crafts as a theme to attract readers. I decided to read this one (via audiobook) because of the setting and the knitting.
I'll start with the good things in the book. There is a murder early on of a visitor to the town, There is little known about the victim, but the narrator engages in a lot of sluthing which provides some clues. There are several viable suspects which she supports with good details. She doesn't throw in any off-the-wall twists. Despite having an idea as to possible murderers, I didn't guess. Well done!
As a knitter as well as a practitioner of yoga, I found the description of the yoga full of errors egg, names of yoga poses. As far as knitting, there were also details that were inaccurate. If I am reading a mystery centered on knitting, I expect accuracy and descriptions of knitting activities that interest me.
If you aren't interested in knitting or yoga, the mystery will be satisfactory enough.
Sally Goldenbaum writes a novel overrun with friendship and loyalty and sense of community and this reader applauds her endeavor. The love and camaraderie among the Seaside Knitters amazes me and creates a sense of wonder and envy. A famous photographer arrives in Sea Harbor to host a lecture series, but Harrison Grant also plans something else in his return to Sea Harbor. Cassie and a new, young friend, Elena, plan the birth of their first babies. So many stories unfold in this short book: the disappearance of Rico’s wife over 20 years ago, the yoga teacher Harmony and her past life, and Elena’s adoptive parents. Ms. Goldenbaum deftly moves the story and the friendship of the characters and the community’s attitude. During troubling times, Ms. Goldenbaum shows that friendship and trust are the ultimate gifts of stability.
This story involves yoga, a lecture series, a photographer, and a missing woman. The story had a few surprises. I didn't think it would end the way it did. Overall, I liked it. I was hoping that the photography part of the story would have been different. I really wanted it to be a misunderstanding.
This is my first foray into this series. I've been wanting to try it out for a long time. I enjoyed the book quite a lot. My only complaint is that I felt it started off a bit slow.
It took me awhile to get into it. I enjoyed the mystery though and the knitting aspect. Anything having to do with yarn is great. I'm a loom knitter myself so very relatable.
I did enjoy the characters and the togetherness of everyone in the town.
A murder happens at an art fund raiser featuring a famous photographer. The ladies become involved because were at the event and had met the deceased. The book was a quick easy read.
A Crime Of A Different Stripe is the fifteenth book in the Seaside Knitters Society Mystery series by Sally Goldenbaum.
The Canary Cove Art Colony is planning a lecture series that they are planning to hold in their magnificent new old house. They would like Sam Perry, Izzy’s husband, to extend an invitation to renowned photographer Harrison Grant. Sam, a former student of Grant’s, is reluctant to extend the invitation but finally relents, never revealing why. The evening of the event arrives, and Grant seems to be enjoying visiting with the attendees. Toward the end of the event, Grant appears to have disappeared.
The next morning as Izzy is out running along the beach with her dog, she discovers Grant’s lifeless body on the steps to the house’s shore next door to where the Art Colony party had been held. The property owner, a curmudgeon, and recluse becomes a suspect, but Izzy and her fellow knitters aren’t sure. When Izzy receives information, that makes her wonder if Sam is somehow involved. Soon, Grant’s personal secretary arrives in town and provides the knitters with information that proves to be invaluable in determining the killer.
A subplot of the story centers around Cass and her new yoga partner, Elena. Elena is in her 20’s like Cass is pregnant, and they do yoga together. Her husband works on Cass’s lobster boat. As Cass is trying to learn more about her, she is vague about her past as if she is hiding something. Goldenbaum will skillfully weave Elena’s history into the mystery.
The book is well-written and plotted and moves at a nice pace. The characters are all well-developed, engaging, and believable. They are ones that I would like to have as friends.
A pattern for a baby hat also is included in the book.
When a renowned Photographer is invited to present a series of workshops in Sea Harbor no one is expecting that he will be murdered at the welcoming ceremony. He has no connection to the area. Or does he? The ladies of the Seaside knitters come together to support Izzy after she discovers his boy the morning after he goes missing just before he is to be introduced.
The ladies go on to conduct their own investigation when it appears that the local law enforcement are going to charge one of their friends with murder. It becomes even more pressing when Izzy's husband has more motive for murder than any of them thought possible. As the life of victim becomes clear many more motives are uncovered.
The story unfolds nicely and I enjoyed the addition of multiple knitting projects. You need not be a knitter to enjoy this novel. The side story is a good addition. The progression of Izzy's friends pregnancy and her friendship with a young pregnant women. The conclusion of the twist element was the only thing i found unsatisfying in this story. It ended rather abruptly for my taste.
Much to everyone's surprise in the Seaside Knitters group, Cass Halloran is pregnant and calmly knitting baby items along with the rest of the group. But there's trouble ahead when a famous photographer is invited to the opening reception of the local art cooperative. Izzy Perry's husband Sam has reservations about inviting his one-time mentor Harrison Grant to be the keynote speaker. Sam is closed mouthed about his reasons, but everyone soon learns Harrison Grant is a huge egomaniac. When Izzy stumbles over a dead body near the reception site, she and her friends try to piece together what happened and how the past influences the present. Whenever I read these books, I wish I had a close group of friends like these and knew how to knit!
This is a satisfying and incredibly cozy read, with a plot that moves along gently. I really enjoyed the mystery, because it unfurled in such a neat fashion, letting the reader keep pace with the sleuths, sometimes ducking ahead of or falling behind their deductions, but never too badly. Sometimes the small town did feel rather twee though, part of which may be because I haven't read the first couple books.
Disclaimer: This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest and voluntary review.
i was super lucky to have won this cutie through a Goodreads giveaway, love that cover. i am trying to figure if i have read Sally before? i recall her profile photo, but she has tons of books out .. i am going to read more soon. i am a mystery fan. always. i love a good book that will take you to another world. an escape. fun. just enjoyable. great characters. i will read more soon. thank you Sally. glad for a win in my books. way cool!! keep reading.
A Crime of a Different Stripe is the fourth book in the Seaside Knitters Mystery series. I would consider it a standalone...although reading the previous books might give you more backstory, plus they're fun reads.
I enjoyed this book so much. There's no wild and crazy...just great characters and and interesting whodunit. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.