Knit or Dye Trying

Knit or Dye Trying by Allie Pleiter is the second A Riverbank Knitting Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but you would be missing out on the engaging first book, On Skein of Death. I thought Knit or Dye Trying was well-written with relatable characters. I am enjoying getting to know Libby Beckett who owns Y.A.R.N. in Collinstown, Maryland. She is a strong protagonist who is creative, friendly, and hard working. You can tell that Libby loves yarn in all its varied forms. She wants to share her craft with others. The mayor, Gavin Maddock and his daughter, Jillian are two other great characters along with Libby’s very busy mother. I like how Libby has taken Jillian under her wing. Jillian is a smart, savvy young lady who is making a name for herself in the field of knitting with her YouTube videos. The mayor has dreamed up See More than Sea Food Festival to get tourists to the town and see that they have more than crab cakes to offer. Libby is bringing in the prickly fiber artist, Julie Wilson to showcase plant fibers. Julie will conduct a dying demonstration so people can see how she gets her vibrant colors (which is hard to do with plant fibers). Unfortunately, Julie’s sister, Monica is also in town for the festival and to say the sisters do not get along is an understatement. The weekend starts out with a bang, or should I say “Baa” when local sheep farmers stage a demonstration against Julie who posted an inflammatory YouTube video. That evening, Libby is enjoying dinner with Gavin when a fire breaks out in the restaurant. The evidence points to Julie as the culprit. Libby goes with Frank Reynolds, the chief of police, to the warehouse where Julie is prepping for the demonstration. The find the warehouse filled with toxic fumes with Julie dead on the floor. Are the sheep farmers behind this deadly attack? Libby works to untangle the clues and stitch them back together so she can catch the killer. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of life in Collinstown. It is a charming Maryland tourist town with friendly residents, quaint shops, and amazing restaurants. Of course, gossip flows faster than maple syrup on hot pancakes. The whodunit was unique. I like how the murder was committed. It was different and highlights how dangerous dying chemicals can be. I wish the solution has been a surprise. There are a limited number of suspects. The author does a good job at building tension. There was also competition and contention. The reveal answers any lingering questions regarding the murder. The complete details are distressing. The chamber of commerce election is at the end of the book. I love the posters that Arlene created for Libby. They were amusing. I loved the descriptions of Julie’s hand dyed fibers. They sounded amazing (I wanted them). I wish Y.A.R.N. was in my town. I could imagine spending many delightful hours there picking out yarn, knitting, and chatting. Y.A.R.N. sounds like it is truly a feast for the eyes. I enjoyed my latest visit to Collinstown, and I cannot wait to return in the next A Riverbank Knitting Mystery. Knit or Dye Trying is a delightful cozy mystery with a food festival, a sheep protest, squabbling siblings, venomous vapors, a dead dyer, suspicious crooks, a fiber feast, and an emerging influencer.