A Crafter Knits a Clue: A Handcrafted Mystery

A Crafter Knits a Clue by Holly Quinn is the first novel in A Handcrafted Mystery series. Samantha “Sammy” Kane took over running the Community Craft store in Heartsford, Wisconsin three years prior after her best friend, Kate Allen passed away in a tragic accident. Sammy and her part-time employee, Carter Allen are working on decorating the store for Spring Fling when she gets a call from Ingrid Wilson who owns The Yarn Barn. Since Ingrid had opened her shop, she calls frequently needing assistance. Sammy finds the back door to The Yarn Barn open and legs sticking out from behind the counter. Ingrid has a green aluminum knitting needle jutting out of her throat. Detective Liam Nash, the town’s handsome new detective, is on the case. When he arrests Miles Danbury, a woodworker for the crime, Sammy, with the assistance of her cousin and sister, sets out solve the twisty whodunit. They need to knit together the clues to reveal the killer. Ingrid was not a popular resident which provides an array of suspects. Sammy needs to be careful or she could end up in a knotty situation. A Crafter Knits a Clue is an engaging cozy mystery. Sammy Kane came to town for her best friend’s funeral and ends up returning to town permanently. The town relies on Community Craft for selling their craft items as well as a meeting place. It is a central hub for Heartsford, Wisconsin. Sammy took over the store and keeps an eye on best friend’s younger brother, Carter. Sammy is not alone in Heartsford. She has her sister, Ellie and her cousin, Heidi. The three of them grew up together and formed an amateur sleuthing club when they were children. I enjoyed the interactions between the three women (some of them will have you snickering). You can tell that they care for each and are supportive. Sammy can be a bit impulsive and brusque (especially with Liam). I did not like the way she dealt with Liam at times (put me on edge). She has her reasons which come to light later in the story. I liked the author’s writing style (conversational) which made the story easy to read especially with its steady pacing. I appreciated that the author took the time to provide the main characters background and establish the town. It helps me to imagine the characters and setting which brings a story to life for me. Ingrid’s home was especially appealing along with the handcrafted items in Community Craft. The mystery was uncomplicated. There is active investigating as the threesome hunt for clues and suspects. There are a few suspects and pointed clues. Readers will have no problem unraveling this whodunit. There are knitting patterns for socks at the end for those of you handy with knitting needles. A Crafter Knits a Clue is a pleasurable start to A Handcrafted Mystery series. I am giving A Crafter Knits a Clue 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). A Crafter Knits a Clue combines family, friends, food and crafts into one charming cozy mystery.

I have zero crafty ability but still find myself drawn to crafty cozies. Sometimes, I learn something. I especially enjoy it when I don't realize how dumb I am during my education. Holly Quinn does an excellent job of writing her cozy in such a way that people of all levels can understand it without feeling bored or overtly ignorant. There were plenty of possibilities as to who the bad guy was. I did get a sense of who was involved but I never put it together before the reveal. I thought the way that Sammy came back to the town was very believable and the world that was created was one that was realistic. In fact, it felt like this wasn't the first in a series and I had to go back and double check to make sure it was. We don't see the moving chaos and she's already established her place in the community and her store when the story begins. All in all, I found this to be a wonderful book and I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you so much to Holly Quinn, NetGalley, and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

First in A Handcrafted Mystery Series, this cozy is an exciting and fascinating read that I enjoyed. The Wisconsin setting sounds beautiful, and those who live here remind me of the family ties, loyalty, and work ethic I’ve encountered in people from small-town Wisconsin. This is the kind of atmosphere that draws people to cozy mysteries and craft groups. Sammy is the owner of Community Craft Store and has been since her best friend, Kate, died in a freak accident about 3 years ago. The store was Kate’s dream, and she brought the community together through selling locally-made goods and various fundraisers to help people in need. Sammy feels she can never live up to Kate’s talents for inviting people to be their best. Carter, Kate’s younger brother, is fifteen years younger than Sammy. He is a senior in high school, a basketball star and team captain and helps in the store. He is seeking college scholarships based on his athletic and scholastic talents. He is like a younger brother to Sammy, and they are very close. When Ingrid, who recently opened a well-stocked yarn shop nearby, calls Carter for help with something, Sammy goes, after checking her emails, while Carter finishes some overhead decorating. Sammy goes to The Yarn Barn and finds Ingrid murdered. Despite how fiber arts crafters love her new shop, very few liked Ingrid. The man the police accuse of the murder is a friend and craftsman to Sammy and she is certain Miles didn’t do it. Ingrid is a long-lost aunt of Coach, the high school basketball coach. They were just getting to know each other when she died. Days later, Coach is run down by a hit and run driver. Sammy becomes involved with the murder and hit-and-run partly because of Carter and his team and partly because she is convinced of Mile’s innocence. Coach asks Sammy and her friends to help clean out his aunt’s clothing for donation, and the ladies find no clues except a hidden box of cash. Lots of it. As the suspects are narrowed down, the bad guy(s) make plans to keep Sammy from ever asking any more questions. I like Sammy; she has much more of Kate’s heart that she thinks, as is evidenced through her community concern and trying to clear the name of the friend accused of Ingrid’s murder. She also helps Carter prepare for a fundraiser to help Coach with his growing medical bills. Each of the primary characters are very well defined and 3-dimensional; all are described as suitable to their roles. This first in a new series cozy mystery drew me in from the start, especially with the murder occurring early in the novel, and it held my attention throughout. I had an ongoing list of who I thought murdered and who attempted murder; the list changed with each plot twist. Sammy’s store sounds like a great place, as I enjoyed the descriptions of various areas of it, including the craft room. All the elements that make a cozy mystery interesting to me are present: an interesting career (the shop), pets (a dog), small-town cozy, a tightly-woven, complex mystery, and characters I would enjoy as neighbors. The ending is satisfactory with some happy surprises. I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy craft stores, yarn, and very well-written cozy mysteries! From a grateful heart: I received an e-Arc of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.