"an exciting tight knit whodunit"

Sea Harbor, Massachusetts is a place where people from all fields of art live and work. The village has its own artists' colony and the serenity has enabled many residents to get their creative juices flowing. Late at night fiber artist Willow Adams comes to town with no place to sleep. She breaks into the Seaside Knitters Studio falling asleep at the window facing the street.

The police arrive, but the store's owner Izzy Chambers refuses to file any charges. Willow tells her and Seaside Knitters Nell, Cass and Birdie that she came to see them to discuss her fiber art. She also wants to meet her biological father Aiden Peabody who allegedly deserted her mother before she was born. However before father and daughter meet, Aiden is found dead, a poison victim. As the main benefactor of Aiden's will as well as desertion issues, she is the prime suspect of the police. However, the Seaside Knitters club members think otherwise and encouraging one another they plan to prove she is innocent by finding the real killer one stitch at a time.

The second Seaside Knitters amateur sleuth tale (see DEATH BY CASHMERE) is an exciting tight knit whodunit that emphasizes life in a small Massachusetts town in which art is the focus of the community. Told by Nell, the ambience of the art colonies and the tension of the investigation make for a fine one sitting read. Similar in tone and location to Anne Canadeo's WHILE MY PRETTY ONE KNITS, Sally Goldenbaum entertains with this strong thriller the knitting mystery crowd; who have a high quality bar set by Monica Ferris' Minnesota Crewel World and Maggie Sefton's Colorado House of Lambspun.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 29, 2009

Summary

Nell, Izzy, Birdie and Cass befriend a young artist who is found asleep in the window of Izzy’s knitting shop. Willow Adams has come to share her amazing fiber art with Izzy’s customers. But first the knitters introduce Willow to their town’s own art event, Art at Night, a festive Sunday night gathering on Canary Cove. But that Sunday night, while bands play on the pier and local artists display their handblown beads, paintings, and pottery, Nell Endicott discovers enigmatic artist and gallery owner Aidan Peabody, dead in the secluded garden of his Fishtail Gallery. The Seaside Knitters suspect this is a homespun homicide and they soon discover secrets and surprises among neighbors and friends. But the biggest surprise of all is the sole heir to Aidan’s considerable estate. And the knitters find themselves unraveling Willow Adam’s less savory creations from her unexpected past.