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drokka's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
A Wicked Yarn by Emmie Caldwell is the debut of A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery. We meet Lia Geiger who is a widow who has recently moved to Crandalsburg for a new start. Lia is a knitter who belongs to the Ninth Street Knitters. I liked this group of knitters who sell their wares at a booth at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair run by Belinda Peebles. I enjoyed the lovely descriptions of the yarns and the items they created. There is also a visit to an alpaca farm. Lia is creating a sweater from the soft yarn. I would have liked more information on Lia. Her last name is not mentioned a third of a way through the book. Lia’s daughter, Hayley is not happy with her marketing position in Pennsylvania and decides to make a change. Hayley explores her options while her mother worries about her. The mystery involves the death of Darren Peebles who is out to hurt his ex-wife through the barn where the Crandalsburg Craft Fair is held. You can tell right away that Darren will be the victim. The second victim is equally obvious. Lia decides to investigate to help her friend and save the craft barn. She questions various people and comes up with a list of suspects. Each suspect has a good motive (I am surprised the man was not murdered sooner). I like that Lia is not one of those amateur sleuths who dives into an investigation and is heedless of her own safety. The reveal of the killer involves drama and suspense. Most readers will be able to solve this whodunit before the killer is exposed. A Wicked Yarn has the cozy part down with knitting, chatting, food preparations, and eating. I liked the feel of the craft barn and the various vendors (who have created one-of-a-kind-items). The pacing could have used improvement. It was slow throughout the middle (lack of action) which had me speed reading through the sluggish sections. I thought the characters were realistic and I could understand their concerns regarding finances when business slowed down at the craft barn. A Wicked Yarn is a charming new cozy mystery with a crafty killer, adorable alpacas, daughter drama, comfy knits, and a dead developer.
measiwitch's review
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
thisandthatwithkaren's review
4.0
"A Wicked Yarn" first in the Craft Fair Knitters Mystery series by Emmie Caldwell. Great start to a wonderful new cozy mystery series! I really enjoyed this story, with its craft fair theme. I did one craft fair years ago and I can see how this can be a fun series with lots of quirky characters.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
I did suspect the killer prior to Lia and Haley but it did not take away from the enjoyment. I found myself engrossed in the story from beginning to end.
I’m looking forward to “Stitched in Crime” Coming Winter 2021
I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
I did suspect the killer prior to Lia and Haley but it did not take away from the enjoyment. I found myself engrossed in the story from beginning to end.
I’m looking forward to “Stitched in Crime” Coming Winter 2021
I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
annieb123's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
A Wicked Yarn is the first book in a new crafter cozy mystery series by Emmie Caldwell. Released 29th Dec 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 304 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an engaging and well written crafter cozy (with cat). I enjoyed the characters and the development of the mystery which although admittedly comfortably predictable and trope-y, is also appealingly well written and paced. The characters are fleshed out and interact believably with one another. There are some early exchanges between Belinda and her ex-husband (in the role of first corpse) which are fairly clunky - but the dialogue improves quickly and I didn't find myself being yanked out of the story after the first chapter.
All-around comfortable cozy with an amateur group of knitters. I'm looking forward to future installments.
Four stars. (Clean language, no sexual content).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A Wicked Yarn is the first book in a new crafter cozy mystery series by Emmie Caldwell. Released 29th Dec 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 304 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an engaging and well written crafter cozy (with cat). I enjoyed the characters and the development of the mystery which although admittedly comfortably predictable and trope-y, is also appealingly well written and paced. The characters are fleshed out and interact believably with one another. There are some early exchanges between Belinda and her ex-husband (in the role of first corpse) which are fairly clunky - but the dialogue improves quickly and I didn't find myself being yanked out of the story after the first chapter.
All-around comfortable cozy with an amateur group of knitters. I'm looking forward to future installments.
Four stars. (Clean language, no sexual content).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
peggyemi's review
3.0
A Wicked Yarn is the first book in the Craft Fair Knitters Mystery by author Emmie Caldwell (who also writes as Mary Ellen Hughes). This was a solid start to a new series. I really like that the series is centered on a craft barn with many different crafters who sell their wares. The characters were all very enjoyable, and I loved the mother-daughter relationship between Lia and Haley. The secondary cast of characters includes the crafters at the craft barn along with Lia's knitting group known as the Ninth Street Knitters, whose wares Lia sells at the craft barn. Lia is an amateur sleuth drawn into solving two murders because she stumbled over both bodies. She decides to try and help her friend, who is under suspicion for the murders but also to save the craft barn as well.
I thought the mystery was well done. There is a lot of clues for Lia, who is joined by her daughter Haley in sleuthing, to follow. There are plenty of viable suspects that have good motives for committing the murders. Lia is not a reckless sleuth nor does she charge in and get herself in trouble. The killer's identity is revealed toward the end and there is a climactic scene involving Lia's daughter where the killer is caught. The one thing that kept me from giving this a 4-star review was the pace of the book. I, personally, felt that the pace was slow and dragged a bit in some places which made it harder for me to push through to the end.
All in all, I enjoyed this book enough that I will be returning for the next book in the series to see how the author grows the characters and to see how she plots the next story.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
I thought the mystery was well done. There is a lot of clues for Lia, who is joined by her daughter Haley in sleuthing, to follow. There are plenty of viable suspects that have good motives for committing the murders. Lia is not a reckless sleuth nor does she charge in and get herself in trouble. The killer's identity is revealed toward the end and there is a climactic scene involving Lia's daughter where the killer is caught. The one thing that kept me from giving this a 4-star review was the pace of the book. I, personally, felt that the pace was slow and dragged a bit in some places which made it harder for me to push through to the end.
All in all, I enjoyed this book enough that I will be returning for the next book in the series to see how the author grows the characters and to see how she plots the next story.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
reader_cheryl's review
4.0
Widow Lia Geiger works at a craft booth at the Crandlesburg Craft Fair for Ninth Street Knits, her knitting group. Other vendors at the craft fair include photographer Mark Simmon; Olivia Boyd, a maker of herbal soaps; Zach Goodwin a beekeeper selling his own honey; and painter Joan Fowler. The craft fair is located close to Gettysburg and draws much of its business from the tourist crowd.
Lia’s good friend Belinda Peoples is the manager of the craft fair; she has built this business from the ground up after a disastrous divorce. Belinda’s livelihood is threatened when her ex-husband buys the old barn that is the craft fair’s home and announces his plans to tear the building down. Belinda vows not to let him destroy her business and later, when Lia finds Belinda standing over the body of her ex, it seems Belinda has kept her promise. The murder drives away the tourists and the artists at the craft fair begin to suffer.
Lia knows her friend hasn’t committed murder, but finding the murderer is challenging. Then a second body turns up and the pressure is on to find the real killer and clear Belinda’s name.
Recommendation
A Wicked Yarn is a fast read and a good way to spend a few hours solving a who-dun-it.
Lia’s good friend Belinda Peoples is the manager of the craft fair; she has built this business from the ground up after a disastrous divorce. Belinda’s livelihood is threatened when her ex-husband buys the old barn that is the craft fair’s home and announces his plans to tear the building down. Belinda vows not to let him destroy her business and later, when Lia finds Belinda standing over the body of her ex, it seems Belinda has kept her promise. The murder drives away the tourists and the artists at the craft fair begin to suffer.
Lia knows her friend hasn’t committed murder, but finding the murderer is challenging. Then a second body turns up and the pressure is on to find the real killer and clear Belinda’s name.
Recommendation
A Wicked Yarn is a fast read and a good way to spend a few hours solving a who-dun-it.
liezjo's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
It’s a cute mystery but the writing style is not for me.