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domicspinnwand's review against another edition
3.0
Rezension s. hier:
http://domicspinnwand.blogspot.com/2020/09/rezension-only-skein-deep-von-maggie.html
Naja, nagelbeissende Spannung kann man hier wohl nicht erwarten und mich würde schon interessieren, wie man einen Pompom "strickt" - aber sei's drum, da gab es schon schlechtere aus der Reihe...
http://domicspinnwand.blogspot.com/2020/09/rezension-only-skein-deep-von-maggie.html
Naja, nagelbeissende Spannung kann man hier wohl nicht erwarten und mich würde schon interessieren, wie man einen Pompom "strickt" - aber sei's drum, da gab es schon schlechtere aus der Reihe...
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Only Skein Deep by Maggie Sefton is the fifteenth book in A Knitting Mystery series. It is May in Fort Connor, Colorado and everyone is anxiously awaiting the birth of Kelly and Steve’s son. Kelly is nine months pregnant and desperately misses coffee. Kelly is waiting out the arrival of her son by working on her client’s account, spending time with friends, watching Cassie’s games, and knitting a baby hat. One day Kelly arrives at House of Lambspun to find out that a body was discovered on the golf course. The victim turns out to be Giselle Callahan, the second wife of William Callahan. William, president of a local sports equipment company, had divorced his first wife, Meredith after a forty-year marriage. Meredith was so distressed by the divorce that ended up committing suicide. The investigation uncovers that Giselle was murdered. Kelly wonders who wanted Giselle dead, but she is unable to contribute much to the investigation in her current state. Curt and Jolene feel it is time for Kelly to make an honest man of Steve and they organize a wedding. The members of the Lambspun family come together for the wedding that they have been waiting years to witness. Will baby jack wait until after the wedding to make his arrival? Who killed Giselle Callahan?
Only Skein Deep is nicely written, has a good pace and is easy to read. It has been ten years since Kelly came to Fort Connor, Colorado. Only Skein Deep summarizes why Kelly came to the town and what has happened since her arrival. Readers get to hear how baby Jack is playing soccer in Kelly’s stomach (more than once in every chapter), the various sporting events the group participates in, the status of Kelly’s knitting project, how Kelly cannot have her normal coffee (in each and every chapter), Cassie’s final exams, food descriptions, the history of Fort Connor, Carl chasing the squirrel and the gorgeous yarn in House of Lambspun. If you have not read the previous books in A Knitting Mystery series, you should not start with Only Skein Deep. I recommend beginning with Knit One, Kill Two. I give Only Skein Deep 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery is so far in the background in this book that it is practically non-existent. It is discussed, but not investigated (everyone is too focused on Kelly’s pregnancy). The killer’s identity can be discerned early in the novel. No clues are needed to solve this one. It was nice to catch up with the characters, but I wanted more. I have read every book in A Knitting Mystery series, and this is the first one to disappoint me. Only Skein Deep needed a complex whodunit and less focus on Kelly’s pregnancy (I quickly tired of the many references to the baby playing soccer in her stomach). Only Skein Deep felt like it was written by someone else (or the author phoned in this one). It was disappointing to find out that Jolene and Curt as well as Greg and Lisa were married (done secretly and kept quiet). It felt wrong and out of place with this group of characters (they share everything). Only Skein Deep felt like the author was wrapping up the series and, after reading it, it should be the last one.
Only Skein Deep is nicely written, has a good pace and is easy to read. It has been ten years since Kelly came to Fort Connor, Colorado. Only Skein Deep summarizes why Kelly came to the town and what has happened since her arrival. Readers get to hear how baby Jack is playing soccer in Kelly’s stomach (more than once in every chapter), the various sporting events the group participates in, the status of Kelly’s knitting project, how Kelly cannot have her normal coffee (in each and every chapter), Cassie’s final exams, food descriptions, the history of Fort Connor, Carl chasing the squirrel and the gorgeous yarn in House of Lambspun. If you have not read the previous books in A Knitting Mystery series, you should not start with Only Skein Deep. I recommend beginning with Knit One, Kill Two. I give Only Skein Deep 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery is so far in the background in this book that it is practically non-existent. It is discussed, but not investigated (everyone is too focused on Kelly’s pregnancy). The killer’s identity can be discerned early in the novel. No clues are needed to solve this one. It was nice to catch up with the characters, but I wanted more. I have read every book in A Knitting Mystery series, and this is the first one to disappoint me. Only Skein Deep needed a complex whodunit and less focus on Kelly’s pregnancy (I quickly tired of the many references to the baby playing soccer in her stomach). Only Skein Deep felt like it was written by someone else (or the author phoned in this one). It was disappointing to find out that Jolene and Curt as well as Greg and Lisa were married (done secretly and kept quiet). It felt wrong and out of place with this group of characters (they share everything). Only Skein Deep felt like the author was wrapping up the series and, after reading it, it should be the last one.
hancav's review against another edition
2.0
I have read every single one of the books in this series. I am not going to bother reading any future publications. Each chapter was the exact same thing, Dog, computer spreadsheets, softball, baby and pregnancy “how are you feeling” comments, and complaints regarding no coffee. Each chapter just had different characters involved. I felt like I just kept rereading the same chapter. I was very disappointed in this book. I will be looking for new authors.
chartsh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
trouvaille's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This book was terrible. It's a mystery where you spend the entire time hearing the main character says the same 3 things about being pregnant and then the mystery gets solved off screen. If your going in expecting a slice of life about a pregnant woman and her bland friend group it might not be terrible. But as a mystery it does nothing right.
kateklauss's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
jessalyn's review against another edition
1.0
This book was absolutely infuriating. Let's put aside the murder, which amounts to about three sentences in the whole book, but the "friends" who decide to force the protagonist to get married, literally scheduling her wedding within a week, without even consulting the potential groom, just because they think it's time? Friends who didn't believe in marriage two books ago? And Kelly going along with it even though it was the cause for her and the potential groom to break up in the first place? I don't understand? What the absolute $#@?!
auntblh's review against another edition
3.0
I really need to get in the mindset that these are no longer mysteries and are stories of a group of friends. This one seemed to have a lot of repetition of dialogue and scenes. It almost seemed to be filler to make the book long enough to be more than a short story.
historical_bookworm's review against another edition
3.0
I've adored this series from the beginning but this book felt so forced to me. There wasn't a lot of mystery to the story just a lot about the characters and Kelly and her pregnancy. If this is the last book for the series I wouldn't be surprised since it felt like a lot of loose ends were being tied up.
bookwyrm_lark's review
3.0
Pregnancy slows Kelly down but doesn’t stop her from wondering and asking questions in Only Skein Deep. The lack of active investigation makes this book far more “cozy” than “mystery,” but fans will enjoy spending time with Kelly and the Lambspun gang as they wait for the birth of baby Jack—and wonder who murdered a woman on the golf course.
The golf-course murder certainly has a place in the yarn shop conversation, but it’s not the focus of the book or the characters. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is focused on the impending birth of Kelly and Steve’s baby. It’s the main topic of conversation and the first thing anyone says to Kelly. (If you find that a little annoying as a reader, imagine what it’s like to be an expectant mom in her ninth month, because the author isn’t exaggerating. When I was pregnant (decades ago), some form of “How are you doing” or “When are you due” was always the first thing out of anyone’s mouth when I encountered them. . . usually followed by reams of advice.)
Once those conversations are out of the way, though, the talk often turns to the murder, as various regulars and newcomers to the shop share what they know (aka, gossip!) about the death, the victim, her marriage, and her husband’s first wife. Unlike most of the mysteries in this series, Kelly neither finds nor views the body, and no one she knows is obviously connected to the murder in any way. While it’s certainly a more realistic scenario than in most cozy mysteries—how many of us stumble across dead bodies or become personally involved in murder cases, after all—it also serves to make the mystery feel distant, rather than urgent and immediate. Kelly’s interest this time is more academic; she’s necessarily on the outskirts of the investigation, and it takes up less than half her attention.
I’ve been a Lambspun regular (in the sense of reading the mysteries) since early in the series, so I enjoyed the chance to spend time with Kelly and her circle of friends, even if the mystery side of things felt a bit skimpy. I liked seeing Kelly and Steve’s relationship on such a solid footing, and the caring and support their friends exhibit toward both of them, especially Kelly. I could have done without several completely unrelated info-dumps, though: conversations in which one or more characters expounded on subjects having nothing to do with the mystery, Kelly’s baby, or knitting. I don’t think everything in a mystery needs to be connected to the mystery or even to the series theme, but to be honest, these scenes felt stilted and suspiciously like filler.
The bottom line? If you’re already a fan, read Only Skein Deep for the community of friends and the warm, comforting ambiance of the Lambspun knitting shop. If you’re new to the series, start with the first book; the early books feature more compelling mysteries, and you’ll get to know Kelly and the gang from the beginning.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
The golf-course murder certainly has a place in the yarn shop conversation, but it’s not the focus of the book or the characters. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is focused on the impending birth of Kelly and Steve’s baby. It’s the main topic of conversation and the first thing anyone says to Kelly. (If you find that a little annoying as a reader, imagine what it’s like to be an expectant mom in her ninth month, because the author isn’t exaggerating. When I was pregnant (decades ago), some form of “How are you doing” or “When are you due” was always the first thing out of anyone’s mouth when I encountered them. . . usually followed by reams of advice.)
Once those conversations are out of the way, though, the talk often turns to the murder, as various regulars and newcomers to the shop share what they know (aka, gossip!) about the death, the victim, her marriage, and her husband’s first wife. Unlike most of the mysteries in this series, Kelly neither finds nor views the body, and no one she knows is obviously connected to the murder in any way. While it’s certainly a more realistic scenario than in most cozy mysteries—how many of us stumble across dead bodies or become personally involved in murder cases, after all—it also serves to make the mystery feel distant, rather than urgent and immediate. Kelly’s interest this time is more academic; she’s necessarily on the outskirts of the investigation, and it takes up less than half her attention.
I’ve been a Lambspun regular (in the sense of reading the mysteries) since early in the series, so I enjoyed the chance to spend time with Kelly and her circle of friends, even if the mystery side of things felt a bit skimpy. I liked seeing Kelly and Steve’s relationship on such a solid footing, and the caring and support their friends exhibit toward both of them, especially Kelly. I could have done without several completely unrelated info-dumps, though: conversations in which one or more characters expounded on subjects having nothing to do with the mystery, Kelly’s baby, or knitting. I don’t think everything in a mystery needs to be connected to the mystery or even to the series theme, but to be honest, these scenes felt stilted and suspiciously like filler.
The bottom line? If you’re already a fan, read Only Skein Deep for the community of friends and the warm, comforting ambiance of the Lambspun knitting shop. If you’re new to the series, start with the first book; the early books feature more compelling mysteries, and you’ll get to know Kelly and the gang from the beginning.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.