A Fatal Yarn by Peggy Ehrhart has Pamela Paterson surprised to see trees sporting knitted creations in Arborville, New Jersey. It seems someone is trying to save trees that are scheduled to be cut down with the mayor's approval. Then the mayor is found dead in his kitchen and Roland DeCamp, a Knit & Nibble member, is arrested for the crime. Pamela and Bettina team up to clear Roland and find the true killer. A Fatal Yarn is the 5th A Knit and Nibble Mystery and it can be read on its own. I like the characters in the story and the descriptions of the yarn plus their knitting projects. I did find the endless details of how they make coffee and cook or bake various items to be tiring. Every single time that Pamela made coffee, it is described in detail. Pamela's daily routine is also written about (articles she edited, what she wore, what she ate and drank). The focus of A Fatal Yarn is on the people and their lives instead of the mystery. The mystery is straightforward with a dead guy, a few suspects, and misdirection. Identifying the killer was a snap. I wish the mystery had been as interesting as the knitted wraps around the trees. If you prefer your cozy mysteries to have more cozy than mystery, than A Fatal Yarn is right up your alley. A Fatal Yarn is a lighthearted tale with trembling trees, nifty knitted creations, copious quantities of coffee, tasty treats, and a murdered mayor.
A Fatal Yarn has some good misdirection that makes for a mystery to keep readers guessing, and it continues to do something that I really appreciate. So many niche cozy mystery series have a "hook"-- be it knitting, cooking, glassblowing, or any other hobby-- but often those hooks are superficial. Once used to draw readers in, they have little to do with the actual story. Not with Peggy Ehrhart's Knit & Nibble series. Knitting continues to be at the heart of the stories, and I really liked the version of yarnbombing that was used in connection to the tree sweaters.
Pamela Paterson is the heart and soul of the Knit & Nibble mysteries. She's an editor for "Fiber Craft Magazine," and I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only reader who wishes the magazine was real. Many of the articles mentioned sound fascinating. The only thing I don't care for is Pamela's best friend Bettina constantly trying to be a matchmaker between Pamela and Pamela's next-door neighbor. Not every single woman wants or needs a man to be happy, and that matchmaking schtick gets old.
Not only A Fatal Yarn but all the books in this series are perfect comfort reads for trying times. Ehrhart has a writing style that is lush, filled with a dazzling color palette and mouthwatering tastes and aromas. She wants readers to be fully immersed in her world, and she creates a wonderful feeling of community by including all the sorts of little rituals that bind us together. Just one tiny word of warning. If repetition bothers you, don't read these books one right after the other. If you do, you might want to scream after awhile when Bettina dons her pumpkin-colored coat for the umpteenth time or puts her sage green plates on the table yet again. If you aren't bothered by repetition, then dive right in. Peggy Ehrhart's Knit & Nibble mysteries are a feast for the eyes, the taste buds, and the heart. It's a series that I truly enjoy.
Pamela Paterson is the heart and soul of the Knit & Nibble mysteries. She's an editor for "Fiber Craft Magazine," and I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only reader who wishes the magazine was real. Many of the articles mentioned sound fascinating. The only thing I don't care for is Pamela's best friend Bettina constantly trying to be a matchmaker between Pamela and Pamela's next-door neighbor. Not every single woman wants or needs a man to be happy, and that matchmaking schtick gets old.
Not only A Fatal Yarn but all the books in this series are perfect comfort reads for trying times. Ehrhart has a writing style that is lush, filled with a dazzling color palette and mouthwatering tastes and aromas. She wants readers to be fully immersed in her world, and she creates a wonderful feeling of community by including all the sorts of little rituals that bind us together. Just one tiny word of warning. If repetition bothers you, don't read these books one right after the other. If you do, you might want to scream after awhile when Bettina dons her pumpkin-colored coat for the umpteenth time or puts her sage green plates on the table yet again. If you aren't bothered by repetition, then dive right in. Peggy Ehrhart's Knit & Nibble mysteries are a feast for the eyes, the taste buds, and the heart. It's a series that I truly enjoy.
