Customer Reviews

A Deadly Yarn (Knitting Mysteries, No. 3)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the third book in Sefton's knitting series and definitely worth the time to pick up. Sefton continues to develop Kelly's life and add changes to it to keep us involved personally as well as with the murder plot. I enjoy the "cozy" knitting theme as well as the plot. The CO setting is very well done and enjoyable.

In this installment, a fabric artist that Kelly knew is murdered, but it is first seen as a sucide. Kelly can't accept this so begins investigating herself. She actually does a good job of keeping the police involved as well, which is a nice change from many murder mysteries!

We also see developments in Kelly's personal life as she has to decide whether to cut the ties to her DC job and transfer permanently to CO. Hopefully in the next book we will see some more movement in her romantic life as well! Steve has been very patience and is SO sweet...they definitely need to jump over the line into actually dating!

Pick up a cup of tea, a ball of yarn and enjoy this book!

Visiting Santa Fe, House of Lambspun knitters Kelly Flynn and Megan admire the work of local artist and friend Allison DuBois who won a well deserved award as the Southwest designer Institute's Wearable Fiber Artist of the Year. Allison, who never sleeps, produces highly regarded "wearable art". Allison informs her friends that she is heading to New York as an apprentice at a designer's studio who also arranges an apartment for the newcomer.

Kelly, Megan and Allison return to Fort Connor, Colorado after the award gala. Megan returns a cell phone to Allison only to find the artist dead. Megan is shook up so Kelly calls Fort Connor Police Lieutenant Morrison who investigated the death of her Aunt Helen. When the only thing missing is beads Allison picked up in New Mexico, the police assume it is an accidental death due to an overdose of sleeping pills. Though she needs to get back to her CPA practice in DC and should heed Morrison's pointed stay out of it dictatorial direction, Kelly believes a homicide occurred and begins to investigate Allison's recent lifestyle involving three not good for her males with at least one mostly likely deadly.

The third knitting mystery (see KNIT ONE, KILL TWO and NEEDLED TO DEATH), is a fun artistic amateur sleuth tale starring likable characters who make Fort Connor, at least the House of Lambspun knitting club members, eccentric but amiable. The whodunit is well crafted as Kelly investigates one stitch at a time Allison's recent destructive social life and the three suspects that surface. Though doubtful once again that the CPA knitter would make inquiries, fans will not care as Maggie Sefton provides a delightful mystery.

Harriet Klausner

Once again we get to join Kelly Flynn and her friends in Ft. Connor, Colorado and frequent The House of Lambspun. Allison Dubois has finally gotten some recognition for her wearable art and will be starting an internship with Sophia Emeraud in her New York studio. Kelley and Megan Schmidt attend a gallery showing of Allison's work and help her get ready to move to New York. But when they arrive to take Allison to the airport they are shocked to find her dead. The police are ready to rule it a suicide but Kelley, Megan, and others who knew Allison suspect foul play. Kelley once again uses her accountant-honed attention to detail and minutiae to uncover some clues that may lead the police to reconsider their decision.

This book continues several of the background threads begun in book one and carried along. Will Kelley find a way to stay in Ft. Connor rather than return to her high-pressure job in Washington, DC? Will Kelley drop her defenses a bit and admit that Steve is more than just a friend? The detail and background gets richer with each book as characters are added and then continuing characters gain more depth and texture. It becomes an ideal setting that is very satisfying for a reader to drop into and visit for a time -- somewhere where there are the close knit communities of friendships that most of us crave in our busy lives.

Having read all the books in the series, I'm finding that with each book the writing gets tighter and the central mystery gains in complexity. This series keeps improving along with the knitting skills of Kelly Flynn -- who has now mastered circular needles. The book contains a pattern for a Lambspun Easy Triangle Shawl, recipes for Chiles Rellenos Con Queso (Chile Peppers stuffed with Cheese), Rellenos de Chiles verde, and Baked Chiles Rellenos.

If I'm not knitting wool, I'm spinning it or weaving it. When I take the time to read, if I don't read a non-fiction about something in the fiber arts, I read a mystery novel.

This is another good Maggie Sefton mystery and it kept me reading it every free moment I could spare. I won't spoil anything for you, but I'll say this: buy this book and read it and give it on to a knitter friend.

I loved the idea of a knitting mystery, and there is a very simple knitting pattern included, as well as 2 recipes that relate to the story, so that part is fun, but the dialogue is stilted and unnatural, superfluous details are thrown in at odd moments--having either nothing to do with anything or stating the obvious--and the plot is jerky and awkward. Generally if characters encounter murder after murder, there is a justifiable reason--he or she is a cop, doctor, or a private detective. This is obviously the third book & third murder the main character has solved (which is mentioned over & over & over), yet what is the probability that ANY character would keep finding murders, let alone a telecommuting accountant? It isn't remotely believable.

Like many other recently published books, it is speckled with poor grammar & writing errors, which to be fair will only bother those readers who notice such things. I commend Ms. Sefton's efforts, and I think with the help of either an English professor or a braver editor, she could produce a quite decent book, but this one isn't it.

I enjoy cozy mysteries and the idea of friends from a knitting club getting together to solve the murder of a friend sounded interesting. However, the awkward dialog sounded like a novel written for pre-teens. I couldn't get past the writing style and didn't enjoy this book.

Once again Maggie Sefton has produced a winner. I love all of her books. They are witty, with a little suspense. Her characters are charming. Look forward to more books from her.

I've read the first two books in the series and I do enjoy them but there was just not enough danger at the end of this mystery. It was a little too tame! So much emphasis on Kelly's decision to quit her job and stay or go back to the corporate world. Also, I think her "boyfriend" Steve is too good to be true. He's always in a great mood and agreeable with whatever she dishes out! I will read the next one because I do enjoy them. I just hope it will be a little more suspenseful!

Another in a delightful series about amateur sleuth and knitting novice Kelly Flynn. Supported by the Lambspun family, Kelly investigates the murder of a talented fibre artist. It's fun following Kelly's decisions about her career and her reluctant love life. The atmosphere at Lambspun is so warm and comforting, it inspired me to find a similar place to share my fibre passion (and I did!). Can't wait for the next installment.

Maggie Sefton continues her fascinating Colorado knit shop adventure through the eyes of Kelly - the "visitor from DC" who originally came to handle her aunt's estate - and still has not left. Through this, her third murder to solve.

As a knitter, but moreso as any hobbyist, the descriptive scenes of addictive personalities to their hobby choice is universal, no matter if it is golf, photography, wood working, needlepoint or knitting. The "need" to partake of the craft every day is paramount and very much a part of the story. Perhaps it is because the knit shop provides a meeting place for the sundry characters or maybe it is the tenacity of completing the task that is common place in all the characters. However, Sefton's ability to describe the color, the texture and the allure is great reading, whether it be the yarn or the changing of leaves. Sefton has the gift of writing what she wants you to see and feel successfully.

The development of the characters throughout her books is important to the story line, moreso than the solution to the murder. Sefton is fun to read because she provides the light entertainment we all need at times, the description phrases that comfort your nestling sense and just enough mayhem to keep things rolling. A fun and fast read - you do not have to be a knitter to enjoy.