Hooked on Murder: A Crochet Mystery (Paperback)

by Betty Hechtman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Craft lovers and mystery readers alike will flock to this great new craft-based cozy— FIRST IN THE CROCHET MYSTERY SERIES

Delicious Recipe and Crochet Pattern Included!

When bookstore event coordinator Molly Pink stumbles across the dead body of a crochet group’s leader, her complicated past with the woman makes her a prime suspect.

But while Molly’s fending off a detective with a personal grudge and navigating the pitfalls of crochet group politics, the real killer remains at large. And it’s up to her to catch the culprit—before she winds up in a tight knot.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425221253
• ISBN-13: 978-0425221259
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,387 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something to get your hook into, May 8, 2008

By	Patricia R. Andersen "redheaded booklover" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This book (the first in a seiries by Betty Hechtman) ia about Molly Pink, a 40ish widow who is starting to put her life back together. She works at a bookstore as an events planner. She has 2 grown and out of the house sons and a beau who is serious about her, but she's not quite ready for that step. A good life, but nothing you would think would lead to a murder mystery.
As it happens, there is a group of crocheters that meet at the bookstore. The leader of the group leaves her bag of hooks at the bookstore. Molly decides to take it to her house. That's where the problems begin.
Molly walks into a house where the front foor wasn't closed. She looks for Ellen Sheridan, the Tarzana Hookers' leader. And Molly finds her - on the floor, dead. Of course, at that point, the cops show up. How do you explain to a cop that you were just returning somebody's crochet hooks and happened upon the body? Especially if you had a not very pleasant history with the now dead person?
There are twists and turns in the story as Molly tries to figure out who actually committed the murder since she's the prime suspect - thanks to a cop who is interested in Molly's beau. Along the way, Molly learns how to crochet and joins the Tarzana Hookers. You get to see her develop as a crocheter. And of course, the rest of the Tarzana Hookers secrets come spilling out like yarn overstuffed in a closet.
M's Hechtman writes a charming fast paced book. It's almost as if a friend came over for a cup of tea and was relating part of her history to you. I'd recommend this book highly to amateur sleuth mystery lovers, especially fans of the Diane Mott Davidson's seiries. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars charming amateur sleuth cozy , May 6, 2008

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

A year has passed since Molly Pink's husband died from a heart attack and she is beginning to come out of her grief as her life normalizes. Her late spouse co-owned a public relations firm with partner Ellen Sheridan, who forced the widow to sell her half of the business to her.. Even though Molly is poorer, she is happier as she enjoys working as community relations and events coordinator for Shedd & Royal Books and More.

Ellen and her friends are crocheting an afghan at the bookstore for a charity event. One day when she departs she leaves her needles behind. Molly goes to Ellen's home to give her back her needles, but finds her nemesis dead. Detective Heather Gilmore leads the homicide investigation. She hates Molly because she is attracted to a peer who loves the widow. By the tone and questions Heather asks Molly and her friends, the bookstore employee knows the detective is out to get her and has circumstantial evidence to prove motive, method, and opportunity. Molly with the encouragement and help of her best friend investigates knowing the real culprit is out there. Although she finds a more likely suspect, Molly feels manipulated as if she has been sent down a false path to draw wrong conclusions; she continues her inquiries not understanding the right path leads to murder.

HOOKED ON MURDER hooks the reader from the onset with likable characters especially the lead protagonists who does not know when to quit. This charming amateur sleuth cozy contains parallel investigations with the lead cop concentrating on the heroine who focuses on the culprit. Readers will admire the feisty caring Molly, who has moved on with her life, which just like her inquiry, one stitch at a time.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done!, May 19, 2008

By	Author "Roben" (California) - See all my reviews

I just finished reading Hooked on Murder, by Betty Hechtman, and I'm still smiling. What an enjoyable read! This new author has a charming voice and she can weave a good tale. The characters are so real you swear you are partaking in this odd crotchet group, even if like me, you don't know one end of a crotchet hook from the other.

In true mystery style that reminds me of the Agatha Christie novels I used to devour as a teenager, everyone in the story is a suspect. Just when you think you've figured out the whodunit, the story switches casting suspicion on yet another character. I love to be kept guessing.

Ms. Hechtman neatly tied up all of the loose ends and brought the story to an interesting and fast paced end and she has a subtle humor that left me smiling on many occasions. I liked the way she handled the budding romance and didn't digress from the mystery into romance. She has a light hand, nothing is forced and that is what makes her characters spring to life and seem like the neighbor down the street, or your best friend, or your worst enemy.

I'm looking forward to reading her next book in the series.