Knit One, Kill Two (Knitting Mystery) [Kindle Edition]

Maggie Sefton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Knit One, Kill Two delivers the goods."
-- Margaret Coel

Product Description

Kelly Flynn never picked up a pair of knitting needles she liked--until she strolled into House of Lambspun. Now, in the first in a brand-new series, she learns how to knit one, purl two, and untangle the mystery behind her aunt's murder.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 411 KB
• Print Length: 292 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 042520359X
• Publisher: Berkley (June 7, 2005)
• Sold by: Penguin Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001QREWAK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,708 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Maggie Sefton grew up in Northern Virginia and received her Bachelor's degree in English Literature & Journalism. After working as a CPA and a real estate broker, she now enjoys the satisfaction and challenge of creating worlds on paper.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A promising first novel and first book in a series., July 28, 2005

By 

Elizabeth A. Root (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knit One, Kill Two (Knitting Mysteries, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I usually wait to judge a new series until I read the second book, but I am a little taken aback by negative views of this volume. I often find the first book of a series weak, but the author develops assurance as they continue. Or they crash and burn. Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael became one of my favorite series, but I thought that the first book, A Morbid Taste for Bones, was decidedly mediocre, especially for an experienced writer.

I would agree with some of the other reviewers that the characters need more development and the book certainly needed better editing. The editing is probably hopeless, but the character development wasn't so dreadful as to ruin the book for me and can certainly be improved in further installments. While Kelly's ability to switch to being an off-site employee may or may not be unrealistic in her industry, but it seems more plausible for an accountant than most jobs.

One thing that impressed me about the book was Sefton's description of the sensory overload that some of us go into when we get into a yarn shop. I also prefer amateur detectives who have a little sense when it comes to dealing with clearly dangerous people, and so I am very happy that Sefton doesn't have her heroine going off alone to confront the killer. I would have preferred that Sefton had not fallen into the cliched trap of trying to set up a bickering relationship with the obvious potential love interest. It didn't work too well, and I find bickering a poor substitute for plot.

Since the story involves things that happened decades before, I am glad that Sefton chose the more realistic plot of the characters having gotten on with their lives, generally successfully, and not becoming fixated on the past. I don't like stories, especially series, where the characters continue to have the same problems with the same people with no resolution. (Except for running into an inordinate number of murders, of course.)

I will definitely be checking out the next book, and I hope this will prove to be a successful series. Those interested in the needlework aspects may enjoy Monica Ferris' Betsy Devonshire mystery series, which begins with Crewel World or Debbie Macomber also has an interesting novel called The Shop on Blossom Street, both of which center around knitting/needlework shops.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder, Knitting, and a Golfball-Chasing Dog, February 20, 2007

By 

L. Kelly (Lakewood, CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knit One, Kill Two (Knitting Mysteries, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Knit One, Kill Two" is the debut offering in a new cozy mystery series with a knitting twist. The book introduces the delightful Kelly Flynn, consulting CPA and newbie knitter, along with a host of knitting friends who all meet at a yarn store called the House of Lambspun. As the story opens, Kelly is recently arrived in Fort Conner, Colorado to attend her murdered Aunt Helen's funeral. The local police department has quickly detained a vagrant and charged him with Helen's murder, writing off Helen's death as a random break-in. When accountant Kelly learns that her financially conservative aunt received $20,000 in cash on the very day of her murder, and the money is nowhere to be found, Kelly begins to doubt the police's solution to her aunt's murder. And when Kelly finds that her Aunt Helen's heirloom quilt is missing from her cottage, Kelly determines to find Helen's real killer in this well-plotted mystery.

The farmhouse that Kelly's aunt and uncle owned has been sold and turned into a wonderful knitting store called the House of Lambspun. Aunt Helen was a passionate knitter, but Kelly never had the patience to learn knitting before. Intrigued by the beautiful garments displayed in the store, Kelly finally tackles knitting with some success. Knitters new and old will enjoy the story line dealing with Kelly's knitting journey.

Author Sefton has introduced a great cast of supporting characters in the diverse group of knitters who gather at the House of Lambspun. Last but not least, the story includes a goofy Rottweiler named Carl who loves to steal golfballs from the golf course behind Aunt Helen's cottage. This book was a very enjoyable, quick read. I am hooked on the knitting theme and characters introduced in this story, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series to learn if Kelly decides to stay in Fort Conner.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a western small- town cozy mystery, March 26, 2007

By 

J. Graves "new knitter" (lombard, illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knit One, Kill Two (Knitting Mysteries, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

The heroine is a feisty single young woman who adjusts to some serious changes in her personal life. When her aunt is murdered, she inherits the cottage and surrounding land in Colorado far from her beloved east coast. While she intended to stay "just long enough to settle the estate," she has questions about her aunt's death and finds herself stretching her allotted time in order to find the answers. The plot moves ahead quickly with frequent "knitting breaks" at the shop across the street, where we meet her supporting cast - a group of friends who welcome her to their small community. This is a good story in a beautiful setting - whodunnit is secondary to enjoying the search. I'm looking forward to the author's next book.