While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries) [Paperback]

Anne Canadeo (Author)

Book Description

Series: Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries | Publication Date: May 12, 2009

The Black Sheep Knitters -- Maggie, Lucy, Dana, Suzanne, and Phoebe -- meet once a week without fail, sharing the varied and colorful skeins of their lives as much as knitting tips, recipes, and small-town gossip, and creating an intricate, durable pattern of friendship. Now a shocking murder has peaceful Plum Harbor, Massachusetts, in knots -- and the Black Sheep women must herd together to protect one of their own from a scandalous frame-up.

Maggie Messina, beloved owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, is thrilled to be hosting a workshop for one of her former students, now a celebrity in the knitting world. But the celebration is upstaged when Amanda Goran, the owner of the rival Knitting Nest, is found dead in her shop on the other side of town.

Maggie had reasons to dislike Amanda, a thorn in her side ever since Maggie's shop surpassed Amanda's in popularity. Then again, it wasn't hard to dislike Amanda -- the contentious woman, whose marriage was on the rocks, seemed to specialize in causing misery all over town. But the pointed evidence has a detective casting a suspicious eye on Maggie. She may be a whiz at knitting, but can she keep the police from needling her before her shop, her reputation, and her circle of friends become unraveled?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Canadeo's crafty first of a new cozy series, the Black Sheep Knitters of Plum Harbor, Mass., are horrified when their teacher, Maggie Messina, owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Amanda Goran, who owned the Knitting Nest, Black Sheep's only rival. Maggie disliked Amanda, but says she's innocent, even when the weapon used to crush Amanda's skull, a wooden hat block, turns up within the merchandise Maggie bought from Amanda's husband. Meanwhile, Black Sheep Knitter Lucy Binger adopts Tink, one of Amanda's pet dogs. When veterinarian Matt McDougal operates on the ailing Tink, he finds an important clue—undigested yarn. The friendships among the likable knitters and Lucy's budding romance with Matt (who also knits) help make Canadeo's crime yarn a charmer. Under the pseudonym Katherine Spencer, Canadeo writes the Cape Light series (A Christmas Star, etc.) with Thomas Kinkade. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

ANNE CANADEO lives and knits in Northport, New York. A Stitch Before Dying is her knitting mystery with  the Black Sheep characters. She also authored the popular Thomas Kinkade series writing as Katherine Spencer. You can contact her at: [e-mail].

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Product Details

• Paperback: 249 pages
• Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141659809X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416598091
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Page Turner, June 27, 2009

By 

Misty609 "Misty" (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries) (Paperback)

I loved the book, could not put it down.

It is a fun read, a light mystery, and very likeable characters.

Books like this make me want to take a knitting class, join a knitting group but it would have to be in shop like Maggie's.

I am looking forward to Anne Canadeo's next book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars well knitted amateur sleuth, May 12, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries) (Paperback)

The tiny New England coastal village of Plum Harbor contains two knitting shops. Amanda Goran owns the Knitting Nest; while the Black Sheep Knitting Shop is owned by Maggie Messina. To Amanda's chagrin, Maggie's operation though newer is doing better. Amanda will do anything to take customers away from her competitor to include spreading lies that are so preposterous no one believes her. Maggie does her best to stay above the gutter as she knows there is room for two knitting shops to thrive in the area.

The day before Maggie has her former student Cara Newhouse over for a book singing, Amanda arrives acting friendly and looking as if she had a make-over. She tells Maggie she is happy to be at the lecture and signing. The next morning, Amanda's soon to be ex husband finds her dead. The coroner rules it a homicide. The police believe Maggie is their best suspect especially when the murder weapon is found in her store. However, the cops do not have enough evidence to arrest her. Her weekly knitting group the Black Sheep Knitters try to cheer up the depressed Maggie, but one of them Lucy Berger goes further; she investigates the murder seeking a different suspect.

The Black Sheep Knitters meet every week to work on their projects and gossip; they have become close knit friends who each needs to keep Maggie's falling spirits up. The killer hides in plain sight making it nearly impossible for Lucy and the reader to notice the culprit. Fans of Monica Ferris' Crewel World will enjoy this engaging amateur sleuth as much for its salute to friendship as to Lucy's inquiry made one stitch at a time.

Harriet Klausner

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close-knit Female Friendship, June 11, 2009

By 

pens and needles - See all my reviews

This review is from: While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mysteries) (Paperback)

A fan of Anne Canadeo's "Cape Light" series, written under the pen name Katherine Spencer, I eagerly awaited this first in a new mystery series. Canadeo's strengths lie in her witty dialogue, realistic portrayal of familiar situations and feelings and the chemistry between very different women bonded first by a common interest, and then by mutual respect and understanding. Not to give anything away, because this is a mystery, but the friendship and ingenuity of a group of knitters is tested when an acquaintance, and rival knitting shop owner is murdered. "While My Pretty One Knits" blends the aspects of a murder mystery with a solid portrayal of female friendship, with a measure of suspense, and a little romance (who doesn't need a little romance?). While the murder is all too real, Canadeo doesn't revel in the gory details. I found this a great, quick read that kept me guessing, and rooting for the women I'd now call my friends.