Knitted graffiti, a talented young artist and a few
mysteriously arrogant professors liven up the cozy lives of
the Black Sheep Knitters in this sixth installment of the
Black Sheep Knitting Mystery series.
Maggie's young assistant, Phoebe, turns to her as a friend
when Phoebe becomes embroiled in a murder investigation. She
looks to Maggie to help prove her innocence and with the
eager assistance of the other members of their knitting
group it is not long before they find a few threads to pull
that may help clarify things for the local and federal
investigations.
Despite having read only a few of the earlier books in this
series, I had no trouble at all sinking into A DARK AND
STORMY KNIT. Anne Canadeo has a light hand with back story,
providing just enough character and event information to
keep a reader comfortable in the current book while keeping
focus on the immediate mystery.
As a knitter I enjoyed the sprinkling of terms with which I
am so familiar, but looking at the book objectively, I think
any non-crafter would find it a welcoming and engrossing
read. The core mystery is well-plotted and the knitting talk
is mostly incidental, with a few exceptions which are
clearly explained. I, of course, liked the information on
where to find some of the knitting patterns mentioned but
others more interested in recipes will find those included
in the back of the book intriguing as well.
I found reading A DARK AND STORMY KNIT a wonderful use of my
time, and believe any cozy mystery reader would enjoy it as
well. Maggie and the other members of the club provide a
rich community from which to draw stories, and I am hopeful
there will be at least six more books in the series to come.
In the sixth novel in the series that is “sure to hook
cozy fans” (Publishers Weekly) the Black Sheep
Knitters must work to solve the mystery of the disappearance
of their friend—and figure out who is trying to kill her
before it’s too late.
The Black Sheep Knitters are
initially amused by the antics of the Knit Kats—a local
graffiti group who apply their stitching skills to public
protest—like covering the new parking meters along Main
Street with knitted hoods that have silly cat faces.
This playful act of civil disobedience causes a stir
in quiet Plum Harbor. But it’s not the first time the Knit
Kats have made local news. The group proudly claims
responsibility on their website, which features photos of
its members—identities concealed by elaborate disguises and
mysterious pseudonyms. The Knit Kats mean no harm, they
claim, but are dedicated to brightening the landscape and
raising awareness.
Which no one can
dispute…until a dead body turns up, covered in stitches that
bear the distinct paw print of Knit Kat mischief. Detectives
investigating the crime soon discover that Maggie Messina’s
assistant, Phoebe, has been auditioning for a spot in the
Knit Kat group. When Phoebe is implicated, the Black Sheep
try to untangle the clues, determined to clear her name. Are
the mysterious Knit Kats capable of deadly mischief? Or, is
this the work of some copycat knitter trying to hook the
group with a murder rap? With clever detection skills and
their own, irrepressible curiosity, Maggie and the knitting
crew soon find a tell-tale thread that leads to the guilty
party—and the truth about the Knit Kats.