Skye and Wally are finally married. They are very much looking forward to their honeymoon cruise away from all their friends and family.

Skye is very upset when she sees her mother among the other passengers. Wally manages to convince her that she made a mistake until they realize that May was the one who told Wally all about the cruise.

Next they manage to convince themselves that they can avoid her and they start off doing a good job with that. They manage to keep to themselves for a couple of days until a particularly obnoxious member of the crew is killed.

May's knitting group is on the same cruise. The same group includes Skye's best friend and her husband. Skye doesn't mind seeing Trixie but she really doesn't want to deal with her mother on the cruise. The original leader of the group has been replaced with someone who manages to alienate everyone who has to interact with her.

When Guinevere Stallings is killed shortly after a confrontation with May, Skye and Wally find themselves drawn into the investigation. Since they are international waters, the security crew of the boat is responsible for finding the killer. With so many people on board who hated Guinevere and limited expertise in investigating murders, they are willing to allow Skye and Wally access.

Skye and Wally are given only a few days before they return to the US to apprehend the killer.

The Scumble River Mystery series has long been a favorite of mine. Ms. Swanson's series set in small town is well- plotted and each one seems to draw the reader further into the cast of characters. Since this book doesn't take place in Scumble River and some of the more unique characters are missing, MURDER OF A NEEDLED KNITTER involves the reader in a new cast of secondary characters.

It's always a pleasure to return to the small town and unique characters that live in Scumble River. Engrossing and entertaining, Ms. Swanson's series is always something to look forward to.