The third installment in the Riverbank Knitting Mystery series is pure holiday fun with a sharp whodunit. IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT SHEAR opens with Y.A.R.N. shop owner Libby Beckett looking forward to a special event she has planned, but when a brutal crime is committed, it looks like the holiday season may be heading for disaster.

The special holiday event that Libby planned revolves around the ultra-luxurious, exclusive fiber from the rare Vicuna. The beautiful animals can only be sheared once every three years, and Libby is able to provide the experience to her knitting customers. The handsome and enigmatic Vincenzo Marani, The Gallant Herdsman, is going to perform the shearing of four Vicunas. Just when everything is going well, Libby’s ex-husband, Sterling Jefferson, shows up and takes credit for the event. Libby is furious and lets Sterling have it. But when Sterling dies soon after from a neck wound, and a pair of cutting shears is missing, Libby and Vincenzo look like the prime suspects.

Libby has her hands full. She has to run interference between two feuding employees, find out who is stealing the Vicuna fiber from the store, and deal with Sterling’s aggressive family members accusing her of murder. Who in Sterling’s life wanted him dead? As Libby learns more about Sterling’s recent dealings, she realizes a profitable drug from Sterling’s pharmaceutical company could have been the motive. What shady business was Sterling involved in, and who got the short end of the stick? 

IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT SHEAR by  Allie Pleiter is a lively, well-plotted mystery with several suspects and a good, solid ending. The murder is one mystery, and the theft of the yarn is a secondary mystery. Is the same person responsible for both? The premise is unique, and the information about Vicunas and the details surrounding the murder method are well thought out and presented. The attention to detail leads to an enjoyable mystery with pleasant surprises and a satisfying ending. The setting of Collinstown is filled with local characters and holiday festivities. It is charming and heartwarming, and Libby’s blossoming relationship with the mayor, Gavin Maddock, evolves nicely. Libby is an endearing protagonist, and enjoying this mystery is a great way to spend a chilly winter afternoon. If you are so inclined, try your hand at the knitting project included at the end.