Knitty Gritty Murder (A Knit & Nibble Mystery Book 7)

Author:  Peggy Ehrhart

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #: 9781496733894

Kensington Publishing

288 Pages

$8.99; $7.69 Amazon

March 30, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Most times of the year, the tight-knit community gardens in quaint Arborville, New Jersey, overflow with seasonal vegetables and herbs.  But who planted the dead body?  Farm-to-table enthusiast Jenny Miller had a cookbook in the works when she was suddenly found strangled by a circular knitting needle in her own plot.  Now, the pressure is on Pamela and her neighbor Bettina as they weave together clues in search of the person who kept Jenny's renowned heirloom plants -- and budding career -- from growing.  With suspects and victims cropping up like weeds, it'll take a whole lot more than green thumbs and creative minds this spring to entangle the crafty culprit...

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Pamela Paterson lives in Arborville, New Jersey and works for a crafts magazine doing online editing of articles.  Her daughter Penny is finishing college in Massachusetts, but has returned home on break.  Pamela also has two cats, Catrina and Ginger, that keep her company when Penny's gone.

She also started the Knit & Nibble group, where a group of knitters meet once a week at rotating homes to work on their projects and enjoy a dessert made by the host.  But the talk this week centers on the death of gardener -- and hopeful cookbook writer -- Jenny Miller, who was strangled with a circular knitting needle.  Even though everyone wants Pamela and her best friend Bettina to stay out of the investigation, Bettina, who is a reporter for the weekly newspaper, can't do so, and Pamela, as her best friend, has an innate curiosity that always gets her involved in these things.

At first they have no idea who would want the woman dead, but when they speak to other members of the community garden where she had her plot, it seems she wasn't well-liked.  Even though any one of them could have done the deed, Bettina and Pamela have no proof and no idea.  Without help from the local police, they're determined to discover who wanted Jenny permanently planted underground...

This is the seventh book in the series, and I have to say that in ways it might have been the best.  There was less mention of everyone's dinnerware sets, and since we really don't care about what everyone is using to eat on, it actually helped in the book.  Unfortunately, there were still pages upon pages of every single item Pamela cooked and how long it took her to cook and assemble.  I really don't care, and just skimmed over every single recipe instruction.

However, the mystery itself was interesting in the fact of the murder weapon was different.  I did enjoy the addition of the other cat, poor thing; and that Pamela is finally moving forward in her life.  It added to the story line.  We still have the other characters who are regulars, and Penny, who startles her mother into making a decision (read the book and you will see what it is!).  

Aside from this, I liked this installment to the story, and since it has morphed into something truly delightful, I will continue to read it.  When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, it's rather sad what drove this person to commit murder, but with an unhinged mind one can't reason.  I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

https://www.amazon.com/Knitty-Gritty-Murder-Nibble-Mystery/dp/1496733894/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3780747113

More on Peggy Ehrhart's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/peggy-ehrhart/

Knit of the Living Dead (A Knit & Nibble Mystery #6)

Author:  Peggy Ehrhart

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book; Audiobook

ISBN #:  9781496723659

Kensington Publishing

285 Pages

$7.99; $6.89 Amazon

August 25, 2020

⭐⭐⭐

Among the countless revelers at the town's much-anticipated Halloween parade, a woman dressed as Little Bo Peep is the only one making people scream bloody murder.  In a scene straight out of a horror movie, the Knit and Nibblers find the nursery rhyme character dead with thick strands of yarn looped around her neck.  Pamela and her best friend, Bettina, are set on pinning down who wanted the woman gone forever, but it'll take every trick they can muster to catch the culprit without becoming the next poor souls to join Little Bo Peep's dark, endless sleep...

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Pamela Paterson lives in Arborville, New Jersey and works for a magazine editing articles online.  Her daughter attends college in Massachusetts, so it's only her and her two cats, Catrina and Ginger.  She's attending a Halloween evening out complete with bonfire, and all her friends are dressed in costume.  But when she and her friend Bettina Fraser hear a female screaming, they follow the voice and come across a dead woman.  Another friend, Nell, assumes it's her neighbor Mary Lyon, because of the distinctive costume.

But when it's discovered that it's indeed a stranger, they start to wonder if Mary wasn't supposed to be the real victim.  What can they do except warn Mary that someone might actually be after her.  When she doesn't pay any attention to them, they worry but decide to leave it to the police.  That is, until something else happens and now there are more worries than  one...

I know; I said I wasn't going to read any more of these, but I figured since I'd already purchased them I may as well go ahead and finish.  Actually, once you skip all the parts about eating and dinnerware, the book goes really fast, so there's that.  Reading them together as I have, I got tired after book two about how Pamela uses her wedding china, and the color and shape of every dish every piece of food is served on (including the diner, where they use oval plates (does anyone really care?)

There is one thing that grossed me out though; Pamela mentions not once, but twice, how she's been wearing the same clothes all week.  Eeeww.  Does she have a washing machine?  Other clothes?  It's bad enough she doesn't care about her physical appearance (yet has time to comment on her friends' looks), but now not caring how wrinkled her clothes are getting?  Seriously?  Sorry, but I really don't go for bad hygiene, and not changing your clothes falls into that category, even if you work at home (I do, and trust me, I'll wear the same pair of jeans two days, but never more than that).  Then there's the fact that she didn't want Richard, but now that he has someone else suddenly he's desirable?  Yeah, how's that working for her?  So Pamela is really going downhill in my eyes, in all areas.  

I also didn't like the fact that she was describing college professors;  the men are professional, as in wearing suits and ties, but the women all have grey hair, wear clothes that have no form and wear no makeup.  What college is this? 

Other than this, the plot was pretty decent, and even though I knew who the murderer was early on, it was still interesting to see how Pamela came to that conclusion.  However, I really began to wonder how inept the police in this town were a couple of books ago, because there's never any police presence - except at the initial murder scene.  We never see them question anyone; we get all our information secondhand through Bettina.  They're never on top of the case and they're never anywhere at all where there might be trouble.  What kind of police department is this?

So naturally, Pamela plays both detective and police department, getting the person to admit to her they committed the murder and then holding them until police arrive.  You'd think the police would be embarrassed by this, but since they take all the credit, they never are.   Well, you get my drift about this series, I hope..

This is my least favorite in the series, but since there's only one more to read, I will probably go ahead and do so, and see if the author has decided to allow Pamela to do laundry.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Living-Dead-Nibble-Mystery/dp/1496723651/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3776394264

More on Peggy Ehrhart's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/peggy-ehrhart/

A Fatal Yarn (A Knit & Nibble Mystery #5)

Author:  Peggy Ehrhart

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496723642

Kensington Publishing

236 Pages

$7.99; $.99 (sale) Amazon

March 31, 2020

⭐⭐

The trees in Arborville, New Jersey, have started sporting sweaters.  Part of the trend of public knitting art?  Not exactly.  An anonymous activist has been wrapping trunks in yarn to cover red X's that mark certain trees for removal by the town so they don't interfere with power lines.  When the town's mayor -- who supports cutting down the trees -- is murdered, Pamela wonders if the tree hugger committed homicide to prevent arborcide.  A knitter is arrested, but it's one of Knit and Nibble's own -- the harmless Roland DeCamp, who was seen arguing with the mayor.  Pamela is sure the police are barking up the wrong tree.  With the help of her reporter friend Bettina, she branches off on her own investigation to root out the real killer...

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Pamela Paterson is a widow living in Arborville, New Jersey.  She works from home for a craft magazine, and is the creator of the Knit and Nibble group, which are people who go from home to home each week with their knitting projects, and the host feeds the "nibbles."  She's wondering who's putting knitted sweaters on trees, but when the mayor is suddenly murdered, the trees take a back seat to her looking into who had motive to kill him, since the person who was arrested is the knitters' own Roland DeCamp, the sole male and quietest of the group.  Now Pamela and her best friend Bettina Fraser, who is a newspaper reporter, are on the trail of a killer...

This is the fifth book in the series and I have to say it's the weakest.  There were things that bothered me aside from the usual, which is the incessant rattling on of what everyone is eating and wearing.  Our protagonist, Pamela, doesn't fall into the "wearing" category because she never wears anything but jeans and cotton tops.  How boring.  So naturally, she's always mentally commenting on Bettina's scarlet hair (not found in nature) and clothing.  Nothing like constantly critiquing your best friend, right?

I've pretty much had it with this series.  Besides what I've mentioned above (and in other reviews on other books of this author), Pamela doesn't appear to be as smart as she's made out to be.  She's been a widow for seven years, but isn't ready to date again?  Does she believe her late husband wants her to be alone the rest of her life?  And I don't think much of a man who will give away his pet because his new girlfriend is superstitious.  What happens if the relationship doesn't work?  Now his beloved pet isn't there, either.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.  Both of them.  My own opinion, people.

I also get tired of the fact that there are no clues leading to the identity of the murderer, but Pamela puts it together like that!...and the conclusion is there.  It seems that the author is more concerned with what everyone is eating, wearing, and what dishes they're using to serve on, etc., than the murder or the solving of it.  (I also get tired of Nell looking down on people who eat sugar and criticizing them for it.  It is none of her business what other people eat). 

When my eyes stopped glazing over, I had finished the book. I've read five of these, but I can't say that I will read any more of them.

https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Yarn-Knit-Nibble-Mystery/dp/1496723643/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3753139309

More on Peggy Ehrhart's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/peggy-ehrhart/

Silent Knit, Deadly Knit (A Knit & Nibble Mystery #4)

Author:  Peggy Ehrhart

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496723635

Kensington Publishing

288 Pages

$7.99; $1.99 Amazon

October 29, 2019

⭐⭐⭐

Pamela has been in merry spirits since her artsy daughter Penny returned home from college for the holidays.  But their mother-daughter bonding time gets cut short when a terrified Penny stumbles upon the dumped body of Millicent Farthingale, a wealthy craft shop owner who was popular for all the wrong reasons.  From a scheming business partner to a seedy husband several years her junior, Millicent attracted scammers so in love with her assets, they'd toss her down a chimney to get their paws on them.  Now, with only a hand-knit red scarf connecting the killer to the crime, Pamela and the Knit and Nibblers could use some extra creativity as they find out who's really naughty or nice in Arborville -- because going up against a looming culprit is DIY or die!

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Pamela Paterson is getting ready for Christmas with her daughter Penny, who is home from college for the holidays.  But things aren't very merry when she receives a frantic phone call -- Penny has found the body of a local craft store owner in a nature preserve where she was sketching.

When Pamela and her best friend Bettina, who is a reporter for the weekly newspaper The Advocate, get involved, they know there's a killer out there and they're determined to find out who it is.  But just questioning people isn't going anywhere, and the dead woman's husband might have a motive but he also has an alibi.  Now they have a couple of others to focus on, but they haven't ruled him out.  

They're also trying to get ready for Christmas, with wrapping last-minute gifts and planning parties, and Pamela has been cooking up a storm.  When one of the suspects suddenly turns up closer than Pamela would like, she's on the hunt to figure it out.  But will she be able to do it before the holidays are over?

This is the fourth book in the series, and I honestly don't know why I'm continuing on with it.  I guess because I bought the books, I tell myself I should finish them.

The main problem with the books is the fact that people are rarely knitting.  They're always eating.  And we get long, detailed descriptions of what they're eating.  Over and over.  We know that Pamela loves whole-grain bread, because she tells us every time she has a slice.  We also know she drinks tons of coffee.  There were over four pages detailing every step of making the poppy seed cake.  Why?  Why are we told in every single book about Pamela's wedding china?  About Bettina's sage green dishes?  Do we really care?  Who does that?  We're told about Bettina's pumpkin-colored coat numerous times.  It's as if the author needed a heavy word count.  The result?  Very little time was spent on the mystery.

To top it off, there were no clues apparent to us on who the murderer might be, until after they were discovered and Pamela explained it -- and we wouldn't have figured it out anyway!  Not with that one clue.  Why didn't the police get closer to the killer?  They never do, and they're inept in these books.  There is no detective presence at all, just Bettina relaying messages.  

In the end, this book gave us exactly what all the other books have done: unanswered questions as to what happened to various characters.  It's as annoying as Nell, who disapproves of anyone eating anything that isn't healthy.  (None of her business, and she shouldn't spout it off to people).  What others eat isn't anyone's business but their own.  (No, I don't want to see people gorge themselves, but not my circus, not my monkeys).

I know this sounds like a rant, but I wish there were more murder clues and less descriptions of food and dinnerware.  Saying that, when the killer was discovered, it came as a surprise, because...there were no clues.  Ah, well.  I guess I'll just go have a cup of coffee, with cream, in my pretty red reindeer mug and have a slice of homemade banana swirl bread on a blue-rimmed plate...

https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Knit-Deadly-Nibble-Mystery/dp/1496723635/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3750520001

More on Peggy Ehrhart's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/peggy-ehrhart/

Knit One, Die Two (A Knit & Nibble Mystery #3)

Author:  Peggy Ehrhart

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496713315

Kensington Publishing

288 Pages

$7.99; $1.99 Amazon

April 30, 2019

⭐⭐⭐

Knit and Nibble's numbers are growing!  In addition to a litter of adorable kittens, the knitting club just welcomed their newest member, Caralee Lorimer, who's learning to knit for her upcoming role in A Tale of Two Cities.  According to the amateur actress, the behind-the-scenes drama at hte theater is getting downright catty, and Caralee wants a reckoning for Arborville's pretentious suburbanites.  Her claws are out, and just like her character inthe play, Caralee is ready to name names.  But before she can finish her snitchy stitches, Caralee is killed in a suspicious theater accident.  Someone thinks they've staged a perfect murder, but Pamela and her Knit and Nibblers are ready to pounce on the real killer...before it's curtains for anyone else!

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Pamela Paterson is a widow who lives in Arborville, New Jersey and does online editing for a craft magazine.  She started the Knit and Nibble knitting club, and they have a new member - Caralee Lorimer, an actress who's learning to knit for her role in A Tale of Two Cities.  But it's not long before they hear of an accident at the theater, and Caralee is found dead.  But both Pamela and her best friend Bettina think it was murder, and set out to find the truth.  Unfortunately, it's not going to be easy, and their suspects all have a reason to want the woman dead...

This is the third book in the series and I've actually been reading them in order.  I guess my main problem with it is I don't understand the author's obsession with dinnerware and food.  She needs to describe each plate that is used by each member of the club -- whether it's wedding china or thrift store finds, and then every dish that is made and served is described in innumerable sentences.  Honestly, I don't care who serves what on which dish.  Unless it's the murder weapon, what does it matter?  It's pages of the story that don't need to be there, and takes away from the mystery.  That and the fact that we're told every single thing that Bettina wears and all Pamela ever wears is jeans and a cotton top.

Pamela isn't quite forty, but she acts much older.  She doesn't act like an amateur sleuth, but more like a nosy neighbor.  She doesn't have the "sleuthing qualities" that I've come to love in most cozies, and she's just nosy enough to want to know what is going on, including wondering about where her handsome neighbor is, but not enough to find out.  

Then, she has six kittens to "dispose of."  I say that because she obviously knows nothing about kittens or cats.  As a lifetime cat owner, you don't dispose of kittens by giving them away to just anyone (for the record, I spay and neuter my cats).  Where was the mention of taking them to the vet?  Was she planning on giving them their first shots?  Did she care if they were immunized?  Even if she didn't plan on the kittens, she should have been a responsible pet owner.  Make sure the cats will be well cared for and kept indoors.  I'd rather read about this than someone's wedding china.  Enough of my rant...

Back to the story: trying to figure out who killed Caralee.  When it's discovered that she left clues behind, both Pamela and Bettina decide to look further for a killer.  They come across several suspects, and they try and figure out what it was that Caralee was trying to say.  What they did find was that Caralee hated Arborville, and some of the people in it.  She wasn't a likeable person at all in my book.

When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, I had it figured out before that, but the motive wasn't worth killing for, in my opinion.  The author also did what she did in the last book -- left questions unanswered that I would have liked to have known, leaving me feeling as if the food mattered more than resolutions to some of the questionable characters.  But ah, well...I don't expect them to be told in the next book, either.

https://www.amazon.com/Knit-One-Nibble-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B07G6RYBLH/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3749743737

More on Peggy Ehrhart's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/peggy-ehrhart/