Title: A Crafter Knits a Clue
Series: A Handcrafted Mystery
By: Holly Quinn
ISBN: 1683317718 (ISBN13: 978168317715)
Author’s Website: http://www.authorhollyquinn.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary: 
Sammy Kane just moved back to her hometown to run a craft store. But when the owner of a nearby yarn shop is murdered, Sammy will needle little help finding the killer.
When a heartbroken Samantha “Sammy” Kane returns to her hometown of Heartsford, WI, for her best friend Kate’s funeral, she learns that Kate’s much-loved craft store is in danger of perishing with its owner. Confounding all her expectations of the life she would live, Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft. A few doors down Main Street, fellow new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. But when Sammy strolls over to see if Ingrid could use a little help, she finds Ingrid’s dead body—with a green aluminum knitting needle lodged in her throat.
Detective Liam Nash is thrown for a loop as every single citizen of Heartsford seems to have a theory about Ingrid’s murder. And nearly everyone in town seems to be a suspect. But the last time Sammy did any sleuthing was as a little moppet. And this is not fun and games. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam—who seems to be endlessly inventive in finding reasons to talk with her—and when Liam arrests affable woodworker Miles Danbury, Sammy puts everything on the line to help clear Miles.
As the case comes dangerously close to unraveling, Sammy must stitch the clues together. But the killer has other plans—and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up in a perilous knot in A Crafter Knits a Clue, the first warm and woolly yarn of Holly Quinn’s new Handcrafted mysteries. (Goodreads)
Review:
A Crafter Knits a Clue is the first book by Holly Quinn that I have read as well as the first book in this new series. This book is a well constructed cozy mystery with many suspects and red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the end.
Samantha “Sammy” Kane has returned to her home town of Heartsford, Wisconsin to take over the running of her best friend’s store, Community Craft (due to Kate’s untimely death). What transpires rather quickly is the death of a fellow shop keeper – Ingrid Wilson – new owner of the Yarn Barn by way of knitting needle in her own yarn shop! When Sammy was much younger, she joined forces with her sister Elle and their cousin Heidi and formed S.H.E. – their detective club. The three unite to solve Ingrid’s murder. I love this trio!
Detective Liam Nash is a hunky individual charged with solving Ingrid’s murder. He is also the “love” interest – or could be for Sammy – as there is certainly chemistry between the two. During A Crafter Knits a Clue though – they tend to butt heads while at the same time Liam finds many ways of interjecting himself into Sammy’s life. Generally, Sammy’s amateur sleuthing gets under Detective Liam’s skin but he also worries about her safety.
Just as Sammy (and the police) are closing in on a suspect, the potential suspect is cleared. Then it is on to the next suspect. Is it a new person in Ingrid’s life or a blast from the past? Seems there really is no shortage of suspects. The journey through eliminating suspects is interesting and quite entertaining to see how Sammy’s mind works. The town’s inhabitants are colourful folks with entwined histories with each other (as to be expected in a small town such as Heartsford.
I quite enjoyed the cover art. The small town “vibe” is charming, a bit of romance and a whodunit that is not revealed until the end…just the way I like my cozy mysteries. I look forward to the next installment in the A Handcrafted Mystery series.
