“Death Among the Stitches” is the wonderfully done first book in Betty Hechtman’s A Crochet and Crumpets cozy mystery series. Some new series take a book or two to really get going but I found that this book, while it certainly sets the scene for future books in the series, hit the ground running. Annie Sara Hart is a great main character – the daughter of a Hollywood talent agent she has spent most of her life looking after Gray Hanover, daughter of two movie stars, she seems to be a bit of a pushover at first but grows as the book goes along. Gray also surprised me – she easily could have been a clichéd character but she too grows as the book goes along. The setup is a nice one – Annie travels to Franklin, Indiana after inheriting a yarn shop from her uncle – she fully intends to tidy up the shop and sell it but she soon makes friends and becomes involved in a murder mystery. I love the various friends she makes, especially Toby. The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects to keep readers guessing whodunit. In the end I was sorry when the book was over and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Love Betty Hechtman's cozy mysteries and loved this one which is entertaining adn compelling
Due to health issues cannot will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mineA more extensive review will follow

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Bryan Hart is the talent agent to the stars and he employs his daughter Annie Sara Hart to help him keep his clients happy. She has been “working” with a VIP’s daughter, Gray since they were in Girl Scouts together. Of late, she has been working at the daughter’s store as “support staff” meaning she did everything.

Now Annie Sara has inherited a yarn shop just outside of Franklin, Indiana that her uncle purchased to turn into a restaurant before he died. She plans to go there for a week to tie up loose ends, put the place up for sale, and return to California.

Franklin is a typical small town where everyone knows everyone and their business. She finds out the previous owner of the yarn shop died but no one wants to talk about it. Then she learned that Eleanor Danton was murdered and her death was blamed on an unknown summer tourist. Annie Sara finds herself intrigued by the mystery of the woman’s death and as she meets her new neighbors she decides to try to find the truth. But the truth could get her killed!

In this first Crochet and Crumpets Mystery Ms. Hechtman introduces readers to an eclectic group of characters. Annie Sara is truly on her own in Franklin but her father does call often to encourage her to hurry up and come home. She meets several Franklin, Indiana residents including Jenny who owns the local bakery, and her son, Toby. Toby is an excellent baker and has Down syndrome. He is sweet and so kind and gives excellent customer service. He is so proud of the wonderful things he bakes, that he can barely wait for Annie Sara to try his cinnamon rolls.

We also meet Don Spenser, a friendly local mechanic who aids Annie Sara when her rental car breaks down. Poor Patty gets migraines but she is an awesome cake baker and decorator but she is a perfectionist so there always seems to be a cake with a wonky flower or letter that needs to be eaten. Jenny, Toby, and Patty are all part of a knitting group that used to meet at Annie Sara’s store. As the story continues we meet the rest of the group and other Franklin residents. All felt true to life but we have just scratched the surface of the people of Franklin, Annie Sara, and Gray. Eleanor had a special cat named Jack. He was able to return to the shop with Annie Sara there and they became quick friends.

I was surprised when Gray came to town with orders from her mother to lose weight. She even had packaged meals delivered and a pair of jeans Gray had to fit into to come home. This was Gray’s first time being out from under her mother’s thumb and she blossomed.

The mystery of Eleanor Danton’s death was always on Annie Sara’s mind. She was trying to determine who she could trust to help her find the truth. The store being vandalized gave Annie Sara plenty of work to do before she could put the place up for sale. The knitting group was happy to help but the store was vandalized again leading Annie Sara to believe she was getting some information that made the killer uncomfortable enough to act. The mystery had more depth than I expected. The motive was unclear until a huge clue was revealed. But it wasn’t until Annie Sara made a keen observation that all the clues fell into place for both of us.

I expected the ending but was surprised by how long it took Annie Sara to make a final decision. I think there are going to be some fireworks ahead.

Death Among the Stitches has laid a great foundation for this series. Ms Hechtman has left plenty of room for the characters to grow as the series continues. This was an entertaining whodunit that leaves me eager for book two to find out what happens next!

Death Among the Stitches by Betty Hechtman is the debut of A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery series. I enjoy cozy mysteries that incorporate crafts, so I was looking forward to reading Death Among the Stitches. The story moved at an unhurried pace (I swear I saw snails zipping by me). I did not like the main character, Annie Sara. I wanted to tell her to grow a backbone and learn to say no. The author needed to flesh her out more. I wish the author had not included Gray in the book (this character was more developed than Annie Sara). The girl cannot please her mother who is a famous actress. I did not like the body shaming (there was so much of it). I did not enjoy the talk about the “diet,” getting Gray to fit into these ridiculously tiny jeans, and Annie Sara afraid to eat regular food in front of Gray. There is also Gray’s romance with Officer Smith. It is just plain silly (a police officer is, of course, no good enough for the daughter of Camille Constatine). The mystery was lackluster. The murder took place long before Annie Sara inherited the schoolhouse. Annie Sara makes a half-hearted attempt to learn what happened to the murdered woman. The clues drop at the end of the story before the anticlimactic reveal. Those who are avid cozy mystery readers will have no problem unraveling the puzzle. I enjoyed the snippets about knitting and crochet. I wish the story had focused more on the craft. My favorite part of the book was hearing about the Hoosier cabinet Annie Sara picked up for the kitchen at the schoolhouse (there was one in our kitchen when I was a child). I like that the history of the cabinet was included. Death Among the Stitches mostly dealt with Annie Sara’s day to day activities. There were repetitive details particularly about the summer people who rented homes and liked to party. I wish Death Among the Stitches had likeable characters, more depth, and an intriguing mystery. I felt that this story missed the mark.

The main character leaves LA and goes to a property inherited from her uncle in a small town in Indiana. I liked her and the humor and coziness this book embodies. It was cute to have this many yarn and crocheting references!

Interesting cozy mystery series. Inheriting a yarn shop far away from Hollywood, give Anne a chance to escape her babysitting duties, but also dumps her into a murder mystery. Enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading more in the series.

I am a big fan of Betty Hechtman’s Crochet Mystery series. At first, I didn’t think I’d enjoy this new series since the characters are much much younger (and I’m an older reader). However, Annie Sera and her friends won me over. The plot was a bit plodding and focused on a cold case. It had a predictable but satisfying ending. I am looking forward to seeing what the characters can do with an active case assuming the focus isn’t always on cold cases. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for review

The advice of “show, don’t tell” has never felt more important 🫣 There was no showing in this entire story. Nothing to visualise. No rhythm to get lost in, no music to the writing. It didn’t take long for me to realise that pretty much every sentence was “I did [x]. Then [x] happened. I thought [x]. I told [X] what I thought. [X] said [x] in response.” Boring in and of itself but there was so much repetition that the story felt m u c h longer than it was, if this hadn’t been an ARC I would’ve just DNF’d. Weird direction, too many characters with no development, bizarre encouraged-disordered-eating subplot, hints at a slightly magical cat that’s never properly addressed in a world that is otherwise not magical at all????? Basically 94% filler followed by an extremely abrupt ending. The final line could’ve been lifted directly from a 9 year old’s creative writing assignment. Definitely not the cozy mystery I’d expected, if you’re looking for a crochet-themed Murder She Wrote situation I’d advise looking elsewhere.

An enjoyable read, with the potential to become the first book in a great modern day America cosy crime series.

I really enjoyed reading this. Yes, I am a textile junkie and yarn lover. Lace knitting is my jam. So perhaps my review is biased... but small town country setting, a yarn store in an historic building, friendly town folk, a relatable main character and "sibling" with the extra helping of a murder mystery - yes please!

The following may sound harsh, but it is meant with the best intention of constructive criticism. Please know I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but...!

It had an okay balance of all of that... though I have to say I found the whodunit clues rather obvious, while the characters were portrayed as overly clueLESS to them. That got rather frustrating as you could tell the reader was having it spelt out for them, while the characters seemed to miss them entirely. And that abrupt ending? Ick. Surely the author could have polished it off a little nicer?

I loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the under current of mystery. I just found it so blatantly obvious. I'd also have liked a little more detail to the every day things. We got the summed up description of the reno, and crafting rather than that “inviting us in to be there doing it too” description other cosy crimes include.

Again, I apologise for sounding so harsh. I guess my inner copy writer saw potential for a smoother read.

From the book nerd side of things, yes it has its usual typos and repetitive text. But it was an ARC I read, so expected. I also found the formatting for Kindle very heavy. Just chunky pages full of text, giving the appearance of heavy reading for what was actually a lovely, light read.

But, despite all my niggling, I DID enjoy it, truly do hope it is the first in a great series, as I would read them!

Definitely one I'd recommend, but with the above feedback.

Annie Sara Hart has just inherited property from her Uncle. Wanting to view the only property that she has ever owned before putting it up for sale, she makes a trip to the small town of Franklin only to discover that the property is an old shop not a cottage. Deciding to stay for a while to tidy up her investment before sale, Annie soon finds herself drawn to the community where everyone knows everyone but no-one is quite certain of what happened in the murder of the previous owner.
I really enjoyed this cosy mystery. It was a good plot with plenty of interesting characters that kept the reader engaged. The pace was smooth with enough drama and plenty of 'twists to the yarn'

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Since she was a teenager, Annie Hart has lived her life at the beck and call of her talent agent father and his famous clients. When she inherits a yarn store from her uncle, she sets out for Franklin, Indiana, to find out what it's like to have something that is hers alone. This being a cozy mystery, the action takes place in a small town, filled to the brim with a cast of likeable characters, and the yarn store comes complete with assorted skeins of yarn and an unsolved murder.

This would have been a 5 star read had there been more actual sleuthing going on. However, I can't really be mad at a book that does so much to set up the relationships between all the characters and creating a lovely setting for their future together. This being the first book in the series, I'm treating it more like a pilot episode where we get to meet the main players and the town where the majority of the action will be happening in later installments.

This book has strong themes of self discovery and the importance of found family. It sets a strong foundation for future adventures.

"Death Among the Stitches" by Betty Hechtman is a delightful debut in a brand new series, and it quickly became a contender for my new favorite among her works. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this cozy mystery, and I was immediately captivated by the charming story of Annie Sara Hart, who inherits a picturesque yarn shop in a quaint town.

Before Annie even arrives in town, the tranquility of the community is shattered by the murder of Eleanor Danton, the previous owner of the yarn shop. Eleanor was found strangled, her own yarn the instrument of her demise.

As Annie navigates the complexities of settling into her new life and taking over the shop, she finds herself drawn into the investigation. With the help of her newfound friends in the local knitting circle, Annie begins to unravel a web of secrets and hidden agendas within the seemingly idyllic community.

Hechtman masterfully blends the warmth and camaraderie of the knitting circle with the intrigue of a captivating mystery. The characters are endearing and relatable, and the setting is vividly brought to life. "Death Among the Stitches" is a charming and engaging read that will have you hooked from the first stitch.

Rating: ★★★★☆

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When Annie Sara receives a piece of property left to her by her deceased uncle, she just wants to see a place that is her own for once. Not her talent agent father’s, not her boss’s business that she runs, something that is finally her own. She travels from California to Indiana to check the place out and has a lot of surprises waiting for her, starting with a yarn shop of her very own… in complete disarray.

While I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about Annie Sara or her social circle when the book started, I quickly became charmed by the town of Franklin and Annie Sara as well. This book did an amazing job of small town world building and connecting likable characters. I loved that the yarn store and crochet/knitting was a star of the book without feeling all-consuming. The tea, baked goods, and books all added to the cozy feel of this cozy mystery. While there were many aspects that felt at home in a cozy mystery, there were many times that I was surprised by the happenings in the story. I can’t wait for this series to continue so that I can spend more time in this world!

Death Among the Stitches is the first in what I hope will be a new series by Betty Hechtman. I really enjoyed this book. It has all the makings of a great new series. There is a fun setting, a good mystery and most importantly lots of great characters with tons of room for development for these characters. In the book Annie Sara, the main character, inherits a yarn shop in Indiana. After having grown up among celebrities in California, the small town setting is a welcome and enjoyable change. While there, she solves a mystery and as expected falls in love with the town and its inhabitants. This book was such an enjoyable read! I can’t wait for the next one to come out. I loved the mystery, the characters and the setting. I highly recommend Death Among the Stitches!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

The first book in a new Crochet and Crumpets series of cozy mysteries. And book with crochet in the title will earn my attention. Annie Sara has spent her adult life running errands and making other people happy as an assistant to her talent agent father. An inheritance of a yarn shop.....yes, please.....finds her traveling to Indiana with the intention of selling the shop....never....and going back to work. But the pace of life and the enthusiasm of her customers show her what a different kind of life could be. BUt there's an unsolved murder in the shop's history to investigate and many changes she'll have to consider before the resolve leaves readers with the chance of another book in this entertaining series.

Hechtmann's new cozy mystery series is off to an excellent start, with a unique setting, a cast of compelling characters and several mysteries to solve. The ending was a bit abrupt, and hopefully future volumes in the series will have less to do with the character's father and his issues, which bogged down the plot a bit.

Moving to a new town is tough. it’s even tougher when you’re predecessor was murdered. And that’s exactly or any heart. It’s finding out when she moves to Franklin. It’s not just that it’s a small town, where everyone knows each other, but that the previous owner of her shop was murdered and no one really knows what happened or wants to talk about it. But Annie is determined to find justice for Eleanor. Well, she stitch up one murderer or will the murderer drop two proprietors of the shop?

A great start to a new cozy series by the superb Betty Hechtman. I cannot wait for the next entry.

I think Annie’s character might take some time to grow on me, but I was surprised I ended up liking Gray’s character quite a bit, especially since she was so entitled at the beginning. I enjoyed the group of knitter and crocheters who were happy to have a place to meet and talk again since Annie was trying to fix up the store she inherited. The whodunit was a complete surprise and all I can say is Jack the shop cat was great at being a guard/attack kitty when Annie needed him!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Death Among the Stitches, the first of a new series A Crochet and Crumpet Mystery series. Annie Sara Hart traveled to a small town in Indiana to check out property her uncle left her. Leaving obligations behind in LA, her plan is to get it on the market to sell but it turns out to be a yarn shop needing some sprucing up to make it more appealing. She is a helper for her father in LA as he works with celebrities and she needs to get back home as soon as possible. Things change when the daughter of a client goes to help her. Annie Sara makes friends quickly with the yarn group who met in the shop and they offer to help her get things in order but thee is a mystery about the death of the former owner that needs to be resolved for Annie Sara. This is a fun and different sort of cozy mystery that I enjoyed and look forward to more in the future.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my thoughts.

Billed as a "Crumpets and Crochet" mystery, I picked it up as I like crumpets and I like crochet. Death Among the Stitches is a feel-good mystery, combined with a fish-out-of-water tale. Annie Sara Hart from LA, used to life surrounded by celebrities, flies out to a small Indiana town where she's been left an old yarn shop by an Uncle she didn't know. Used to assisting her Talent Agent father with catering to the every whim of his clients, Annie Sara is now fending for herself and enjoying the independence.

Back in LA, she had been charged with looking after Gray Hanover, daughter of two celebrities, who is expected to live up to her mother's expectations and follow her into the industry. How will a spoiled nepo-baby survive out in the Mid-West?

The store's previous owner died in seemingly mysterious circumstances, and Annie Sara is curious as to what happened. The townsfolk are keen to see the incident pinned on outsiders, not wanting to look any closer to home, where many residents have their own motives for wanting to see the yarn shop owner dead.

I enjoyed the story, but felt the mystery took a backseat to the city girls transplanting to small town America, and more could have been made of it but it was fun seeing Annie Sara and Gray adjust to their new surroundings.

Death Among the Stitches is published on 7 January.

Thanks to Severn Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book