Seaside Knitters Society #6
Intrigue and knitting abound in Sally Goldenbaum’s most recent addition to her Seaside Knitters Society series, A Twisted Skein. This is the sixth book, and follows yarn studio owner Izzy Perry and her friend Birdie as they investigate the death of one of Birdie’s fellow birders. A murder would be enough for anyone to have to deal with, but Izzy Perry also has a knitting themed fashion show she is sponsoring looming overhead as well. This makes her yarn shop busier than usual as everyone comes in to either to buy yarn and supplies, or to work on a project or two for the big show. The stress of the show is bad enough, but then she starts to fear that the police aren’t going to look deep enough into the murder. That they will go after the easiest and most obvious suspect, someone no one in the knitting circle can believe would be behind the murder. As such, there is only one thing to do: get out their knitting needles and their detective glasses and delve into things for themselves.
As they dive in, however, they are disheartened to find that there are many in their close-knit community of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, that might have motive. What was once an open and safe place is thrown into a state of fear and paranoia. Some are even afraid to let their loved ones walk home at night. Doors once left open to friendly neighborhood visits are now locked in fear of who might come in. Everything that was once safe now has a layer of stress or fear as everyone wonders if their neighbor might be hiding a murderous secret. Things keep getting more and more complicated, and no amount of knitting and purling can solve things. But that won’t stop Izzy or Birdie – in fact it spurs them on. They are determined to patch their clues together and bring peace of mind to their home again. An added benefit is that nearly everyone in town knows and adores Birdie, and are more than willing to share their stories and secrets with her. Izzy is also well known in the community, as her shop is a staple in town, and her hospitality and knitting-know-how are much appreciated. The two women make a truly formidable pair.
There are several intersecting threads that our knitters must unravel to make sense of things. The intrigue will keep readers glued to the page as they try to find answers. Sally Goldenbaum does a wonderful job of drawing readers into the mystery, giving enough clues to form many different hypotheses as to who the killer could be. While this is the sixth book, it also functions very well as a standalone. Characters are introduced and the settings described in a natural flow that allows readers to immerse themselves in the story. I would suggest A Twisted Skein to anyone looking for a cozy that delves into small town politics. Also knitting. It is a big bonus if you enjoy knitting. Izzy’s yarn shop sounds like a knitter’s dream hideaway and all the described knitting projects are very interesting. – Carla Schantz