Betty HechtmanReseñas

I kinda wanted to like this one about a woman who stumbles on a dead body of another woman who was not her friend (but was her husbands work partner and I have questions about that relationship!) Molly Pink is dealing with her widowhood, her new relationship with the detective Barry, her sometimes fractious relationship with her adult sons and her trying to find a new future for herself that didn't leave her as subjugated as she was under her previous husband.
The murder starts a chain of events that lead to learning how to crochet, which becomes a backdrop to the story; though several people needed to manage expectations better.
It's not a series I am running to continue, Molly has a lot of pass-remarkableness and the eye rolling was annoying, along with the belittling of some characters. The unresolved issues with Barry felt somewhat forced and that lawyer felt off to me. Molly just felt like someone who had a lot of growing up to do.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery that adds a mystery, a bookstore, a baby and lots of cats and dogs. I liked how Molly has a crazy life and even crazier friends and family. I enjoyed this first time author to me and hope to read many more of her books. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Knot a Game by Betty Hechtman is the ninth A Yarn Retreat Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who are new to the series. I like the author’s writing style. It made the book easy to read. The characters, though, are another story. I have become frustrated with Casey. Her character is at a standstill. She is still unsure about the yarn retreats (she should really have the hang of it by now) and her relationship with Dane has not moved forward. Dane is ready for them to go to the next step, but Casey has put on the brakes. If I ran a yarn retreat business, I would spend my spare time working on my skills. Casey is still at the beginner stage (she can make a scarf using the knit stitch). I would love to see her host a retreat using knitting looms (those plastic looms which can make hats, scarves, blankets, socks, and so much more). I liked that Casey was hosting a mystery weekend. I would love to attend one. Casey, though, is hesitant (of course). Thankfully, she gets help from Cloris, but I have to wonder if Casey has ever heard of the internet. Casey also needs to work on her organizational skills (the weekend was a bit disorganized). The whodunit did not begin until I was a third of a way into the book. There are a couple of suspects, a red herring, and obvious clues. There is a secondary mystery involving a woman staying at Vista Del Mar. When Casey is not baking, handling her retreat, feeding her cat the stinky fish food, talking to Dane, or searching for clues, she unravels the mystery woman’s secret. Let us not forget that the retreaters still need to solve their fake murder. There is too much repetition. Do we really need to know each time Casey feeds Julius (her cat) his stinky fish food? Or how stinky the food is, and that Casey uses multiple layers of clear wrap to keep the smell out of her fridge (did she ever hear of Ziploc bags or buy the small cans that are one serving). We are told several times about Dane offering free karate lessons to local teens and about his delectable spaghetti sauce (I will stop my rant now). These are just a couple of examples. I would like to see the characters grow and for the stories to have more substance. Knot a Game takes readers to Cadbury by the Sea where there is a mystery retreat, hand warmer woes, tasty treats, a furtive visitor, scrumptious spaghetti sauce, stinky fish food, and a messy murder.

Yarn retreat planner Casey takes on an extra job in this novel, as she integrates a murder mystery game into her next retreat at Vista del Mar. When a genuine murder occurs during the event, Casey's guests become more interested in "helping" solve the murder than they are in their game and yarn projects.

Although this is part of a series, readers can enjoy this novel as a standalone. The interesting characters and subtle clues will keep readers guessing until the final "reveal" of both mysteries. For those continuing with the series, some favorite characters and settings reappear in this story.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Casey hosts yet another yarn retreat at the Vista Del Mar. This time another event, focusing on the year 1963, is being hosted at the same time. Dr. Sammy was booked for a magic show but when the 1963 retreat organizer's wife turns up dead after being strangled with a scarf he'd used in the show, he becomes a suspect. Casey helps him hide while she investigates, finding motives in many places she turns but not finding much to keep Sammy from being arrested if found. At the same time, Casey tries to figure out how to determine who the secret heir of Vista Del Mar might be. As someone who has heard crafting retreat organizers talk about their experiences, I can't imagine Casey would have any time to spend with the other group. At times she seemed to be completely neglecting her own retreat. While I know the author could not continue having Casey's retreats be the occasion of murder, having her spend too much time with another event is not the answer.

3.5 but I’ll leave it at 3

A cozy mystery centered around crochet. It has a granny square washcloth pattern in the back, along with a pound cake and buttercream frosting recipe.

It was fine, kept me guessing throughout. I know the point of these cozy mysteries is that you have someone in way over their head trying to solve a mystery, but I felt like Molly Pink, our MC, did take some extraordinary leaps to try and solve the mystery, and not in subtle or clever ways. I was hoping for a little bit more of the romance, but maybe that will come to play in future books.

I will continue reading the series however. My library has book 5 and on, so I’ll have to find books 2-4. Maybe I can pull them off the $1 shelf at BookOff.

I love cozy mysteries and I love to knit (shhhh, don't tell Adele), and crochet, so Betty Hechtman's Crochet Mystery Series is a favorite of mine. This installment finds Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers getting the chance to show off their skills when a new television show on the Craftee Channel chooses the book store to film their first episode. Of course, murder is never far away from Molly, and she's on the case, working with her ex, Barry, this time.

I love this series and enjoyed this book as much as I have all of its predecessors. Molly is a fun character who loves to put her detective skills to the test. All the Tarzana Hookers are great, even Adele in all her crankiness and fun outfits. I liked that Molly and Barry actually worked together on this mystery and hope that they continue to do so. I, of course, tried to figure out who the murderer was, and I, of course, was wrong, but that's part of the fun.

In summary, I love this series and this book didn't change my mind at all. I can definitely recommend it to cozy mystery lovers and yarnies alike, and think they will enjoy it as much as I did.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Molly Pink, assistant manager of Shedd & Royal Books & More, is asked by a friend if she wants to purchase a large stash of yarn for the store, she decides to look at it before making an offer. But by the time she makes the visit, it's turned into an excursion -- Adele seems to insist on tagging along, because her 'knowledge' is more extensive and she wants to record it for her new vlog; and Elise, one of the Tarzana Hookers, is insisting because she's begun selling real estate and thinks she might be able to undercut the agent already there. But it's never easy for Molly -- while at Miami Wilson's inherited home, the agent who invited Molly, Sloan Renner, is hit with a drone full of seafood shells, and killed.

Sure, the neighborhood is upset because Miami wants to turn her home into short-term rentals, and of course, this is a family street, so they don't want it; but someone has also been vandalizing her sign out front, and she refuses to be cowed. But who hates her enough to do this? With any one of the homeowners as suspects, even if the police think it was a freak accident, Molly's not so sure.

Then there's the problem of Molly's older son Peter, who has unexpectedly shown up at her home with his pregnant girlfriend in tow, moving in without notice, because his life has gone down the tubes. How can she turn him away? Although she seems to want to when the couple decide she might just be in their way while they entertain potential clients and want her to 'stay in her room'. (Seriously?)

But the kicker is her new life is about to take off. Her beau, high-powered attorney Mason Fields, has unexpectedly proposed marriage and Molly is stunned. It means her life is going to change; she'll be traveling with Mason, helping him on his Second Chance legal project, which helps innocent people get out of prison; and that also means she'll have to give up her job as assistant manager at Shedd & Royal. And what about her numerous pets -- who just got a new addition with Sloan's little dog Princess? It doesn't help that her ex, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, once again has asked for her help and doesn't like the idea of her going off with Mason.

Now Molly has a mountain of decisions to make, including who killed Sloan. Is she in over her head? Or will she be able to make this mountain into a molehill?...

This is the fourteenth book in the series, and I have read them all. While I have liked some better than most (and really didn't care for the first, to be honest here,) I have watched the changes in Molly's life with interest. Of course, there are things that bother me -- like Elise going crazy suddenly about being a real estate agent and trying to hound everyone into selling or using her services, including nagging Miami when she first meets her -- if I had an agent like her, I'd tell her I never intend to sell and don't know anyone who does. Elise has become annoying as heck. I also have to wonder about Peter. He supposedly had this great job in Hollywood, but never put any money in the bank? He has to move back in with his mother? Did he blow every penny he made? He should have had some sort of nest egg -- you'd think. Or the fact that Molly never confronted either Peter or Gabby about their treatment of her.

But this is because I notice details -- a lot. And though I let most details pass me by in books, because they are written for entertainment, after all -- I can't let them all pass by. I should. But I don't. Anyway, back to the book...

I did like the mystery itself. We have the woman die at the beginning, and it looks as if it's connected to Miami using her home for short-term rentals, and suddenly some of the neighbors recognize Molly going into the home and assume that she is having something to do with it. So now she's involved, whether she wants to be or not, and when Barry asks for her help, she doesn't refuse. Molly is supposed to be only asking questions (yeah, sure) but she and her best friend Dinah start playing their 'Sherlock Holmes' game to try and find out who the killer is. This, of course, brings the killer's interest to Molly, and now she becomes a secondary target.

But watching Molly navigate her role in the bookstore and assure Mrs. Shedd that everything is just as it's supposed to be, try to figure out who the killer is, and decide who and what she really wants for her life is actually fun. There's a lot going on here.

Then we have the ending -- which is more than we expected. While it was a rather silly conclusion as far as the murder goes, there was a bigger surprise in store...and while I haven't made up my mind as to whether I'm happy or not, it gives me something to look forward to in the next book. Recommended.

I was given a copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Molly Pink is finally starting to get her life in order -- again. She's found out she's the 'contact person' for the Craftee Channel, who want to film a show at Shedd & Royal Books & More, where Molly works. But her co-worker Adele isn't happy, since she thinks that she should be the right person. And when Molly discovers that a young reality star, Rory Graham, is going to be the host, she's less than thrilled -- especially when she finds out Rory can't crochet.

But then the Tarzana Hookers are joined by two new members -- Marianne Freeman and Connie Richards. Molly soon figures out that Marianne has some problems, and Connie is there to help her. But she also learns that Marianne's brother Errol isn't happy about it, and wants to keep Marianne where he can see her.

At least her love life is improving; she's back with high-powered criminal defense attorney Mason Fields, and they're starting all over, trying to make time for each other in their busy schedules. Although her ex homicide detective Barry Greenberg isn't happy, he's trying to learn to deal with it.

But then Connie is found dead on Marianne's lawn, electrocuted, and now Marianne is a suspect. She won't talk to the police, but Barry comes to Molly for help, which is a first, hoping she can get information from Marianne that the police can't. Molly, who has an innate curious nature, is more than willing to help.

When Molly starts asking Marianne questions she begins to learn more about the quiet woman than she ever imagined. It's obvious Marianne's brother doesn't want her in their home, but Molly persists, and Marianne is on Molly's side.

But Rory is another problem: if she's not ready for the show, everything will fall apart and Mrs. Shedd will be devastated. So Molly enlists her fellow crocheters to help, tries to get Mariane to talk, is trying to set up a very different type of book signing, keep her relationship with Mason going, and keep Barry and Mason apart, all while helping Barry. It's enough to make her take her eye off the killer so they can put theirs on her...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and there is a lot going on here. Rory is more interested in showing off her dance moves than crocheting, figuring that Adele can do the job for her (of course she can't); and Molly is trying to keep her helping Barry on the down low, which is near impossible when her best friend Dinah is having her own problems and hiding out at Molly's intermittently.

It's an interesting mystery that starts to come together slowly, with the clues being put together as Molly finds them. Is Marianne guilty? Molly doesn't think so, but Detective Heather Gilmore is sure of it, not even looking at other suspects. Barry doesn't agree with her, which is why he's enlisted Molly's help.

Of course, Molly is still feeding anyone who shows up at her house, and I find that a bit overdone; people know how to feed themselves. At least Adele has toned things down a bit in this book, and for that I am grateful. (One note that I have to say is that I am a left-handed crocheter. I have been crocheting since I was a child, learning from my mother, and never had any problem with patterns at all.)

When the ending comes and Molly puts everything together, the murderer is a surprise, which is always a nice thing. I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to the next, waiting to see what lies in store for Molly and her friends. Recommended.

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

Molly Pink is assistant manager at Shedd & Royal Books & More. She's also their event coordinator, and a member of the Tarzana Hookers, a group of women who crochet together, usually making gifts for charity. Her friend Elise Belmont confides that she has secretly gotten her real estate license -- because her husband Logan didn't want her to, thinking it might ruin his reputation as a realtor -- and wants to sell a house so she can show him that she's just as good as he is. Conveniently, another friend (and both members of the hookers) Adele wants a home where she and her new husband can have some privacy away from his mother, because the three live in a condo together.

So Elise has a house she wants to show Adele, and Adele insists that Molly come along. The three head out to an exclusive neighborhood, and shortly after arriving, Elise hustles them out because she received a text from her husband stating that he was going to show homes, and she's afraid that this will be the first one on the list. However, in the rush, Molly's custom-made scarf (by her) is left behind. And when Logan discovers the dead body of the owner, Timothy Clark, in the downstairs, it now becomes a crime scene.

When Detective Barry Greenberg -- Molly's ex -- realizes the scarf is hers, he tries to get her to admit it, but she won't, because she's promised Elise that she won't mention the visit to anyone. Now she's stuck in the middle of another murder investigation, tap dancing around Barry, and asking another ex, criminal attorney Mason Fields, for help. Then Molly starts receiving threatening notes, and she knows someone is watching her. But are they real or just someone trying to get her to stop asking questions? Unless Molly's careful, she might find that she's the next one in line to die...

This is the tenth book in the series, and I have read each one of them. While some have been better than most, I did find that I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Yes, it was definitely filled with Molly still trying to figure out if she wants a relationship or not, but having read them all, I understand her reasonings. If others haven't, I understand their confusion. While I absolutely hate love triangles, at least this wasn't exactly filled with that.

What I didn't like about the book is Molly's family just deciding to come over whenever they wanted and turn her house into a rehearsal hall. She has enough problems at her home as it is. Also, she should have gotten Barry's key when they broke up, and the worst is Adele - who somehow has gotten more annoying as the books go on. Enough with the over-the-top crochet outfits. Even I, a woman who loves to crochet, wouldn't even think of wearing it as everyday wear. You actually would look ridiculous. Also, why was Elise's husband calling her to tell her that he was showing a home? Did he do this on a regular basis? Check in with her every time he had a client? It seemed odd...

At any rate, other than this, the book was interesting enough to keep me reading, and there were some fun scenes throughout. But it seemed that some characters were bashing marriage, and I didn't understand that at all. Marriage is compromise and respect for the other person, and you have to learn how to give and take. If you don't do that, nothing about it will work at all. Hopefully, her characters will learn how to do this.

As you can tell, this wasn't one of my favorites of the series but it was still very good. However, as others have stated, the ending was odder than other books, with Molly telling us the fate of the people in the acting classes that Timothy gave (as if we really care about it) and the murderer came out of left field. I prefer that we at least get a few clues here and there. All in all, a nice cozy if you want to relax, but nothing too involved. There are also crochet patterns in the back for those who are interested.

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

Casey Feldstein has been hosting relaxing yarn retreats at the Vista Del Mar hotel for some time now. However, this particular retreat gets off to a bad start when her group is double-booked with a retreat by self-help guru Jordan. Jordan may be charismatic on the outside, but as the weekend continues, it becomes more apparent that not all is what it seems with his retreats. The weekend gets even worse when one of his staff is found dead! Is Casey's retreat at risk? And will there be any more death before the weekend is up?

Overall, this is a solid cozy mystery, great if you want a light & quick read.

I have a soft spot for Betty Hechtman's work. She was the first cozy mystery author I ever read! I really enjoy the theme behind this series and I wasn't disappointed by the premise of this book. The guru and his strange retreat made for a very interesting premise that kept me hooked. I couldn't put it down!

That being said, if you are a fan of reading about very realistic characters, I don't know if you would like this book. I like that Casey isn't a perfect characters; she has her flaws. But I felt that some of the supporting characters and suspects were a little one-note. It was if I only knew one defining thing about them and not much else. To me, this was one of the most disappointing aspects of the book.

I did like how the book focused on different aspects of Casey's life other than the murder, such as her relationship with Dane and the business side of her yarn retreats. Unfortunately, I did think that this focus took away from the mystery itself, as I was a bit taken aback at the final solve. However, I think people who are fans of the series might enjoy this look into Casey's life.

Readers who don't like love triangles in their cozy mysteries should know that there is a reference to a previous one in the book, but there is no ongoing love triangle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

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But Knot for Me by Betty Hechtman has Casey Feldstein hosting another yarn retreat at Vista Del Mar. Unfortunately, there seems to be a little snafu. Kevin St. John got his dates mixed up and promised the whole facility to lifestyle guru, Jordan who is hosting one of his retreats. Casey works out a compromise with Mr. St. John, but Jordan is none to pleased. While Casey and her group are enjoying a delicious meal at the Blue Door, the Jordan group head out to forage for their dinner. Casey later hears that a Jordan employee is dead after ingesting the meal. Cloris, a hotel employee and friend, is afraid the blame will be placed on her since she was “supervising” the kitchen. Casey is not going to let Cloris take the blame, so she begins asking questions. When another Jordan employee turns up dead, Casey is not buying that both deaths were accidents. Casey with help from her old detective employer, Frank digs deeper for information. Someone is not happy with Casey’s sleuthing and attempts to silence her. Casey will need to work quickly if she is going to solve the case before the retreat guests fly the coop. But Knot for Me is the 8th A Yarn Retreat Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. I always enjoying visiting Cadbury by the Sea where Casey Feldstein lives and hosts her yarn retreats. She also bakes for the local businesses. I wish the town was a little more whimsical. I think it is a shame they do not appreciate the cute names Casey wanted to give her baked goods. Casey has been setting down roots, but she has not realized it. She has settled into her inherited home, has a successful baking business as well as running the yarn retreats, has a cat, and a boyfriend. Dane, Casey’s beau, needs to make her see this if they are going to move forward with their relationship. I like most of the secondary characters. Kevin St. John can be a pain, and Tag with his severe OCD was really getting on my last nerve by the end of the book. I do not know how his wife puts up with him arranging and rearranging everything. But Knot for Me is well-written with steady pacing. The mystery was fun to figure out. It was well-done with misdirection, several suspects, and good clues. I enjoyed piecing together the clues to figure out the identity of the guilty party. There was a tense scene near the end that gave me the heebie jeebies. I appreciated that the whodunit was completely wrapped up leaving me with no lingering questions. There is humor in the story as well especially with regard to Casey’s cat and his love for “stinky fish”. But Knot for Me is a relaxing story that was a joy to read. There is a recipe and pattern for a scrunchie at the end. I look forward to Casey’s next adventure. But Knot for Me is a hair-raising tale with a magnetic guru, a culinary conundrum, a phone predicament, chancy challenges, a slithery twist, foul fish, and a mate date scrape.

One for the Hooks by Betty Hechtman is the 14th A Crochet Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I thought One for the Hooks was well-written with developed characters. I like that Molly Pink is a mature woman who is a clever and capable. I was not a fan of the way Molly dealt with her son, Peter in this book. I thought she would set down some rules for the pushy son and his cold girlfriend. Molly most do some soul searching when Mason makes her an offer. The whodunit had multiple suspects (a whole neighborhood), misdirection, and a unique method of murder. One detail early in the book is all that is needed to solve the crime (I am not telling you which one). I enjoyed following Molly and Dinah as they dug up information and got themselves into trouble in pursuit of justice. Barry, of course, wants Molly’s information, but he is reluctant to share. He also does not always appreciate her theories (you would think he would have learned to trust her by now). There are cute pets, gorgeous yarns, fun with friends, plus book and yarn events. I enjoyed the one-of-a-kind scarf project that Molly came up with using the yarns she purchased for the shop. Adele was even more over-the-top than usual thanks to her vlog. Her outfits match her ego (loud and large). I laughed often while reading One for the Hooks. I am eager for the next A Crochet Mystery after reading the ending. One for the Hooks is an entertaining cozy mystery with ritzy yarns, a significant other’s suggestion, a problematic progeny, a daring drone, a curious killing, sensational Serendipity scarves, and the plucky Molly Pink.

Molly has the unfortunate luck to again be privy to someone dying before her very eyes. This is a strange one, involving a drone. Meanwhile, Adele has become a “vlogger,” Mason has proposed marriage, and Molly is denying that she still feels something for Barry, though she definitely does. The mystery is quite a complex one, and it could stump all but the most astute readers. It had me fooled! I was more caught up in Molly’s personal life. Her son Peter shows up with a pregnant girlfriend, and no place to live when his last business deal falls apart. Gabby is distant and most unpleasant, Peter is bossy, taking over the house, and Molly is trying her best to be friendly and welcoming, even though she feels unwelcome in her own home. Mason has become a pro bono lawyer for those unjustly jailed, and Barry has enlisted Molly to discreetly fish for information to help him in his latest case. This is a well written tale, with just the right mix of Molly’s everyday life and murder, with a liberal dash of romance thrown in for fun.

Casey's "Sheep to Shawl" retreat seems doomed before it begins. The hotel decided to rid itself of wifi to provide a more introspective environment. Casey isn't sure this new policy will go over with her retreaters. The hotel manager won't allow the sheep on the grounds so they can get the fleeces. Before the event, her spinning instructor dies from a poisoned cup of coffee. Although police rule it a suicide, Casey doesn't believe it. Another spinner seems overly eager to take over the spinning instruction, and Casey really has no choice but to accept her somewhat pushy offer. One of the elderly sisters owning the hotel plans to marry a man Casey realizes wants to take over hotel operations and place his daughter who is attending the retreat as manager. Casey realizes if this happens she'll no longer have a venue for her retreats. Casey quickly realizes she needs to be more familiar with processes for future retreats so she feels in control of things in the future. On the murder front, with lots of suspects and different motives--and even the possibility the cops are correct that Nicole committed suicide, Casey places herself in danger many times. A secondary plot line ends with a cliff hanger. I missed the interaction in the retreat situation in this installment. We never really got to know many of the new attendees--just a trio of those returning from the first series installment. I hope the author makes the retreat seem a bit more realistic in future installments by introducing us to these persons.½

Betty Hechtman weaves together an intriguing mystery with relatable characters and puzzle that keeps you guessing. All the suspects and still a surprise ending. I really enjoyed this book. It combines the crochet into being an integral part of the plot that is unique. This is the first book of the series and I can't wait to read more.

I cannot stand Barry, and Molly’s insistence to make excuses for his possessive and toxic behavior.

Molly Pink is a widow who works at a bookstore as Events Coordinator/Assistant Manager. She and her fellow Tarzana Hookers, their crochet club, use their free time to get together and crochet. They have some new members, including a woman named Lauren, who won't talk about her past.

But there's more going on in Molly's life. Her parents have moved back to Tarzana and her mother, member of a girls' group called The She La La's is practicing their dance steps at Molly's so they're always underfoot. Molly's gentleman friend, Mason, a celebrity attorney, is having both professional problems with a client and the fact that his ex-wife Jaime and daughter Brooklyn are living with him, leaving no place for them to get together. Then, her friends Dinah and Adele are both getting married and having problems of their own.

To add to the confusion, there's a huge house going up behind Molly's and she's sure she's seen nefarious doings. She's convinced someone was murdered, but when her ex, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, goes to investigate, he finds nothing and tells her to leave it alone. Of course we know she won't; and when she involves her best friend Dinah they manage to garner a clue. Albeit a small one, but a clue nonetheless.

What makes it worse is she discovers the people she's investigating are celebrities themselves -- members of their own group, the ChLiLas, and their leader, Cheyenne, has temporarily joined the group, and what's more, agreed that she and her sisters will perform at the bookstore. This gives one of the owners an idea to have musical events, which only add to Molly's duties and frustration, as one more problem pops up.

Now, with very little time and very little clues, she's convinced someone is dead. The problem is: who is it, and where is their body?...

I have read all of these books so far, and I must say, for some reason that after reading this one I felt dissatisfied. It wasn't anything specific that I can put my finger on; the murder was solved and the murderers were caught, as we always know they will be. I think it is more that I am getting frustrated with Molly and her actions. She claims to always be in a relationship, but never spends any time with the person she's involved with. How is that a relationship? I have a better one with the cashier at my grocery store than Molly does with either her ex, Barry, or her current love, Mason. That, and the fact that we never get anywhere before the book ends. It's becoming annoying and distracting from the murder investigation. She needs to sit down and talk with someone about why she won't open up instead of complaining about others not opening up to her.

I think I'm also getting tired of Adele's hysterics. I get that it's supposed to be humorous, but it's grating most of the time and I just want to slap her and tell her to get it together. Jeez, she's a grown woman. Handle your problems, lady.

Other than these things, the mystery itself was fine, and I enjoyed looking for clues. I was surprised by ending, but that's not a bad thing; the murderer was not anyone I would have suspected. So, it was a decent mystery and it took less than a day to read, making it an easy one to get through.

Molly Pink is Event Coordinator and Assistant Manager at Shedd & Royal's Bookstore in Tarzana. She's trying to put together Yarn University, where people can learn different types of crochet. Unfortunately, one of the Tarzana Hookers, as the club calls itself, is having a bad case of stage fright. Sheila is shy anyway, but her projects are so lovely that Molly has convinced her to teach a class. When they decide to do a "practice class" over at their friend CeeCee's mansion, they come across a body in the apartment above the garage.

Molly is once again drawn into a murder investigation, to no surprise of Homicide Detective Barry Greenberg, who once had a relationship with her; and to the delight of Mason Fields, her current boyfriend and celebrity defense attorney. Mason was injured in a car accident, and is now itching to get back into the game, as it were.

When Molly finds the body, she notices a clue no one else does, but while it doesn't mean anything yet, she can't get it out of her mind. But she has other things to worry about: Mason's ex-wife and daughter are staying with him, and they don't want her anywhere near him (while he wants her there); Adele is driving everyone crazy with her wedding preparations (though no date has been set); and other problems concerning her best friend Dinah, and Barry.

But Molly still wants to do her job well, so tries to put it out of her mind, yet can't. Her innate curiosity is driving her to figure things out, and she enlists not only the help of Dinah, but also Barb, a woman whom she met through CeeCee and has decided she wants to be a member of the club. While Molly's problems escalate, so does her certainty that this young woman was murdered by someone she knows, but she can't prove it. And if she doesn't figure it out soon, she won't have to worry about anything else...

I have read every book in the series so far, and have gone with Molly from the loss of her husband to where she is now. I won't lie and say I've enjoyed every book (I haven't) but I have delighted in spending time with Molly in this one. She's struggling to organize her life (yeah, sure) and of course, isn't able to have everything the way she'd like. She's too busy trying to solve another murder (with help, of course) and stay out of the eye of Barry, who doesn't like her investigating. She's also trying to navigate her new relationship with Mason, but his ex-wife and daughter Brooklyn keep getting in the way. What Molly needs is a vacation (when?).

So we watch as she does her best, gleaning clues along the way and trying to be supportive to her friends. It's an interesting combination, and there is plenty going on to keep one interested. While I can't like her son Peter (who could be kinder and more understanding to the woman who raised him), there are others who stand by her side, and it's nice to see.

In the end, when everything starts to come together, it's a climax you don't expect and one that is surprising as well, which is how it should be. It's satisfying and makes for a pleasant reading experience. Recommended.

Molly Pink works as an event coordinator for a local bookstore. She's a widow, with several pets and two grown sons. Things are moving around her, as she's tasked with running the booth for the bookstore at a trade show. She's got help (if you can call it that) from her co-worker Adele, and friends in her crochet group at the store.

She's also decided that celebrity attorney Mason Fields is the man she wants in her life, but so far, they've both been busy with their careers and haven't found any time to spend together. But since one of his clients is in trouble and at the show, he manages to get a few minutes now and again to see her.

The person organizing the show is K.D. Kirby, a self-absorbed publisher of knitting magazines and owner of an upscale yarn store that has a "knitting salon" in which her wealthy customers sit and knit together. She's not fond of crochet, and isn't fond of Adele, whose over-the-top style is being put forth in the booth, and they have an argument regarding it.

When Molly goes to meet K.D. a while later, she finds her dead, and is immediately drawn into the investigation when she discovers that the police have their eyes on Adele as the main suspect. When Adele begs her for help, she can't turn her down; but at least she has her best friend Dinah as her 'Watson' to Molly's 'Holmes.'

The more Molly investigates, the more she discovers that K.D. had plenty of enemies. More than enough people wanted her out of the way, and any one of them had the opportunity to go to K.D.'s suite and kill her. The only thing Molly can't figure out is the exact timeline that would free Adele. But when she gets closer to answers, someone is watching her, and it might be Molly whose life is now hanging by a thread...

I have been reading this series intermittently for a few weeks, and so far I've had mixed feelings on it. While she's gone from a relationship with homicide detective Barry Greenberg, they broke up because his job came before her. Now she's entering a relationship with Mason Fields, who seems more stable, and Molly enjoys his company. So that's settled, right? Hmmm...

When Molly starts investigating who might have wanted K.D. dead, Adele figures that since Molly's on the case, she can go on with her life, which means she's not concerned with anything but Adele -- and her boyfriend Eric, who's a traffic cop. And, of course, his mother...

But with so many people at the show, she has problems narrowing down who might want the woman dead the most. Each person had their own reasons for wanting her out of the way, and Molly is determined to figure out who, if she can just stay under the radar from the police. But that's not going to be easy to do when Barry is shadowing Adele through the weekend, waiting to see if she's going to flee or stay put.

When Molly finally figures it out and the killer is revealed, I felt that there were clues throughout the book. I pretty much had figured out who the murderer was early on, but it was still interesting to wait and watch while Molly figured it out herself. When the ending comes and everything is put together, we discover that the motive is one of the tried-and-true throughout time, and will probably be so again. This book was easy to read in one sitting, and the ending, while leaving us curious, gives us something to look forward to in the next book. Recommended.

Murder Ink by Betty Hechtman is the first book in A Writer for Hire Mystery series. This story is told in the first person from Veronica Blackstone’s point-of-view. Veronica had a successful first book, but she is having trouble completing the second book. While waiting for inspiration to hit, Veronica has become a writer for hire as well as a writing coach. She is hired by Evan to write a letter to a co-worker in the hopes of getting him a date. Evan is a nervous man who can use all the help he can get. Veronica also gets hired by Mrs. Parker to create a celebration of life booklet for her recently deceased daughter, Rachel. Veronica is shocked that the vibrant Rachel is dead. She worked with Rachel and her then fiancé’, Luke to polish their wedding vows a year ago. There are some unanswered questions regarding Rachel’s death and Veronica sets out to fill in the blanks. Murder Ink was easy to read with some quirky characters. I liked the storyline involving Evan. It was humorous. I am not a fan of stories told in the first person and that includes Murder Ink. We get too much of what Veronica thinks as well as repetition of information. I thought the pacing was a little slow. It could have been peppier (it does pick up near the end). The mystery was straightforward, though, I did not feel it was the main focus of the book. Veronica did ask people questions but I felt she missed the mark at times. There was some suspicious activity that made the mystery more interesting. I thought that Veronica got lucky with the solution. I found it easy to sus out the guilty party (might as well have been a neon arrow over the persons head). The mystery wrapped up quickly. If I did not know better, I would think this was the author’s first cozy mystery. I did enjoy the descriptions of Chicago and Veronica’s neighborhood. There were some interesting tidbits about buildings relating back to the Chicago Worlds Fair. I also enjoyed the writer’s group and Veronica’s downstairs neighbor. Will I read the next book in A Writer for Hire Mystery series? I believe I will skip it as this series as it is not a good fit for me. Murder Ink is an easygoing cozy mystery with a matchmaking stay-at-home mom, a undefine death, invigorating dance classes, a nervous Nellie, a troublesome television, and a cute cop.

One for the Hooks by Betty Hechtman.
This is a new author to me and I am instantly in love with her work. I understand that there is more books to this series, but it was easy to fall in with the characters.
The story was easy and uncomplicated as were the characters. There is a group of women in a crochet group but Molly is a modern Sherlock Holmes who can’t stop until the end. Barry is a detective and also Molly’s ex and Mason is dating Molly and in love with her but wants her to, in a nutshell to give up her life to be with him.
But, the ending was a shocker and I was not expecting what happened.
I am now looking into reading this series from the beginning.

I requested and received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Molly Pink is a widow who works as events coordinator for a local bookstore and cafe҆. She also belongs to their crochet group, the Tarzana Hookers. But when she's invited to the home of attorney Mason Fields for his daughter's wedding reception, she expects it to be like any other wedding. Not one with a dead body. A dead body of the groom -- with the mother of the bride standing over him with the murder weapon in her hand, and the bride with murder on her hands and gown.

Now Mason has asked Molly's help in proving both his ex-wife and daughter innocent of killing Jonah Kingsley. It doesn't help that Thursday wants to stay with Molly instead of her father or mother, and refuses to show any emotion regarding the death. Still, Molly's soft heart allows her to do so, and she becomes even more embroiled in Mason's family than she ever expected.

Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend, homicide detective Barry Greenberg, is investigating the murder and also trying to win Molly back. He's become what she wanted, but trying to show her he can change and spend time with her instead of being at his job 24/7. It's causing problems with her investigating the murder quietly.

Then there's Adele, who's in a serious relationship with traffic cop Eric Humphries. His mother is in town, and following Adele around. Adele has toned down her outrageous outfits, and is watching what she is saying. But worse yet, Eric's mother is pushing a weight-loss drink on her that Adele doesn't want, but still takes...until she can't stand it. With a crochet-bomber putting odd pieces on items around the bookstore, Eric is convinced it's Adele and wants her to stop. So Adele asks for Molly's help in finding the 'bomber.'

Now Molly has more on her plate than she ever wanted. When she starts finding clues, she can't tell either Mason or Barry until she has definite evidence, because she doesn't know who the guilty party is and doesn't want to upset anyone. Just her and her best friend Dinah are sharing information, and neither one knows where it's going. But a chance encounter opens Molly's eyes to the truth, and this time it might be too late...

I enjoyed this book as much as any of the others in the series, and perhaps we're finally going to have a resolution that gets Molly's head back where it's supposed to be so she can do her job without depending on the Hookers to do all the work. Oh, well. We will see.

The one thing I don't care for in this series is that we're given very little, if any, clues to the murderer so we have nothing to guess at and are inevitably wrong. At least scatter some clues throughout the book so we have a chance.

Other than that, the mystery was done well and the writing was good, with descriptions along the way that helped in placing the story. I liked the character of Thursday and hope that she will be in future books, while I also hope Jaimee disappears (no offense, but she's a horrible person). She's greedy and self-centered, and not in the way CeeCee is self-centered. Adele is quite toned down in this book, and I never minded her awful clothing, but her awful attitude toward everyone else was always quite grating. At least we were given a reprieve here.

But when the murderer is discovered, it was rather sad; although I felt the reason for the murder was insane. I would love to state my reasoning on that, but it would probably give it all away, so I can't. At any rate, the series is a decent one, so I will probably read the next to see where it goes.

cozy-mystery, women-sleuths, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, friendship, family-dynamics, relationship issues, murder investigation****
The characters are memorable, the imagery clear, and the hooker bookclub (crocheting) is a gas.
Nice balance between situational and verbal humor to keep both the suspense and the family issues from getting too tight. Very enjoyable read.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Molly Pink is a widow who works at a local bookstore as an events coordinator. She has also proven her worth as a part-time sleuth, much to the chagrin of her ex-boyfriend, Barry Greenberg, a homicide detective who's recovering at Molly's house after being shot in the line of duty. He's also realizing he blew it with Molly, and is upset with the fact that she might be getting involved with Mason Fields, a local high-powered attorney, who's been eyeing Molly since she was in a relationship with Barry.

But Molly and her friends in the crochet group are busy watching the employees of the television show L.A. 911 film crew as they come in for their daily snack and coffee at the bookstore, and they're also filming near the house of one of the Hookers -- who doesn't seem to come to their meetings. So Adele, who is outspoken (to put it mildly) decides to go to her house and demand that she give them the projects for their newest charity sale to benefit the animal shelter. When they arrive, Kelly Donahue is short with them and wants them to leave. But when someone is at her door, it's all she can do to hustle them out the back and hand them a box of crocheted items.

When they later learn that Kelly has been murdered, Molly finds it odd that anyone would want to kill her. When all the evidence points to her husband Dan, Molly's not so sure it was him. But she can't rule out other suspects, and even though Barry wants her to stay away, Molly just can't do it. Little does she know that the killer's been watching her for the right moment to silence her permanently...

I've been binge reading this series (sometimes it's what I do), and while each book is different, I really get tired of Molly waffling back and forth as to what is going on in her love life. Pick a guy and get it over with. It distracts from the series, and while she says that she wants to be on her own, she also laments how empty her house seems when she's alone in it. So, if that's the case, wouldn't it be better to have someone in your life permanently? Being 'friends' is all fine and good, but it's not the same as being married. Honestly, the 'will she or won't she' and the 'let's just be friends' is getting old. It also distracts from the mystery.

As to the mystery, it was done well, but I would have liked some clues as to the murderer, and I do get tired of the cliffhangers at the end of every story. Enough with them. Cliffhangers are akin to holding the reader hostage in order to make them read the next tale. The story should stand on its own without them.

So, I hope I've gotten my thoughts across as to these books. I might have to take a break and read something else, because it doesn't seem like Molly wants a significant other in her life, and I would definitely like some clues to the killer so we can figure it out ourselves.