Dollycas's Thoughts
The Knit and Nibble knitting group has another new member. Caralee Lorimer is playing a part in the local theater group's latest play, A Tale of Two Cities, and her character, knits on stage and she wants to play the part convincingly. She is not afraid to share her opinions of happenings around Arborville along with some things people would like to keep under wraps. She has rubbed several people the wrong way and made a few outright enemies. Pamela had no idea what Caralee was up to, but when the young woman is killed in a theater âaccidentâ Pamela and the rest of the nibblers start to find out what she was really like. She obviously pushed someone too far and Pamela is sure the so-called accident was really a cleverly constructed murder. She just has to prove it and enlists her friend Bettina to help her investigate.
I really love the members of this knitting club. They take their nibbles as serious as their knitting. The group shares mouthwatering treats at a designated time at each of their meetings. They are an eclectic group and always seem to have a good time when they get together. In this installment Pamela as a kindle of kittens to find homes for and when the group meets at her home, the little ones steal the hearts of more than one member. The kittens are as diverse as the group and I laughed at their antics throughout the book.
I have said in previous reviews that the author has a very descriptive writing style and for the most part, she describes things I am interested in, but this time she went a little over the top and was sometimes repetitive of things we had read just a few pages before. It messed with the flow of the book and took away from the story. A sub-plot mystery was also added that I felt really had no purpose. I really enjoyed the unique clue that set off the real investigation revealing some suspects thanks to Bettina's husband, Wilfred. I was focused on a certain person early on and as more and more was revealed I knew I was right. I didn't understand the whole reasoning as to why though until it was all spelled out for me.
I love the theme of this series. The characters in this series are strong and likable. The author needs to tighten up her writing to improve the flow and add more depth to the mystery. I am invested in these characters and need to see what happens to them next.
The Knit and Nibble knitting group has another new member. Caralee Lorimer is playing a part in the local theater group's latest play, A Tale of Two Cities, and her character, knits on stage and she wants to play the part convincingly. She is not afraid to share her opinions of happenings around Arborville along with some things people would like to keep under wraps. She has rubbed several people the wrong way and made a few outright enemies. Pamela had no idea what Caralee was up to, but when the young woman is killed in a theater âaccidentâ Pamela and the rest of the nibblers start to find out what she was really like. She obviously pushed someone too far and Pamela is sure the so-called accident was really a cleverly constructed murder. She just has to prove it and enlists her friend Bettina to help her investigate.
I really love the members of this knitting club. They take their nibbles as serious as their knitting. The group shares mouthwatering treats at a designated time at each of their meetings. They are an eclectic group and always seem to have a good time when they get together. In this installment Pamela as a kindle of kittens to find homes for and when the group meets at her home, the little ones steal the hearts of more than one member. The kittens are as diverse as the group and I laughed at their antics throughout the book.
I have said in previous reviews that the author has a very descriptive writing style and for the most part, she describes things I am interested in, but this time she went a little over the top and was sometimes repetitive of things we had read just a few pages before. It messed with the flow of the book and took away from the story. A sub-plot mystery was also added that I felt really had no purpose. I really enjoyed the unique clue that set off the real investigation revealing some suspects thanks to Bettina's husband, Wilfred. I was focused on a certain person early on and as more and more was revealed I knew I was right. I didn't understand the whole reasoning as to why though until it was all spelled out for me.
I love the theme of this series. The characters in this series are strong and likable. The author needs to tighten up her writing to improve the flow and add more depth to the mystery. I am invested in these characters and need to see what happens to them next.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Peggy Ehrhart's Knit & Nibble cozy series has been very enjoyable up to this point. The mysteries to be solved, the camaraderie of the knitting group, the types of articles Pamela has to edit for her craft magazine, even the cooking... everything combined to make a fun series. But Knit One, Die Two is another story.
The mystery is solid, but the repetition is the real killer in this book. Every single one of Bettina's outfits has to be described in detail down to the shoes and jewelry. I lost count of how many times we were told Bettina's dishes were sage green pottery, ditto the description of Pam's favorite mixing bowl, and don't forget both women have napkins they purchased at the craft shop. Then there are the seven cats that are fed multiple times per day. It's not a good sign when I want to start making hash marks on a piece of paper to learn the final totals of how many times the same things were mentioned in the story.
Unfortunately, I have to say that Knit One, Die Two has too much Martha Stewart and too little mystery. I do intend to read the next book in the series, but it will be with trepidation.
The mystery is solid, but the repetition is the real killer in this book. Every single one of Bettina's outfits has to be described in detail down to the shoes and jewelry. I lost count of how many times we were told Bettina's dishes were sage green pottery, ditto the description of Pam's favorite mixing bowl, and don't forget both women have napkins they purchased at the craft shop. Then there are the seven cats that are fed multiple times per day. It's not a good sign when I want to start making hash marks on a piece of paper to learn the final totals of how many times the same things were mentioned in the story.
Unfortunately, I have to say that Knit One, Die Two has too much Martha Stewart and too little mystery. I do intend to read the next book in the series, but it will be with trepidation.
Knit One, Die Two is the third book in A Knit & Nibble Mystery series. I do recommend reading the series in order since background information is lacking in Knit One, Die Two. The book is nicely written, but I wish the pace had been livelier. Peggy Ehrhart is a descriptive writer who goes into detail on cooking, baking, feeding the cats, clothing, going to the grocery, etc. An example is âshe added a few tablespoons of sugar to the flour mixture, then poured in melted butter and stirred until some of the flour mixture formed buttery lumpsâ. This is just a portion of the paragraph describing Pamela making cobbler. These types of descriptions are included for all the items cooked. I would have liked more action in the book and less focus on everyday tasks. I like the main characters of Pamela, Bettina, Wilford and the other members of the Knit & Nibble club. They are a friendly bunch of people. I did not understand Pamela's obsession over when her neighbor would return from his out of town excursion. She likes her new neighbor, Richard Larkin (though she does not want to admit it), but I did not feel it needed to be mentioned so frequently. The mystery is lackluster. Only Pamela believes Caralee has been murdered. Pamela, with Bettina as her sidekick, question various people around town (food is usually involved). The reveal of the killer is not a surprise nor is the murder weapon. I wanted more focus on the mystery and less on food, kittens, grocery shopping, and chatting. The kittens are adorable and add humor to the story. The recipe for Pamela's peach cobbler is at the end of the book along with a knitting pattern for a sachet. For those readers who prefer laid back cozy mysteries with more cozy than mystery, you will find Knit One, Die Two enjoyable. I just wanted a little more oomph.
