Kristina A. reviewed on 7/7/2016 + 1528 more book reviews

Gone with the Wool by Betty Hechtman is the fourth book in A Yarn Retreat Mystery series. Casey Feldstein is getting ready for her latest retreat. The group will be learning how to use knitting looms (which are wonderful and easy to use) and for the first time retreaters will also be participating in activities going on in town. Cadbury by the Sea is getting ready for Butterfly Week! Monarch butterflies spend their winter on Monterey Peninsula in California (thousands of them are flying into the town). The town capitalizes on it by having a week of activities including a Butterfly Queen. Rosalie Hardcastle is in charge of the Butterfly Queen committee (she is pushy and took it over). The retreat group is attending the Blessing of the Butterflies. It is where the Princess Court is introduced and there is a play. At the end of the play, Rosalie is dead with a knife in her back. Casey ends up on the suspect list because of a small disagreement with Rosalie. Every year before the homecoming game the football players are treated to a chili dinner made by Rosalie Hardcastle. Two key players ended up sick and Rosalie blamed it on the corn muffins Casey baked (Casey bakes muffins and cakes for several places in town in addition to hosting retreats). Because of this insinuation, Casey's baking business declines severely. To get herself off the suspect list (and stop the destruction of her baking business), Casey explores other suspects (the list is quite long). To top it off Sammy Glickner (former boyfriend) needs Casey's help. His parents have come into town unexpectedly. Sammy told his parents that his was living with Casey (they broke up a while ago). Sammy is asking Casey to play along while the parents are in town and not mention his new job as a magician (Sammy is a urologist). It is going to be a busy week for Casey with the festival, retreat, Sammy and his busybody parents, that worrisome manila envelope, and, of course, Rosalie's murder. Will Casey be able to wrap up the investigation in time to enjoy the festivities and her retreat?

Gone with the Wool has a lot going on (there is more than what I mentioned above). It is a charming story with a knotty mystery. I give Gone with the Wool 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). Gone with the Wool can be read if you have not enjoyed the previous books in the series (the author brings the reader up to date). You might just be a little confused by all the characters. I loved that the author used looms in the book (there is a pattern at the end of the novel). Gone with the Wool is easy to read with a decent pace and an attractive setting. I would like to see more growth in Casey in the next book. I would like to see her better prepared for her retreats. Her lack of planning was extremely evident in this book (tote bags not big enough for looms, lack of class planning, she did not even know how to use the looms). I would also like to see her grow as a person and start getting over her insecurities/issues. I will definitely be reading the next book in A Yarn Retreat Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

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