What do you think?
Rate this book
Tangled Web Mystery #1
Yarned and Dangerous
“A tale of murder and intrigue that will ensnare knitters and non-knitters alike. I couldn’t put it down.”—Barbara Ross, author of Musseled Out
Time has not been kind to sleepy Dorset Falls, Connecticut, where an erstwhile resident is hoping to bring a tattered yarn shop back to life—but with a murderer on the loose, the whole town is in knots…
Josie Blair left Dorset Falls twelve years ago in hopes of making it big in New York City. But after earning an overpriced master’s degree and getting fired by a temperamental designer, she finds herself heading back to her hometown. Her great-uncle was injured in a car accident, and newly unemployed Josie is the only person available to take care of him. Uncle Eb’s wife didn’t survive the crash, so Josie is also tasked with selling the contents of her Aunt Cora’s yarn shop. But the needling ladies of the Charity Knitters Association pose a far bigger challenge than a shop full of scattered skeins…
Miss Marple Knits is one of the few businesses still open in the dreary downtown. Josie can’t imagine how it stayed open for so long, yet something about the cozy, resilient little shop appeals to her. But when one of the town’s most persnickety knitters turns up dead in a pile of cashmere yarn, Josie realizes there’s something truly twisted lurking beneath the town’s decaying façade…
INCLUDES ORIGINAL KNITTING PATTERNS!
Time has not been kind to sleepy Dorset Falls, Connecticut, where an erstwhile resident is hoping to bring a tattered yarn shop back to life—but with a murderer on the loose, the whole town is in knots…
Josie Blair left Dorset Falls twelve years ago in hopes of making it big in New York City. But after earning an overpriced master’s degree and getting fired by a temperamental designer, she finds herself heading back to her hometown. Her great-uncle was injured in a car accident, and newly unemployed Josie is the only person available to take care of him. Uncle Eb’s wife didn’t survive the crash, so Josie is also tasked with selling the contents of her Aunt Cora’s yarn shop. But the needling ladies of the Charity Knitters Association pose a far bigger challenge than a shop full of scattered skeins…
Miss Marple Knits is one of the few businesses still open in the dreary downtown. Josie can’t imagine how it stayed open for so long, yet something about the cozy, resilient little shop appeals to her. But when one of the town’s most persnickety knitters turns up dead in a pile of cashmere yarn, Josie realizes there’s something truly twisted lurking beneath the town’s decaying façade…
INCLUDES ORIGINAL KNITTING PATTERNS!
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2015
307 people are currently reading
1581 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
April 18, 2019
4.5 stars, rounded up
This was adorable! Very well-written, loved the premise (city girl comes back to hometown and gets addicted to country life, decides to stay). It includes fun farming details, knitting stuff, fashion design. Plus good characters, including an awesome grumpy old uncle (adore him!), potential love interest/farmer dude (nice!), and lots of quirky knitting ladies.
A winner! I already ordered the next book in the series.
This was adorable! Very well-written, loved the premise (city girl comes back to hometown and gets addicted to country life, decides to stay). It includes fun farming details, knitting stuff, fashion design. Plus good characters, including an awesome grumpy old uncle (adore him!), potential love interest/farmer dude (nice!), and lots of quirky knitting ladies.
A winner! I already ordered the next book in the series.
July 30, 2018
Though I failed miserably at knitting, I still enjoyed this one. Lol. Good story line, some quite likeable characters. Not sure if I personally could make the move from the big city to a very rural town with a dying downtown area, but the author is making it work for the mc.
Other than a few repetitious passages I found this to be a good, easy read.
Other than a few repetitious passages I found this to be a good, easy read.
March 3, 2021
Oh I just loved this one! I want more!!
December 2, 2016
Clothes designer Josie Blair reluctantly leaves New York and her job with well-known fashion designer, Otto Heinrich, to care after an ailing relative. A recent car accident claimed the life of his wife, Cora, and resulted in a broken leg for him. Cora owned the local yarn shop, Miss Marple Knits, and the minute Josie goes to inspect the shop, knitters swarm in expecting her to mark down prices. One of them, Lillian, has a hissy fit when Josie tells her she's not selling. Later, while taking a look at the yarn inventory, Josie gets the shock of her life when she finds Lillian dead behind a stack of boxes in the back room of the store! Can Josie round up a killer and find time to sketch up a new spring line to save her designer job? A crafty, entertaining yarn won me over in this debut story in the Tangled Web Mysteries.
September 9, 2018
Oh this was so good! This was a series I'd read out of order since I read the second book sometime last year as an advance copy. It wasn't really necessary to read this one first, but I had been wanting to go visit with Josie and Uncle Eb to see how things got started. I am sooo hoping there's going to be a third book to this series!
Josie Blair was called to her uncle Eb's side to help him out while her mom went on a much-needed cruise. His wife Cora had been killed in a car accident a couple of weeks ago, and Josie's job was to inventory in her yarn shop and get it sold. Eb had broken his leg in the accident and needed help around the house as well. When Josie got to Dorset Falls, CT, she remembered what a nice little town it was, even though a certain few people seemed to have it in for her. The next door neighbor Mitch was easy on the eyes as well as being a huge help with her uncle and give Josie herself some morale support. Josie made a couple of new friends in Evelyn and Helen who were part of a charity knitting group that Cora had started. Some people were keeping secrets and Josie was hoping she could at least find a notebook that Cora had which could point to the killer.
I actually did guess the killer but not right away. Since I'd read the second book, I knew a few people that it couldn't have been though. ;) I just love grouchy Uncle Eb, he's like a grumpy old bear, but I know down deep he loves Josie, and the same way with her. They just needle each other like they did when she was a kid and visited him. I love how the friendship with Josie and Mitch is starting slowly and just developing so sweet. I really do need to reread the second book to find out what characters might have been added. I vaguely remember the case but I think it's just an excuse for me to go back to visit in Dorset Falls for awhile.
Josie Blair was called to her uncle Eb's side to help him out while her mom went on a much-needed cruise. His wife Cora had been killed in a car accident a couple of weeks ago, and Josie's job was to inventory in her yarn shop and get it sold. Eb had broken his leg in the accident and needed help around the house as well. When Josie got to Dorset Falls, CT, she remembered what a nice little town it was, even though a certain few people seemed to have it in for her. The next door neighbor Mitch was easy on the eyes as well as being a huge help with her uncle and give Josie herself some morale support. Josie made a couple of new friends in Evelyn and Helen who were part of a charity knitting group that Cora had started. Some people were keeping secrets and Josie was hoping she could at least find a notebook that Cora had which could point to the killer.
I actually did guess the killer but not right away. Since I'd read the second book, I knew a few people that it couldn't have been though. ;) I just love grouchy Uncle Eb, he's like a grumpy old bear, but I know down deep he loves Josie, and the same way with her. They just needle each other like they did when she was a kid and visited him. I love how the friendship with Josie and Mitch is starting slowly and just developing so sweet. I really do need to reread the second book to find out what characters might have been added. I vaguely remember the case but I think it's just an excuse for me to go back to visit in Dorset Falls for awhile.
February 19, 2025
I enjoyed this first entry in the series. The characters were likeable and the mystery entertaining. I hope this is the start of big things in Dorset Falls.
December 11, 2015
This book hooks you right from the start when Josie Blair’s mother wants her to go to Dorset Falls and take care of her great uncle who was injured in a car accident that also killed his wife. Not only does Josie have to take care of her uncle, but she needs to settle his wife’s business affairs which include a knitting shop. She has her work cut out for her.
As soon as she arrives, she is made to feel like an outsider starting with her ornery great uncle. Everyone in town makes sure she realizes she’s not welcome. They want her sell the knitting shop and go back home to New York City. Josie does manage to find a couple of friends along the way.
However, things take a nasty turn when a dead body is found in the knitting shop and members of the town council make it clear they want Josie to sell the shop immediately. It's obvious to Josie that someone is hiding something and she intends to find out what that something is.
Josie Blair is the newest amateur sleuth to hit the cozy mystery genre and she makes a great first impression. I loved how she stood up to her great uncle and never backed down even when he clearly didn’t want her help. In fact, she didn’t back down from anyone, not even those who wanted her to leave Dorset Falls immediately.
The pages flew by…well, I read this on my Kindle so the pages were swiped by. LOL I couldn’t put this down until I found out whodunit. It wasn’t a total shock, but it was interesting to see how the story unfolded.
The author has given readers an excellent beginning to a great new cozy series. She’s given cozy lovers everything they could want – a strong amateur sleuth, mystery and even a bit of humor woven through the story. I’m looking forward to another visit to Dorset Falls.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
As soon as she arrives, she is made to feel like an outsider starting with her ornery great uncle. Everyone in town makes sure she realizes she’s not welcome. They want her sell the knitting shop and go back home to New York City. Josie does manage to find a couple of friends along the way.
However, things take a nasty turn when a dead body is found in the knitting shop and members of the town council make it clear they want Josie to sell the shop immediately. It's obvious to Josie that someone is hiding something and she intends to find out what that something is.
Josie Blair is the newest amateur sleuth to hit the cozy mystery genre and she makes a great first impression. I loved how she stood up to her great uncle and never backed down even when he clearly didn’t want her help. In fact, she didn’t back down from anyone, not even those who wanted her to leave Dorset Falls immediately.
The pages flew by…well, I read this on my Kindle so the pages were swiped by. LOL I couldn’t put this down until I found out whodunit. It wasn’t a total shock, but it was interesting to see how the story unfolded.
The author has given readers an excellent beginning to a great new cozy series. She’s given cozy lovers everything they could want – a strong amateur sleuth, mystery and even a bit of humor woven through the story. I’m looking forward to another visit to Dorset Falls.
FTC Disclosure: The author and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 5, 2015
Josie arrives in Dorset Fall to take care of her cantankerous Great Uncle Eb and to close up her Great Aunt Cora's yarn shop. Uncle Eb was recently in a car accident where he broke his leg. His wife Cora died in the car accident. Josie was living in New York City and was working for a fashion designer who she provided designs for. It was a situation where she was either fired or quit from that job.
She arrives in Dorset Falls with her cat Coco in expectations of doing the job quickly and getting back to the city life. Instead she learns about collecting eggs and misses her drip coffee maker back home. Her Uncle's coffee percolator is a mystery to her.
She gets busy organizing the yarn shop in preparation to sell it. She meets the residents of Dorset City and starts to form friendships. A murder occurs in her Miss Marple Knits Yarn Shop.
The mystery was very good. The book was quite cozy to read with the descriptions of yarn, the small town atmosphere and the towns people. Josie was a likable protagonist. I liked her cranky Great Uncle Eb. I enjoyed the mystery as to what Evelyn and Helen were up to in the abandoned building across the street from the yarn shop. Readers who like Cozy Mysteries should enjoy this mystery. If you like cozies about yarn and knitting, you should love this book. However, you don't need to know much about yarn or knitting to enjoy this mystery. Usually covers aren't covered in a review. I think if there was an award for a cozy cover this book should be entered.. It does catch your eye and interest which covers hope to do.
She arrives in Dorset Falls with her cat Coco in expectations of doing the job quickly and getting back to the city life. Instead she learns about collecting eggs and misses her drip coffee maker back home. Her Uncle's coffee percolator is a mystery to her.
She gets busy organizing the yarn shop in preparation to sell it. She meets the residents of Dorset City and starts to form friendships. A murder occurs in her Miss Marple Knits Yarn Shop.
The mystery was very good. The book was quite cozy to read with the descriptions of yarn, the small town atmosphere and the towns people. Josie was a likable protagonist. I liked her cranky Great Uncle Eb. I enjoyed the mystery as to what Evelyn and Helen were up to in the abandoned building across the street from the yarn shop. Readers who like Cozy Mysteries should enjoy this mystery. If you like cozies about yarn and knitting, you should love this book. However, you don't need to know much about yarn or knitting to enjoy this mystery. Usually covers aren't covered in a review. I think if there was an award for a cozy cover this book should be entered.. It does catch your eye and interest which covers hope to do.
June 8, 2025
3.5 stars
October 28, 2017
This book was a free Kindle as it looked like it might be a good cozy and it also takes place in Connecticut which filled in another of my 50 state challenge blanks. This is a new-to-me author and I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery.
Josie, a struggling New York fashion designer, heads to small town, Dorset Falls, to help take care of her Great Uncle Eb whom she hasn't seen in years after he breaks his leg. Shortly before, Eb's wife Cora, had been killed in a car accident. Dorset Falls is dying on the vine and Main Street is basically closed up other than her aunt's knitting shop along with a few others. Josie will also have to take responsibility for closing up her great aunt's shop, Miss Marple Knits. With lots of high jinx taking place in town along with finding a dead body in the knitting shop's store room, Josie finds herself caught up in the town's woes.
Hartwell's characters are an intriguing basket: Great Uncle Eb a curmudgeonly teddy bear, Mitch the helpful handsome neighbor next door, and the little old ladies of the Dorset Falls Charity Knitters Association. The plot was interesting and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing as to who was behind the murders. A touch of romance, a pinch of humor, and a good setting made for a good beginning for this cozy mystery series.
Josie, a struggling New York fashion designer, heads to small town, Dorset Falls, to help take care of her Great Uncle Eb whom she hasn't seen in years after he breaks his leg. Shortly before, Eb's wife Cora, had been killed in a car accident. Dorset Falls is dying on the vine and Main Street is basically closed up other than her aunt's knitting shop along with a few others. Josie will also have to take responsibility for closing up her great aunt's shop, Miss Marple Knits. With lots of high jinx taking place in town along with finding a dead body in the knitting shop's store room, Josie finds herself caught up in the town's woes.
Hartwell's characters are an intriguing basket: Great Uncle Eb a curmudgeonly teddy bear, Mitch the helpful handsome neighbor next door, and the little old ladies of the Dorset Falls Charity Knitters Association. The plot was interesting and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing as to who was behind the murders. A touch of romance, a pinch of humor, and a good setting made for a good beginning for this cozy mystery series.
December 19, 2015
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
Yarned and dangerous is a fun cozy mystery set in a small town. Main character Josie visits to help her uncle out and slowly falls in love with the small town. I enjoyed reading this book, but it was kinda predictable at times and some things I knew from the start that would happen took the main character a whole book to figure out, which was a bit frustrating. She seemed to insist on going back to her job, while I thought that with her great designs I thought she could better start on her own than go back to a job where she didn't work well and had an annoying boss.
It's a cozy mystery, but cozy contemporary would be a better term for this book as the mystery is almost non existent, yes there is a murder, but there isn't much of a mystery surrounding it. The focus is mostly on the day to day life of Josie and how she deals with things like closing up the shop and helping her uncle. Josie let's the police handle the murder, which was realistic, but it didn't make for an exciting read. I wanted her to delve into the mystery and solve it, but she didn't do much, until the end when she suddenly pitched it all together. And even then she mostly just thought things through and the pieces of information conveniently landed on her lap. The mystery stays a side plot for along while and takes up a bit more pace towards the end and then suddenly gets solved in the matter of one chapter. So the mystery was a bit disappointing. I had three suspects from the start and one of those was the culprit. And the motive just made it all seem a bit silly, why go to such lengths and risk losing everything when you're found out. It just felt a bit off.
I did really like the epilogue, it almost makes this first book like the introduction to the series only and only now is everyone where they are supposed to be. I would be interested to see where the story goes next. I also liked the yarn aspect. I haven't read a lot of books about knitting or yarn so far, so it was fun to see a bit about that in this book.
The characters are likeable, although I did felt like we only got a glimpse of their personalities. We learn most about Josie as she's the main character and I liked her, although I wish she considered all her options earlier. I did like how she was cautious and didn't run into a potential dangerous situation alone. I also liked her uncle, he was a grumpy old man, but I think he did care about Josie and was thankful she was there. Then there is Evelyn and Lorna, who become friends of Josie. And a few minor side characters. The actions of some of the side characters didn't sit well with me, I wondered if what they were doing was legal and I felt a bit bad for another character. Yes she was a nasty character, but she didn't deserve that. Also it didn't add much to the bigger plot, except for some in my opinion unnecessary mystery.
There is a slight hint of a possible romance with Mitch, a guy who helps her out a few times and who she goes along with nicely, but it doesn't go much further than that in this book, although I am thinking we will see more of that in later books.
To summarize: I enjoyed this book, but the mystery fell a bit flat for me. The mystery didn't got much attention till later and even then it was a minor plot. I wanted Josie to have a more active role in the investigation although how she let the police handle it was realistic. The story and mystery where kinda predictable and one of the possible suspects that I had from the start turned out to be the murderer. I did like the epilogue ad where it leaves things so I probably will pick up the second book if I get the chance.
Yarned and dangerous is a fun cozy mystery set in a small town. Main character Josie visits to help her uncle out and slowly falls in love with the small town. I enjoyed reading this book, but it was kinda predictable at times and some things I knew from the start that would happen took the main character a whole book to figure out, which was a bit frustrating. She seemed to insist on going back to her job, while I thought that with her great designs I thought she could better start on her own than go back to a job where she didn't work well and had an annoying boss.
It's a cozy mystery, but cozy contemporary would be a better term for this book as the mystery is almost non existent, yes there is a murder, but there isn't much of a mystery surrounding it. The focus is mostly on the day to day life of Josie and how she deals with things like closing up the shop and helping her uncle. Josie let's the police handle the murder, which was realistic, but it didn't make for an exciting read. I wanted her to delve into the mystery and solve it, but she didn't do much, until the end when she suddenly pitched it all together. And even then she mostly just thought things through and the pieces of information conveniently landed on her lap. The mystery stays a side plot for along while and takes up a bit more pace towards the end and then suddenly gets solved in the matter of one chapter. So the mystery was a bit disappointing. I had three suspects from the start and one of those was the culprit. And the motive just made it all seem a bit silly, why go to such lengths and risk losing everything when you're found out. It just felt a bit off.
I did really like the epilogue, it almost makes this first book like the introduction to the series only and only now is everyone where they are supposed to be. I would be interested to see where the story goes next. I also liked the yarn aspect. I haven't read a lot of books about knitting or yarn so far, so it was fun to see a bit about that in this book.
The characters are likeable, although I did felt like we only got a glimpse of their personalities. We learn most about Josie as she's the main character and I liked her, although I wish she considered all her options earlier. I did like how she was cautious and didn't run into a potential dangerous situation alone. I also liked her uncle, he was a grumpy old man, but I think he did care about Josie and was thankful she was there. Then there is Evelyn and Lorna, who become friends of Josie. And a few minor side characters. The actions of some of the side characters didn't sit well with me, I wondered if what they were doing was legal and I felt a bit bad for another character. Yes she was a nasty character, but she didn't deserve that. Also it didn't add much to the bigger plot, except for some in my opinion unnecessary mystery.
There is a slight hint of a possible romance with Mitch, a guy who helps her out a few times and who she goes along with nicely, but it doesn't go much further than that in this book, although I am thinking we will see more of that in later books.
To summarize: I enjoyed this book, but the mystery fell a bit flat for me. The mystery didn't got much attention till later and even then it was a minor plot. I wanted Josie to have a more active role in the investigation although how she let the police handle it was realistic. The story and mystery where kinda predictable and one of the possible suspects that I had from the start turned out to be the murderer. I did like the epilogue ad where it leaves things so I probably will pick up the second book if I get the chance.
November 20, 2015
Synopsis:
Time has not been kind to sleepy Dorset Falls, Connecticut, where an erstwhile resident is hoping to bring a tattered yarn shop back to life—but with a murderer on the loose, the whole town is in knots…
Josie Blair left Dorset Falls twelve years ago in hopes of making it big in New York City. But after earning an overpriced master’s degree and getting fired by a temperamental designer, she finds herself heading back to her hometown. Her great-uncle was injured in a car accident, and newly unemployed Josie is the only person available to take care of him. Uncle Eb’s wife didn’t survive the crash, so Josie is also tasked with selling the contents of her Aunt Cora’s yarn shop. But the needling ladies of the Charity Knitters Association pose a far bigger challenge than a shop full of scattered skeins…
Miss Marple Knits is one of the few businesses still open in the dreary downtown. Josie can’t imagine how it stayed open for so long, yet something about the cozy, resilient little shop appeals to her. But when one of the town’s most persnickety knitters turns up dead in a pile of cashmere yarn, Josie realizes there’s something truly twisted lurking beneath the town’s decaying façade…
INCLUDES ORIGINAL KNITTING PATTERNS! (Goodreads)
Review:
This is the first book in a the new Tangled Web Mystery series and it is a great one. There is everything that a cozy reader looks for: a great small town setting, characters that are likable, a mystery to solve, and a craft-related theme.
I loved the fact that the story revolves around a yarn shop. With the author’s descriptive writing, the shop became very real to me. At times I felt like I could see all the colors and textures of the different yarns and it was a place I would like to spend time in. The characters are well developed and well rounded and I enjoyed getting to know them. The mystery is carried on well throughout the book and there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing as to the identity of the culprit.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I enjoyed the fact that there were knitting patterns included in the book, and if I were a knitter, I would be tempted to try my hand at those patterns. That is one of the reasons I enjoy reading craft-themed cozy, because I learn some things while I’m reading.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-knitted cozy mystery. You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy this book, but if you are, then this is a must read book. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I look forward to book two.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Time has not been kind to sleepy Dorset Falls, Connecticut, where an erstwhile resident is hoping to bring a tattered yarn shop back to life—but with a murderer on the loose, the whole town is in knots…
Josie Blair left Dorset Falls twelve years ago in hopes of making it big in New York City. But after earning an overpriced master’s degree and getting fired by a temperamental designer, she finds herself heading back to her hometown. Her great-uncle was injured in a car accident, and newly unemployed Josie is the only person available to take care of him. Uncle Eb’s wife didn’t survive the crash, so Josie is also tasked with selling the contents of her Aunt Cora’s yarn shop. But the needling ladies of the Charity Knitters Association pose a far bigger challenge than a shop full of scattered skeins…
Miss Marple Knits is one of the few businesses still open in the dreary downtown. Josie can’t imagine how it stayed open for so long, yet something about the cozy, resilient little shop appeals to her. But when one of the town’s most persnickety knitters turns up dead in a pile of cashmere yarn, Josie realizes there’s something truly twisted lurking beneath the town’s decaying façade…
INCLUDES ORIGINAL KNITTING PATTERNS! (Goodreads)
Review:
This is the first book in a the new Tangled Web Mystery series and it is a great one. There is everything that a cozy reader looks for: a great small town setting, characters that are likable, a mystery to solve, and a craft-related theme.
I loved the fact that the story revolves around a yarn shop. With the author’s descriptive writing, the shop became very real to me. At times I felt like I could see all the colors and textures of the different yarns and it was a place I would like to spend time in. The characters are well developed and well rounded and I enjoyed getting to know them. The mystery is carried on well throughout the book and there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing as to the identity of the culprit.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I enjoyed the fact that there were knitting patterns included in the book, and if I were a knitter, I would be tempted to try my hand at those patterns. That is one of the reasons I enjoy reading craft-themed cozy, because I learn some things while I’m reading.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-knitted cozy mystery. You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy this book, but if you are, then this is a must read book. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I look forward to book two.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
November 25, 2015
Yarned and Dangerous by Sadie Hartwell is the first book in A Tangled Web Mystery series. Josie Blair lives in New York City and works for Otto Heinrich at the Haus of Heinrich. She gets fired regularly because of his temper and lecherous ways. Josie’s mother, Katherine (single mother and teacher) needs Josie to come back to Dorset Falls, Connecticut to take care of her Uncle Eb (Eben Lloyd). Uncle Eb broke his leg in a car accident that killed his wife, Cora. Katherine is going away on a cruise. She would cancel it if she could, but it is non-refundable (and she really deserves a vacation). Since Josie was just fired again (refusing Otto’s advances), she agrees to take care of Uncle Eb until his cast comes off.
Cora (Eb’s deceased wife) owned a yarn shop called Miss Marple Knits. Josie has agreed to go through the shop and clear it out. The first day Josie receives two offers to buy the shop from very pushy women. The next day Josie finds Lillian Woodruff dead in the stockroom on top of a pile of cashmere yarn (such a waste of yarn). Who wanted Lillian dead and how did they get into Miss Marple Knits? Josie sets out to find the killer. Josie also has to deal with the building’s owners serving an eviction notice. Diantha Humphries (and her son who dated Josie in high school) have plans for the building location. What are they up to? Between Miss Marple Knits, the murder, and Uncle Eb and his farm, Josie has her hands full. Will Josie find the killer before the killer finds her? Will Josie see a future for herself in Dorset Falls or will she return to New York?
Yarned and Dangerous was just delightful. Great characters (even grumpy Uncle Eb), good mystery, and so many beautiful yarns (great descriptions provided in the book). Yarned and Dangerous captured my interest right away and held it throughout the book. There were not a lot of clues provided, but there are enough to figure out the killer. There is a little romance (just the right amount) in the book for Josie with Mitch Woodruff (nephew to Lillian Woodruff who was killed). I give Yarned and Dangerous 4.25 out of 5 stars. Yarned and Dangerous is a good start to a new series. I look forward to reading the next book in A Tangled Web Mystery series.
I received a complimentary copy of Yarned and Dangerous from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
Cora (Eb’s deceased wife) owned a yarn shop called Miss Marple Knits. Josie has agreed to go through the shop and clear it out. The first day Josie receives two offers to buy the shop from very pushy women. The next day Josie finds Lillian Woodruff dead in the stockroom on top of a pile of cashmere yarn (such a waste of yarn). Who wanted Lillian dead and how did they get into Miss Marple Knits? Josie sets out to find the killer. Josie also has to deal with the building’s owners serving an eviction notice. Diantha Humphries (and her son who dated Josie in high school) have plans for the building location. What are they up to? Between Miss Marple Knits, the murder, and Uncle Eb and his farm, Josie has her hands full. Will Josie find the killer before the killer finds her? Will Josie see a future for herself in Dorset Falls or will she return to New York?
Yarned and Dangerous was just delightful. Great characters (even grumpy Uncle Eb), good mystery, and so many beautiful yarns (great descriptions provided in the book). Yarned and Dangerous captured my interest right away and held it throughout the book. There were not a lot of clues provided, but there are enough to figure out the killer. There is a little romance (just the right amount) in the book for Josie with Mitch Woodruff (nephew to Lillian Woodruff who was killed). I give Yarned and Dangerous 4.25 out of 5 stars. Yarned and Dangerous is a good start to a new series. I look forward to reading the next book in A Tangled Web Mystery series.
I received a complimentary copy of Yarned and Dangerous from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
November 7, 2015
This is the first book in a new series by Sadie Hartwell. A Tangled Web Mystery Series. I could not put this book down. There were times while reading that I was laughing out loud. Her characters are so relatable. I have even known a few people like some of them, especially Uncle Eb. He had me in stitches with his one liners and no nonsense attitude. He is so set in his ways that he just tells it like it is and doesn't care. Between he and his dog Jethro you will be laughing too.
Josie and her mom are having a discussion on her having to go take care of Uncle Eb. He was in a car accident that claimed the life of his wife Cora. He ended up with only a broken leg. Josie ends up going to Dorset Falls, Connecticut to try and help her grumpy uncle till her mom gets back from her Mediterranean cruise. She loaded her Saab with her cat Coco and left her job and life as she knew it in New York as a fashion designer for country living for a few weeks.
Not only does she have to take care of Eb, she learns she has farm chores too. If you can imagine a city girl in a chicken coop you will be laughing so hard you will cry.
She also has to go through Cora's business Miss Marple Knits to inventory and close the doors. What she wasn't expecting was the tug at her heart when she walked through the doors. She is shocked at how at home she feels.
When she returns the next day to dig in she is shocked to find a Knitting Association person dead in the back room in a pile of Cashmere yarn. What the heck is going on in this sleepy town??? She finds out that not a lot has changed since she was a resident 12 years ago. Things like an ex boyfriend still living in town married to a jealous women, and his mother who wishes she and Josie didn't breath the same air. And of course the small town everyone knows everyone's business. Gossip spreads like wildfire. She gets caught up in the mystery of why this women is dead and why in the store? And does it all connect somehow?
This is a great start to a new series. You gotta love a book that not only has twists and turns left and right and mystery but has knitters! I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next in Dorset Falls.
Josie and her mom are having a discussion on her having to go take care of Uncle Eb. He was in a car accident that claimed the life of his wife Cora. He ended up with only a broken leg. Josie ends up going to Dorset Falls, Connecticut to try and help her grumpy uncle till her mom gets back from her Mediterranean cruise. She loaded her Saab with her cat Coco and left her job and life as she knew it in New York as a fashion designer for country living for a few weeks.
Not only does she have to take care of Eb, she learns she has farm chores too. If you can imagine a city girl in a chicken coop you will be laughing so hard you will cry.
She also has to go through Cora's business Miss Marple Knits to inventory and close the doors. What she wasn't expecting was the tug at her heart when she walked through the doors. She is shocked at how at home she feels.
When she returns the next day to dig in she is shocked to find a Knitting Association person dead in the back room in a pile of Cashmere yarn. What the heck is going on in this sleepy town??? She finds out that not a lot has changed since she was a resident 12 years ago. Things like an ex boyfriend still living in town married to a jealous women, and his mother who wishes she and Josie didn't breath the same air. And of course the small town everyone knows everyone's business. Gossip spreads like wildfire. She gets caught up in the mystery of why this women is dead and why in the store? And does it all connect somehow?
This is a great start to a new series. You gotta love a book that not only has twists and turns left and right and mystery but has knitters! I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next in Dorset Falls.
December 6, 2015
There's a lot to like about Yarned and Dangerous - the setting, the writing, the voice of the author, the characters, and more. Aspiring designer Josie Blair is none too pleased to leave her life in New York City to take care of her cranky, crotchety, cantankerous great Uncle Eben. But he's still laid up after the car accident that killed his wife, Cora, and broke his leg. Josie's mom is leaving for a cruise and someone needs to take care of Eben. Reluctantly, Josie packs up her things and her cat and heads back to sleepy, dreary Dorset Falls, Connecticut.
Once she arrives, Josie feels a kinship with the small town. As much as she tried to put her time in Dorset Falls behind her, Josie almost feels as though she's coming home. Even her great-uncle's black attitude can't sour Josie's growing feelings of ease. She spends her days going through Miss Marple's Knits, the yarn shop that Cora owned and operated before her death. Eben wants nothing to do with the business, so Josie sets to work cataloging the inventory and searching for a buyer for the soft and wooly skeins. But when Josie finds out that there's a plan in place to tear down the building housing Miss Marple Knits, she can't help but swing into action.
I really liked Josie; I think she's the true glue that holds Yarned and Dangerous together and the buttons and sequins that embellishes the story. Everything about this story: Josie, in particular, but the characters, the plot, and especially Sadie Hartwell's writing, really make this cozy mystery stand out from the rest. I loved how returning home to a small town in Connecticut really reignited Josie's creativity and how she follows her heart and focuses on family, friends, and the small things that really make life worthwhile.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All of the opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
Once she arrives, Josie feels a kinship with the small town. As much as she tried to put her time in Dorset Falls behind her, Josie almost feels as though she's coming home. Even her great-uncle's black attitude can't sour Josie's growing feelings of ease. She spends her days going through Miss Marple's Knits, the yarn shop that Cora owned and operated before her death. Eben wants nothing to do with the business, so Josie sets to work cataloging the inventory and searching for a buyer for the soft and wooly skeins. But when Josie finds out that there's a plan in place to tear down the building housing Miss Marple Knits, she can't help but swing into action.
I really liked Josie; I think she's the true glue that holds Yarned and Dangerous together and the buttons and sequins that embellishes the story. Everything about this story: Josie, in particular, but the characters, the plot, and especially Sadie Hartwell's writing, really make this cozy mystery stand out from the rest. I loved how returning home to a small town in Connecticut really reignited Josie's creativity and how she follows her heart and focuses on family, friends, and the small things that really make life worthwhile.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All of the opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
March 20, 2016
Struggling fashion designer Josie Blair has come back to Dorsett Falls to care for her ailing great-uncle, who was injured in a car accident that took the life of his wife. Josie left Dorsett Falls year ago to live in New York. Now that she's back she'd running into old friends, and some people who were not exactly friends.
Josie's main chore while she is in town is finding a buyer for the inventory of Miss Marple Knits, the shop her uncle's wife, Cora, operated before her death. She receives offers from two different women in town, but turns them down. And then she finds the body of one of the women in the shop, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a puzzle that needs to be solved quickly, before someone else ends up dead.
Yarned and Dangerous is the first book in the Tangled Web Mystery series. Sadie Hartwell has done an excellent job of knitting together plot, interesting characters and a small town that needs TLC to craft a story that draws the reader in and keeps them hooked until the last page.
I love Josie, and I appreciated the relationship between her and her curmudgeon of an uncle. The care they have for each other is real, and adds a great deal to the story. I also appreciated the fact that the romantic subplot was played down and did not take over the mystery.
Josie's main chore while she is in town is finding a buyer for the inventory of Miss Marple Knits, the shop her uncle's wife, Cora, operated before her death. She receives offers from two different women in town, but turns them down. And then she finds the body of one of the women in the shop, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a puzzle that needs to be solved quickly, before someone else ends up dead.
Yarned and Dangerous is the first book in the Tangled Web Mystery series. Sadie Hartwell has done an excellent job of knitting together plot, interesting characters and a small town that needs TLC to craft a story that draws the reader in and keeps them hooked until the last page.
I love Josie, and I appreciated the relationship between her and her curmudgeon of an uncle. The care they have for each other is real, and adds a great deal to the story. I also appreciated the fact that the romantic subplot was played down and did not take over the mystery.
November 8, 2015
This is the first in a new series, The Tangled Web series, and it is fantastic! I loved it from page one, I loved Josie, the main character, she is so very likable. Her mother talks her into going to rural Connecticut to take care of her uncle, a very grumpy uncle, after a car accident that took his wife. Josie also has to take care of her Aunt Coras yarn shop, which all of the ladies in town are fighting over. When Josie finds a body on a pile of cashmere in the back of the shop, things really get interesting.
She decides to do a little investigating on her own, after she finds herself falling in love with the yarn shop. She uncovers a lot of secrets, about the towns residents, and some friends she has already made. Is everyone who they seem to be?
This is a fast paced story, it is very hard to put down. Full of great characters that you really care about, and an adorable little town that needs saving. I loved the way Josie rekindled some old friendships, and the new friends she made, and a possible love interest!
I cant wait to read the next book in this series, it is definitely one I will follow!
She decides to do a little investigating on her own, after she finds herself falling in love with the yarn shop. She uncovers a lot of secrets, about the towns residents, and some friends she has already made. Is everyone who they seem to be?
This is a fast paced story, it is very hard to put down. Full of great characters that you really care about, and an adorable little town that needs saving. I loved the way Josie rekindled some old friendships, and the new friends she made, and a possible love interest!
I cant wait to read the next book in this series, it is definitely one I will follow!
October 23, 2015
After some work-related conflict, Josie finds herself back in her old hometown looking after her great-uncle and closing up Miss Marple's Knits, his wife's yarn shop. You'd think it would be easy to close a store owned by a woman she never met, but no. Despite the calm surface and the goodwill suggested by a charity knitters group, the people vying for power, money and eligible spouses throw Josie into turmoil. Then, as she starts to understand Cora, the great-aunt she never met, one of her most troublesome "customers" is discovered dead in the store and she doesn't know who to trust... but there is that very nice neighbor next door...
More weighty than your average cozy mystery, there's plenty of coziness here, along with a familiar theme: small-town girl flees city to find herself renewed. There's a nice touch of humor, as well as some romance. A fun read, with some different knitting patterns provided at the end.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
More weighty than your average cozy mystery, there's plenty of coziness here, along with a familiar theme: small-town girl flees city to find herself renewed. There's a nice touch of humor, as well as some romance. A fun read, with some different knitting patterns provided at the end.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2015
Sadie Hartwell's "Yarned and Dangerous" is a fun and interesting read. Josie Blair is a likable protagonist and the plot is engrossing and a lot of fun.
I adore the book's cover. The cat looks like the grey rendition of my cat Stormy. I also wish I could try the knitting patterns, but unfortunately, my efforts to learn knitting have been met with resistance, usually by my clumsy fingers.
The book is also written so that younger fans of mysteries can enjoy it, as there is nothing graphic depicted, nor is there profanity. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers of all ages. I won my copy of this book from the Goodreads.com website and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.
I adore the book's cover. The cat looks like the grey rendition of my cat Stormy. I also wish I could try the knitting patterns, but unfortunately, my efforts to learn knitting have been met with resistance, usually by my clumsy fingers.
The book is also written so that younger fans of mysteries can enjoy it, as there is nothing graphic depicted, nor is there profanity. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers of all ages. I won my copy of this book from the Goodreads.com website and I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.
June 24, 2019
This was a nice beginning. The mystery was engaging, but it wasn't a big part of the story. Most of the story involves getting to know the townspeople. Mostly the main character, her uncle, and their neighbors. I liked the small town, farm setting. Also, I was expecting more knitting in this story.
April 16, 2019
Josie Blair's mother is headed off on a cruise when she realises that someone needs to look after Joisie's great-uncle, Josie needs to take some time away from her job as a fashion designer (her boss Otto is getting a little TOO hands on for her liking and she has no desire to become the latest notch on his bedpost!), as well as helping Uncle Eb she also needs to close down her Aunt Cora's shop, Eb may have survived the crash that gave him his broken leg, but his fairly new wife who was driving sadly didn't. So with cat in tow Josie has arrived in Dorset Falls, now she has reunited with Lorna, who helps out at the General Store (and is a great cook) which is great, she also meets a couple of knitters who are fun, unfortunately Josie has also run across Diantha Humphries, the snooty mother of Josie's high school boyfriend Trey, oh and just to round it off she meets the ex-cheerleader who Trey dumped her for (Courtney) and Trey when he comes to serve notice to quit at the yarn store (Miss Marple Knits).
With the help of Evelyn and Helen the knitters, Josie hopes to get everything sorted quickly, but finding yet another knitter well and truly dead in the shop's store room puts the kibbosh on that! Now Josie needs to figure out who she can trust and figure out what happened to the dead knitter so that she (and Eb) can get closure and close the shop.
With the help of Evelyn and Helen the knitters, Josie hopes to get everything sorted quickly, but finding yet another knitter well and truly dead in the shop's store room puts the kibbosh on that! Now Josie needs to figure out who she can trust and figure out what happened to the dead knitter so that she (and Eb) can get closure and close the shop.
January 27, 2021
"Yarned and Dangerous" is pretty much exactly what you would expect from a cozy knitting mystery. Small town? Check. Beautiful young female fish out of water? Check. Handsome guy who is just soooo nice? Check. An unusual murder just happens to occur on our young fish-out-of-water's turf? Check.
In what could be the biggest twist, our young would-be sleuth doesn't actually solve the crime for the police. She simply contributes a bit more information at the end.
Still, I read this mostly for the fluff and easy read and to get caught up in a book that lusts for yarn, although I gotta tell you that a newbie who doesn't knit or crochet isn't as likely to get as excited about yarn as our little Josie did.
I liked it well enough, and I am progressing nicely on the scarf that I began crocheting when I started reading the book. And my yarn stash has grown by a half-dozen skeins. So that's something.
In what could be the biggest twist, our young would-be sleuth doesn't actually solve the crime for the police. She simply contributes a bit more information at the end.
Still, I read this mostly for the fluff and easy read and to get caught up in a book that lusts for yarn, although I gotta tell you that a newbie who doesn't knit or crochet isn't as likely to get as excited about yarn as our little Josie did.
I liked it well enough, and I am progressing nicely on the scarf that I began crocheting when I started reading the book. And my yarn stash has grown by a half-dozen skeins. So that's something.
July 22, 2017
Dorset Falls if the setting for this murder mystery by Sadie Hartwell. Josie Blair lives in New York, but comes back to Dorset Falls to care for her great uncle, Eb, and to close up the knitting shop once run by Eb's late wife. While she only plans on staying for two weeks, there is much to do packing up the shop, and when you throw in a murder, well, how can she leave until it is solved? Come, unravel this tale of yarn, greed, and a little love story.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It is an easy read, but I wanted to know what had happened and how everything connected. Personally, I was rooting for the love story too. This is a story where city life meets country life, with priorities and happiness factoring in too. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a light read that keeps your attention and encourages you to keep reading, especially if you solving a mystery.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It is an easy read, but I wanted to know what had happened and how everything connected. Personally, I was rooting for the love story too. This is a story where city life meets country life, with priorities and happiness factoring in too. I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a light read that keeps your attention and encourages you to keep reading, especially if you solving a mystery.
October 8, 2023
Years ago I was a big fan of cozy mysteries, but they don't work so well for me now. This one was OK but not great. It followed the very predictable pattern you've seen so much before and there weren't any real surprises. It did have some nice minor characters, however. If you love yarn and cozies you should give this a try, you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did.
September 21, 2017
A mystery about a girl comes back to look after her granduncle and solves the death of two ladies. She solves the mystery and decided to stay here and helps the town businesses. And now owns the knit shop.
May 20, 2019
This is what I was wanting from a cozy mystery series.
January 18, 2026
Cute , interesting and just enough predictable but enough unpredictable to keep me reading. Very sweet story about the legacy we leave as yarn enthusiasts. Nice little patterns in the back as well!
November 30, 2020
Knitting, a yarn shop and murder. Entertaining and amusing (with the exception of the deaths).
September 3, 2017
An ode to the beginning of a knitter's odyssey, Dorset Falls is my new favorite place!
January 19, 2020
Very light hearted mystery that has more of a focus on the knitting and getting to know life in a small town than the murder itself. Some predictable parts. If you can relate to a stash, you'll have some fun reading this one. Bonus: includes some simple patterns at the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews