This was a cute foray into a cozy mystery, and I've been hard-core into the angsty romances lately, so I needed the change. Honestly I think what made me like this one enough to give it three stars was the setting -- and also the fact that it's a series set around knitting that actually made me feel like the knitting was important. I've ready several "cozy mysteries" that have craft-heavy titles and it's limited to the main character owning/working in a yarn store, but half the time I feel like the author has no idea what knitting is beyond knits and purls. I still tend to pick them up because they almost always make me feel like picking up a project.
Megan and her husband of 20 years, Adam, begin the story amicably separated, but still living together while their daughter settles into college. You get both the impression of healthy co-parenting and the real reasons why these two don't need to be together anymore. It was sort of refreshing from all the dipshit exes we see in these books. I also like that Megan has a strong support system, with close friends who have her back, which is also frequently lacking in a lot of these books. It made her and the town seem more real.
The villain is laughably obvious. The fact that there was any question really was irksome. And once it was revealed, the method of capture also essentially had a big "here's how we're going to catch the bad guy!" red arrow pointing at it. Here's hoping the later books get better about that.
I will say I never understand "cozy mystery series" that take place in small towns. I never really believe that a town that has seen no real crime rate until recently suddenly becomes such a popular murder spot. And only our plucky heroine, who has no crime-solving experience, can solve it. I know, I know, this is an issue that goes back to Jessica Fletcher (probably before, but that's what is coming to mind), but it always detracts from my enjoyment of the books as the series progress, which is probably one of the reasons I never stick with these long.
The cop who is clearly a love interest is... fine. He is actually a refreshing change from the angry stay-out-of-my-investigation cops I usually see here. But maybe because we're only meeting him as Megan has, he only left a vague impression.
The narrator is... not great. Her voice for men makes them sound like she is mocking slow people. Her voice for several of the women was overly nasal and pretty ridiculous. I know you need to differentiate, but one voice, in particular, was especially grating. I read some reviews that say she gets better as the series goes on. We'll see.