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Seaside Knitters Mystery #3
Moon Spinners
Nell Endicott and the other Seaside Knitters are helping their friend Gracie Santos open the Lazy Lobster and Soup Cafe on Pelican Pier. They do however take a break to attend a special yacht club dinner held to honor Gracie’s aunt-wearing their finest knitting creations.
Under the full moon, a local scuba dive club witnesses a blood-red Ferrari flying off a cliff and onto the granite rocks below. Gracie’s aunt was behind the wheel, and it was murder. Gossip builds, rumors circulate, and the Seaside Knitters try to figure out a killer’s strange pattern…
Under the full moon, a local scuba dive club witnesses a blood-red Ferrari flying off a cliff and onto the granite rocks below. Gracie’s aunt was behind the wheel, and it was murder. Gossip builds, rumors circulate, and the Seaside Knitters try to figure out a killer’s strange pattern…
299 pages, Hardcover
First published April 27, 2010
152 people are currently reading
1127 people want to read
About the author
Sally Goldenbaum
38 books916 followersSally Goldenbaum is a philosophy teacher, knitter, editor, and the author of more than two-dozen novels.
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
Series:
* A Seaside Knitters Mystery
*
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
May 22, 2012
I enjoyed the story line of the book. However, I found it hard to follow the large number of characters that have major roles in the book. I gave the book a higher rating because I hadn't read the first two books in the series; and maybe the characters would be more familiar to me if I had. When I purchased the book I did not realize that it was part of a series. This was a good story but hard to follow.
December 2, 2015
This is a fun series and I had to hurry and read it because the next up in the series is a Christmas book and I just picked it up from the library, they had to borrow it from the bookmoblie...How many of you still have bookmobiles in your area?
August 23, 2019
Sally Goldenbaum writes stories that draw you in until you feel as though you can walk into Izzy's shop, sit on the Endicott's deck and just enjoy the sea!
Friday nights are usually sacrosanct, sitting on Nell and Ben's deck sipping cocktails and eating good food, but this week is different as they are meeting at the Yacht Club to support the on going works at the Anja Angelina community park, two local building firms are providing materials at cost and people (including the workers at the aforementioned building firms) are giving their time and skills free of charge, so far so good, except the two firms (the Delaneys and the Costas) make the Capulets and Montagues seem like model citizens! They even have their own Romeo and Juliet in the form of Joey Delaney and Gracie Costa who married 4 years ago (but the marriage didn't last and Gracie has started divorce proceedings).
Even so everyone seems to be on their best behaviour and so it comes as a shock when they discover that someone drove off the road and into the bay, even more a shock when it is discovered that the brakes had been cut and so it is now classed as murder. Now Nell and the other seaside knitters are unraveling the clues before someone either gets sent down for a crime they didn't commit, or even worse than that, in case of another death!
Friday nights are usually sacrosanct, sitting on Nell and Ben's deck sipping cocktails and eating good food, but this week is different as they are meeting at the Yacht Club to support the on going works at the Anja Angelina community park, two local building firms are providing materials at cost and people (including the workers at the aforementioned building firms) are giving their time and skills free of charge, so far so good, except the two firms (the Delaneys and the Costas) make the Capulets and Montagues seem like model citizens! They even have their own Romeo and Juliet in the form of Joey Delaney and Gracie Costa who married 4 years ago (but the marriage didn't last and Gracie has started divorce proceedings).
Even so everyone seems to be on their best behaviour and so it comes as a shock when they discover that someone drove off the road and into the bay, even more a shock when it is discovered that the brakes had been cut and so it is now classed as murder. Now Nell and the other seaside knitters are unraveling the clues before someone either gets sent down for a crime they didn't commit, or even worse than that, in case of another death!
May 3, 2024
I enjoy this series. It's a fun cozy mystery series and I love the whole knitting group. Nell's is such a great narrative voice as she's such a calm influence and clearly a trustworthy one. These women are such an active part of their community so it makes sense that they would invest themselves in trying to figure out what's going on when murder is on their doorstep. Because this group of women cares about their community we care. We're cheering for their friends and invested in figuring out what has happened. Of course we wanted Gracie to know what happened to her step-mother even if they weren't super close, especially as things seem to be still dangerous around her and her family.
I'm enjoy this series when I want a light mystery in my reading. I love the knitting backdrop and I'm always curious what the pattern will be at the end of the book. So glad there's more to read.
I'm enjoy this series when I want a light mystery in my reading. I love the knitting backdrop and I'm always curious what the pattern will be at the end of the book. So glad there's more to read.
November 24, 2020
Nell Endicott and the group of Seaside Knitters have taken one member, Cass's friend Gracie under their wing when she returns to Sea Harbor and plans to open the Lazy Lobster and Soup Cafe. Gracie is estranged from her mother and in the process of a divorce when her aunt is murdered in a car crash. Nell leads the knitters group in tweeking out information. The family and business relationships around Gracie are very intricate with plenty of secrets and shady actions. Decent mystery
February 23, 2018
I enjoyed this book. Nice easy read. I didn't know it was part of a series. I want to read the others now.
July 15, 2019
Keyifli.olayi cozmeleri tatli. Ama gereksiz karakter kalabaligi var. bir kisi de cozerdi extra karakterler bir sey katmiyor.
December 2, 2025
It was pretty good. There wasn’t quite enough about crafting for my taste, but a good story nonetheless. I look forward to the next installment, joust in time for the holidays: A Holiday Yarn.
March 9, 2017
I have visited Sea Harbor, Massachusetts again!
Of course, there was another murder, and of course the Seaside Knitters had to get together to try and solve it.
Only this time it took them much more time and a lot more Thursday night dinners at Izzy's knitting shop to figure out who killed a very wealthy lady in town!
As usual the story kept me riveted to the book. And I will be looking for more in this series. I enjoy visiting with the knitters every so often, but now I have read all the books that Sally has out and need to wait for her next one do out very soon!
Of course, there was another murder, and of course the Seaside Knitters had to get together to try and solve it.
Only this time it took them much more time and a lot more Thursday night dinners at Izzy's knitting shop to figure out who killed a very wealthy lady in town!
As usual the story kept me riveted to the book. And I will be looking for more in this series. I enjoy visiting with the knitters every so often, but now I have read all the books that Sally has out and need to wait for her next one do out very soon!
February 16, 2016
Another great visit with the seaside knitters gang! This is a great cozy mystery as the plot was well thought out and presented, the character development was fabulous as always and this author does a great job of keeping you guessing who committed the crime. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series. The only complaint I have with this book is that there are a couple of places where mid chapter the author ends one scene at the end of the paragraph and picks up a completely different scene in the next paragraph with no notice so you have to go back re-read a few paragraphs to figure out how you got to where you are. Once I figured out that was what had happened, it wasn't a problem. That should not be entirely held against the author as I view that as editor error. It didn't harm the story line and the book was one of the best in the series so far. I would still highly recommend the book in spite of that glitch.
January 20, 2020
Jeg er så glad i Agatha Christie og Maria Langs krimbøker, og Sally Goldenbaum føyer seg inn i den rekken. (På fremsiden av en av bøkene står det; Agatha Cristie i strikket versjon). Stille og rolige krimbøker hvor det overhodet ikke er beskrevet noe som kan kalles grusomt. Men som har fokus på samtalen, vennene og deres tankearbeid frem til løsningen. Denne serien anbefales, enten du vil lese den på norsk eller engelsk. Hele min omtale finner du på bloggen min Betraktninger
January 17, 2016
This is the third installment of the Seaside Knitter's mystery series and I find I am loving this series more and more and I especially love all the members of the Thursday night knitting group.
Sally Goldenbaum is such a good storyteller, the plot for this book has is very well written and has a few little twists and I really like that the author invites the reader along for the ride by dropping clues for us in the story.
In this book we get to meet some new characters and Cass even finds a possible boyfriend!
All in all a great read and I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this cozy mystery series.
Sally Goldenbaum is such a good storyteller, the plot for this book has is very well written and has a few little twists and I really like that the author invites the reader along for the ride by dropping clues for us in the story.
In this book we get to meet some new characters and Cass even finds a possible boyfriend!
All in all a great read and I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this cozy mystery series.
December 9, 2010
See my previous reviews of these books (#1, #2) for how I feel about the series. Again we have an apparent lack of editing, mainly for grammar this time, since there was approximately zero knitting content. Cute stories, but nothing to rush out and buy immediately.
It is kind of funny how shocked and dismayed the characters are by the fact that there could be a murder in their small town. Um hello?! This is the third murder in three years.
It is kind of funny how shocked and dismayed the characters are by the fact that there could be a murder in their small town. Um hello?! This is the third murder in three years.
February 19, 2011
Another strong entry in this series. One of the things I like most is the care and concern of long married characters for each other. We aren't all 20 and model thin or 30 and recently divorced from our rat of a first husband. And several of the secondary characters are older folks with happy lives and wick sense of humor. We all should be so luck to have a group of friends like the knitting circle in these books.
January 30, 2016
This was a fun little twisty-turny mystery. I always love reading these cozy mysteries that have something to do with knitting or crocheting, but I swear every time I do I itch to start a new project and end up with a few more patterns than I did before I started!
It most definitely a book I could curl up and read. While it's a murder mystery there's certainly something comforting about it.
It most definitely a book I could curl up and read. While it's a murder mystery there's certainly something comforting about it.
September 15, 2022
DNF. At a certain point I stopped wanting to pick the book up and keep reading. Then I got to the point where I didn’t really care who killed Sophia. At that point, I knew it was time to give up on this book. I stayed with it for 115 pages but I’m done with it now.
August 9, 2020
It’s summertime, and the livin’ is anything but easy for Sophia Santos. In fact, it’s pretty much impossible. She’s the wife of a wealthy contractor in the small New England costal town where this book occurs. The members of the Seaside Knitters Society have been helping Gracie Santos get her new restaurant in shape. They’ve put some serious volunteer hours into the project, and on a June evening, the group takes a collective break to attend a gala at a yacht club honoring Gracie’s Aunt Sophia. As Gracie enters the party, her aunt seeks her out and indicates they must meet the following day, and that the meeting is extremely urgent.
But the meeting never occurs. Later that night, a scuba diving club watches in horror as Sophia Santos’s blood-red Ferrari plummets over a cliff and onto the rocks below. Sophia dies instantly. It doesn’t take long for authorities to test the breaks and determine that someone has tampered with them. Sophia Santos didn’t just die; someone murdered her.
The book unfolds nicely, and before long you as a reader have plenty of suspects from which to pick. Most of them will be too obvious, but you may not tumble to the real killer, as I did not.
My only complaint with this third book in the series is Goldenbaum’s efforts at inundating me with so many townsfolk names that I felt a bit bogged down. It’s like having a mouth the size of Bernadette Peters and drinking from a fire hose. There were way too many people here for me to keep track of; it’s almost as if the author was desperate to convince me that this small town is a blissful homey friendly place. Ok! I got it! Heaven on Earth minus a murder or two every now and then. I’ll stipulate that this town is an almost-eutopia.
That said, the writing is excellent, and I’ve invested enough in this series to want more. Julie McKay’s narration is excellent. She added tremendous value to the book. I’m sure no one else will have problems keeping track of the people. I’m beginning to think it’s a personal deficiency that I didn’t experience even five years ago.
But the meeting never occurs. Later that night, a scuba diving club watches in horror as Sophia Santos’s blood-red Ferrari plummets over a cliff and onto the rocks below. Sophia dies instantly. It doesn’t take long for authorities to test the breaks and determine that someone has tampered with them. Sophia Santos didn’t just die; someone murdered her.
The book unfolds nicely, and before long you as a reader have plenty of suspects from which to pick. Most of them will be too obvious, but you may not tumble to the real killer, as I did not.
My only complaint with this third book in the series is Goldenbaum’s efforts at inundating me with so many townsfolk names that I felt a bit bogged down. It’s like having a mouth the size of Bernadette Peters and drinking from a fire hose. There were way too many people here for me to keep track of; it’s almost as if the author was desperate to convince me that this small town is a blissful homey friendly place. Ok! I got it! Heaven on Earth minus a murder or two every now and then. I’ll stipulate that this town is an almost-eutopia.
That said, the writing is excellent, and I’ve invested enough in this series to want more. Julie McKay’s narration is excellent. She added tremendous value to the book. I’m sure no one else will have problems keeping track of the people. I’m beginning to think it’s a personal deficiency that I didn’t experience even five years ago.
October 14, 2021
Ok, for the sake of myself and the author, I think this is where I stop on the series. At least for awhile. While I found this one better than the second book, I'm still having trouble forming a connection with the characters.
This is the third in a series of cozy mysteries. Which normally I love due to the guessing game and the craft/food/whatever aspect that's woven into them (this one was a knitting one, get it, haha). That being said, when it came to the mystery in this book (and others in the series), there are so many red herrings that I hardly ever actually guess who it is. And even going back through I'm not sure there are a ton of clues to really lead me there. I like a fighting chance at least.
The characters, well, there are so many main ones and since we jump around, I don't really feel close to any of them. Nell is probably the closest, but she seems to share less of her life than of the others and so while I know some things about her, in some ways she's still a mystery.
The best part of these books is the food description. I sometimes wonder why these are craft mysteries instead of food. The food gets more detail. Which is fine with me, I just wish she would include recipes. There's usually a knitting pattern at the end though.
I know there are probably a ton of people out there that like this book, unfortunately, for me it was just kind of middle of the road.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
This is the third in a series of cozy mysteries. Which normally I love due to the guessing game and the craft/food/whatever aspect that's woven into them (this one was a knitting one, get it, haha). That being said, when it came to the mystery in this book (and others in the series), there are so many red herrings that I hardly ever actually guess who it is. And even going back through I'm not sure there are a ton of clues to really lead me there. I like a fighting chance at least.
The characters, well, there are so many main ones and since we jump around, I don't really feel close to any of them. Nell is probably the closest, but she seems to share less of her life than of the others and so while I know some things about her, in some ways she's still a mystery.
The best part of these books is the food description. I sometimes wonder why these are craft mysteries instead of food. The food gets more detail. Which is fine with me, I just wish she would include recipes. There's usually a knitting pattern at the end though.
I know there are probably a ton of people out there that like this book, unfortunately, for me it was just kind of middle of the road.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
June 12, 2021
Kudos to the author for writing a cozy mystery where characters investigate while neither overstepping police boundaries or having characters be too dumb to live. This is a plausible storyline crafted with sufficient subtle hints to have an idea who the culprit was even if the explicit “why” remained unclear until the end.
I appreciate that this is a continuing series where the author is creating an ever-increasing number of characters. Previously introduced major characters continue, though there is little additional development here. Minor characters from earlier books reappear, some holding a major role in this story. And there are of course new people added into the mix.
There was considerably less knitting and fiber euphoria included here. There is enough to reflect the core group’s involvement in the town yarn shop but not so much that it derails the reader’s concentration on the mystery. There also seemed less detailed accounts of food and drink. I don’t need to know what and how everything is prepared but the author did provide enough information that I still want to join the Friday night group on the deck.
I appreciate that this is a continuing series where the author is creating an ever-increasing number of characters. Previously introduced major characters continue, though there is little additional development here. Minor characters from earlier books reappear, some holding a major role in this story. And there are of course new people added into the mix.
There was considerably less knitting and fiber euphoria included here. There is enough to reflect the core group’s involvement in the town yarn shop but not so much that it derails the reader’s concentration on the mystery. There also seemed less detailed accounts of food and drink. I don’t need to know what and how everything is prepared but the author did provide enough information that I still want to join the Friday night group on the deck.
October 14, 2025
It was nice to return to the charming setting of Sea Harbor for Moon Spinners by Sally Goldenbaum, the third book in the Seaside Knitters Mystery series. This time, the cozy atmosphere takes a sharp turn into murder right after a yacht club dinner the knitters attend to honor their friend Gracie's aunt.
The plot centers around Nell Endicott and the other Seaside Knitters who are taking a break from helping their friend Gracie open her new café. The high point of the evening turns into tragedy when Gracie's aunt is found murdered, having driven her blood-red Ferrari off a cliff. The whole town, especially the knitters, gets wrapped up in the resulting gossip and rumors.
The book is an easy, relaxing read that definitely delivers on the charming setting and the strong bond of the knitters. While the mystery itself didn't completely grab me, it's a solid, enjoyable installment perfect for readers looking for a gentle, small-town cozy mystery.
★★★☆☆
#MoonSpinners #SallyGoldenbaum #SeasideKnittersMystery #CozyMystery #KnitLit #BookReview #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #SmallTownMystery #Whodunnit #SeriesRead
The plot centers around Nell Endicott and the other Seaside Knitters who are taking a break from helping their friend Gracie open her new café. The high point of the evening turns into tragedy when Gracie's aunt is found murdered, having driven her blood-red Ferrari off a cliff. The whole town, especially the knitters, gets wrapped up in the resulting gossip and rumors.
The book is an easy, relaxing read that definitely delivers on the charming setting and the strong bond of the knitters. While the mystery itself didn't completely grab me, it's a solid, enjoyable installment perfect for readers looking for a gentle, small-town cozy mystery.
★★★☆☆
#MoonSpinners #SallyGoldenbaum #SeasideKnittersMystery #CozyMystery #KnitLit #BookReview #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #SmallTownMystery #Whodunnit #SeriesRead
November 11, 2018
Another good mystery solved by the Seaside Knotters. Led by Nell and Izzy, the Thursday Night Knitters dig for clues, watch for evidence, and listen to what people say to prove the innocent and circle around the guilty while knitting to calm their fears, clear their minds and bring reason to their lives. It must be such a great feeling to have this circle of friends to spend time with and some quickly work together for a common goal.
I would love to visit the town that the Seaside Knitters is set in. The quaint community without the big box stories having everything you need at the ready. To see a "downtown" area that is so alive and businesses supporting each other so completely. I remember my hometown being like that. The local merchants would gather every morning at the diner for coffee and converse for awhile. For a walk day memory lane if you're my age and a mystery to solve give this one a try.
I would love to visit the town that the Seaside Knitters is set in. The quaint community without the big box stories having everything you need at the ready. To see a "downtown" area that is so alive and businesses supporting each other so completely. I remember my hometown being like that. The local merchants would gather every morning at the diner for coffee and converse for awhile. For a walk day memory lane if you're my age and a mystery to solve give this one a try.
February 27, 2023
Friendship
Two competing contractors team together to build a community center in Sea Harbor, and seem to be working well together despite expectations of fireworks. But when Sophia, the wife of one of the contractors, dies in a dramatic crash due to the brake lines being cut in her fancy Ferrari, questions about her death keep stalking the other contractor and his family; could she have learned something about their business practices that put her life at risk? Or was it something more personal - especially once it comes out that her husband was having an affair - and the other woman is pregnant. Nell, Izzy, Cass and Birdie can’t help but look for answers which will help their friend Gracie understand her aunt’s death and clear her mother’s name.
Two competing contractors team together to build a community center in Sea Harbor, and seem to be working well together despite expectations of fireworks. But when Sophia, the wife of one of the contractors, dies in a dramatic crash due to the brake lines being cut in her fancy Ferrari, questions about her death keep stalking the other contractor and his family; could she have learned something about their business practices that put her life at risk? Or was it something more personal - especially once it comes out that her husband was having an affair - and the other woman is pregnant. Nell, Izzy, Cass and Birdie can’t help but look for answers which will help their friend Gracie understand her aunt’s death and clear her mother’s name.
May 31, 2017
I will say first of all, that I really enjoy this series. I love the location, I enjoy the characters, and it's fun to read about fictional characters knitting - at least I think it is!
In this installment, a prominent woman in the community is killed when her car goes off a cliff; upon investigation, everyone finds out that the brakes on her car were tampered with, which means that someone murdered her. Rumors and suspicions fly, and a suspect is arrested. However, the Seaside Knitters are not convinced that the person in jail is the guilty party.
This mystery was well-done, in that the person murdered was not very popular, so red herrings abound. It was a fun read.
In this installment, a prominent woman in the community is killed when her car goes off a cliff; upon investigation, everyone finds out that the brakes on her car were tampered with, which means that someone murdered her. Rumors and suspicions fly, and a suspect is arrested. However, the Seaside Knitters are not convinced that the person in jail is the guilty party.
This mystery was well-done, in that the person murdered was not very popular, so red herrings abound. It was a fun read.
June 30, 2019
More fluff. I figured this one out about the same time Nell did. Maybe that's the point of these - maybe "cozy" mysteries aren't supposed to be hard to figure out. I kind of had the help of having read this one after #4 and 5 and knowing that (possible spoiler alert) a certain character wasn't married or carrying a different surname in the later books.
I'll read #6 because it's sitting on my table and due back at the library in a week. Then I'll read something else for awhile.
Today I thought: I'm not sure you could spend so much time sitting on decks anywhere else than by the ocean. I certainly can't sit in my back yard that much, I'd get chewed up.
I'll read #6 because it's sitting on my table and due back at the library in a week. Then I'll read something else for awhile.
Today I thought: I'm not sure you could spend so much time sitting on decks anywhere else than by the ocean. I certainly can't sit in my back yard that much, I'd get chewed up.
April 1, 2021
Nell and her knitting group friends are startled to find out that affluent town member Sophia Santos drove off a cliff and crashed her car. When it comes to light that the brake lines were cut, Nell is determined to figure out what happened. She enlists the help of the knitting club and her husband to figure out this mystery.
I enjoy the mysteries in this series. They're interesting to read, but they just don't keep my attention. I also kept getting confused with all the characters in this one. I couldn't keep all the different families straight in my head. I like Nell as a character and I hope that as I continue this series, I will get more attached.
I enjoy the mysteries in this series. They're interesting to read, but they just don't keep my attention. I also kept getting confused with all the characters in this one. I couldn't keep all the different families straight in my head. I like Nell as a character and I hope that as I continue this series, I will get more attached.
September 9, 2017
The third book in the series and the writing and storyline is consistent. The cast of regulars is growing so if you haven't read the first two books in the series, it will be hard to figure out who these characters are that pop in and out of the story. I also found this one easy to figure out the who done it and why part. However, since I was only using this for a light mindless read, it definitely fit the bill and I will continue to read the series when I'm in a mood for that type of book again.
April 14, 2020
Another great Seaside Knitters cozy mystery. When Sophia drives her car off the cliff it becomes another murder mystery for Nell, Ben, Izzy, Sam, Cass and Birdie to solve after it is discovered that it was not suicide but that the brakes on the car had been tampered with. As they try to decipher who would want to kill her and there are many suspects, it becomes a tale of not only murder but infidelity just when you think you know who the killer is another suspect appears. This book definitely keeps you on your toes.
July 19, 2023
Sally Goldenbaum sets the seaside scene so beautifully that with each book that I read of hers, I get an urge to leave the mountains and move to a quaint coastal town! I feel like I know the characters personally by the third book in this series and the weaves a cozy mystery as usual. I took off one star because I guessed who the murderer was about halfway through in this book, mainly because she went out of her way to never point to him as a possible suspect and that made me suspicious! Nevertheless, I’m a lifelong fan now and can’t wait to read the next in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2024
3.5 Nell Endicott and the other Seaside Knitters are helping their friend Gracie open her new Lobster and Soup Cafe on Pelican Pier. This group works well together and gives helping hands when needed,
The group attends a special yacht club dinner held to honor Gracies Aunt and Uncle Sophia and Aphonso. The evening ends in a shocking deal when Sophia after leaving early drives the sports car off the road into the ocean. Was this a horrible accident or not. When its discovered the brakes had been tampered with its time to find out who murdered Sophia.
The group attends a special yacht club dinner held to honor Gracies Aunt and Uncle Sophia and Aphonso. The evening ends in a shocking deal when Sophia after leaving early drives the sports car off the road into the ocean. Was this a horrible accident or not. When its discovered the brakes had been tampered with its time to find out who murdered Sophia.
September 26, 2025
Again a very good mystery but I would love to know what. Ben and Nell do for a living to afford Friday night dinners for a lot of their friends on their deck. So much food for all. I actually thought they were retired but who could afford that on a fixed income. I want to be one of their friends for real haha .i feel like I am in every book especially in their knitting club minus getting to eat their food.
I feel like I can always pick out the true murderer in movies but I always miss on Sally Goldenbaum Seaside knitters mysteries.
I feel like I can always pick out the true murderer in movies but I always miss on Sally Goldenbaum Seaside knitters mysteries.
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