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Crochet Mystery #4
A Stitch in Crime
Molly and her Tarzana Hookers must untangle a twisted yarn...
Molly's been handed the reins for this year's creative retreat-an exhilarating weekend out on the Monterey Peninsula, complete with crochet classes. Unfortunately for one teacher, though, the breathtaking scenery is where she'll take her last breath. Now Molly will have to find a new instructor, and, if she can squeeze it in, solve this murder-with the help of her pals from the Tarzana Hookers.
Molly's been handed the reins for this year's creative retreat-an exhilarating weekend out on the Monterey Peninsula, complete with crochet classes. Unfortunately for one teacher, though, the breathtaking scenery is where she'll take her last breath. Now Molly will have to find a new instructor, and, if she can squeeze it in, solve this murder-with the help of her pals from the Tarzana Hookers.
294 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2009
103 people are currently reading
1209 people want to read
About the author
Betty Hechtman
34 books713 followersI grew up on the south side of Chicago and in a very busy weekend, got married, graduated college and moved to Los Angeles.
Although my degree is in Fine Arts, all I ever wanted to be was a writer and I've been doing it in one form or another for as long as I can remember. My shining moments in elementary and high school always involved stories or poetry I'd written. I wrote news stories and a weekly column in my college newspaper. My first job out of college was working on the newsletter of a finance company. I worked for a public relations firm and wrote press releases and biographies. Later I wrote proposals for video projects and television shows that went through various stages of development.
I tried writing screenplays and wrote three. I sold one and another was a winner in a Writers' Digest contest.
I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom and did all kinds of volunteering at my son's schools including editing and writing several newsletters.
I wrote essays and small pieces that ran in the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News and Woman's Day among others. My short romantic and mystery fiction appeared in Woman's World, and Futures magazine.
From time I was a thirteen-year-old babysitter cooking for the kids I babysat, I dreamed of writing a book about babysitting. It took a little longer than I'd expected, but BLUE SCHWARTZ AND NEFERTITI'S NECKLACE was published in 2006.
My affair with crochet began in Las Vegas. I had always had a fascination with crochet, particularly granny squares, but thought there was some magic involved with making them that was beyond me. And then everything changed that day in Vegas when I saw the kids' kit in FAO Schwartz. If the instructions were easy enough for kids, I thought they might work for me.
My first granny square was missing a corner, but when I tried again, all four corners were there. I was in awe of my own accomplishment. I had found the magic. I went granny square crazy until pretty soon I didn't need directions anymore. Then I learned there were more squares than just basic grannies and I made squares with sunflowers in the middle and other patterns. I moved beyond squares and made flowers, hearts, bookmarks and more.
I was in love with crochet and began to make scarves, purses, afghans, and shawls. I started carrying my hooks everywhere. A plane trip became a pile of granny square wash cloths, or part of a shawl. A vacation in Hawaii turned into a tote bag.
And now I get to write about it...
** Sourced from authors website
Series:
* A Crochet Mystery
* Yarn Retreat
Although my degree is in Fine Arts, all I ever wanted to be was a writer and I've been doing it in one form or another for as long as I can remember. My shining moments in elementary and high school always involved stories or poetry I'd written. I wrote news stories and a weekly column in my college newspaper. My first job out of college was working on the newsletter of a finance company. I worked for a public relations firm and wrote press releases and biographies. Later I wrote proposals for video projects and television shows that went through various stages of development.
I tried writing screenplays and wrote three. I sold one and another was a winner in a Writers' Digest contest.
I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom and did all kinds of volunteering at my son's schools including editing and writing several newsletters.
I wrote essays and small pieces that ran in the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News and Woman's Day among others. My short romantic and mystery fiction appeared in Woman's World, and Futures magazine.
From time I was a thirteen-year-old babysitter cooking for the kids I babysat, I dreamed of writing a book about babysitting. It took a little longer than I'd expected, but BLUE SCHWARTZ AND NEFERTITI'S NECKLACE was published in 2006.
My affair with crochet began in Las Vegas. I had always had a fascination with crochet, particularly granny squares, but thought there was some magic involved with making them that was beyond me. And then everything changed that day in Vegas when I saw the kids' kit in FAO Schwartz. If the instructions were easy enough for kids, I thought they might work for me.
My first granny square was missing a corner, but when I tried again, all four corners were there. I was in awe of my own accomplishment. I had found the magic. I went granny square crazy until pretty soon I didn't need directions anymore. Then I learned there were more squares than just basic grannies and I made squares with sunflowers in the middle and other patterns. I moved beyond squares and made flowers, hearts, bookmarks and more.
I was in love with crochet and began to make scarves, purses, afghans, and shawls. I started carrying my hooks everywhere. A plane trip became a pile of granny square wash cloths, or part of a shawl. A vacation in Hawaii turned into a tote bag.
And now I get to write about it...
** Sourced from authors website
Series:
* A Crochet Mystery
* Yarn Retreat
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
August 7, 2019
Am I the only one who wishes Molly would dump Barry? He's so controlling and condescending and never considers that Molly likes what she does and is good at it. He treats her like a child and does it in front of other people too. She should go out with Mason who admires her, supports her, and even helps with her investigations.
I'm enjoying the series. It's fun to see how authors combine interests like crafts with murder. The stories flow from beginning to end and don't get stuck in boring loops about unrelated stuff. The main character, Molly, is believable: she's not superwoman, she has flaws, and knows that she can't control everything like her co-worker Adell. I always look forward to the next book.
I'm enjoying the series. It's fun to see how authors combine interests like crafts with murder. The stories flow from beginning to end and don't get stuck in boring loops about unrelated stuff. The main character, Molly, is believable: she's not superwoman, she has flaws, and knows that she can't control everything like her co-worker Adell. I always look forward to the next book.
December 14, 2019
The hookers are on the road for a convention trip when once again Molly stumbles across a dead body that may or may not be an accidental death. Great characters accompany an interesting plot for an entertaining read or listen as this book is also available via audiobook too. I do recommend that you read the books in order as that will help with the character's developments.
January 8, 2020
Molly Pink and her fellow Tarzana Hookers go to a rustic venue for a creative retreat, a familiar device from another of Betty Hechtman's cozy mystery series. Of course, murder follows. Molly steps up to solve the crime . . . before the weekend ends.
Readers familiar with Hechtman's Crochet Mysteries and Yarn to Go series know how these books go. Molly seems destined to fail but manages to save the day just in time. It's a sweet little read.
Readers familiar with Hechtman's Crochet Mysteries and Yarn to Go series know how these books go. Molly seems destined to fail but manages to save the day just in time. It's a sweet little read.
October 19, 2010
This should be a great series. It's got crochet and crafts, which I love, but it also has a main character, Molly Pink, who annoys me. She puts up with so much crap from Adele, an assistant, that I can't help but want to scream at her. She'd probably just complain to her boyfriend that I was mean to her, Poor Molly.
At any rate in this one, she's been put in charge of a creative retreat weekend, Adele in tow and complaining all the way. Things quickly go wrong, with people not showing up, a white out, and murder. Oh my.
Predictable and not quite as entertaining as it should be.
At any rate in this one, she's been put in charge of a creative retreat weekend, Adele in tow and complaining all the way. Things quickly go wrong, with people not showing up, a white out, and murder. Oh my.
Predictable and not quite as entertaining as it should be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2015
I read the ninth novel in this series first, and now, I'm going through the series from the beginning. This fourth novel of the series was just as interesting and entertaining as the other books of the series I've read. As was also the case with the other novels in the series, I found the writing style to be good, and the plot was fun. I really enjoyed the novel and am looking forward to reading the whole series.
March 30, 2021
Woah, didn't see that ending at all. Looking back, you can see giveaways, but for the most part, it was out of left field. I still don't like Adele. She is very infuriating and the standoffish way she is about Barry drives me insane. Oh well, it's good for distractions. Lol
October 7, 2022
This is the fourth in a crafty little cozy mystery series. (See what I did there?) Now that I've read four of the books, it is easy to keep the characters straight, and I'm enjoying seeing their personalities develop. I do agree with another reviewer about not liking Adele, and Barry definitely is controlling.
I thought the murder was plausible in this one -- and appreciated Molly's hope for a "death-free" weekend. You just knew she wasn't going to get her wish. And the way the author had Molly solve it was very creative. (Except for the bubble gum and yarn part -- that was entirely unbelievable.)
Can't wait to read the next in the series, have to see what is going to happen with the cats and her son!
I thought the murder was plausible in this one -- and appreciated Molly's hope for a "death-free" weekend. You just knew she wasn't going to get her wish. And the way the author had Molly solve it was very creative. (Except for the bubble gum and yarn part -- that was entirely unbelievable.)
Can't wait to read the next in the series, have to see what is going to happen with the cats and her son!
June 5, 2020
It’s time for the annual retreat hosted by the bookstore. Molly was looking forward to a weekend having fun, but instead, she is put in charge at the last minute. There are many problems that could not have been predicted, including murder, and Molly must deal with them all. She eventually comes out on top, but it is hit or miss much of the time as she tries to unravel the deceptions to get to the truth of the matter. The mystery itself almost takes a backseat to all the shenanigans that these delightful characters go through. It’s a cute story and a nice addition to the series.
December 18, 2024
I feel like it's ironic that when the author does a yarn retreat book (the theme of her other cozy series) it's not as strong. We're missing most of the cast and the book focuses so much on the event planning that the mystery gets pushed to the side a lot. It ends up being extremely straight forward. The car scene was exciting but it's balanced out with the constant "my boyfriend is jealous" scenes.
-1 star for introducing relationship drama in the last book just to resolve it between books
-1 star for introducing relationship drama in the last book just to resolve it between books
July 13, 2017
Although it's book 4 in the series, they are quite independent. I enjoyed this very much, and after reading it, bought more of the series. A fun crafters' camp turns into a murder solving ... lots of fun, a romantic trio (or two or three) and it was just a lot of fun! Lots of different crafts represented, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her!
June 2, 2024
My favorite of the series so far!
November 7, 2012
I was at the library looking for a different paperback mystery, and this one happened to catch my eye, so I grabbed it. Though it's not the first in this series, it was easily readable as a stand-alone book. As an introduction to the series, I enjoyed it. I did manage to find the preceding books so I will be reading those soon.
As for A Stitch in Crime, a number of reviewers thought the setting and the murder plus solution were all implausible and cheesy. I actually thought it worked well. But again, that may be because this was my first read of the series. And really, aren't all these mystery paperbacks supposed to be fun and silly and not entirely realistic? Aren't they supposed to make you feel like you, as an average crocheter who attends a weekend arts & crafts getaway, could solve a murder? They're tidy and not nearly as scary as a real-life scenario would be. So, I enjoyed it and I'm going to keep following this series as long as it goes.
As for A Stitch in Crime, a number of reviewers thought the setting and the murder plus solution were all implausible and cheesy. I actually thought it worked well. But again, that may be because this was my first read of the series. And really, aren't all these mystery paperbacks supposed to be fun and silly and not entirely realistic? Aren't they supposed to make you feel like you, as an average crocheter who attends a weekend arts & crafts getaway, could solve a murder? They're tidy and not nearly as scary as a real-life scenario would be. So, I enjoyed it and I'm going to keep following this series as long as it goes.
April 7, 2010
For some reason I was under the impression that this was the first book in a new series by Hechtman. I don't know where I got this idea however, because it's incorrect. It's the fourth book in the series starring Molly and the Tarzana Hookers.
It was okay, I enjoyed it but honestly I find the characters and the situations a little forgettable. I picked this book up and it took me a little while to remember all the characters and the setting. Plus, Molly can be a little annoying at times. I'll still read the next in the series, but I will probably need a little refresher by that point.
It was okay, I enjoyed it but honestly I find the characters and the situations a little forgettable. I picked this book up and it took me a little while to remember all the characters and the setting. Plus, Molly can be a little annoying at times. I'll still read the next in the series, but I will probably need a little refresher by that point.
July 16, 2019
A solid entry in the series, though the location did remind me rather a lot of Hechtman's other series. The relationship between Barry and Molly is a bit tiresome as far as I'm concerned and I can't wait until she dumps him, lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2010
Kind of annoyed that the reunion of the main couple wasn't explained after such a dramatic break up in the previous book.
June 22, 2021
A decided sense of humor permeates Ms. Hechtman’s stories of love and crime. Whether a fire breaks out within a store, a toilet floods when a fix-it author can’t fix it or someone dies of an apparent deadly reaction to peanuts, you find yourself smirking just a tad. The demise of a fusion craft artist smacks of the risible, what with long-separated twins, a woman certain that the death is somehow a whodunnit game for the tourists and the appearance of a man with the unlikely first name of “Commander”, to mention a few oddities.
The emphasis on crochet is decidedly heavier in this novel than in By Hook or By Crook and that’s mainly because of the spotlight shining on the preening, self-aggrandizing, posturing Adele Abrams (Abrasive Abrams, I call her). She’s awful, what with her constant opinionated outcries of the joys of crochet versus that of knitting, but she has her points and in this novel she really gets to shine.
So if you like mystery with a thread of humor running through it, you’ll enjoy this crime yarn.
The emphasis on crochet is decidedly heavier in this novel than in By Hook or By Crook and that’s mainly because of the spotlight shining on the preening, self-aggrandizing, posturing Adele Abrams (Abrasive Abrams, I call her). She’s awful, what with her constant opinionated outcries of the joys of crochet versus that of knitting, but she has her points and in this novel she really gets to shine.
So if you like mystery with a thread of humor running through it, you’ll enjoy this crime yarn.
March 12, 2021
A disappointing 2.5 stars for this installment.
The Tarzana Hookers find themselves in a different situation than the previous three books, attending a weekend retreat instead of staying at their usual bookstore for crochet meetings. I enjoyed the author taking a new spin on what had become a predictable formula, and the mystery was certainly less predictable than the rest have been. However, the regular cast characters were incredibly annoying. Barry especially is showing himself to be all wrong for Molly with his distrust of her and insistence to be involved in all of her business from afar. The one character I enjoyed in this was Mason and I hope Molly will drift closer to him as the series progresses. Adele, despite being constantly bossy, jealous of Molly and egotistical, actually redeemed herself at the end. I know she'll go back to being the annoying character she has become, but it was nice to see a more human side of her for a chapter.
The Tarzana Hookers find themselves in a different situation than the previous three books, attending a weekend retreat instead of staying at their usual bookstore for crochet meetings. I enjoyed the author taking a new spin on what had become a predictable formula, and the mystery was certainly less predictable than the rest have been. However, the regular cast characters were incredibly annoying. Barry especially is showing himself to be all wrong for Molly with his distrust of her and insistence to be involved in all of her business from afar. The one character I enjoyed in this was Mason and I hope Molly will drift closer to him as the series progresses. Adele, despite being constantly bossy, jealous of Molly and egotistical, actually redeemed herself at the end. I know she'll go back to being the annoying character she has become, but it was nice to see a more human side of her for a chapter.
February 14, 2025
"A Stitch in Crime" is a charming cozy mystery that offers a delightful blend of crochet and crime. The story introduces us to Molly, a talented crocheter who finds herself unexpectedly drawn into a murder investigation when one of the instructors at her knitting retreat is found dead.
The premise is engaging, and the author incorporates some interesting details about the art of crochet into the narrative. However, the plot may feel a bit predictable for seasoned mystery readers.
Despite this, "A Stitch in Crime" is a light and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and those who enjoy stories with a touch of crafting.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
#AStitchInCrime #CozyMystery #Crochet #Knitting #BookReview #TrueCrime #Bookworm #MysteryLover #Bookstagram #MysteryReader #BookwormLife #BookRecommendation #BookAddict #MysteryThriller #CozyMysteryLover #MysteryBookworm #BookishLife #MysteryBooksOfInstagram
The premise is engaging, and the author incorporates some interesting details about the art of crochet into the narrative. However, the plot may feel a bit predictable for seasoned mystery readers.
Despite this, "A Stitch in Crime" is a light and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and those who enjoy stories with a touch of crafting.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
#AStitchInCrime #CozyMystery #Crochet #Knitting #BookReview #TrueCrime #Bookworm #MysteryLover #Bookstagram #MysteryReader #BookwormLife #BookRecommendation #BookAddict #MysteryThriller #CozyMysteryLover #MysteryBookworm #BookishLife #MysteryBooksOfInstagram
October 31, 2022
I picked this up at a used book sale for a light read. I had not read any other books in the series so at a slight disadvantage as to character development. However, enough background is provided so I wasn't completely lost. I was interested because I have stayed at the location of her retreat , Asilomar, several times and know the area well.
I liked the concept of a multidisciplinary retreat. I don't knit or crochet so I doubt I'd have come to this series otherwise.
The writing style and the mystery was just okay. Several characters were completely annoying (Adele, Barry and at times, yes, Molly).
I love cozies - I've read worse, but I've read much better and will stick with those authors instead of continuing this series.
I liked the concept of a multidisciplinary retreat. I don't knit or crochet so I doubt I'd have come to this series otherwise.
The writing style and the mystery was just okay. Several characters were completely annoying (Adele, Barry and at times, yes, Molly).
I love cozies - I've read worse, but I've read much better and will stick with those authors instead of continuing this series.
January 20, 2023
Molly’s boss hands her the leadership of an annual retreat at the last minute, while she runs off on a cruise with her partner; battling nerves, a jealous co-worker, bad weather, and other last-minute stand-in workshop leaders, she just prays there won’t be any dead bodies to deal with this time. Ah, if wishes were horses… When she and best friend Dinah literally stumble over the body of one of the workshop leaders, the all-too-familiar questions arise in their minds - was it an accident, or intentional? The M.E. rules it accidental, due to a severe allergic reaction to peanuts - but when Molly finds the woman’s Epi-pen some distance away, she can’t help but think someone interfered. Who could it have been? And how can Molly convince the police that it wasn’t just an accident?
March 15, 2025
I’m really enjoying these crochet themed murder mysteries. Each one includes one or two crochet patterns and recipes relative to the story. No suspense as such or gore but lots of interesting plots and characters. In this book four, some of the ladies from the crochet group are attending a craft retreat weekend. At the beach, a plus as far as I’m concerned, that turns up a dead woman in the sand. Originally said to be an allergic reaction but one person thinks otherwise and is determined to find out what really happened. A very satisfying read with a big surprise at the end!
This was an owned copy but I chose to read it of my own free will.
This was an owned copy but I chose to read it of my own free will.
August 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️Cozy little read, I loved the idea of the retreat to help build tension and isolation. The motive for the murder was an interesting one. The start of the retreat with the fog was my favorite as it made it very eerie. It felt like Molly handled things as best she could considering all the things that went wrong but it did seem like any retreat of that size would have also had at least one more person scheduled to help, not just her friends pitching in. Adele is the worst, the only reason she wants to run events is to feel like the center of attention not the work that comes with it, Barry is a wet blanket
July 18, 2023
It was exactly what I expected and that’s why I loved it.
It felt like the book was longer than it needed to be. Once the murder was solved there were another 40 pages of story that personally felt entirely unnecessary. This is the first I read in the series so I wasn’t attached to any characters emotionally so I bet the longer story was intended for that audience.
Also, Pink is kind of the worst. I know it’s a common cozy trope to have two men fighting over her but she’s so dang flippant about it, it feels like she doesn’t genuinely care about either of the men.
It felt like the book was longer than it needed to be. Once the murder was solved there were another 40 pages of story that personally felt entirely unnecessary. This is the first I read in the series so I wasn’t attached to any characters emotionally so I bet the longer story was intended for that audience.
Also, Pink is kind of the worst. I know it’s a common cozy trope to have two men fighting over her but she’s so dang flippant about it, it feels like she doesn’t genuinely care about either of the men.
December 1, 2021
This cozy mysteries brand of snobbery (a trope that's usually coffee in these sort of things) is that crochet is better than knitting, which I'm sure is a real thing in these circles, but it's random and funny enough to be charming here. There was a lot here that does cozy mystery right.
That being said, the murder didn't happen until over 3 hours into this only 8ish hour audiobook, which meant that first half just wasn't memorable or hold any suspense.
That being said, the murder didn't happen until over 3 hours into this only 8ish hour audiobook, which meant that first half just wasn't memorable or hold any suspense.
August 17, 2024
Molly's been handed the reins for this year's creative retreat-an exhilarating weekend out on the Monterey Peninsula, complete with crochet classes. Unfortunately for one teacher, though, the breathtaking scenery is where she'll take her last breath. Now Molly will have to find a new instructor, and, if she can squeeze it in, solve this murder-with the help of her pals from the Tarzana Hookers.
[amazon synopsis]
Entertaining series. Adele is a pain and Barry is too controlling. Dump him.
[amazon synopsis]
Entertaining series. Adele is a pain and Barry is too controlling. Dump him.
April 15, 2020
I've always wanted to attend a crafting weekend at Asilomar!
Molly doesn't stand up to her controlling and verbally abusive boyfriend, which she acknowledges about two-thirds of the way through the audiobook. Too bad she hasn't developed a backbone, and it's already the fourth book in the series!
Molly doesn't stand up to her controlling and verbally abusive boyfriend, which she acknowledges about two-thirds of the way through the audiobook. Too bad she hasn't developed a backbone, and it's already the fourth book in the series!
December 31, 2022
Molly unexpectedly leads the year's creative retreat. Adele is rather jealous and not hiding it. Molly has to run the retreat, deal with romantic tangles, keep Adele in line, and somehow solve a murder at the same time! This one was a bit slower going than the others, but I didn't expect the ending!
October 10, 2023
This was a good book. I really enjoy this series. I normally don't like when the main characters leave their hometown for trips during the whole book. I however enjoyed this though. Many of the original characters were involved to it helped it stay "normal". Definitely kept me guessing till the end. I can't wait to read the next book!
November 12, 2023
3.5 Stars. Although the "body" doesn't appear until further along in the story than a typical cozy mystery I enjoyed the pace of this book more than the previous three entries of the series. Not quite certain why, but there was a different quality to the book. Hopefully the remainder of the series follows pace and doesn't revert back to earlier stories.
June 15, 2025
I like it this series theirs more mysteries solving then crocheting , I like the way Molly the main character thinks, there are twist and turns in the mystery when I think I know who did it it turn out that I am wrong , I like know matter what is happens the group always are crochet for charity and they make sure that it get done and the mystery get solve.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews