On Skein of Death by Allie Pleiter is the debut of A Riverbank Knitting Mystery series. Libby Beckett is newly divorced and has taken her settlement to fulfil her dream of opening Y.A.R.N. Her dream is threatened when the three-day event she organized is canceled after the Norwegian knitwear designer is found murdered. Libby cannot rest until she learns the identity of the guilty party. There were some elements I liked and others that I did not. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the yarn shop, the yarn, the finished creations, and the gorgeous knitting needles. I also liked the picturesque descriptions of Collinstown, Maryland with its charming shops and friendly residents. The story is told in the first person which leads to a lot of internal thinking by Libby. There is repetition of information (details about characters and especially the murder). The whodunit was straightforward. Perle Langager is murdered in a fashion that suits the story. There are a limited number of suspects with the guilty party extremely obvious. I kept hoping for a surprise character or twist. The reveal wrapped up the mystery leaving no lingering questions. There is humor scattered throughout courtesy of Libby’s mother and her gaggle of friends. There is romance as well between Libby and her old high school beau, Gavin who is the current mayor. This is relaxing tale that will appeal to readers looking for lighter fare. On Skein of Death is a blithe cozy mystery with creative yarn art, a cute canine, a dead knitwear designer, a sleuthing shop owner, plenty of pie, and creative knits. ( )

On Skein of Death is Allie Pleiter’s first foray into the cozy mystery genre. From the authors note to the characters names and even a dog sweater pattern, the authors love for knitting is evident throughout the book.

One of the things that draw me to cozy mysteries is the small-town setting and the characters, and this book is rich with both. There is also just the hint of a possible romance (which I’m sure will be developed as the series continues), a curmudgeon who is Libby’s nemesis, good friends, an adorable dog, and a murder.

While this is an enjoyable story that introduced me to the town and people of Collinstown, the mystery fell flat. That may just be because I’m an avid suspense reader, but it could also be because it became obvious early on (at least to me) who was behind the crime. There were a couple of red herrings thrown in there, but they were so glaring they didn’t throw me off the trail.

However, the mystery isn’t usually what draws me to cozies (despite it being part of the genre), and I will definitely be visiting Libby, Gavin, Jillian, and the rest of the crew again.

**Content warning: For those who are fans of Pleiter’s inspirational books, will want to not this clean cozy mystery does contain a few curse words.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

I think I've finally found the perfect knitting-themed cozy series for me. I had a big smile on my face as I turned the last page of Allie Pleiter's debut Riverbank Knitting mystery, On Skein of Death. It is a wonderful blend of mystery, character, setting, and knitting.

In the other knitting-themed cozies that I've read, knitting is usually nothing more than the hook to entice readers to buy the book. You're lucky if the characters look at a skein of yarn or pick up a knitting needle once or twice during the course of the book. But On Skein of Death has knitting firmly woven into the story. If Libby's shop were real, I'd be making a bee-line for it and would undoubtedly spend way too much money there. When Libby can't sleep or needs to clear her mind so she can think, she picks up her needles and knits. She teaches a thirteen-year-old to knit and encourages a stressed-out businesswoman to take up needles, too. There are also dollops of yarn bombing and illusion knitting. But it's not only instances like these that put the knit and purl into On Skein of Death, it's the language Pleiter uses. She lets us know that knitters rarely get upset at delays because delays are just opportunities to whip out knitting projects and add a few rows. Libby also finds out that this investigation has "more twists and backtracks than it does to turn a sock heel."

But before you begin to think that there's nothing but needles and yarn to On Skein of Death, there's an interesting group of suspects for Libby to learn about. Was the killer the strange young man who showed up to the first event? Was it Perle's "what's in it for me" beady-eyed editor? Was it...? I enjoyed the mystery even though the identity of the killer was no surprise. (Unfortunately, I've watched too many episodes of Forensic Files.)

Pleiter has also created a stellar cast of characters that bodes well for future books. Libby's outlook on life and her passion for her shop and knitting will warm your heart. She's also good at making friends and developing useful contacts, and she's not one to take unnecessary risks. Gavin Maddock is Collinstown's mayor and Libby's high school sweetheart, and Gavin's thirteen-year-old daughter Jillian is a little jewel. Libby's mother Rhonda and her friends (known as "the Gals") provide plenty of humor. and then there's Frank the police chief and his receptionist Angie whom I hope to see more of in future books. Good gravy, I forgot one of the most important characters! Hank the English bulldog is Y.A.R.N.'s mascot and quite skilled at modeling sweaters and being your best buddy when you're in dire need.

As you can see, I've fallen head over heels for On Skein of Death, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series. You really don't even have to be interested in knitting to enjoy this book. Find out for yourself!

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) ( )