This was a fun read. As I stated above, this is the first one in the series that I've read, even though it is the second book of the series. However, the author provided enough background information to make it possible to read this as a stand-alone without overdoing it for those who may have already read the first book.

I enjoyed our main characters. Josie seems pretty well-rounded with a good head on her shoulders. While she's curious and she asks questions, she doesn't seem to go looking for trouble (which, in my opinion, is a good thing). I also enjoyed Evelyn, Lorna, Helen, Mitch, and the rest of the supporting characters.

This is my first "fiber arts" cozy mystery and I enjoyed it. I felt that the author did a good job balancing out the inclusion of the knitting and the yarn shop without it being smothering for those (like myself) who are not into knitting or crocheting.

The mystery itself was interesting and had plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. I didn't see the final twist coming, tho' given that there was still about 15% of the book left after the supposed climax, I knew something else was going to happen. I just didn't know what!

The only real complaint that I have is that I would have liked it if we'd found out where the body of one of the victims had actually been buried. It's alluded to, but we never really know for sure.

All in all tho' it was a fun read and if the author publishes more in the series, I'm definitely up for reading them!

** Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley who provided me with an ARC. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions are my own. ** ( )

This was a fun read. As I stated above, this is the first one in the series that I've read, even though it is the second book of the series. However, the author provided enough background information to make it possible to read this as a stand-alone without overdoing it for those who may have already read the first book.

I enjoyed our main characters. Josie seems pretty well-rounded with a good head on her shoulders. While she's curious and she asks questions, she doesn't seem to go looking for trouble (which, in my opinion, is a good thing). I also enjoyed Evelyn, Lorna, Helen, Mitch, and the rest of the supporting characters.

This is my first "fiber arts" cozy mystery and I enjoyed it. I felt that the author did a good job balancing out the inclusion of the knitting and the yarn shop without it being smothering for those (like myself) who are not into knitting or crocheting.

The mystery itself was interesting and had plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. I didn't see the final twist coming, tho' given that there was still about 15% of the book left after the supposed climax, I knew something else was going to happen. I just didn't know what!

The only real complaint that I have is that I would have liked it if we'd found out where the body of one of the victims had actually been buried. It's alluded to, but we never really know for sure.

All in all tho' it was a fun read and if the author publishes more in the series, I'm definitely up for reading them!

** Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley who provided me with an ARC. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions are my own. ** ( )

Josie Blair runs a yarn shop and lives with her curmudgeony great-uncle. She can’t knit at all but wants to learn, and her uncle – and his dog – makes living there a bit of a challenge for Josie and her cat Coco. But for the most part, life is good, with new friends, and Josie’s shop is turning a profit, albeit a small one. But soon a tenant renting space from Josie for his antiques store is murdered, and things get complicated in a hurry. This cozy has great characters – including Uncle Eb – and a well-crafted plot. A romance is beginning to brew and life is looking up . . . if Josie can manage to stay alive. ( )

A Knit Before Dying by Sadie Hartwell is the second cozy mystery in A Tangled Web Mystery series. Josie Blair owns Miss Marple Knits as well as the building next to it in Dorset Falls, Connecticut. Josie has recently leased to Lyndon Bailey and his business partner, Harry Oglethorpe for Nutmeg Antiques and Curiosities. Josie purchases a box of beautiful (and one a little unusual) handcrafted doilies from Lyndon after he arrives. The day after the weekly knitting meetings, Josie heads over to give Lyndon some brownies. She walks in to find a stranger looking very pale standing in the middle of the shop. Josie goes to where the man is looking and finds Lyndon on the floor behind the checkout counter stabbed with old sheep shears. The stranger is Lyndon’s business partner, Harry. The police quickly zero in on Harry as the killer. Josie feels the solution is not so simple. She exchanges her knitting needles for a magnifying glass as she searches for clues and suspects. Who could have wanted to harm Dorset Falls newest citizen?

A Knit Before Dying may be the second book in A Tangled Web Mystery series, but it can be read alone. I do, though, recommend the delightful Yarned and Dangerous (first book in series). I was hooked with Yarned and Dangerous and could not wait to get my hands on A Knit Before Dying. I thought A Knit Before Dying was easy to read and had nice, relatable characters (there is a nice mix too). I appreciated the small-town setting and the yarn shop (I want to buy up all the beautiful yarn). The book has a nice, steady flow which keeps the book moving toward the conclusion. One of my favorite characters is Josie’s uncle, Eben Lloyd. He is such a character. I found myself laughing at his antics (his practical joke was very clever and amusing). My rating for A Knit Before Dying is 4.5 out of 5 stars (I loved it, but I did accurately solve mystery before reveal). I thought the mystery was intriguing with its complexity and uniqueness (hooray). Many readers will be surprised by the outcome (I loved it). I did feel that food was given too much attention. I do not need to know each and every item that the main character eats (I have been seeing this a lot lately in cozy mysteries). The romance element was light and nicely handled (thank you Ms. Hartwell). The ending is sweet and I loved who is teaching Josie to knit. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in A Tangled Web Mystery series. ( )

As someone who loves mysteries and knitting, the name of Josie Blair's shop, Miss Marple Knits, makes me smile. It is simply brilliant. By this second book, Sadie Hartwell's Tangled Web cozy series is shaping up nicely. Josie is funny and smart-- so smart that I can't quite figure out why she's having so much trouble learning how to knit. After all, if I can figure out those instructional videos on YouTube....

Anyway, there's a solid cast of secondary characters in A Knit Before Dying, and several of them have become Josie's good friends. For comic relief, there are two cantankerous, mule-headed old men in town-- one of them Josie's Uncle Eb-- who have been feuding with each other practically since they were in diapers. Now we get some background on the feud, and although the start to the feud is much as I'd guessed, it still made me scratch my head. Some of the things those two get up to do make for good comic relief, however!

There's also a complex mystery to enjoy, so if you're in the mood for good characters, crafting, a bit of humor, and a murder to solve, curl up with Sadie Hartwell's Tangled Web series. The first one is Yarned and Dangerous. ( )