Hospital social worker Hildy Schneider leads a bereavement support group. She is surprised when new member Sharon Cochran makes is clear she is there not only to seek comfort, but also to ask for help in finding her son’s murderer. Hildy has a couple of contacts in law enforcement and learns Toby’s death was determined to be a suicide, but there were a few things that didn’t add up. Hildy takes this information and runs with it and is convinced the young man did not take his own life. Soon, Hildy is working with Sorenson, Wisconsin police detective Bob Richmond to catch a killer.

“Needled to Death” is the first in a new series. However, it is really a spin-off of her Mattie Winston series. Mattie works for the Medical Examiner’s office and had dealings with Hildy on a prior case. Mattie makes a brief appearance in this book, but it’s Hildy that takes center stage, working side-by-side with Bob Richmond to learn more about Toby’s suspicious death. I like that Hildy is not a perfect character. She is perceptive, caring, and quirky and can even be a bit manipulative to get what she wants. However, she uses her insights into people, gained through schooling and getting through a tough childhood, to help others. I love the fact that although she isn’t a beauty queen, Bob isn’t the only one who seems to be interested in Hildy romantically since. I don’t know if there will be triangle in future books or if her relationship with Jonah, the evidence technician for the police department, will become more of a friend. Either way, I like her interactions with both men.

In addition to a refreshing main character, the case itself is also interesting. The book deals with serious topics like suicide and drug abuse, but has a sense of humor without being too silly. Something seems off about Toby’s death and I recognized some of the clues introduced by the author, but I would never have guessed the truth about what really happened. Hildy puts herself in danger to get the evidence needed to solve the case, but luckily she’s not alone in her sleuthing. I wish there had been a scene or at least an epilogue with Hildy sharing information about the case with her bereavement group, but I still really liked the book. This case seems to be opening new doors for Hildy in both her career and her personal life, and I look forward to reading more books featuring Hildy.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I can still see the shadows of death on some of their faces, evident in the droop of their eyes, the taut, thin line of their lips, and the pale, pasty coloring of their skin from spending too much time indoors hiding away from society and life.

This is the first book in The Helping Hands Mystery series which is a spin off of the Mattie Winston books. Clothilde "Hildy" Schneider is a social worker at Sorenson General Hospital. One of her duties is to lead a grief support group. A new member sends Hildy off investigating after the woman insists that her son was murdered. Through Mattie, Hildy approaches Detective Bob Richmond ans the adventure begins.

This was a very good beginning to a new series. I really liked that characters from the Mattie Winston series are involved. I really enjoyed getting to know Bob Richmond better. I've always like his character and I look forward to seeing where his relationship may go with Hildy.

Hildy's character is multifaceted. She is kind and compassionate with her clients while being a bit of a mess herself. Her upbringing is discussed throughout the book. I felt terrible for the child she was and wanted to cheer for the adult she has become.

Hildy's neighbor and chief dog walker, PJ is very well written. She seems to have Asperger's and is portrayed in a loving knowledgeable way. Her care and concern for Roscoe is evident.

The mystery was interesting. I didn't have a clue what the huge secret was until it was revealed. Everything in the story clicks. I love this small town. I love the new characters that I got to meet outside of the morgue and police station. I enjoyed reading this so much that I picked it up at 3:00am when I couldn't sleep and finished the book.

I look forward to the next book in the series to see where Hildy may lead me.

Great start for a new series, with wonderful characters and fantastic writing. Looking forward to more.

I really enjoyed this new series from Anneliese and am looking for more. Loved that Mattie played a cameo role.

Needles to Death is a good mystery with some great characters. The writing is fantastic and the plot was good.I hope to read more by this author.

Needled to Death by Annelise Ryan is a fantastic first in a new series.
I'm a huge fan of her other series which features Mattie Winston, so when I saw that this would be a type of cross over book, I was immediately captivated.
Hildy is a great character, full of determination and courage.
I felt an immediate connection with her and the other characters in the story as well.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving me to read this book.

Hildy Schneider is a social worker at Sorenson General Hospital has counseled a lot of clients through grief and loss, but when one of her clients begins telling her about the details of what she believes of her son’s murder, Hildy decides she needs to provide answers to her client. She joins up with cop, Bob Richmond, and her trusty Golden Retriever to try to prevent a murder epidemic from spreading throughout the town. This is an entertaining mystery with a stand out cast, especially the dog!