A Wicked Yarn is an entertaining and well written cozy mystery. Good plot and quirky characters. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

This new series by Emmie Caldwell centers around a retired nurse named Lia who has been recently widowed and has moved to Crandalsburg for a new start. She has joined a knitting group that sells it's art at a local craft fair. When the craft fair is threatened and one of the main people involved is found murdered Lia is determined to get to the bottom of things. Her daughter Hayley is happy to help as she is dealing with her own quarter life crisis.

The mystery itself wasn't overly obvious and there is an adorable ragdoll cat named Daphne, not to mention a few cute llamas to keep you entertain as well!.

A great start to a fun new series.

When murder strikes at the Craft Fair where Lia Geiger mans a knitwear booth, she knows she can’t let her rough-on-the-outside friend take the blame for the deed – and she can’t let an unsolved murder affect the livelihoods of all the craftspeople who depend on the Craft Fair to sell their wares. With the help of family and friends, she just might be able to untangle the mess that her friend Belinda has found herself in!

I really enjoyed A Wicked Yarn, the first in a new cozy mystery series. It was intensely readable, and relatable. The heroine, Lia, is a widow, and she’s not looking for romance, which is nice in a genre where there are so many love triangles. Her involvement with her daughter Hailey and her knitting friends deepens the story and gives her people to bounce ideas off of – and people to get involved in her investigation with her. Even her neighbor is helpful and personable. With all these characters, Caldwell builds a wonderful sense of family and community for her new amateur sleuth, which I found a very enjoyable aspect of the book.

I liked how Caldwell wove in the various potential murderers, and Lia was very likable. The story kept me on my toes, and also kept me reading until I got to the revelation of who the murderer was, and their motivation. Lia’s thoughtful, methodical method of amateur investigation was intriguing to follow along with, and I liked the contemporary feel to the story. I truly felt that A Wicked Yarn is a great start to a new series. There is a lot of promise is Lia’s town of Crandalsburg and in her circle of friends and family, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what fresh mysteries she’ll run across in the future!

This little cozy was absolutely adorable. The characters are realistic and relatable. I had the best time reading this exciting story. It kept me guessing until the big reveal. Spend an afternoon with this charming cozy. You will not regret it.

I loved this book! I loom knit so even though this is regular knitting, I still enjoyed the crafting aspect of the book. There is so many things that I really enjoyed about the book: the emotional connections between Lia and Hayley, her daughter, Lia and her friends, and being there to see the progression of grief and to feel for Lia and Hayley.

The mystery was great. A lot of times I can usually figure out who the killer is but this time it totally blind sided me. Loved the sense of community and even though Lia was asking around to try to help her friend Belinda, it didn't come off as her being the A typical snoop. All of the conversations and sleuthing came out as very smooth.

I really really enjoyed this book. All aspects were fantastic. It was well written and fast paced enough to be able to enjoy the ride without missing details or going too fast.

I loved the craft fair setting to. Some of the most fun I have ever had has been at craft fairs. This place seems like a crafter's paradise, without the murders of course lol.

Daphne sounds like the best kind of kitty and pal. I am a huge animal lover and I love it so much when animals are written into books.

There wasn't a single thing about this book that I didn't like except for the fact that it ended lol.

I received this ARC from NetGalley to read and review for my own honest opinions. All opinions are my own.

Lia Geiger sells stuff at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair every weekend. Her friend Belinda runs it. When her ex-husband winds up found dead there she is put under suspicion. Lia and her daughter Haley go about trying to find out who actually did the murder and why. Lia's friends at her knitting group try to help as well.

It was a light fun read and I actually did not figure out who did it until close to the end which I appreciate. I hope there will be more in this series to read.

Being a longtime craft fair participant myself, I really enjoyed the setting for this mystery. How cool would it be to have a venue for doing a nice show every weekend? And the best part was it was inside away from the weather. Although if Belinda the manager's ex had his way, that barn was going to be torn down once he bought it. Luckily, the crafters never had to find out, because someone offed the guy, and all eyes turned to his ex, Belinda. Main character Lia was a good friend of hers, so with the help of her twenty-something daughter Hayley, they decided to clear their pal's good name...and bring back their customers due to the pesky detail that the dead guy was found in their barn.

Lia and Hayley were such a fun and likable mom-daughter duo, and they made a good sleuthing team. I like that Lia wasn't portrayed as someone who was tech-scared (as characters her age are often described in books--I'm older than Lia and I love tech!). The roles were almost reversed from the typical cozy which was fun. Hayley went off on her own while Lia sleuthed online. An added plus was that Hayley started seeing her old friend Brady who was now a police officer who came in handy more than once.

I had a sneaky feeling most of the way through the book of whodunit, but I had no idea why, so it was fun following along and seeing if I got taken by any of the red herrings. The showdown was really good, and just as I was worried the killer was getting away, the police got them. There were a few places where the story went a little slow, but usually it kept my interest due to the craft fair subject. I'm really very anxious now for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

A Wicked Yarn by Emmie Caldwell is the debut of A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery. We meet Lia Geiger who is a widow who has recently moved to Crandalsburg for a new start. Lia is a knitter who belongs to the Ninth Street Knitters. I liked this group of knitters who sell their wares at a booth at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair run by Belinda Peebles. I enjoyed the lovely descriptions of the yarns and the items they created. There is also a visit to an alpaca farm. Lia is creating a sweater from the soft yarn. I would have liked more information on Lia. Her last name is not mentioned a third of a way through the book. Lia’s daughter, Hayley is not happy with her marketing position in Pennsylvania and decides to make a change. Hayley explores her options while her mother worries about her. The mystery involves the death of Darren Peebles who is out to hurt his ex-wife through the barn where the Crandalsburg Craft Fair is held. You can tell right away that Darren will be the victim. The second victim is equally obvious. Lia decides to investigate to help her friend and save the craft barn. She questions various people and comes up with a list of suspects. Each suspect has a good motive (I am surprised the man was not murdered sooner). I like that Lia is not one of those amateur sleuths who dives into an investigation and is heedless of her own safety. The reveal of the killer involves drama and suspense. Most readers will be able to solve this whodunit before the killer is exposed. A Wicked Yarn has the cozy part down with knitting, chatting, food preparations, and eating. I liked the feel of the craft barn and the various vendors (who have created one-of-a-kind-items). The pacing could have used improvement. It was slow throughout the middle (lack of action) which had me speed reading through the sluggish sections. I thought the characters were realistic and I could understand their concerns regarding finances when business slowed down at the craft barn. A Wicked Yarn is a charming new cozy mystery with a crafty killer, adorable alpacas, daughter drama, comfy knits, and a dead developer.

This is the first in a brand new series A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery. Lia has relocated to Crandalsburg from York after the sudden death of her husband Tom she is getting acquainted with her new home and has taken a booth of her knitting and that of her friends with the Ninth Street Knitters at the local Crandalsburg Craft Fair located in a historic barn just outside of town. Her friend Belinda manages the craft fair and can come across often too direct and abrupt but it is shouting when her ex-husband Darren shows up claiming to have bought the barn and his plan to tear it down and would take Belinda’s livelihood away. Lia is surprised when her daughter Hayley arrives in town for Mother’s Day with some work troubles on her mind but they are enjoying their weekend when it is time for Lia to go to the craft fair. She arrives early and finds Belinda over the dead body of Darren who has been killed and staged with some items from the local crafters. Belinda immediately comes under suspicion and Lia knows her friend and does not believe her capable of murder. Town sentiment is not as kind as Belinda does not always endear herself to others with her direct ways. Hayley must go home but arrives back later in the week to help her Mom thru the trauma of the murder. Lia decides to do some investigating to help her friend out. I really enjoyed the debut of this new series and look forward to the next installment. The mystery was good and it was a fast and effortless read. Recommend.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

A Wicked Yarn, the first Craft Fair Knitters mystery, is a solid start to the new series by Emmie Caldwell (aka Mary Ellen Hughes). Small town dynamics, a crafty backdrop, and a quality murder mystery come together to make a fun cozy read.

Lia, a surgical nurse, unexpectedly finds herself a widow and moves to a small town in Pennsylvania to start over, though she does not move far and maintains her knitters group in her nearby hometown. She is settling in nicely and spends her weekends manning her group’s booth at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair. Things start to go awry when the barn’s manager Belinda’s ex-husband threatens to buy the historic building and tear it down, but then Lia finds his Belinda standing over his dead body. In an effort to save Belinda’s reputation and their livelihood, Lia sets out to find a killer, even as the body count rises.

The mystery Lia faces is very well thought out and executed. The layout of suspects and clues is orderly and moves along in an organic fashion. Every step Lia takes makes sense, and she never goes off on a wild goose chase. Belinda’s ex-husband Darren has stepped on a lot of toes along the way leaving behind a slew of folks with good motives for murder. The addition of another victim complicates the investigation, and a dangerous situation adds suspense. It all comes together to make a satisfying read.

Lia is an older than average cozy sleuth, but I had to keep reminding myself that she is probably only in her late forties or early fifties. She feels fresh to me…she is not a quirky octogenarian or inexperienced young woman but a sensible and warm, intelligent woman who sees the best in people. I really enjoy her relationship with her daughter Haley and appreciate both perspectives of Haley’s predicament as she figures out the trials of young adulthood. There is the merest whisper of romance within these pages but not for Lia. Quite a few supporting characters are introduced between the other craft fair vendors, knitting group members, neighbors, and murder suspects, and it does require a little attention to keep them all straight. These characters provide a lot of variety and interest to the small community setting. I like that the police are not the bad guys or portrayed as inept.

A Wicked Yarn hits all the right notes for the cozy genre, and I will definitely read the next installment in the Craft Fair Knitters Mystery series when it becomes available. Recommended to any cozy reader.

I have been trying to read more cozies and this seemed like a perfect fit for me. Yarn and cats are my two hobbies after reading. But the first 15% was so bogged down with set up and world building that it felt boring. By the time it started to get interesting for me, I was already checked out and ready to move on. I might be interested in reading the next one if it isn't so heavy on the set up.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

A Wicked Yarn by Emmie Caldwell
Book #1: A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery
Source: NetGalley and Berkley Books
Rating: 4/5 stars

In the wake of her beloved husband’s death, Lia Geiger packed up home and moved to a small town. In the small town of Crandalsburg, there is little in the way of crime and lots in the way of good friends, community spirit, and a willingness to support others. In the year and half since her move, Lia has found a renewed spirit and a lessening of her grief, much of which has come through the companionship she has found among her fellow Ninth Street Knitters group.

Lia knows she isn’t over the loss of her husband, but her slower life pace and membership into a most welcoming community has been a blessing. The quiet life has given her time to heal but that time seems to be coming to a rather dramatic ending. Over the course of just a few short days, Lia’s adopted hometown becomes the site of a gruesome murder and her adult daughter drops a bombshell, she’s quitting her job and moving home. In an instant, Lia’s life, peace, and quiet have been turned topsy turvy.

Though Lia has no special skills in detecting, she does have a vested interest in solving the murder. On the one hand, Lia’s good friend is the prime suspect and, on the other hand, if the murder isn’t solved, it could contribute to the permanent closing of the Crandalsburg craft fair. Though Lia doesn’t need the income personally, the craft fair offers many sellers an avenue for income and it provides Lia and her knitters group with an outlet to share all their creative creations. If the craft fair were to close, the community would be hurt in a most severe way.

With her daughter home, Lia has someone to bounce her theories off and while some sound absolutely outlandish, a murder in Crandalsburg is outlandish so the theories may as well be too. In addition to her daughter, Lia also bounces theories off the ladies of her knitting group. What she finds is a wealth of knowledge among the group related to various parts and pieces of the mystery. When the women put all their heads together, they come up with a solution that confounds them all.

The Bottom Line: I really just can’t enough of the cozy mystery genre! I know nothing about knitting but I sure loved all the descriptions of knitting and the finished results found in this book. When you add in a wonderfully weird small town and community that truly does come together in a crisis, you have a recipe for success. The only character I struggled with in this book is Lia’s daughter and I am hoping as she finally decides what she wants to be when she grows up that I ‘ll grow to like her a bit more. In all, I found this book to be a pleasant and easy entry into a new series.

Lia Geiger has started a new life in Crandalsburg, PA after the untimely death of her husband Tom. She's part of a knitting group who has a booth at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair. Everyone is especially excited for the weekend, since it's near Mother's Day and everyone will be looking for gifts. That is, until events take place that threaten the sustainability of the craft fair. Lia's best friend, Belinda, is the craft fair manager. When Belinda's ex-husband is murdered, the rumors fly and the craft fair becomes enveloped in scandal. Lia wants to help her friend and save her livelihood, thus beginning her amateur sleuthing adventure, involving her knitting group as necessary. Lia also has a daughter visiting, who is have a career crisis.

A Wicked Yarn is the first book in the Craft Fair Knitters mystery series by Emmie Caldwell. Lia is a likeable character who wants nothing more than the best for her daughter, Hayley and to help her friend, Belinda. She works hard at both, but I found the relationship between Lia and Belinda a bit unlikely. Had there been a bit more backstory on their friendship I may have jumped on the bandwagon but Belinda's personality did not mesh well with Lia's. Then again, people have become friends despite such extreme differences in personality. Other than that, the characters are enjoyable.

The book has a strong plot, believable mystery, and fantastic setting. My mom and I used to have a craft booth in a local craft building just outside of Flint, MI for many years. I was taken back to that time in my life and I enjoyed the memories the story invoked. Thankfully there weren't any murders to contend with during our tenure. We only pulled our items out of the space when the building was sold and the craft sections turned in a new furniture store. We were pretty bummed.

The path to revealing the murder, although kind of slow-going, was well thought out. The author provided several viable suspects, keeping me guessing almost until the end. I figured out who the murderer was prior to Lia's revelation, but it didn't detract from the mystery. One thing that really impressed me about A Wicked Yarn was how smart Lia was while sleuthing. She didn't put herself into needlessly dangerous situations nor did she dance the gray line of legality. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Widow Lia Geiger works at a craft booth at the Crandlesburg Craft Fair for Ninth Street Knits, her knitting group. Other vendors at the craft fair include photographer Mark Simmon; Olivia Boyd, a maker of herbal soaps; Zach Goodwin a beekeeper selling his own honey; and painter Joan Fowler. The craft fair is located close to Gettysburg and draws much of its business from the tourist crowd.
Lia’s good friend Belinda Peoples is the manager of the craft fair; she has built this business from the ground up after a disastrous divorce. Belinda’s livelihood is threatened when her ex-husband buys the old barn that is the craft fair’s home and announces his plans to tear the building down. Belinda vows not to let him destroy her business and later, when Lia finds Belinda standing over the body of her ex, it seems Belinda has kept her promise. The murder drives away the tourists and the artists at the craft fair begin to suffer.
Lia knows her friend hasn’t committed murder, but finding the murderer is challenging. Then a second body turns up and the pressure is on to find the real killer and clear Belinda’s name.

Recommendation
A Wicked Yarn is a fast read and a good way to spend a few hours solving a who-dun-it.

This is a wonderful new debut cozy series . The "Craft Fair Mystery Series" by cozy author Emmie Caldwell is a charming fun read with a well crafted sleuth and great charcters. I enjoyed reading this first in series that is promising for a long running cozy series.

Our protagonist is is Lea who is a skilled knitter and sells her wares at craft shows. She is living in a small Pennsylvania town and runs a knitting group . Lea is a widow and starting her life over enjoying her craft of knitting and living in a small town where crafts are appreciated and popular. She has a daughter and a cat she adores. When she and her group are knitting in a historic barn they discussion turns nasty when certain people in town want the barn torn down. Soon a murder occurs and Lea wants to find the suspect and keep the peace in her comfortable new life.

The sleuth was very well created to conclusion. I enjoyed the charcters and the knitting was fun to learn about. I will be continuing to read this charming new series. Thank you to the publisher, the author and Net Galley for making this book available for review. My review opinions are my own.

After the loss of her husband, Lia Geiger moves to a new town in Pennsylvania and starts selling things she and her knitting friends make at a local craft fair run by her best friend, Belinda. She’s expecting to sell lots of items over Mother’s Day weekend, and Saturday is great. But when she arrives on Sunday, she finds Belinda standing over the dead body of Belinda’s ex-husband, a developer who just the day before was planning to buy the barn where the craft fair is held and tear it down. With attendance at the craft fair dropping and Belinda everyone’s prime suspect, Lia jumps in to clear her friend. Can she do it?

While I don’t normally read crafting themed cozies, I’m glad I picked up this debut because I enjoyed it. The mystery is strong with several viable suspects, and it kept me guessing until the end. I did struggle with Lia’s relationship with Belinda. Even given what she is going through, I had a hard time believe that Lia and Belinda are best friends. However, there are plenty of other characters to love here, including Lia’s new neighbors and her young adult daughter. I enjoyed spending time with them. I’m looking forward to visiting Lia again when the next book in the series comes out.

This is a solid beginning to a new cozy mystery series called A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery.
Lia is the main character and sleuth. She gets help from her daughter Hayley and her knitting group - The Ninth Street Knitters in gathering and evaluating information regarding the murder and possible suspects.
I read many cozy mysteries and find it interesting to consider how the author pulls together the elements of the mystery.
Will the police be a real presence with the sleuth either working with them or irritating them or will the police be more background in the story. The author went with the police in the background except for an old classmate of Hayley’s feeding them some details.
Will the main character get into mortal danger? In this case it’s Hayley that gets into trouble rather than Lia.
Is there a pet? A cat enters the picture during the story.
Is the murderer someone expected or unexpected? Unexpected, but anymore would be a spoiler.
There isn’t a big sense of urgency in the story. The information gathering flows with Lia’s life. The tension and urgency do appear in the last few chapters as pieces come together and the culprit is close to being revealed.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is very good and rates 4 stars. 5 stars would have required a wow.

Love the craft fairs and crafters. Don’t we crafters all wish we had a place to sell our wares? Course we could do without some of the less pleasant situations and people. Love the way Lia sticks by her best friend, Belinda, even when others don’t quite see the good that she does. True friendship. Loved the story line and the characters. I hope to be able to visit with them again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the A Craft Fair Knitters mystery by Emmie Caldwell.

Some craft books try hard to fit in the actual craft and make it feel natural during the mystery section. This book did that with ease. They managed to incorporate many different vendors at the Craft Barn and make it all feel totally natural.

I enjoyed the relationship between Lia and her daughter. It really showcases the dynamic between what older people think of work and what younger people do. I am not sure I would have left a job on a lark like Haley did. I loved the addition of the alpaca farm and how that dynamic helped Haley along her life path.

The mystery was well told and it kept my interest the entire way through. Lots of clues abound so you can follow along and discover for yourself who the killer is. Just a fun yarn… see what I did there? Yarn. Ha ha.

Great new crafter series. Check it out!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.