This is book 2 in the Craft Fair Knitters series and can be read as a stand alone. The Ninth Street Knitters have their weekly showings and shoppers are returning in droves since the newspaper did a story on a new crafter, Cori who crochets realistic animals and flowers. When Lia befriends her she is dismayed that she is found dead. I wish they would include a few patterns. A great cozy story that will have you guessing. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Stitched in Crime by Emmie Caldwell has Lia solving the murder of fellow crafter, Cori Littlefield. Stitched in Crime is the second A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery and it can be read as a standalone. The story contains good writing with medium pacing. The characters are realistic and relatable. They are, though, still works in progress. I feel the characters especially the background characters need more development. It can be hard to keep track of the various secondary characters because there are so many of them. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Cori’s crocheted items. They sounded amazing. The mystery was thought out with good clues, several suspects, and a red herring. Cori was a talented artist, but she had an issue from her childhood that troubled her. It led to the woman having problems as an adult. It depends on your sleuthing level on how soon you solve this whodunit. I thought one suspect stood out above the others. The case was neatly wrapped up at the end. I like the Ninth Street Knitters. They are a great bunch of people who create lovely knitted items. It is great how Lia and the group work to solve the case (they are a clever bunch who do not let grass grow under their feet). Stitched in Crime is a creative cozy with a creative crocheter who is now a corpse, a daughter’s muddled mess, a confusing cold case, messy memories, delicious dinners, an awful accident, and a frustrating fundraiser.

“A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery” series is what I term laid back. The characters are mostly older mature individuals who are still growing old, but some are still young enough not to worry about it too much. Lia is a mom who cares about her daughter Hayley’s future but doesn’t want to look like she is interfering. She is also a knitter who is good at her craft and enjoys working with the Ninth Street Knitters, who are also her best friends. The knitters help Lia investigate mysteries and solve murders, and they have fun doing it. The craft fair where Lai and the knitters sell their material keeps Lia busy, and she, like many other vendors, depends on it for an income. Thankfully, the array of talent and products is enticing and keeps buyers returning. They can purchase anything from sculptures to knit sweaters and crocheted flowers, and so much more. Of course, it helps that Lia’s best friend runs the craft fair. All in all, this group of characters always leaves readers happy and wanting more, and in Stitched in Crime that hasn’t changed.

When a new talented crochet vendor at the fair, Cori, dies unexpectedly, everyone is willing to accept that it was a tragic accident, but it doesn’t sit right with Lia. She doesn’t think it was an accident at all. She also suspects that Cori’s death ties in with another “accident” long ago. It doesn’t take long for Lia to develop a few suspects and possible motives. The Ninth Street Knitters jump in to help Lia figure out who the killer is and find clues that will tell everyone that Cori’s death was not an accident but a murder. In the meantime, Hayley is having issues at work, and she and Lia’s living arrangements are starting to show signs of stress. Dealing with Hayley, the craft fair and Cori’s death keeps Lia hopping.

The Ninth Street Knitters are a group of people I wouldn’t mind spending time with. Lia and her craft fair friends track down the clues in a smart and quick manner. Cori was a talented crochet artist who had a past that seemed to haunt her, and it was easy for people to believe that her death was an accident or suicide; even Lia has moments when she isn’t certain. But with tenacity and stubbornness, she finds that she is right and does what it takes to capture the murderer. Stitched in Crime is a fun and entertaining read. The writing is wonderful, the characters are believable and enjoyable, and the setting is memorable. Readers will love Lia, the knitters, a desire to learn knitting or crochet and the action.

Lovely, cozy read perfect for those rainy winter days! I liked a lot about this; the mother-daugher relationship, all the crafting / the craft fair, the general small town vibes. I really like this series and look forward to reading the next book.

Lia and The Ninth Street Knitters really grabbed my attention in this fantastic new release.
Lia and her friends find themselves tangled up in another murder investigation, when Corri, a young woman, is found dead.
I had no idea who the murderer was until the reveal, and I was left speechless.
I'm excited to read the next in this series.
#StitchedinCrime #NetGalley

This was such a fun cozy! I love the yarn theme, and I adore the characters. The mystery was a lot of fun, and I didn't guess who the murderer was. Very well-written!

Lia Geiger and her fellow Ninth Street Knitters and Craft Fair members group have another murder mystery to solve in Emmie Caldwell's latest, Stitched In Crime. Each member of these groups contribute in some way but Lia Geiger is the main sleuth. I liked how the murder victim was introduced and how well the storyline flowed. The characters in this series are very interesting and fun. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I enjoyed this cozy mystery very much! The main characters are delightful; it was easy for me to become invested in them. It can be read as a standalone, as I had not yet read the first one and found it easy to keep up. The crafts and various pieces people worked on were discussed with just the right amount of detail. This complex mystery kept me guessing, especially through the various plot twists and turns. There were no easy solutions!

It is summer in Crandalsburg, and the craft fair is in full swing every weekend. Lia has been a long-term member of the Ninth Street Knitters in York; since she moved, she values the deep friendships enough to drive to when the group meets every week. Belinda, her close friend who talked her into making the move, got her involved with the weekly local craft fair, where people with many, varied crafting skills gather to sell their products. Lia sells her own knitted products as well as those of her friends in the knitters’ group. Her adult daughter, Hayley, lives with her since moving back to town. Hayley plans to get her own place once the major event she has been planning for her new employer is complete.

A young woman, Cori, has the booth next to Lia’s, and sells specialty crocheted items, including whimsical animals, birds, flowers, and vegetables. She is very shy and trying to learn to be a good saleswoman despite her reticence. The newspaper did an excellent article, with photos, in Sunday’s paper about her creations. The craft fair had many more customers than usual that day, mostly people who wanted to see her work. She did a great business, as did the rest of the vendors. After she left, a customer came in wanting a special order from her, so Lia committed to getting it to her.

Lia called Cori the next day and took the information to her. Cori had recently moved back to her mother’s house from York, but her mother was in rehab recovering from a serious car accident. Cori was happy to have a commission requested, and excited about future sales. She showed Lia some of her work. When she took a phone call, Lia saw a shadowbox with crocheted figures in it. It was troubling to Lia, and when Cori saw her with it, she became upset and took it to her room. Cori had to leave, as the person who called wanted to meet with her.

Later that day, Lia heard that a young woman died while hiking at the falls, and for some reason, thought of Cori and how suddenly she left that morning. The next morning, the gut feeling was confirmed. Cori was dead; her fall was determined accidental.

At the wake, Lia heard several interesting things. One was from Cori’s half-sister Robin, certain that Cori committed suicide. She learned from a high school friend about the nightmare Cori lived with, over and over, most of her life. Cori had said it was an actual memory of seeing someone, Jessica, her babysitter, fall to her death when she was little. Lia is sure there is more than meets the ear, and eye, as do the people in her knitting group. They are prepared to help her find information about the young woman and get justice for her as the police are convinced that both deaths were accidental.

The characters were fun to meet and learn about. I’m sad that one of the people I wanted to know better was the victim. I appreciate getting to know Lia, her daughter Hayley, and Lia’s friends in the Nine Street Knitters and at the Craft Fair. Each was defined through realistic conversations and behaviors. I also appreciated that many characters are mature, as I felt I had something in common with them. Meeting Pete was interesting, and I am curious to see the role he will have in future novels.

I was fascinated by how various people were willing to talk with Lia, and how much information she, her daughter, and their friends obtained! It was especially challenging when they learned the babysitter Cori had when she was only six had died in a fall from the same waterfall, the very same spot, more than two decades ago. That opened the door for potential suspects, as Jessica had been very popular throughout high school and college. This novel held my attention throughout, and there were definitely surprises at the end. I highly recommend this exciting, crafty cozy mystery!

I believe this is my first time reading this author, I enjoyed the mystery, characters and setting. I look forward to more in the series. I missed the first book in the series, but don't think I it impacted my enjoyment as I never felt lost in regards to the characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Life is beginning to settle down again for Lia Geiger, and the crowds are returning to the craft fair where she sells her knitting projects, thanks in part to Cori Littlefield and her wonderful crochet projects. Sadly, Cori is found dead one day near the bottom of a waterfall. While the police rule it a tragic accident, Lia thinks there might be a connection to a similar death from two decades ago – a death that Cori claimed to witness as a little girl. But can Lia find any evidence to back up her claim?

I enjoyed the first book in this series, and this was just as much fun. We get a puzzling mystery with several strong suspects. Every time I thought I knew who done it, another suspect would do something to put them at the top of my list. The ending answered all my questions, including one the characters never asked. I do feel like the characters could be a little stronger, but maybe that’s just me, and maybe it’s because of all the background characters. I had no trouble keeping all the characters straight, and a character that rubbed me a bit the wrong way in the first book has definitely softened here. If you are looking for a fun cozy, this is the book you need to pick up.

Stitched In Crime is the second book in the A Craft Fair Mystery series by Emmie Caldwell.

The Crandalsburg Craft Fair has a new vendor, Cori Littlefield, who crochets animals, vegetables, fruit, and other items, and many who see her work call them works of art. Cori’s booth is next to Lia’s, and Lia enjoys talking with her. But Lia notices that Cori seems to be a little tentative dealing with customers at times. In a couple of weeks, Lia gets a phone call informing her that Cori’s body was discovered at Long Run Falls, and police have ruled it an accident. When Lia goes to the wake and talks with people attending, some believe she might have committed suicide. Lia doesn’t think she committed suicide and will investigate to learn if it was.

Lia soon learns that as a young girl of six or seven, she had witnessed the fall and death of her babysitter, Jessica, and had recurring nightmares of what she saw that day. She feels it is too much of a coincidence and will begin to interview friends of Jessica to learn what might have happened to her. Lia feels that somebody had pushed Jessica and Cori knows who it was, and that person has eliminated Cori. Lia will soon find three or four suspects. The story will end with Lia preventing the killer from committing another murder.

A subplot deals with Lia’s daughter, Hayley. Hayley has moved back to her mother’s and has a job at an alpaca farm. She is handling the planning of a fundraiser for the communities Parks Booster Club. Her contact at the Booster Club turns out to be almost impossible to work with.

The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable. There were enough red herrings that I was surprised at who the killer was.

The author also writes as Mary Ellen Hughes.

I will be watching for the next book in this enjoyable series.

4.5 Stars - Top Pick

The main character, Lia Geiger is a widow and a retired surgical nurse. Lia is fairly new to the small town of Crandalsburg, Pennsylvania and her grown daughter, Hayley, is living with her temporarily. Lia belongs to a crafting group and sells their creations each weekend in a booth at the Crandalsburg Craft Fair. Lia befriends a new vendor named Cori Littlefield whose shyness hides her extraordinary talent in crocheting artistic pieces. Lia is hit hard when Cori is found dead and can’t accept that she committed suicide. Lia thinks Cori’s death could be connected with a similar death years ago and is determined to get justice for both young women.

Stitched in Crime is the second in the Craft Fair Knitters Mystery series, but the first I’ve read. I had no problem getting to know the main characters or enjoying the book. I liked Lia immediately. She is intelligent, talented, and kind. I admire her courage in pursuing an investigation even when the police felt both Cori and the prior death were both accidental. It took a little longer for her daughter, Hayley, to grow on me, but I was a fan of hers by the end of the book. I enjoyed seeing Lia get to know the chief of police of the town and could see that friendship eventually blossoming into something more. Lia’s friendship with her fellow crafters is also enjoyable and realistic.

The author, Emmie Caldwell, also writes books under the name Mary Ellen Hughes, and I am impressed with her writing. This book has all the best elements of a cozy mystery – a strong, likeable main character with an interesting hobby, a supportive circle of friends, cute animals, and a little romance. The book also has depth in the subject matter and the investigation that I love. Lia finds several people with the motive for killing and that keeps the reader guessing throughout the book. The ending is very satisfying, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author. I think the book would appeal to fans of Leslie Meier, Ellery Adams, or Paige Shelton.

~ Christine

Lia and the other vendors are excited when a new, young artist joins the team at the Craft Fair. Cori's crocheted pieces aren't potholders and sweaters but works of art. When Cori is found dead, Lia doesn't agree with the ruling of accidental death, so she decides to ask a few questions of her own. When she finds a connection to another death, decades ago, she is determined to find out what happened, to both women.

This is book #2 in the Craft Fair Knitters series, and I liked it even more than the first book. It is set in Pennsylvania, and although the town is fictional (yes, I looked to be sure!), it seems to be relatively near to where I currently live, which makes the setting feel a bit like home. I like the recurring characters and would love to spend some time at the alpaca farm and browsing the Craft Fair where Lia works. There weren't a lot of suspects to choose from in this book, and their position on my list kept changing as the story progressed, and I wasn't able to figure out a connection between the two deaths. I had a niggling feeling about the identity of the killer, but I wasn't certain until just before it was revealed in the book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

"Stitched in Crime" is a cozy mystery. It's the second in a series. You don't need to read the previous book to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous mystery.

The main characters were likable and interesting. The police declared Cori's death an accident. When Lia realized that Cori had witnessed a similar death--perhaps a murder--when she was a child, she decided to investigate in case Cori was killed because of what she had seen. She asked questions and looked for clues but had difficulty finding proof or narrowing down the suspect pool. I strongly suspected whodunit from various hints, and I became even more sure as the story went on. Lia saved the day, catching whodunit in the act of another murder and so gained her proof. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.