A Crafter Hooks a Killer: A Handcrafted Mystery

Written by Holly Quinn

Narrated by Kristin Price

Samantha “Sammy” Kane is settling into her new life in idyllic Heartsford, Wisconsin, running her late friend Kate Allen’s craft shop, Community Craft, when one early June day, bestselling crochet author Jane Johnson visits Heartsford. Captivated by Community Craft, Jane devotes a chapter in her new book, Behind the Seams, to the store. Sammy is honored, but satisfaction quickly turns to shock when she finds Jane strangled to death—her cold hands clutching a copy of her most recently published book, with the words “THE END” raggedly scratched into the cover. Heavens to Etsy! Not only must Sammy contend with the author’s inauspicious demise, but she also has to untie some knotty details from her own past. It turns out Kate’s death was not what it seemed and instead was somehow hooked to Jane Johnson’s demise.

Handsome Detective Liam Nash is on the “skein,” more than happy to see the shop owner again, if less than enamored by her sleuthing interventions. But this was Sammy’s best friend—she has to know. Fortunately, Sammy has a “lace” in the hole. As a child, she formed the S.H.E. detective team with her cousin, Heidi, and her sister, Ellie. Having already reconstituted their partnership, the S.H.E. team searches for a pattern behind the latest death. As the case starts to unravel, will Sammy and team be able to sidestep Liam quick enough to stitch together the clues?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Jul 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781974976119

Holly Quinn

Holly Quinn is an experienced author who specializes in cozy mysteries centering around crafts. A graduate of Carroll University in Wisconsin, she received her bachelor’s degree in business and marketing.

Reviews for A Crafter Hooks a Killer

[Niyati Mavinkurve · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun book to read. I really love cozy mysteries because, well, that's what they are. They're homely, they are familiar, they build a small and comfortable world. And that's exactly what this one did as well. I really enjoyed the characters and their banter. And I definitely want to go back and read the first two books in the series. The mystery was nothing too complicated, but enough to make me feel curious, which is what the target of a cozy mystery anyway is. So, in that sense, this was an enjoyable book.

I just didn't like the audio version. I don't think the narrator was very powerful to capture the emotions, or maybe I'm just not an audio person. I think I would have finished it much faster had I read this as a normal e-book as compared to an audio book.

[joannefm2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Samantha Kane owns the craft shop, Community Craft. She bought it after the previous owner, her friend Kate, died in an accident. She's doing well and helping the community by displaying their items for sale. She's also excited to be having a famous author of craft books come to her shop to sign copies of her newest book. Jane Johnson is devoting a chapter in her book to Sammy's store, and she's pleased that the author is going to interview her. But she's surprised, not unpleasantly so, when Jane shows up early and unannounced. Jane looks around the store until she's noticed by others in the town and is soon feeling cornered.Sammy shows her the back way out, but before she leaves she tells Sammy that she has information on Kate, and wants to talk to her. Sammy, stunned, tells her she will meet Jane down by the river. When Sammy arrives, she finds a book on Jane's lap, with a chilling message "THE END" scratched in pencil; and a very dead Jane. After calling the police, she begins to wonder who killed the woman and why.When Detective Liam Nash arrives, he naturally tells her to stay out of the investigation. But Sammy has a personal reason for wanting to be involved - Kate. She wants to know what Jane wanted to tell her, and if the two deaths might be related. So she decides to get together with her sister Ellie and cousin Heidi and between the three of them - the S.H.E. team - she's hoping she'll be able to find the truth before a killer finds her...This is the second book in the series and I'm glad I had the opportunity to visit with Sammy and her family and friends. This time out, she's found her place in Heartsford, and is looking forward to hosting a famous author. But unfortunately things don't go as planned and she's left with more questions than the ones Jane was going to ask her.She's also got other things which are hindering her - her parents are in town for a week and want to spend time with her, and an old crush named Bradley has come back to visit his mother and he, too, wants to spend time with her. So now she's trying to keep her mother from finding out what she's doing (the woman would not be pleased) and trying to pump Bradley for information on Kate's death, since he was living in Heartsford while she was elsewhere.But along with this she has to deal with Detective Nash. He's not pleased that she's involving herself, telling her she's too impatient and too impulsive. Stung with the truth, Sammy still goes on with her investigation and hopes to find out the truth about Kate. If she unmasks a killer in the process, so be it.I truly enjoyed reading this book. Ms. Quinn has written characters that have a life of their own. Sammy has a fierce loyalty to her family and friends, and when she does something she knows she shouldn't, she has an immediate sense of remorse (although it doesn't stop her from doing something else next time). Detective Nash is closed off and stoic, but in this book we are given a bit more insight as to why, and it might be a break in whether these two can ever find the grounds to venture toward a future relationship.The plot is taut and woven through with a few red herrings and plenty of clues; it was intriguing and written well. Watching Sammy sift through the information she received and try to puzzle the pieces together was a pleasure indeed, as I also was doing the same.When the ending came and the murderer was revealed, while it wasn't a surprise to me, it was done well and the reasons why were plausible; everything meshed together nicely and it was an enjoyable venture into Heartsford and its people. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

cozy-mystery, Wisconsin, murder, handcrafted, small-business, small-town, family-dynamics, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth ***** Well done! "Wisconsin has two seasons: winter and construction (obstruction)."Yup, that's about right. The story takes place in a small farm town in southern Wisconsin where everyone is connected. After a simple setting of the stage to understand the characters, the murder of a crafting celebrity who is in town for a book signing occurs. Let the sleuthing begin! The publisher's blurb covers much but there's lots of red herrings and plot twists to keep the reader's interest in the mystery and the interconnected characters. I loved it! I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A Crafter Hooks a Killer can be read as a standalone if you have not read A Crafter Knits a Clue. Samantha “Sammy” Kane is happy running Community Craft which fosters community spirit and encouraging artists. She is happy to be back in her hometown with Heidi and Ellie. Her budding romance with Detective Liam Nash, though, has stalled out since he has not contacted her since the case was closed. Jane Johnson, the Queen of Crafts, is coming to Community Craft for a book signing which is quite a coup for their small town. But then Jane ends up murdered after telling Sammy she had sensitive information to share regarding Kate Allen’s death. Kate was Sammy’s best friend and she realizes she does not know the details of how she died. I like how the author tied the two whodunits together. Sammy, Heidi and Ellie (the S.H.E. detective team) are quick to assemble so they can unravel this knotty mystery. Despite being told by multiple people to leave the case to the police, Sammy questions various people while Heidi wheedles information out of her police officer boyfriend (poor Tim). There is no absence of case details as the ladies’ work into the two crimes. I did find the pace in A Crafter Hooks a Killer to be on the slow side which made it hard for me to get into this cozy mystery along with the repetition of case details and endless speculation. I thought it was a breeze to pinpoint the guilty party with the limited suspects and obvious clues. I was not a fan of Ellie or the girls’ mother. They were both critical of Sammy, obsessed with cleanliness and basic worrywarts. All the various backbiting, boyfriend problems, and nitpicking got on my nerves. While it may be realistic, I would have preferred a little harmony. I liked when Sammy said that she had “a gift for seeking and finding the truth”. Friendship, family, and food are not lacking in A Crafter Hooks a Killer. Holly Quinn’s food descriptions will have your mouth watering. I enjoyed reading about the beautiful painted glasses and crocheted blankets. There are instructions for a lap blanket at the end of the book. A Crafter Hooks a Killer has three curious ladies, two complex crimes, one disgruntled detective and a delightful doggie.