Author Holly Quinn debuts a crafty new cozy series set in scenic Wisconsin. Right away, the story appeals emotionally as Sammy Kane, owner of the Community Craft Store thinks of her late friend, Kate, and the close relationship Sammy’s developed with her teenage son, Carter, since Kate’s unexpected death. The town of Heartsford is a close knit and caring community, and Sammy’s store stocks many handmade goods by the townsfolk. Local craft groups also meet at the store.

The victim is a woman not well-liked in the town. Detective Liam Nash is assigned the murder case and Sammy likes his personality. When the investigation isn’t progressing fast enough to suit Sammy, she and her sister, Elle, and their cousin, Heidi, resurrect their childhood detective club, S.H.E., by channeling their inner Nancy Drew’s, and pledge to solve the crime!

Protagonist, Sammy’s character comes across as brusque, at times, and impulsive, however, she’s obviously a caring and concerned citizen. I liked her sister and cousin, too, and Sammy’s faithful golden retriever, Bara. I look for Liam and Sammy’s relationship to heat up in future books.

While the first half of this story moved slowly and dialogue or description was somewhat choppy and stilted at times; the second half read swiftly as revelations came to light and the motive behind the mystery began to make sense. I was flipping pages fast, thoroughly absorbed in the developing plot and eager to know what was going to happen and who the killer would be.

I’m so glad I kept reading because I enjoyed all the bits and pieces coming together for a satisfying conclusion. The author includes two sock patterns for knitters.

I reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.

I didn't care for this one. The mystery was good and kept me wanting to know who was involved, but I kept feeling like I was reading a book that was in the middle of a series, rather than book 1. There wasn't enough of a set-up to lay the groundwork for a the first book in a series. I didn't care for the main character (they should help an investigation and not knowing keep important information from the police...ex. the safe). I didn't understand enough about why Sammie wanted to solve the mystery until much later in the book (her childhood and the S.H.E.). I don't think I'll be reading any more in this series.

This is a really cute, fast paced mystery that has nice little touches of old fashioned home town charm & whimsy thrown in. The protagonist, Samantha, her sister and cousin re-enact their childhood S.H.E. Club, modeled after a Nancy Drew prototype, to attempt to get to the bottom of a local murder. It’s a cute, quick read that can easily be read in one sit down.

A Crafter Knits a Clue is an enjoyable book. It is well crafted. The detailing is extraordinary. I wouldn’t call it a twisty mystery, but its a simple one and easily executed. Samantha Kane is a fine character but not a very strong influence. Sammy is shown as a girl next door who is too curious about things happening around her. Sammy sticking to the store in memory of her deceased friend and to continue her legacy is heart-touching. The best thing about this book is the way the author Holly Quinn took me through the streets of Heartsford, Wisconsin. I could visualize the whole small town in my mind while reading this book. The Detective Nash Character is nice but I was hoping for little more bonding between Sammy and Nash in the novel. I felt the incidents between Sammy and Nash were not enough. I like the idea of Community Craft encouraging the local talent and selling the crafts created by them. The Spring Fling is fun to read about. The small community of Heartsford helping each other out during crisis is nicely told. Also, the pros and cons of gossip in small towns is also well explained. The three sisters diving into the investigation to bring peace to their small community is impressive. There is quite a bit of mentioning about guilts of different persons in different circumstances through the story and that is thought provoking.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It is not very intense but easy to read to the eyes and to the mind. I must say again that the detailing is great, from the way a particular character is sitting on the table with a fist supporting her chin, to the character visualizing another character’s explanation, it’s very nice. The perks of reading the book are the crafting guidelines at the end of the book for knitting various types of socks.

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Wow, this is one hell of a sweet book - and I don't mean that as a compliment.

Sammy has returned home to a small town in Wisconsin and is running a community shop which her best friend had set up before dying. Somehow, Sammy ends up popping to a neighbouring shop and discovers the owner has been murdered. This is where we meet Detective Liam Nash. New to the area and of course, he's going to be the love interest for Sammy - but they keep rubbing each other up the wrong way and in the end Sammy and her sister and cousin decide to look into the murder.

The way that Sammy speaks to people who she is supposed to have a long standing history with is bizarre. and when she has a run in with someone, it seems to all calm down within a matter of minutes. Not at all realistic in my opinion.
Descriptions of movements in the book are a little too . . . laboured, I suppose would be the word to describe them and not very well executed.

I managed to read this in one sitting, thankfully. If I had had to return to this book too many times, I don't think I could have coped.
If you are looking for a nice, easy read which isn't going to tax your imagination too much - BINGO but I'm afraid that this just isn't the book for me and I will not be reading anymore in this series.

I will add my review of this book to my blog, instagram and Goodreads closer to the release date.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

In this first of the new Handcrafted Mystery series, Sammy Kane has returned to Heartsford, Wisconsin, after the death of her best friend, and is now running Community Craft, her friend’s craft story/ community center/craft center. Sammy is decorating for the town’s spring celebration, when she finds the body of the yarn store owner with a knitting needle in her chest.

Detective Liam Nash is new to town, freshly transplanted from Minnesota, and begins to investigate the crime. Sammy finds him infuriating…but maybe it’s attraction that is making her blood boil? Regardless, Sammy believes he is moving much to slow when there is a murderer on the loose in her hometown. She, with the help of her two friends and her faithful dog, Bara, she dodges threats and investigates the death.

I was given the opportunity to read this book for NetGalley, and this is a cozy in every sense of the word – the location, the people we meet, all very cozy. However, there is not much beyond that. It’s a little humorous, but not funny. A little interesting, but not exciting. I stuck with it just to find out who the murderer was, but I wasn’t intrigued much beyond that. I was kind of disappointed in this one.

Samantha Kane steps in the the shoes left by her friend Kate, who died tragically young, and keeps the Community Craft store going. This shop/meeting place is essential to Heartsford, a small town in Wisconsin, as it provides a centre where people can earn money through sales of their handmade items, and also meet up to knit and sew together, amongst other activities. A new shop has set up across the road, The Yarn Barn, run by the rather unlikeable Ingrid Wilson. When she’s found dead, stabbed by a knitting needle, Sammy, who’s very inquisitive by nature, can’t resist being drawn into the investigation. It’s almost inevitable, really, since she’s the one who found Ingrid’s body. A suspicious accident rocks the town next. Sammy decides to revive an old sleuthing club, S.H.E., that she, her sister Ellie and their cousin Heidi, used to have. The women enthusiastically team up together and carry on their investigations alongside the ones led by the handsome Detective Liam Nash. Somehow Sammy keeps rubbing him up the wrong way with her impetuosity. He's not the only one. Sam soon finds herself being threatened as she gets closer to solving he crime.
Heartsford is a realistic small town community where everyone knows everyone else, but in an interested way rather than just plain nosey, although that happens too. The Spring Fling is bringing everyone together and provides something of a catalyst to the action. Family connections are strong in this story, not only amongst the amateur investigators, but there’s another family link in the murder itself.
This is one of the best written and most enjoyable cozies I’ve read in a long time. And I read a lot of them! The characters are all so alive and convincing. Sammy is a great heroine. She does neglect her dog a bit, but that tends to be the fate of many animal companions to female sleuths in cozies! She’s lively, flawed (she’s a bit of a germophobe and doesn’t always think before she acts), fascinating and well-intentioned. The characters she rubs shoulders with are all unique and rounded, and great fun to get to know. Our hero is just what we want him to be – good looking, smart, attracted to Sammy (but the two spark off each other a fair bit), and always one step behind her in the investigation but fortunately not too far as she puts herself in a good bit of danger. There are beautiful images, wry humour, heart-stopping tension and a clever plot that’s not too involved but cunning enough to keep us on our toes.
And sock knitting patterns at the end. What more could any cozy-loving knitter want from a book.
It’s the perfect book, and I have a feeling there may be a sequel, judging from the shocking revelation that the accused delivers to Sammy as he’s hauled away. Or at least, I hope there will be…

Please note: I will post my reviews nearer to publication date.

Sammy Kane has returned home to small town Wisconsin with her faithful golden retriever, to take over the craft shop owned by her late friend Kate. Right away the shop, Community Craft, faces a rival for business in Ingrid Wilson, who has just opened the Yarn Barn. When Sammy finds Ingrid dead, local cop Liam Nash suspects everyone, and it’s up to Sammy to help the beleaguered detective track down the real killer. This is a delightful mystery to cozy up with