Knit or Dye Trying by Allie Pleiter is the second A Riverbank Knitting Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but you would be missing out on the engaging first book, On Skein of Death. I thought Knit or Dye Trying was well-written with relatable characters. I am enjoying getting to know Libby Beckett who owns Y.A.R.N. in Collinstown, Maryland. She is a strong protagonist who is creative, friendly, and hard working. You can tell that Libby loves yarn in all its varied forms. She wants to share her craft with others. The mayor, Gavin Maddock and his daughter, Jillian are two other great characters along with Libby’s very busy mother. I like how Libby has taken Jillian under her wing. Jillian is a smart, savvy young lady who is making a name for herself in the field of knitting with her YouTube videos. The mayor has dreamed up See More than Sea Food Festival to get tourists to the town and see that they have more than crab cakes to offer. Libby is bringing in the prickly fiber artist, Julie Wilson to showcase plant fibers. Julie will conduct a dying demonstration so people can see how she gets her vibrant colors (which is hard to do with plant fibers). Unfortunately, Julie’s sister, Monica is also in town for the festival and to say the sisters do not get along is an understatement. The weekend starts out with a bang, or should I say “Baa” when local sheep farmers stage a demonstration against Julie who posted an inflammatory YouTube video. That evening, Libby is enjoying dinner with Gavin when a fire breaks out in the restaurant. The evidence points to Julie as the culprit. Libby goes with Frank Reynolds, the chief of police, to the warehouse where Julie is prepping for the demonstration. The find the warehouse filled with toxic fumes with Julie dead on the floor. Are the sheep farmers behind this deadly attack? Libby works to untangle the clues and stitch them back together so she can catch the killer. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of life in Collinstown. It is a charming Maryland tourist town with friendly residents, quaint shops, and amazing restaurants. Of course, gossip flows faster than maple syrup on hot pancakes. The whodunit was unique. I like how the murder was committed. It was different and highlights how dangerous dying chemicals can be. I wish the solution has been a surprise. There are a limited number of suspects. The author does a good job at building tension. There was also competition and contention. The reveal answers any lingering questions regarding the murder. The complete details are distressing. The chamber of commerce election is at the end of the book. I love the posters that Arlene created for Libby. They were amusing. I loved the descriptions of Julie’s hand dyed fibers. They sounded amazing (I wanted them). I wish Y.A.R.N. was in my town. I could imagine spending many delightful hours there picking out yarn, knitting, and chatting. Y.A.R.N. sounds like it is truly a feast for the eyes. I enjoyed my latest visit to Collinstown, and I cannot wait to return in the next A Riverbank Knitting Mystery. Knit or Dye Trying is a delightful cozy mystery with a food festival, a sheep protest, squabbling siblings, venomous vapors, a dead dyer, suspicious crooks, a fiber feast, and an emerging influencer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

As a clever marketing ploy, the village of Collinstown pulls out all the stops for the 1st See More Than Sea Food Festival. Not owning an eatery Y.A.R.N. owner Libby Beckett came up with her own twist, a Wield More Than Wool weekend. She invites Julie Wilson, an outspoken advocate for plant-based knitting fibers to speak at her event and do some demonstrations of her unique yarn dyeing methods. But everyone does not welcome the outspoken advocate with open arms. Local farmers organize a protest march complete with real live sheep baaing their way down the street. Also in attendance for the festival is Julie’s celebrity chef sister and there appears to be no love lost between them. Excited that her workshop is sold out Julie is not going to let her sister’s presence ruin her weekend and Libby is delighted. This could really be a stellar event for Y.A.R.N.

The night before the event Julie has everything she needs at the warehouse where her event will take place and gets to work dyeing the special fibers exclusive for the weekend. But when Libby goes to check on her the door is barred and the ventilation fans are off. Sadly, help arrives too late for Julie and Libby has a murder on her hands. Can she knit the clues together to catch Julie’s killer or will she get tangled up in the skein of their crime?

Having met many of these characters in the first book I was excited to dive right into Knit or Dye Trying. Libby Beckett is such a great protagonist. She is creative, hard-working, and truly loves her craft and sharing it with others. Her weekend would have been fantastic had it been able to take place. I am in awe of the 13-year-old Jillian’s talents. Libby just taught her to knit in the last book and she is excelling at a fantastic pace. Readers get a more in-depth look at all of Libby’s friendships including her relationship with the village Mayor Gavin. All come across as true to real life, especially in a small town like Collinstown. Libby’s bulldog and Y.A.R.N. mascot Hank continues to steal my heart too.

The author does portray small-town life very well. I was happy to see one character get taken to task. The sheep protest parade is something I could see happening. Animal rights vs. a farmer’s livelihood would be a hot-button issue. No sheep were injured by the spray paint and what would be more surprising than a flock of sheep just passing through town. Funny while getting the point across.

The mystery caught my attention from the start. Family tensions between Julie, her chef sister Monica, and Yale her brother-in-law really drive the story. Their competition and contention with each other has been building for a while but could it lead to murder? Or were the farmers so upset one of them went a step too far in the angst? The author does an excellent job twisting up motivations and opportunities. The method of death was scary and unique but not totally unexpected after reading Julie’s requirements a few times I knew they were key. The way the story played out though was surprising and heartbreaking.

I love reading crafty stories like this one. Before my accident 20+ years ago I enjoyed doing so many crafts including knitting and crochet. A place like Y.A.R.N. would have been a place where I would have spent many hours. All the new fibers in their vivid colors would have had me under their spell. Y.A.R.N. “You’re Absolutely Ready Now” is the meaning Libby started with when opening her store. Many of her customers have added their own ideas using those letters. For me, it means “You’re A Reader Now” because while I can no longer do the crafts I love but I can enjoy books about people who can, and when it’s a cozy mystery I can be an armchair amateur sleuth too.

Ms. Pleiter has knit together a fantastic group of genuine characters with a very well-plotted mystery in Knit or Dye Trying. She adds just the right amount of humor and romantic tension to keep cozy lovers blissfully happy.

I fell in love with the first Riverbank Knitting cozy, On Skein of Death, but I have to admit that this second book, Knit or Dye Trying suffers from a bit of a sophomore slump. I enjoyed what I learned about plant-based knitting fibers, but the amount of knitting featured was dialed way back compared to the first book. As obnoxious as Julie Wilson was, I have to admit that I wish we could have seen her at work before she shuffled off this mortal coil.

It seems as though too much of my reading lately has involved toxic families of some size or shape, and one features prominently here. I'm afraid I've reached my saturation point with them, and that had an impact on my opinion of the book. I'm also worried about something. Two out of two books in this series have dealt with the guest of honor at one of Libby's events being murdered. Pleiter needs to have something different happen in book three, or readers will begin thinking that Y.A.R.N. is really located in Cabot Cove.

I did enjoy the character development here. I like the fact that Libby is standing firm and insisting on some boundaries between her and her mother. It's realistic-- sometimes this is something that must be done to preserve a person's sanity. And I also really enjoy teenage Jillian, the girl Libby taught to knit in On Skein of Death. Jillian represents the future of knitting, and she shows how such a venerable craft can be kept thoroughly up-to-date through social media. If Jillian were a real person, I think I'd subscribe to her Youtube channel.

I may have had concerns with Knit or Dye Trying, but I'm still looking forward to the next book to see if any of those things are addressed. I hope they are because I can still feel the glow from reading the first book in the series. This is one that I want to have last for a good long time.

This is the perfect spring cozy read. Thank you to Berkeley Publishing, Netgalley and the author for the opportunity., This is a charming well crafted series with endearing characters and fun knitting theme. This is the second in series. I highly recommend this series for cozy readers.

Libby is a fun protagnist who owns a new shop called Y.A.R.N that is very popular with the Collinstown town. She is planning a special guest speaker who uses organic plant based fibers and is a vegan expert for the Seafood festival. The speaker is a vegan advocate and very outspoken. The local farmers do not like her . When she spearheads a parade of protest sheep down the main street many are angry with her and she is found dead. The descriptions of the sheep protest are done so well with humor and fun to read about. Libby is investigating this death but with many red herrings and suspects abound she is questioning if she will be able to solve this murder.

I love this series for the knitting theme, the charcters that all add to the story and Libby as a savvy smart protagnist. The sleuth kept me guessing to conclusion. I enjoyed this next in series and look forward to the third in series.

Knit or Dye Trying is the second release in Allie Pleiter's Riverbank Knitting Mystery series, and it's one that I wholeheartedly ended up enjoying. I've read a lot of cozy mystery series over the years, but this is the first one I've ever personally read that has a yarn shop as the focal point, and I loved how that made the story stand out as something different. I had enjoyed the characters, the town, and the shop that were all introduced in the first book, and I loved how each is more developed and matured in this particular title.

When Libby Beckett hears about the town's newest festival centered around sharing a love for food other than seafood, she's determined to find a way to have her beloved Y.A.R.N shop play a part. Her ingenuity results in inviting an entrepreneur from the knitting world who is making a name for herself dyeing plant based yarns through a secret process that no one else knows. However, things go wrong right from the start. Julie is a lot more to deal with than Libby was expecting, and soon she's caught up in familial tensions, sheep protests, and "accidental" kitchen fires. However, everything changes drastically when Julie is killed during one of her yarn dyeing processes, and evidence points at the fact that it was no accident. Soon Libby once again finds herself (and her beloved shop) caught up in a murder investigation, and she'll stop at nothing to see justice served.

From start to finish, Knit or Dye Trying was a well developed mystery that held my attention, and kept me guessing right until the end. I loved how more of the relationships are highlighted throughout the story, and it was interesting to read about the varying changing dynamics between Libby, Gavin, Jillian and Rhonda. I loved getting to see more of Libby's friendships with both Margo and Caroline, and I'm happy that someone finally decided to take on "King George," to hopefully knock him down a peg or two. In the first title in this series, I found the mystery was a tad too predictable, and I had actually picked out the culprit pretty early on. That wasn't the case with this one, and the ending and reveal actually left me completely surprised, and also saddened at the level of hurt that led to such a tragic circumstance.

If you're a fan of cleanish cozy mysteries, then Knit or Dye Trying is definitely a book you want to take a chance on. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series in the future, and I'll definitely be recommending this one!

Final Rating: 4/5.



Thanks so much to Berkely Publishing and Allie Pleiter for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Berkley) and the author via NetGalley as part of the author's review team in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fantastic sequel! I loved the first book, and I adored this one just as much.

This story really came to life. Collinstown was a charming setting full of colorful characters and fun shops. There was a real authenticity to the characters and I couldn't help but root for them. The mystery was good and took some surprising turns that I didn't see coming.

Like I said with the first book, you don't have to be a knitter to enjoy this series. I'm not and this is quickly turning into one of my favorite cozy series. Although, I do have to say that it is giving me the knitting bug. I might have to try it one of these days.

I highly recommend this series! Anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries is sure to love it!

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Protest sheep? How can you not love a mystery that starts out with a parade of protest sheep. Yes, sheep. Although Libby Beckett knew animal-friendly Julie Wilson courted controversy while pushing plant-based knitting fibers and dyes, she never expected inviting noted yarn dyer Julie to do a presentation during Collinstown's festival would lead to a parade of sheep and their shepherds. Nor did she expect a murder.

Shepherd crooks were found at the scene of the murder. Libby's shop is vandalized. Her mother decides she is moving in with Libby, never mind Libby keeps saying no. There's a fire in the restaurant where the murder victim's sister Monica is showcasing a meal. What was going on between the sisters? What did Julie tell Monica prior to the murder? Where did Julie's complicated dying recipes/directions disappear? Is Yale really as obnoxious as he seems? It's nice to see the respect she gets from the town's police but will Libby press on questioning one too many people? What is up with her relationship with Gavin, who is town mayor? what surprise awaits Caroline when she accompanies Libby to question someone who may have supplied the crafted crooks? will "King George" or Libby be victorious in the campaign for Chamber President? Are chamber meetings dangerous? Will Libby's talent for being in the wrong place, or maybe right place at the right/wrong time get her in trouble? How does all this tie together? Not telling. You'll have to read the book.

If you like intriguing mysteries with likeable characters, small town gossip , and a hint of romance, you'll enjoy this book. I have to admit, too, that I had no clue whodunit until the big reveal. You don't even have to knit. I don't but enjoyed learning a bit about the process of how they get the different colors used in the yarns, not to mention how dangerous the whole process can be if done incorrectly. Finally, it was fun to see all the various interpretations of Libby's shop's name, Y.A.R.N.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BerkleyPublishingGroup - #Berkley for inviting me to Colinstown's festival to meet Libby and her friends. The sheep protest was a hoot.

Libby’s newly open yarn shop appropriately named Y.A.R.N., is gearing up for the first ever See More Than Sea Food Festival. The tiny town of Collinstown, Maryland is all dressed up to attract more tourists to their quaint little town. Libby is excited to feature Julie Wilson as her special guest. Julie creates beautiful vegan yarns that no other dyer has ever been able to duplicate. The gorgeous colors she makes with a secret recipe only known to her.

Julie arrives in a flurry of controversy she created, smugly superior and demanding of everyone around her. She is outspoken about sheep and shepherds, not in a kind way, and her podcasts have fueled the fury of the local shepherds. Unfortunately, just as she arrives, the street in front of the yarn shop is filled with angry shepherds and sheep with protest signs painted on their sides. Libby and Gavin, the town mayor, are appalled and try to stop the protest and remove the sheep so the festival can begin. It isn’t going to be easy with Julie fueling the flames of controversy.

The guest chef for the festival just happens to be Julie’s sister and the videographer is her brother-in-law. Monica and Yale Wagner have a contentious relationship with Julie as well. Monica is a celebrated chef, creating magic in the kitchen and Yale has a camera crew recording everything that happens – good and bad. Namely a fire in the kitchen where his wife is cooking and a fatal incent involving Julie and a shepherd’s hook. Everyone, including Libby and Gavin are horrified over the turn of events. Who is the killer? Is it someone local?

The characters and setting are perfect for the story. There is a bit of tension between Libby and her mother as well as a power struggle with the police chief and almost everyone else in town. Libby and Gavin make a cute couple but not without their challenges. I enjoyed the description of the yarn shop and the activities within. I love to knit and read so this book is perfect for me. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes cozy mysteries and/or knits.

This is the second book in the Riverbank Knitting Mystery Series. It is the first book I have read by author Allie Pleiter. It reads well as a standalone cozy mystery. Pleiter is the prolific author of more than 50 books, selling over 1.5 million fiction and non-fiction books around the world.

Also an avid knitter, Ms.Pleiter knows and understands knitting and knitters bringing that knowledge to this series for all to enjoy.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from the Author and Netgalley and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright © 2022 Laura Hartman

I love cozy mysteries, there is just something about a smart woman who unknowingly is in the wrong place at the wrong time that makes me happy. I always know I will be surprised when the murderer is revealed, but it is this element of surprise that is comforting. Cozy mysteries also revolve a lot around food and Knit or Dye Trying is no exception. I love how knitting and baked goods are a focus of the story. I was drawn to this title as I am I knitter.

Allie Pleiter has built up a world of loveable characters who are genuine in their affections to one another and to their small town. I love how the police captain works with Libby instead of telling her to “stay out of it” as is the case in so many other cozy mysteries. There is a hint of second chance romance as Libby has moved back to town and there is still a spark when she is with her old boyfriend, who happens to be the mayor.

Knit or Dye Trying is the second book in the Riverbank Knitting Mystery series by Allie Pleiter. This book builds on the relationships introduced in the first book. It may be read as a standalone. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.



Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this eArc.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I saw this one on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it when the blurb mentioned a parade of protest sheep and what a great idea! I should get some protest sheep so I can spread my message that Cozy Mysteries need their own classification separate from Suspense/Thriller/Mystery and yes, this is a hill I will dye on (heh!) supported by my protest sheep. This book also fit into my Spring Fever theme read for a spring themed craft cozy.

In this one, Collinstown is welcoming spring with a See More Than Seafood festival and Libby has lined up Julie Wilson, a vegan fiber expert who achieves amazing colors for her plant based yarns, to be a speaker and to demonstrate her dyes and techniques. Julie is known to be an outspoken advocate for veganism and has managed to annoy/anger/provoke others, especially farmers, with her outspoken anti-animal product views. Trouble quickly ensues with a parade of protest sheep down the main street in town, confrontations and finally, with Julie found dead. With so many suspects with motive for murder, Libby takes up the reins to flush out a killer.

I’ve haven’t read any of the other books in this series, so I can safely say it can be read as a standalone or an entry into the series. I always love finding a new world to dive into and Collinstown sounds like a charming getaway (I’m not going to lie, I’d be lined up in front of Margo’s shop waiting impatiently for goodies) with lots of great little shops and restaurants to wander through. Sign me up! I loved the characters, Libby is the kind of woman everyone would love to have for a friend and her close knit group of friends and shopkeepers made for a friendly, cozy read. I have to admit, I guessed most of the who in the whodunit but I stuck around for the big reveal to fill in the rest of the blanks. What a tragic story, I felt the same way Libby did when the whole story came out. Just senseless.

Overall, this was very enjoyable and I will definitely be picking up the other books in the series.

I read and enjoy lots of light cozy mysteries involving food and/or textile arts. This is one of my favorite series, and I'm already looking forward to book #3. Although it's still a cozy and is light and totally ungritty and unrealistic (natch), there's a depth in the Riverbank Knitting series that I really connect to. The depth is there in both the knitting part of the story and the character part of the story. In book 1, I loved learning a bit about Norwegian knitting, and this book has piqued my interest in the process of dyeing yarns. It's never in a preachy way--only in the way that the knitting topic is absolutely essential to the plot and the mystery!

Also, I like Libby--I'd love a friend like her. Her struggles with her mom, her emotions, her business...they ring true to me.

In this story, emotions run high over animal rights, family boundaries, and community vision, and the resolution of the story is both satisfying and disheartening.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Knit or Dye Trying by Allie Pleiter is the second book in her Riverbank Knitting Mystery series. This is a very intriguing whodunit. The murder was nasty, quite different from the usual types of murder in cozy mysteries. Libby Beckett, owner of the yarn shop featured in this series did a great job ferreting out clues. Police Chief Frank Reynolds appreciated Libby's contribution to solving the case and I liked that aspect of the storyline. I really liked the characters too. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I love cozy mysteries, and I've read and enjoyed many of Pleiter's in the past, and this was no exception. This book is part of the Riverbank Knitting Mystery Series. There's a fun cast of characters, and I really enjoyed Rhonda, Libby's mom, and I hope to see her in future books. It was fun to sleuth out the mystery with the characters. While I guessed a few things, there were some unexpected twists that kept the final reveal a mystery.

I was absolutely excited to be approved by Berkeley Publishing Group to read and advanced copy of this book.
Allie Pleiter is a new to me author and this is the second book in her series. I purchased the first book before I was halfway through with this one.
Libby is an interesting character who owns a shop called Y.A.R.N., which to her means You're Absolutely Ready Now. I had a blast coming up with my own meanings while reading Knit or Dye Trying.
Libby has planned to have a guest speaker during the fall festival, someone who creates her own dyes, and uses organic, plant based materials instead of traditional fibers.
Unfortunately, her guest is also very vocal about her craft, and she doesn't always get good reactions from people.
When her guest is found dead, it appears that maybe foul play is involved and Libby is determined to find out the truth.

I enjoyed the storyline and the cast of characters, especially Libby's mom, Rhonda.
I was surprised at the reveal, I only had a few pieces of the mystery put together.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series and will recommend it to my friends.
#KnitorDyeTrying #NetGalley