Lovely novels with great mysteries. Another great addition to the series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

#Knot Dead Again#

Everything goes wrong that can go wrong when Casey, at odds with her fiance, who's interested in his high school sweetheart, who has recently returned to town. Casey takes a part-time job teaching a yarn class at a local hotel, Cadbury-By-The-Sea, on the Monterey peninsula. A deluge of a rainstorm hits the area flooding the town. Cars afloat block access to the hotel, trapping disgruntled guests and staff. Tempers flare. Food runs short. Two murders occur. The police can't get to the crime scenes and Casey with help moves the bodies to a cooler room until the authorities can access the murder scenes. Is there one killer or two? A can't-put-it-down story.
I received this book from #NetGalley# and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 10 in the Yarn Retreat series. Casey once again shows her PI skills by solving another murder. When the perennially cloudy skies of Cadbury unleash a torrential downpour, yarn retreat host Casey Feldstein watches in dismay as the streets surrounding Vista Del Mar become flooded and she and her retreat guests are trapped there. But the storm is the least of their worries when a man is found dead in his room, and the guests begin to speculate that he may have been murdered. With the police unable to reach them, Casey is forced to fill their soggy shoes and investigate.

She’s quick to discover evidence pointing to foul play, but with the guests growing restless and suspicious, it’s everything Casey and the staff can do to keep them fed, distracted—and safe. Then another body is found, and as the weather finally begins to clear, Casey realizes she has to act fast before the killer makes a clean getaway. Because the culprit has tampered with the evidence and is tying up loose ends, and Casey fears she may be left high and dry—or drenched and dead . . .

Casey’s yarn retreat started badly with a storm and life-threatening flooding which had them marooned in Vista Del Mar. Things took a turn for the worse when a guest and his wife were murdered. With them being cut off from the rest of the community, it was up to Casey to figure it all out. Her love life was heading for a crash-and-burn territory and she was lost as to what to do, but first, she had a hard lesson, to learn, about jumping to conclusions. This was entertaining, very captivating, and engaging.

Book Review: Knot Dead Again by Betty Hechtman

Rating: 3 Stars

I recently finished reading Knot Dead Again by Betty Hechtman, and it was quite the ride! This cozy mystery had everything I enjoy: a charming setting, engaging characters, and a plot that kept me guessing. However, it also had some elements that dampened the experience just a bit.

Let me start with the premise. The story unfolds as Casey Feldstein, our yarn retreat host, finds herself and her guests trapped at Vista Del Mar due to a torrential downpour—definitely not ideal for a relaxing getaway! Just when you think the weather is the worst of their problems, a guest turns up dead in his room, prompting speculation about foul play. With police unable to reach them due to the storm, Casey takes it upon herself to investigate the mystery and keep her guests safe. As more bodies turn up and tensions rise, Casey finds herself racing against time to solve the case before the killer slips away.

Now, onto what I thought about the book. First off, can we take a moment to appreciate the cover? It’s perfection! I was already intrigued to dive into the story just by looking at it. In terms of plot, I loved how well-structured the mystery was. The pacing kept me engaged, and I found the setting of Cadbury to be delightful. The characters were mostly likable too, which made me root for Casey as she navigated this stormy situation—both literally and figuratively.

However, I did take off a star for one significant reason: the relationship drama. There was way too much focus on Casey's romantic entanglements—especially with Dane. It felt repetitive and, honestly, a bit frustrating at times. I mean, c’mon! A simple five-minute conversation could have cleared up so much tension. When I pick up a cozy mystery, I’m really in it for the mystery itself rather than a heavy dose of relationship angst.

That said, I'm hopeful about the next installment in the series. It looks like things may take a better turn (fingers crossed!). Overall, Knot Dead Again was enjoyable despite its flaws, and I’m still on board to see where Casey’s adventures take her next. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries without too much romantic drama, you might want to tread lightly on this one—but it’s definitely worth a read if you’re looking for an engaging whodunit with some knitting twists!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I think this may have been my favorite in the yarn retreat series. If you've been following the series, you know that she's been scared to commit to her police officer boyfriend. In this installment, without wanting to give away too much, she goes to tell him how she really feels and it doesn't go as she anticipates. I have to say, I loved the obnoxious guy from the hotel not being in this one much. Worth picking up!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

In book 10 of A Yarn Retreat mystery series we return to Vista Del Mar. Casey is hosting another yarn retreat, but before everyone can arrive, Vista Del Mar is surrounded by flood waters after torrential rainfall. They are not able to receive the food deliveries they were expecting so they have to be creative when it comes to meals. There are a couple of other retreats scheduled for the same weekend. One of the other retreat directors is found dead from heart issues, but as the weekend goes on, Casey and her friends begin to suspect foul play. The police can't get to the resort because of the floods so it is up to Casey and her friends to keep everyone happy and safe while preserving any evidence they can. When a second death occurs and the weather begins to clear up, Casey realizes that she needs to figure out who the killer is before the roads clear and the killer gets away. Can she discover the killer and keep everyone else including herself safe. I really enjoy Betty Hechtman's writing. Her stories are engaging and fun to read. I like getting to know the characters. I can't wait to read more to find out what happens next.

I love this author! I liked her other series better, but this one is good, too. I like the characters and setting. I did figure this one out before the end, but it didn't take away from the story.

When everyone gathers for a retreat by the ocean for different events the rain ends up putting a damper on things. The rain washes out the road knocking down trees so everyone is stuck where they are. One guest ends up dead they think the wife switched pils and cause his death. They all have to pool together to make meals with what little food is in the pantry until the roads open up to get more delivered and the sheriff can get out to investigate the murder. While they try to keep everyone entertained the wife of the dead man is also found dead in her bed which appears to have been suffocation but who had motive to do it. This was a very enjoyable who donnit I would recommend to everyone.

This was a great latest installment in the Yarn Retreat series. It was an enjoyable read that I was glad to see the same characters again. This time they are stuck at their retreat and have to solve the murder. I was kept guessing until the end.

This story was mostly about food prep and very little about a murder mystery.

Knot Dead Again is the first in the Yarn Retreat series for me. The first few chapters, where all the series regulars seem to be introduced, were a bit overwhelming because of that. At the same time I had the feeling I was missing out on something. This had mainly to do with the relationship between Casey and Dane.

But as soon as Casey, and the story, arrived at Vista Del Mar, the feeling of being left out subsided. From here the book can be read as a stand alone. There is a very slow run up to the (first) death, which Casey spends for a large amount sitting in the lobby watching all the key players/guests arrive.

The story continues to be slow moving after one of the guest, the host of another retreat scheduled the same weekend, is found dead in his bed. It seems he died of natural causes in his sleep, though Casey treats the room as a crime scene. Even calls it a crime scene and calls the police to report the death rather than a physician. Not that either can reach the hotel due to the storm and fallen trees.

The other guests are all unpleasant people. When Casey and Cloris, the interim hotel manager, finally decide to tell the other guests a guest has passed away - they didn’t tell before because they didn’t want them to get upset - the guests respond with “a barrage of questions about the cause”. There are pleasant and unpleasant ways to inform about a cause of death. This sounded like an unpleasant way. There was no mention that any one of them expressed condolences to the widow, who was sitting only a few feet away from the rest of the group.

It seems the widow was not consulted about when and what information to share with the group. No points for Casey and Cloris on empathy either.

Or on smarts for that matter. Having decided that the death was suspicious after all, Casey comes up with one suspect: the wife. She would have the best opportunity to use the means. Casey conveniently ignores that the wife also has the best opportunity to remove the means from the room of the victim before warning anyone about her husband’s death. Unless she forgot, she would have no reason to go back and remove the means at a later time.

Aside from my dislike of citing “the wife is the first suspect”, considering only one suspect makes for a rather boring murder mystery. Actually, almost 70% into the book, it becomes rather aggravating that Casey and friends are still looking at only one suspect. The victim was going to host a retreat; his wife was not the only person present that knew he was was going to be there. At least two other people knew too, and there were at least two people present that disliked him. How hard is it to keep an open mind (Casey’s words) that is actually open to alternative scenarios?

Props for the author for showing what tunnel vision looks like. It’s not until 87% into the story that Casey considers that someone wanted to frame the wife for the murder of her husband.

The plot of the book sounded like it could have a great mystery: a group of people is cut off from the outside world, then one of them dies. It could have been a real tension grabber. In stead it got bogged down in meal prep and thinking of activities to keep a group of adults busy. And no one thought of the activity ‘see if we can get the road cleared ourselves so we can get out of here’. Bunch of wet blankets.

This was an enjoyable read. It was fast paced. had a great plot, likeable characters, and plenty of interesting suspects. I read this in one sitting because I couldnt sleep until I knew whodunit! I thought I had it figured out, but nope, the murderer was a complete surprise to me. Well done!

Knot again is Betty Hechtman’s newest crotchet mystery in the series. This mystery murder takes place at one of her retreats alongside another retreat going on at the Lodge. The rains start the night before the retreat begins and the lodge becomes and island and no one can leave or enter for the whole time of the retreat. The staff on hand have to cook, clean and run the retreat with the supplies on hand. Casey, Lucinda, Sammy are on the case to help solve two murders before the rain stops and the roads are open. Casey’s love interest is on the line if she doesn’t tell him how she really feels about him and her career. This is a fun and cozy mystery which will keep you guessing right until the end. Bravo Betty👏📚🙋‍♀️🙏❤️🇨🇦

Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Knot Dead Again is the tenth book in the Yarn Retreat Mystery series, and my introduction to both the series and Betty Hechtman's books. As a person who enjoys knitting, embroidery and other types of needlework, I wondered how I could have missed this series. The setting of the yarn retreat was very appealing and the mystery caught my interest. The storyline was good and kept me reading. The characters also contribute to the reader's interest. Knot Dead Again has grabbed my attention and makes me want to read more books by the author.

🧶ARC Review🧶

I recently finished reading Knot Dead Again, by Betty Hechtman, and it had me hooked (see what I did there?).


When the perennially cloudy skies of Cadbury unleash a torrential downpour, yarn retreat host Casey Feldstein watches in dismay as the streets surrounding Vista Del Mar become flooded and she and her retreat guests are trapped there. But the storm is the least of their worries when a man is found dead in his room, and the guests begin to speculate that he may have been murdered. With the police unable to reach them, Casey is forced to fill their soggy shoes and investigate.
 
She’s quick to discover evidence pointing to foul play, but with the guests growing restless and suspicious, it’s everything Casey and the staff can do to keep them fed, distracted—and safe. Then another body is found, and as the weather finally begins to clear, Casey realizes she has to act fast before the killer makes a clean getaway. Because the culprit has tampered with the evidence and is tying up loose ends, and Casey fears she may be left high and dry—or drenched and dead . . .

There was so much going on, in a good way. Guests at a hotel were stranded while a killer was on the loose. The mystery was captivating and I caught myself thinking about the book while I went about my day. The only downsides are that there were a couple plot holes, and proofreading was still needed.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I also realized that I have some books by this author in my TBR, which I'll read soon.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries about yarn crafters, friendship, and a gluttonous cat, check out #KnotDeadAgain. It was just released on May 14!

#NetGalley #CozyMystery #Readers #Bookstagram

I'm an avid reader of cozy mysteries, it's actually part of my "niche." It's honestly hard to find a cozy mystery trope or twist I haven't seen, but even so, I still enjoy them. While this book seemed to fit the formula for cozy mysteries, I did find it to be an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and the way the plot moved along. The conclusion didn't feel rushed or abrupt like many books like this tend to do, so I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to more books by this author, and I plan to add a physical copy to my shelf.

I just love books about yarn whether it be crochet or knitting. A yarn retreat book series was all it took for me to want to read this. This is a new author to me, but I enjoyed this book greatly. I will be checking out her other books.

Casey is a great character. She's sweet, funny, and has the propensity to want to run from conflict. I related to her a lot because I used to be that way myself. She finds herself in an awkward position with the guy that she has been dating in the beginning and then decides she's going to let him have what he thinks he wants and leave town; even though she had only been there a short time. Well, little does she know that that is not going to happen. She and her yarn retreat pals are all stuck at the local motel and things just continue to go wrong.

I believe that sometimes in life, when we're about to make the wrong decision then sometimes things happen to help us rethink our decisions. Casey's situation is no different. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong but she rallies time and time again for her friends. Like I said, she's a great character.

Throughout all of the disasters and romantic entanglements, she comes to realize some things need to change and it really helps her out in the end of the book. The crazy clues and red herrings really livened up this mystery as with all of the disasters that kept happening also helped keep you distracted from who you really believed the killer is.

A delightful cozy with plenty of punch to it. I will be reading these books and the author's others for a good long time to come.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Betty Hechtman for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are honest and are completely mine alone.

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I got this book from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review.

Our sleuth is in the doldrums. She saw her paramour in the arms of another woman, but she still has to run a yarn retreat. Her friend, a sheltered woman who co-owns the hotel, is hoping to reconnect with her writer sort of boyfriend. There are two other retreats, one for dieting, and one for psychological sessions at the hotel at the same time.

A rain storm hits, the hotel is cut off from civilization, and there is no wi-fi or cell service. The psychologist is offed. This is the first surprise, as I thought he'd be the culprit.

From there, it's a bunch of people dealing with boredom, fear, and an irascible malcontent who just bothers everybody.

Not as chilling as Agatha Christie, but a nice cozy mystery, with some real red herrings.

When storms break loose and flood, the resort, everyone is stuck on the grounds. When a guest is murdered, Casey and the other do their best to keep everyone calm right a sense of security.

No access to anyone outside the resort, including the Police, everyone is truly stranded When a second guest turns up dead, Casey knows that she needs to put on her detecting hat and figure out who among them is a murderer. Casey isn’t about the killer walk free if she can do anything about it.

This is a great series and I read every single book as it comes out. With a smart and relatable protagonist, a cute and spoiled, rescue cat, there’s something in here for everyone in addition to a solid mission and each each and every entry.