December 15, 2021
When a college professor is poisoned at a conference, the unofficial sleuths of Arborville, New Jersey, spring into action. Unlike Pamela Paterson, who's been instrumental in arranging a knitting bee at Wendelstaff College's conference on fiber arts and crafts, Dr. Robert Greer-Gordon Critter is anything but a beloved figure. His former wife calls him out at a banquet for stealing her ideas, and Pamela overhears him dumping an unseen woman, just one of many he's seduced. After he shows up at Sufficiency House, where the knitters are toiling away, he flirts with the women, drinks some coffee, has a sudden attack, and dies. Although the police are never happy to have their help, Pamela and her reporter bestie, Bettina, are old hands at crime-solving and promptly begin a behind-the-scenes investigation. As they work their way through sumptuous dinners cooked by Bettina's husband and delectable desserts at the Knit & Nibble meetings, they pick up plenty of gossip about the pompous, unpopular Critter and discover any number of people who might have rejoiced in his death. Pamela's boss at Fiber Craft is dismayed that she was involved in the incident, which has naturally gone viral, and the bad publicity could jeopardize her job. Another murder that may or may not be connected turns up the heat on Pamela and Bettina to solve the crime. Though the suspects are upstaged by descriptions of meals and clothes, this is one of the best in the series.
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February 15, 2022
Pamela Paterson, an associate editor at Fiber Craft magazine, is sleuthing again, despite the pleas of her daughter not to get involved with more murders. The magazine, along with a local college, is sponsoring a fiber-arts weekend, featuring Dr. Robert Critter as keynote speaker, much to the ire of his very vocal ex-wife, who feels he's stolen her research. When Dr. Critter is poisoned while having a cup of coffee at a knitting bee after his speech, it almost seems part of Pamela's job description to solve the crime. She is ably assisted by her friend and neighbor, Bettina, who, as a local newspaper reporter, knows how to ask the right questions. This eighth Knit and Nibble mystery offers a brisk read featuring soft yarn, several plausible suspects, and delicious food (lots of food). Ehrhart also also weaves a new romance into the mix. A sample Knit (hat pattern) and Nibble (plum turnovers) is included.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.