Yarn to Go (Yarn Retreat Series #1)

I enjoyed the book and will read the next one in the series. I agree with the other reviewers that this a cookie cutter story. Ms. Hechtman took several story elements from her crochet mystery series and duplicated them in this book

Some wordage doesn't make sense making it difficult to read

Cookie cutter story plot of thirtyish woman comes back to take over a relative's business. A murder occurs and she feels compelled to solve it. There is a hint of romance with a policeman. And yes, there is the requisite adopted stray cat. The heroine solves the murder and decides to stay in town and run the business. Can mystery writers please break the mold and create more interesting characters and plots? I cannot read another one of these predictable stories.

I love Betty Hechtman's crochet series. And this new series proves to be every bit as entertaining. Her characters are well developed; and the story line flows seamlessly throughout the book. It's well worth the read. I can't wait for the next one!

Casey has history of not completing what she starts but decides to complete something her aunt started even though she hasn’t a clue on how to run a yarn retreat.  With the help of her friend, Lucinda, and master teacher, Kris, she just may be able to pull it off and close her aunt’s business with no strings left hanging. But then one of the retreat regulars is found dead in her hotel room.  Casey has an inkling the police are missing something. Let’s face it they still have not caught the person who committed the hit and run that killed her aunt, so she doesn’t have much faith in their abilities. She starts to knit the clues together and she plans to unravel all the knots and catch the killer herself if she has to… Set in Monterey, California, Betty Hechtman’s new series is off to a fantastic start. Casey Feldstein is a 35 year old woman whose life has taken several different directions much to her parent’s dismay. The latest turn has taken her to California to her aunt’s guest house. She has a job doing what she loves baking desserts for a local restaurant and baking muffins for several other businesses. Then her aunt is killed and she is left handling the details of her estate. I fell for this character very quickly along with all the supporting characters. Lucinda is the perfect sidekick, her husband Tag is ultra obsessive compulsive and it drives Lucinda crazy but she loves him. Casey’s old boyfriend arrives on the scene with her parents in hopes are getting her to settle down and do something they approve of. Dane, the neighbor, who is also on the police force, adds to the romantic tension and the humor in the story. The mystery is extremely well presented and woven through the entire story with ease. There really are three deaths and they may or may not be connected. It was really very interesting to follow all the clues and put everything together. Hechtman is also the author of The Crochet Mysteries that feature Molly Pink, and an avid crafter so she knows what she is doing in the cozy mystery department. She has not only given us a wonderful story to kick off this series but has laid the groundwork for many more installments. If you are not familiar with her work you can start with this one and then you can get started on her other series. The eighth book in that series, FOR BETTER OR WORSTED,comes out in November.

I love the yarn retreat series. I enjoy the fact that the main character is learning about the different yarn crafts and is not so put together. I look forward to the next book.