A Crafter Hooks a Killer: A Handcrafted Mystery

Quinn’s nicely rendered sequel to 2018’s A Crafter Knits a Clue, finds Samantha “Sammy” Kane, who inherited her late friend Kate Allen’s handcrafting store, Community Crafts, in Heartsford, Wis., preparing to host a book signing for bestselling author Jane Johnson. When Jane wants to share some information she has uncovered about Kate’s supposedly accidental death, Sammy suggests that they meet on a quiet river walk, where they can speak privately, but when she reaches the rendezvous, Sammy discovers Jane strangled, clutching a copy of her own book with the words the end scrawled across the open pages. Determined to discover whether Jane’s death has any connection to Kate’s, Sammy enlists the help of S.H.E., the detective agency she formed years before with her sister, Ellie, and cousin Heidi. After a draggy beginning, the plot picks up, helped along by the strong cast, especially Sammy, who displays a depth of feeling that’s too often lacking in cozy heroines. A pattern for a lap blanket rounds out a volume sure to satisfy aficionados of crafting cozies. Agent: Sandy Harding, Spencerhill Assoc. (June)