Death of a Knit Wit (A Knit & Nibble Mystery)

I have been reading this series from the beginning. Overall, the series has some good additions and some not so good. Death of a Knit Wit is both good and bad. Pamala is a delightful character, but the constant descriptions of her everyday routines, her eating, and the nibble in the series can be overwhelming at times, and her shopping habits destroy the story almost every time. I lose the plot and the suspects easily in between discussions of what plate is being used to serve lunch. That aside, I can live with but not happily.

The returning characters are always fun to read about. I enjoy Bettina even though she can be a bit much, and if she were my neighbor and friend, I would find myself locking my doors, closing my shutters, and hiding in my house most of the time just to keep her out of my business. I adore the Knit and Nibble group. These characters are so varied in type that they make perfect sense and are relatable. I do not however like Pamala’s daughter, who I feel treats her mother as a child. I also do not like that Pamala acts as if she is in her 70s or 80s; she isn’t so old that she can’t have a life and an interest in men.

This time the murder does not center around Pamala or the knit and knibble group. A professor doing a speaking engagement turns out to be a first-class heal, and there is a room full of suspects to choose from when he is murdered. The man is a womanizer, or so it seems, not overly honest and has left a trail of heartbreak in his wake. There are plenty of red herrings to allow readers to unravel the mystery, and a few surprises are thrown in to make things more exciting and keep you turning the page. In the end, the killer is revealed with a slight twist. Generally speaking, readers who enjoy this series will continue to enjoy it, and Death of a Knit Wit won’t win over those who don’t. No matter how much we appreciate the knit and nibble club, they will never play a significant enough role in these stories to make everyone happy. Unfortunately, Pamala will remain the boring, set-in-her-ways character that can sometimes put a reader to sleep on the first page.

Death of a Knit Wit is the 8th Knit & Nibble cozy mystery by Dr. Peggy Ehrhart. Released 22nd Feb 2022 by Kensington, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well written and engaging cozy, complete with amateur sleuths who are expert knitters, a suspicious death to get the ball rolling, and lots and lots of food descriptions and goings on in a small town. The characters were varied and well rendered and I had no trouble keeping them separated in my head.

The pool of suspects is small, and although the denouement and resolution are fairly easy to guess beforehand, they're well written and satisfying. Although it's the eighth book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. The language is clean, with no graphic violence or sexual content. This would be a good choice for lovers of light cozies, the kind with recipes in the back of the book, in this particular case a knitted hat and plum turnovers. There are now 8 books in the series, with a 9th due out in 2023, making this a good candidate for a binge read.

Four stars. This will appeal to lovers of small-town cozy mysteries.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I just finished reading the entire series and I am wishing there was another one to read. Why? Well, I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the town of Arborville and the vicissitudes of some of the inhabitants' lives. In real life I know people like Nell and Roland and Bettina and...well, you get the idea. Also, I enjoy reading before I go to bed and this is the perfect reading material. Many of the reviewers mentioned the monotony of the descriptions of what the characters are eating/drinking or what Pamela is shopping for as negatives, but for me it is soothing, predictable and helps me relax before I finally drift off to slumber like Pamela in her bed with the eyelet curtains behind her. I am not a coffee drinker, but I love the descriptions of Pamela making coffee. I love that Bettina always has a bakery box with goodies when she shows up. Some think she is an annoying neighbor, but she would give Pamela the stylish shirt off her back! I love their relationship. Let's talk about the men in this series. There are some gems: Nell's husband, Harold and Bettina's husband, Wilfred are two of the nicest literary guys I've ever met. Roland seems like a meany, but we get to see his kinder side from time to time. The characters are dynamic and I enjoy their presence in my nightly reading ritual. I am not a knitter and actually bought my first book in the series for my daughter who is a knitter, but when I saw the book sitting around, I thought I would read it and I was hooked. You don't have to be a knitter to enjoy them. I will say that I have always figured out the identity of the murderer, but I think because I only read a chapter or two a night and do think about what I read and the characters. So if you want a cozy read with friendly characters that is relaxing and soothing for pre-bedtime reading (and I say that with great affection), I say give this series a try. I hope the author keeps right on writing them!

I totally agree with the reviewer on April 9, 2022. She said exactly what I would say and does it well. Too much extraneous material.

Great book in the series. Fast paced and great story. Kept me guessing till the end. Love this author.

Pamela is at a fiber and craft conference sponsored by the magazine for which she edits. She organized a knitting bee, and the keynote speaker comes and, after coffee, has a seizure. Later that evening the event attendees learn he has died. A few days later it is learned he was poisoned. By then all evidence had been cleaned up. Pamela and Bettina work on discovering the murderer but with so little clues, they are coming up short. A package is left for Pamela. When she goes to thank the person, she finds the person stabbed to death. Are the murders related? Can she and Bettina figure it out before they end up in trouble?

I enjoyed this. I was lost as to who it could be. I never figured it out. Pamela and Bettina figured it out but not without Woofus' help. The last scene leading to the murderer was scary. I also was wrong about what Roland was knitting. When it was revealed, I chuckled. This does focus on Pamela and Bettina with Brian coming in a little more where we learn more of him. The Knit and Nibble group are more on the outside this time. I am liking where this is going.

Great book, holds up to the others of hers I've read