Book Review: Knit or Dye Trying by Allie Pleiter

KNIT OR DYE TRYING by Allie Pleiter
SERIES: A Riverbank Knitting Mystery #2
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Berkley Books
RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2022
PAGES: 300

Business is booming for Libby Beckett and her fabulous Maryland shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., but when a town festival brings a fatality with it, Libby gets all tangled up in murder.

As spring comes to Collinstown, the village launches a food festival to draw a new group of tourists. Libby, proud owner of Y.A.R.N., has planned a yarn event to provide an alternative option to a foodie weekend. Artisan fiber dyer Julie Wilson—known for her work with animal-friendly, plant-based knitting fibers such as bamboo and hemp as well as her brilliant use of color—will hopefully draw a crowd with a special dyeing workshop.

The festival begins, but it draws more than crowds. First a flock of sheep parades down the street, herded by farmers protesting Julie’s antiwool stance. Then Julie’s celebrity chef sister appears, and the siblings resume a long-standing rivalry. Despite all this, Julie’s workshop has sold out. Libby is thrilled, and they’re preparing for a full house. But the night before the event, Julie is found alone in the warehouse event space—dead. The witty “Watch Julie Wilson Dye” workshop title now has a terrible new meaning—and it’s up to Libby to catch a crafty killer.

Other Books In This Series

As I said in my review for On Skein of Death, Allie Pleiter is already one of my favorite authors so it doesn’t take much encouragement for me to reach for a new book by her as soon as it releases. And since I loved the introduction to her cozy mystery series, I was all the more eager to read this one. (But then, alas, life got in the way and I’m just now getting a chance to review it. Argh.)

Libby is such a great protagonist, and I love her yarn shop and what it adds to the community of Collinstown. Her friends are loyal, her mom is a handful but lovable, her dog Hank is adorable, and her high school sweetheart (now the mayor) is the perfect ‘friend that we all know will eventually lead to more’. I love that the romance potential between them sparks a bit more strongly with each book, but also that the author keeps it from overwhelming or taking over the mystery. I also really enjoy the relationship between Gavin’s young teenage daughter Jillian and Libby, as well as Libby’s mom. I have a deep appreciation for multigenerational relationships, so I’m very glad to see that depicted so positively in this series.

Bless Libby’s heart, in addition to juggling her personal relationships she has a lot on her plate – running a business, running for city council, running from her mother (just kidding!). She certainly doesn’t need another special event disaster but (really, Libby) with a class titled “Watch Julie Wilson Dye” the writing was really on the … well… sheep. The mystery was cleverly drawn, with plenty of plausible suspects, and just when I thought I had it all figured out – nope! I realized yet again that the … well… wool… had been pulled over my eyes. (Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist the sheep references – you’ll see why.) Lots of twists and turns to keep us all guessing and to keep Libby even busier than she already was… and the added time it gives her with swoony Mayor Gavin doesn’t hurt 😉

Bottom Line: Knit or Dye Trying is another excellent read by Allie Pleiter! Engaging and layered characters and the charming small town add to the ambiance of Libby’s equally charming yarn shop, making it a smile-inducing place to visit on the pages. Murder notwithstanding. Speaking of the mystery, though, it will keep you solidly invested in the outcome as you sift through red herrings, misdirections, family dynamics, and the intricacies of the fiber industry. I can’t wait for many more visits to Collinstown, Libby, and the Riverbank Knitting Mysteries!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is occasional, mild cursing in this book. It is still very much what I would consider a clean read.

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