Book Review (and a Giveaway!): A Hill To Dye On by Rebecca McKinnon

A HILL TO DYE ON by Rebecca McKinnon
SERIES: Clear Creek Mysteries #2
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
RELEASE DATE: October 13, 2022
PAGES: 214

Summer has made its way up the mountain to Clear Creek, and with the new season, the town is offering a slew of summer classes at the community center. Happy to participate, Jemma and her yarn shop sponsor a fiber-dying class taught by her oldest friend, Kitty.

When a mysterious man walks into class, something about him pulls Jemma into a tangle. Learning Kitty once knew him, Jemma has questions — but her friend is staying mum. Then Jemma goes on an early-morning walk and discovers the man dead.

This time, Jemma’s determined to stay out of the investigation — until she learns that because of a past she’s been hiding, Kitty is the main suspect! Unwilling to turn her back on her friend, Jemma starts looking for a dropped stitch.

Because somewhere, there’s a person with dye on their hands.

Other Books In This Series

A Hill to Dye On by Rebecca McKinnon is a cute cozy mystery with a town full of characters who are up in each other’s business because they care. Not just nosy for the sake of being nosy, they truly do seem to want the best for one another, giving the book a warm mood despite the murder mystery. Granny in particular is a hoot – I don’t know why but I pictured her as a modern day Granny from Beverly Hillbillies lol. She always put a smile on my face when she shared a scene with our protagonist Jemma. Along with Granny, there are a heap of colorful supporting characters that make up Clear Creek, and readers will enjoy meeting them as much as I did.

The mystery in A Hill to Dye On is fairly straightforward, with several puzzle pieces floating just out of Jemma’s reach until the very end. Readers may put all the clues together before she does, but there are likely still some surprises in store even then. If Jemma can just keep from getting another concussion… bless her heart, she’s put through the wringer in this book! But in this case it’s fine because it gives us more opportunities to watch her secret boyfriend Brandon be all swoony and show how much he loves her. I didn’t really understand why they were trying so hard to keep their relationship a secret but that is probably because I haven’t read book 1 in this series. That’s really the only time I felt at a disadvantage for not doing so yet, so it can definitely be read as a standalone.

Bottom Line: A Hill to Dye On is both entertaining and engaging, with characters who feel like instant friends. The mystery is lightly layered and well written, and readers will be invested in the outcome. As an added bonus, there’s a lovely, sweet romance for our intrepid heroine Jemma with plenty of sparks and a swoony leading man. Make sure you add Clear Creek to one of your next reading destinations, and tell Granny hi while you’re at it!

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

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

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