While My Pretty One Knits

In Canadeo's crafty first of a new cozy series, the Black Sheep Knitters of Plum Harbor, Mass., are horrified when their teacher, Maggie Messina, owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Amanda Goran, who owned the Knitting Nest, Black Sheep's only rival. Maggie disliked Amanda, but says she's innocent, even when the weapon used to crush Amanda's skull, a wooden hat block, turns up within the merchandise Maggie bought from Amanda's husband. Meanwhile, Black Sheep Knitter Lucy Binger adopts Tink, one of Amanda's pet dogs. When veterinarian Matt McDougal operates on the ailing Tink, he finds an important clue—undigested yarn. The friendships among the likable knitters and Lucy's budding romance with Matt (who also knits) help make Canadeo's crime yarn a charmer. Under the pseudonym Katherine Spencer, Canadeo writes the Cape Light series (A Christmas Star , etc.) with Thomas Kinkade. (May)