A Stitch Before Dying

Canadeo's diverting third Black Sheep Knitting Shop (after 2009's Knit, Purl, Die) could just as well be titled Eat, Knit, Love given how much Maggie Messina and her four fellow ladies of the fiber arts enjoy their food—recipe for yummy fruit crumble included—in between knitting and crime-solving at the Berkshires' Crystal Lake Inn. When travel writer Curtis Hill, a guest at the luxury retreat, is put to permanent sleep via an intentionally faulty gas line in his cabin, clues are scarce, motives and suspects are manifold, and the local police are stumped. The apparent murder of the inn's owner, Dr. Maxwell Flemming, adds to the confusion. Meanwhile, knitter Lucy is fretting over her faltering relationship with boyfriend Matt. In Canadeo's capable hands, both story and character development roll out at a leisurely but steady pace that's sure to hook cozy fans. (Jan.)