Hooked on Murder, the first book in that series, plunges widow Molly Pink into murder and handcuffs on the first page. Molly's late husband had owned a PR firm with Ellen Sheridan, who had forced Molly to sell her share of the business soon after her husband's death. When Molly literally stumbles over Ellen's dead body a year later, Molly becomes the prime suspect. As Molly tries to do some sleuthing on her own, she becomes involved with the crochet group that Ellen used to run. Now Molly is desperately struggling to learn a new needle arts skill. To make matters worse, the woman homicide detective handling the case has the hots for Molly's new love, also a police detective.

I had a great time with Hooked on Murder. Like most cozy mysteries, it's the characters that endear themselves to readers and draw them into the story and toward new books. Molly Pink, Detective Barry Greenberg (Molly's love interest), her sons, and her best friend Dinah are not only interesting characters, but they are ordinary. Though they live in the Valley, the western suburbs of LA, they are people any reader might find living next door or at a PTA meeting. I liked Molly Pink and her friends and family, and I just wanted to hang out with them.

The mystery was well thought out and didn't resort to unexpected solutions. There were some surprises along the way and at the end, but the clues had been laid long before the ending came. Molly also learns to love crocheting and so will the reader.

Hechtman has included not only complete instructions for a granny square washcloth, but also the recipe for a pound cake and buttercream frosting. Both the crochet project and the cake are relatively easy. I'm sure as readers get into the series, the projects and recipes may become more complex.

Hooked on Murder is a great start to a new mystery series. The second book in the crochet mysteries, Dead Men Don't Crochet, is due out at the end of the year.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Hooked on Murder #1
Hooks Can Be Deceiving #13

Reviewers Note: The author also pens the Yarn Retreat Mysteries