All's Wool that Ends Wool - A Review & Giveaway

Review

 

ALL'S WOOL THAT ENDS WOOL by Rebecca McKinnon
The Seventh Clear Creek Mystery

Christmas is coming and so is Jemma and Brandon's wedding. The town is also celebrating with its annual holiday festival. One of the vendors lied on his application and instead of festive doodads he's promoting his true crime podcast and a book featuring the woman who killed Jemma's grandma. Emmaline immediately kicks him out of the festival, but when Jemma and Brandon check to see he's truly gone, they find him dead. And it's not just a murder that the police needs to solve. Jemma starts to receive threats set to the twelve days of Christmas. With two threats a day will she live to see her wedding?

The awful past is dredged up in ALL'S WOOL THAT ENDS WOOL and instead of enjoying the holiday season and preparing for her wedding Jemma is faced with memories of Mary's tragic murder. Not only that, someone is getting very close to her delivering threats. While I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was after one of the early threats, I enjoyed watching the investigation, and threats, play out. 

One of my favorite things about the Clear Creek Mystery series is the friendships and how they're portrayed. These people care for each other, respect each other's uniqueness, and are there for each other, no matter what. I love how Jemma doesn't let the threats of her own murder dampen her upcoming nuptials or the Christmas holiday for the town. I also appreciate how when face to face with the villain Jemma also contemplates that they may be staging their own defense.

Bad tidings mar the Christmas and wedding spirit in ALL'S WOOL THAT ENDS WOOL when the past threatens Jemma's very future.

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 All's Wool That Ends Wool (Clear Creek Mysteries) by Rebecca McKinnon

About All's Wool That Ends Wool 

All's Wool That Ends Wool (Clear Creek Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 7th in Series
Setting - Rocky Mountains
Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ October 8, 2026

Wedding Bells Are Ringing Christmas Threats are Singing

Holiday cheer has spun through the tiny Rocky Mountain town of Clear Creek, leaving everyone excited for the annual Christmas festival. But the real event of the season — Jemma and Brandon’s wedding — won’t happen until the tourists head home.

While Jemma is fulfilling her one festival assignment of helping vendors set up, she learns a man has swapped the ornaments he’d listed on his application for a book he’s written about the string of local murders. To avoid reigniting everyone’s emotional distress, the event organizer asks him to leave. When Jemma and Brandon check back, instead of finding an empty booth they find the man dead.

Before Jemma can reassure anyone that her focus is on the wedding, not the investigation, unsettling gifts that twist The Twelve Days of Christmas start appearing at her shop. The holiday tune has never been more threatening.

The killer’s grudge is personal, but Jemma has more to protect this Christmas than her life. She needs to wind up the investigation so she and Brandon can finally tie the knot!

About Rebecca McKinnon

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.

Author Links:  

Website: https://rebeccamckinnon.com/  

Newsletter Sign-Up: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/47h2c6u3z6 

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccamckinnon_author/?hl=en  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-McKinnon/956145304405426?ref=hl  

GoodReads: Rebecca McKinnon (Author of The Yarn That Binds) | Goodreads  

Purchase Link - Amazon

Cast Off the Curse - A Review

 Review

CAST OFF THE CURSE by Rebecca McKinnon
The Sixth Clear Creek Mystery 

It's spooky time in Clear Creek and the town is gearing up for Emmilene's Witches' Walk. But her perfect spot for the event has to change when a dead body is found on the trail. Emmilene immediately calls for Zak, head of the town's security team, to bring Jemma Wilkinson. While her primarily role is that of owner of Black Sheep Yarn and Woolies and bride to be, Jemma has a habit of solving murders. Although the dead woman looks peaceful, with no obvious signs of foul play, Jemma is sure there is something more going on with a woman dressed with a witch's hat dead on the Witches' Walk. Though she immediately calls the sheriff, Jemma knows she'll be investigating as well, it's just a matter of who solves the crime first!

Halloween in the Rocky Mountains is a perfect time, not only for ambiance, but for murder. I love Halloween themed mysteries and the sixth Clear Creek Mystery is no exception. A modern day witch is killed and there are several good suspects. I love how Granny shuts down the obnoxious folklorist. Then there's the angry coven sister and the skeevy nephew. In addition to Granny, I love almost all of the Clear Creek residents, Daniel being the obvious outlier.

CAST OFF THE CURSE doesn't overplay the holiday or the witchyness, instead it provides a modern day look at a very real way of life. It's tasteful and fun, even with huge spiders in the shop and decadent treats.

A solid mystery wrapped in some Samhain spookiness CAST OFF THE CURSE is a magickal read at any time of year.

The Quilt Whisperer Investigates - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new series. The Quilt Whisperer Investigates by Peggy Ehrhart is the first book in the Quilt Whisperer Mystery series and was released last week.

 Blurb:

As Associate Director and Curator of Special Collections at the Yates Museum, Caroline is excited to pick up a prized antique quilt from Nancy Critchley, one of Banburyport’s wealthiest residents, for an upcoming exhibit. . . . Until she discovers Nancy dead on the floor of her beautiful Federalist home. The muslin bag that held the quilt is empty. On the table is a napkin smeared with what appears to be tomato juice—in a design that may have been Nancy’s final message.

Garret Seldon, the town’s new police detective, pinpoints museum intern Amber Foster as the top suspect. Amber’s blog is sharply critical of the Critchley family, among other prominent citizens from Banburyport’s past, for exploiting less fortunate residents in order to gain their riches. But could long-ago sins really have spurred someone to stab Nancy with a pair of sewing scissors?

All of Banburyport is abuzz with theories, including the regulars at Farrow Square Coffee. A humiliated caterer, a developer angered by Nancy’s work with the Historical Preservation Committee, disgruntled family members—there are plenty of possible motives and suspects. And then there’s the missing quilt, a priceless creation that’s almost 200 years old.

Caroline and her good friend and landlady, Libby, are convinced of Amber’s innocence. And somewhere among these tangled threads, Caroline knows there’s a pattern to be uncovered, one that ties together the colorful secrets of Banburyport’s past and present . . .

INCLUDES RECIPES AND A QUILTING PATTERN!  

Sconed to Death - A Spotlight

Sconed to Death (A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery) by Betty Hechtman

About Sconed to Death

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Indiana
Publisher: ‎ Severn House
Publication Date: ‎ June 2, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 224 pages

A brand-new series from the queen of culinary cozies. Full to the brim with crochet, crumpets, and crime! The perfect ingredients for murder . . . Annie Hart has transformed the yarn shop she inherited into a thriving business and tea shop. Now she needs to sell it so she can move back to LA. She just has to ensure that young Toby Swanson is kept on as the supplier of their famous scones. Annie decides to secretly enter Toby in a new reality TV cooking show. But his application video takes a deadly twist when Annie and her business partner, Gray, discover a body on the beach while filming. Even worse, it looks like the young woman had been enjoying Toby’s cherry scones and the shop’s rose tea before her death. With the help of her misfit group of local yarn artists, can Annie find a killer and save her reputation? Readers who love super cozy culinary mysteries will eat up this new charming cozy mystery series.

About Betty Hechtman

 

Despite completing a Fine Arts degree, all Betty Hechtman ever wanted to be was a writer. She wrote a weekly column in her college newspaper and later wrote magazine and newspaper pieces, along with short stories and a prize-winning screenplay. She has published over thirty books across four cozy mystery series, all of which have yarn craft. She lives with her family in Southern California  

Author Links: 

Website: https://www.Bettyhechtman.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettyhechtmanauthor  

Blog: https://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com  

Purchase Links Amazon Barnes and Noble

Two Purloined Pillows - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Shelby Phillips to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Shelby on the pages of the Nimble Needle Mystery series by Allie Pleiter. TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS is the second book in the series and was released last month.

Hello, I’m Shelby Phillips manager of Nina’s Nimble Needle needlepoint shop in the small North Carolina town of Gwen Lake. My mother, Nina, still owns the shop, and occasionally “forgets” that I manage it now.

Every ounce of managing is in high demand right now as two rival needlepoint canvas designers, the skittish Laura Bitters and the boorish Paul Bardo, vying for attention. They are here for Gwen Lake’s first-ever arts festival, and both consider themselves the star attraction. Laura and Paul are equally popular and talented, but neither one can stand the other. It’s taking every diplomatic skill I have to keep the peace. 

The job becomes much harder when the pillows each artists has stitched for a town auction both disappear. Accusations fly between the two, especially when other small items go missing around town. Gwen Lake’s festival is in peril.

I just think I’ve got the tension under control when one of them turns up dead. 

It will take all my stitching friends—Deb the scientist-turned-barista, my all-too-perfect sister Jessica, and our newest, handsomest stitcher town mechanic Jake—to unravel the mystery of how our guest artist met an untimely end. Thankfully, I get help from my mom’s shop customer regulars, the NYAGs. This group of “Not Your Average Grannies” lend their wit and wisdom to not only hold the town chaos at bay, but bring the killer to justice.

Police Chief Evan Tallen may not yet realize how a few pieces of needlepoint can solve a murder…but he will soon. 

As will you! Join me as we stitch up a tale of rivalries, artistic envy, a shocking affair, and a town event gone horribly wrong.

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Review

TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS by Allie Pleiter
The Second Nimble Needle Mystery 

Gwen Lake, North Carolina is holding its first Arts Festival and Shelby Phillips is eager to spread the love of crafting while also showing that art can be a career. Nina's Nimble Needle will be showcasing two famous needlepoint designers, the boorish Paul Bardo and Laura Bitters, the woman who encouraged Shelby's artistic ability when she was young. Unfortunately, the two despise each other and great pains must be made to keep the peace.Things get off to a rocky start when the two pillows designed and stitched by these artists are stolen. More petty pilferings occur and then on the opening night of the festival Laura collapses and dies. Was it murder? Shelby and her friends will have to unravel many secrets to find the truth...and a killer.

I enjoyed my trip to Gwen Lake and my own love for needlework has been rekindled. While I can't see myself cross stitching again. I can enjoy my time at Nina's Nimble Needle. The mystery was intriguing and I loved the various secrets and truths that were slowly revealed. I appreciate how Shelby works with the police. 

What I found most intriguing about TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS was the different faces people show as well as secrets they hide. Shelby thought the world of Laura, others had different experiences. Different  artists certainly showed their mercurial sides. These two sides is also seen with the NYAGs. In a way these differences can be seen even more obviously through Shelby's nephews. I, for one, would like to punch Hal for his views and encouraging the problems between his sons. 

A positive push for the arts and a fun mystery make TWO PURLOINED PILLOWS a delightful read.

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 Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery) by Allie Pleiter

About Two Purloined Pillows

 

Two Purloined Pillows (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 
Setting - North Carolina 
Publisher: ‎ Kensington Cozies 
Publication Date: ‎ March 31, 2026 
Print Length: ‎ 272 pages

When 30-something graphic artist Shelby Phillips reluctantly returned to her small hometown outside Asheville, North Carolina to manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, she thought it was temporary. But getting entangled in murder investigations has a timeline of its own…

It’s been a little over a year since Shelby started managing Nina’s Nimble Needle following her office-romance and career implosion, and Shelby’s mom has finally handed her the reins—technically, at least. Next, Shelby is excited to oversee two well-known needlepoint designers who will be participating in the town’s first two-week-long arts festival . . .

Laura Bitters and Paul Bardo have each stitched up one-of-a-kind pillows that should be big wins for the Nimble Needle at the festival’s auction . . . until the pillows vanish amid a sudden string of shoplifting incidents.

To add to the knot in Shelby’s stomach, Laura proves highly anxious, while Paul is an egomaniac who believes Laura has been stealing his customers for years. But things go from bad to tragic when Laura behaves oddly at the auction dinner, then collapses—dead.

Soon after, Shelby makes a shocking discovery in Laura’s room at the local inn. Then tests reveal that Laura was poisoned. Resolved to piece together the truth, despite the police chief’s determination to keep her on the fringes, Shelby rallies her personal team, including her sister, Jessica, her friend Deb, and Jake, her potentially more than a friend. As an extra twist, a magazine reporter arrives with unsettling—yet useful—dirt that includes Laura and Paul.

What unravels is a skein of suspects, long-held resentment, bitter jealousy, and betrayal, from which Shelby will have to pull the one crucial thread tied to the killer: a murder-worthy motive . . .

About Allie Pleiter

An avid crafter, coffee junkie, and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction, working on as many as four books at a time. The bestselling author of over seventy books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-plus-year career with over 1.9 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and the world’s most adorable dog. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.

Author Links: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliepleiterauthor/  

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alliepleiter  

Facebook group (books): https://www.facebook.com/groups/firesidewithallie/ 

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-pleiter-6a021b139  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliepleiter  

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alliepleiter/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/453346.Allie_Pleiter  

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allie-pleiter  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Allie-Pleiter/e/B001H6IEUO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1  

Purchase Links - Author Website - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org

In Skein Sight - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Jemma Wilkinson to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Jemma on the pages of the Clear Creek Mystery series. IN SKEIN SIGHT is the fifth book in the series and will be released this week!

Hi! I’m Jemma, from the Clear Creek Mysteries. If you’re familiar with our town, you might know me as the owner of Black Sheep Yarns & Woolies.

One of my friends told me that mysteries and yarn are the same, if you look hard enough. Yarn is easy to tangle. If you’re not careful, you'll end up with a knot that takes hours to fix. It’s the same with investigations. When you blunder around without any idea what you’re doing, there’s a good chance you’ll make everything worse.

We were talking over coffee this morning about my latest tangle with trouble, and she asked what kind of yarn cozy mysteries would be. It was an interesting question, and one I hadn’t really thought about before.

Since things are slow in the yarn shop today, let’s talk about it!

I think cozies would be self-striping yarn. The kind that looks predictable in the skein, then throws a bright streak at you when you're not paying attention. Mysteries work the same way. They settle in nice and calm, then drop a body at your feet. Or a clue.

Or, sometimes, a threat.

But the stories are cozy. There can’t be anything, well, graphic or bloody. Which means we don’t want a yarn that’s scratchy. It doesn’t even need to be something sturdy that will stand the test of time. What matters most is how it feels.

This yarn has to be thick, and soft, and squishy. Worsted weight, at a minimum, but Aran would be better. And it should be spun from angora, or alpaca, with a little bit of silk for strength, and just enough nylon to help it keep its shape.

Cozy mysteries need to feel the same way—soft enough to curl up with, but with enough structure to hold together when things get twisted.

It would be the kind of yarn I reach for without thinking. Familiar. Steady. The promise that if I work through any tangles, I'll get something luscious at the end.

And now my fingers are itching to pull a skein off the wall and cast on a new knitting project. Maybe a nice shawl to wrap myself in the next time I pick up a cozy mystery. 

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Review

IN SKEIN SIGHT by Rebecca McKinnon
The Fifth Clear Creek Mystery

 

Jemma Wilkinson knows she's a disaster in the kitchen, but she's a whiz at making videos so she and her good friend, Chef Leandro, are going live to promote his upcoming cooking class. But happiness from their successful video turns to astonishment when a pompous man comes into the kitchen saying that it's his kitchen and he's the head chef! When Jemma then finds the wanna be chef dead, Leandro immediately falls under suspicion. Determined to not allow her friend to be railroaded, Jemma starts her own investigation and soon finds lots of people angry with the arrogant man. Will she be able to find the real killer, or will she once again become the killer's next target?

 

I loved the fifth Clear Creek Mystery, a novel that's at once funny, yet realistic, showcasing wonderful friendships while also delivering a well plotted mystery. The characters are well crafted and I love how the friends work together. I also appreciate the frustrations they have with each other, especially when it comes to investigating a murder. I had a feeling I knew the killer's identity fairly early on, but that did not decrease my interest or enjoyment one bit! I liked watching everyone uncover clues and follow leads as I listened to my gut...and a few well placed clues.

 

With humor and heart IN SKEIN SIGHT provides a delightful mystery that's both cozy and exciting!

 

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In Skein Sight (Clear Creek Mysteries) by Rebecca McKinnon

About In Skein Sight

In Skein Sight (Clear Creek Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 5th in Series
Setting – Rocky Mountains 
Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ January 23, 2026

Spring has sprung in the Rocky Mountains, and Clear Creek is celebrating the arrival of the new season and increased tourism with a host of events — including a special cooking class taught by Jemma’s good friend, Chef Leandro.

When a knit-wit chef barges into Leandro’s kitchen insisting it’s now his, sparks fly between the two. It seems that everyone wants the new chef gone, but no one expects Jemma to find the man stabbed through the heart.

Leandro’s knife skills — and his argument with the dead man — make him the obvious suspect. But Jemma’s ready to cross needles with the Sheriff and anyone else who tries to place the blame on her friend.

With the killer’s eyes on Jemma from the start, she needs to weave in the ends before things unravel!

About Rebecca McKinnon

 

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.  

Author Links:  

Website: https://rebeccamckinnon.com/  

Newsletter Sign-Up: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/47h2c6u3z6  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccamckinnon_author/?hl=en  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-McKinnon/956145304405426?ref=hl  

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4993788.Rebecca_McKinnon 

Purchase Link - Amazon