Hooks Can Be Deceiving by Betty Hechtman

Good Day!  Hot Fudge Murder by Cynthia Baker will be released on January 29 along with Ellie's Redemption by Molly Jebber and Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves.  Tonya Kappes' next A Kenni Lowry Mystery is Diggin' Up Dirt and it will be out soon (I am waiting for the exact date).  Kenni meets Finn Vincent's parents.  Something unexpected crops up and it could be a crimp in Kenni & Finn's relationship.  

Hooks Can Be Deceiving by Betty Hechtman is the thirteenth A Crochet Mystery.  Molly Pink is called into her boss’s office at Shedd & Royal Books & More.  The Craftee Channel is creating a new program called Creating with Crochet, and they want to film the premiere show in the yarn department at the bookstore.  Adele is confident that she will be chosen to host the new show with her explementary skills.  Rory Graham, an actress, is picked to host Creating the Crochet.  When Rory visits the store, she confides in Molly that she may have exaggerated her crocheting abilities (basically, she cannot crochet).  Molly cleverly pairs Rory with Adele who believes she is destined to be the actress’s sidekick on the show.  The Tarzana Hookers meet for Happy Hour each day and they have a new addition to the group.  Marianne Freeman joined the group three weeks prior with her companion, Connie Richards.  Molly befriends the Marianne and is worried when she fails to show up one evening.  Molly arrives at Marianne’s home to find Detective Heather Gilmore on the scene with Molly’s ex-boyfriend, Detective Barry Greenberg.  Connie is dead from electrocution and Heather is quick to accuse Marianne.  Barry has his doubts, but he is not the lead detective.  He enlists Molly’s help (talk about a shocker) in ferreting out the truth.  He wants Molly to ask questions only (that’s a laugh).  Molly works in her sleuthing in between her duties at the store, coming up with a make it and take it for the pilot program, keeping Rory on track with her lessons instead of doing a “dance break” every five minutes, keeping her furry companions in kibble and preparing for the upcoming taping of the show.  The killer is not happy with Molly’s investigation and attempts to threaten her away (obvious he does not know Molly).  Can Molly clear Marianne before filming of Creating with Crochet begins?

 

Hooks Can Be Deceiving is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery.  I thought the book was well-written with steady pacing.  Hooks Can Be Deceiving can be read as a standalone.  I like that Molly is a mature main character with an active life.  She has her son, her fur babies, her job, friends and she has started dating Mason again.  The story has humor courtesy of Adele with her outlandish ideas and fashions choices.  She is the perfect choice to host the children’s hour, but I am baffled why the children must register (Adele has an elaborate system in place).  I wish my local bookstore had a yarn department like Shedd & Royal Books & More (it sounds like a great place to spend an afternoon—books, tea, snacks and yarn).  The mystery is clever with a unique method of murder.  The mystery can be solved by the reveal, but I have a feeling some people will be surprised by the killer’s identity.  The ending did feel a bit rushed as the author hurried to wrap up the storylines.  While Adele was not as prominent in this story, the animals were (too much).  I would have liked the author to include descriptions of the yarns carried at the store.  I am not sure how I feel about the relationship between Mason and Molly.  His lifestyle and Molly’s do not seem compatible (she is more down to earth while he has fancy cars and dines in high end restaurants).   We will have to wait and see how it plays out.  I Hooks Can Be Deceiving is an engaging and spirited cozy mystery.  I am giving Hooks Can Be Deceiving 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).  I am curious to see what trouble Molly will get herself into next time in the fourteenth A Crochet Mystery. 

Thank you for reading my review.  I am featuring With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander tomorrow.  The first book in The Carnton Series.  I hope you have a day filled with glee.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader