August 1, 2024
Murder provides a bit of a disruption to a quiet New Jersey suburb. When a storm cuts short Arborville's annual Halloween parade and bonfire, Wilfred and Bettina Fraser retreat with their neighbor Pamela Paterson to enjoy some hot spiced cider. But a commotion outside interrupts their cozy evening as trick-or-treaters discover a dead body on Adrienne Haskell's front porch. Once Adrienne identifies the body as that of her radical feminist sister, Mel Wordwoman, the three friends go back to the Frasers' house, where Wilf reheats the cider and they resume their conversation. Ehrhart's tale goes on pretty much in that matter-of-fact vein, interspersing details about Mel's death with descriptions of the heady aroma of Pamela's coffee and sartorial details of Bettina's olive corduroy pantsuit. Eventually, Adrienne persuades Pamela and Bettina to accompany her to Greenwich Village to look over her sister's apartment, although it seems as if the opportunity for Adrienne to wear a "buttery-yellow sweater" and a supple leather jacket on a trip to the city is at least as important to her agenda as looking for her sister's killer. Very little in this tale of suburban intrigue is worth more than a shrug; when her sometime boyfriend Pete Paterson, whom Pamela met because of the coincidence of their having the same last name, announces that he's getting back together with his estranged wife, Pamela duly notes that "we had some nice meals" but otherwise expresses few regrets. Even for a cozy, it's hard to get a pulse point here. John Cheever it's not.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
August 9, 2024
Scary things are expected on porches at Halloween. But a bloody dead body is a bit much. In the eleventh entry in the Knit and Nibble series, neighborhood sleuths Pam and Bettina must determine whether this murder is a case of mistaken identity, revenge for a disliked manifesto, or linked to a long-ago death. The series is set in Arborville, New Jersey, close enough to Manhattan that the search for clues leads into the city, giving the story a welcome urban vibe. Although a knitting club makes several appearances, there's much more about nibbles, with every morsel consumed described to the last crumb. Most interesting are the synopses of articles Pam is editing for her magazine, Fiber Craft, that showcase the scope and history of the art. Series fans will also see what's coming next for her love life. The appended scarf knitting pattern and apple galette recipe add to the fun.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.