By hook or crook, Molly will clear her name in On the Hook, national bestseller Betty Hechtman’s irresistible twelfth Crochet Mystery.The Tarzana Hookers crochet club could come apart at the seams when thwarted ambition, shady ethics, and a puzzling murder converge.Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers are busy crocheting baby blankets for charity, but before long, they’re tangled up in a mystery … they’re tangled up in a mystery that may be their unraveling. The Hookers are a tight-knit group, but some of the members harbor secret aspirations. Adele dreams of becoming an actress, and her acting coach has filled her head with promises of a career as a crochet show host. Elise Belmont has earned her real estate license and is itching to show her first house. But when the house’s tenant turns up dead from a pink squirrel cocktail laced with cyanide, the Hookers could be in double treble.
It turns out that the dead man was Adele’s acting coach, Timothy Clark. And Molly gets wound up in the case after accidentally leaving a scarf she designed at the murder scene. Detective Barry Greenberg, one of Molly’s exes, quickly stitches together that the scarf is hers. Lawyer Mason Fields (another of Molly’s exes) has her head swimming in legalese. For Molly, the only way out is by learning who really killed Timothy, and why.
Crochet patterns and a delicious recipe included!
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Come along with Molly Pink and meet the
“Tarzana Hookers”. Molly is a forty- something
widow. She is assistant manager of the
Shedd & Royal Books in Southern California.
The bookstore is the meeting place for the
Hookers who are all woman of a certain age
that enjoy the art of hooking better known
as crocheting. The group use to make items
for needy group. They have decided to make
blankets for babies left in fire stations, police
stations, outside hospital emergency rooms.
Several of the ladies have taken up activities
that will lead the group and readers on an
adventure.
One is taken acting lessons under an assumed
name and one got her real estate license and
wants to prove she is very capable o selling
houses.
After a meeting, several of the group go to one
of the houses on the market. While there she
receives a text from her husband, the real
estate agent for the home that he is on the way
to show the property. Everyone is rushed out.
No one notices that Molly’s scarf was inadvertently
dropped out front.
Then the body of Timothy Clark is discovered
dead. Plus the Detective Barry Greenberg on the
case discovers and recognizes the dropped scarf.
The investigation begins……..
Meanwhile Molly is giving dating lessons to the
widower staying with one of the Hookers. Her
mother and son are using her house for rehearsals
for their upcoming show. Then Molly gets involved
with her lawyer friend.
A busy, busy book with a cast of quirky, colorful,
vivid, entertaining and interesting characters.
A good read.
Although this is book # 12 in the Crochet Mysteries
series, I had no problem following along with all
the characters and their antics.
The Tarzana Hookers gather to embrace a charity project and concentrate on crocheting much needed baby blankets in a short time period. Protagonist Molly Pink, is the assistant manager at a bookstore where they meet to select yarn, chat, and nimbly make their hooks fly. One of the members, Elise, is a newly licensed realtor and eagerly shows Molly and Adele one of her husband’s listings unaware that the owner’s corpse is downstairs! One of them unknowingly leaves their scarf behind and the police find it when the body is discovered by another realtor. Detective Barry Greenberg investigates the case and cautions Molly to stop asking questions. Molly doesn’t want to see any of her friends get in trouble.
For fans of Betty Hechtman’s Crochet Mystery series, you’ll recognize familiar characters and enjoy Molly’s menagerie of pets throughout the story. The plot makes for a quick and easy read.
Good series of interesting characters
Molly and he Hookers are at it again in this delightful story involving a dead actor who ran workshops for acting hopefuls. Molly and two of the Hookers stumble upon a murder scene they didn’t even know was there. Molly puts on her amateur sleuths hat and tries to discover whodunnit before the police do and before she might become the accused.
The book is full of twists and turns not only in the amateur sleuthing business but also in Molky’s personal life. A surprise awaits as the killer is revealed.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It is a fun and easy fast read. A wonderful cozy mystery!
I just reviewed On the Hook by Betty Hechtman. #OnTheHook #NetGalley
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“On the Hook” earns 4/5 Incriminating Scarves…Delightfully Fun!
I’ve eagerly entered the world of crocheting and cozy murder with Betty Hechtman’s “On the Hook,” the twelfth book in her Crochet Mystery series. Hechtman has penned a marvelous adventure, and although this far into the series I knew much would have transpired, I didn’t feel at a disadvantage. There were plenty of “need to know” background and character connections to keep me thoroughly engaged. First, I enjoy a variety of themes weaving through my cozies especially when related to the lead character owning a food or hobby linked shop. Crocheting has always intrigued me and reminded me of watching my grandmother making dollies, scarves, and baby clothes. Next, I am always personally engaged in a series that incorporates multi-generational characters in the mystery and investigation. We have Molly Pink, a forty-something widow, who is the assistant/events manager of the bookstore/meeting place for The Tarzana Hookers, and The Hookers? Yes, a plethora of ‘women of a certain age’ that love ‘hooking.’ Fourth, the first-person narrative included excellent descriptions that I found informative, but she doesn’t rely on the narrative alone, as she has entertaining banter between characters that illustrate well tone and personality. Last, I continue my involvement in a series when the writing is enjoyable, the mystery clever, the characters are realistic (quirky is ok), and I am intrigued enough to go beyond the story. I never thought crocheting would be for me, but after reading this book I am intrigued. All boxes checked! An added treat is the crochet patterns included for CeeCee’s Baby Blanket and Molly’s Incriminating Scarf. Absolute fun!
most challenging, mystery to date.
Molly was roped into viewing a home for sale with Elise, one of the Hookers and a new Realtor, with Adele. It turns into a trail of secrets that almost puts handcuffs on Molly. She contacts ex-boyfriend Mason, well-known criminal attorney, to keep her out of jail. Elise’s husband Logan is the listing Realtor, and he doesn’t know she has a license. Adele wants a home for new hubby Eric “Cutchykins” Humphries, a motor cop, and Mother Humphries, as their only private time is when his mother goes to the movies one night a week. The three ladies were barely in the home when Elise heard that Logan was taking clients out to view homes. She panicked and drove everyone out. Nobody noticed that one of Molly’s signature scarves was left behind…
Barry, her ex-boyfriend who is the detective on the case, recognized the scarf at a glance. The owner of the home had been found dead by Realtor Logan, when showing it to his clients. The cause of death is poisoning, and the man was Timothy Clark, a huge TV personality. Elise wants Molly to find who did the deed so her husband doesn’t find out she showed the home. Adele doesn’t want Cutchykins to know they were looking at the house, either. She doesn’t want hubby to know she was in an acting workshop of Clark’s, in which he promised to get her an interview as a “personality”, a cable TV crochet star. Logan is hiding the actual ownership of the Clark home from Elise.
Molly is my favorite, showing us the single life (in her case widowed) in this new millennium. She has taken one of her talents and introduced it into where she works, the Shedd &Royal Books and More. This sounds like the kind of place I would enjoy working, especially with the yarn department and Happy Hour crochet events. Adele is becoming a favorite, even though she is the epitome of every uniquely annoying person one has ever met. Adele adds much to the series, even if at times only comic relief. The Hookers are not just a group that crochets or (perish the thought) knits, they are like a close-knit family after years of charitable yarn projects and adventures. And life around Molly is often an adventure, especially when trying to keep her from being ON THE HOOK!
This fast-paced, action-packed cozy mystery is just what the doctor ordered, with laughter often being the best medicine. The plot twists serve to heighten the suspense, introduce more possible suspects, and bring two of Molly’s ex-boyfriends back in her life. We are reminded that the world of show business is often cutthroat. Promises are worthless, especially from Timothy Clark, so the killer could be any one of his workshop students. Enough suspects to keep this armchair sleuth confused! One small consolation is that I had suspected – briefly – the real killer, but didn’t have a motive. Overall, it is a challenging mystery with the fabulous characters who are as fresh today as from the beginning – I highly recommend it!
From a Grateful Heart: I received this e-arc from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.
On the Hook by Betty Hechtman is twelfth tale in A Crochet Mystery series. Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers (get your mind out of the gutter—they are referring to crochet hooks) have decided to get back to their roots. They are crocheting baby blankets for infants that are surrendered at the police department, fire station and local hospitals. Adele Humphries loves her new husband, but she is less than thrilled with the cramped living situation since her mother-in-law moved in to their cozy condo. Elise Belmont has recently acquired her real estate license and is anxious to show her first home, but she does not want her husband, Logan to know. They are only in the house a few moments when Elise hustles them out the door because Logan is on his way with clients. On the news that night, Molly sees that Logan found Timothy Clark, owner and actor, dead in the house (oh dear). The next day Detective Barry Greenberg (one of Molly’s ex’s) shows up asking about a scarf found at the crime scene—oops, it seems Molly’s scarf was left behind in the hurry to exit the house. Adele is in a further tizzy because the victim was her acting coach (really). She has been taking lessons without her husband’s knowledge (she told him she was taking yoga—I am shocked he bought it). To avoid spilling Elise and Adele’s secrets, Molly must solve the case before Barry can prove the scarf is Molly’s. Molly contacts Mason Fields, attorney and another ex, for legal advice and assistance. It also gives them a chance to reconnect (sparks are flying) and clear up a few misconceptions. When not working at the store and stitching together the clues of the case, Molly has been roped into helping Rhoda’s brother-in-law, Leo. He is a widow who is clueless with women and Rhoda is tired of him moping about her house (Molly is a soft touch). Can Molly unravel the killer’s identity before Barry proves the scarf belongs to Molly?
On the Hook is not a standalone book. It is best to read A Crochet Mystery series in order, so you can understand about Molly, her family, the Tarzana Hookers, and her relationships with the men in her life. On the Hook contains good writing and has a fast pace (which I liked). The mystery, though, took a back seat to Molly’s love life. Instead of a love triangle, we have a square (Leo, Barry, Mason and Molly). The mystery was straightforward and the solving it is a cinch. Adele is her usual over-the-top self with her outlandish outfits and crazy ideas. She is even more zany than usual with her desire to become a host of a crochet show. Adele’s little ditty will have you in stitches (it is creative and hilarious). I admit to having trouble getting into On the Hook. There seems to be a more zany antics than normal in this installment. There is quite a bit going on in On the Hook with the murder, crocheting blankets for charity, Adele and her acting ambitions, Elise keeping her real estate license hidden from her husband (it made no sense why), Molly’s mother using her house for rehearsals, Barry trying to get Molly to answer his questions about the scarf, Mason and Molly going out, Molly giving Leo lessons, Sam living with Molly, the various animals that live with Molly, the bookstore, Dinah and her situation with Commander Blaine (her husband). While it is humorous, I wanted more mystery and less Molly stonewalling Barry (which lost its humor after a while). I am giving On the Hook 3.5 out of 5 stars. While On the Hook was not my favorite book in A Crochet Mystery series, I am curious to see what happens next with Molly Pink. Do you think she will ever pick between Barry and Mason?
There are very few series that can survive through 12 books but Betty Hechtman’s Crochet Mystery series just keeps getting better. Molly Pink is assistant manager of a book store and active member of the Tarzana Hookers, a crocheting group. When Molly goes along with two other hookers to look at a house for sale she ends up leaving behind her distinctive scarf when they had to make a fast exit. Unfortunately, it turns out a dead body is later found in the basement and Molly’s ex-boyfriend, Detective Barry Greenberg, knows the scarf belongs to Molly. Now, Molly needs to circumvent Barry’s questions long enough to figure out the murderer before a number of secrets get revealed.
This is a well written book with very relatable characters and the teaser at the end has me anxious for book number 13. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy. The opinions are my own.