As a colleague of deputy coroner Mattie Winston, social worker Clothilde “Hildy” Schneider is no stranger to unsolved murders at Sorenson General Hospital. Except this time, it’s up to her to crack the case . . . Motivated by her own difficult past, Hildy has an unparalleled commitment to supporting troubled clients through grief and addiction in Sorenson, Wisconsin. But when a distraught … a distraught group therapy member reveals disturbing details about her late son’s potential murder, Hildy goes from dedicated mental health professional to in-over-her-head amateur sleuth . . .
Alongside her loyal therapy Golden Retriever, Hildy stumbles through incriminating clues—and an unlikely partnership with Detective Bob Richmond, the irresistibly headstrong cop who shares her passion for helping others. With signs of foul play surfacing all over town, can Hildy and Detective Richmond pinpoint the deadly traits of a sharp-witted killer before another seat gets filled at grief therapy?
Praise for Annelise Ryan and her Mattie Winston series
“The funniest deputy coroner to cut up a corpse since, well, ever!”
—Laura Levine, author of Killer Cruise
“The forensic details will interest Patricia Cornwell readers . . . while the often slapstick humor and the blossoming romance between Mattie and Hurley will draw Evanovich fans.”
—Booklist
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Synopsis:
As a colleague of deputy coroner Mattie Winston, social worker Clothilde “Hildy” Schneider is no stranger to unsolved murders at Sorenson General Hospital. Except this time, it’s up to her to crack the case . . .
Motivated by her own difficult past, Hildy has an unparalleled commitment to supporting troubled clients through grief and addiction in Sorenson, Wisconsin. But when a distraught group therapy member reveals disturbing details about her late son’s potential murder, Hildy goes from dedicated mental health professional to in-over-her-head amateur sleuth . . .
Alongside her loyal therapy Golden Retriever, Hildy stumbles through incriminating clues–and an unlikely partnership with Detective Bob Richmond, the irresistibly headstrong cop who shares her passion for helping others. With signs of foul play surfacing all over town, can Hildy and Detective Richmond pinpoint the deadly traits of a sharp-witted killer before another seat gets filled at grief therapy?
Praise for Annelise Ryan and her Mattie Winston series
“The funniest deputy coroner to cut up a corpse since, well, ever!”
–Laura Levine, author of Killer Cruise
“The forensic details will interest Patricia Cornwell readers . . . while the often slapstick humor and the blossoming romance between Mattie and Hurley will draw Evanovich fans.”
–Booklist (Goodreads)
Review:
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning.
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Hildy is hardworking, fair and sympathetic, Her own life has been rough and she wants others to get through their own troubled past like she did. So when a woman at Hildy’s grief therapy group insists that her son did not kill himself but instead was murdered, Hildy wants to help the woman prove it. But it will not be easy.
The mystery was solid and well thought out. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider and it was not easily solved.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. The fact that Hildy is a social worker should provide a lot of murderous possibilities.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Still dealing with my own grief for a loved one I was a little nervous about reading this book but I really wanted to support the author from my home state. An author whose own books have brightened some of my dark days I decided to push ahead knowing that if it got to be too much I could always stop. I am so glad I started reading because a few uncomfortable moments at the beginning of the story were clearly outweighed by the rest of the story.
Clothilde “Hildy” Schneider works as a social worker at the Sorenson General Hospital. She also leads a grief and addiction support group at the hospital. It is there she meets Sharon Cochran, a mom who lost her son to what the police have ruled a suicide. Sharon doesn’t believe her son took his own life and she begs Hildy and the support group to help her prove it. She feels her son was murdered and no one is paying attention.
First, Hildy checks in with the Medical Examiner’s office and finds some inconsistencies. She then visits Sharon’s home and finds some interesting drawings and the young man’s computer. Armed with both she confronts Detective Bob Richmond in hopes he will share information and reopen the case. He realizes she may be onto something and agrees to work with her to find out what really happened to Toby Cochran.
I immediately liked Hildy and her open heart. She has great instincts and she doesn’t back down. She also has a wonderful golden retriever named Roscoe, who works as a comfort animal when needed. We also meet Hildy’s neighbor P.J., a very adult 11-year-old who walks Roscoe several times a day and even gives Hildy relationship advice and fashion tips. The author also sets up a prospective love triangle with Hildy, Detective Richmond, and evidence technician Jonas Kriedeman. Jonas is raising his 7-year-old daughter on his own. She is also very smart and independent for her young age.
But I really identified with Sharon Cochran. I could feel her pain. No matter how your child died the grief is with you the rest of your life. Life is never normal again. Ms. Ryan portrayed that very well in this character.
All the recurring characters are complex and I am excited to see them evolve as this series continues. Deputy Coroner Mattie Winston from the author’s other series does make a cameo appearance but this series stands completely on its own.
I really enjoyed the way Bob and Hildy worked together and the premise of this series means it is not just a one-time thing. This murder investigation was not an easy solve and had some truly surprising moments that had me holding my breath. My focus was in the right ballpark but I struck out putting everything together until it was clearly spelled out for me.
The icing on the cake was that this series takes place in my home state not too far from where I live. I loved recognizing all the landmarks as we followed along with Hildy and Bob as they chased down clues.
The Helping Hands Mystery series is off to a champion start! Needled to Death was a Perfect Escape and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
Needled to Death is the first book in A Helping Hands Mystery series which is a spin-off of A Mattie Winston Mystery series. Needled to Death can be read as a standalone though. Hildy Schneider is a social worker, pleasantly plump, single, and has some quirks. Hildy’s mother was murdered when she was seven years old. She then found herself in the foster care system where Hildy was a less than an ideal child. She moved from home to home until she aged out of the system. Being in the foster care system left Hildy with an odd habit or two that she has been unable to shed. When Sharon Cochran asks for the grief support group’s assistance in proving her son was murdered, Hildy wants to help because her mother’s case is still unsolved. Hildy talks with Mattie Winston and then teams up with Detective Bob Richmond. Hildy became assertive with Bob regarding the case and also worked up the courage to ask him out on a date. Bob is a handsome and has been working out since he was shot. Hildy is surprised to learn he is fifty-two (he does not look his age). Jonas Kriedeman, an evidence technician, is attracted to Hildy and invites her to dinner. The mystery is multilayered with a twist or two. Hildy stumbles upon an interesting find that, in my opinion, was the best part of the mystery. I was happy that all the details of the case are revealed providing a satisfying conclusion. I found it fascinating when Hildy was trying to lift a print and how she was able to utilize it. I did find Needled to Death to be a slow starter and I did not like the repetitive details (that Hildy was in the foster care system, bad homes, she has no family, her mother’s history). I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and there are descriptive details on each character. I did not like that Needled to Death is written in the first person (it was unappealing to me). P.J., the neighbor’s daughter, was a delightful addition to the book. I liked her frank nature. Roscoe, Hildy’s golden retriever, is a protective and comforting dog. He was a sweetie. Those readers who enjoy A Mattie Winston Mystery series will be delighted with A Helping Hands Mystery series. Needled to Death has a protective pooch, a dashing detective, a cold case, a perplexing puzzle and a caring counselor.
“Needled to Death” by Annelise Ryan is the first in “A Helping Hands Mystery Series”. This is a new to me author and I found it to be a good beginning to a new series.
Annelise Ryan is the pseudonym for the author of the Mattie Winston Mysteries written as Allyson K. Abbott and this is a spin off featuring one of its characters social worker Clothilde “Hildy” Schneider. I enjoyed this book and the setting of Sorenson, Wisconsin.
Protagonist Hildy is a complicated, messed up but loyal, and likable character and her sidekick Roscoe a golden retriever therapy dog is adorable.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep me wanting to find out whodunit. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
Good story line and character. Hospital social workers are under rated.
I liked the characters and the mystery. I look forward to the next book.
Love this series!
Liked the Mattie Winston series so it took a few chapters to switch gears since some f the same characters are in this series (like seeing old friends). I enjoy this author and will read anything she has written.
Good story, held attention, but sad.
because we can’t read actual excerpts I didn’t realize that the book is geared toward a much younger audience .
Really enjoyed reading this one!
I read this book quite a while ago, but it’s a fantastic start to a great series!
A fun new series and spin off from the Mattie Winston series! Hildy is a social worker and one of her support group attendees shares that she believes her son was murdered instead of accidentally overdosing on drugs. Hildy takes her concerns to Detective Bob Richmond and together the two set out to find what really happened. I enjoyed Hildy and her dog Roscoe and the storyline was very intriguing. I look forward to reading more of this series and seeing what happens with Hildy’s relationships with Bob and Jonas. It would also be interesting to see Hildy’s mother’s murder solved.
Love Ms. Ryan’s books!
I love cozy mysteries and thought this book sounded excellent so I was pleased to receive a cop. from the publisher. Sadly, it turned out to not be my cup of tea. I thought it was very slow moving and I couldn’t connect with the storyline or the characters. I finally ended up skimming the book to the end.
I’m willing to give the series another shot….maybe the next one will grab me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or remuneration.
Sharon, a newcomer in Hildy’s bereavement support group, announces her son was murdered and did not commit suicide as the police believe. She begs for their help in proving it was a murder. Hildy then not only finds herself involved in looking into this death but it also brings back her desire to get more information on a decades old murder close to her heart.
I really like the way this story was written. First the author pulls you into the mystery and then introduces the characters. It has mystery, a touch of romance and moments of laugh out loud humor. This is a very good first in a series story and I look forward to more books in the A Helping Hands Mystery series. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.