Murder of a Needled Knitter

PRAISE FOR
THE NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLING

SCUMBLE RIVER SERIES

Murder of a Stacked Librarian

“A fun adventure in a small town with lovable characters and an intriguing plot.”

—
Romantic Times

“A well-plotted intriguing mystery. . . . Each book in the series is like a little gem.”

—MyShelf.com

Murder of the Cat's Meow

“Swanson serves up another romance-sweetened tale of murder in the endearingly zany town of Scumble River.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“Well-crafted. . . . From normal to nutty, the folks of Scumble River will tickle the fancy of cozy fans.”

—
Publishers Weekly

Murder of a Creped Suzette

“Another great book by this master of the small-town mystery.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

“A Swanson novel is always going to have tongue-in-cheek humor, complex motives, and unique murders. The latest cleverly crafted tale is another entertaining mystery.”

—
Romantic Times

Murder of a Bookstore Babe

“In the latest installment in her cozy Scumble River series, Swanson serves up another irresistible slice of romance-spiced mystery.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“As always, Skye Denison and Scumble River provide a reliable, enjoyable mystery. Reading about Scumble River is as comfortable as being in your own hometown. Skye's quirky assortment of relatives never fails to disappoint.”

—The Mystery Reader

Murder of a Wedding Belle

“Carefully crafted . . . a charming heroine who is equally skilled at juggling detection and romance.”

—
Chicago Tribune

Murder of a Royal Pain

“The series remains fresh and dramatic; a great combination, which translates to an enjoyable and intriguing reading experience.”

—Once Upon a Romance

Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry

“[A] cleverly crafted plot . . . with a generous dash of romance.”

—
Chicago Tribune

Murder of a Botoxed Blonde

“Endearing . . . quirky . . . a delight.”

—
Chicago Tribune

Murder of a Real Bad Boy

“Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”

—
The Amplifier
(KY)

Murder of a Smart Cookie

“Smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Murder of a Pink Elephant

“The must-read book of the summer.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

Murder of a Barbie and Ken

“Another sidesplitting visit to Scumble River . . . with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

Murder of a Snake in the Grass

“An endearing and realistic character . . . a fast-paced, enjoyable read.”

—The Herald News
(MA)

Murder of a Sleeping Beauty

“Another delightful and intriguing escapade.”

—Mystery News

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady

“More fun than the Whirl-A-Gig at the County Fair and tastier than a corn dog.”

—The Charlotte Austin Review

Murder of a Small-Town Honey

“Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”

—Agatha Award–winning author Earlene Fowler

 

PRAISE FOR THE

DEVEREAUX'S DIME STORE MYSTERY SERIES

“Veteran author Swanson debuts a spunky new heroine with a Missouri stubborn streak. . . . Readers will like this one for its slightly zany multigenerational take on small-town mores.”

—
Library Journal
(starred review)

“Swanson puts just the right amount of sexy sizzle in her latest engaging mystery.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“A new entertaining mystery series that her fans will appreciate. . . . With a touch of romance in the air, readers will enjoy this delightful cozy.”

—Genre Go Round Reviews

“Swanson has a gift for portraying small-town life, making it interesting, and finding both the ridiculous and the satisfying parts of living in one. I wish Dev a long and happy shelf life.”

—AnnArbor.com

SCUMBLE RIVER MYSTERIES

Murder of a Stacked Librarian

Murder of the Cat's Meow

Novella: “Dead Blondes Tell No Tales”

Murder of a Creped Suzette

Murder of a Bookstore Babe

Murder of a Wedding Belle

Murder of a Royal Pain

Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry

Murder of a Botoxed Blonde

Murder of a Real Bad Boy

Murder of a Smart Cookie

Murder of a Pink Elephant

Murder of a Barbie and Ken

Murder of a Snake in the Grass

Murder of a Sleeping Beauty

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady

Murder of a Small-Town Honey

DEVEREAUX'S DIME STORE MYSTERIES

Little Shop of Homicide

Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death

Dead Between the Lines

Published by the Penguin Group

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New York, New York 10014

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penguin.com

A Penguin Random House Company

First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC

Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2014

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

ISBN 978-1-101-59458-2

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For my awesome street team, Swanson's Sleuths. You are all the best.

Thanks to my good friend Valerie McCaffrey, who told me just how passionate knitters are about their hobby. And to Diane Little for sharing her experiences as a member of a craft group.

I
n July of 2000, when the first book in my Scumble River series,
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
, was published, it was written in “real time.” It was the year 2000 in Skye's life as well as mine, but after several books in a series, time becomes a problem. It takes me from seven months to a year to write a book, and then it is usually another year from the time I turn that book in to my editor until the reader sees it on a bookstore shelf. This can make the time line confusing. Different authors handle this matter in different ways. After a great deal of deliberation, I decided that Skye and her friends and family would age more slowly than those of us who don't live in Scumble River. So to catch everyone up, the following is when the books take place:

Murder of a Small-Town Honey
—August 2000

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
—March 2001

Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
—April 2002

Murder of a Snake in the Grass
—August 2002

Murder of a Barbie and Ken
—November 2002

Murder of a Pink Elephant
—February 2003

Murder of a Smart Cookie
—June 2003

Murder of a Real Bad Boy
—September 2003

Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
—November 2003

Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
—April 2004

Murder of a Royal Pain
—October 2004

Murder of a Wedding Belle
—June 2005

Murder of a Bookstore Babe
—September 2005

Murder of a Creped Suzette
—October 2005

Murder of the Cat's Meow
—March 2006

Murder of a Stacked Librarian
—December 2006

Murder of a Needled Knitter
—January 2007

And this is when the Scumble River short story and novella take place:

“Not a Monster of a Chance” from
And the Dying Is Easy
—June 2001

“Dead Blondes Tell No Tales” from
Drop-Dead Blonde
—March 2003

Scumble River is not a real town. The characters and events portrayed in these pages are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to living persons is pure coincidence.