Black Sheep & Company Mystery

The Black Sheep Knitters-Maggie, Lucy, Dana, Suzanne, and Phoebe-meet once a week without fail, sharing the varied and colorful skeins of their lives as much as knitting tips, recipes, and small-town gossip, and creating an intricate, durable pattern of friendship. Now a shocking murder has peaceful Plum Harbor, Massachusetts, in knots -and the Black Sheep women must herd together to protect one of their own from a scandalous frame-up. Maggie Messina, beloved owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, is thrilled to be hosting a workshop for one of her former students, now a celebrity in the knitting world. But the celebration is upstaged when Amanda Goran, the owner of the rival Knitting Nest, is found dead in her shop on the other side of town. Maggie had reasons to dislike Amanda, a thorn in her side ever since Maggie's shop surpassed Amanda's in popularity. Then again, it wasn't hard to dislike Amanda-the contentious woman, whose marriage was on the rocks, seemed to specialize in causing misery all over town. But the pointed evidence has a detective casting a suspicious eye on Maggie. She may be a whiz at knitting, but can she keep the police from needling her before her shop, her reputation, and her circle of friends become unraveled?

The Black Sheep Knitters come to the aid of two sisters-one a victim and one a suspect . . . Maggie Messina knows that knitting is not only enjoyable, it also calms both the mind and soul. She's happy to visit two sisters, Holly and Rose Piper, and teach them some simple stitches, while the rest of the Black Sheep knitters tag along. Dana Haeger has known the young women since they were children and is the closest thing to family the Pipers now have. Dana is especially concerned about Rose, who has been easily overwhelmed ever since a car accident many years ago. She is at her best managing the houseful of hounds that she rescues and shelters, while Holly runs the family nursery and remains devoted to Rose's care. The lesson goes well, but the knitters are troubled about the sisters living alone in such a remote corner of Plum Harbor. Their worst fears are realized when Holly is attacked in her greenhouse and the building set ablaze. Rose is found unconscious nearby, her dogs running wild. When she wakes, her memory is blank. Holly is hospitalized and unable to offer even a clue. The Black Sheep suspect a mysterious drifter who had talked his way into a few days of wages, and just as quickly, disappeared. Or was it their estranged half-brother, Toby, full of family grievances and eager to make a claim on the estate? Or, heaven forbid . . . was it Rose? Hovering over all these questions like an ominous shadow is a dark secret from the sisters' past. While it seems everything is unraveling, the knitters will need to keep their wits as sharp as their needles to prove Rose's innocence and stop a killer from striking again.

Romantic entanglements and handcrafted murder tie the Black Sheep knitters in knots when the local farmers' market becomes a haven for a killer... Phoebe Myers, Black Sheep Knitting Shop's assistant manager, finally comes out from behind the counter to sell her own creations-Socks by Phoebe- at the Plum Harbor Farmers' and Crafts Market, a lively, colorful venue that draws shoppers from miles around. But, her excitement cools when she learns the previous tenant of her booth, farmer Jimmy Hooper, committed suicide. She's barely raised her Grand Opening banner when Hooper's death is upgraded to murder. Phoebe worries that her stall is jinxed when things go from bad to worse. The last person she wants to see, her ex-boyfriend Harry "The Potter" McSweeney, appears in the stall across the aisle to sell his wares. The Black Sheep advise Phoebe to be strong and resist the handsome artist's spell. But, romantic sparks and tempers explode in a very public scene-and a pile of broken pottery. Before Phoebe can get back to business, her stall is trashed, her Facebook page hacked, and another vendor is found dead. The Black Sheep worry for Phoebe's safety, especially when Harry becomes the prime suspect in both crimes. Phoebe refuses to believe he's a killer and is determined to prove him innocent. Her friends are not convinced, but for Phoebe's sake-and her safety- the Black Sheep puts their wits together to catch the crafty marketplace killer who's hiding in plain sight...

As one of the Black Sheep Knitters prepares to become a mother, a new member becomes a suspected killer . . . Spring has reached Plum Harbor, Massachusetts, and the weather isn't the only thing that's changing. Eight months pregnant, Lucy prepares to enter an exciting phase in life while weaving together loose threads from her past. It feels like fate when she reconnects with college friend Rebecca Hurley, whose eclectic Happy Hands Café is the perfect locale for Black Sheep gatherings. But just as charming Rebecca joins their closely knit circle, she's suspected of murder. It appears to be an accident when Rebecca's writer husband, Colin, is crushed by a fallen bookcase at the café. But his death is quickly determined to be murder. Adding to the horror, police believe Rebecca committed a heinous act of revenge against Colin for planning to end their marriage-a move that would cut off Rebecca's contact with the stepdaughter she adores. Despite the incriminating evidence growing faster than her belly, Lucy is convinced that she must prove her old friend's innocence. As her due date approaches and a dangerous mystery unravels, Lucy and the Black Sheep shift from knitting baby booties to chasing down the cunning culprit who's always a few steps ahead.

A relaxing girls' getaway turns deadly for the Black Sheep Knitters when a pushy killer is on the prowl . . . As their beloved Black Sheep member Lucy Binger prepares to tie the knot, the close-knit group decide they need a weekend to unwind before the big day. Suzanne Cavanaugh has just the spot-her friend Amy lives in a luxury New England community on Osprey Island, renowned for its famous cliff walk and spectacular ocean views, and she would be happy to host the knitters. Shortly after their arrival, however, the idyllic setting turns into a crime scene. The body of a prominent resident of Osprey Shores is discovered on the rocky coastline below the cliffs and evidence suggests his fatal misstep was no accident. When the investigation focuses on Amy's husband, the knitters step in to untangle the clues. But with this crafty killer on the edge, the Black Sheep must walk a fine line-and look before they leap to any deadly conclusions.

When a fellow Black Sheep Knitter is suspected of poisoning her coworker, the group puts down their needles and takes up their friend's defense . . . Suzanne Cavanaugh has just about had it with her office rival at Prestige Properties. It's bad enough that Liza Devereaux is constantly needling her at work, but when she shows up at one of Suzanne's open houses to poach potential buyers, it's the last straw. No one in the office fails to hear the two snarling at each other. When Liza is later found dead in her office cubicle-poisoned by a diet shake-Suzanne becomes the prime suspect. It's soon discovered, though, that Liza had double-crossed so many around town and stashed their dark secrets in her designer handbags that anyone could be the culprit. The Black Sheep Knitters have no doubt their friend has been framed-but they need to prove it. Stirred to action, they get together to catch a sneaky killer who's trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes . . .