Knitter Ellie Krueger and her husband Ben have started a llama farm in Plum Harbor, having recently moved there from Boston. They plan a fiber festival to kick off the grand opening of the Laughing Llama Farm, and the members of the Black Sheep knitting group decide to attend. Sadly, the event is cut short when someone discovers that the llama herd has been shot with a paint gun. Although the paint itself is mostly harmless, the force of the shots injures many of the llamas. But when the Black Sheep knitters stay to help Ellie and Ben clean up and tend to the llamas, they discover that this prank isn't the first to befall the Kruegers.

Ben is convinced that their next door neighbour Justin is responsible for the pranks, owing to controversial "open land" legislation that is pending in the area. Justin could profit quite a bit should the Krueger's move out and he buy the property. But before they can prove he is responsible, Justin is murdered. Unfortunately, Ben becomes the top suspect in the murder, and Ellie needs as much support as the rest of the knitters can give her.

As everyone begins to use their collective skills to gently prod into the mystery as much as possible without interfering with the official police investigation, they discover that there are nearly as many motives and suspects as there colours of yarn. Could the group solve this mystery before another death occurs and without further jeopardising their already rocky relationship with the detective on the case?

The characters in this book are lively and fun, even if member of the group are prone to fawning over the intelligence of the most educated member of one of the their friends. While she has a PhD, the words she uses aren't worth the over-adulation and don't merit the professed confusion from her friends. Otherwise, though, the chemistry amongst the group is dynamic and shows a loyalty that is to be envied.

The mystery is well-written and contains a twist that I never saw coming, although I was smugly confident I knew who the culprit was as soon as the suspect appeared in the book. My hubris wouldn't let me see any other suspects, although there were plenty of clues sprinkled cleverly throughout the rest of the book. I almost exclusively read mysteries and thrillers so the fact that I got this completely blind-sided is quite a compliment to Anne Canadeo, and it will definitely keep me coming back to the series to see what else the author has up her sleeve!

Book Summary

Llama Drama!

Ellie and Ben Krueger arrived in Plum Harbor eager to live out their dream—tending a herd of gentle, friendly llamas for fun and profit, on a farm just beyond the village. Their grand opening fiber festival kicks off on a bright note but abruptly ends in malicious mayhem. Knitting shop owner Maggie Messina and her friends soon learn that this is not the first time a vicious visitor has called.

The Kruegers suspect that Justin Ridley, their eccentric neighbor, is the troublemaker. A misfit and loner, he's known to roam the woods all night, though no one knows for sure what he's hunting. Then there's Angelica Rossi—the lovely owner of a rival fiber farm—who's been as busy as a spider, spinning spiteful lies about the Kruegers' yarns. Or, are the naïve newcomers merely caught in the tangle of Plum Harbor politics, and an intense land protection debate?

Suddenly, vandalism turns to murder—and the Kruegers' dream descends into a nightmare. The Black Sheep knitters must pull the threads together and uncover this crafty menace . . . before more lives—and more llamas— are lost.