Book Review - Needled To Death

Needled to Death
By Maggie Seftgon

Summary from Goodreads:
Taking a troop of tourists to Vickie Claymore's alpaca farm doesn't earn knitter Kelly Flynn a warm welcome. Instead she finds Vickie splayed out on her original hand-woven rug, her blood seeping into the design.

My Review: 

QUICK CAPTURE - Not for me but that doesn't mean it isn't for you.


Have you ever tired of forcing yourself to read a book?  I have held so many books on hold because I was trying to finish this book.  I finally had to stop reading and finish by skim-reading.  I usually race through a book, and I have had to put all my other reading list on hold because I couldn't slog through this one. 

Some books just seem to deviate so dramatically from reality that you get a bit annoyed.  I thought the first book in the series was okay for the most part though there were plenty of things I really disliked like the main character and her snippy attitude, her over fondness for coffee, instantaneous friendships, yarn groping and every single lady (and I mean single as in not married so supporting herself) having gobs of time to spend knitting at the local yarn etc. type of shop.  A friend who loves cozies had lent me the first two books in the series so I had every intention on seeing where the series would go. 

I stopped now a little more than halfway through the story and skim-read the rest of the way.  I could not take another minute of Kelly & company at her deceased aunt's deceased cousin's place.  Having Kelly be the only living relative of not one but both ladies just seemed beyond far fetched.  The cousin was married to an abusive rancher whom she left but never divorced.  The rancher apparently finally dies off and the estate is now Kelly's.  Really?  So we are supposed to believe that he also had no family?  And this second third or whatever cousin had no one on any other side of her family, but Kelly's aunt?  Why does this bug me?  Because it took me out of the story.  By the time we traipse through this relative's place, I couldn't even remember what the mystery is anymore.

This Montana ranch of 300 acres is not only home to apparently loads of cattle but also conveniently sheep and alpaca.  The sheep I get.  Cattle and sheep graze on different plants typically, but the alpaca?  Really?  It seems awfully convenient considering that our most recent murder victim also raised alpaca.  I found it hard to believe that this 70-somthing-year-old rancher would now also be an alpaca breeder.

Finally, I gave up as Kelly's buds were discovering antiques on this relative's property.  Frankly, I just didn't want to stick around for the oil, silver mine or Hope diamond to pop up.  My suspension of belief had sailed so solidly out the window that I could not continue. Everything seems just so wildly convenient for Kelly.   I rolled my eyes so many times while reading this book, I simply had to finally give myself permission to stop reading seriously and just get through the book.  So feeling I had invested enough time, I skimmed from page 140 to the end. 

I read for enjoyment and to learn things.  Neither was happening with this book, and when you pick up a book and just keep getting annoyed, you got to let it go.  I am bummed, I really did want to like it.  

I do want to say that lots of people did like it.  Those who did really did, and those who didn't really didn't.  It could still be the book for you.