I love cozy mysteries and I love to knit (shhhh, don't tell Adele), and crochet, so Betty Hechtman's Crochet Mystery Series is a favorite of mine. This installment finds Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers getting the chance to show off their skills when a new television show on the Craftee Channel chooses the book store to film their first episode. Of course, murder is never far away from Molly, and she's on the case, working with her ex, Barry, this time.

I love this series and enjoyed this book as much as I have all of its predecessors. Molly is a fun character who loves to put her detective skills to the test. All the Tarzana Hookers are great, even Adele in all her crankiness and fun outfits. I liked that Molly and Barry actually worked together on this mystery and hope that they continue to do so. I, of course, tried to figure out who the murderer was, and I, of course, was wrong, but that's part of the fun.

In summary, I love this series and this book didn't change my mind at all. I can definitely recommend it to cozy mystery lovers and yarnies alike, and think they will enjoy it as much as I did.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. ( )

Molly Pink is finally starting to get her life in order -- again. She's found out she's the 'contact person' for the Craftee Channel, who want to film a show at Shedd & Royal Books & More, where Molly works. But her co-worker Adele isn't happy, since she thinks that she should be the right person. And when Molly discovers that a young reality star, Rory Graham, is going to be the host, she's less than thrilled -- especially when she finds out Rory can't crochet.

But then the Tarzana Hookers are joined by two new members -- Marianne Freeman and Connie Richards. Molly soon figures out that Marianne has some problems, and Connie is there to help her. But she also learns that Marianne's brother Errol isn't happy about it, and wants to keep Marianne where he can see her.

At least her love life is improving; she's back with high-powered criminal defense attorney Mason Fields, and they're starting all over, trying to make time for each other in their busy schedules. Although her ex homicide detective Barry Greenberg isn't happy, he's trying to learn to deal with it.

But then Connie is found dead on Marianne's lawn, electrocuted, and now Marianne is a suspect. She won't talk to the police, but Barry comes to Molly for help, which is a first, hoping she can get information from Marianne that the police can't. Molly, who has an innate curious nature, is more than willing to help.

When Molly starts asking Marianne questions she begins to learn more about the quiet woman than she ever imagined. It's obvious Marianne's brother doesn't want her in their home, but Molly persists, and Marianne is on Molly's side.

But Rory is another problem: if she's not ready for the show, everything will fall apart and Mrs. Shedd will be devastated. So Molly enlists her fellow crocheters to help, tries to get Mariane to talk, is trying to set up a very different type of book signing, keep her relationship with Mason going, and keep Barry and Mason apart, all while helping Barry. It's enough to make her take her eye off the killer so they can put theirs on her...

This is the eleventh book in the series, and there is a lot going on here. Rory is more interested in showing off her dance moves than crocheting, figuring that Adele can do the job for her (of course she can't); and Molly is trying to keep her helping Barry on the down low, which is near impossible when her best friend Dinah is having her own problems and hiding out at Molly's intermittently.

It's an interesting mystery that starts to come together slowly, with the clues being put together as Molly finds them. Is Marianne guilty? Molly doesn't think so, but Detective Heather Gilmore is sure of it, not even looking at other suspects. Barry doesn't agree with her, which is why he's enlisted Molly's help.

Of course, Molly is still feeding anyone who shows up at her house, and I find that a bit overdone; people know how to feed themselves. At least Adele has toned things down a bit in this book, and for that I am grateful. (One note that I have to say is that I am a left-handed crocheter. I have been crocheting since I was a child, learning from my mother, and never had any problem with patterns at all.)

When the ending comes and Molly puts everything together, the murderer is a surprise, which is always a nice thing. I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to the next, waiting to see what lies in store for Molly and her friends. Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. ( )

The bookstore where Molly works is going to be the site of a cable talk show episode about crochet. It doesn’t take long for things to get out of hand. There are conflicts galore, and even more trouble when a new hooker ends up dead. Molly still is bouncing between spending time with Mason to feeding and talking with Barry, Diane is having trouble with her new husband’s grown daughter, Adele has mother-in-law problems, and another new hooker is having a variety of health issues. The interplay between characters was really more interesting than the solution to the murder in this mystery. ( )

Another great book by Ms. Hechtman ( )

Hooks Can Be Deceiving by Betty Hechtman is the thirteenth A Crochet Mystery. Molly Pink is called into her boss’s office at Shedd & Royal Books & More. The Craftee Channel is creating a new program called Creating with Crochet, and they want to film the premiere show in the yarn department at the bookstore. Adele is confident that she will be chosen to host the new show with her explementary skills. Rory Graham, an actress, is picked to host Creating the Crochet. When Rory visits the store, she confides in Molly that she may have exaggerated her crocheting abilities (basically, she cannot crochet). Molly cleverly pairs Rory with Adele who believes she is destined to be the actress’s sidekick on the show. The Tarzana Hookers meet for Happy Hour each day and they have a new addition to the group. Marianne Freeman joined the group three weeks prior with her companion, Connie Richards. Molly befriends the Marianne and is worried when she fails to show up one evening. Molly arrives at Marianne’s home to find Detective Heather Gilmore on the scene with Molly’s ex-boyfriend, Detective Barry Greenberg. Connie is dead from electrocution and Heather is quick to accuse Marianne. Barry has his doubts, but he is not the lead detective. He enlists Molly’s help (talk about a shocker) in ferreting out the truth. He wants Molly to ask questions only (that’s a laugh). Molly works in her sleuthing in between her duties at the store, coming up with a make it and take it for the pilot program, keeping Rory on track with her lessons instead of doing a “dance break” every five minutes, keeping her furry companions in kibble and preparing for the upcoming taping of the show. The killer is not happy with Molly’s investigation and attempts to threaten her away (obvious he does not know Molly). Can Molly clear Marianne before filming of Creating with Crochet begins?

Hooks Can Be Deceiving is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery. I thought the book was well-written with steady pacing. Hooks Can Be Deceiving can be read as a standalone. I like that Molly is a mature main character with an active life. She has her son, her fur babies, her job, friends and she has started dating Mason again. The story has humor courtesy of Adele with her outlandish ideas and fashions choices. She is the perfect choice to host the children’s hour, but I am baffled why the children must register (Adele has an elaborate system in place). I wish my local bookstore had a yarn department like Shedd & Royal Books & More (it sounds like a great place to spend an afternoon—books, tea, snacks and yarn). The mystery is clever with a unique method of murder. The mystery can be solved by the reveal, but I have a feeling some people will be surprised by the killer’s identity. The ending did feel a bit rushed as the author hurried to wrap up the storylines. While Adele was not as prominent in this story, the animals were (too much). I would have liked the author to include descriptions of the yarns carried at the store. I am not sure how I feel about the relationship between Mason and Molly. His lifestyle and Molly’s do not seem compatible (she is more down to earth while he has fancy cars and dines in high end restaurants). We will have to wait and see how it plays out. I Hooks Can Be Deceiving is an engaging and spirited cozy mystery. I am giving Hooks Can Be Deceiving 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I am curious to see what trouble Molly will get herself into next time in the fourteenth A Crochet Mystery. ( )