On the Hook: A Crochet Mystery

On the Hook by Betty Hechtman is twelfth tale in A Crochet Mystery series. Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers (get your mind out of the gutter—they are referring to crochet hooks) have decided to get back to their roots. They are crocheting baby blankets for infants that are surrendered at the police department, fire station and local hospitals. Adele Humphries loves her new husband, but she is less than thrilled with the cramped living situation since her mother-in-law moved in to their cozy condo. Elise Belmont has recently acquired her real estate license and is anxious to show her first home, but she does not want her husband, Logan to know. They are only in the house a few moments when Elise hustles them out the door because Logan is on his way with clients. On the news that night, Molly sees that Logan found Timothy Clark, owner and actor, dead in the house (oh dear). The next day Detective Barry Greenberg (one of Molly's ex's) shows up asking about a scarf found at the crime scene—oops, it seems Molly's scarf was left behind in the hurry to exit the house. Adele is in a further tizzy because the victim was her acting coach (really). She has been taking lessons without her husband's knowledge (she told him she was taking yoga—I am shocked he bought it). To avoid spilling Elise and Adele's secrets, Molly must solve the case before Barry can prove the scarf is Molly's. Molly contacts Mason Fields, attorney and another ex, for legal advice and assistance. It also gives them a chance to reconnect (sparks are flying) and clear up a few misconceptions. When not working at the store and stitching together the clues of the case, Molly has been roped into helping Rhoda's brother-in-law, Leo. He is a widow who is clueless with women and Rhoda is tired of him moping about her house (Molly is a soft touch). Can Molly unravel the killer's identity before Barry proves the scarf belongs to Molly?

On the Hook is not a standalone book. It is best to read A Crochet Mystery series in order, so you can understand about Molly, her family, the Tarzana Hookers, and her relationships with the men in her life. On the Hook contains good writing and has a fast pace (which I liked). The mystery, though, took a back seat to Molly's love life. Instead of a love triangle, we have a square (Leo, Barry, Mason and Molly). The mystery was straightforward and the solving it is a cinch. Adele is her usual over-the-top self with her outlandish outfits and crazy ideas. She is even more zany than usual with her desire to become a host of a crochet show. Adele's little ditty will have you in stitches (it is creative and hilarious). I admit to having trouble getting into On the Hook. There seems to be a more zany antics than normal in this installment. There is quite a bit going on in On the Hook with the murder, crocheting blankets for charity, Adele and her acting ambitions, Elise keeping her real estate license hidden from her husband (it made no sense why), Molly's mother using her house for rehearsals, Barry trying to get Molly to answer his questions about the scarf, Mason and Molly going out, Molly giving Leo lessons, Sam living with Molly, the various animals that live with Molly, the bookstore, Dinah and her situation with Commander Blaine (her husband). While it is humorous, I wanted more mystery and less Molly stonewalling Barry (which lost its humor after a while). I am giving On the Hook 3.5 out of 5 stars. While On the Hook was not my favorite book in A Crochet Mystery series, I am curious to see what happens next with Molly Pink. Do you think she will ever pick between Barry and Mason?