On Skein Of Death

For Libby Beckett, opening her charming yarn shop, and introducing customers to the joys of knitting and crochet, is the work she was meant to do. Until the yarn she loves is used for murder…. Libby has come home to Collinstown, Maryland to live her dream and open her own yarn shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., along the Chester River. To Libby, Y.A.R.N. stands for "You're Absolutely Ready Now." But the acronym changes whenever inspiration strikes, and customers add to the list of suggestions that fill the blackboard wall in a shop stuffed with color, fiber, and comfort. Libby is thrilled when she lands famous Norwegian knitting celebrity Perle Langager for a series of events at Y.A.R.N. Libby's English bulldog, Hank, has been modeling one of Perle's doggie sweaters, and customers just can't wait to see Perle in action. The mayor of Collinstown even decrees a Collinstown Yarn Day to celebrate. But once Perle arrives in town, she seems distracted and on edge. And when she's found strangled with a skein of red yarn, Libby knows she has to solve a knotty mystery before her new life unravels.

A murder in her yarn shop’s backyard puts Libby Beckett’s holiday plans on thin ice.… The holiday season looks merry and bright for Libby and her friends at Y.A.R.N. The store is expanding for a holiday boom, and she’s gathered Collinstown’s businesses to decorate a community Christmas tree. Dashing “Gallant Herdsman” Vincenzo Marani arrives to showcase the rare vicuña, whose coat produces the world’s most luxurious yarn. It’s a perfect yuletide—until Libby’s ex-husband, Sterling, turns up in town…and then turns up dead. The murder unravels Libby’s life faster than a hand-knit Christmas stocking. The luxe yarn goes missing, Sterling’s domineering family comes to town, and the vicuña attempt an escape. If Libby can’t stitch up a solution to the case, she may be trading in her knitting needles for a set of handcuffs.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1863.

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 very wise writer once wrote that books end, but stories never do. This book begins with the marriage of Ann and Allen, who now live happily in the house he found for her in The Skein.

From the award-winning author, “a breathtaking journey of revenge and redemption that pits a stubborn, devoted girl against an unknown evil” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). On Gullstruck Island, legend has it that the mountain ranges and volcanoes are in charge. Anger them, and you’ll pay the price. Keep them happy, and you’ll enjoy their protection. These stories of the land’s command come in handy for quiet, near-invisible Hathin when she must run for her life. Hathin’s sister, Arilou, is believed to be a Lost. The Lost are held nearly sacred by those on Gullstruck, for they can send their senses away from their bodies. If Lost, Arilou can read a message across the island. If Lost, Arilou can hear whispers in the corners of private rooms. If Lost, Arilou can smell bread baking in the governor’s mansion. All from her beachside hut. But the question remains: Is Arilou really a Lost? When all the Lost drop dead, except Arilou, she and Hathin are swept into a grand conspiracy that leads them to the most sinister depths—and heights—of the island. “Filled with sentient volcanoes, gem-studded teeth, villains, heroes, revenge, love, and the world’s most frightening dentist, this is a book to rival The Princess Bride in scope, adventure, and excitement. It’s Hardinge’s magnum opus. One that I dearly hope both kids and adults enjoy in equal measure.” —A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal “Delightfully inventive . . . Ripe, rollicking, and endlessly creative.” —The Guardian “A luminous example of gifted storytelling at its best.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Sixty-six thousand words were omitted for reasons of propriety and publishing economics, as well as to remove material deemed expendable by Perkins. Published for the first time on October 3, 2000 - the centenary of Wolfe's birth - O Lost presents the complete text of the novel's manuscript.".