A Dark and Snowy Night

The cover of Sally Goldenbaum’s A Dark and Snowy Night made me smile. It’s filled with everything cozy – the warm glow of a fireplace, a curious looking cat perched on an overstuffed sofa, and outside, a soft blanket of snow is falling to the ground. It’s one of Ms. Goldenbaum’s Seaside Knitters Society Mysteries.

I fell in love with the setting of the quaint coastal town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts. Every chapter I read had me loving this professionally seasoned mystery more and more. It is the kind of cozy mystery that gets it’s hooks into you and doesn’t let go – you’re “hooked” but it’s so subtle you don’t even know it!

Everyone in Sea Harbor is gearing up for the holiday season and looking forward to the town’s annual holiday party — but this year, Mayor Beatrice Scaglia changes the game plan. This year instead of an open party for everyone in town, it becomes a private, “invitation only” event to be held at the mayor’s new home. Obviously a lot of the regular party goers aren’t going to be invited to the event and it’s ruffling more than just a few feathers.

But in spite of the riff it’s causing with a lot of the local residents, Nell and Ben Endicott are attending the formal catered affair. They are doubly excited to be re-connecting with their old college friend, Ollie and his second wife, Lidia.

Ollie and Lidia are famous New York chefs with their own restaurant and catering business. Ollie stays in the background, while Lidia is the powerhouse building their business. Lidia is here (with hubby in tow) to cater the mayor’s holiday party.

The food is fabulous, despite the fact that there’s drama and heated arguments among the catering staff. But as the food is gobbled up, the snow and wind are picking up. As the evening winds down, the mayor tries to find Lidia to settle up the bill, but neither Lidia nor Ollie can be found. She enlists Nell to help in the search.

Eventually Nell heads outside to the restaurant’s van parked near the garage. That’s when she notices the drifting snow has created unique snow sculptures throughout the yard – but to her horror, one of them is sculpted around flesh and blood!

And thus begins an uproar in the peaceful town of Sea Harbor. It’s also when Nell and the others in the Seaside Knitters Society, collectively go from “knitters” to “sleuthers!” While their dearest friends aren’t on Santa’s Naughty List, they sure have made it onto the Suspect List! And these Seaside Knitting gals aren’t going to be able to celebrate Christmas until they crack the case.

But cracking this case won’t be easy. The author has given us a peeping Tom, a well-loved nanny who simply vanished, a missing family dog, and twisted family secrets – all guaranteed to keep readers on their toes.

In A Dark and Snowy Night instead of just one heroine, Ms. Goldenbaum gives us a feisty “group” of knitters turned amateur detectives.  The warmth of the characters and their solid, unwavering friendships, make this cozy perfect for the holidays or on a chilly winter’s day.

A copy of this book and cover photo were provided by Kensington Publishing.