Judging a Book by the Cover

The old saying goes that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. For the most part this saying is accurate and I try to live by it. Especially when it comes to people. People are usually more complex and first impressions can be deceiving. People can surprise us in good and bad ways. There is a reason why this expression still exist.

However, is one area of my life that I almost always throw out this saying: BOOKS. If I am looking at a book that I have never heard of before I will judge it by the cover. Now I am not even talking about the back cover where it might have some information. I am talking about the front cover. If a book has a clever title and an interesting design or picture it will most likely be coming home with me. But, only from the library. I am a little more picky when paying for a book. A couple of weeks ago I was at my local branch and took a gamble on a couple of books in a series.

Now I know what you might be thinking. Isn't this "Joy With Yarn"? Shouldn't she be talking about yarn?

But wait, I am talking about yarn. The series is called Tangled Web Mystery. With titles like Yarned and Dangerous and A Knit Before Dying, how could I not be interested? Also look at these covers.

I just had to pick up these books!

They seem like a cozy mystery and just the type of book that I didn't know I was looking for. Sadie Hartwell, the author, also includes a couple original knitting patterns in the back of each book. I thought this was clever and not typical. I've seen recipes in books, but not that many knitting patterns. But be warned the patterns are spoilers. Don't be like me and read them before you finish the book.

You don't have to knit to enjoy this series. The main character, Josie, isn't even a knitter. These books are for anyone that enjoys a mystery with some laughter along the way. Although there are some twists and turns the books are not extremely suspenseful. Josie just seems to keep stumbling over dead bodies. Some might call these books fluff or a guilty pleasure. But for me they are just enjoyable. A place that I don't mind traveling to when I want some adventure, but not too much.

In the first book Yarned and Dangerous Josie reluctantly leaves New York and the fashion designer that she works for to go back to the hometown she was glad to leave after high school. Her uncle was injured in a car accident that killed his wife and her mother begs Josie to go and help out. She has three things that she needs to get done on this trip: 1) do chores for her uncle, 2) close up her aunt's yarn shop, and 3) design a clothing line that might keep her job.

However, there are many more questions that Josie needs to answer. Why does she try so hard to please a boss that she can't stand? How long will it take to close up the shop? Why does the mother of her old high school boyfriend still hate her? Why is there a dead body in the yarn shop? And finally the most important question. Why did she even come back?

Overall the books are just a fun read. I highly recommend them. The characters are interesting. They have twist and turns that will keep you guessing. Josie is easy to relate to. Although she is trying to solve the mystery she doesn't always have the right answer. Sometimes she leads the reader down a rabbit hole because her theory made sense before she voiced it to others. She is the outsider in the town, so almost everyone is a suspect to her.       

I encourage you to read them and to check out Sadie Hartwell's Facebook page. I am already following her, so I will know when the next book comes out. I will let you know if I ever get around to knitting one of the included patterns. A couple of them are on my list, but it is a very long list.