Skating on a Thread

As the first snow falls, Sea Harbor, Massachusetts is a winter wonderland, especially with a new ice skating rink for residents and tourists to enjoy. But as the Seaside Knitters discover, it’s also a season for deadly secrets . . .

Winter in Sea Harbor evokes warm fires and piles of colorful wool waiting to be fashioned into hats and sweaters and scarves. At Izzy Perry’s yarn shop, staff have conjured a jolly scene in miniature that reflects the town’s exciting new addition: a first-class outdoor skating rink.

The rink is a showpiece, complete with a warming cabin and a wood-burning stove serving up cider, hot chocolate, and donuts. Various locals are involved in the enterprise, including Claire Russell, who helps manage the nonprofit funding the rink. The Seaside Knitters know Claire well, and her calm efficiency is a perfect complement to some of the more boisterous board members.

Izzy loves the winter season, though with a first grader and her seven-month-old to care for and a busy shop to run, there aren’t too many silent nights in store. But the festive mood takes a turn when Claire is found lying dead in the snow near the rink, her cat and her skates by her side. It was no accident—an autopsy reveals she was killed with a sharpened ice skate blade.

Hoping to untangle the mystery of their friend’s death, Nell, Izzy, Cass and Birdie begin to pull at threads that lead them deeper into Claire’s private life, Soon, possible motives are piling up like the deepening snow. It’s a winter’s tale rooted in loyalty, ambition, and betrayal, pointing to an icy-hearted killer within their midst . . .Sally Goldenbaum is the author of over three-dozen novels, including the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mysteries and the nationally bestselling Seaside Knitters Society Mystery Series, set in the fictional town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts. Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Sally now lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts with her husband, Don. In addition to writing mysteries, Sally has taught philosophy, Latin, and creative writing, edited bioethics and veterinary healthcare journals, and worked in public television at WQED Pittsburgh (then home to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood). Visit her at SallyGoldenbaum.com.