Latest Books Knitmare on Beech Street with Peggy Ehrhart

The Big Thrill Discusses KNITMARE ON BEECH STREET with Peggy Ehrhart

Knit and Nibble member Pamela Paterson, and her best friend, Bettina, stumble on a body in a once grand Victorian house when they join a group welcoming new residents to Arborville—and must figure out if old secrets killed the new neighbor…

When Pamela, Bettina, and their friends show up at the Voorhees House to greet its new owner, they’re met with a most unwelcome sight: a dead body on the kitchen floor. Tassie Hunt just inherited the old Victorian, which had been occupied by a reclusive widow for many years and had a reputation for being haunted. But Tassie would have been unlikely to be spooked since her career involved debunking such paranormal phenomena.

Her demise sets off a new flurry of gossip and ghostly speculation in the New Jersey town, of course—and it’s tempting to think spirits were indeed involved considering there’s zero evidence so far of foul play. A nosy neighbor reports strange lights and sounds, and a man obsessed with the Victorian era starts photographing the place from the street. But it won’t take long before Pamela and Bettina are moving in on a killer . . .

Peggy Ehrhart

Author Peggy Ehrhart recently spent time with The Big Thrill to discuss her cozy mystery, KNITMARE ON BEECH STREET.

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

I don’t believe in ghosts but corresponding with a reader who has had experiences with them made me see that a spooky old house rumored to be haunted could be a great premise for a cozy mystery.

What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

My amateur sleuth Pamela Paterson is a knitter. As a knitter myself, and devotee of fiber crafts of all kinds, I realized that the specialized knowledge she possesses about all things yarn-related could allow her to recognize clues overlooked by the police–a perfect qualification for an amateur sleuth.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

Respect for traditionally female crafts and the women who keep them alive.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

Knit & Nibble mystery #11, A Dark and Stormy Knit (with a Halloween theme) is now in progress and will be released in fall 2024.

Peggy Ehrhart is a former English professor with a doctorate in Medieval Literature. Her Maxx Maxwell mysteries, Sweet Man Is Gone (2008) and Got No Friend Anyhow (2011), were published by Five Star/Gale/Cengage and feature a blues-singer sleuth.

Peggy is currently writing the Knit & Nibble mysteries for Kensington. Her amateur sleuth, Pamela Paterson, is the founder and mainstay of the Arborville, New Jersey, knitting club, nicknamed Knit and Nibble. Knit & Nibble #9, Irish Knit Murder, was a March 2023 release. Knit & Nibble #10, Knitmare on Beech Street, will appear in December 2023, and Murder Most Irish will appear next spring in Kensington’s 2024 St. Patrick’s Day novella anthology, Irish Milkshake Murder.

To learn more about the author and her work, please visit her website.

KNITMARE ON BEECH STREET with Peggy Ehrhart