A Miss Clarple Mystery
Swapped Skeins: Chapter 2: The Arrival
Previously, renowned hand-dyer Penelope Tweed had consulted her friend, the textile sleuth Miss Clarple, about a peculiar thing that happened to the yarn at her most recent knitting camps.
Two weeks later, Miss Clarple found herself sitting beside Penelope in the old Peugeot as it wheezed down the motorway towards Jacob’s Crossing.
“I congratulate you on pulling everything together so quickly,” Miss Clarple said.
“I’m rather surprised myself,” her friend replied. “I called the inn first, since they’re usually booked. But they were wide open. So I reserved six rooms like you told me to. One for me, one for each of the knitters who’d been at the last two camps, and one room for a mystery guest.” She turned. “That’s you, by the way.”
“I would hope so!” Miss Clarple laughed.
Her friend continued, “So then I called my four campers. This will be a rather strange bunch, by the way. I used your line, I said I was having an intimate gathering with a very special guest I knew they’d love to meet, as thanks for their support during the inn’s ownership transition. They all said yes immediately.”
“Well done,” Miss Clarple smiled. “And the new goody bags?”
“They’re in back,” said Penelope. “With a color of yarn nobody’s seen before.”
“With the extra skeins in case the originals go astray again?”
“Yes,” said Penelope, “though I swear this is going to bankrupt me.”
“Have faith,” Miss Clarple smiled. “Now, tell me who’s coming.”
“Suspect number one is Cathy Wolfe. World’s tightest knitter, one of those very literal people. Scientist. Polymers, I think.” Miss Clarple raised her eyebrows, and Penelope swerved to avoid a pothole.
“Suspect number two is Georgina Hart,” Penelope continued. “Sweet young thing. Means well, but rather clueless. Learned to knit last year and has already launched her own line of yarn, you know the type? It’s hard to tell if she’s coming to learn or to steal my business. As I said, she’s young. Or maybe I’m just old.”
Miss Clarple grinned.
“Suspect three is Rupert Cross, did you ever meet him?” Miss Clarple shook her head. “Extraordinary knitter. Prickly but likable. I was on the judging panel the year he took the red ribbon at Nottingham. He would’ve won Best in Show if it weren’t for Lois Walker and her tapestry. Rupert took that pretty hard, but he must’ve forgiven me by now, because he keeps coming to camp.”
Miss Clarple gave a slow nod.
“Our final suspect is Constance Webb. Really, it’s hard to suspect her of anything beyond being the slowest knitter I’ve ever met. She’s been working on the same scarf for at least two years now.”
Penelope turned off the motorway and onto a local road leading towards the village. In no time, they’d passed through Jacob’s Crossing and were headed back into open country when Penelope turned off the road and onto the long drive leading up to the inn.
“Where are the sheep?” asked a surprised Miss Clarple, looking at the empty fields on either side of them.
“Gone,” said Penelope. “The new owner said no sheep, so away they went. That was tragic.”
Soon an Elizabethan manor house came into view, with curved gables, ornate chimney stacks, and leaded-glass windows peeking through masses of climbing hydrangeas. As they approached, the door opened and a tall woman emerged. “That’s Vivian, the new manager,” said Penelope. “If you want to have fun, invite her to knit with us.”
Vivian was an elegant woman who appeared to be in her late 60s, with a pageboy bob and jet-black hair that suggested a desire not to look like she was in her late 60s.
“Welcome back!” she said to Penelope in a smooth, low voice, politely air-kissing her on both cheeks. She looked at Miss Clarple with interest. “So this is our special guest?”
“It is,” Penelope said. “This is my dear friend Miss Clarple.”
Vivian’s eyes flickered. “Not Clarice Clarple, the fiber expert?”
“Oh you know her?” said a startled Penelope.
“Who doesn’t? That kitty litter story was all over the news.” She turned and yelled, “Bellamy!”
A handsome, stocky man appeared, took one look at the new arrivals, and muttered, “Oh hooray, the knitters are back.”
Vivian, who either hadn’t heard him or chose to ignore his comment, said, “Bellamy, help Penelope with her bags, won’t you? This is Bellamy, my assistant.”
“Assistant manager,” he said, gathering Penelope’s bags and marching inside with her at his heels.
Vivian turned back to Miss Clarple, smiled, and picked up her overnight bag. “Shall we?”
She led Miss Clarple up the stone stairs and through the entryway.
“Is this your first time at the Whinfield?” Vivian asked.
“I was here a long time ago,” Miss Clarple replied, looking around. “Are you the new owner?”
“Oh no, I’m just the manager,” said Vivian. “When my husband died last year, I was left with nothing. The inn has been a godsend.”
They were entering a great room with dark wood paneling, high ceilings, and colorful geometric floor tiles. She pointed to the right, “that’s the sitting room where guests usually gather.” To the left, “that’s the dining room, and the kitchen is just beyond.”
They were halfway up the main staircase when Miss Clarple’s eyes fell on a large oil portrait above the landing. It was of a stern-looking man with great jowls and a dramatic swoosh of hair atop his head. “Who’s that?” she asked.
“I have no idea,” Vivian replied. “It came with the inn.” She kept walking up the wide stairs.
Something about the face seemed familiar to Miss Clarple, but she couldn’t put a finger on it. “This way,” Vivian called, as if beckoning a dog who stopped too long to sniff.
“We have twelve guest rooms on this floor,” Vivian continued. “I put all of you on this side for the weekend,” she turned, leading Miss Clarple down a wide hallway to the right until she reached a door.
It opened with a loud wail, revealing an explosion of chintz wallpaper, curtains, bedding, upholstery, lampshades, pillows, everything was chintz. Only the floorboards had been spared.
Following Miss Clarple’s gaze, Vivian said, “We had a terrible moth infestation and had to rip out all the old wool carpets. We’re still waiting on replacements.” She set Miss Clarple’s bag at the foot of her bed. “Dinner is at 7. The old servant bells work now, so don’t hesitate to ring for Bellamy if you need anything.”
Remembering Penelope’s dare in the car, Miss Clarple asked, “Will you be knitting with us?”
A look of pained distaste flashed across Vivian’s face, and she shook her head. “I admire people who have the patience for that sort of thing, but I do not.”
With a slight bow of the head, she backed out of the room and closed the wailing door behind her.
Miss Clarple walked to the window. Beyond the garden, past the driveway, she could see the empty parkland where the sheep used to graze. Voices and creaking doors told her that the others had begun to arrive. It was time to prepare.
With ritual precision, she unpacked a small collapsible kettle, filled it with water, and plugged it in. Then she set out a teacup and spoon, a tea canister, and a small thermos she’d filled with milk before leaving home. Tea without milk was like yarn without needles for Miss Clarple. But the two together fueled her brain—and she already knew she’d need every grey cell for what lay ahead.
To Be Continued…
Illustrations by Hannah Jones
Miss Clarple will be solving the mystery of the swapped skeins on Sundays through March. We’re celebrating the arrival of Miss Clarple by giving away a $50 MDK gift card each week. Last week’s winner was Lesley H. Leave a comment to be entered in this week’s drawing! The randomly chosen winner will be announced (and contacted by MDK) on Thursday.
I’m hooked!
And that link to the kitty litter yarn story! Gold!
I need a collapsible tea kettle! Who knew? And the color-perhaps tea dyed?
I LOVE !!!! this series. A nice Cozy Knitting Series, saved it to eat before bed, great way to start the week the illustrations are perfect!
Thank you
This is so much fun! I am loving the story. And, the kitty litter story link? Brilliant!
Highlight of the week. A real pleasure to read.
!!
Absolutely ready for the next chapter!
Such a fun little serial – I eagerly await the next excerpt!
Love the cliff hanger ending and the paintings this is going to be fun!
Sunday fun!
Oh what fun!
Fun read – It’s like I am one of the guests!
I’m loving this! Please consider writing a cozy mystery book series, Clara!
Delightful yarn!
Fabulous again in pins and knitting needles waiting for more
The scene is set! Maybe also the twist!
I am enjoying this story very much.
Thank you!
This is fun to read
Waiting with bated breath to see what color yarn is in the goody bags!
Ready for the next installment!
I was thinking the same thing—what will the new yarn be?
Can’t wait for the next chapter of the story!
Loving this! Curious what Bellamy has against knitters, and wondering if the sheep will be important?
This is wonderful story telling! In just a few paragraphs, I’m completely transported. I’m eager for the next installment.
Ah, tea and knits.
Loving the mystery so far! I’m hooked!
Yes to tea and knitting!
My current guesses: The jowly man is related to Bellamy. Vivian hates all wooly things.
Yes to writing a full fledged book! I’m at the airport at 4:15 am and this is the best way to start my day. Thank you!
I’m loving the feel of the mystery.
Love this. Starting my day with a smile.
The characters are interesting. I’m trying to solve the murder already.
This is so much fun! Looking forward to next Sunday
The plot thickens . . .
Collapsible tea kettles. Who knew?
They really do exist – a coffee or tea traveler’s best friend.
Agatha would be proud!
I was so excited to realize it was time for a new installment!! This is such fun! Love the drawings too! Thank you!!!
Intriguing! My mind is spinning!
Unraveling a mystery is better than unraveling a WIP.
Such fun
What a great way to start my Sunday. I want a collapsible tea kettle.
And then what happened?
Very fun! I love the story, setting and characters.
Got a good laugh from Kitty. I was just telling my students about Life Cycle Assessment, the standard for measuring environmental and economic costs of a product. Kitty’s LCA is a real trainwreck!
I think I’m hooked!
I love the slow building of suspense. Can’t wait for the next installment.
The illustrations!!
This is so fun!!! I wonder where the sheep went????
How fun! The illustrations add a wonderful touch to a fun story.
Such fun!
Was looking forward to the new installment. Illustrations are priceless
The plot thickens…
So much fun. I am really enjoying it!
So interesting can’t wait for the next chapter!
Such fun! Thanks Clara and Hannah
Loving the story!
The chintz glares, the cast gathers, the plot starts to thicken!
Such fun, thank you!
I think it’s either the new owner or someone who works at the Inn.
The plot is thickening – just like a real cooked pudding!
Hannah – those illustrations are amazing!
Thanks for all this fun!
I’m enjoying the illustrations as much as the mystery! Thank you for this fun diversion – perfect way to start a Sunday!
This is so much fun. I love the character illustrations.
Enjoying the story, but in love with the illustrations!
Keep your eye on Bellamy.
I can’t wait until next Sunday! Very enjoyable!
What in the world is a color of yarn that no one has seen before?????? Can’t wait to find out!!
Such a fun way to brighten up the winter doldrums!
I’m with Clarice regarding tea with milk. Now that I’ve read this chapter, I’m off to make some for myself…..my brain needs to fueled!
I love the illustrations as much as the story!
I love the different Knitting characters. It was so fun to think of all the knitters. I’ve met over the years and also to think how I might be described.
Thanks so much for this! Can’t wait for the next episode!
I love this!! I am always looking for knitting fiction books. (If any one has recommendations, they would be so appreciated!!)
I love the artwork too. Well done, Hannah Jones!
The game is afoot!!
Will there be a downloadable book at the end of this? This is awesome.
I know when all the weeks are done I’ll go back a reread it all in one day. So enjoyable! Knit on !
Love the story and the artwork!
So much fun!
This is a fun new Sunday ritual! I’m looking forward to next week already!
Once again, Ashley’s artwork elevates this story! I am eager for next Sunday’s installment!
So fun! Can’t wait for next week. And I love the illustrations!
What fun this is
What a wonderful idea. I love it! I have many of Clara’s books and subscribe to her Daily Respite emails. Looking forward to the next installment.
Thank you for this yarn!
Hannah’s illustrations shine with personality!
Love the story and illustrations!
I wonder what Penelope would say about my knitting “style”.
Artistry in words! Very fun!
Collapsible electric tea kettle? Sounds like a must have.
I’m beyond intrigued by just this snippet. I can’t wait for the plot to be revealed!!
Fun story. Great details. Love the illustrations.
Intriguing!
How sad that the sheep are gone. Makes you question the character of the new owner!
Something is definitely AFOOT.
Enjoyed this installment! Can’t wait to see what happens next.
She’s got to fix that squeaky door. I use hand cream once in a hotel room’s squeaky bathroom door. It worked!
Sooooo fun! Can’t resist such a cozy mystery!
Can’t resist such a cozy mystery! What will happen next?
Nice legs, Bellamy!
Coward that I am , I might check out if I heard about a moth infestation. Looking forward the next installment
Thank you for taking me away….just what I needed.
Enjoying this!
so many possible culprits
Can’t wait to find out what’s next!
Can’t wait for next Sunday!!
And so it begins!
So, Miss Clarple had been to the hotel years before. A Christie easter egg of a sorts…when Miss Marple solved a mystery at Bertram’s Hotel.
I’m enjoying this illustrated mystery for yarn enthusiasts! Looking forward to the next chapter. The link regarding kitty litter is a nice bonus.
This story is too fun! And the illustrations are wonderful.
This is such fun….loving the clues!
This is so good. Well done Clara!!
Ended too soon. Love it.
Loving the story! I’m with her on milk with tea!
This is so much fun, love your detective handle:)
I love this! What a fun way to start a Sunday. I just finished watching the entire Poirot series and I love Clara’s reference to her little grey cells. Can’t wait for next Sunday.
This is fun! Love the illustrations!
I’m excited for the next part. I’m sad the sheep are gone. I think Vivian has something to do with the mystery. This is getting good.
Clara and Hannah should collaborate on a knitter’s graphic novel! What a duo!
This is a delight!! The pairing of Clara and Hannah is magic!! I love the story, already want to tackle the Fiend for such a high crime! Hannah’s use of colorways and paintings go hand in glove (or should I say, hand in goodie bag) with the story!
I will try to be patient!!
I love the illustrations as much as the mystery! Bravo!
Love a good mystery! The artwork is perfect.
So much fun! Thank you Clara!
I love the illustrations! They really add to the story!
Loving this story and the fantastic illustrations! Can’t wait for next week!
Mystery, tea, knitting. What more does one need?
This reminds me of the days of my grandmother and she saved recipes and patterns from the weekly newspaper…each week looking forward to her next adventure…just as I am with your series…thank you for bringing back this memory for me
So much fun, somehow I missed the first chapter during the snow storm.
Great fun! I love a good mystery.
How fun! I wonder who done it?
Something about Bellamy feels odd to me. We’ll see!
Anybody else notice that Bellamy is always spelled “Bell amy”… as in Bell friend (amy being an anglification of the French word for friend, ami).
Is it a hint or is it a quirk of the hand of the illustrator?
Curious…
Love a good mystery. Intriguing, Clara!
This is such a great way to start an extremely cold Sunday! I am saving each chapter and will re-read them all together when the story is complete. Hopefully it will be warmer by then. You are a gifted writer, and the illustrations are amazing.
I want to attend one of these knitting retreats!!!
Seeing this today brought a much needed smile to my face – it has been a week in which my knitting brought my spirit peace while sitting in an ED with a family member. All turned out okay, but I was great for my packed knitting bag. Looked forward to reading this installment with breakfast this morning.
I’m sorry it’s been a hard week, Denise. Thank goodness it turned out ok and you hard yarn to keep you company.
I absolutely love these stories! It’s super cold here in WV & my Sunday mornings are having a cozy & wonderful start – reading Swapped Skeins & having a cup of hot Earl Grey (with milk!) Thank you!
I am loving this…just a spoonful at a time! Thank you.
I love it! So fun!
Thank you Clara, Hannah and MDK! I love all the great details of the story, the subtleties of the illustrations and the fact that MDK has provided the space to bring it to us.
Who knew if be so intrigued by the indefatigable Miss Clarple! I also need every gray cell for what lies ahead!
I’m really loving the story.
Can’t wait for the next one
Hannah’s drawings are perfect for this fun mystery!
Clever idea with the kitty litter yarn!
Thank you Clara for such a fun knitting mystery❣️ can’t wait for chapter 3
Curious…
A bag on the floor (assuming it has not yet been up those elaborate staris…) and yet, the yarn from within the bag is winding its way loosely up those same stairs. Curious…
So many wool-averse attendees. Only 1 with implied & indirect connections to petroleum or by-products thereof…
Curious…
Oh I do hope they have reserved a room for me!
And the intrigue continues!
The story! The illustrations! Wonderful!
Yarny fun – mixing up our love of fiber and books; both types of mysteries appeal to all our senses.
Ms. Carpel is SO right—milk is essential to tea! I am transported…and love the illustrations.
I love this idea. Looking futon next week!
Clara must consider Swapped Skeins as the beginning of a clever mystery series! Best sellers all!
Loving this and love the illustrations as well!
Oh! I love a good mystery!
Looking forward to the next instment.
I was hooked from the start. Can hardly wait to the next installment.
Here’s a thought…maybe Vivian Grey is stealing the yarn to make a new rug/carpet after the moth infestation…? She would have a motive…
I’m looking forward to meeting all the other suspects!!
Ready for next!
This is so much fun! I love the illustrations, especially Clarice who looks an awful lot like Clara….
This is too much fun! Kudos to Hannah Jones for the illustrations – they’re spot on. Hurry up next week.
How fun! I look forward to reading each chapter and solving this knotty puzzle.
I am loving this series. The suspense is building and I can’t wait to get the next chapter. Please, give us more of these suspense filled stories.
Clever —
Looking forward to next installment.
Beautiful illustrations!
Thank you! Thank you! MDK AND Clara. So enjoying this read on Sunday mornings!
Can’t wait for the next episode. The artwork is an added pleasure!
Such a great idea for a story, love it!
I suspect Bellamy, even if he isn’t a butler!
I love this story and I also would like a colliasple tea kettle!
I’m LOVING this new series! Something new and fun to look forward to this winter.
What fun! I’m captivated…and i have to wait a whole week for the next installment? Sigh….
All this and a collapsible teapot. Can’t wait until next Sunday.
This is fabulous! Looking forward to the next chapter!
Ahhh! What’s next?? I’m enjoying the story and the great illustrations.
Love the illustrations!
This is a great story for dedicated fiber folks! Thanks for publishing it each week. I’m really looking forward to the next chapter.
Looking forward to the next installation!
Well! This surely is bringing out my Inner Detective! I’m already wondering about the yarn ascending the stairs before its bag, the guy in the portrait who looks vaguely familiar to Miss C., what’s up with Bell-amy, and the lost sheep…….and also checking out who in our reading-knitter crowd is awake in the middle of the night (the early posters)……
love this!
I’d love to be one of the people at that gathering! Love the illustrations.
Excellent descriptive writing. I feel in the midst of it all. :<)
Once again the illustrations are perfect, Hannah!
Have to admit, I was preparing my oatmeal when I realized it was Sunday and raced to grab my phone to check for the MDK email; oatmeal can wait!
Just finished Agatha Christie’s first Hercule Poirot mystery; with apologies to Ms Christie, Clara Parkes’ Swapped Skeins mystery is sooo much more fun! Can’t wait until the next chapter!
Im loving this mystery!
This is the most fun I’ve had reading email in forever! And the illustrations are equally entertaining! I can hardly wait for next week’s installment!
It’s so hard to wait for the next installment. I’m trying to channel my inner child’s memory of Chapter A Day on the radio and stretch it to week.
I’m hooked. Maybe Parkes should consider jettisoning her nonfiction career and move into cozy mysteries of the knitting variety. Maybe this is a test run? If so, I’d say go for it!
What a great story. The illustrations are fabulous!
No sheep? Hmmmm. Love the illustrations of the main characters.
Curious as to why the property no longer has sheep. Sounds like a clue to me.
I am strangely suspicious about the moth invasion and wonder about the mysterious painting!
Tell us more, Clarice!
Already looking forward to next Sunday!
Love this series! The illustrations are wonderful!
That suit with Bermudas for Bellamy…. love it!
Absolutely loved this installment. So much fun in these troubled times.
The plot thickens!
Can’t wait for the next installment!
A collapsible teapot! I’ve learned something new today! Sounds ch like a great treat to have on a trip. No sheep, how could they?!!
Definitely not on jet black bob, but yes on cropped Waffle and tights…too hard to not look like a woman in her late 60s? Love this!
So descriptive.. I can see the room as “an explosion of chintz”
Clara Parks never disappoints. The precision of her language pulls you right in to this beautiful mystery. What a treat to look forward to on each and every Sunday.
How dare they get rid of the sheep!
Love Bellamy’s shorts!
May have to bring my own tea setup next time I travel. Great idea. Loving the serial mystery. Need more of them.
So exciting!!
Anxiously awaiting the next chapter!
Wondering about the portrait in the hall.
And so it continues. Brava! Love the illustrations too!
Drawings and words pull you into story.
Love all the clues being set up. Now, if only I remember them in another week!
An outstanding start to my day!
Ooohhhhh – sounds like the new owner isn’t a fan of wool – got rid of the sheep and wool carpets!
I love this story. It is great fun and I look forward to it.
Super fun! Looking forward to the next installment.
Sheepless hills?!?!
Who is the man in the portrait? Why doesn’t Vivian want to knit? EEEK! This is SO MUCH FUN. Waiting impatiently for the next installment….
What a fun surprise! Mysteries are the best especially when your need a micro vacay away from this Arctic snap. Stay warm and safe y’all!
The moths could be a problem.
This is fun!
Great, now I need to look for a collapsible tea kettle. Love the story. I think we need trading cards with these character illustrations (pretty please)
What a fun story!
I am so enjoying this! Bellamy looks like a moody GQ model, and the plot is thickening like a strand of roving!
This is a fun serial and a little something to look forward to each week.
Enjoying the mystery! Great read on a 1 degree Sunday morning in New England!
Knitting, tea, mystery, a great start to my day. Looking forward to next part!
Bellamy aroused my suspicions.
I didn’t think the kitty litter story was real – loved the article and there’s a collection center in Atlanta! Already forwarded that info to my cat owning (cat serving?) friends! And episode 2 with Miss Clarple was great! All that chintz – ugh LOL
Tune in next week for the next exciting chapter of “As the Yarn Spins.”
Thanks for sharing this story.
I love this story. When it’s finished, please bind it off into a book and make it available at knitting shops and events! <3
I’m just going to say it–Bellamy’s a hottie.
What fun.
Thanks Clara for all the writing you have given us!
This is great fun and I am already looking for clues! Combining yarn, knitting, and mysteries – all my favorite things.
The “moth infestation” is quite suspicious. I’m really enjoying this story!
There are so many potential clues! Love!
Love the story!
LOVE the drawings accompanying the narrative! Really brings the story to life….Thank you!
Can’t wait for next Sunday.
This is so much fun! I looked forward all week to this installment. The story is intriguing and the drawings are excellent. Looking forward to next week already.
The intrigue Builds!!! Love the illustrations!,
I love the story and the illustrations…so much fun! And the link to the original kitty litter yarn article is perfect. Looking forward to next week’s installment.
Great way to start the day! Love the intrigue and Hannah’s brilliant illustrations. Looking forward to next week!
enjoying
Thoroughly enjoying…there’s nothing as good as a cozy mystery ❤️
I’m loving this!
What fun! The illustrations add so much. Thanks.
Another great chapter this week! I’m really enjoying this!
The moth infestation intrigues me.
Love the way this story is spooling out bit by bit – can’t wait to meet (and see) the knitters. And do I spy yarn going up (or coming down) the stairs?
The pep of the illustrations
Love the illustrations!
This is so much fun! Thank you! Thank you!
ooooooo can hardly wait for the next chapter!
I used to love reading paperback cozy mysteries featuring yarn, knitters and yarn stores. This is exactly what I need right now. Thank you, MDK! Love you, Clara!
Such fun! Love the story and illustrations.
Great second chapter! Love the illustrations.
I agree that milk is needed for proper tea.
Thanks for a fun read.
Miss Clarple needs a book series.
Oh my goodness sake! This is too much fun!! Im still laughing at the kitty litter yarn story 🙂 Oh Clara your imagination is boundless! Thank you for bringing some sunshine into my life right now. This is the good medicine I have needed. Just so much fun!
Can’t believe I have to wait a whole week for the next installment!
Looking forward to the introduction of the knitters!
This is great fun !
Maybe it will get picked up by Netflix. One can hope.:)
Loving this!
Oh man! It’s hard to wait for the next installment!
Can’t stop chuckling about the Kitty Litter aside.
Ooh, a cliffhanger! Looking forward to next week!
What a sweet way to begin my Sunday morning. I enjoy a mystery so this started my morning perfectly. Can’t wait for the next chapter❤️
The yarn thickens.
What! No sheep! The game is a foot!!
Wow, a fiber mystery!! I think being able to formulate a mystery of this type is like being able to design patterns…both I find I have not mastered yet. But, I do adore all things yarn-related…knitting, crocheting, spinning by wheel and drop spindle, and yarn-petting. I love the story and will be back to read some more.
Terrific fun! The only thing missing is a cat or three!
Yay, chapter 2! So many clues and goodies — no sheep, moths, new characters, squeaky doors — such an amazing setup! The link to the kitty litter story was a bonus chapter, right? I love it!
Also, a collapsible kettle sounds amazing. Thank you, Clara and Hannah, for another fun chapter of this mystery!
How delightful to wake up on a Sunday morning with anticipation to enjoy this story as it unfolds. I am hooked.
Love the drawings! Can’t wait to “see” the rest of the cast.
I am thoroughly intrigued. Love the character introductions. Illustrations are really terrific. Can’t wait for the next chapter!!
Such a welcome diversion in these difficult times. Thank you.
very enjoyable
very enjoyable lots oh fun
Collapsible electric kettle! For our trip to Alaska last year to celebrate our 70th birthdays my friend Linda brought one – the top, collapsible part was made of silicone. Genius! (Full disclosure – I’m team coffee, but with a melitta pour over I was also in business : )
….?..?
I especially like Hannah’s drawings!
Loved this, including the kitty litter story within the story!
The cat did it!
“from poop to pullover” bwahaha!!!
Great series so far. I look forward to reading the remaining chapters.
Already guessing who dunnit. Fun.
Love the descriptions of everyone, lets you really visualize them.
So fun and Hannah’s illustrations are fabulous! Love Vivian’s fishnets.
The plot thickens! And the illustrations are first class, for sure.
Love the illustrations. . . . my younger self owned a Peugeot, so I can totally relate.
I am beginning to detect odd intimations of Midsomar Murders. A week to wait to see who ends up in the vat of cider, or handing from a beam in the barn. I believe I may live through the next few weeks waiting for Clara and Franklin in one afternoon.
Love the story! Love the art!
I had to google chintz. Got it.
I’m rooting for the return of the sheep.
I’m saving the kitty litter story to share soon. 😉
Gotta get a collapsible kettle.
I loved the sound of the door opening… Also, no sheep! Who would do that?
Well, I don’t use milk in my tea… I do use a non-dairy alternative. Tea needs cream. Truly enjoying the story and artwork.
What a fun story. And I absolutely love the illustrations! More, please.
I am loving this story the illustrations of the characters just add to the visual created by Clara! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Where does one get a collapsible tea kettle that’s not Amazon? I could definitely use one for work.
This is such a fun way to start my Sunday mornings! The illustrations are great! I think you should publish it as a book! When’s the movie coming out? 🙂
Loving it so far….the story, the drawings, the possible foreshadowing ( is that a word?)
Tea with milk, of course! Will there be scones Cornish clotted cream?
Meant to say “foreshadowings”, plural
I’d be knitting with the cheap stuff and donating the final product if months had been around.
Moths, not months!
This is fun!
I love this, so great to have 2 stories by Clara to read evert Sunday.
Wow! You’ve had the kitty litter story in your back pocket for 17 years and found a way to reuse it, clever!
Sounds like a great good time!
What a fun story so far!
Loving reading this!
I look forward to each segment.
Just as much fun as the first. Looking forward to the next. And must try to find out about the kitty litter story Not familiar with it. Sounds intriguing. And the illustrations still perfect. Still loving it all. Kudos to whoever inspired such a great idea.
I am teaching a class to fellow homeschoolers’ elementary students about famous illustrators-Beatrix Potter, Tommie dePaola, Norman Rockwell. I want the students to know that illustrators complete books, calendars, advertisements, and even animation. What another fun example of illustration.
So enjoyable and am loving the illustrations too!
Is Vivian Grave too obvious???
What could be better- a mystery about knitting and great illustrations
I hope that when the story is complete it will be published in one piece the ways that novels that had been previously serialized were later published.
Enjoying the read!
Love it!
I’d like to meet Bellamy in person.
Love the story. The illustrations are fabulous.
As both a knitter and a whodunnit fan, this is a great lot of fun!!
And so the plot thickens! Glad to participate in this knitting retreat vicariously while my right wrist tendinitis heals. Hopefully I can be knitting again by the time I win the $5o gift card!
Love this so much!!
This is so fun!
I truly enjoy Clara Parker’s writing.
The butler/assistant manager did it…
So lovely to open my email to another installment of this – pure pleasure!
This is getting good! The mystery continues.
The Kitty Litter link is the best! Great story – looking forward to next week!
Is this going to be a locked room mystery?
The illustrations are amazing. I’m trying to figure out who done it….
I’m loving this story. Sounds like it would be a fun knitting retreat.
Milk with tea – excellent!!!
Loved the description of making tea. Sounds so familiar.
Such a great idea for a story, love it!
ooo, Starting to meet the suspects!
such a fun mystery! looking forward to next week!
I anxiously wait for the unveiling of the special yarn color and fiber. The drawing of the bedroom and the description of it makes me want to run. Can you tell I’m loving the story?
Oh the suspense! Love it!
Enjoying this so much!
I never cease to be amazed at Clara’s creativity.
Fabulous again in pins and knitting needles waiting for more
OK – I’m already making predictions!! Yay!
Am enjoying this!
“ ‘This way,’ Vivian called, as if beckoning a dog who stopped too long to sniff.”
Such a good line, now we know her exactly!
How can I read chapter 1? Loving this!
illustrations are great!
love my portable tea kettle
Mysteries are my favorite, especially those with yarn included. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
So intriguing! Who’s the portrait of? I want a collapsible kettle
I look for this first thing on a Sunday now, for the mystery and the illustrations and how they together summon up a vision…love it, and may we have a year of these adventures? And some sheep back in the fields?
The plot thickens! This is such a clever idea and very enjoyable. Something to look forward to as we trudge towards spring here in the northeast. Looking forward to the clues and solving the mystery.
I am SO enjoying this!
Loving the illos!
As a fan of knitting and cozy mysteries, I love this series! Loving Miss Clarice Clarple 🙂
Hannah Jones’ illustrations are wonderful!
this is so fun! I already have some guesses!
Such a delightful read. Thank you.
Love chapter 2! It’s getting very exciting
Enjoying the story … and feeling some affinity for suspect Constance Webb; just when I thought that *I* was the slowest knitter …
What fun! And great illustrations, giving me inspiration to update.
What fun! And great illustrations. How can this possibly be solved so quickly?
I was looking forward to this all week! Again, I love the story and the illustrations. I’m hoping that we can get a reading of the whole story (including the pictures) when it is finished!
Tea sounds delightful.
The story and the illustrations are delightful. I’m looking forward to the future installments
Maybe Miss Clarple will teach a class for our guild.
Two years for a scarf is nothing! I once took five years to knit a sweater !
Thanks for the story. So excited to see whodunnit.
And the fun continues
Oh – how exciting!
This is so much fun!!! Love to you all for masterminding this.
Can’t wait for the next installment! Graphics are wonderful too!
Love love love the idea of a knitting mystery over the course of a couple of months. Really looking forward to Sunday’s
This is so much fun to read and I enjoy the colorful illustrations. My guess is that the man in the portrait at the top of the stairwell has something to do with the missing yarn. Thank you for adding this story each week!
This is really a very enjoyable story and I look forward to the next chapter.
This is so fun! I anxiously await the next installment!
LOVE this! We need more!!
Hmmm. Not so sure I trust Vivian.
I love the illustrations. They perfectly match my vision of the characters.
This is just great! Thank you, Clara and Hannah!
Something struck me as odd. Penelope said, “if you want to have fun, invite her to knit with us.” But when invited, Vivian said she was not interested, in so many words. Does Miss Clarple have to beg her? Hmmm.
I love this!
Such a charming story!
Fun story.
Fun! Can’t wait for the next installment.
I’m loving this story! The illustrations are great too.
Setting the scene. Loving it! Agreed milk in tea is a necessity
I need the next installment!
Help! Just fell down that portable collapsible electric kettle rabbit hole. I’m loving this story.
The illustrations fascinated me so much that I scrolled to the end without reading the article. A first for me !
I want to be at the knitting event. I can’t wait for the next page.
The plot thickens………..and is greatly enhanced by the wonderful illustrations.
A knitter would never allow their knitting to hang out the back of the car. Kidding aside, I love this.
Love the second chapter. Interesting kitty litter story. Looking forward to Sunday
Such fun! It’s only week two and I can’t wait for the next chapter!
What a wonderful tangle of clues!
I am hooked on this mystery and look forward to meeting the Campers. But who would get rid of sheep?!
Can’t wait for the next installment!
Love the wardrobe of the cast of characters!
I love the illustrations! The character of the inn really pulls you into the story.
Can’t wait til next week!
Fun!
Miss Hart seems innocent but she’s my first suspect. Or Ms. Grave, or the slow knitter…
Don’t we all know at least one of those: “I do not have time for such frivolity”
BTW: I still can’t wrap my mind around a yarn with a high mineral content. I’d love a feel of it.