KRAL: Died in the Wool by Mary Kruger

[magiccrochetfan]

As promised, here are some discussion questions for Died in the Wool. Please feel free to discuss anything else you would like to about the book, instead of or in addition to these questions!

 

1. Did you feel the characters and their situations were believable? Which character did you relate to the most?

 

2. How important did you think the geographic location was to the story? Did you think the description of it was good?

 

3. Did you think the mystery was suspenseful?

 

4. What did you think about the descriptions of knitting, spinning, love of yarn, and designing garments? What did you think about the role of the internet in the story?

 

5. What did you like best about the book? What did you like least about it?

[magiccrochetfan]

I guess I will give my answers. I will be giving away some of the plot, so be forewarned if you haven't read it yet and want to be surprised.

 

I read the book a few weeks ago so this is what stands out to me now as I think back on it. (I do have a copy of it checked out from the library so I can look up things like character's names; I can't remember details like that:P )

 

1. I thought all the characters were believable, and I liked the main character, Ari.

 

2. I thought the New England location was important to the story and was well written--descriptions of the town waterfront stand out in my mind. There were several descriptions of weather I thought were good also.

 

3. I thought it was pretty suspenseful and I did not realize who the killer was until right before the scene where the identity was revealed.

 

4. The descriptions of the characters' love of knitting and appreciation of yarn seemed very good to me. The spinning parts were good too, but I didn't get as much out of them since I know nothing about spinning. I enjoyed the parts about Ari thinking about designs, and when she went on the internet and discovered all her designs that had been pirated. I thought it was very interesting that design theft played such a big part in the plot, since we talk about copyright etc. so much on C'ville.

 

5. I guess my favorite part of the book was the scene where Ari found the designs online; I thought that was very realistic as far as what her experience of that was. I also liked the scene where Josh and Ari are eating lunch, and she is impressed with the fact that he made the sandwiches which are delicious. Overall, my favorite aspect of the book is the way fiber arts are an integral part of the plot.

 

My least favorite things: I didn't think it made sense the way there was speculation about Diane's guilt or innocence because her yarn was used in the murder. Also I didn't think it was realistic that Ari and Josh suddenly ran out of things to say to each other as soon as the mystery was solved. I realize that makes it easier for the author in the sequel because we won't expect their relationship to have progressed in the meantime, and it is a minor gripe, but it just didn't ring true to me.

[Redheart]

Just my random thoughts:

 

I want Diane's farmhouse, which is filled with antiques and she has her own workroom. I wanted to smack her husband for operating the family farm even though he hates it and for not supporting Diane in her love of yarn.

I liked Josh, the detective, and I'm sure we'll be seeing him again.

I thought Ari's guilt for neglecting her daughter was overdone.

Is it logical that Kaitlin is designing a website for Ari, while her mother is selling pirated designs? Kaitlin doesn't browse for designs for fun or for school?

I found the ending to be very exciting and I read way past my bedtime to finish it.

[andiM]

I read this book last summer.

 

1. Yes, I thought the sceniro was believeable. I liked Ari.

 

2. It was ok.

 

3. I thought it was ok. About midway through I had my suspicions and the rest of the book kinda proved it.

 

4. The yarn business is pretty old hat. The internet twist was very today-ish.

 

5. It was a fun read. I kinda wished for a romance at the end between her and the cop. It was sort of a let down between those two at the end.

[DesertCrocheter]

1. Did you feel the characters and their situations were believable? Which character did you relate to the most?

 

I liked Ari, but since I'm not a divorced mom or a pattern designer, I wouldn't say that I 'related' to her. But I think the author did a good job of making these parts of her life real to me, even though I don't experience them myself. However, I think Diane's anguish over her husband's arrest was portrayed more realistically than Ari's overlooking her daughter's response to the murder and her (Ari's) injury. But I think Laura, mischievous Laura, is my favorite.

 

2. How important did you think the geographic location was to the story? Did you think the description of it was good?

 

Oh yes, I felt like I was in Rhode Island. I loved the weather descriptions, living as I do in the land of eternal sun. I love when it's a dark and gloomy night...

 

3. Did you think the mystery was suspenseful?

 

I really liked the Internet twist angle to the story. I found it hard to believe that Ari didn't already have a web page for the shop and her patterns, but okay, I suspended my disbelief.I was heartbroken when Sarah was killed. I thought her character, brief as it was, was sketched so simply and well that I really liked her and hoped we'd see her again in the future. I already suspected Kaitlyn because of the key aspect, and indirectly Susan therefore (I read enough mysteries to never believe the suspect that all the clues are pointing to), but I admit I was a little surprised when indeed it was Susan.

 

4. What did you think about the descriptions of knitting, spinning, love of yarn, and designing garments? What did you think about the role of the internet in the story?

 

I liked the internet angle, even though, as I said above, I'm surprised Ari had not already incorporated that into her business. I'm not sure if it depicted the creative process correctly because I'm not a designer. And I admit I was a little cranky at the snootiness to free pattern websites Ari and Kaitlyn both exhibit. Hey, for those of us learning to knit, free patterns are great--we get to try out new things without investing a lot of money in something that may look terrible at the end but was a great learning experience . (And if you read the preview of the second book at the end, I admit I was cranky about the snootiness of one woman to another woman's crocheted beret, but I'll save that for when we read the second book.)

 

5. What did you like best about the book? What did you like least about it?

 

I like how there were many things pulling at Ari's life--her business, her child, her ex, her interest in a new man. I think it was well written and saw only one typesetting mistake. I am glad that Kruger modified the usual tactic of having the amateur detective unmask the killer by having Diane as back-up so that while Ari could still have been hurt by Susan, she wasn't being incredibly foolish by rushing to Susan's house to confront her. It was faster paced than the Kelly Flynn knitting mysteries, and I liked the fact that the revolving characters weren't completely united only because they unrealistically met at the yarn shop every day. I didn't like the whole Kaitlyn as a disastrous designer aspect, and we didn't really get to explore why Kaitlyn would have been complicit in stealing patterns from a boss she admired so much. But I enjoyed the book and will definitely read the second.

 

Patty

[magiccrochetfan]

5. It was a fun read. I kinda wished for a romance at the end between her and the cop. It was sort of a let down between those two at the end.

I also was hoping something more would come of the relationship between Ari and Josh; we'll look for that in the next book:lol

 

Is it logical that Kaitlin is designing a website for Ari, while her mother is selling pirated designs? Kaitlin doesn't browse for designs for fun or for school?

 

 

I think Laura, mischievous Laura, is my favorite.

 

 

I was heartbroken when Sarah was killed. I thought her character, brief as it was, was sketched so simply and well that I really liked her and hoped we'd see her again in the future.

 

I admit I was a little cranky at the snootiness to free pattern websites Ari and Kaitlyn both exhibit. Hey, for those of us learning to knit, free patterns are great--we get to try out new things without investing a lot of money in something that may look terrible at the end but was a great learning experience . (And if you read the preview of the second book at the end, I admit I was cranky about the snootiness of one woman to another woman's crocheted beret, but I'll save that for when we read the second book.)

 

I didn't like the whole Kaitlyn as a disastrous designer aspect, and we didn't really get to explore why Kaitlyn would have been complicit in stealing patterns from a boss she admired so much. But I enjoyed the book and will definitely read the second.

 

Patty

 

Initially I was remembering that Kaitlyn might not have known what Susan was doing, but when I re-read it, Ari says that Kaitlyn actually stole the patterns. I guess money is the main motive. Maybe Kaitlyn is also jealous of Ari? Working on the website would be a good way to get hold of the designs, and maybe a cover for the stealing?

 

I didn't think they were snooty about free patterns; Ari said why give someting away rather than sell it, but Kaitlyn had put a free pattern on her own website. I didn't mind the parts about Ari's (often unspoken) criticism of Kaitlyn's designs--I thought K. is just learning about design, whereas Ari considers herself a pro. Also it makes Ari a more believable character, in a way, that she does criticize someone else's work...that is a very human trait I think.

 

I also liked Laura, she was funny. And Mrs. Mailloux getting killed was very sad!

 

And yes, we do have to talk about the pink crocheted beret in the 2nd book! I don't know what to make of that:lol