Betty Hechtman books

Betty Hechtman is a cozy mystery author best known for her Crochet Mysteries and Yarn Retreat Mysteries series, which combine crafting culture with small-town murder investigations.

A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Death Among the Stitches 2025 Buy

Blue Schwartz

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti’s Necklace: A Mystery with Recipes 2006 Buy

Crochet Mysteries Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Hooked on Murder 2008 Buy
Dead Men Don’t Crochet 2008 Buy
By Hook or by Crook 2009 Buy
A Stitch in Crime 2009 Buy
You Better Knot Die 2010 Buy
Behind the Seams 2011 Buy
If Hooks Could Kill 2012 Buy
For Better or Worsted 2013 Buy
Knot Guilty 2014 Buy
Seams Like Murder 2016 Buy
Hooking for Trouble 2016 Buy
On the Hook 2018 Buy
Hooks Can Be Deceiving 2018 Buy
One for the Hooks 2021 Buy
Killer Hooks 2023 Buy
Murder by the Hook 2025 Buy

Writer For Hire Mysteries Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Murder Ink 2021 Buy
Writing a Wrong 2021 Buy
Making It Write 2022 Buy
Sentenced to Death 2023 Buy

Yarn Retreat Mysteries Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Yarn to Go 2013 Buy
Silence of the Lamb’s Wool 2014 Buy
Wound Up in Murder 2015 Buy
A Tangled Yarn 2017 Buy
Gone with the Wool 2016 Buy
Inherit the Wool 2018 Buy
Knot on Your Life 2019 Buy
But Knot for Me 2021 Buy
Knot a Game 2022 Buy
Knot Dead Again 2024 Buy

Betty Hechtman found her niche by combining two things with devoted followings: cozy mysteries and fiber crafts. Her first published mystery, Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti’s Necklace (2006), introduced her knack for pairing crime-solving with everyday hobbies. Two years later she launched the Crochet Mysteries, and the series quickly became her signature work, attracting readers who enjoyed both the whodunit plots and the crochet patterns included in the books.

Since then, Hechtman has built a catalog of 32 books across five series. The Yarn Retreat Mysteries brought a California coastal setting to her craft-themed formula, while the Writer For Hire Mysteries moved away from yarn to follow a ghostwriter solving crimes. Her newest release, Death Among the Stitches (2025), launches the A Crochet and Crumpets Mystery series, adding British tea culture to her mix of crafting and crime.

Hechtman’s books have a loyal readership among cozy mystery fans who appreciate the combination of low-stakes small-town settings, hobby details, and puzzle-style mysteries. Her titles alone signal the playful tone: Hooked on Murder, Dead Men Don’t Crochet, and Knot Guilty are typical of the wordplay that runs through her work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Betty Hechtman written?

Betty Hechtman has written 32 books across five series.

What was Betty Hechtman's first book?

Betty Hechtman’s first book is Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti’s Necklace: A Mystery with Recipes, published in 2006.

What are Betty Hechtman's most popular book series?

Her most popular series is the Crochet Mysteries, featuring yarn shop worker Molly Pink, which has run for sixteen books since 2008. The Yarn Retreat Mysteries, set in Monterey County, California, is her second longest series with ten books. She also writes the Writer For Hire Mysteries about a ghostwriter turned amateur sleuth.

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