I should introduce myself. My name is Molly Pink. And if my late husband Charlie could see me now, I’m sure he’d have a laugh. I don’t think he ever would have expected what’s happened in my life lately.

It began when I got a job at Shedd & Royal Books and More as the event coordinator. That’s where I met Adele Abrams. She already worked at the bookstore and thought the job should have gone to her. She still hasn’t gotten over it and does what she can to make my life difficult. Let’s say that most of the events I put on don’t turn out quite the way I planned. But Mrs. Shedd doesn’t mind because despite the occasional mini riot, they always seem to sell a lot of books.

When I stumbled over my first dead body, everything changed. Charlie would really be surprised that I have a turned into sort of a detective. A free lance, more or less amateur detective, but when the cops get it wrong, I seem to get it right. I do have a lot of help in the detecting department from my best friend Dinah and the Tarzana Hookers.

That’s Hookers as in what you use to crochet and Tarzana as in the Southern California community. They had started meeting at the bookstore and when I saw how much fun they were having, I wanted to join. I got my friend Dinah to join with me. Not only do we crochet, but our lives have become intertwined. That’s not to say that things are always smooth, particularly if Adele is involved. Not only does she wear outrageous outfits, she is nuts when it comes to knitters. We all agree crochet is superior, but Adele is over the top. Oh, and Adele thinks she should be the leader of the group instead of CeeCee Collins.

I’m not so sure how my late husband would feel about the men in my life. He’d probably like to think that since I’d had the best with him, I wouldn’t want to date. Date? Did I really say that? It sounds ridiculous. Just like calling homicide detective Barry Greenberg my boyfriend. I’m in my late forties and he’s in his fifties. Dating? Boyfriend? Somebody should come up with more mature terms. Barry keeps pushing for us to get married. Me, I’m enjoying this new chapter in my life. I want to try flying solo for awhile. Mason Fields is in my life, too. Though he is more of a friend. Not that he wouldn’t like to be more.

I can just imagine what Charlie would say about what happened with CeeCee Collins in BEHIND THE SEAMS. Aside from being the head Hooker, she’s an actress and is just the kind of client he had in his public relations firm. CeeCee’s been in the business for years and up until recently her career had been reduced to cameo appearances in TV shows. Then she became the host of a reality show and got a featured role in that Anthony movie, Caught By a Kiss. He’s the vampire who crochets to control his blood lust. The movie was a super success and now there’s Oscar buzz about her performance, which is why she was invited to be a guest on the very popular Barbara Olive Overton talk show. Charlie would have thought that was a good thing. But when a dead body showed up backstage, Charlie would have been horrified. And that was just the beginning.

No question my life has taken some interesting turns. Charlie would definitely be amazed.
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You can read more about Molly in BEHIND THE SEAMS, the sixth book in the “Crochet” mystery series. The first book in the series is HOOKED ON MURDER.

Betty Hechtman writes the national bestselling crochet mystery series featuring Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers. The sixth book in the series, BEHIND THE SEAMS, comes out November 1. She has also written the middle grade mystery Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti’s Necklace, along with numerous newspaper and magazine pieces, short stories and screenplays. She lives in Southern California with her family. Visit Betty at http://bettyhechtman.com

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