Dead Wrong - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book that Amazon recommended for me. It was actually the third book in the series, but I thought I'd share the first book in the series. DEAD WRONG by Vannetta Chapman is the first book in the Agatha's Amish B&B Mystery series.

 Blurb:

Who killed Russell Dixon?

When Agatha Lapp’s brother and sister-in-law are tragically killed in a buggy accident, Agatha relocates to the new Amish community in Hunt Texas, nestled in the Texas Hill Country. She’s there to make a success of her brother’s dream–an Amish B&B. Agatha is friendly, efficient, and capable. She’s also a fifty-five year old widow who has learned to be independent. When she discovers Russell Dixon’s lifeless body in Cabin 3, she runs next door where retired detective Tony Vargas lives.

The police determine that her guest died of natural causes, but as Agatha and Tony put together the events of the previous two days they become convinced that the police are Dead Wrong.  

Dead Wrong is a story of discovering new friendships and embracing a different path in the midst of tragedy. Above all else, it’s a story of God’s grace and provision.

Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release that also happens to be a book in a series in which I am behind. Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous by Amanda Flower is the fourth book in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series.It was released December 22, 2022.

Blurb:

Millie’s decidedly not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is outspoken, colorful, and so hopelessly romantic, she’s had four husbands. Millie doesn’t judge, and she also doesn’t expect to run into Lois’s most recent ex, gambler Gerome Moorhead, in small-town Harvest, Ohio. With him is the very young, new Mrs. Moorhead, aka “Honeybee.” Lois is outraged, but Millie is completely shocked to learn the next day that Gerome is already a widower . . .
 
When a large wood carving at the cozy Munich Chalet falls on “Honeybee,” all eyes turn toward Lois. Who else would want a tourist—a complete stranger—dead? And half of Harvest witnessed Lois’s enmity toward the young woman. Suddenly Millie must put aside her sewing needle and flex her sleuthing skills. She’s no stranger to a murder investigation, after all, and if she doesn’t learn who killed Honeybee, Lois could go from Millie’s boisterous best friend to her horrified prison penpal . . .

Botched Butterscotch - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release. Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower is an  Amish Candy Shop short story.

Blurb:

A slice of intrigue. . .  

Mother’s Day is a sweet and busy time at the candy shop Bailey King runs with her Amish grandmother. This year is extra special, because Bailey’s parents are visiting Harvest, Ohio. Bailey’s father has rarely returned since leaving the Amish faith over thirty years ago, but Bailey is confident that the right treats can help sugarcoat any awkwardness. For Mother’s Day Tea at the local church, she’s whipping up her mom’s favorite: butterscotch fudge. All’s going well, until a sticky-fingered thief makes off with the money raised for a local women’s support group.

While Bailey tries to discover who stuck their fingers in the cookie jar, she encounters an assortment of suspects. It doesn’t help that Juliet, mother of Deputy Aiden Brody, is conspiring with Bailey’s mom to plan Aiden and Bailey’s wedding…though they’re not even engaged! Can Bailey find the culprit before events—both criminal and personal—boil over into disaster?
 
Recipe Included!

Matchmaking Can Be Murder - A Review

Review

MATCHMAKING CAN BE MURDER by Amanda Flower

The First Amish Matchmaker Mystery

Widow Millie Fisher has a special power, she knows when two people are meant to be together. She knows that her niece Edith should not marry Zeke Miller, who only wants her for her greenhouse business. But as she's considering how to convince Edith, Edith tells her she will not go through with the wedding. Millie is secretly thrilled, but knows she must be discrete. When the news breaks at her Quilting Circle Millie tries to stem the tide of gossip, but will her efforts be enough? And when Zeke is found dead in the greenhouse gossip spreads like wildfire, from both the Amish and the English!

What a fun mystery! Even after finishing the book I continue to visualize several scenes and start laughing. Phillip and Peter, Millie's two goats, are the obvious scene stealers. As I write this I picture them chasing Ruth and I start laughing again. Another cause for laughter is Millie's old friend and new sidekick Englischer Lois. What a hoot! Outlandish and brash, her street smarts and boisterous sense of fun and adventure are a perfect counterpoint to the more reserved Amish Millie. Not that Millie is some prim older woman. Our protagonist is caring, wise, and has her own good sense of humor. She is not perfect and she realizes it. I am also pleased with her reaction to the return of another old friend, Uriah Schrock, and see some romance on this matchmaker's horizon, for herself!

Beyond the giggles is a heartfelt story. It's a tale of redemption, regret, and wrongdoing. Past deeds, and miscommunication created rifts and how the people involved deal with those issues creates the drama here. The past can't be changed, but can hurts be mended or has the damage been done, never to be rectified? And can more problems ensue? I also like the modern angles showcased here and the Amish shown in a realistic light in today's world. I also really like the interaction between the worlds of the Amish and the English; how they interact and what happens when their worlds collide.

MATCHMAKING CAN BE MURDER is a funny yet touching start to a charming new series. While this series is a spinoff from Amanda Flower's Amish Candy Shop series, you don't have to know anything about that series to thoroughly enjoy this one.

Currently Reading...

I just started reading Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower. This book is the first in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Widow Millie Fisher has a special power, she knows when two people are meant to be together. She knows that her niece Edith should not marry Zeke Miller, who only wants her for her greenhouse business. But as she's considering how to convince Edith, Edith tells her she will not go through with the wedding. Millie is secretly thrilled, but knows she must be discrete. When the news breaks at her Quilting Circle Millie tries to stem the tide of gossip, but will her efforts be enough?

Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper - An Interview

I'm happy to welcome Amy Lillard to the blog today. Amy writes the Amish Mystery series. Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper is the first book in the series.

Kathy: Your new series is set inside an Amish community. Why do you think outsiders are so interested in the Amish? And why set your series amongst them?

AL: Our world moves so fast these days. I feel most people appreciate the slower pace of the Amish world. It’s somehow comforting to know that someone out there has not let the world take them over and push them to an impossible speed. Most of us would like to slow down a bit, but we simply don’t know how. The Amish show us it can be done.


Kathy: Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper deals with the murder of an Amish dog breeder. Breeding can be quite controversial. How did you decide upon this topic for your mystery?

AL: Unfortunately, it can be a touchy subject which did play a factor in my deciding to use it. I have many Amish friends and one is a dog breeder. I have been to his home and his barn is nicer than a lot of houses. The dogs live in there with the horses that he breeds as well. It’s the furthest thing from a puppy mill that you could imagine. I wanted to show this side. Yes, there are some Amish puppy mills, there are also plenty that aren’t. Just like in the “English” world.


Kathy: Amish women are known for their baking. Is Kathryn “Kappy” King a baker as well as a seamstress? Are you?

AL: Kappy is a little bit of an odd duck. She bakes because she likes the food she’s cooking. But since she lives alone, it’s not like she has to bake for a big family. Me? I love to bake and cook. But I’m on a diet ninety percent of the time so I don’t bake as much as my heart wants to.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

AL: I love the light-hearted suspense. There is too much drama and tragedy in the world. Cozies allow me to make an unfortunate situation and give it a lighter voice. I love the flippancy and silliness that can come with a cozy.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AL: I do. I also write Amish romance and contemporary romances as well. And I’ve been known to pen a historical romance from time to time.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AL: I would describe it as Amish Shirley and ex-Amish Laverne solving crimes in their fictional community of Blue Sky Pennsylvania, nestled in beautiful Kishacoquillas Valley. Though most would say it’s a light-hearted cozy mystery series where unlikely characters team up to solve crimes and keep their community safe.

Kappy is my first mystery series. I do have two other Amish series that are romances and a couple of mysteries that belong in a compilation series.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

AL: I love them all for very different reasons. But if I have to choose, then Edie. Edie doesn’t want to be a part of the Amish world, but she doesn’t fit in with the English. She wears garish clothes because she was never taught how to dress English. She’s a little bored being back in Blue Sky, but she has a big heart and knows that she has to remain there for her brother, Jimmy. Deep down I think she wants to return, but she doesn’t know how. Essentially she is trapped between both worlds, yet a part of neither.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

AL: The Valley itself was my inspiration. I went there last year and fell in love. The Valley is gorgeous, like a postcard. And interesting since there are three different types of Amish there—Renno, Nebraska, and Byler. Each drives a different color buggy! I can’t say I’ve ever been to an Amish community quite like the one in Kish Valley.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AL: Wow! Good question. I don’t know. It was and always has been the end result of writing for me. Stories are great, but sharing them is the most fun of all.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

AL: Stephen King, JK Rowling, Harper Lee, and William Shakespeare. That should be interesting. LOL


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

AL: I am currently reading First Star I see Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman. I usually have two books going at once—one on my Kindle and one from Audible. If I’m reading paper another one gets tossed in the mix. I can only do this if I’m reading two (or three) very different stories so I don’t get them confused.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

AL: I do a lot of what my mother calls ‘piddling.’ LOL She’s a great piddler too. I like to craft, scrapbook, work in my house, refinish furniture, and whatever else strikes my fancy. When I’m not piddling, my family loves to watch movies together and we are big Kansas City Chiefs fans.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

AL: Minced garlic, stewed tomatoes, coffee, and self-rising flour


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

AL: Right now I’m working on book three in the Kappy King series. My Amish romance series set in my home state of Mississippi starts in February. (Yes, there are Amish in Mississippi). I have another book in that series to write, then who knows where I’ll go from there.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

AL: I’m one of those authors who believes that stories already exist and authors merely write them down. For me it’s fun to discover who these characters are and the stories they want me to share. It’s definitely an adventure, every day.

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Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper (An Amish Mystery) by Amy Lillard

Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper (An Amish Mystery)  

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Pennsylvania  

Zebra (December 26, 2017)  

An Imprint of Kensington Books Paperback: 352 pages 

Content to be unmarried and plain-spoken, Kathryn “Kappy” King is an odd-woman-out in the Amish community of Blue Sky, Pennsylvania. But she’s skilled at making the special kapps local women need to cover their hair. And she might be the only one who can unearth the danger hiding in this peaceful valley . . .

When Kappy's neighbor, Ruth Peachey, turns up dead in her yard, everyone in Blue Sky believes it’s a tragic accident. Until the Englisch police find the gentle dog breeder was deliberately struck down—and arrest her mentally-challenged son, Jimmy, for the crime . . .

Jimmy’s sister, Edie, returns to Blue Sky clear his name, yet no one will speak to a shunned former Amish woman, much less give her information. Determined to help, Kappy starts digging for the truth among her seemingly-innocent neighbors. But suddenly a series of suspicious “accidents” threatens Edie and the Peachey farm—property Edie is determined to protect for her brother’s future.

Now, as danger looms large in the small community, Kappy must bait a trap for a killer snapping hard at her heels. And Edie must decide whether to make a home once more in the town she thought she’d left behind . . .

 

Amy Lillard is the award-winning author of more than twenty novels, including the Wells Landing series, The Quilting Circle novels, the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries and the Kappy King Mysteries. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives with her husband and son in Oklahoma. Please visit her online at www.AmyWritesRomance.com.

Author Links:

• amywritesromance.com
• Facebook: @AmyLillard918
• Twitter: @AmyWritesRomance
• Goodreads

Purchase Links

• Barnes & Noble / http://bit.ly/2z4jdep
• Hudson Booksellers / http://bit.ly/2zKFaMJ
• Amazon / http://amzn.to/2msMglR
• Books-A-Million / http://bit.ly/2ihSO23
• IndieBound / http://bit.ly/2A1lW8y
• Walmart / http://bit.ly/2iXr1n8

Assaulted Caramel - Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a new release. ASSAULTED CARAMEL by Amanda Flower is the first book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series and was released earlier this week.

From the back cover:

Sometimes you need a sweet tooth to take a bite out of crime . . .

Bailey King is living the sweet life as an assistant chocolatier at world-famous JP Chocolates in New York City. But just when Bailey's up for a life-changing promotion, her grandmother calls with news that her grandfather's heart condition has worsened. Bailey rushes to Harvest, Ohio, where her grandparents still run Swissmen Sweets, the Amish candy shop where she was first introduced to delicious fudge, truffles, and other assorted delights.

She finds her grandfather is doing better than she feared. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a local Englisch developer, whom Bailey finds dead in the candy shop kitchen-with Jebediah King's chocolate knife buried in his chest. Now the police are sweet on her grandfather as the prime suspect. Despite the sincere efforts of a yummy deputy with chocolate-brown eyes, Bailey takes it on herself to clear Jebediah. But as a cunning killer tries to fudge the truth, Bailey may be headed straight into a whole batch of trouble . . .

Recipe Included!

A Plain Interview

Please welcome Amanda Flower to the blog. Amanda writes the Appleseed Creek Mystery series. The last book in the series, A Plain Malice, was released September 16th. Amanda also writes the Amish Quilt Shop Mystery series under the name Isabella Alan.

Kathy: Many people, myself included, are interested in learning about the Amish. In some ways the Amish are very separate from the English (non-Amish), but tourism brings the two cultures together. Some say tourism is necessary for the Amish to thrive, others say it's a necessary evil, while others say it takes away from the religion. What are your thoughts on the subject?

AF: I think most Amish are happy to have the tourists. Tourism is main source of their income. Without it, some Amish communities may not survive because it's become harder and harder for them just to farm. Many Amish work other jobs now even in factories.


Kathy: A Plain Malice is the fourth Appleseed Creek mystery and the last in the series. Will you share why you decided to end the series?

AF: The publisher of the series canceled their fiction line, so the series ended abruptly after book three, A Plain Disappearance. I decided to write A Plain Malice, so that my readers could have a more satisfying ending to the series. I don't have any plans to write another book in the series, but you never know... ;)


Kathy: You are donating all of your royalties from A Plain Malice purchased before this Thanksgiving to a local foodbank. What made you decide to donate and why this particular charity?

AF: Since I wrote A Plain Malice for my readers, I wanted to do something special with my earnings. It's never been about the money for this novel. A local food pantry called the Landing was the best choice for me. The pantry is run by my brother and sister-in-law in the basement of their church, Akron Christian Reformed Church. With only $200 they feed sixty families with food from the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank. You can read this article and watch a video about the Landing here: http://akronist.com/akron-couple-host-food-pantry-personalized-touch/


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

AF: The murder takes place on a bus touring Amish Country. I once went on a tour like that through Israel. It was a completely different experience than Amish Country of course, but I always that it would be funny to have a cozy mystery set on a bus tour. It would sort of be a locked room mystery on wheels.


Kathy: Is it possible that any of these characters will cross over and appear in any of your other books?

AF: Maybe... No plans right now, but I would love to write something from Becky Troyer's perspective some day.


Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?

AF: Panster 100%. I just write. It's an ugly disorganized process, but I can't work any other way. I've tried.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

AF: I have a new children's mystery out called Andi Under Pressure. It's the sequel to Agatha Award-nominated Andi Unexpected. It was just released. In December, the third Amish Quilt Shop Mystery, Murder, Served Simply, which I write as Isabella Alan, will release. And in May 2015, I am starting a new living history museum mystery series with The Final Reveille. It's about a murder at a Civil War reenactment. Lots of fun stuff coming out soon!


Kathy: A new interview section-this or that. Pick one of the 2 choices given.

Kathy: Library or Bookstore-
AF: library

Kathy: Expositional or Continuing Story-
AF: continuing story

Kathy: Editing or Marketing-
AF: editing

Kathy: TV or Film-
AF: TV

Kathy: Chocolate or Vanilla-
AF: chocolate

Kathy: Mountains or Beach-
AF: beach

Kathy: Tea or Coffee-
AF: tea

Kathy: Cats or Dogs-
AF: cats

Kathy: Summer or Winter-
AF: summer

Kathy: Normal or Paranormal-
AF: normal

Kathy: Vampire or Werewolf-
AF: vampire

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Spotlight - Murder, Simply Stitched

I'd like to shine a spotlight on Murder, Simply Stitched by Isabella Alan. This book is the second in the Amish Quilt Shop Mystery series.

From the back cover:

When Angela Braddock enters her quilts in an Amish auction, she never expects one of her neighbors to end up going, going, gone...

Angie is finding her niche as the new owner of her late aunt's Amish quilt shop, Running Stitch. But as the summer is winding down, so is business. To bolster support for the shop, Angie decides to sell her quilts, including some of her aunt's most prized works, in the Rolling Brook Amish Auction.

The quilts promise to be a hit-but the gavel comes down on the lively event when Angie stumbles upon the body of township trustee Wanda Hunt behind a canning shed. The cause of death: a poisoned blueberry fry pie from Rachel Miller's bakery table. Now Angie's closest friend is a murder suspect. With Angie taking the lead, she and the other women of her aunt's quilting circle set out to patch together the clues and stop a killer set on shredding the simple peace of Rolling Brook.

Includes Quilting Tips!