A New York chocolatier lands in a sticky situation when she returns to her Amish roots in this debut cozy mystery by the Agatha Award-winning author. Bailey King is living the sweet life as assistant chocolatier at a famous New York chocolate company. But just when she’s up for a major promotion, she gets word that her grandfather Jebidiah’s heart condition has worsened. Bailey rushes to … Bailey rushes to Harvest, Ohio, where her grandparents still run Swissmen Sweets, the Amish candy shop where she first learned about delicious fudge, truffles, and other assorted delights.
Unfortunately, Baily’s grandparents are suffering from more than just heart trouble. A local Englisch land developer is trying to take over their shop. And when the man is found dead in the candy shop kitchen—with Jebidiah’s chocolate knife buried in his chest—the sheriff suspects Bailey. Now, with the sweet help of a handsome deputy, Bailey is out to clear her name. But as a cunning killer tries to fudge the truth, she may be headed straight into a whole batch of trouble . . .
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Because of an issue with one of my eyes I decided to try an audio book. This was my first experience with it and I was very much impressed . The narrator was very good and I enjoyed my audio reading experience. Will definitely not be the last time I use audio books.
I loved the book written by cozy mystery Writer Amanda Flower. Most chapters ended with a situation where you just wanted to immediately rush into the next chapter. I loved the characters and the way the narrator used a different voice for each one. I was truly surprised by who the real murderer turned out to be. I really don’t think there was anything I didn’t like about this cozy mystery.
Main character Baily gets a call from her grandmother that her grandfather isn’t doing well. It’s not a good time for her to leave her job in New York as she is in line for a promotion to the top . This however doesn’t stop her from going Bach home to Ohio as her grandfather is more important to her than a promotion. When she arrives in Harvest Ohio to her Amish grandparents she finds that grandpa is worse off than grandma led her to believe. Her grandparents run The Swiss Mans Candy shop and has been under a lot of pressure to sell it to a real estate developer . However no one is expecting to find that hateful man dead in the shop’s kitchen at 1:30 in the morning with a fudge knife sticking out of his chest. Who hated the developer that much to kill him in the candy shop kitchen?
If you love cozy mystery read this book to find out who killed this real estate developer. There are plenty of people with motive to do it but only one person is suspected of the crime. Can you guess who the real killer is. Dust off your sleuthing skills and read this book.
I downloaded a audio ebook copy of this book to my Hoopla App. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own .
What a cute book – loved the cover, the story, the characters, the setting and everything in between. It’s definitely worth checking out!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/OyFQpXw0dX4
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-assaulted-caramel-by-amanda-flower-an-amish-candy-shop-mystery-book-1/
Read 9.13.2018
Well other than a less-than-stellar narrator [I almost cry when I see her name as narrator] and the fact that caramel isn’t even MENTIONED until the last 10 minutes of the book [fudge, yes. Caramel? Nope. So when it did show up I was like REALLY?] and therefore made me wonder about the title, this was a very good read – good mystery [though I had guessed who it was early on and then spent the rest of the book convincing myself I was wrong! LOL], likable characters [well, not Eric, but I might be prejudice against that name! 😉 But really, he is a real douche. Oh, and the sheriff is a complete JERK. WOW] and several nasty characters [my friend says that these are needed, both in life AND in books. I am ambivalent. Especially about people who are like the superdouchy sheriff..] who round out the book and keep you guessing about just who is the baddie bad bad.
I will say that the last 10 minutes of the book are really rough and even more so when you are reading it at 1AM with a cold and are completely exhausted. And it made the book even more relatable and believable. For me anyway.
I’d recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery, likes books set in Amish country and doesn’t mind superdouchy characters. 😉
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next stories in the series. The characters are immediately relatable and the book was a good mystery. This was a goodreads giveaway book but I’ll be buying the next ones in the series.
Cute cozy series about a candy maker set in an Amish small town.
This is a sweet start to a new cozy series. The characters are likable and realistic. The mystery is a twisty one with no shortage of red-herrings. I will definitely be reading more of this series.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way, I have been influenced by anyone.
This first book got me to pick up the others that are available. I have some problems with some Amish based books but this one is a mixture of Amish people and non-Amish and it is pretty realistic though, of course, fictionalized. The young woman who is the lead character is running to be with her Amish grandfather who is ill and finds a dead body in front of his shop that she at first thinks might be him, she stays to help out while everyone in NYC is up in arms that she isn’t there with the big announcement of who will take over the lead chocolatier position and then everything in her life starts to unwind. Will she get the job of a lifetime, will she stay with her grandparents to help them, why does a grown woman have a miniature pig who is polka dotted? The mystery is fun, the people fun, you’ll enjoy it, although you will crave candy.
As the story begins, we meet Bailey King, a chocolatier from JP Chocolates, in New York City, who travels to be at her elderly grandfather’s side. Although her grandparents are Amish, Bailey was not raised Amish, yet is familiar with their customs. She arrives just in time to see a heated argument take place with her grandfather and another man. Watching her grandfather collapse onto the side walk right in front his store, Swissmen Sweets, she knew her grandmother made the right decision to call her.
With the Dr. was called and her grandfather resting comfortably, Bailey inquires as to who the man was her grandfather was arguing with. As story unfolds, she finds that her grandparents are wrestling with an “Englisch” man who wants to buy the store. The Amish Community seems to be crumbling under pressure, as the developer has seemingly forced them to sell. With her grandfather insistence not to sell, the man badgering him to sell, Bailey learns why her grandfather’s health is failing. When Bailey finds the man dead in the shop’s kitchen, and her grandparents under suspicion, she decides to stay longer than she plans, to clear her grandfather’s name.
It’s not often that I find a book that runs the gamut of emotions. Love, loyalty, anger, compassion, and despair are found throughout this book. With the insight to the Amish lifestyle, we are given a chance to understand their choices and how they live. As a community of peace-loving people, violence is not their way to solve problems. We can relate to Bailey’s frustration as she tries to clear her grandparents name, as well as her own. The list of suspects keeps growing, the plot well thought out and engaging. Ms. Flower’s writing has a way of grabbing your attention and keeping it through the book. If I could give this book more than five starts I certainly would!
I loved this book
Really enjoyed it. Easy to read held my attention
Entertaining and easy to read, good beach book.
This is a wonderful story about a young woman returning to her heritage to take part of the family’s business of making candy. Lots of fudge involved. However right after the woman gets there, a very unpopular man is murdered in the kitchen of the candy shop. She solves the murder with help from her new friends. I loved it.
Fun to read, with lots of interesting twists and turns. Well done!
I’ve enjoyed several books in this series. Good reads all!
I simply loved it. I love Amish romance, but this is a twist on that. The main character is an Englisher(non-Amish) with Amish grandparents, and the love story is subtle.
this book! I can’t wait to read the next one!
I adore Amanda Flower and I loved the first of her Amish Candy Shop. Great characters and situations that gave this cozy a real life feel. I love when I get that out of a novel, especially a cozy.
I loved it! I always enjoy an awesome book by Amanda Flower!
Bailey King, assistant chocolatier for the world
famous JP Chocolates In New York is up for a
Hugh promotion. Bailey gets a call from Harvest,
Ohio that her grandfather’s heart condition has
taken a turn for the worst. She rush to The Amish
village of Harvest in Holmes County, Ohio.
Her grandparents( Daadi and Maami ) are Amish
while her father gave up the Amish way of life
to marry her non-Amish mother. Bailey was raised
as an Englischer.
Arriving at Swissmen Sweets, Bailey finds her
Saadi & an Englischer developer arguing.
Her grandfather collapses.
The next morning Bailey discovers the Englischer
developer dead in the Sweet Shop kitchen. He has
been stabbed with a knife that Bailey used the
day before to cut fudge in his chest.
So now she is the prime suspect for murder. She
decides to investigate to prove her grandparents
and her innocence.
A well written and cleverly plotted murder mystery
with lots of yummy chocolate candies throughout
the story.
A diverse, vibrant cast of characters liven up the
story with the help of Nutmeg, the cat and Jethro,
the black and white polka-dotted potbellied pig.
A good, delicious, entertaining read.
Amanda Flower delivers another great Amish candy mystery!
Bailey just can’t catch a break no sooner than the first case was closed she finds herself right back in the middle sticky case a few weeks later. This time around Bailey finds herself in knee deep with a steep candy competition, murder, lost pig and a mysterious woman. Plus you get a shocking surprise when you find out who done it, I know I was.
Again this time around you get great characters and story setting, the only downside for me was the ending seemed to wrap up way to quick once she found out who it was bam it was all over.
This book can be read as a standalone, but the first book is just a good so, my suggestion is to start with book one or if you didn’t go back and read it, it’ loads of fun too.