“The Amish Miss Marple strikes again…exciting.” —Kirkus Reviews“Refreshing…Flower combines quirky characters, close-knit community, and first-class sleuthing to great effect. Fans of Amish mysteries will love this.” —Publishers Weekly “There is nothing cozier than the second ‘Amish Matchmaker Mystery.’” —Library Journal Between minding a pair of rambunctious goats, meetings with her quilting … —Library Journal
Between minding a pair of rambunctious goats, meetings with her quilting circle, and matchmaking, Millie Fisher has plenty to keep her busy through her golden years. But the witty widow always makes time to solve the odd murder . . .
Some Amish men don’t know what’s good for them. That’s what Millie Fisher told herself when young Ben Baughman set his heart on marrying Tess Lieb. With Tess’s father refusing to give his blessing and Tess’s ex-boyfriend being a wet blanket, the hapless couple was bound to butt heads more than Millie’s Boer goats. But when Ben tragically dies in a mysterious fire, Millie wonders if someone in her hometown of Harvest, Ohio, wanted Ben out of the wedding picture altogether . . .
With the help of her quilting buddies, and her outspoken Englischer friend Lois, Millie is determined to patch together all the clues without even dropping a stitch. She only hopes it won’t be the death of her . . .
Praise for Amanda Flower and her Amish cozies
“As it turns out, Amanda Flower may have just written the first Amish rom com.”
—USA Today
“Flower has hit it out of the ballpark . . . and continues to amaze with her knowledge of the Amish way of life.”
—RT Book Reviews
“At turns playful and engaging . . . a satisfyingly complex cozy.”
—Library Journal
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Millie Fisher, an Old Order Amish woman, and her purple-haired, flamboyant best friend and Englischer Lois Henry are at the Harvest Village Flea Market. Lois is there to shop. Millie is there to find Ben Baughman, a young friend from her previous home in Michigan. Nineteen-year-old Ben is sweet on a young Amish woman, eighteen-year-old Tess Leib, but her father Tobias doesn’t approve of the relationship. Ben is convinced Tess is the one for him. Ben wants Millie, as the village matchmaker, to talk to Tobias on Ben’s behalf. Millie refuses; she won’t come between a child and parent. When Tess approaches Millie with the same request, Millie gives the same answer: they need to wait and see if Tobias comes around in time. Neither Tess or Ben are happy with Millie’s answer and Millie never gets the chance to talk to Ben again.
The Harvest Flea Market catches fire. After the fire is out, Ben’s body is discovered inside. Before long, rumors blaming Ben for the fire circulate in the community. Millie knows Ben wasn’t responsible for the fire and is determined to clear his name. With Lois’s help, Millie begins to investigate Ben’s death. But someone doesn’t want Millie investigating. Threats escalate until Millie finds herself face-to-face with a cold-blooded murderer.
My Thoughts
This book was a blast to read. The dialogue and actions between Millie and Lois illustrate the depth of their lifelong friendship. The humor shines through; Lois has dubbed Millie “Amish Marple.” Millie isn’t a fan, but she realizes the moniker fits.
Harvest, Ohio, is the setting for two different series. The Amish Candy Shoppe series was first set in Harvest. The Amish Matchmaker Series is a spin-off, with some characters, making appearances in both books.
I’ve read most of Flowers’ books (fangirling alert) and I think Courting Can Be Killer is one of her best books yet. The characters are well-developed, the dialogue zings, the humor is the right amount for a murder mystery, and the who-dun-it and why remains a puzzle until the end.
This is the second book in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Book. I really enjoy the characters in this series. The friendship between Millie and Lois, who is English, is really well done. I like how they have crossed the cultural divide but that Millie stays true to her Amish roots. Millie’s goats, Phillip and Peter are hilarious and provide some comic relief in a book that was a bit more melancholy than previous books by this author. Ben Baughman is a young Amish man who moved from his community in Michigan to Harvest, but his life is tragically cut short. I think, for me, that is the part that made me melancholy. He was not even 20 years old. There were very few suspects to choose but the author does a nice job of making the reader work to determine the culprit. I was surprised by the killer’s identity and how everything came together in the end. I also like the glimpses of Bailey King and Deputy Aiden that we get to see from time to time in this series. The author does a nice job with the crossover of her two series that are set in the same fictional town.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley. The thoughts expressed are my own.
Millie and her childhood best friend Lois have taken up where they left off years ago and are enjoying their time together. Millie is also continuing her involvement in her quilting circle. The group has started to sell their creations at the local Framer’s Market.
A young man that Millie lived in while caring for her sister has moved to Harvest. Ben quickly began courting a local woman, Tess and the two want to marry. Tess’ father does not approve of the courtship and is doing his best to break-up the couple. Sadly, he gets his wish when Ben dies in a fire at the Farmer’s Market where he worked nights. When the fire appears suspicious Millie begins to wonder if Ben’s death was intentional.
With the help of her best friend and her quilting circle, Millie turns detective and comes up with a list of suspects. After she is threatened at her home Millie knows she is getting close to learning the truth.
This is the second book in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. I enjoyed the first book and was excited to move right into this book. I enjoy the characters and find them to be well-developed. Lois is a great comic foil to Millie’s conservative personality. The setting is a typical smalltwon with an Amish community. This story moves at a good pace. It is easy to become engrossed in the action and hard to put down. I recommend this book. It can stand alone, but I like to read a series in order.
I feel the author puts in a lot more effort in the background than mystery. Then I question the authenticity of the background. Millie’s English is very contemporary which may be explained by her lifelong friendship with Lois, but it’s a bit too “Englisch” and then when the author throws in a word or two in Penn Dutch, it’s the same couple of words.
I found this a lightweight, quick read. Those who liked the first book should enjoy this one, but it’s not a book or series I’d recommend off the top of my head to someone.
i received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.