Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous
An Amish Matchmaker Mystery
By Amanda Flower
ISBN 9781496737465
amandaflower.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Set in the fan favorite Amish village of Harvest, Ohio, the latest novel in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s Amish Matchmaker series brings back the unlikely sleuthing duo of an Amish widow and her zany, thrice divorced best friend. Will appeal to fans of cozy mysteries, small-town mysteries, wholesome romance, inspirational fiction, and readers of Jennifer Beckstrand, Charlotte Hubbard, Rachel J. Good, and other authors of Amish fiction.
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 . . .(from Goodreads)
Review:
This is one of the best of the Amish Matchmaker series so far; I thought it was wonderful. The author continues to outdo herself with Millie and Lois, best friends for over sixty years. The mystery became more complex with each chapter, especially when it seemed there were two separate, unrelated crimes. Some scenes were sad, some were frightening while still others were laugh-out-loud funny. There were times I simply observed and enjoyed the eclectic characters and unusual pets.
Millie is the Amish matchmaker and a widow of more than 20 years. Lois is Englisch, and quite a flamboyant lady when it comes to color and style. She has three ex-husbands and was widowed once. Seniors now, they are respected by most of the folks they know in the Harvest, Ohio area.
Lois and Millie went into the café owned by Lois’s granddaughter and found Lois’s fourth husband there – with his new bride who looked young enough to be his daughter. They were on their honeymoon. Lois was furious, at least until she had time to think about the situation. Lois invited Millie to join her when she went to deliver a letter of apology to Gerome and Paige. When reaching the Munich Chalet, they heard a terrible noise, a scream, and parked by the clock tower. The giant cuckoo from the cuckoo clock crashed to the ground, pinning someone underneath one of the broken pieces. It was Paige, married only two days, and already dead. Gerome begged Lois for help since he doesn’t know anyone in Harvest. The grieving widower wants to know who killed his bride, not go to jail for her murder! Lois and Millie began to ask questions, and found themselves involved in what, at first, seemed like unrelated events and discovered much more going on than initially met their eyes.
The characters, especially Millie and Lois, are very well defined. I found the background on the Amish orders and districts helpful in understanding what is and isn’t allowed. I was startled at how the bishop’s wife, Ruth, has a different attitude than usual towards Millie and Lois’s sleuthing, proving that nobody is too old to change. One thing that the author gently points out is that the Amish are not immune to the temptations of the outside world, especially those whose families have suffered great losses or challenges.
Fourth in its series, this cozy mystery can be read either as a standalone or in series order. This novel has some of the things I enjoy most, including strong female leads, good friends, pets who are as quirky as their owners, humor, suspense, and a challenging mystery. The mysteries were not easy to solve and had enough twists and turns to hold my attention. The end was very pleasing despite the cliffhanger. I highly recommend this novel and series!
