Murder, Plainly Read
Amish Quilt Shop Mystery, Book #4
By Isabella Alan
ISBN13: 9780451475022
Author website: http://isabellaalan.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt.
Synopsis:
In the latest from the author of Murder, Served Simply, an Amish man checks out permanently, but quilt shop owner Angie Braddock’s got this mystery covered…
With so much to do between running her shop and spending time with her new boyfriend, it’s amazing Angie is able to help organize the Rolling Brook library’s annual book sale. Luckily she’s working alongside brash librarian Austina Shaker, a lady who isn’t afraid to make waves to get books to her patrons—even the Amish. Unfortunately, this draws the ire of cranky Bartholomew Belier, an Old Order Amish bishop, who publicly vows to ruin Austina.
And she certainly might be ruined after Belier is found dead in her bookmobile. Now Angie must employ the help of her loyal quilting circle—as well as her beloved French bulldog, Oliver—if she hopes to prove Austina’s innocence before the real killer books it…
INCLUDES QUILTING TIPS
Review:
I love this series – Amish Quilt Shop Mysteries. I love this author Isabella Alan/Amanda Flower. I love this book Murder, Plainly Read. Ok now that I have that out of the way, let me just say this is everything a cozy should be. It has a wonderful, cozy setting – Holmes County, Ohio in rural Amish country. It has a fabulous and amazing cast of characters ranging from the Englisch in Angie (main character), her boyfriend sheriff Mitchell and Angie’s parents, as well as the wonderful Amish characters in Anna (one of my favorites with her sassy Amish personality) and all the ladies in their quilting circle and townsfolk. It has an intriguing and suspenseful, yet cozy mystery. Then of course you add in French Bulldog Oliver, kitty Dodger (both Angie’s pets) and ever entertaining Petunia the goat and you have a patchwork quilt of amazing cozy in one book!!
Angie has her hands full with running her quilt shop, her love life, her parents and now she is supposed to help organize the Rolling Brook library’s annual book sale. Luckily her mother has grabbed hold of the idea and wants to run with it herself. Before that happens though, Angie and friends see librarian Austina Shaker get a set down by Old Order Amish bishop Bartholomew Belier. He does not go quietly. And when Angie and her mom go to meet Austina to get things settled with moving the booksale to the pie factory (a way to help everyone concerned), they find grumpy old Bartholomew dead in the book mobile. Now it seems brash Austina is the prime suspect. Angie has her hands tied when she does not want to anger her new boyfriend Mitchell by getting involved, but cannot let an innocent woman be railroaded if she really did not murder this gruff and argumentative man.
You do not have to be a quilter to enjoy this series. I can barely thread a needle. The characters are so well developed and I love them, even the not so nice ones. The way these two communities come together to help each other, to find answers and just be friends is so delightful and refreshing. You really do not have to read the others in this series to thoroughly enjoy Murder, Plainly Read, but do yourself a favor and read the others at some point. They too are great. If you enjoy cozy mysteries this is about as good as they get. If you enjoy reading about the Amish, you will adore this one and the series. I hope you get some of the same enjoyment I do when you read this book. In the way things are in the world these days, it is such a relief to grab a book this refreshing, delve deep into the setting, people and their lives and just forget the nastiness out there. Now the only bad thing is we have to wait for the next one to be released.
