Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth: A Pennsylvania-Dutch Mystery With Recipes

Rating:
Summary: Great series
Review: This is the first book in a series written about Magdalena Yoder who owns the PennDutch Inn in Hernia, Pennsylvania. Magadalena is an upfront woman who tries to always follow what the Good Lord teaches, but always manages to twist it around to suit her. Reading this book brought many a giggle to my lips as the Amish characters were a kick! You can almost forget that one of Magdalena's guests have been murdered as you read about the local sheriff who accuses Magdalena of the murder. (But he once tried to milk a bull.) For a bit of light reading, start with this one and you'll be anxious to read the next one.

Rating:
Summary: So someone got killed? Do I care?
Review: This is the first in the Pennsylvania-Dutch murder series, and one can only hope that the series improves with practice. By the time I was one-third of the way through, I'd slogged through enough whining about how the main character had been deprived of all the normal adolescent fun (proms, etc.) while her much-younger sister got all the experience (and then ran off and married outside the community) that I was ready to scream as loudly as the author has the characters hollering. To call the dialogue ham-handed is to give it more credit than it deserves. And the main character doesn't solve the murder -- the murderer conveniently attacks her and then confesses, outlining all of the steps in the murder -- no brainpower needed at all. Why bother?

Rating:
Summary: So someone got killed? Do I care?
Review: This is the first in the Pennsylvania-Dutch murder series, and one can only hope that the series improves with practice. By the time I was one-third of the way through, I'd slogged through enough whining about how the main character had been deprived of all the normal adolescent fun (proms, etc.) while her much-younger sister got all the experience (and then ran off and married outside the community) that I was ready to scream as loudly as the author has the characters hollering. To call the dialogue ham-handed is to give it more credit than it deserves. And the main character doesn't solve the murder -- the murderer conveniently attacks her and then confesses, outlining all of the steps in the murder -- no brainpower needed at all. Why bother?

Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This was a good book, but I enjoyed her other series more. True, this was her first book written in the Amish series and I have several to read to catch up. Without a doubt, her more recent books will be better. I think she is a very talented author with a wonderful way of turning a phrase and creating situations that have you laughing out loud.

Rating:
Summary: Very humorous and delightful way to escape to another world.
Review: Very much enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I chuckled out loud several times, and smiled frequently. Good fun.