Thou Shalt Not Grill: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery With Recipes

Rating:
Summary: 'Grill' is a Thrill
Review: A buried treasure in a time capsule is sought after, and the thieves don't leave murder out of their options. Another winner by Tamar Myers, this book features two of her newest characters, a pre-teen foster daughter and Magdalena's Jewish mother-in-law-to-be, who is at her best squaring off with the inn's fiesty Amish cook, Freni. Mag's run-ins with Melvin are in top form. Fast, fun reading.

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Summary: Strange new facts
Review: Every time I read a book featuring Magdalena Protulacca Yoder, I learn several new things, such as, from this book: (1) She can't cook a lick. The recipes in all the books are cooked up by someone else. (2) She wears good Christian underwear. Perhaps she could be a little more specific in a future novel so that readers will know where to buy this sort of apparel. (2) Best of all, we learn that heaven is directly over North America, probably centered over Hernia, Pennsylvania, which means that Australian Christians have a lengthy trip halfway around the world when they die. This latter fact, especially, is worth knowing.

Never mind the plot of any of these Pennsylvania Dutch mysteries. This novel, like the others from the series, is a bit thin in that regard. The characters, especially Ms. Yoder, her weird sister, and the even weirder brother-in-law sheriff, are sufficient. Throw in Hernia and Ms. Yoder's inn, and I'm hooked.

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Summary: I can't believe someone would read this!!
Review: I found this book extremely boring and very hard to read. The conversations don't flow and the interaction between characters seems abrupt. In fact, I didn't even finish the book that is how borning it was. Now, I don't normally review every book I read unless I have very strong feelings and this produced a very strong sense of a waste of time!!! Do yourself a favor and get another book. Maybe something by Diane Mott Davidson.

Rating:
Summary: Pure delight
Review: It is a special time for the residents of Hernia, Pennsylvania, a small Amish and Mennonite town that is home to the PennDutch Bed and Board inn owned and operated by Magdalena Pontulacca Yoder. Hernia is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary and there is no room at the inn because people from all over country want to attend the events, especially the opening of the time capsule that was buried on Stucky Ridge during the 1904 centennial gala.

Before the celebration begins, one of the guests at the inn, Buzzy Porter, is found murdered near Stucky Ridge by runner by Ron Humphrey. Magdalena is asked by her brother in law, chief of police Melvin Stoltzfus to investigate and solve the murder while he is busy stumping for votes to be elected to the state legislature. Of course Magdalena makes inquiries and learns that many people believe the key to a treasure is in the time capsule and someone is willing to kill to get their hands on it. As she eliminates the suspects one by one she comes closer to a killer who will not hesitate to shoot her if she figures out his identity.

Tamar Myers has a wicked sense of humor and she uses it in various conversations the heroine has with the suspects. Readers will find themselves crying tears of laughter. Long time fans of this series know that Magdalena is not hesitant about expressing her opinions nor is she above charging her guests for services they should not pay for and for the first time her guests call her on it and the results are shocking. THOU SHALL NOT GRILL is a mystery lover's delight.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Pure delight
Review: It is a special time for the residents of Hernia, Pennsylvania, a small Amish and Mennonite town that is home to the PennDutch Bed and Board inn owned and operated by Magdalena Pontulacca Yoder. Hernia is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary and there is no room at the inn because people from all over country want to attend the events, especially the opening of the time capsule that was buried on Stucky Ridge during the 1904 centennial gala.

Before the celebration begins, one of the guests at the inn, Buzzy Porter, is found murdered near Stucky Ridge by runner by Ron Humphrey. Magdalena is asked by her brother in law, chief of police Melvin Stoltzfus to investigate and solve the murder while he is busy stumping for votes to be elected to the state legislature. Of course Magdalena makes inquiries and learns that many people believe the key to a treasure is in the time capsule and someone is willing to kill to get their hands on it. As she eliminates the suspects one by one she comes closer to a killer who will not hesitate to shoot her if she figures out his identity.

Tamar Myers has a wicked sense of humor and she uses it in various conversations the heroine has with the suspects. Readers will find themselves crying tears of laughter. Long time fans of this series know that Magdalena is not hesitant about expressing her opinions nor is she above charging her guests for services they should not pay for and for the first time her guests call her on it and the results are shocking. THOU SHALL NOT GRILL is a mystery lover's delight.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Funny and cutting
Review: Magdalena Yoder is pleased that her bed and breakfast is filled--and even more pleased that she's been able to sucker some of her guests into paying extra to help with the chores, but one of the guests is a jokester--with whoopie cushions, faked dead bodies, and handshake zappers. It's annoying to everyone--but is it annoying enough for someone to kill her. Because she gets a late night call from her brother-in-law, Hernia's (that's the city she lives in) cop. The guest has been killed and Melvin is much too busy running for office to solve the crime. It's up to Yoder to uncover the secrets, win the pig-chasing contest, and generally make sure that all of the proprieties are followed.

She doesn't want to believe it at first, but the evidence starts to point at her own guests. All of them seem to have a connection to Hernia--and to the legend of the treasure that is rumored to be hidden somewhere in the town. Yoder chases after legends, squabbles with her fellow townspeople, and battles with her fiance and his mother on her way toward solving the crime.

Author Tamar Myers creates a memorable character in Magdalena Yoder. With her bossyness and greed, she might not be the most sympathetic heroine out there, but she is funny, different, and honest. The Pennsylvania Dutch setting (Yoder is Mennonite) provides a unique atmosphere that pokes gentle fun at the religiously up-tight.

The setting and the characters are really the keys to this short mystery. But, although the mystery itself is a few clues short of convincing, Myers does enough with the characters to make THOU SHALT NOT GRILL well worth the read. And you've got to love those titles.

Rating:
Summary: The time-capsule murder
Review: Magdalena Yoder's Penn-Dutch Inn has been booked for months for the bicentennial barbeque which is being held in the town of Hernia, Pennsylvania. She is ready to welcome her guests to her pricey establishment and to offer them the bargain of having an authentic Amish experience by charging them more for cleaning their own rooms and doing other chores. Her most obnoxious guest is Buzzy Porter, who loves practical jokes and who specializes in whoopie cushions and mousetrap chewing gum packages. When Buzzy is found dead near the site of the time capsule which is to be opened soon, Magdalena knows that she must step in and solve the murder because of the incompetance of her brother-in-law, who is chief of police. Her suspicions soon turn to her guests and she questions each one to discover their connection to the time capsule, which is purported to contain a treasure map. Tamar Myers always writes with wit and style and this book is no exception. Readers will enjoy her quips and her humorous characters in this latest addition to the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series.

Rating:
Summary: The time-capsule murder
Review: Magdalena Yoder's Penn-Dutch Inn has been booked for months for the bicentennial barbeque which is being held in the town of Hernia, Pennsylvania. She is ready to welcome her guests to her pricey establishment and to offer them the bargain of having an authentic Amish experience by charging them more for cleaning their own rooms and doing other chores. Her most obnoxious guest is Buzzy Porter, who loves practical jokes and who specializes in whoopie cushions and mousetrap chewing gum packages. When Buzzy is found dead near the site of the time capsule which is to be opened soon, Magdalena knows that she must step in and solve the murder because of the incompetance of her brother-in-law, who is chief of police. Her suspicions soon turn to her guests and she questions each one to discover their connection to the time capsule, which is purported to contain a treasure map. Tamar Myers always writes with wit and style and this book is no exception. Readers will enjoy her quips and her humorous characters in this latest addition to the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series.