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An Amish Christmas Star—three Amish Christmas stories
Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Ellie Coblentz is called back from vacation to help her Grandmommi. John Miller receives a phone call that his father, from whom he has been estranged for almost fifteen years, is on his deathbed. John needs to travel quickly if he wants to get to the nursing home before his father passes, something he is not sure he wants to do. It is a few days before Christmas when the two meet at a bulletin board searching for ways to get from Pinecraft, Florida, to Holmes County, Ohio, in bad weather. As strangers, they make for unusual travel partners, but God has a way of bringing them together under the difficult travel circumstances as they find themselves stranded several times along the journey. In addition to some crazy hired drivers, they also encounter some very kind and helpful people who think helping others is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. This is a sweet Christmas story that I think I would enjoy rereading.
Star of Wonder
by Charlotte Hubbard
Lizzie Zehr is a young Mennonite woman with a flamboyant, creative flair. Raised by her two sisters, first one who passed with MS, and then the other who was a talented, but perfectionist baker, Lizzie has felt stifled by them. She finds freedom in a job in a new bulk store in Promise Lodge. A lot of the Old Order Amish have moved there to be away from a mean-spirited Bishop.
Raymond Overholt is another creative who travels from Coldstream to Promise Lodge. His goal, however, is to sell art he has created from barnboard wood decorated with Christmas messages and stars. He just doesn’t enjoy or fit in well in his family’s dairy farm. So when offered a seasonal temporary job at the store in Promise Lodge, he accepts.
If Lizzie and Raymond have a future together, there will be a lot of opposition to overcome arising from the Amish leaders in Coldstream and Raymond’s family. It will take a change of heart by the leadership there and perhaps a change of circumstances. It will take a Christmas miracle!
Starlight Everlasting
by Rosalind Lauer
Rachel and Luke Coblentz began courting when they were quite young. They kept putting off their wedding in hopes that Rachel’s mother would recover from cancer and be able to be a part of the ceremony. Unfortunately, she passed away, leaving the family with seven children and a mountain of medical bills. As young marrieds, they feel an obligation to pay off the debts, but Luke is unable to find a job in the town of Joyful River. He gets a low paying factory job in Maple Run, but that means he and Rachel must live apart 5 days out of the week. This becomes a crisis for the young couple when Luke is required to work on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Meanwhile, Rachel has restored an abandoned Christmas store in Joyful River. It is doing quite well, and she is able to help with the care of her younger siblings, but she misses Luke so much! They reach out to God and rely on him to give them the wisdom and faith required to help them through this difficult season.
Truman is one of Rachel’s young siblings, and I came to love him as much as Rachel does. As Rachel describes him, he is “odd.” He doesn’t understand social signals, but he “has a good heart.” Although bullied, he doesn’t retaliate. He is very smart and memorizes things quickly.
I enjoyed all of these novellas. They were able to tell a whole story in less space than a novel, and I didn’t feel that anything was missing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: These novellas offer the reader the Christmas spirit relying on the story of Christ’s birth as well as the cultural decorations and themes that are celebrated by non-Amish.
Publication: September 30, 2025—Kensington
Memorable Lines from Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles:
When she looked back for Kramer, he was gone, and the truck was too. “I didn’t hear Kramer’s truck leave. Did you?” John stopped and stared. “It was like he vanished. That sure was strange, ain’t so?” “Usually I would agree, but I’m starting to think that he was our own guardian angel,” Ellie said.
Memorable Lines from Star of Wonder:
Best of all, though, she had a new circle of friends who shone as brightly as one of Raymond’s gold stars when the morning sunlight hit it. And for that, Lizzie felt extremely blessed.
Memorable Lines from Starlight Everlasting:
Gott had guided the wise men with a star. It seemed simple and yet profound. Gott was guiding all of his believers each and every day. And that was what had led Luke here tonight. Faith.
Gathering Mist–Excellent K-9 Mystery
Gathering Mist
By Margaret Mizushima
Deputy Mattie Wray and her K-9 partner are based in Colorado, but in Gathering Mist they travel to Washington to help hunt for a missing child. Her patrol partner Robo is an extremely smart, well-trained 100 pound German shepherd. He has an excellent reputation, as does Mattie as his handler. In trying to locate the child, Robo uses both his well-established ground tracking skills and the air scenting that the pair has been working on.
River, the missing child, is the son of a famous movie star. He disappeared while he was supposed to be in his trailer doing his homeschool work. Mattie is not supposed to solve the case, but just find the boy in the deep woods with difficult terrain during a season of rain and cold. Other search and rescue dogs have been brought in as well as other types of law enforcement officers and lots of volunteers from the community. With no solid hits, they fear time is running out. Mattie and others begin to speculate on who might have taken the child and what the motive would be. Some wonder if it is just a public relations stunt to publicize the mother’s upcoming movie.
There are other complications. Some of the isolated homeowners living there off the grid resist having the search teams and their dogs on their property. Dead animals show up near a stream with no apparent cause of death. When a volunteer’s dog gets sick with the closest veterinarian an hour away, Cole, Mattie’s fiancé who is a vet, volunteers to travel to Washington to be with the team in case there are further health issues for the dogs. Other issues arise, but I don’t want to include any spoilers. Suffice it to say that the book includes exciting action and opportunities for Robo to show off his skills. Just as the search takes time, so does the revelation of River’s story. Added tension arises because this all happens the week before Mattie and Cole’s planned wedding. Some people would have turned down the assignment, but Mattie couldn’t bear the thought of a child lost in the cold, wet and dangerous woods.
The book includes sweet dog moments and opportunities to learn more about the skills of a K-9 officer. This is a series that is well-written with good plots and character development. The descriptions are so authentic that I felt wet and chilled along with the characters, and I looked up once or twice to make sure I wasn’t trying to find my way through the misty, foggy forest along with Mattie.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery
Notes: 1. #9 in the excellent Timber Creek K-9 series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. Clean
Publication: October 8, 2024—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
Yes, the cop side of her recognized that someone could hide a body that would never be found in this place, even while her spiritual side felt a connection to this lush earth where plants were nurtured by the fertile soil and plentiful rain. As the early morning light brightened, it was like entering an emerald cathedral.
When Robo heard the word “work,” he pranced on the back seat and leaped out to join Banjo on the ground. The bloodhound, older by several years, gave Robo a stolid look as if to say “Kids.” His face drooped more than usual and he looked worn out as he sat near Sarge’s left heel.
That dog is so smart. At Mattie’s command, he could take down a dangerous criminal, or on his own, he could sense a child’s emotional distress. Either way, he was there for people.
Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home–Christmas at the Dog Rescue
Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home
by Sarah Hope
This author seems to specialize in romances set in Cornwall. Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is a sweet, clean romance. If you like dogs in general or rescue animals in particular, you will be attracted to this book. Poppy had bought a city home with Ben, but they are ending the relationship, and Poppy’s job as a supply teacher is on a holiday break. So, she packs a bag and heads to West Par where her beloved Aunt Flora has a dog shelter.
Poppy eventually realizes she has just been existing in her life with Ben. She has even gotten grouchy over the very idea of the Christmas spirit. She soon meets Mack, the new veterinarian in town. He is very nice to both people and animals. He buys expensive things, but says he is unable to keep up the former vet’s policy of only charging for medicines. Of course shelter animals often require medical assistance, and the shelter depends on donations and volunteers for its existence. Mack and Poppy are attracted to each other, but they both have childhood and more recent baggage to overcome.
There are lots of likable characters, and the community spirit is outstanding from sing-a-longs at the town center to visits to the local Christmas Market. There are lots of fundraisers for the shelter that are also fun for the community. Percy is a special friend of Flora’s who helps at the shelter and repairs various things as breakdowns arise and Flora is too frugal to hire the work out. The money needs to go to the dogs. Included in the story is a dog hoarder: Mr. Thomas has taken in many animals over the years, but he is too old now to take care of them or clean up after them. Flora spends a lot of time trying to convince him to put them in her shelter. Mack has two younger siblings that he has raised. The younger one, Spencer, is convinced that Percy, who has a white beard, is Santa Claus. It’s easy to see why—he looks like Santa and is always helping someone. Spencer is an enthusiastic Christmas lover and cute too. The story behind Mack and his brothers helps Poppy and the reader understand his attitude towards money.
The Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is in serious trouble. Read this gentle romance to see if the shelter can survive and what happens to certain special dogs. Also, you’ll want to see what develops between Mack and Poppy and how Poppy manages her house sale. The shelter’s future as well as Poppy’s and Flora’s are all tied up in the finances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home Series. I read it as a standalone. Although I enjoyed it, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first in the series as there are many delightful characters, but it is hard to jump in with the community spirit that they share without knowing more about them.
Publication: October 25, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Ralph was a complete softie with them, but was terrified of other dogs and reacted when scared, so it was best he was walked at times when the likelihood of running into another dog was low.
“She’s the miniature poodle, isn’t she?” “Oh yes, although she may be miniature, she has the personality of a young boisterous Labrador.”
This was what Wagging Tails was all about, community, the coming together of like-minded people for the greater good. It sounded deep, but it was true. Each and every person here, staff members and volunteers alike, turned up each day or once or twice a week to give their time to the dogs. She’d missed this feeling of belonging.
Rediscovering Christmas–finding joy after tragedy
Rediscovering Christmas
by Mindy Obenhaus
What does it take to weaken a Christian’s faith in God? In the case of Tori Stallings it was the death of her husband and her mother and the complete destruction of her home by fire. These sequential catastrophes in just a few years time left Tori devastated despite the support she had from friends, family and co-workers.
Tori had learned to be independent over the years as her confident and dashing husband Joel devoted more time to his country than to his family. His quiet brother Micah quit the military when his brother died to try to pick up the pieces for Tori and her son Aiden. His secret is that his friendship with Tori was more than that when they hit their teenage years, but he kept his crush hidden when she was obviously attracted to Joel.
Tori and Micah are thrown together when she loses her home and she and Aiden move into the family home Micah shares with his mom. Aiden, an adorable six year old, never really knew much of his dad, and Uncle Micah became the father substitute in his life, a relationship Micah and Aiden both enjoyed.
Although there is a growing attraction, Tori and Micah need to get over the feeling they are doing something wrong since Tori is his brother’s widow. Also, Tori is angry with God, and Micah knows that he can’t pursue a relationship with her until she works through her anger and realizes she needs to put her trust for the future in God’s hands.
There are multiple obstacles to be overcome and lots of good people to help them as they face the issues that come when disasters strike and faith is tested.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. It was only when I reached the notes at the end of the book that I realized that this book (#6) is the last of the Hope Crossing series, so it certainly could be read as a stand alone.
2. This was my last Christmasy book for 2024 and it made a fitting ending. Faith and having the heart of a servant were threads all through the book. In the process of righting her relationship with God, Tori also rediscovered the joy of the Christmas season with help from Micah. Christmas decorations and traditions reestablished for their first Christmas after the fire helped Tori rediscover Christmas as well.
Publication: November 26, 2024—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
None of them spoke because there’d been nothing to say. There was no room for platitudes at a time like this. He was certain Tori would hear her fair share of those over the coming days, weeks and months. But he and his mom cared about her too much for that. Sometimes the best thing you could do was to let someone cry.
“…you’ve faced more than your fair share of loss in recent years. It stands to reason that you’d be hurting and angry. But be aware, my friend, while you might try to run from God, you can’t outrun Him. And I know this for a fact because He loved me enough to pursue me even when I chose not to trust Him.”
“We’re not called to understand everything that happens in our lives. We’re called to trust Him with our lives, come what may.”
The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea–recreating yourself
The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea
by Liz Eeles
Heaven’s Cove is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of cities like London. It is a place of peace, calm, and community. The downside is everybody knows everybody’s business. The upside is having people who genuinely care and will help when a neighbor is in need. Isla and Caitlyn are sisters who due to family problems have been shuffled around. Their grandmother Jessie, a resident of Heaven’s Cove, is their last carer. Caitlyn had to fill in the “mother” gap for her ill mom and then her younger sister. She was anxious to escape from Heaven’s Cove and those extra responsibilities and she did, leaving Isla to care for their grandmother.
In The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea life does not turn out well for either sister, and they do not maintain the close relationship of their youth. When their grandmother, always a riddle and puzzle lover, passes away she gives her granddaughters a final riddle to solve as part of their inheritance. The book includes romances, broken relationships, a dip into history, and teenage angst. Isla, Caitlyn, and Maisie (Caitlyn’s stepdaughter) all have issues to work through from their pasts. Most of the characters are likable. The unlikable ones are intentionally written as mean, narcissistic, and overbearing. Liz Eeles is a good writer, and I hope she will create more books for this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction,Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. Heaven’s Cove Book #6 can be a standalone. I have read all of the published books in this series and have enjoyed each one of them. There are a few characters who make cameo appearances in subsequent books, but the town itself is the backdrop that holds the series together. You really can jump into the series at any point.
2. Clean with a little mild swearing.
Publication: October 19, 2023—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
Once upon a time, they were so close you could hardly have passed a piece of paper between them. Whereas now they were separated by a chasm of difference and resentment.
Paul definitely would not be happy. She usually did what he wanted. To be honest, she usually didn’t mind, and it avoided him sinking into a sulk. He was a champion sulker.
It must be nice being a robin, Maisie thought, watching its bright yellow beak bob up and down: no family dramas to deal with, no scary school, nothing on your mind except finding the next juicy worm.
Liturgy of the Ordinary: sacred practices in everyday life
Liturgy of the Ordinary
by Tish Harrison Warren
Liturgy is the form or pattern that a church service follows. It may be a general and loose sequence or it may be highly structured as followed by Anglicans and other denominations that use The Book of Common Prayer. In Liturgy of the Ordinary, Tish Harrison Warren connects our daily routines to the rituals and patterns of the Christian life from our waking in the morning to our rest at the end of the day. Along the way she examines our search for lost objects and ties it into confession and repentance. She discusses quarrels within the family and how as Christians we are called to extend peace or shalom. Warren dissects how we look at time and at community. She suggests savoring the good gifts of God in our everyday life, but discourages overindulgence in pleasure lest it become an addiction, trapping us in the cycle of wanting more.
Liturgy of the Ordinary is a wonderful book for individual enjoyment and study or for sharing with a group. It is a book that takes simple concepts and invites a deeper dive. Warren is an excellent writer. The book is full of wisdom from both Warren and those she has studied. She invites the reader to look at everyday routines in a new way. The book is replete with anecdotes and quotes. Above all, Warren is open and honest; readers will see themselves in her struggles and her revelations. She makes the mystery of living out the Christian life in this broken world both real and accessible.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: Includes Discussion Questions, Practices, and a Bibliography
Publication: 2016—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
Waiting, therefore, is an act of faith in that it is oriented toward the future. Yet our assurance of hope is rooted in the past, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and in his promises and resurrection. In this way, waiting, like time itself, centers on Christ—the fulcrum of time.
Christian friendships are call-and-response friendships. We tell each other over and over, back and forth, the truth of who we are and who God is…My best friendships are with people who are willing to get in the muck with me, who see me as I am, and who speak to me of our hope in Christ in the midst of it. These friends’ lives become a sermon to me.
The words of the liturgy felt like a mother rocking me, singing over me, speaking words of blessing again and again. I was relaxing into the church like an overtired child collapsing on her mom. When my husband and I would get into the car after church each week and talk about the service, I would say to him, “It feels like chamomile tea.”
Peanut Butter Panic–complicated, but humorous, mystery
Peanut Butter Panic
by Amanda Flower
I always enjoy the novels in Amanda Flower’s cozy mystery series The Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. Peanut Butter Panic is no exception.
Bailey, an Englisch chocolatier, is co-owner with her grandmother of Swissmen Sweets in the tourist town of Harvest. There is a lot going on for Bailey. Margo, the town event coordinator, has organized a Thanksgiving celebration for the whole area that unifies the Amish and the Englisch in one big celebration. The arrival of Margot’s mother Zara, a fierce retired judge who is remembered for the harsh sentences she passed on Amish defendants, arrives suddenly and is unexpectedly accompanied by a much younger boyfriend. Her appearance throws Margot into a panic as Zara has made it clear that Margot has never lived up to her standards. When a murder occurs at the dinner, both Margot and Zara appeal to Bailey who has a reputation as a successful unofficial sleuth.
Other complications in the plot for Bailey include the intense sales period of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It is difficult to produce enough sweets for all of these events in addition to the Jethro bars made for tourists in honor of the pot-bellied pig Jethro who has appeared on Bailey’s cooking show. Add in the difficulties of Bailey’s semi-long distance relationship with Aiden who has accepted a position with the Ohio BCI. She is also considering expanding Swissmen Sweets which would be a big change for her and for her grandmother.
There are a lot of twists and turns as hidden relationships and identities emerge. When the book appeared to be at a point of closure, I found myself wondering if I had missed something as I read. I still didn’t know whodunnit! But the last pages hold yet another surprise, the mystery is solved, and some real justice is done.
Characters are vital to this story. The reactions of people to Margot and to her mother Zara speak volumes. There is animal humor in the book as Jethro the polka-dotted pig plays an important role along with Puff the rabbit and a new character, Gator, a rather vicious little purse dog. Another character I enjoy is Charlotte who has a recently decided to leave the Amish way and is gradually transitioning to the Englisch way of life. This is a fun cozy with interesting characters and a good plot. I recommend the whole series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #7 in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries, but could be read as a standalone
Publication: August 23, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Amateur sleuthing required a great deal of balance I realized. Enough meddling to get the answers but not so much as to obstruct justice or negatively impact the prosecution of a criminal.
I did notice that the shouts and cheers for the little bacon bundle were a tad more jubilant than they had been for me. I understood. I wasn’t an adorable little comfort pig. It was difficult to compete with such cuteness.
“…Zara was the kind of person who could have a terrible time just about anywhere. She complained about everything, even when it was done just as she liked it. She found fault with just about everything I did.”
Pride–love in the ‘hood
Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Remix
by Ibi Zoboi
In a fun retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, similar themes of class differences and the prejudices that accompany them are the focus of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride. The characters are of Haitian-Dominican background and the setting is the “hood” of Bushwick in Brooklyn.
Life changes dramatically for the Benitez sisters when the rundown property across the street is renovated by the upper class Darcy family. Ainsley Darcy, who attends Cornell, is attracted to Janae Benitez, a student at Syracuse. His younger brother Darius is treated harshly and with suspicion by our narrator who is also the protagonist, Zuri Benitez, age 17. The Darcy’s clearly don’t fit into the hood, but when Zuri goes out of Bushwick, she finds that she doesn’t fit in easily there.
This young adult novel explores the barriers put up intentionally and often unwittingly by the community and by individuals. It seems that Bushwick will be forced to change, but where does that leave its residents? If you are not from that community, dear reader, you will find yourself immersed in an unfamiliar culture with new words and customs. I found myself liking the characters and the warmness of their world although it is outwardly a much tougher one than the home community in which I was cocooned. This book exposes the assumptions it is all too easy to make when we are confronted with dissonance. Reading it will expand your horizons and make you dive deeply into your soul to consider how you view those whose life circumstances are different from your own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction
Notes: Contains a fair amount of cursing as appropriate to the street language of the community
Publication: 2018—Balzer and Bray (HarperCollins)
Memorable Lines:
Every book is a different hood, a different country, a different world. Reading is how I visit places and people and ideas. And when something rings true or if I still have a question, I outline it with a bright yellow highlighter so that it’s lit up in my mind, like a lightbulb or a torch leading the way to somewhere new.
If Janae is the sticky sweetness keeping us sisters together, then I’m the hard candy shell, the protector. If anyone wants to get to the Benitez sisters, they’ll have to crack open my heart first.
I’d look back at them with defiance and a little pride; a look that says that I love my family and we may be messy and loud, but we’re all together and we love each other.
A Man Called Ove–tale of a curmudgeon
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman
Ove is a puzzle of a man—a man you will grow to love, as his wife Sophia did, as you learn more about him. Almost any details about Ove’s background would be spoilers. Let’s just say that his father was a good role model for him, he came from a loving home, and he found himself on his own too soon.
In Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, the main character Ove runs his life according to routines and has undeniable moral standards and an impeccable work ethic. His wife is the color in his black and white life, and he loves her completely, always trying to do things that will please her. Sophia can tease him about things they don’t agree on, and she is the only one who can do so without angering him.
This novel is filled with interesting characters who bring out the best in Ove who might be described as a curmudgeon. Of special note is Parvaneh, the Iranian, pregnant mother of two, who is persistent in her attempts to bring Ove out of his shell and interacting with neighbors. Gradually, as the plot develops, more characters are introduced, and we learn how things came to be the way they are—why the kitchen counters and cabinets at Ove’s house are all low, how his neighbor Rune and Ove over the many years have both cooperated and feuded, and why Ove feels so passionately about the government “white suits.”
I smiled, laughed, and cried my way through A Man Called Ove. It is impossible to read it without reaction. Backman has a talent for relating Ove’s character and actions in a humorous way. The story is told in the third person, but in such a manner that the reader feels present. The narration goes back and forth between the present and the past with fluidity. New chapters begin with no segue or introduction. The reader is dropped abruptly into the action and setting as in Chapter 21 which begins with “Of course, the bus tour was her idea. Ove couldn’t see the use of it.” This style of writing works well in relating the tale. In concluding the story of the unforgettable Ove, the plot threads all tie together nicely and there is closure with a feeling of satisfaction and hope.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult)
Notes: 1. Originally published in Swedish.
2. Contains some foul language, but it is appropriate to Ove’s character, and he attempts to curb it around children, etc.
Publication: 2012—Simon & Schuster (Washington Square Press)
Memorable Lines:
And then he utters seven words, which Parvaneh will always remember as the loveliest compliment he’ll ever give her. “Because you are not a complete twit.”
“What sort of love is it if you hand someone over when it gets difficult?’ she cries, her voice shaking with sorrow. “Abandon someone when there’s resistance? Tell me what sort of love that is!”
…Ove had probably known all along what he had to do, whom he had to help before he could die. But we are always optimists when it comes to time; we think there will be time to do things with other people. And time to say things to them. Time to appeal.
Murder in the Wine Country–plant smuggling mystery
Murder in the Wine Country
by Janet Finsilver
Redwood Cove is an isolated community in northern California. The wealthy Michael Corrigan, owner of Resorts International, is not the stereotypical rich businessman with cutthroat motives and actions. He is boss to Scott, manager of Redwood Cove Community Center, and to Kelly, manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast. Always looking for ways to help others, especially veterans, Michael is hosting an exclusive event for other wealthy philanthropists with the goal of providing a model of community support that he hopes will inspire them to implement similar programs in their own communities.
Problems have arisen in the little town with the presence of plant poachers who are digging up a certain plant that is popular in China and smuggling them out of the country. In the midst of this event, wardens warn visiting chefs, who are encouraged to forage for edible plants in the area to showcase in their culinary creations, of potential danger from these smugglers. When there is a death, a robbery, and three missing people, Kelly and the Silver Sentinels, a group of seniors who use their skills to help solve crimes, gather at Kelly’s B&B and get to work.
Other mainstay characters are involved in Janet Finsilver’s Murder in the Wine Country. My favorites are Tommy, a sweet boy with Asperger’s, and his Basset hound Fred. Deputy Stanton enjoys spending time with Tommy working on projects and with Tommy’s mom Helen, a widow who works at the inn. There is certainly potential for romance between them in future books. Scott and Kelly also have romantic inclinations, but the author doesn’t rush the characters into relationships. Another interesting character is Julie, a visiting chef who has a service dog Rex, who is not only a faithful companion, but can warn her of an impending epileptic seizure. He plays an important role in the story.
The plot moves along at a nice pace. Kelly’s investigations are successful to the point of putting her in danger of losing her life. The Silver Sentinels are ready to help at a moment’s notice as are other community members who aren’t even involved. The setting is great, but it’s the people who make Redwood Cove the kind of place you might want to live.
I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #6 in the Kelly Jackson Mystery Series, but as the author provides good support for readers who are just beginning the series, I have no hesitation in recommending it as a standalone.
Publication: April 28, 2020— Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press)
Memorable Lines:
I had my own rescue bag of sorts. Years ago, I had vowed I would always stop to help a loose animal that was in danger, even if it meant missing an important appointment or an airplane flight. This was after watching car after car whiz by a shaking dog stranded on an island of a busy street, no one stopping to help.
Mary handed me a plate with a chocolate brownie studded with chunks of chocolate. Coffee and chocolate, my two favorites. I might recover after all.
For a split second, I considered not saying anything regarding the incident but immediately rejected the thought. He’d asked about the rest of the afternoon. Omitting was a form of lying, and I wouldn’t go there.
education pathways 