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The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits–Amish cozy mystery
The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits
by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton
Fannie Miller is a single Amish woman of forty-three who owns a quilting shop. She is also a big fan of mysteries. She has collaborated on several investigations with Foster Bates, a retired cop who has become a private investigator in Sugarcreek, Ohio. They develop a friendship and learn to respect each other’s intuition about the cases that come their way.
Miss Fannie enters a baking contest, as she has for the last ten years. This year the prize is twenty-five thousand dollars which she could use to repair her roof or expand her quilting shop. Her main goal, however, is to use her aunt’s buttermilk biscuit recipe to win a blue ribbon.
Some strange things seem to be going on in the town. There is a strained feeling and a number of contestants have disappeared. Is something dangerous and illegal going on? Fannie convinces Foster that there could be and they need to look into it.
Fannie progresses to the finals along with the Beiler sisters: Faith, Hope, and Charity. These ladies, known as the town gossips, own a wonderful bakery where they sell their delicious cinnamon rolls. Michael and Melissa Taylor are also in the finals. They are a troubled couple who have separated several times. Melissa has had numerous miscarriages. They want to adopt a child, but have discovered that it would be very expensive.
Another thread concerns John Troyer, the church district’s bishop, and his son Jeb who suffers from social anxiety. It points up the difficulty of juggling business, spiritual, and family priorities.
As you might guess from the cover, this cozy mystery is fun, clean, and non-violent. It is a satisfying mystery, and I enjoyed watching the friendship develop between Fannie and Foster. There are limits to their relationship because Fannie is Amish and Foster is not. It is also interesting to see how each of them views the other’s lifestyle. If you like gentle Amish stories with some mystery thrown in, I think you will like The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits.
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: Mystery, Religion, Christian, Romance
Notes: 1. I don’t know if this will become the first in a series of Miss Fannie books, but it certainly could be.
2. The recipe for Miss Fannie’s Buttermilk Biscuits is included.
3. This story is also being produced as a musical.
Publication: January 1,2025—Barbour
Memorable Lines:
“So, what makes you think you’re in danger?” He asked, holding tight to the edge of his wooden desk to keep from getting swept into the vortex of another complicated Fannie Miller case against his will and better judgment.
The bigger the scandal, the less evidence was needed to back it up.
“Gossip isn’t harmless. It taints reputations, including the reputation of the person telling it. No wonder the wise avoid it.”
Two Stories for Children
The Quilt Story—love across generations
by Tony Johnston
illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Over the years I have enjoyed sharing legends as presented by Tomie dePaola with my Kindergarten and First Grade classes. Today I reread The Quilt Story written by children’s author Tony Johnston. Tomie dePaola illustrated this book as beautifully and as appropriately as he does his own texts.
The Quilt Story begins in the days of covered wagons as Abigail’s mother makes her a quilt that Abigail uses and enjoys in many ways. It becomes a special comfort to Abigail when her family leaves their old life behind to begin a new one in the woods where her father builds a log cabin. Many years later a descendent of Abigail discovers the quilt, having suffered varmint attacks and natural aging, in the attic. She takes it to her mother and asks her to fix it.
The story is sweet and touching. Ms. Johnston and Mr. dePaola share so much contextually. Abigail’s sadness is apparent and understandable when the rest of the family is happy. The passage of time is indicated by the types of transportation, the clothing, and the homes, but both mothers are kind and comforting. The Quilt Story is reassuring to children in our minimalist and disposable age indicating that some objects do hold emotional memories of times and people of the past.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Literature, Historical Fiction
Publication: 1985—Putnam Publishing Group
October 1990—Scholastic
Memorable Lines:
So her mother rocked her
as mothers do.
Then tucked her in.
And Abigail felt at home again
under the quilt.
The Cowboy and the Black-Eyed Pea
by Tony Johnston
illustrated by Warren Ludwig
What a delightful reimagining of “The Princess and the Pea!” Set on the “biggest spread in the great state of Texas,” there is humor all the way through. The main character, who is also the heroine of this tale, is Farethee Well, “a young woman of bodacious beauty.” She is also clever and devises a plan to execute her father’s final wishes to “Find a real cowboy who’ll love you for yourself, not just for your longhorn herd.”
Her plan involves hiding a black-eyed pea under a saddle blanket because only a real cowboy would be “sorely troubled” by it. Watching the various suitors as they ride out to unknowingly perform the test is very funny—both in text and in the illustrations. Harkening back to the original fairy tale, a young cowboy arrives in the rain without knowing about the contest for the young cowgirl’s hand. One stampede and a pile of saddle blankets later, the real cowboy is discovered.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction, Humor
Notes: 1.Don’t look for realism in the cowgirl’s test. If she put a black-eyed pea under the saddle blanket, it would be the horse that felt it, not the cowboy. Just remember it is a remake of a fairy tale and have yourself a Texas-sized good time!
2. Contains humor on both an adult and children’s level so all readers will enjoy this!
Publication: 1992—Putnam & Grosset
Memorable Lines:
Sure enough, quick as you can say “set another place at table,” cowboys from hither and yon came seeking Farethee Well’s hand.
The Blended Quilt–quilt with Amish and Hawaiian themes
The Blended Quilt
by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter
The Plain people, or the Amish, are the focus of The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter. The premise is simple: Amish boy (Wyman) courts Amish girl (Sadie). The story does not roll out quite that simply however. Sadie is inspired to design a quilt that blends her Amish quilting knowledge and skills with her experiences on a cruise to Hawaii. Her success in making this unusual quilt leads her to write a book about her time in Hawaii and her work on the quilt. A frugal girl, she works hard and saves her money. Wyman spends money he doesn’t have and changes jobs frequently whenever he decides he is bored.
There are so many issues to be resolved. When Sadie inherits a sizable sum, it causes jealousy within the family. There is also resentment as her quilt and book projects take time away from chores at home and courting with Wyman. Is the problem that Sadie has changed or that others are not supportive?
Although I enjoyed the story, I didn’t find that the resolutions to the problems were explained thoroughly or realistically enough. It was all too easy; I still had many unanswered questions. It is an interesting story with a dramatic, unexpected event leading to the conclusion. There were yet many relationship issues to be worked through, however, before there could really be a “happily ever after.”
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Barbour Publishing (Shiloh Run Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult), Christian
Notes: At the end of the book there are questions for discussion and a recipe for Sadie’s Coconut Carrot Cake.
Publication: November 1, 2020—Barbour Publishing (Shiloh Run Press)
Memorable Lines:
Don’t let yourself become full of hochmut, Sadie told herself as she took one final look at the quilt before leaving her room. It was never a good thing to let pride set in over anything a person said or did.
“God’s ways are not our ways, and accidents can happen when least expected. When the Lord calls us home, Grace, we go to be with Him.”
“Would you like my advice?” “Of course.” “Pray about the matter—ask God what He wants you to do with the rest of your life.”
education pathways 