An Amish fiction novel wrapped with a mystery. Story line will have you guessing till the end.

Plain Missing
By Emma Miller
Travel back to Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, where Rachel Mast, who left the Amish life for the English one, has returned home and opened a bed and breakfast. Join her as she struggles to see where she belongs and tries to find God’s plan for her.
When her mom is diagnosed with breast cancer, she returns to the family home to assist in any way she can, while leaving her cousin Mary Aaron and her neighbor Hulda to look after the B & B. While there, her cousin Elsie and Elsie’s boyfriend Dathan go missing one night after a singing. With Rachel’s fiancé, police detective Evan, away at a training seminar, it is up to her and another detective to discover what happened. Most think the two ran away to the English world, but Rachel has a gut feeling that they didn’t. When the horse that was leading the missing couple’s wagon returns without them or the wagon, Rachel is even more convinced something went wrong that night. But, what is it? How can she find out? Who can she trust? Using her Amish background, she tries to find the answers. But, will she walk into dangers path herself?
This was a great book and I really enjoyed it, just as I have the others in this series. You don’t have to read the whole series though. It stands alone and tells a wonderful story. I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

This book is a very enjoyable mixture of Amish fiction and mystery. Not too fluffy, but also not too gory; so it will appeal to many readers!

This is the fourth book in the "Amish Mystery" series. I have read one previous one, but you can read these books as standalone. There is enough history about the main character to follow her story.

Rachel Mast, is a character that lives between two worlds. Born and raised Amish, she left home at seventeen to go to university and then went to live in the big city and work for Corporate America. When that did not pan out, she returned home, but not to the Amish home, she lives as an Englisher and runs a Bed & Breakfast as well as a gift shop in the nearby town of Stone Mill. She has recently returned to the family home to help take care of her mother who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, as well as the rest of the family. The interactions between Rachel and Esther Mast are quite funny, as her mother tries not to recognize her as part of the family. When her cousin, Elsie, does not return home from a "singing" on a Friday night, Elsie's sister comes to Rachel for help looking for her (Rachel has a jeep). When they do not find her, the consensus is that she and her beau, Dathan, have left the community to get married and live as "English". When Elsie's body is found a couple of days later, and Dathan's during Elsie's funeral, Rachel sets out to find out what happened. The detective in charge of the case quickly assumes it was murder, suicide and closes it. Rachel with the help of her cousin and her Detective boyfriend Evan, continue to investigate.

This story is filled with mystery, suspense, and romance. Rachel's character is strong, loyal, smart, stubborn, persistent and loving. She is so caring of the Amish world and its traditions that they let her in, even though she has left the "Plain World" to live as an Englisher. The mystery in this story is well plotted and will keep you guessing as to who is the guilty party. I changed my mind on who it was a few times and I love when I think I have it all figured out only to be thrown in a different direction by the author. I did figure it out a bit before the reveal, and that made the story even more interesting for me as the motive and the act was another twist in itself. Definitely an author I will follow, especially as I learn more about the Amish life.

When Rachel's cousin Elsie and her boyfriend Dathan turn up missing and then dead, she must find the answers herself. With one foot in the Amish world and the other in the English world, Rachel is able to communicate with both, and keep digging until she finds the truth. A few red herrings, a few lack of clues all tie in to show the frustration on finding out the truth. A good story, a good mystery, a good series. Highly recommend.

Emma Miller is adept at portraying both the Amish way of life and the struggles facing young Amish in the 21st century. The mystery in this book was intriguing - especially as the main character faced both her mother's bout with cancer and her own return to her childhood home after having broken away from her faith community many years before. The very issues with which she deals and the events which provide the mystery she investigates will provide numerous topics for discussion since they are more universal than sect specific. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens next with the many lovable characters Miller has created - particularly Rachel and Evan.

Plain Missing by Emma Miller is the fourth book in An Amish Mystery series. Rachel Mast is staying at her parents’ house to help take care of her mother, Esther while she is undergoing chemotherapy for her breast cancer. It is difficult because Esther refuses to talk with Rachel directly or let Rachel sit at the dining table with the rest of the family. This has been going on for over seventeen years. Late Friday evening, Rachel is sitting on the back porch when she notices a light bobbing across the field towards the Mast home. It is her cousin, Mary Aaron seeking Rachel’s assistance. Elsie, Mary Aaron’s sister, failed to arrive home from the singing. Rachel and Mary Aaron drive around to see if they can find Elsie and the man who drove her home, Dathan. After twenty-four hours, Elsie or Dathan are still missing and so are the horse and wagon. Rachel contacts Trooper Lucy Mars for assistance since her fiancé (and detective) Evan Parks is out of town. The police cannot do much since both parties are over twenty-one. The police believe that the pair decided to elope and escape into the English world. Elsie’s family knows that she would never do that. Rachel is determined to find out what happened to Elsie and Dathan. People in the community are keeping secrets, and Rachel is going to ferret them out.

Plain Missing may be the fourth book in the series, but it can be read alone. The author provides the needed background information on Rachel and her family. The book is nicely written and, for the most part, easy to read. The pace was a little slow at times especially when Rachel was speculating. The author tried to make the mystery complicated, but it can easily be solved early in the story. There are several major clues in the book that assist readers in untangling the riddle. I give Plain Missing 3.5 out of 5 stars. We get to see what life is like in an Amish community for its members, outsiders, and young people who have yet to decide whether or not to join the Amish church. I can see the pros and cons for each choice. I cannot imagine, though, living without modern technology (it has to be different if you have never had it). I do wonder, though, if Amish are as naïve as they are made out to be in novels. Are the young people aware of the dangers in our society? While Plain Missing is a nice story, my attention was never fully captured by the writing. I just felt that something was lacking and that the book was too long. The ending was stretched out. I did appreciate the epilogue and the growth in Esther’s character.

Plain Missing is the fourth book in the Amish Mystery series by Emma Miller. In this series, Rachel Miller left her Amish roots and family for the English world. She has since returned and is running the Inn in town. While not returning entirely to her community, Rachel still has very tight ties. She both works with and respects her Amish friends and family while maintaining her English lifestyle. I really like how the author portrays these relationships..
Two young people are missing. Many believe they have run off to get married and live in the English world. However, Rachel knows that her cousin would never do such a thing. When the police do not take the disappearance seriously of Elise and Dathan, Rachel must investigate and find out the truth in order to clear her cousin's name and reputation. But when tragedy strikes, will Rachel be able to find out the real truth?
My enjoyment of this series is linked to how the author is able to have Rachel live in the English world but still hold true to her Amish background. Even though Rachel knows that she could not return fully to her Amish way of life, she does respect them. While her relationship with her Mother is strained, each knows that the love bond is still there. I look forward to many more books by this author and hopefully in this series.
I received a copy through Netgally. The review and thoughts are strictly my own.

Plain Missing
An Amish Mystery, Book #4
Emma Miller
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Inn owner Rachel Mast is no longer a devout member of the Amish community of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, but she still cares deeply for them. So she’s staying at her family’s farm to help her mother through an illness—and at the same time, trying to track down two missing people . . .

When the young gather to sing, it’s usually an evening of wholesome fun—but this time, the event has stirred whispers of scandal. Elsie Hostetler and her sweetheart, Dathan Bender, never came home afterward. There’s not even a trace of their horse and wagon, leading some to suspect that they’ve run off to marry and join the Englisch world.

But Rachel fears there’s more to the story than a rebellious elopement. Her fiancé, a state trooper, is out of town, so she starts investigating herself, using her Amish background to pry information from the tight-lipped community. It turns out things were not so peaceful between Elsie and Dathan—and there was also a confrontation at the singing with a short-tempered ex-Marine. Among the simple houses and quiet country roads of Stone Mill, Rachel must find out just what kind of sins have been committed—and who is need of forgiveness . . . (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Rachel is a smart strong woman who is not afraid of hard work and always wants to see justice served. That is why she is more than willing to do what needs to be done when one of her cousin goes missing. I like the relationship between her and another cousin, Mary Aaron. I really like the fact that Rachel is able to relate to both the Amish and the English. I enjoyed reading about her relationships with both sides and seeing how she still honors Amish tradition.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented with her ability to describes people, places and situations with the written word. Through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place around me. At times I felt like I could hear the horses pulling the Amish buggies.

The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book and there were many twists and turns to throw the reader of track. I did not figure out who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted Amish cozy. I have read all the books in this series and they have all been great.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Talk about mystery, this book will keep you guessing right to the last page, and with a surprise to warm your heart at the end.
We are in Amish country and two of their own have gone missing, such speculation and very different views here, but fact remains that they are gone. We have a woman Rachel Mast who has, as the Amish say, gone English, and running the local B & B, but she is also a close to her cousin whom is one of the missing. You are going to chuckle about how her Mom treats her, talking to her through others, she can hear her, and that is often her retort, but this is how her Mom deals with her leaving the Amish faith.
What happened to the two that are missing, and how could a horse and wagon also be missing? The answers are here, but it is going to take awhile to get them, with some sad events in between.
I received this book through Net Galley and Kensington Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Rachel owns the local bed and breakfast but when her mother has breast cancer and must use chemotherapy, she moves home to fill in and help. Her mother still won't speak to her because she didn't get baptized but Rachel still loves her home and the community. It hurts but she accepts it because she knows the reason she does it.

Kensington Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published March 28th.

Amish parents host singing nights with the young ones. They provide food and drink and chaperone them until bedtime. They allow them to sit out by the fire and chat. Once in a while they have a few beers but nothing bad happens. At least nothing did until Elsie and Dathan didn't come home after the event. No one could find them or the carriage they'd been in. Most everyone thought they'd run off to get married but her family didn't. Rachel get caught up in it since she was her cousin. When a senior trooper decides they must have done that, he stops investigating and tells the local trooper is to cease and desist on the case. Rachel's mother, still not speaking to her, lets her know she wants her to pursue the truth, whatever it might be.

First they find Elsie's body, buried in the Amish cemetery in an unmarked grave. Then they find Dathan's. He's been hit by a car or a truck. Who would have done that? And why kill Elsie?

This is a sad story because the killers committed their crimes more by being stupid and messing around drinking than from actual intent. Elsie's older sister and Rachel almost die in the story, too. Bad people are bad people.

I enjoy Amish stories. I had cottoned onto the killers a bit early in the story but I enjoyed how the author dealt with the ending. Not everybody is happy ever after but most of them are. If you like Amish stories, you'll enjoy this one, too.

This is a well written murder mystery with the added twist of being set largely within an Amish community. Whilst this is the fourth book in the series, I can honestly say that I throughly enjoyed it without having read any of the earlier books . . . . though I do intend to rectify that in the future!

Although she is no longer a member of the Stone Mill Amish community, Rachel Mast still has strong family ties and returns to her childhood home to help look after her mother who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. When her young cousin, Elsie Hostetler, and her sweetheart, Dathan Bender, go missing, Rachel is determined to track them down, not believing they have run away together. There are secrets being kept within the Amish community as Rachel strives to discover just what happened to the missing couple - and why. She will discover more about the community she used to belong to, how things have changed since she left and put herself in danger as the mystery unfolds.

This is a brilliant combination of mystery and life in the Amish community. It is an absorbing read with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. There are revelations regarding life and attitudes within the Amish community and how sometimes these are secretly circumvented, especially by younger members. I have no idea if this is true or not but I still found it fascinating reading and have no hesitation in highly recommending this to anyone who enjoys a magnificent mystery crafted by an accomplished author. Many thanks to the publishers for gifting me a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review. I’ll certainly be looking out for more in this series and by this author in future!

Plain Missing is a book of going back home again. Rachel left home to live on her own, but her Mam (Mom) got sick so she went back to take care of her and the rest of the family just to be treated shabbily. As you know the Amish are very strong in their faith (as should we - Amen?), but in that she was left out of everything because of all the decisions she has made in her life. They make her do things like sit at the children's table, which really ticks her off. She is made to feel like an outsider in the community and worst of all in her own family (ouch), even though she is the one that is taking care of everyone. During all of this her cousin goes missing and everyone thinks she ran away with the guy she was seeing, but Rachel feels in her bones differently. So, Rachel goes and tries to find her cousin and Rachel knows that she is in GOD's hands and that HE can guide her steps and direct her path, all she needs to do is trust in HIM and let HIM lead but will she?

Wonderful addition to this Amish Mystery series. With all the twists and turns, this book will keep the reader guessing to the end. It's all always interesting to read about different authors portray Amish communities. This author does a wonderful job holding the reader's interest.

Emma Miller excels at writing suspense in this series, just as she does in her regular romances for Harlequin. It was a treat to "re visit" Rachel Mast and see how she and her fiancé Ethan are coming along. And to see how Rachel finds ways to stay close to her Amish family even after having left the fold many years before, now that she is living nearby and running her bed and breakfast. In "Plain Missing" Rachel is living back with her parents helping her mother recover from cancer treatment. Her mother never directly addresses Rachel, as she never quite forgave her for leaving. Rachel is brought into a family crisis for assistance when her young cousin Elsie goes missing after a date with her boyfriend Dathan. Elsie's parents did not approve of Dathan and were reluctant to involve police in the search. Rachel and Mary- her cousin and best friend, and Elsie's sister, bring in the police. Sadly, Elsie and Dathan are not found alive. This leads to a confusing twist of events to find who is responsible. I highly recommend this beautiful and deeply touching novel.

Plain Missing tells a tale of life in the Amish world.
Rachel Mast has left the Amish life, choosing to live her own. Returning to the family home to help her family during her mam's illness causes a stir in the community, especially inside her parent's home.
Being seated at the children's table is a formality, one in which Rachel doesn't like. Her mother's lack of communication with Rachel directly is another thorn in her side. She knows her mam has deep roots in her religious beliefs, however, she doesn't like the feeling of being left out.

On a Friday night sing in, Rachel's cousin Elsie doesn't return home. Talk is that she left the Amish community with the young man she has been seeing.
Rachel knows this isn't true. Rachel and her cousin Mary Aaron seek to find the truth, uncovering the stories that lead to the young girl's disappearance.

Set in a quiet Amish community, Plain Missing tells a wonderful story filled with mystery and intrigue. The author weaves a tale incredibly believable. I look for ward to reading more in the series.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Books& NetGalley.

Plain Missing is a pretty good read. I enjoyed the combination of mystery and Amish.
Recommended.
4 stars

Rachel Mast is a fascinating character. She was raised in the Amish community of Stone Mill but left it. Finding that she missed her family and the community she returned but not as a part of the community. She runs a local inn but is accepted as a friend to the Amish and, along with her state trooper boyfriend, has helped the Amish by taking their part in several criminal investigations, Now she has returned to her childhood home to help her mother during an illness and once again gets involved in the investigation of two missing community members. This is an entertaining mystery with enough plot twists to keep you guessing throughout but it is also a great way to get to know a culture and people that is foreign to many of us. It helps you to realize the values of the Amish and to get to know them as individuals. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.