Murder of An Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns begins a new cozy mystery series set in Blueberry, PA. Ms. Johns is a new author for me and I thought she did a credible job of setting up this new series with her descriptive writing of the Amish community in Blueberry and developing the characters so well that I began to feel a connection to Petunia, her father, Elias, and the Englischer detective, Nate Asher as the story progressed.

I enjoyed seeing a glimpse into an Amish community and their way of life. Their strong faith and relationships with each other provide a way of life that not many experience during these modern times. A story that moved effortlessly with numerous suspects, deft twists and turns and red herrings that often led me astray kept the pages turning. I was surprised by who the culprit turned out to be at the reveal.

Author Patricia Johns is known for her Amish stories, and now she’s made the venture into Amish cozy mysteries. And has done it very well.

In Murder of an Amish Bridegroom we meet some characters that I really liked, and some that I really disliked. Poor Petunia. As an Amish woman she doesn’t have a chance at marriage because she’s not cut out with the normal cookie cutter. But I really like her spunk. And I love her relationship with her father. Eden drove me nuts. She’s so blind to reality and needs a good shake. And of course Ike. The one with the ice pick in his chest. Nobody liked Ike, obviously. All of them are so well written as to be very realistic.

I read this book quite fast as once I got started I couldn’t put it down. Do you try to figure out who dun it? I do but I’m not very good at it. Johns did a great job of keeping it a secret. By the time I started to suspect who the killer was it was time to reveal it.

If you enjoy a cozy mystery with great characters then I recommend Murder of an Amish Bridegroom.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc! Wow! Another great cozy mystery novel. Enjoyed all of the characters! The author did a great job pulling this reader into the story. Will recommend!

I really enjoyed this murder mystery and look forward to the rest of the series. When Petunia Yoder, the youngest old maid of Blueberry Pennsylvania, finds a dead body at the local ice house she is recruited by homicide detective Asher Nate to help him navigate through the Amish community. Good story and likable characters.

A new to me series and I enjoyed this instalment as it's compelling and well plotted.
i liked the characters and the mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a cute story with fun characters and was a great read. I would highly recommend this to those that love a good cozy mystery book. Look forward to what the author has in store next.

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns (December 2023) Crooked Lane Books

There is an Amish community in Blueberry, Pennsylvania that allows tourists (who they refer “Englishers”) to visit their town. Petunia Yoder is the daughter of the one managing the community tour. She is considered an old maid, at age twenty-two. Her cooking skills and her independent thinking make her completely unmarriageable. But she’s the community’s seamstress so almost everyone would request her to sew their wedding gowns and even Amish dresses tourists enjoy buying.

Unfortunately, Petunia’s best friend, Eden Beiler, is too much in love with Ike Smoker, the community’s ice man, a man who is ruining Eden’s reputation.

When Petunia discovers Ike dead with an ice pick in his chest and finds Eden on the scene with blood on her hands, she couldn’t believe it.

Homicide detective Asher Nate is assigned to the case. He is new to the area, and he finds the Amish community challenging. First, the Amish community sticks close together and they don’t want outsiders interfering. Second, Asher doesn’t understand the subtleties and nuances of the culture and clues he uncovers. So he needs an Amish “interpreter” and asks Petunia to help. Because Petunia believes Eden is innocent, she agrees just to get Eden out of prison.

There are numerous people in the Amish community who had good reason to hate Ike Smoker. As Petunia and Asher begin to uncover Ike’s secrets, almost everyone who hates Ike becomes a suspect. Clues are popping up everywhere. Was someone trying to protect their family’s reputation? Was someone trying to exact revenge? Petunia and Asher have to find the culprit fast or else Eden has to be transferred to another prison.

The novel is an enjoyable and easy read. It gives the readers a glimpse of how the Amish community lives in today’s modern times. At the same time, the suspense keeps the readers turning the page to find out who really murdered Ike. Every time I read a mystery novel like this, it’s fun to guess the “whodunnit” and this time I got it right. For this reason, I’m going to give it 4 out of 5 stars.

***** I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book is set to release December 5,2023.

I LOVED IT!!! It was such a fun read to have an Amish woman assisting an Englisher detective in a murder case! The characters were likable and it knelt me guessing right up to the very end. I REALLY hope this isn’t the end and the author continues this as a series! I would certainly keep reading!!!

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is a highly enjoyable cosy murder mystery starring Petunia Yoder. She is Blueberry, Pennsylvania’s youngest old maid, at twenty-two years of age, and completely unmarriageable (in her own words). She is first on the scene to discover the body of a very unlikeable Amish man and her best friend Eden with blood on her hands. To Petunia’s horror, it is apparent that this is an inside murder – one of their own must have done it and the police think so too and soon have Eden in custody. Newcomer and Englisher homicide detective Asher Nate enlists Petunia for help in the investigation as his Amish interpreter. Together they wade among a multitude of secrets and suspects, working against the clock to free Eden and stop the real killer.
Highly recommend Murder of an Amish Bridegroom to readers who enjoy light cosy murder mysteries, series books and some insight into the Amish lifestyle. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this cozy Amish audiobook. I really enjoyed the story and characters a lot and hope there will be more books in this series from this new to me author. I would highly recommend this series.

At twenty-two years of age, Petunia Yoder is a bit unconventional and considered Blueberry, Pennsylvania’s youngest old maid. So when she finds the body of her friend Eden Beiler’s boyfriend Ike Smoker, she has no problem helping Englisch Homicide detective Asher Nate investigate the murder. She has her work cut out for her – while Eden is the top suspect there are plenty of others who wanted Ike dead. Petunia is determined to clear Eden’s name – even if her Amish community disapproves.

“Murder of an Amish Bridegroom“ by Patricia Johns is a great start to a new cozy mystery series. I loved Petunia as the main character – she is delightful! She doesn’t fit the typical Amish character – for example she can’t cook – which adds a nice bit of humor to the story. The humor is nicely done and perfect in a story that could otherwise be a bit heavy – Johns does not make the Amish life look easy and many of the characters have heavy burdens and are keeping dark secrets. These dark secrets make for plenty of suspects – there is more than surprise in this book – I was kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. Finally, the relationship between Amish Petunia and Englisch Asher is a complex one – it will be interesting to see how it plays out in future books.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This book was awesome! I loved everything about it from the beginning where Petunia finds a body in her Amish community. Her best friend is the one that has blood all over her hands and is the one the police takes to the police station. Petunia knows her best friend is not guilty and did not commit the crime. So petunia sets on a path to free her best friend. The unfolding drama made this a real page turner. I love the trust that Petunia and the police officer (Asher) end up having by the end of the book. This book is well written and the author sticks to the story line without going off in different directions. I enjoyed this book tremendously and would highly recommend that you read it.

This was a cute, easy read mystery, I would say a standard 3 star. While the writing was at times highly repetitive and I do think the book was a little long, over all it was still good. The characters were interesting and I like that the identity of the killer was not immediately obvious as I feel is the case in many mystery books.

Petunia Yoder is the youngest old maid in her small Amish community but she has more important things to worry about- like who killed her best friends' boyfriend. Ike Smoker is probably the least popular man in town but a handsome face and charisma to spare makes him attractive despite all this many faults. When he turns up dead it's anyone's guess who could have done him in.

This book was sooo good! I'm always kind of on the fence about a new cozy series by an author who's either never published a book before or only published books in other genres but I'm telling you, Patricia Johns nailed it. She's written a lot of Amish-themed romances and even though I don't typically read romance I think I'm going to check some of them out because I really enjoyed her writing style.

If you're a fan of Amish-themed mysteries or just cozies in general this is definitely a book you'll want to check out.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

The first book in a new series An Amish Seamstress Mystery. This book the some what odd relationship between the “youngest old maid”/seamstress Petunia and Detective Asher
Nat in the wake of a murder in Petunia’s Amish community. While the Amish would rather keep to themselves, in the wake of the death of an unlikable amish newcomer, Petunia agrees to work with Asher to uncover the truth. This book opens early with the murder sucking you and uncovers secrets keeping you guessing till the end.

Murder in an Amish community? Unheard of!! Their quiet lifestyle does not lend to this behavior.

Petunia Yoder, the heroine of this book, finds the dead body of Ike Smoker, and sees her best friend, Eden, in the compromising position of her hands and clothes being covered with blood, but denying she killed him.

Asher Nate, the new homicide detective in the area realizes that because he is dealing with a tight-knit Amish community, they will not be forthcoming with information to an Englisher. He asks Petunia if she would be willing to be the go-between for him. She readily agrees, wanting to prove her best friend innocent.

The community is filled with people who have dislike and possible reasons to kill Ike. Petunia and Asher work to find the killer in the hope that they will not be the next victim of the killer. There are so many twists and turns to this mystery that when you find out who the killer is, you will be very surprised.

I recommend this book to those who like Amish cozy mysteries. I received an advanced copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley.

Wow! I am almost at a loss for words at this exceptional, well written book. It definitely kept me guessing who the killer is and I was surprised at the end. I liked the interaction between the young Amish lady, Petunia, and the police officer, Asher, who was working the case. Such a suspenseful, stay on the edge of your seat, engaging book. I highly recommend this book and would love to see a follow up book to see what case the main characters would find to solve.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

A new series that delights the reader. A quaint Amish setting, lots of suspects to keep the reader in suspense and well developed characters. Enjoyed this one! I want one of this author. Thanks#Netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Good debut in a mystery series set among the Amish. Petunia Yoder, an Amish seamstress and young spinster, works with a non-Amish detective to solve a murder among the Amish. Lots of possible suspects, plot twists, family secrets revealed, and a well-depicted setting. I look forward to more in the series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

It was a good book. It had all of the elements of a good Amish story. I didn't realize who the killer was until the end. Each suspect that comes up, you are wondering if it could be them.