Dating Can Be Deadly

An Amish Matchmaker Mystery #5

by Amanda Flower

Between her quilting circle and tending to her mischievous goats, widowed matchmaker Millie Fisher is never at a loss for things to do in her small-town Ohio community--especially when she's solving the odd murder or two . . .

It's August in Holmes County, and that means it's time for the Holmes County Fair. It's the county's biggest annual event, drawing tourists and locals alike to see livestock, eat too much fried food, and watch the rodeo and speed racing contests. This year, Millie has entered the quilting competition--while her very not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is distracted by her new dating app and her search for husband number five. In a place where quilting is a way of life, the competition is fierce--especially this year, when an anonymous donor doubles the winning cash prize. Amish and English women are up against each other, and some will do anything to win--even murder . . .

When someone attacks the quilt barn by slashing the quilt display, it's unsettling enough. But when a quilting judge is found murdered, Millie knows it's time to for Lois to get off her app and help her hunt for a killer instead--before the competition is wiped out for good . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Amish, Cozy, Audiobook, Amish Fiction

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

Amanda Flower is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author of over thirty-five mystery novels. Her novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times, and she had been featured in USA Today, First for Women, and Woman’s World. She currently writes for Penguin-Random House (Berkley), Kensington, Hallmark Publishing, Crooked Lane Books, and Sourcebooks. In addition to being a writer, she was a librarian for fifteen years. Today, Flower and her husband own a farm and recording studio, and they live in Northeast Ohio with their two adorable cats.

Reviews

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I look forward to reading these Matchmaker Mysteries by Amanda Flower. Dating Can Be Deadly certainly didn’t disappoint this reader. It was witty and funny and had me laughing out loud a time or two. I was left with my mouth hanging open when the whodunit was revealed. I never would have taken that character as a murderer. When Millie Fisher and her bestie Lois Henry get together to solve a murder they don’t give up until they’re face to face with the killer. I thought this mystery was an edge of seat read and very unpredictable. Just what I like to find in the mysteries I read.

It’s time for the county fair in Holmes County Ohio. Millie Fisher enters her hand stitched quilt that took her a year to complete. She has a lot of competition and there’s some beautiful quilts that have been entered. Millie has let her young nephew enter her two trouble making goats in the live stock competition. When the rambunctious goats get loose and hide out in the quilt exhibition building our two sleuths find more than the goats hiding there. Tara Barron, a judge for the quilting entries is there too and she’s very dead. Something hit her on the back of her head. Was it an accident or a murder? Also Who let the goats out? Are the two situations tied together in Tara’s death?

I recommend this book to readers of mystery thrillers and Cozy mystery. This is book five of Amanda Flower’s Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series. This book could be read as a standalone and readers would not be lost when they read it but this series is so good that you will want to read the other four books too. Dating Can Be Deadly will be released on 10/24/23.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are entirely my own.

#DatingCanBeDeadly #NetGalley

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun series, the An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. I enjoy returning to Harvest, Ohio for both of Amanda Flower's series set there, where the Amish and Englisch live together. Millie, an Amish widow, and her best friend since childhood, Lois, an Englischer, cannot be more different but they love each other dearly and love to put on their sleuthing hats whether or not they are wanted. This time the county fair is in town and the president of the fair board, and the head quilt judge is found dead in the quilt barn. There is a huge suspect pool for those who might want this unpopular woman dead. I was surprised by the reveal of the killer but had my suspicions about the weapon early on. And romance is in the air. Recommended for cozy mystery lovers.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review, and these are my thoughts.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

#DatingCanBeDeadly #NetGalley is by far my favorite in this series so far.
Millie and Lois are so funny in this book, and their friendship shines bright in this latest book by Amanda Flower.
Millie has entered her first quilt in the county fair and she's excited and nervous about her entry.
Before the judging takes place, Millie and Lois find themselves involved in another murder investigation, both women find themselves pondering their possible love interests and keeping Millie's 2 playful goats in line.
This story combines all my favorite things in one book, and provided the entertainment I was looking for.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Millie and Lois! Add in the goats, Lois’ dating adventures, and the crossover visitors from Amanda Flower’s Amish Candy Shop mysteries and I am a happy reader. I found the information about the fairs fascinating (I’ve never been to one but another reviewer mentioned it’s different from their experience) and the quilting brokers were something I’ve never heard of but I’m glad I’ve learned about. This is such a wholesome, fun series, with just the right amount of murder and investigation. Highly recommended for a quick, satisfying read that will make you laugh in places and leave you with a smile on your face.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amish Marple and her Englisher sidekick are back in action at the county fair when the organizer of the fair and more importantly, the quilt judging, is found dead among the quilts. A young boy's life is on the line and there is no shortage of suspects of both Amish and English descent. Can our older (not calling them elderly as I am getting up there in age myself) sleuths uncover the villain in time to save themselves and more importantly a small boy's life!?! The main part of cozy mysteries that I love is that typically the characters are so well developed that you feel that you are visiting old friends rather than reading about characters and events on a page and this author definitely writes in a manner that makes you feel every bit of that! The plot is wonderfully thought out and leaves you guessing until later in the story when the reveal takes place. I never thought that an Amish based story would be one of my favorite series to read, but this one definitely is! I'm really excited about the next book in the series as lots of exciting things happening in the characters' lives!!!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old Amish Proverb “The secret to getting ahead is getting started. I think these are a little like our own sayings only in the Amish way. Getting started in my opinion is the hard part.
I was happy to see another Amish book from Amanda Flower. She does such a nice job with these characters and series. I've loved this series since book 1
Millie and Lois really are a hoot and I've loved in getting to know them. I was excited to see them back! Lois and Millie haven't changed at all! Seems trouble finds them no matter what.
This book sure made me smile throughout the book while these awesome ladies try to find out who murdered Tara Barron.
Add two little goats Phillip and Peter into the mix which to me they made the story more exciting and fun.
This book is my favorite which is book 5 by the way
Poor security guard! Hehehe. I almost felt sorry for him such long hours!
Excitement vamps up as the ladies try to find out who did Tarra in and why.
I was kept turning the pages to see what happens next. I loved every minute of this cute and cozy mystery.
5 stars for this well written book. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Endings are Life

Another fun adventure with Lois and Millie. Quilts, goats, and a county fair with ax throwing what could go wrong? Get ready for plenty of ups and downs with a couple of do-si-dos thrown in.

If you are a fan of the Amish Candy Shop series, Jethro makes an appearance. That little oinker is a ham for attention. He steals the spotlight from Millie’s goats and we all know how hard that is to do.

I really hope there are at least a couple more in this series as Millie and Lois bring a delight to my reading year.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lois Henry has nicknamed her best friend, Millie Fisher, the "Amish Marple." Lois and Millie's close friendship is definitely a case of opposites attract. Millie is a widowed, devout Amish woman and Lois is "Englisch", outspoken, and has just joined a dating app to hopefully meet husband number five! 

This book is the fifth in the series (which is a spin-off of the author's Amish Candy Shop series), but would work as a standalone. These books never fail to make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud at the various situations Lois and Millie get into. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book and the dramatic manner in which it was resolved. I also enjoyed the subplot regarding the young boy, Zach,  and the way it is tied in with the murder mystery. No series about a matchmaker would be complete without some romance and this book delivers on that as well. All in all, this is a heartwarming installment in this fun series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Kensington Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased. 

[Katherine Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author and this series. Millie and Lois once again find themselves investigating a murder. Side stories include a quilt competition for Millie, a new romance or two for Lois, goats Phillip and Peter in a competition and more. Amish Marple once again entertains.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read 11.1 - 11.4.2023
Kindle/NetGalley
Hoopla Audiobook [Vanessa Daniels]
3 Stars

While this series is still light-years ahead of is predecessor [The Amish Candy Shop Series] in regards to story-line and the characters not devolving into idiocy [IMO], there were still enough issues for me to not be able to give it more than 3 stars. Mind you, this was still an okay read, but if the following things had not happened, this would have absolutely been a 4, possibly a 5 star read for me.

1. Repetitive information. The first 10ish chapters were full of this; just rehashing what we already knew and what we have already been told [some, just mere pages from each other, which is very annoying]. This has become a real trend within the cozy genre and IMO, it needs to stop. The readers are not morons and do not need the same info told to them over and over. While this was W A Y less than previous books, the fact that it is still being used shows its not going to be completely gone for awhile unfortunately. I do hope that enough people make noise about it so that this trope goes away and we can get back to reading a fully-fleshed out story and not just the same info over and over.

2. While the overall story was really good [I do love how Lois and Millie work together and I ADORE their friendship and how long it has lasted; they play off each other so well and it is such a joy to read more stories featuring them], there were moments where I was distracted and looking to do/read/listen to something else because the story slowed and kind of bumbled. It wasn't often, but it did happen and that contributed to me not loving the story.

3. The ending. Ugh. I HATE a rushed ending/reveal. And the whole reveal was a complete meh and not really completely believable [even though I knew the killer early one because, well, they were the least likely and in my experience, there is a good chance they will be the killer in the end] and it was just so...meh. I knew it was going to be a complete dud when I only had 18 minutes left in the audiobook and there was no reveal yet. Also, the end? The two involved deserved a much better reveal than they got and I was both sad and disappointed for them [yes I know they are characters in a book, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve more than they got].

I know this all seems fairly banal, but when you add it all together, it takes up a big chunk of the book. I do need to say again, that for the most part I really enjoyed most of the book [the fair was glorious as we have fairs like that here in NW PA and there is nothing better than hanging out in the goat barn [well, maybe the bunny barn - OMG the cuteness overload] and playing with those rambunctious animals and the idea of getting to play with and pet goats like Philip and Peter just made me happy whenever they were mentioned as well as the memory of all the amazing food a good fair can offer [we have some of the best "fair fries" around - people come from all over just for them] and this was like a little walk down memory lane and that was awesome. I like how Millie is finally dealing with the death of her husband in a way that will let her move forward more freely and her realization of several important things were a good addition to the story.

Because of how I feel about the characters, I will absolutely keep reading this series [which is good since I am seriously on the fence about the other series] and would still recommend it to people.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda Flower, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

--------------------------------------------------
Reread 10.20- 10.22.2025
Own/Kindle
ECLS Audiobook [Vanessa Daniels]
4 Stars

**I have #6 for NG and I realized, even after reading my review, that I remembered NOTHING about this book [read originally in 2023!!! We've been waiting a L O N G time for the new book!!] and wanted a refresher before diving into #6!!**

This was MUCH better the second time around. While the repetition still bothered me, it was not nearly as bothersome as it was to me in the first go-round. I do wonder if I had read a few cozies in a row that were very repetetive and this was just the straw that broke the camel so-to-speak and I was overly sensitive to the repetition - who knows? ::SHRUG:: I just don't remember. ;-)

Speaking of not remembering, WOW I REALLY did not remember much of this book. I certainly did not remember the killer, I kept confusing this story with a previous mystery in this series [and I kept wondering why THIS AND THAT were not happening. LOL], and I absolutely had forgotten how the book ended - SURPRISE!!! I will say that my annoyance at the rushed reveal and rushed ending still stands. I will never NOT love that. How annoying. They absolutely DID deserve more than they got, especially because of how far Millie has come in dealing with things. I am still disappointed in that ending.

I now feel better about diving into book #6 and seeing just what shenanigans Millie and Lois can get themselves into now!!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It was such fun being back in Harvest, with Millie, Lois, the goats and the rest of the cast of characters I've come to love. This one kept me guessing right up till the end, even though there was one question that never really seemed to be answered. Looking forward to the next in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story and a good cast of characters. I always enjoy Millie and Lois’s adventures, they really are a dynamic duo. The fair setting was fun too.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love all of Amanda Flowers series. This one is no exception. Great story line and great cast of characters.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dating Can Be Deadly is the fifth book in the An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series.

Millie and Lois have been friends since childhood. Even though their lives are worlds apart, Millie is Amish, and Lois is an Englischer, they accept each other's beliefs without question.

The Holmes County Fair is about to open, and Millie plans to exhibit a quilt she has made. Lois takes her to the fairgrounds to hang the quilt in the judging area. Shortly after arriving, they see Ruth Yoder, wife of a local Amish Bishop, arguing with Tara Barron, the head judge and president of the fair board. Ruth wanted to enter a quilt but was late getting her application in, and Tara refused to make any exceptions.

One night, Millie learns that her goats, Peter and Phillip, whom her grand-nephew was showing, had escaped their pen, and she needed to come and catch them. Lois drives them to the fairgrounds, and their search for the goats leads to the pole barn where the quilts are exhibited. They find more than the goats. Tara's dead body is lying on the shredded quilt that Ruth Yoder wanted to display.

Millie and Lois begin to investigate, as the police will probably suspect that Ruth might have had reason to kill Tara, but they know that Ruth would never kill anyone. Millie and Lois realize that it was Tara’s quilt shop that burned down. Her ex-husband becomes a suspect when it’s learned he was her partner in the shop. There will also be a few more suspects. Before it’s all over, Millie will once again be reminded why Lois carries a brick in her HUGE purse. Millie will also help a young Amish lad and his pygmy goat find a caring home. A very touching story. Once again I enjoyed reading about the antics of Peter and Phillip.

The book is well-written and plotted. It reads at a good pace and provides a few chuckles, too. I love reading how Millie and Lois interact with their different life styles.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful series.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend Dating Can Be Deadly if you are looking for a well written cozy mystery

Thank you to Amanda Flower, NetGalley and Kensington Books–Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book.

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dating can be Deadly” is the nicely done fifth book in Amanda Flower’s Amish Matchmaker cozy mystery series. In this book unlikely friends Amish Millie Fisher and Englischer Lois Henry help investigate the murder of a quilting judge at a county fair. This is a delightful series – Millie and Lois make a great if odd couple. Widow Millie is trying to decide if she could ever marry someone again while Lois is on the hunt for husband number five. This series is filled with great characters – including Jethro the pig – he is one of the best animals to ever appear in a cozy mystery series! Then mystery itself is well done with just the right amount of suspects – this is the kind of mystery where I kind of guessed who the killer was but decided I was wrong only to find out I was right – the motive for the killing was well done and unexpected. Mixed in with the mystery is a smaller, heart aching plot involving a young Amish boy that was also nicely done. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Leith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are set in the Amish country of Ohio. There are two series, one is the Candy Shop mysteries and the other is the Amish Matchmaker series starring Millie and her friend Lois. Millie is entering the quilt contest at the county while non-Amish Lois waits to meet her online date. Someone destroys the quilt barn that night, and then a quilting judge is murdered. Millie and Lois are perfectly positioned to investigate the crimes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holmes County Fair is the county's biggest event and Millie has entered the quilting competition this year. Meanwhile her best friend Lois is using a new dating app looking for husband number five. This year the quilting competition is fierce, an anonymous donor doubles the winnings and it has the women looking at each other. When the quilt display is slashed it has everyone worried that something bad might happen. Then one of the judges is found murdered and Millie knows its time to investigate. Follow along as she dives into her investigation, will she find a killer before someone else ends up dead?

[Leslie McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone novel.

Millie and Lois are back, this time solving a murder of a quilting judge at the county fair. Animal antics (from a pig and goats) add to the charm of this cozy mystery. It's fun to sleuth along with the characters.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie, AKA Amish Marple, and her English friend Lois are enthralled with the county fair. Millie has entered the quilt competition, and Lois is searching her new dating app for a boyfriend. Millie’s frisky goats are also entered in a competition, being shown by her grand-nephew. Millie can’t help getting involved with a young Amish friend of her grand-nephew’s when the boy’s cruel father abandons him at the fair. And to complicate matters, the head of the fair is found dead in the quilt barn with the shredded quilt that the bishop’s wife made. Millie and Lois are on the case, but they have a lot on their plate, so to speak, and staying safe seems to be falling off the edge. This well written cozy is just another example of the fine storytelling abilities of author Amanda Flower. Intriguing, entertaining, and delightful, it’s a wonderful way to while away a few hours.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Dating Can Be Deadly, childhood friends Milly Fisher and Lois Henry are pulled into another murder mystery when a quilting contest turns deadly.

Dating Can Be Deadly Summary
Readers are back in Harvest, Ohio, this time for the county fair. Millie Fisher is, for the first time, entering a quilt into the quilting contest. Lois Henry, Millie’s lifelong best friend, is there to meet a man (potentially husband #5) she connected with on a dating app. But when the head judge for the competition is murdered, Millie and Lois make finding the murderer their top priority.

Thoughts on Dating Can Be Deadly
I love the pairing of Millie Fisher, a widowed Old Order Amish woman and Amish matchmaker, and Lois Henry, an over-the-top Englisher. The contrast between Millie, with her quiet demeanor, demure prayer cap, Amish dresses in dark colors, and Lois, with her spikey purple-red hair, bright colored patterned clothing, chunky costume jewelry, heavy use of eye shadow, and a bag Mary Poppins would envy for the amount of items it contains is one of the best things about the novel. Even though they are as different as night and day, their lifelong friendship is strong. They model what true friendship looks like-accepting of each other, even though they may not understand each other (esp. Millie when it comes to Lois’ English ways) or agree 100% of the time.
The small village atmosphere encompasses both English and Amish communities, and the friction as well as the friendships are well-written into the novel. While the Amish way of life is a strong part of the series, it isn’t a whitewashed way of life. Flower’s characters reflect both the good and bad of members in both cultures.
Characters from Flower’s Amish Candy Shop Mystery series also make appearances. It’s fun to see which ones make cameo appearances.
The plot is also strong. Flower excels at planting red herrings and plot twists, and I found myself going back and forth between several viable suspects. This one kept me guessing until the final reveal.
There are four other books in this series, and while you can read this as a standalone, I would recommend reading the other books in the series first. You can read a sample from Dating Can Be Deadly here. If buying the book is too much of a commitment, then check out a copy from your local library. However you obtain your books, get a copy and read Dating Can Be Deadly.


Thanks to #NetGalley and #KensingtonCozies for providing an electronic copy for review. Thanks to the author for providing
a hard copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Sheryl Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and uncomplicated, Millie is a joy. She and Lois are so fun.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute town filled with rich characters, a lot of laughter and sometimes a murder!

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Lots of mystery + lots of worry. However, turned out well. I really enjoy this author.

[Sarah Woodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and in fact, I've fallen in love with this series. Millie is wonderful, Lois is a hoot, and those goats crack me up!

Even though I have started towards the end of this series, it's been extremely easy to follow along and get to know everyone.

I love learning about the Amish and getting a glimpse into a world a lot of us never get to see. The more I read this series, the more I just want to move there and hang out with everyone.

I absolutely love it. I highly recommend!

[Cathy Cermele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Flowers is one of the very few authors who manages to keep me looking forward to the next release in a series and this one exceeded my expectations. I adore Milly and Lois, life long, unlikely friends who find themselves in some dangerous situations. They like being in the thick of things and never shy away from getting involved even when they are asked not to.

There is nothing better than a county fair with animal exhibits, games and judging of quilts and other items. This fair has all that and a murder, which Milly and Lois feel compelled to help solve. I love their friendship, they are kind, helpful and so funny you can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next. There are returning characters who I have grown fond of and some new ones, too. One of my favorites is a young Amish boy who stole my heart.

This author pens some of my favorite cozy mysteries and I look forward to what she has in store for her readers next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Diana N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie is involved in another murder mystery. This time it is at the county fair and is the fair president (who had a lot of enemies).

Millie gets involved with the fair in a couple ways, her quilt entry and Micah showing her two troublemaker goats. Who knew that stumbling on the murder in the quilt barn would be from trying to find her loose goats.

This book had so many potential suspects and lead to a rare occasion of me not figuring it out until revealed. Definitely didn't see this one coming. A couple nice additions to this story were seeing the Sheriff in his new role and the side story of little Zach and his goat Scooter. I like how this series and the Amish Candy Shop series intertwine too.

I'm hoping for some weddings in the next couple books since there have been so many sneak peeks on that front.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://openbooksociety.com/article/d...

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

This charming, humorous series and the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries series shares the setting of Harvest, Ohio, and many of their characters. For me, it makes each series even better to have shared characters as there is a wider range of situations to enjoy them in. The main difference is that each series has a different sleuth. Readers are blessed to “visit” their favorites more often than if seen only in one series. I enjoy each of the characters, especially Millie, Lois, and Uriah, and Millie’s goats. Jethro, the emotional support pig Julia, the wife of the pastor of the nearby church, has also won a place in my heart. Each person in the series is designed as carefully as any prize-winning quilt, and each is colorfully three dimensional.

Millie, the Amish matchmaker, and her very colorful, non-Amish best friend since childhood, Lois, were going to the county fair. Lois would meet a potential gentleman friend who she “met” through a dating app, while Millie would submit one of her quilts to show. Millie and her friends in her Amish district’s quilting circle sold many of their quilts for a source of income. This was the first time Millie was showing one at the fair, in part because she made this one with the intention of gifting it to a very special young couple when they marry. She knows many Amish women who are more skilled than she is, but every stitch in this quilt has extra love and her best work. Ruth, her bishop’s wife and one of the best quilters, did not get her application in on time. Tara, the woman in charge of the quilts, refused to accept a late entry from Ruth, and a very upset Ruth took her quilt and left.

After Millie turned in her quilt and Lois met Virgil, the three of them enjoyed a walk through the fair. Virgil has an interesting game booth at the fair, one that Lois enjoys tremendously. Lois was sure that Virgil might be husband number five.

Micah, Millie’s great nephew, worked diligently with her two adorably troublemaking Boer goats so he could show them at the fair. Peter and Phillip could cause trouble in a heartbeat, and the number of times they escaped from their pen at the fair was minor compared to their behavior at home. They could be the most interesting goats in the show ring! Zach, a boy around Micah’s age who was rarely allowed to attend school, was also in the goat barn. Zach loved his sweet, miniature pygmy goat that needed a new home before the fair was over with, and Millie and her friends want to help him with it.

One night Sal, the guard at the fairgrounds called Millie, as her goats had escaped their enclosure and he couldn’t find them. Lois gave Millie a ride there, and they searched for Peter and Phillip all over the grounds. Finally, Millie gave the special, loud whistle she uses at home to get their attention, then heard one of them inside the quilt barn. The quilt barn was locked earlier by the security guard and was unexplainedly unlocked. The goats were in there. So was the body of Tara, who would not be organizing any more quilts. She had been killed, and was lying on the quilt that Ruth took back home earlier that day. The beautiful quilt had been violently shredded.

The sheriff and his lead deputy quickly responded to their call. They have had many good clues from Millie and Lois in past cases, as this isn’t the first time they found dead bodies or helped solve murders. Lois nicknamed Millie the Amish Marple, and she is Millie’s excellent sidekick. When the bishop’s wife was the main person of interest, Millie was determined to find the real killer.

This fast-paced mystery held my attention from beginning to end. There is laugh-out-loud humor and very serious, somber moments. Plot twists and turns, including a missing boy and a case of arson, kept the story moving faster and this reader guessing. The killer was real shock, as was the person’s unrepentant attitude. There are no loose threads, and I was very excited about the surprise at the very end! I highly recommend this novel and series!