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Riley Spartz #5
Shunning Sarah
A young boy's freak accident leads Riley to investigate a homicide in the closed religious society of the Amish. No women near the small Minnesota tourist town have been reported missing and because the victim's face is damaged, she can't be identified without the help of a forensic artist. When she finally is recognized as Sarah Yoder, a young Amish woman, the police have difficulty investigating the case because the Amish believe in forgiveness rather than prosecution, and no one in the community is talking. But when Riley finds a clue the cops miss, she uncovers a dark web of fraud and deception in the community - driven by motives as old as the Bible: sex and money.
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First published June 26, 2012
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About the author
Julie Kramer
22 books209 followersJulie Kramer has moved from journalist to novelist. She writes a mystery series set in the desperate world of television news—a world she knows well from her career working as a freelance news producer for NBC and CBS, as well as running the acclaimed WCCO-TV I-Team in Minneapolis.
Her thrillers, STALKING SUSAN, MISSING MARK, SILENCING SAM, KILLING KATE, SHUNNING SARAH and soon to come - DELIVERING DEATH (January 7) - take readers inside how newsrooms make decisions amid chaos. She's won the Minnesota Book Award and the RT Book Review's Best First Mystery. She has also been a finalist for the Anthony, Barry, Shamus, Mary Higgins Clark, Daphne du Maurier, and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards.
Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for more than 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging, so her series features reporter Riley Spartz as heroine.
Julie lives with her family in White Bear Lake, MN.
Her thrillers, STALKING SUSAN, MISSING MARK, SILENCING SAM, KILLING KATE, SHUNNING SARAH and soon to come - DELIVERING DEATH (January 7) - take readers inside how newsrooms make decisions amid chaos. She's won the Minnesota Book Award and the RT Book Review's Best First Mystery. She has also been a finalist for the Anthony, Barry, Shamus, Mary Higgins Clark, Daphne du Maurier, and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards.
Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for more than 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging, so her series features reporter Riley Spartz as heroine.
Julie lives with her family in White Bear Lake, MN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
July 14, 2014
As a fan of both mystery and Amish fiction novels, I was delighted when I found that free copies of Shunning Sarah, by Julie Kramer, were up for a giveaway on this site. Luckily, I was one of the eight chosen to receive a free advance copy from Atria. Knowing that Julie Kramer is a National Best Seller, and based on reviews of her past novels, I was confident that I would enjoy the mystery aspect of the novel. What I was a little more hesitant about was the accuracy of the Amish aspect of the novel. Having read Lewis, Woodsmall, Fisher, Brunstetter (among others) and combined with the research I’ve done on Amish culture and language, I was hesitant when I first cracked open Shunning Sarah. The last thing I wanted to read was an otherwise fascinating novel that was full of inaccuracies concerning the main suspects.
Luckily, my fears were ungrounded. Not only did I get a crash course into the world of Riley Spartz and investigative reporting, but the Amish aspects that I read where intriguing and – most importantly – largely correct. In addition to a murder on Amish soil, the reader also gets to grapple with an angry bear on the loose, Riley’s unconventional new boss, and corruption within the law.
When it comes to mystery novels, the ending often makes or breaks the book. For fear of divulging too much information, I won’t say too much other than you won’t be disappointed! Many aspects of this novel are largely unprecedented when it comes to Amish culture and the ending will leave you thinking long after you finish the last page and put the book back on the shelf. Is someone truly unforgivable? When should a society that values forgiveness over revenge finally seek help from outsiders to help protect loved ones? And these are only a couple of questions...
Overall, if you are looking for a great mystery novel – one that will keep you turning the pages well past midnight – pick up a copy of Shunning Sarah! Even those who haven’t read the previous installments in the Riley Spartz series (like me) can appreciate this book as a stand alone novel if need be. As for me, I will certainly be reading the four previous books in the series and anxiously awaiting more in the future!
Luckily, my fears were ungrounded. Not only did I get a crash course into the world of Riley Spartz and investigative reporting, but the Amish aspects that I read where intriguing and – most importantly – largely correct. In addition to a murder on Amish soil, the reader also gets to grapple with an angry bear on the loose, Riley’s unconventional new boss, and corruption within the law.
When it comes to mystery novels, the ending often makes or breaks the book. For fear of divulging too much information, I won’t say too much other than you won’t be disappointed! Many aspects of this novel are largely unprecedented when it comes to Amish culture and the ending will leave you thinking long after you finish the last page and put the book back on the shelf. Is someone truly unforgivable? When should a society that values forgiveness over revenge finally seek help from outsiders to help protect loved ones? And these are only a couple of questions...
Overall, if you are looking for a great mystery novel – one that will keep you turning the pages well past midnight – pick up a copy of Shunning Sarah! Even those who haven’t read the previous installments in the Riley Spartz series (like me) can appreciate this book as a stand alone novel if need be. As for me, I will certainly be reading the four previous books in the series and anxiously awaiting more in the future!
July 5, 2013
A solid one and a half stars--and a mental note to avoid this series, forever. In the summer, I like "lite" reading: mysteries, nanny diaries, chick lit, and thrillers. And, especially, series where I can read a long string, watching characters develop. But they have to be well-written.
This book read like the author's daily journal, if the author was a heroic, whip-smart journalist ready to take on all challenges. When I say it read like a daily log, I mean that the story wandered all over the place (as real life does), making it occasionally incomprehensible. First the bear, then the Amish, then a corn maze, then the old boyfriend, then grisly murders--and oh yeah, what about that soldier bravely serving his country in the middle east? Did he kill somebody? Throwing in everything but the kitchen sink, all couched in prosaic writing. Bleah.
The extra half star comes from a twist: Kramer makes the Amish the bad guys. That takes cajones. Not enough to save the book, however.
This book read like the author's daily journal, if the author was a heroic, whip-smart journalist ready to take on all challenges. When I say it read like a daily log, I mean that the story wandered all over the place (as real life does), making it occasionally incomprehensible. First the bear, then the Amish, then a corn maze, then the old boyfriend, then grisly murders--and oh yeah, what about that soldier bravely serving his country in the middle east? Did he kill somebody? Throwing in everything but the kitchen sink, all couched in prosaic writing. Bleah.
The extra half star comes from a twist: Kramer makes the Amish the bad guys. That takes cajones. Not enough to save the book, however.
May 12, 2016
I am ashamed to say that I won this book nearly FOUR years ago and just got around to reading it. WHY, oh why, didn't I pick this up sooner? I LOVED it and I WILL be picking up more of Julie Kramer's books. SOON.
Riley Spartz is an investigative reporter and when a "boy trapped in a hole" story becomes a murder investigation, she is on top of it. This murder mystery has it all: Suspense, sex, lies, fraud, money, and even a few dogs. If you're a fan of the genre, check this series out.
*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads ***
THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRST READS AND ATRIA!
Riley Spartz is an investigative reporter and when a "boy trapped in a hole" story becomes a murder investigation, she is on top of it. This murder mystery has it all: Suspense, sex, lies, fraud, money, and even a few dogs. If you're a fan of the genre, check this series out.
*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads ***
THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRST READS AND ATRIA!
March 28, 2024
I thought I would enjoy this very niche intersection of genres, I found it to be disappointing.
January 12, 2019
I’ve enjoyed listening to these books. I think they can be a bit verbose but I also enjoy learning about the ins and outs of the television news business.
July 1, 2022
I never read mysteries, but since this was about the Amish in Filmore County, Minnesota, where I camped for many years, and even bought an Amish quilt, I was hooked. Not sure I will be a mystery reader on a regular basis, but found this book intriguing.
August 6, 2012
Riley Spartz is an investigative reporter in Minneapolis who knows a good news story, even when her new boss Bryce doesn't. When she gets a tip about a ten year old boy who has fallen into a sink hole in Harmony Minnesota, a rural area that is in the middle of an Amish community, she convinces her boss that it is a newsworthy story. By the time she arrives on the scene though the little boy Josh Kueppers has already been rescued.Undaunted Riley decides to interview the sheriff on the scene, and soon learns that there is another story. A dead body was down in the sinkhole with Josh, a body that might be hard to identify because it is missing its face. Riley is determined to see the case solved, even if it puts her own life in jeopardy.
I am a huge fan of Amish fiction and when there is mystery and suspense involved I know I am in for a great read. With "Shunning Sarah" the author spins a story that pulled me in from the beginning.
A little boy trapped, I wondered how or if he would be saved, but then the real story begins after he is rescued. A woman's body at the bottom of the sinkhole who turns out to be an 18 year old Amish girl named Sarah Yoder. What happened to Sarah? Well that question kept me turning the pages to find out. As a fan of Amish fiction I admit I was most fascinated by the Amish portion of the story, but there was also an interesting secondary story going on as well that involved the drama of TV news. Ms. Kramer is truly knows how to paint a picture with her words, she brings her scenes, and characters to life, without being overly graphic in her descriptions.
Even though this book wasn't the first in the Riley Spartz series I had no problems diving right in. The author provided enough background information so that I didn't feel lost. While Riley was the main character in the story, for me I couldn't get Sarah out of my head, as her story is finally revealed my heart broke for her. Fans of mystery, suspense,and a plot filled with more twists than a winding country road will certainly want to read this one, the Amish twist is an added bonus. On a scale of one to five I would easily give this book a six, and plan on going back and reading the rest of the series! Highly recommended.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Amish fiction and when there is mystery and suspense involved I know I am in for a great read. With "Shunning Sarah" the author spins a story that pulled me in from the beginning.
A little boy trapped, I wondered how or if he would be saved, but then the real story begins after he is rescued. A woman's body at the bottom of the sinkhole who turns out to be an 18 year old Amish girl named Sarah Yoder. What happened to Sarah? Well that question kept me turning the pages to find out. As a fan of Amish fiction I admit I was most fascinated by the Amish portion of the story, but there was also an interesting secondary story going on as well that involved the drama of TV news. Ms. Kramer is truly knows how to paint a picture with her words, she brings her scenes, and characters to life, without being overly graphic in her descriptions.
Even though this book wasn't the first in the Riley Spartz series I had no problems diving right in. The author provided enough background information so that I didn't feel lost. While Riley was the main character in the story, for me I couldn't get Sarah out of my head, as her story is finally revealed my heart broke for her. Fans of mystery, suspense,and a plot filled with more twists than a winding country road will certainly want to read this one, the Amish twist is an added bonus. On a scale of one to five I would easily give this book a six, and plan on going back and reading the rest of the series! Highly recommended.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2012
This is my first introduction to the Riley Spratz series by Julie Kramer and I am very impressed. She has a captivating writing style that keeps you reading. The main character Riley Spartz is a television news reporter whose investigative skills take her deep into a mystery in the Amish country of Minnesota.
Amish books particularly in the romance field are very popular these days. I would imagine it is because in our complicated technology filled lives it is nice to go to a simpler place...the land of the Amish. They live amongst us but are not anything like us. They are a mystery to us. The Amish tend to fascinate me as well. I'll never forget a little Amish girl waving at me from the back of a buggy in Ohio as we rode by her family on our Harley early one summer morning. And maybe she won't forget the leather clad Harley riding woman smiling and waving back at her.
Our murder victim Sarah was a young Amish woman who was being shunned. She was no longer living among the Amish when she was murdered. Shunning to most North Americans is a very mysterious concept but those of us who lived among the Mennonites who are very similar in belief but not as strict in lifestyle have no problem understanding shunning. Why Sarah was being shunned is not revealed until late in the story and is of course integral to the plot.
Great story that had me guessing until the end. I learned a lot about south eastern Minnesota and I learned a lot about the television news business. All in all I was very impressed by the easy flowing writing style of the author. I will try to catch up on the earlier books and am looking forward to more from Julie Kramer. Shunning Sarah is out on August 7th so be sure to preorder a copy.
Amish books particularly in the romance field are very popular these days. I would imagine it is because in our complicated technology filled lives it is nice to go to a simpler place...the land of the Amish. They live amongst us but are not anything like us. They are a mystery to us. The Amish tend to fascinate me as well. I'll never forget a little Amish girl waving at me from the back of a buggy in Ohio as we rode by her family on our Harley early one summer morning. And maybe she won't forget the leather clad Harley riding woman smiling and waving back at her.
Our murder victim Sarah was a young Amish woman who was being shunned. She was no longer living among the Amish when she was murdered. Shunning to most North Americans is a very mysterious concept but those of us who lived among the Mennonites who are very similar in belief but not as strict in lifestyle have no problem understanding shunning. Why Sarah was being shunned is not revealed until late in the story and is of course integral to the plot.
Great story that had me guessing until the end. I learned a lot about south eastern Minnesota and I learned a lot about the television news business. All in all I was very impressed by the easy flowing writing style of the author. I will try to catch up on the earlier books and am looking forward to more from Julie Kramer. Shunning Sarah is out on August 7th so be sure to preorder a copy.
December 28, 2016
This was an unexpected great mystery read. It was one of those "this book looks interesting" impulse reads. This is book #5 in the Riley Spartz series by Julie Kramer. Here's what the publisher says about the book:
"Minneapolis’s star investigative reporter Riley Spartz is constantly in search of her next TV sweeps piece. When she hears that a young boy is trapped at the bottom of a sinkhole, she smells ratings. Little does she know just how big the story will be—not only does it involve a tragic murder, but the local Amish community as well. Once Riley is on the case, though, she sees that solving it will be anything but easy.
When Riley finds a clue the cops have missed, she uncovers a dark web of fraud and deception in the community—driven by motives as old as the Bible: sex and money. Riley will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice, and she is determined to do so before anyone—including herself—becomes the next target."
An interesting and fun mystery adventure...a quick relaxing read.
"Minneapolis’s star investigative reporter Riley Spartz is constantly in search of her next TV sweeps piece. When she hears that a young boy is trapped at the bottom of a sinkhole, she smells ratings. Little does she know just how big the story will be—not only does it involve a tragic murder, but the local Amish community as well. Once Riley is on the case, though, she sees that solving it will be anything but easy.
When Riley finds a clue the cops have missed, she uncovers a dark web of fraud and deception in the community—driven by motives as old as the Bible: sex and money. Riley will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice, and she is determined to do so before anyone—including herself—becomes the next target."
An interesting and fun mystery adventure...a quick relaxing read.
August 23, 2012
This one was really frustrating to me. I liked the amish part of the story and found it interesting. I didn't like the reporter parts as much. I found the fact that the author kept telling about what happened before this, apparently in her last book, slightly annoying. I don't normally like if you can't read a book as a stand alone, and at least make it make sense. I did like the ending, although I found it slightly unbelievable, but still satisfactory. I found the side stories about the sexual harrassment at the workplace, the bear, and the corrupt cop, boring and not necessary for the main story. I think it would have been better if the amish part of the story was told alone and was a shorter story. This is my first book by this author. I thought it was okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2013
Eh. My mom told me to read it and raved about how awesome it was. But it was only ok. The premise of the story was good, but what really bugged me was the author is local (which is fine), but how many Minnesota references does she want to make? I swear every other page she was making a mention about small town MN life, or referencing some MN landmark or history etc. It was very annoying and distracting. I get it, you hail from MN and want to show your MN pride but come on! Also, this book had about 5 different endings. You think you are getting to the end of the book and you go, "But there is like 100 pages left." Then it doesn't end. Then you think it is going to end...and it doesn't. END THE STUPID BOOK ALREADY! I don't need 12 different endings.
February 26, 2013
Was hoping it would have been GREAT because part of the storyline takes place in Harmony. Even though the storyline was a bit lackluster, it was fun to read about some of our local favorites being included in the book, such as The Village Square and Quarter/quarter. It took me a LONG time to get through the first half of the book, but things did improve as the story lines started coming together in the final chapters. Worth a read if only for the local references and the fact that the author will be speaking in Harmony on April 6! :-)
September 14, 2012
I thought this book was lame. Sometimes it was interesting but it was predicatable and I hate books where the main character seems to bring death and destruction to everything they touch. It annoyed me by the end. I'd like to know HOW people gave it 4 stars.
The only interesting part is getting a look into journalism and the tv world, otherwise I think Riley Spartz feels like a shallow character in a lot of ways.
The only interesting part is getting a look into journalism and the tv world, otherwise I think Riley Spartz feels like a shallow character in a lot of ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2014
One and a half stars. I feel like this book could have been great. I agree with many of the readers- the story had way too many sub plots that had nothing to do with the main plot. As for the killer, I suspected the brother from the beginning. Most of the book was painfully slow and the whole situation with Bryce really annoyed me. What woman would just let her boss pat her on the ass?? The banter between Riley and Garnett had me rolling my eyes. Overall, I was glad when it was over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2015
This book was a book that kept me up in my seat all night. It is one book I couldn't put down. Julie Kramer writes with good taste and skill and she really gets the characters to come alive in the story. This story is about an Amish woman who was murdered and people who work on the news want to use this story on tv they try to help sole the crime and this story is also great because the location of this story is right in Harmony Minnesota.
April 15, 2022
On the cover of my copy it says that "you'll be turning the pages all night". I had the opposite problem. Turning the pages was almost painful from the lack of interest I had. This had one of the most ridiculous endings. The story is half about a radio tracked bear and half about Sarah. The bear doesn't become relevant until chapter 60 something and it's completely laughable and stupid. I'm surprised I was able to finish it.
January 28, 2013
Another solid addition to Julie Kramer's series featuring the fictional character of Riley Spartz. Living in the Midwest I love that her thrillers are all set regionally. If you have not read any of her books yet start with Stalking Susan..Julie Kramer has one of the best new thriller series in crime fiction I have read!!
February 19, 2013
Julie Kramer just gets better and better with each book. In this one she takes us to the world of the Amish and creates a wonderful mystery. Add to this a new station manager who tends to use his power in a way that only Riley can take
August 13, 2016
Multiple layers to this story but not as well written as Linda Castillo but worth the read.
March 20, 2020
weirdly, I like Amish murder mysteries, but this book was not that great. The first few chapters were good, but it all went down hill from there
August 26, 2015
When I picked up this book I thought it would be a typical Amish/mystery romance. This was not so, there is a lot going on in this book. It seemed to go a little to fast.
September 4, 2012
loved it. want to read more of her books
July 30, 2017
I have a love hate relationship with this series. There are certain parts that I love – Riley’s bumbling. Yet at the same time, I really dislike Riley’s bumbling. Some parts seem to take too long to conclude, yet other parts are over much too quickly. There is only one more book in this series, and hopefully, Julie Kramer will be able to draw all the parts of Riley’s life together and maybe see a happily ever after for her.
You have to go with what mom says and if she is pointing you towards the body of an Amish girl and you are a news reporter, you had better grab your camera and go. Oh, and do not get distracted by a bear. Apparently, there is one in the woods that has others grabbing their guns.
When a local boy falls into a sinkhole, no one expected that hole to be hiding the dead body of a woman wrapped in a quilt, but that is exactly what happened when Josh Kueppers falls in and comes face to face with her. Doing what any other panicked child with a shotgun would do, he blows off her face. Now with no way of identifying the woman, the local police and Channel 3 reporter Riley Spartz set out to find out who this woman could be.
Come to find out that the dead woman is Sarah Yoder from the nearby town of Harmony. Since this is technical outside of the broadcast area that her market audience is from, Riley has to battle the new news director. He is a disgusting sort, but this story is too interesting and Riley is willing to put up with just about anything to keep her news followers up-to-date on her findings.
The Amish are a quiet self-contained community and they have no need of the devil in the form of television or its reporters, but that does not stop Riley. As she digs further into Sarah’s life and shunning, Riley’s life, if not her hair, is in danger. Being slow on the uptake, she eventually figures out most of the parts, but not before she is running for her life and needs to climb into a bear’s den to get the help that she needs.
By the end, Sarah’s tormented life is revealed, yet Riley is not comfortable sharing it all. She will make sure that those that need to be protected will be. She will see a grieving mother, yet not feel sorry for her. Riley will do what she can, but right now, she needs to go home, to the farm and her parents. Her own personal life is in turmoil, but that can wait for another day. Today she just needs her family.
You have to go with what mom says and if she is pointing you towards the body of an Amish girl and you are a news reporter, you had better grab your camera and go. Oh, and do not get distracted by a bear. Apparently, there is one in the woods that has others grabbing their guns.
When a local boy falls into a sinkhole, no one expected that hole to be hiding the dead body of a woman wrapped in a quilt, but that is exactly what happened when Josh Kueppers falls in and comes face to face with her. Doing what any other panicked child with a shotgun would do, he blows off her face. Now with no way of identifying the woman, the local police and Channel 3 reporter Riley Spartz set out to find out who this woman could be.
Come to find out that the dead woman is Sarah Yoder from the nearby town of Harmony. Since this is technical outside of the broadcast area that her market audience is from, Riley has to battle the new news director. He is a disgusting sort, but this story is too interesting and Riley is willing to put up with just about anything to keep her news followers up-to-date on her findings.
The Amish are a quiet self-contained community and they have no need of the devil in the form of television or its reporters, but that does not stop Riley. As she digs further into Sarah’s life and shunning, Riley’s life, if not her hair, is in danger. Being slow on the uptake, she eventually figures out most of the parts, but not before she is running for her life and needs to climb into a bear’s den to get the help that she needs.
By the end, Sarah’s tormented life is revealed, yet Riley is not comfortable sharing it all. She will make sure that those that need to be protected will be. She will see a grieving mother, yet not feel sorry for her. Riley will do what she can, but right now, she needs to go home, to the farm and her parents. Her own personal life is in turmoil, but that can wait for another day. Today she just needs her family.
June 22, 2017
My oldest grabbed this off the inspirational shelf and I ended up reading it. I liked that it wasn't the typical Amish fiction where girl is bemoaning her Amish life and can't decide if she wants to marry the Amish guy and eventually she stays and marries. I liked that but I will admit I'm mystified by the fact it's considered inspirational as there was much in the way of Christianity, unless you count Riley's few conversations with a Catholic priest, religious. She does get anointed at the end of the book by the priest even after he refuses her first request for last rites. That said this is also not published by a Christian publisher, there are a few words that I consider cuss words, and there are a few times where there is some passion between Riley and two male characters.
I really did enjoy the book though even with the issues I pointed out above I'm just not sure this should have been shelved in with the rest of the inspirational/Christian fiction books. This one can stand alone and I'll probably check out more of the Riley Spartz series because overall I enjoyed the different writing style and also Riley's widowhood has piqued my interest and since I jumped in with the fifth book I want to hear more of the story.
I really did enjoy the book though even with the issues I pointed out above I'm just not sure this should have been shelved in with the rest of the inspirational/Christian fiction books. This one can stand alone and I'll probably check out more of the Riley Spartz series because overall I enjoyed the different writing style and also Riley's widowhood has piqued my interest and since I jumped in with the fifth book I want to hear more of the story.
January 11, 2024
What did I just read?!?!
To start, my bad for not knowing this was a series. Sure would be helpful if there was an indication for that on the library app.
2nd: this book was so very little about the premise, and so much more about all kinds of other shit.
3rd:
4th: Who is like, "oh man, my boss is a creep, guess I'll just put up with it? LITERALLY NO ONE, NOT EVEN 10 YEARS AGO. And blackmailing him to get a gig? That makes you a creep too. I cannot believe MC (who's name I have already forgotten) would be like, "yeah, put up with that more so you get lots of videos and texts" GROSS.
5th: Maybe do some research before making a huge part of the book about a sanitation story: there are plenty of studies that show that gloves are actually more likely to be gross than properly washed hands are. Here is just one of a very large number of articles that dive deeper.
I hated this book.
To start, my bad for not knowing this was a series. Sure would be helpful if there was an indication for that on the library app.
2nd: this book was so very little about the premise, and so much more about all kinds of other shit.
3rd:
4th: Who is like, "oh man, my boss is a creep, guess I'll just put up with it? LITERALLY NO ONE, NOT EVEN 10 YEARS AGO. And blackmailing him to get a gig? That makes you a creep too. I cannot believe MC (who's name I have already forgotten) would be like, "yeah, put up with that more so you get lots of videos and texts" GROSS.
5th: Maybe do some research before making a huge part of the book about a sanitation story: there are plenty of studies that show that gloves are actually more likely to be gross than properly washed hands are. Here is just one of a very large number of articles that dive deeper.
I hated this book.
December 19, 2017
Started somewhat strong - good storyline, but main character is flat to me, as were her relationships. Maybe because this was a series, it would've helped to have read in order. Surprising, if that's true. Usually the author paints a better picture of what happened in previous books, especially when it's backstory, not anything relating to the current plot. Who was Garnett? Just her ex-fiancee. Nothing to make you feel she's sorry he's gone. (Maybe she's not!) Did she feel any sense of remorse about Ike? No idea, and he was part of the current plot! Any memories of her deceased husband? A few - that she had one, and near the end, how he passed in a very brief explanation.
All in all, I didn't feel really invested in the main character or her issues.
All in all, I didn't feel really invested in the main character or her issues.
January 22, 2018
As far as Amish stories go, this one was lackluster. The story jumped from one thing to another very quickly and then would somewhat work it's way back around, but it doesn't matter. There was too much going on to make this thing stick.
Predictable storyline. Kinda boring.
I couldn't tell what age the narrator was portraying for the main character?? This lady's voice sounded maybe 50s-60s. But then would talk about engagement, marriage, children, her sex life, etc in a way that you think maybe she's 35-40? I mean, I just could never figure it out.
I felt as though her "Amish" accent sounded more Italian than anything.
I have not read or listened to previous books in the series, and I don't feel as though this would have made any difference.
The ending was boring.
Predictable storyline. Kinda boring.
I couldn't tell what age the narrator was portraying for the main character?? This lady's voice sounded maybe 50s-60s. But then would talk about engagement, marriage, children, her sex life, etc in a way that you think maybe she's 35-40? I mean, I just could never figure it out.
I felt as though her "Amish" accent sounded more Italian than anything.
I have not read or listened to previous books in the series, and I don't feel as though this would have made any difference.
The ending was boring.
September 5, 2021
Almost from the start, I felt like I was reading a novel written by a high school student. Very simple sentence structure and dialogue, and WAY too many stories tied into one. Still, I read the whole book.
Why two stars? I certainly can’t write a novel myself, so I have to give Kramer credit. Plus, I quickly learned this is one in a series about television reporter Riley Spartz (what an annoying character—not sure how she experiences any success on the job or in her romantic life), so the author must have a following.
I would rank this slightly above a Harlequin romance (or a tv comparison would be a Hallmark or Lifetime movie). If you enjoy those, and I don’t, this might be the series for you.
Why two stars? I certainly can’t write a novel myself, so I have to give Kramer credit. Plus, I quickly learned this is one in a series about television reporter Riley Spartz (what an annoying character—not sure how she experiences any success on the job or in her romantic life), so the author must have a following.
I would rank this slightly above a Harlequin romance (or a tv comparison would be a Hallmark or Lifetime movie). If you enjoy those, and I don’t, this might be the series for you.
August 26, 2017
Happenstance moment in seeing this book on the library shelf. Author, Julie Kramer , is new to me. I am so delighted with this read, even though I read this book out of order, book 5, I plan to go back to book 1, Stalking Susan and catch up with this series taking place in Minnesota.
This story is a religious mystery in SE Minnesota within the Amish Community. This religious sec does not integrate with the "English" people, as Amish people remain separate unto themselves. So
for news anchor, Riley Spartz', to investigate and obtain information on a freak boys accident accidentally uncovering a homicide turns into a dangerous investigation.
This story is a religious mystery in SE Minnesota within the Amish Community. This religious sec does not integrate with the "English" people, as Amish people remain separate unto themselves. So
for news anchor, Riley Spartz', to investigate and obtain information on a freak boys accident accidentally uncovering a homicide turns into a dangerous investigation.
January 1, 2025
The cover and title is misleading. I was excited since I’m a Minnesotan and have been to Harmony and visited the Amish community. I felt like the first half of the book was decent and then it derailed into the reporters story, her possible story leads, and her creepy boss (which really disgusted me in this day and age). I wanted to hear and read more about the Amish. There were so many unbelievable side stories happening. I read it quickly because, I did want to find out what happened and kept thinking more would come about the Amish, but at the end of the book all I thought was “that was kind of dumb” very disappointed.
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