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Appleseed Creek #3

A Plain Disappearance

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USA Today recently hailed award-nominated author Amanda Flower for A Plain Death, calling it “the first Amish rom-com . . . bring on the next one!” As the enthusiastic reviews continue to mount, she’s back with her third Appleseed Creek mystery, A Plain Disappearance.

It’s Christmastime in Amish Country, and Chloe Humphrey has begun settling into her life in Appleseed Creek excited to see where her new relationship with Timothy Troyer will lead. Unfortunately it leads to murder when the couple discovers the body of Amish teenager Katie Lambright while on their first date.

Near the scene there is evidence that Timothy’s friend and auto mechanic Billy Thorpe is involved with the crime. The police reveal Billy is not really who he said he was and has been living the last decade in Knox County under a stolen alias. Now, Chloe and Timothy must find Billy, bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.

339 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2013

84 people are currently reading
1315 people want to read

About the author

Amanda Flower

61 books2,947 followers
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.

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5 stars
455 (46%)
4 stars
363 (36%)
3 stars
145 (14%)
2 stars
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
Profile Image for Jenna.
2,010 reviews20 followers
November 12, 2020
3.5 stars

Another good mystery, great characters. More development into this world by the writer which is great. Some suspense & surprises. and more humor this time around.
The addition of the Christmas theme was nice. It gave insight into the differences b/w the 2 cultures who are neighbors.
I loved that Tanisha was present. I thought that was a great surprise and she complimented the already consistent great supporting characters.

It makes me more curious about her parents and i would love for them to make an appearance.
And Curt. what an interesting way to develop that character.
I really hope both Chole & Becky get their HEA's.

I appreciate the author's notes at the end of the books.

I deducted half a star b/c i would of liked more at the end w/chloe & her dad.
Profile Image for Alyssa White.
529 reviews18 followers
October 15, 2017
Another great read. Amanda Flower really captures the essence of all the characters she works with and really handles their emotions so well. You really get sucked into her books.
Profile Image for Shirley Chapel.
727 reviews177 followers
January 6, 2019
This was a cozy mystery that geared up my suspicions . Early on in the book a murder takes place and readers find Chloe and Timothy assisting Chief Rose in trying to gather evidence from the Amish in hopes of solving the case and arresting the murderer. There's lots of action in A Plain Disappearance. The person you would least expect becomes a prime suspect when the chief discovers he isn't who people thought he was. Lots of surprises are in store for you if you read this book.
I liked that the author finally brings Chloe and Timothy together as they begin courting as a couple. Beth makes a decision on whether she will return to her Amish roots or leave the plain lifestyle for good. This book kept me riveted to the pages and at times it was an edge of the seat nail biting cozy murder mystery. Just the way I like a cozy mystery to be.
Readers of cozy mystery and fans of Amanda Flower will love this book. In fact I would recommend the entire series to you. I've enjoyed
the first three books I've read and look forward to A Plain Malice. I highly recommend this series .
Profile Image for Nana.
652 reviews
September 11, 2013
Christmas was fast approaching, and as the snow was drifting down around them Chloe and Timothy took a leisurely sleigh ride through the Amish countryside. Timothy stopped the sleigh near an old barn in order to give Chloe her Christmas gift. Suddenly Timothy's dog became alert to something and launched herself toward the old barn with Timothy and Chloe following close behind. Their joy turned to shock at the discovery of a young Amish woman frozen in the snow. Chloe is not new to working with the local police chief, and at the police chief's request Chloe's focus becomes finding out what actually happened to the Amish teen. Autopsy results proved she was murdered, and as she seeks information relating to the murder Chloe encounters unsettling circumstances as the investigation progresses.

Amanda Flower has created a complex murder mystery centered in the middle of Amish country. Numerous themes are interwoven throughout this suspense-filled mystery. Family dynamics and dysfunctional family elements come into play, and the dismay over a family member leaving the Amish faith is encountered. The importance of faith and hope also play important roles. The author has created humorous moments which relieve the tension at the most unexpected times. A suspense-filled, action-packed mystery, A Plain Disappearance is also a delightful story of romance and healing. Numerous issues are blended so effortlessly, I look forward to more of Amanda's heartwarming romantic Amish suspense! Well done!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and B&H Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
Profile Image for Shari Larsen.
436 reviews61 followers
December 9, 2013
This is the third book of the Appleseed Creek Mystery series. As this story opens, computer tech Chloe Humphrey is on her first date with Timothy Troyer, a contractor who was raised Amish. The enjoyable day of sleigh riding takes a dark turn when they find the body of a young Amish girl near an abandoned barn. Near the scene of the crime is evidence that Timothy's friend, auto mechanic Billy Thorpe, may be involved with the crime. Of course, chief of police Greta Rose is called, but Chloe and Timothy decide to do some investigating of their own, to find Billy and bring him to justice, or prove his innocence.

I really enjoyed this book; a couple of times, I thought I had a good idea of who the killer was, but an unexpected twist near the end really surprised me. My favorite characters from the first two books are back too, including Grandfather Zook, and Chloe's Siamese cat Gigabyte. I also like how the author is handling the romance between Timothy and Chloe; it's not rushed, it unfolds in a very realistic way with the timing.

I'm hoping there will be 4th book in this series. While the murder mystery was wrapped up at the end, there is still much to tell of Chloe's own personal story.
Profile Image for Cozybooklady .
2,177 reviews122 followers
September 21, 2015
The twists and turns are amazing!

This is my favorite so far! It's the holidays and everyone in Appleseed Creek is ready to celebrate in their own way.
Chloe is looking forward to her first Christmas with the Troyer family. Becky is thrilled to plan a Christmas party and Chloe is happy to see her young friend enjoying the holiday.
When family friend Katie Lambright is found dead, the holiday festivities spiral into a tale of greed, abuse and lies. When Billy Thorpe, the duct tape king, is caught in the middle, his past catches up with him and his bad decisions are making things worse. When Chief Rose asks Chloe to do her "Amish" thing ( talking to the quiet community), Timothy and Chloe become tangled in another horrible murder, deep in the Amish community.
Of course, the horrible Brock and Curt make an appearance, but I must admit, I am impressed with Curt's attitude toward the end.
This deserves 10 stars, but I only can give it 5.
The ending was superb, it left me begging for more.
Profile Image for Sirena.
142 reviews9 followers
August 15, 2015
I didn't realize this was part of a series so I need to read the first book. I read alot of Amish fiction but this one didn't hold my interest as much as others did. The story wasn't bad but the writing seemed more high school which may be the intended target audience. Just wasn't my cup of tea. Maybe if I read the series in order I will change my mind.
Profile Image for Carol.
1,846 reviews21 followers
April 20, 2022
This is a great page turner, I stayed up late on the night before my eye surgery to finish it. I will have to delay buying the last book in this series. That is bad because I wanted to find out if Chloe could get back to finding out if her dad felt differently about her. He was letting her step mother shut down even seeing him again. Also, there were romantic scenes between Chloe and Timothy. I am wondering if he decided to go back to the Amish way of life or married Chloe.

Chloe again discovers a dead body and there are a load of suspects. Chloe and Becky are forced to leave the little house they were living in and Tanish, Chloe's forever friend comes for a visit. Becky really got in to cooking baking and stirred up my appetite by trying out recipes from cooking shows.

It was a very satisfying mystery and helped distract me from my upcoming surgery. Now that my right eye is not so blurry, I can enjoy a little time off from appointments and read!
366 reviews2 followers
December 11, 2022
Chloe Humphrey is in charge of a college IT department servicing the computers in a small college in Amish country in Ohio. Her boyfriend, Timothy Troyer, is a carpenter who left the Amish community 8 years ago but his family is allowed to have contact with him. Chloe and Timothy discover the body of a beautiful Amish teenager while out driving in the country. The Police Chief, Greta Rose, is annoyed with Chloe finding another body as this seems to be a regular occurrence in Appleseed Creek. Chloe seems to have a good relationship with her Amish neighbors and the Troyer family so Chief Rose uses Chloe to get information for her from the community.
Characters are well-developed as is the plot. Interesting verbal pictures of Amish family life.
Profile Image for Heidi Keifer.
30 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2024
I’m a fan of Amanda Flower’s many Amish mysteries. The series especially took me in. I like the subtle inspiration of forgiveness scattered throughout. Nothing to turn anyone off, but a subtle lesson in faith.
I Love her writing.
The mysteries themselves are full of turns that keep me guessing and depth of characters that make me think of them when not reading. . The cozy brings me back again and again. What will I do when I run out? Find her pen names.
Profile Image for Maggie.
885 reviews
January 23, 2021
I think this is my favorite of all Amanda Flower's series. The characters and plots are realistic and tightly woven. Notwithstanding that, if I lived in the area I'd be giving Chloe a wide birth because clearly death follows her everywhere she goes. Only one more left in the series. Flowers is not writing fast enough for me.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Meadows.
1,989 reviews303 followers
August 30, 2023
This one had a more definite faith element than I remember the first two books having. Also, the theme of forgiveness was good. There is a very interesting and diverse cast of characters in this book and I enjoyed it very much. The mystery kept me guessing until finally the outcome was a twist that I didn't see until just before it happened.
71 reviews2 followers
January 19, 2021
Great read. Hard to put down.

Love the book . Laughed a lot at Gig the Cat at his behavior. Liked that a persons kindness can change the behavior of others because they believe in Jesus. Liked the mix of Amish Culture , Faith, Love of Family and Timothy love for Chloe.
Profile Image for Dawn Foust.
16 reviews
February 12, 2021
This book continues to follow the Amish community from Appleseed Creek in Ohio. There is twists that you won’t expect and once again Chloe is asked to help solve the mystery of what happened to the body that she found. I didn’t want to put it down, and it was sure a page turner!
Profile Image for Marianne Stehr.
1,224 reviews7 followers
May 21, 2022
I did not care for this one as much as the others. It is becoming a bit trite and predictable. However I thought this was the last in the series, but it does not end as the last, so off to figure out if another one has been published yet!
Profile Image for Maddie.
412 reviews
January 5, 2024
Great as always. Though it did seem like the killer came out of left field. He was barely mentioned throughout the book, and when he was it was obvious he was the killer. The Curt and Brock twist surprised me. I can’t wait to see what comes of that in the next installments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dawn.
160 reviews2 followers
May 7, 2017
Another wonderful book! Now to find the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Angie.
125 reviews
October 18, 2017
Absolutely a great series! Enjoyed the characters and the growth between them through the series. It’s funny how Chloe has become a “help” with the police department. Highly recommend this series!
Profile Image for Mary Reed.
1,033 reviews4 followers
March 11, 2018
I enjoyed this third book in the Appleseed Creek series. Chloe seems to have a tendency to stumble upon dead bodies. Looking forward to reading the final book in the series.
8 reviews
July 19, 2020
Outstanding

Again I was not yet disappointed. Love the characters. Especially Chloe. Can't wait to read more books by Amanda Flowers.
1,353 reviews7 followers
Read
December 18, 2020
I so much enjoy this series. Waiting for the next one. Good characters, a little mystery, lovely Amish setting.
126 reviews
March 25, 2021
great book, really enjoying this series
Profile Image for Laura  M.
65 reviews
June 21, 2022
Excellent! I wish I had known it was book three- now I have to go back and read the first two!! Lol
Absolutely loved it the killer was not who I expected!!!
259 reviews
April 24, 2024
Enjoyed, a good mixture of Amish and English. Good mystery didn't figure out who did it till author reveled.
Profile Image for Kelli.
606 reviews
December 30, 2020
Another hit in the series! Amanda Flower has woven mystery, mayhem and a bit of romance to keep you turning pages - enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews

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