O Little Town of Sugarcreek

Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries #5

by Amy Lillard, Guideposts

Christmastime has come to Sugarcreek, but the sleepy Ohio town is anything but calm. Cheryl Cooper expected a quiet holiday season, filled with new friends and new traditions. Instead, Lance Martin, her ex-fiancé shows up and proposes again! Then, one of her aunt’s heirlooms turns up missing, followed by the disappearance of the engagement ring Lance intended for her. When the Millers’ estranged daughter Sarah leaves her English husband and returns home, Cheryl finds herself wondering what more could happen to spoil her Christmas cheer? A lot, evidently.

The town is turned upside down as it discovers there’s a thief in their midst. But when fingers are pointed at Levi Miller, Cheryl doesn’t want to believe her friend might be guilty.

Can she find the real criminal in time to bring back the joy of her first Christmas in Sugarcreek

Genres: Amish, Mystery, Christmas, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Amish Fiction, Christian Fiction

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

I'm a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess.

I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I've retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I'm from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son--a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course!

I love homemade tacos, nail polish, and romance novels--not necessarily in that order. I'm a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I'm shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I believe that God is love. I guess that's why I adore romances.

I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) But until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my penchant for romance. Okay, okay, I'm a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture. I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that's me June Cleaver with a laptop.

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twlight series (I'll get to it or I won't, either way I'm good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I'm alone on this last one, and again, I'm good with it.)

Favorite movies--(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940's movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven't seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn's and Audrey's.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice cozy mystery set in Amish country with a mix of Amish and non-Amish characters. It's a lovely series with characters that feel like friends and neighbors. It is a delight to watch them grow and learn as life's twists and turns challenge them. Even the characters I haven't "met" and only heard about in the story (Aunt Mitzi) seem like wonderful people, vibrant and real. The continuity of characters and their personalities is even more amazing when you consider that each book in this series is written by a different author.

I wish there was more of a Christmas feel to the book but in a way it reflects the busyness of the season; sometimes so much is going on that the season is lost in the lead up to and preparations for the holiday. I know that is how I felt this past Christmas.

The events in this mystery felt like they could actually happen in real life. Things go missing and you think they were simply misplaced until doubts start to creep in. Can you really trust that friend or neighbor? Cheryl works to solve the mystery all while trying hard not to be quick to suspect, yet still keeping in mind that appearances can be misleading and often deceiving.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Cheryl Cooper's first Christmas running a The Swiss Miss Shop in Sugar Creek Ohio. It's the busiest time of the year and The Swiss Miss is swamped with customers from tour buses that bring them to the area during the Christmas season. Some days are so frantic that Cheryl doesn't even get time to have lunch.
It's on a day like this that everything seems to go wrong all at once. Beau, her cat gets up on the counter and knocks merchandise and a case of expensive jewelry to the floor. While all this is going on Cheryl's former fiancee, Lance comes into the shop and in front of all the customers he proposes to Cheryl and offers her a gorgeous expensive engagement ring. While trying to pick up all the merchandise and jewelry from the floor she puts the diamond ring by the cash register. Later after the mess is cleaned up she finds she is missing both the engagement ring and and expensive brooch that had been in the jewelry case.
Cheryl searches every where for the two missing pieces but has no luck finding them. It becomes obvious that someone that was in the shop must have stolen the ring and the brooch. But who could have done it and why? Lance wants to notify the police , but Cheryl feels the jewelry will show up. She suspects a few people that had a reason to take the jewelry.
Will Cheryl get her jewelry back and who was the thief? Will she decide to forgive Lance and except his proposal and engagement ring? That is if they ever find where it went. I though this was a very good read. Hard to put down and can be read in one setting. Makes for a nice Christmas read.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheryl is still running her aunt’s store, when her former boyfriend shows up with an engagement ring. She isn’t sure if she wants to see him after she waited 5 years for him and has moved on with her life. she also is trying to sell some of her aunt’s jeweler to help with her aunt’s missionary work. The ring and another piece of Jewelry go missing and are found in a friend’s pocket. Cheryl knows he didn’t take it on purpose and sets out to find out what is going on. She feels overwhelmed with the business at Christmas time, her former boyfriend pushing the engagement and trying to save her friend.

[Sunnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy, fun Amish Christmas mystery, What could be better than that? As Cheryl Cooper comes to Sugarcreek to help her aunt take over her store while she is serving a mission, Cheryl finds new friends, and feels happy to be a part of this community. Her ex-fiance comes and wants her to go back with him to Columbus and things turn up missing putting friends of Cheryl's in bad predicaments.

It's a fun story and seems to be book 5 of Amy Lillard's Amish Mystery series. I will definitely want to read more of the series. It's an easy read and enjoyable one too. I love mysteries and Amish so this was a great combination in my opinion.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun mystery, but I didn't like the lack of relationship boundaries portrayed...

[Pamela Pavkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Little Town of Sugarcreek is a wonderful mystery written by Amy Lillard. This is the 5th creative story in the Sugarcreek Amish Mystery series. This story is set at Christmas time and Cheryl Cooper looking forward to her first Christmas in Sugarcreek. She is also looking forward to peace and joy but when her ex-fiance shows up unexpectedly it is anything but. When Lance surprisingly proposes to Cheryl again in front of her employees, towns people, and Levi Miller, Cheryl is dumbstruck. There is also the mystery of Cheryl's missing family broach and the very expensive engagement ring. When Levi is arrested for stealing the ring this story really takes on a special mystery for Cheryl. When all is revealed and the shocking conclusion nears will Cheryl decide that Lance is the man for her or will Levi be the one she chooses? With suspicious people everywhere Cheryl has more then one mystery to solve.

I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response and all opinions are my own. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others.

The books in this series keep getting more mysterious as I read them. Each author uses their own unique writing style to spin their stories. Amy Lillard has written a great story to continue this series.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another satisfying visit with the residents of Sugarcreek. I loved the combination of mystery and character development, sleuthing and romance. I kind of saw the outcome of the mystery coming, but I so thoroughly enjoyed the more "long term" stories with Cheryl and the Millers that the mystery felt related but still secondary. I'll be visiting the little Ohio Amish community of Sugarcreek and its charming cast of characters in book six soon!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Christmas story in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries series. Cheryl Cooper's ex-fiancé comes to town with a surprising offer.

[Deana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series so much. Each installment is written by a different author, but the characters are still well developed to the point where I have grown to care about them.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The librarian at my local library introduced me to this series. I live in Ohio about 1 1/2 hours from Sugarcreek Ohio and have spent many, many days discovering the Amish Country here in Ohio including Sugarcreek. I found the book just as enchanting as I do the Amish community. She talked about several of the places that I have seen or visited during my trips to Sugarcreek. I felt the author captured their essence very well and the storyline was sweet and held my interest. I feel like I got to know these characters and I can hardly wait to get back to the library and see what other adventures/mysteries that she has written about from a place that I love to visit. If you ever get a chance to visit Sugarcreek Ohio, be sure & take it, you won't be disappointed. It is a very charming way of life.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

5th book in series. It's Christmas time in Sugarcreek. The Swiss Miss is keeping very busy. Cheryl aunt has asked her to have her jewelry appraised as she wants to sell some of it for money to use on her mission. This brings Cheryl to the new store in town The Gold Standard looking for an appraisal. Then to her surprise Lance (ex-fiance ) shows up at the shop to propose to her. And Naomi stepdaughter Sarah arrives in town (the daughter that turned english for her husband) saying that she left her husband and has no where to go. All of these factor into the chaos around Cheryl as she finds out that the engagement ring and a brooch of her aunts has gone missing.

[Alysha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely not my favorite in the series. Lance annoyed me, pure chaos kept happening on screen, and what was with the cat? In this case, I actually liked the tv show episode of this book better than the book, sacrilege, I know. This book didn’t have the same feel as the others in the series, it was too noisy, if that makes any sense. We have Sarah, and the Miller drama, the madness of Christmas shopping, Lance being a douche and not listening to Cheryl, Cheryl being uncertain and confused when she hadn’t been in the past, the issue with the jewelry, and probably something else I missed. It was just too much all at once after the easy and quick reads of the previous books.

[Jessica Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheryl Cooper has a lot on her plate with this new mystery. Her previous five year lover, Lance, comes unexpectedly with an engagement ring and Cheryl's hand in marriage. Cheryl is shocked by the such change in emotion when Lance had previously mentioned that he was not the marrying type. In addition, Cheryl found her grandmother's brooch that she remembers as a child. But when things suddenly get into a ruckus and feelings get overwhelming and the ring and brooch suddenly go missing, Cheryl has a set of missions to complete before the end of the week to enjoy and wish for a white Christmas.

[Lakeyshia Mayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was book 5 of Sugarcreek Amish Mystery series. I am enjoying these books and wish I had the whole collection. These novels are short and written by different authors. This book had me a little emotional mostly for Cheryl and Levi. This book sent the message to not take what you have for granted because once it's gone trying to get it or the person back is not easy. The other message is don't judge a person or assume anything always ask get the facts. In the end this book ended with happiness and blessings.

[Jessica Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ending of this book was absolutely wonderful. In tact, just for the last two chapters I would rate this at 3.5.

However, I spent the majority of this book wanting to bash Lance over the head with a 2x4. Like BRO, TAKE A HINT. Stop smothering her, stop being pathetic and go HOME. He made the book like a damn horror movie, constantly popping up after you thought he had left already.

Anyway, as always, moving onto the next book. ❤️😂

[Allyson Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great cozy mystery set at Christmastime with both Amish and non-Amish characters. On top of Cheryl's ex showing up to propose to her, she has some of her aunt's jewelry and Lance's engagement ring go missing. Were they misplaced? What a wonderful mystery as Cheryl tries not to feel overwhelmed with her ex being in Sugarcreek pushing for an engagement and trying to clear her friend's name while finding the truth about the missing jewelry.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a good feel story, with a twist about it and the stolen jewelry. I enjoy the Amish Mysteries, they make me feel good and think, and I really the twist to the story. I enjoy the characters of the sugar creek amish mysteries. If you like a good mystery and one that isn't that strange you will enjoy these stories.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. The plot line was a truly believable one as this kind of theft occurs regularly. The Christmas season is alive and well in Sugarcreek. The added twist of Lance coming back into the picture was a little unexpected but it is an integral part of the story. I don't want to be Amish but a simple lifestyle sounds very appealing during the holidays.
Good read.

[Abby (Hersh.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. I liked the romance.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2 1/2. These seem to be more romance than mystery.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got me in the mood for Christmas! I like the characters. However the mystery was easy to figure out.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entered as today as unknown when read.

[Stacey Reynolds]

Another great Amish Mystery with a few more precious life lessons involved! And a new romance possibly beginning :)

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute Christmas story. I was surprised to see that Lance wasn't the culprit, tho.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series - time to shop for more!

[Kaye Wingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic book. loved it

[Lyn Soulia-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful series.

[♡Avery Kort♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word READ

[Kelly Honora Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the best