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Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries #10
Mason Jar Mayhem
Spring has come to Sugarcreek, and the community is rallying behind an effort to help victims of domestic violence. At a work day to remodel abandoned cottages for families in need of safe havens, volunteers discover dozens of jars filled with old coins hidden within the walls of a kitchen.
When the money is stolen from the safe in Cheryl's office at the Swiss Miss, she feels a responsibility to find the thief and recover the loot. The investigation takes her back to the 1940s and connects people and events from the past to current friends and neighbors. It's a journey to discover invaluable truths, such as "One doesn't have to be rich to be generous" and "It's those who give most freely of their time and treasure who find true peace for their souls."
When the money is stolen from the safe in Cheryl's office at the Swiss Miss, she feels a responsibility to find the thief and recover the loot. The investigation takes her back to the 1940s and connects people and events from the past to current friends and neighbors. It's a journey to discover invaluable truths, such as "One doesn't have to be rich to be generous" and "It's those who give most freely of their time and treasure who find true peace for their souls."
266 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
About the author
Tricia Goyer
167 books1,726 followersTricia Goyer is a busy mom of ten, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 7, 2019
Cheryl is helping fix up some old cabins for battered women and their children. While taking down one wall they find mason jars filled with coin. The money would really help with fixing up the cabins but they need to know who the money belongs to. Cheryl takes the coins to her store safe but someone breaks in and steals the coins. Cheryl has to find the crook and find out who the coins belong to. Some interesting information about V-mail and the Amish in war time.
March 25, 2021
When I went on my 2020 mission of getting current on all my various in-progress cozy mystery series, this was one of only two which I excluded from that goal, in this case based solely on the fact that these are some of the rare books I actually need to purchase (the other series is a buddy read, in case you were curious). I did read one book from this series about midway through 2020 but other than that, I haven't spent any time with Cheryl and Naomi since fall of 2019. It was good to get back to Sugarcreek.
What I liked about Mason Jar Mayhem:
The lighter tone - Cozy mysteries are notoriously light (other than the case under investigation, obviously), but the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries take it lighter still. The cases never involve murder. In fact, there isn't even any threat of violence except in one lone book (at least so far), which interestingly proved to be my least favorite series installment to this point. (I guess I now have certain expectations when it comes to this series!) While I do love me a good traditional style cozy still, I also enjoy knowing that this series will give me "mystery lite" and Mason Jar Mayhem delivered on that.
The faith aspect - Let me be very clear here: You aren't going to avoid getting some faith talk if you delve into this series. This is not merely Christian fiction but published by Guideposts, which is a publisher of all sorts of faith-based reading material. You're going to get some Jesus and some faith struggle in these books. I find it especially comforting, especially as I read this book deep in the throes of Lent when my mind is turned constantly to some heavier introspection.
The case - I have to say, I really enjoyed the case of the coins and how it all played out. There was enough friction to create the intensity I look for in a mystery. There were enough twists and red herrings to keep me guessing (although I did finally land on the correct suspect before the big reveal). I was engaged the entire time.
What I didn't care for:
A few dangling threads and inconsistencies - A couple of characters, though their stories did get wrapped up, seemed to drop off the page as soon as their situations were clarified. I felt as if there was no proper farewell to them and it felt odd. As for the inconsistencies, I believe this is born of the fact that each book is written by one (or more) of a pool of contributing authors which lends itself to certain discrepancies if one isn't paying proper attention to minute details. I am a details person, so even after minimal interaction with this series over an extended period of time, they jumped out at me. It also throws me when Elizabeth or Levi occasionally drop contractions into conversation when literally none of the other Amish characters ever slip into that habit. Really, my nitpicking is minor. It didn't ruin the story for me. I just noticed these things.
This was a good visit with my Sugarcreek friends and a much-needed lighter book to enjoy. I already have Book 11 purchased and I am looking forward to more time with Cheryl and her friends in the near future.
What I liked about Mason Jar Mayhem:
The lighter tone - Cozy mysteries are notoriously light (other than the case under investigation, obviously), but the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries take it lighter still. The cases never involve murder. In fact, there isn't even any threat of violence except in one lone book (at least so far), which interestingly proved to be my least favorite series installment to this point. (I guess I now have certain expectations when it comes to this series!) While I do love me a good traditional style cozy still, I also enjoy knowing that this series will give me "mystery lite" and Mason Jar Mayhem delivered on that.
The faith aspect - Let me be very clear here: You aren't going to avoid getting some faith talk if you delve into this series. This is not merely Christian fiction but published by Guideposts, which is a publisher of all sorts of faith-based reading material. You're going to get some Jesus and some faith struggle in these books. I find it especially comforting, especially as I read this book deep in the throes of Lent when my mind is turned constantly to some heavier introspection.
The case - I have to say, I really enjoyed the case of the coins and how it all played out. There was enough friction to create the intensity I look for in a mystery. There were enough twists and red herrings to keep me guessing (although I did finally land on the correct suspect before the big reveal). I was engaged the entire time.
What I didn't care for:
A few dangling threads and inconsistencies - A couple of characters, though their stories did get wrapped up, seemed to drop off the page as soon as their situations were clarified. I felt as if there was no proper farewell to them and it felt odd. As for the inconsistencies, I believe this is born of the fact that each book is written by one (or more) of a pool of contributing authors which lends itself to certain discrepancies if one isn't paying proper attention to minute details. I am a details person, so even after minimal interaction with this series over an extended period of time, they jumped out at me. It also throws me when Elizabeth or Levi occasionally drop contractions into conversation when literally none of the other Amish characters ever slip into that habit. Really, my nitpicking is minor. It didn't ruin the story for me. I just noticed these things.
This was a good visit with my Sugarcreek friends and a much-needed lighter book to enjoy. I already have Book 11 purchased and I am looking forward to more time with Cheryl and her friends in the near future.
February 17, 2021
Mason Jar Mayhem is the 10th intriguing mystery written by Tricia Goyer and Cara Pitman in the Sugarcreek Amish Mystery series. These authors have combined their fantastic writing styles to create another mystery readers will enjoy. Back in Sugarcreek Cheryl Cooper has signed on to help another resident to remodel some abandoned cabins for abused women and children. While working in one cabin a mysterious discovery is made. Forty mason jars filled with old coins and a couple of VMail letters dating back to WWll. But who is the author of the letters and who do the coins really belong to? Cheryl agrees to protect the coins in her safe until the bank opens on Monday, however, the Swiss Miss shop is broken into and the coins stolen. Now Cheryl feels inclined to discover the truth to the story. This story takes many twist and turns and several people claim the coins as theirs. Cheryl's investigation has just become harder and dangerous. The length Cheryl and her friends have to go to uncover the truth makes for a very interesting read.
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.
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.
June 25, 2024
3.5 stars
I found this book at a local thrift store and decided to give it a try based on how the cover caught my eye. I’m glad I did; I am honestly pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Although I had no idea who any of the characters were or what their backstory was, the authors did a good job of bridging those gaps so the reader is not lost, which I definitely appreciate. I look forward to going back and reading the previous books so I can get the entire story.
The story was engaging and relaxing; I enjoyed reading the well written descriptions of life in small town Sugarcreek and about Cheryl and company. Her flawed character is portrayed well and I found myself resonating with her as she tried to find the balance between saying yes/saying no. There is only so much a person can take on before burning out and I liked her journey of trying to figure out what that meant on her own terms. It was interesting learning more about the Amish way of living.
I didn’t figure out who was behind the missing mason jars until about 75% in; the authors did a great job of keeping the reader guessing. I really enjoyed the WWII element added to the story as well.
I am curious to see what will happen to Cheryl and am looking forward to continuing on with the series.
I found this book at a local thrift store and decided to give it a try based on how the cover caught my eye. I’m glad I did; I am honestly pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Although I had no idea who any of the characters were or what their backstory was, the authors did a good job of bridging those gaps so the reader is not lost, which I definitely appreciate. I look forward to going back and reading the previous books so I can get the entire story.
The story was engaging and relaxing; I enjoyed reading the well written descriptions of life in small town Sugarcreek and about Cheryl and company. Her flawed character is portrayed well and I found myself resonating with her as she tried to find the balance between saying yes/saying no. There is only so much a person can take on before burning out and I liked her journey of trying to figure out what that meant on her own terms. It was interesting learning more about the Amish way of living.
I didn’t figure out who was behind the missing mason jars until about 75% in; the authors did a great job of keeping the reader guessing. I really enjoyed the WWII element added to the story as well.
I am curious to see what will happen to Cheryl and am looking forward to continuing on with the series.
November 7, 2025
3.3 ⭐
Estuvo entretenido. No se hizo tedioso.
Me gustó que Cheryl sí tuvo la culpa por no poner bien la alarma! 😂De todos los días que la pones, no la activas el día en que dejas dinero guardado en la caja fuerte ? Really, Girl? Típico de Cheryl 🙃
Me dió gran satisfacción que atraparan al ladrón y lo arrestaran y no lo dejaran libre porque quería devolver el dinero😁 o sea, quiso devolverlo pq no pudo vender las monedas de WWII, tan de buena fe no era!
En efecto, el culpable resultó ser quien yo me imaginé. Que bueno que el dinero se pudo donar para las cabañas de mujeres maltratadas 🙏🏻 Me gustó eso!
Ahora que recuerdo, no explicaron qué pasó con las fotos de las monedas? o sea siempre sí la máquina se dañó? 🤔 Que pasó con Clara y Leonard después que apresaran a Stephen? Tirria contra Cheryl? Mmmm
No hubo mucho Levi aquí :(
Estuvo entretenido. No se hizo tedioso.
Me gustó que Cheryl sí tuvo la culpa por no poner bien la alarma! 😂De todos los días que la pones, no la activas el día en que dejas dinero guardado en la caja fuerte ? Really, Girl? Típico de Cheryl 🙃
Me dió gran satisfacción que atraparan al ladrón y lo arrestaran y no lo dejaran libre porque quería devolver el dinero😁 o sea, quiso devolverlo pq no pudo vender las monedas de WWII, tan de buena fe no era!
En efecto, el culpable resultó ser quien yo me imaginé. Que bueno que el dinero se pudo donar para las cabañas de mujeres maltratadas 🙏🏻 Me gustó eso!
Ahora que recuerdo, no explicaron qué pasó con las fotos de las monedas? o sea siempre sí la máquina se dañó? 🤔 Que pasó con Clara y Leonard después que apresaran a Stephen? Tirria contra Cheryl? Mmmm
No hubo mucho Levi aquí :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2018
10th book in series. In this story the rundown cottages at the end cul-de-sac of Cheryl's road are be ing refurbished by John-John who she met awhile back with the women's shelter. He is fixing them up for the women and their kids as a safe place to live. While working on one cottage their taking down a wall and find 40 mason jars full of coins. Also a couple v-mail letters in them from WWII. Cheryl takes the coins to the Swiss Miss to put in the safe till monday when the bank opens. Monday comes and someone has broken into the shop and the coins are gone, but not the letters. So now Cheryl's mission is to find the coins and who wrote the letters.
February 24, 2024
This story brings back elements we have seen in other books. we see John-John who we meet in "the Buggy before the Horse". John-John is continuing his work with the Domestic violence shelter by buying and renovating the Cedar Creek Cottages. While doing so they find someone has hidden Mason Jars filled with coins behind a Kitchen wall in one of the cottages. They also find several V-mail letters from World War II. I enjoyed the tie to WWII, my dad served in the war and he would be 104 if he were still alive. This story tells about the struggles the Amish faced if they felt the need to serve but knew it went against their non-valiance beliefs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
I loved the historical aspect of this mystery, trying to tie old coins and letters to someone still alive and in the community. There wasn’t as much of Levi in this book as I would like, but Cheryl still thinks about and is reminded of him a lot. I’m loving to see how Cheryl is working to serve the community as she can, but also is learning to step back when she is feeling overwhelmed. I love the friendship between Naomi and Cheryl, and Esther is a big help in the store, and is also developing her own relationship with Cheryl.
Read
December 2, 2020This book is so good. When you try a reduce a house you don't expect to find thins in the wall. Especially if this might hold up the time line. When the local group wants to do something good by reduce old houses for the poor they come upon some Strang finding. What is all this? Who does this belong to?
August 10, 2023
I am addicted! I usually do not read several books in a series right behind the other but I can't help myself. I want the story to develop now! This book features a mystery revolving around a mystery from WWII. One of the authors has been interested in the history of the war because of her grandfather's service. It added a personal touch to it all.
April 12, 2022
I enjoy the Amish mysteries, the writing left a little to be desired in this one. I know they are all by different authors in this series, some I like much better than others. Overall, still a fun read.
January 11, 2019
Another hit
July 4, 2019
Love this series!!
October 24, 2020
Entered as today as unknown when read.
June 16, 2021
This one has a couple of loose ends, or else subplots that didn't get developed, but overall it was really good.
April 9, 2022
wonderful book
June 24, 2022
I truly enjoy this series. It is a nice easy read. I love Levi's character. He is so patient.
November 16, 2022
I enjoyed the clean and simple plot of mystery. This has been a nice series. Ready for more!
January 4, 2024
Love Tricia Goyer. Read this one in a day and a half. Physical 1-24
January 26, 2024
Enjoying this series
November 24, 2025
Our book for Book Club. Interesting story, but pretty boring read.
September 13, 2016
Jars of coins hidden in a wall--Cheryl & Naomi are trying to solve the mystery of who stole them and who put them in the wall!
January 23, 2017
Another great book in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries series - the simplicity of Amish country, the love of friends, and a mystery surrounding coins from the WWII era. This book also served as a reminder to take care of oneself in order to take care of others - sometimes the best thing you can do is say "no".
August 16, 2016
This is another book in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries series. Cheryl is involved in the renovations of some cottages to be used as safe houses for abused women. One day a number of coin-filled jars are found & Cheryl sets out to find out whose they are.
didnt-finish-didnt-start
August 18, 2022Giving up this series. So irritating. Don’t care for main character, to begin with. She just does one stupid thing after another. So predictable.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews