Matchmaking Can Be Murder

An Amish Matchmaker Mystery #1

by Amanda Flower

Matchmaking can be murder . . .   When widowed Millie Fisher moves back to her childhood home of Harvest, Ohio, she notices one thing right away—the young Amish are bungling their courtships and marrying the wrong people! A quiltmaker by trade, Millie has nevertheless stitched together a few lives in her time, with truly romantic results. Her first mission? Her own niece, widowed gardener Edith Hochstetler, recently engaged to rude, greedy Zeke Miller. Anyone can see he’s not right for such a gentle young woman—except Edith herself.  Pleased when she convinces the bride-to-be to leave her betrothed before the wedding, Millie is later panicked to find Zeke in Edith’s greenhouse—as dead as a tulip in the middle of winter. To keep her niece out of prison—and to protect her own reputation—Millie will have to piece together a patchwork of clues to find a killer, before she becomes the next name on his list . . . Praise for Amanda Flower and her Amish cozies “As it turns out, Amanda Flower may have just written the first Amish rom com.” —USA Today  “Flower has hit it out of the ballpark . . . and continues to amaze with her knowledge of the Amish way of life.” —RT Book Reviews “At turns playful and engaging . . . a satisfyingly complex cozy.” —Library Journal

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

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2019

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

[Natalia R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie Fischer has moved back to Harvest, Ohio after spending ten years in Michigan taking care of her sister. She has two mischievous goats and is known in her community as a matchmaker. Millie doesn't approve of her niece Edith's fiancé and is thrilled when she decides to call off the engagement. When he is found dead the next day in Edith's greenhouse, she immediately becomes a suspect. Millie and her childhood friend Lois work together to find the culprit.

Matching Can Be Murder is a wonderful start to a new series. The plot is engaging, well-paced, and is filled with laugh out loud moments. Millie is a likable and well-developed character. It's always a pleasure to be back in the wonderful town of Harvest, Ohio and I enjoyed seeing it through Millie's eyes. If you're a fan of the Amish Candy Shop mysteries, then you will be pleased to see quite a few familiar faces in this book. I was particularly excited to see Bailey make an appearance and we also learn some interesting news about Charlotte. The murder mystery was well-plotted and I didn't know who the killer was until the reveal. While I didn't love this book quite as much as I did the Amish Candy Shop series, it is still a page-turner and I look forward to the second book. Amanda Flower is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and I highly recommend any of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newest Adventure Details:
Where: Harvest, OH
Who: Millie and gang

I love Harvest and was excited to head back there so soon after Easter. I met Millie briefly on my last trip and was looking forward to getting to know her better! Recently returning from Michigan Millie is back and ready to get back to the business of matchmaking for the Amish community. Her niece Edith Hochstetler is engaged and soon to be married to Zeke Miller. Only problem... Millie has confided in me that the young couple is not a good match, and that Zeke only wants to marry Edith to get control of her greenhouse. Edith decides to call off the wedding. Millie and I are happy to hear about this decision but begin to worry when Edith doesn’t show up for Sunday service. We head to her place and find her in the greenhouse standing of the body of the man she just broke of her engagement to. Millie, her English friend Lois, and I band together to find out the truth…

My thoughts:
Listened to this book on audio for the “hooked on books” feature of my blog, so make sure you check out the blanket that accompanied this read.
Was a little apprehensive about starting a new series about Harvest because I love the candy shop series...but I should have known that Amanda Flower would whip up a fantastic debut! It was nice to see the amazing cast of characters and especially seeing more of Ruth!! I know she is a pain, but I really enjoy her shenanigans. I also liked the addition of Phillip and Peter. They were some funny rascals. So, if you can’t tell I loved, loved, loved, this new series and you will too!! It was a “match” made in heaven!!

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[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower is the first book in the new cozy An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. While this is the first book in a new series it does seem to be a spin off of Amanda Flower’s cozy Amish Candy Shop Mystery however readers do not need to have read the other series to enjoy this one.

Millie Fisher has just moved back to her Amish community in Harvest, Ohio where by trade Millie is a quiltmaker but has always considered herself to be a matchmaker. When she returned to Harvest Millie found that her niece was engaged to the wrong man so she was doing her best to convince Edith to end the engagement.

Just as Edith tells Millie that she has decided to end her engagement however Millie enters Edith’s greenhouse to find Zeke’s body lying on the floor. Of course with news of the ended engagement Edith becomes an immediate suspect so Millie tries to do whatever she can to prove her innocence.

The Amish Candy Shop Mystery series is one that rates right up there in my favorite cozy series so I was excited to begin Matchmaking Can Be Murder and was happy to find it another solid cozy series. The characters are different from the Candy Shop series but still just as fun to follow now with an Amish lead character in the same community. As usual there’s plenty of laughs and a solid mystery to solve so I’ll definitely return for book two in this series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of An Amish Matchmaking Mystery series. It is branched off from Amanda Flowers Candy Shop Mysteries. The story is told as though the main character Millie Fisher is telling readers about, or recalling it from her memories. I loved the humor that went into Millie's account of what happened before the murder and during the police investigation and the amateur sleuthing. I thought the book was entertaining, at times scary, unpredictable, and a page turner. Although I had my own suspicions as to who the murderer was I never could pin it down to one person. It was a surprise when the guilty person was revealed near the end of the book. This mystery kept me on my toes and I was totally drawn into the story.
Millie Fishers niece Edith Hochstetler was a widow and mother of three young children. She ran a greenhouse that had been handed down to her from her late father. She was engaged to marry Zeke Miller in a few weeks. There was something about Zeke that Millie didn't like. She felt Zeke was just marrying Edith to get her business. It didn't seem that he loved her as a suitor who was about to marry someone should. Millie was finally able to convince Edith to break off the engagement and cancel her wedding plans. Everyone was shocked the next day when Zeke Miller was found dead inside the greenhouse. Police ruled it as murder and the search for the killer began. Millie and her friends in the quilting club couldn't help but get involved in the investigation. Who could have killed Zeke and why did they want him dead?
I recommend this book to readers of Amish Fiction and Cozy mystery. Fans of Amanda Flower will enjoy it.
I purchased a copy of this book from Amazon. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[The Cozy Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: An Amish Matchmaker Mystery – Book 1
Author: Amanda Flower
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Older Sleuth
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 336

Publishing Date: December 31, 2019

The first in a series from Kensington Books comes Amanda Flowers cozy series “An Amish Matchmaker Mystery” with the fantastic debut of book one Matchmaking Can Be Murder.

This new cozy series is enchanting. It allows readers to catch a glimpse into the lives of other residents of Harvest, Ohio. This also lets them learn about characters they have only heard about in Ms. Flowers's other Amish series, “An Amish Candy Shop Mystery.” The cast of this new series, Millie, her niece Edith, best friend Lois, and Darcy bring joy to the reader in ways that only a cozy book can. They are well-rounded individuals with normal human emotions, along with faults and flaws that will endear them to the audience. There are even a couple of mischievous goats that are the star of the show.

In this new cozy series, Millie has moved home after a long time away and is trying to integrate back into her Amish community. It isn’t easy to do as she has lived away from her church and family for a long time and has serious guilt over past events that haunt her. But Millie is determined to forgive herself and move forward. When her niece comes to her just before her wedding and decides to cancel the event, Millie is pleased. As a matchmaker, she knows that Edith’s marriage would have been a disaster. But when Edith’s ex-fiancé turns up dead in her niece’s greenhouse, Millie moves quickly to catch the killer and prevent her community from turning against her family.
The writing in this new cozy book is professional and flawless. There are numerous suspects, loads of clues, and even a few red herrings. Descriptions aren’t long meandering drawn-out text that makes no sense or does not move the story forward. There is just enough description to give readers a look into the town and homes, as well as Millie and Edith’s life without being annoying or rambling.

The killer is unmasked, and justice is served. There are no open-ended questions lingering, and no relationship triangles left unresolved. Readers will want to know what happens to each of the characters, and how their lives evolve from where they left off in Matchmaking Can Be Murder. I am thrilled with this new cozy series and can’t wait for the next addition. I hope readers will flock to the stores to get this one!

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Amanda Flower's Amish stories and this new series looks to be great. It is a spin off of the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries and we do get to see an appearance of some of the characters from that series. Millie Fisher has returned to Harvest, Ohio, after living in Michigan for ten years taking care of her ill sister. Her sister has passed on and she is back in Harvest where her niece, Edith, owns and operates her family business, Edy's Greenhouse, left to her by her deceased father. Edith is a widow with three young children and is engaged but having second thoughts. Edith's twin brother Enoch left the Amish faith to pursue an Englisch life so is not in line to own the business. Now, he is in town for a visit. Things become tense around the greenhouse when Edith's fiance Zeke Miller is found dead in the greenhouse, a day after breaking the engagement. Edith is a suspect in his murder. Deputy Aiden Brody from the Candy Shop series is on hand to investigate along Deputy Little. It turns out that Zeke had an Englisch girlfriend, Darcy, who has just opened a cafe on the square. Her grandmother, Lois, is an old friend of Millie and the two unite to solve the murder and prove their girls are innocent. So you have two senior citizens that make a funny couple of sleuths getting into trouble. I am looking forward to seeing more books in the future in this new series.
I received a complimentary ARC from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower is a spin-off from her Amish Candy Shop series and is a promising start in this new series.

I enjoyed getting to know Millie Fisher as she has returned to her hometown of Harvest, OH after having been gone for ten years. Millie is very likable and I enjoyed learning about the Amish culture in her hometown through her eyes. It was delightful to see some old friends of the Amish Candy Shop mysteries, too. However, it was Millie's Englischer friend, Lois, and Millie two goats, Phillip and Peter, who stole the show throughout the book for me. The mystery is a complex one that revealed several suspects and a few twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. I look forward to more of this series from Ms. Flower.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you love tv shows that have crossovers with characters from other shows, well get excited because this book is exactly like that only better! A new series has an Amish matchmaker sleuthing to find a murderer and it is set in the town of Harvest which is the same town that this author's Amish Candy Shoppe series is set in so you already know most of the characters, but are now seeing them from a different perspective! It is definitely a must read book! In fact you have already met Millie, the main character, in the Candy Shoppe series and now she has her own series! We all know that every sleuth needs a sidekick right!?! So what could be better than a flamboyantly non-Amish childhood friend who has recently moved back to Harvest! Polar opposites and yet close friends who are committed to uncovering the truth regardless of the danger they may find themselves in. The variety of characters and personalities is fabulous as they are all well developed and brought to life including that of the animals in the story. I absolutely can't wait for the next book to come out, in the meantime I'll be trying to convince my husband we need goats!!!

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchmaking Can Be Murder is the debut of An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. It is a spin-off of An Amish Candy Shop Mystery series set in Harvest, Ohio with chocolatier, Bailey King operating Swissmen Sweets with the aid of her grandmother and cousin. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Matchmaking Can Be Murder. Millie Fisher is a spry sixty-seven year old woman who is a widow living on her own. Her sister for whom she was caring for the last ten years recently passed away, so Millie has moved back her hometown of Harvest, Ohio. Millie is a warm and likeable protagonist who has two mischievous goats named Peter and Phillip. They are Boer goats who provide many laugh out loud moments especially when chasing the bishop’s wife, Ruth. I like that the author took the time to develop the main characters and establish the setting. She provided us with lavish descriptions which brought the story alive for me. Millie reconnects with her old friend, Lois Henry. The pair are as opposite as they can be, but they make a great team. There are some familiar characters from An Amish Candy Shop Mystery series in Matchmaking Can Be Murder. Juliet Brody and her polka dotted pig, Jethro along with Deputy Aiden Brody, Bailey and a couple of others pop up when Millie is in Harvest. The mystery was thought out and developed. It is a clever whodunit that will have readers guessing up until the reveal (I just loved it). Many armchair sleuths will be surprised by the killer’s identity. Millie and Lois worked to prove Edith’s innocence. Their investigation was entertaining, and I was giggling frequently. I thought it was clever for Lois to nickname Millie the Amish Marple. Matchmaking Can Be Murder is an entertaining cozy mystery that I did not want to end. It was a pleasure to read this story and I am very eager for the next tale in this delightful new cozy mystery series. Millie has a couple of matchmaking requests to handle plus she just matched herself with an adorable kitten named Peaches. Matchmaking Can Be Murder has galloping goats, cavorting kittens, generous gossip, several secrets, and a meddling Amish Miss Marple.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a spin off from Amish Candy Shop series by Amanda Flower. Despite it being in the same town, Harvest, Ohio with some familiar faces it was much slower pace than her other books. I don't know if I like matchmaking theme with a lot of religious teaching into the mix.

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is with Amish Millie a widower and a matchmaker. She has 2 goats Phillip and Peter. The first book in the series is about Millie neice Edith and her fiance Zeke. Edith broke up with Zeke right before the wedding. She decided she did not love him just as wanted a man for her 3 children. Then he died . The knitting group Double Stitch and Millie English friend Lois a woman she has not seen for 20 years decided to help Milie find her killed him. Enoch English Millie nephew got in trouble 10 years ago and he believed Millie has something to do with it. He left the community and now he was back. This series is based on the Candy Shop with Bailey and Deputy Aiden Brody and mostly all the characters from the Candy Shop mysterirs. It is a great book. I will read more in this series
I

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series by Ms. Flower. I thought this was a very entertaining start to a new series. The main character, Millie, is sympathetic and very likable. She is surrounded by a diverse cast of characters, both English and Amish that are poised to add dimension to the stories. This series is a spin-off of the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series. It is set in the same town and some of the characters from that series make an appearance in this story as well. I thought the author did a good job of expanding the world she created in the town of Harvest Ohio. In addition to the human characters, there are two goats owned by the main character that provide comic relief and some help in gathering clues. Millie, who has lived in Michigan for the last ten year, reconnects with some old friends, both Amish and English. Lois, her English friend from childhood, makes a wonderful sidekick and has some great dialogue.

As always, the mystery is well crafted, with a steady plot that keeps the reader turning pages. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and the author drops plenty of twists and turns along with the clues along the way. While the identity of the killer is not a surprise, as he is one of the suspects, it was not a foregone conclusion that this person was the killer.

I am a big fan of Ms. Flower and her books. She has a wonderful gift of creating these wonderful places and populating them with such diverse characters that just draw her readers in and invites them to stay and make some friends of their own. The mysteries are always well crafter and keep me guessing. In short, she crafts stories that hit all the items on my list of a terrific cozy mystery series. I will always return to see what she has in store next for her characters.

I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widowed Millie Fisher moves back to her childhood home of Harvest, Ohio, and immediately is noticed as a Matchmaker in the Amish community. With her uncanny ability to make matches, she knows that her widowed niece, Edith Hochstetler, is engaged to the wrong person, crude and greedy Zeke Miller.

Millie is thrilled when Edith decides to break off the engagement...until she finds Zeke dead in Edith's greenhouse. In an effort to prove Edith innocent, Millie and her childhood friend, Lois, who is English, work to get to the bottom of things before disaster strikes, and Edith is arrested for Zeke's murder.

I wondered about this spin-off from the Amish Candy Shop mysteries. I enjoyed meeting Millie in that series, but I have to admit I didn't think she could hold up a whole series. Boy was I wrong. Millie is a strong character, and she works to make sure things are right in her community, which makes her perfectly capable to being a main character.

Although I like Millie, I have to admit that Lois is my favorite character in this book. She adds so much zest and laughter to the book. As a team, she and Millie are perfect. It was also great to see characters from the Amish Candy Shop books, including Ruth Yoder, who I love seeing in books. There are great descriptions of Amish life in here which give the book great character. The mystery was perfectly drawn, and there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

Matchmaking Can Be Murder is a wonderful start to a new series. Amanda Flower has done it again.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widowed Millie moves back to her childhood home after taking care of her sister for 10 years, she notices that the Amish are having trouble with their courting. She starts putting couples together. She is worried about her widowed niece who is set to get married again and Millie is sure he is the wrong man. Her niece breaks off the engagement and the man is found dead at her greenhouse. Millie and an English friend follow clues that lead to a lot more than murder.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and a cozy read, Amanda has written a great Amish mystery!! Millie Fisher and her english friend, Lois Henry (characters in the book) are an enticing pair, giving the book a light-hearted atmosphere.
Normally, I don't enjoy reading Amish books, but Amanda has changed my opinion on that many times with her complex Amish cozys. Looking forward to more books in this series!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie Fischer has moved back to Harvest, Ohio after spending ten years in Michigan taking care of her ill sister. She has a widowed niece in Harvest and moves back to be close to family and to help her niece if she can. She is known in the Amish community as a matchmaker and is not happy about her niece's upcoming nuptials. She doesn't approve of her niece's fiancé and is thrilled when Edith decides to call off the engagement. When he is found dead in Edith's greenhouse the next day, she immediately becomes a suspect. Millie, and her childhood friend Lois work together to find the culprit.

Matching Can Be Murder is a good start to a new series. I love that many of the characters from the Amish Candy Shop series make cameo appearances in this book. I like the characters of Millie and Lois. They are a hoot together sneaking around to investigate. Lois is an Englischer, so some of the other characters are not very nice to her, but Millie always sticks up for her friend. Millie is a likable and well-developed character, who is smart and uses common sense to find clues. I also loved Millie's two mischievous goats. Amanda Flower always has animals, and rather quirky ones at that, in all her books. These two often chased off people that Millie didn't especially want around. The murder mystery was interesting and well-plotted. I didn't know who the killer was until the reveal, but there were plenty of suspects. This is a good start to a new series and I look forward to seeing what Millie gets into next. Amanda Flower is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and I highly recommend not only this book, but any of her cozy mysteries.

I did a read/listen to this book. The narrator, Vanessa Daniels, did a nice job with this story. This is my first encounter with this narrator. She read the story with expression and used tone and inflection to differentiate characters. I enjoyed the narration, but found it was more of a reading than a performance. I do find this happens when there is only one narrator for a story. I will listen to more books by this narrator. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun new, cross-over series set in Harvest, Ohio in the heart of Amish country. Millie is an Amish widow in her mid-sixties living on her farm with her two rambunctious but playful goats. She has recently returned to her home after caring for her ill, now deceased, sister in Michigan. She has an eye for spotting a good match between a potential couple and doesn't see that combination with her niece Edith and Zeke, her fiancé. When Zeke is found dead is Edith's greenhouse, Millie and her friend Lois are determined to find the real killer.

I was so excited to learn of this series but afraid that the Candy Shop series was ending. Not to worry! You don't have to have read that series to enjoy this book from page one as the author is such an excellent writer. Deputy Aiden Brody is the lead homicide investigator and is engaged to Bailey from Swissmen Sweets. Ruth Yoder, the Bishop's wife also makes several appearances. The characters truly make this book mesh so well. Millie and her Englisch childhood friend Lois are reunited after many years. They are complete opposites in so many ways: dress, makeup, mannerisms, speech and temperament--yet their friendship is solid and they work so well together, respecting each other's ways. The mystery plot had several layers, with several suspects having reasons to want Zeke dead. I also enjoyed the humorous aspects of it, such as children laughing as Millie's goats chased Mrs. Yoder across the fields. I am excited to read more from the series as well as the next installment in the Candy Shop.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is likely a large and devoted audience for this genre of book but unfortunately, it doesn't include me. I found the book somewhat long-winded and drawn out. It took absolutely forever for anything to happen. The "murder" that is mentioned in the title didn't happen until chapter 7. By that time, I'd completely lost interest. The book also had a lot of repetition. For instance, when introducing the members of the Double Stitch quilting club, we are told 3 times in roughly the same number of pages that one of the ladies, Raellen Raber, has 9 children. I know that's a lot of children, but do we have to be told that fact every time that character is mentioned? Apparently so. The characters in the book are Amish, and it was also a little grating that there were occasional Pennsylvania Dutch words thrown around, sometimes capitalized but always italicized. It also really made no sense which words those were. For instance, why would people continually say "gut" (good) and Gott (God) when they are nearly identical to the English equivalents (and everything else they say is in English)? All of these minor annoyances, mixed with the fact that the action in the story was so slow, made this an unsatisfying read for me.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I’ll be honest, I didn’t like this book in the beginning. It took me about a third into the book to start falling in love with the book. I absolutely love Peter and Phillip, they reminded me of my sister’s goats. Millie and Lois had a beautiful friendship! Another hit from Amanda Flower.

[Mr Francy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

TOOK A WHILE TO DETERMINE MY RATING - THE GOOD NEWS IS FLOWERS CAN ONLY GO UP FROM HERE!

PREMISE: We follow Millie who is a Matchmaker in Amish Country. This book is the first in a Sister-Series to the Amish Candy Shop that I adore. Millie's niece drops by to borrow her goats to assist with her greenhouse. Her niece (Edith) is engaged to be wed to a jerk names Zeke, however come Sunday Zeke winds up dead. Lois (Millie's Englisher Bestie) works with Millie to solve the case on who killed Zeke.

CONS: The cozy side (as opposed to the mystery side) really took a hot-minute for me to get into. We'll talk about Lois in the 'Pros' section - but Millie was just a tough character for me to latch onto. In the original series (Candy Shop) we follow an Englisher who is in Amish Country. In this series we follow an Amish woman and the differences were tough for me to wrap my head around. While I love the idea of this being a 'Matcmaking' series, I was also let down by the fact that it wasn't as 'match makery' as I personally would've liked for it to be (don't go in thinking Millie will be seeing a ton of clients and trying to set them up with their perfect match, which was my thought going in). Honestly, this book seemed too negative for my liking and Millie is a character that took me forever to get on board with.

PROS: Lois! Lois! Lois! And one more time for those in the back...Lois! This bestie side-kick character was E-V-ERYTHING for me! I just love her fun attitude to things. From coming up with nicknames for the pair of slueths, to her unabashed ways of showing Millie the advantages of modern day technology in an Amish world, there wasn't one moment (when Lois was present) that I felt let down. I really hope she continues to feature. Also the goats. Amanda Flower is known for her love of animals. So while it didn't surprise me that animals would feature in this series, I was surprised at how attached to goats I could get!

FINAL THOUGHTS: I went into this book automatically thinking it'd get 5 Stars as it's an Amanda Flower book. But I'm actually glad to see it didn't, because it shows that she like all of us is human. I also think this book left a ton of opportunity for growth with the series over-all. I'd love to see the whole 'match making' thing go (a whole lot) further in the next book - after all, it's a 'match making' series and not an 'old biddies and their quilting' series, so only time will tell. Lois is a hoot-and-a-half and I love her dearly. Time will tell where the series goes for me.

RATING: 3 Stars.
xoxo.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! From the adorable goats (ok maybe the bishop's wife doesn't think they're adorable) to the new friendship that matchmaker Millie Fisher built with her childhood friend, Lois. Oh my gosh, they were hilarious sleuths, well Lois was the hilarious one, and they were different as night and day. I loved that she kept calling Millie "Amish Marple".

It was great to see already-familiar characters from the Amish Candy shop series like Juliet, Jethro and Aiden Brody (the sheriff, his mom and her little spotted pet pig who was as much of a stinker as those goats!), as well as Clara and Charlotte from the candy shop. But I definitely really like the new character of Lois and even her granddaughter Darcy. And Millie makes an awesome main character!

I had a feeling I knew who was behind a lot of things, although it played out a little differently. I was actually enjoying reading about the sleuthing more than I was trying to figure out whodunit. I'm so anxious now for the next book!

[Patricia Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amish Matchmaker Mystery #1

A brand new series from Amanda Flower! And if you enjoy a little bit of crossover in your cozy series, this is the one for you!

Our main character, Millie, lives in Harvest, where the author's Candy Shop Series is set, so you'll see a few familiar faces.

Millie is a widow who has recently moved back to her childhood home in Harvest, Ohio. She is a quiltmaker and also a matchmaker. She's quite good at knowing which person should be with the other.

The one person who she really wants to help is her niece, Edith. Edith is a widow with small children and huge greenhouse business. Edith is engaged to Zeke, who is not a likable fellow and may have ulterior motives for wooing Edith.

When Edith tells Millie she has decided to not marry Zeke, Millie is thrilled. Everyone else? Not so much. So when Zeke turns up dead in the greenhouse Millie is sure Edith will be a suspect. Edith isn't going to prison on her watch! But will poking around needle the wrong person?

I have read a few Amish Cozy Mysteries and these are different. The characters are flawed and very funny! Is there such a thing as an Amish Romantic Comedy/Mystery? It seems there is and this is it!

Looking forward to more of Millie!

NetGalley/ December 31st, 2019 by Kensington

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Amish Matchmaking series. Millie Fisher is back in Harvest, Ohio. Millie is looking for a way to tell her niece that she and her soon to be husband aren't right for each other. But to her surprise her niece tells Millie she wants to call off the wedding. However right after her niece breaks off the engagement, her ex fiancé turns up dead in her nieces greenhouse. Millie teams up with her childhood friend, Lois, to prove her niece is innocent.
I really enjoyed this book. I like Amanda Flower's Amish Candy shop series and was excited to see some of the characters from that series in the book. The mystery was well done and I didn't expect who the killer was. I am excited to read more in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun series! I really liked that this series is also set in Harvest so we get cross over with the Amish candy series but we have a different main character. Millie aka Amish Marple is a lot of fun and I love that she’s reconnected with her English friend, they make quite the duo. The story was good and kept me guessing as always. While I’m not the huge animal lover these books make me one, between the goats and the kittens how can you not be. Already looking forward to the next adventure. #readforkimberly

[The Kawaii Slartibartfast · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Another delightful Amish mystery from Amanda Flower!

This one is first in a series featuring Amish matchmaker, Millie Fisher as ND is an absolute delight!

[Kelcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is cute! Millie is a more soft-spoken, but strong MC. She is so pure! If you like the Amish Candy Shop series, then you will enjoy this spin-off. If you haven't read the Amish Candy Shop series, this does well on its own too.

Thank you to Goodreads/Kensington for providing this ARC.

[Annu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, and I especially love Lois, she’s a firecracker and soo funny!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matchmaking Can Be Murder is the first in the An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series.

Millie Fischer has returned to Harvest, Ohio after having taken care of her ill sister after the sister’s passing. Millie has earned the title of matchmaker among the Amish for being to sense who will be the perfect match.

Upon returning to Harvest, Millie finds that her widowed niece, Edith, is now engaged to Zeke Miller. Millie senses that Zeke is not the right one for Edith
Millie doesn’t want to become involved, as Millie felt responsible for Edith’s brother, Enoch, choosing another life. When Millie decides that she needs to try and convince Edith not to marry Zeke, she learns that the marriage is off. The next day, when she goes to visit with Edith, she finds Edith in her greenhouse. Also in the greenhouse is the dead body of Zeke.

Millie soon reunites with her “Englisch” childhood friend, Lois, and they are quick to revive the childhood friendship and set off to clear Edith’s name from the list of suspects.

Another well-written and plotted story from Amanda Flower. The characters are very enjoyable and believable. I particularly enjoyed Millie and Lois reading about the interaction of an Amish and an “Englischer”. Also, it was nice to visit with some of the members of The Amish Candy Shop series. To provide a few laughs are Millie’s pet goats Phillip and Peter with antics.

I will be watching for the next book in this interesting new series.

[Julie Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matchmaker Millie Fisher has just returned to Harvest, Ohio after spending 10 years taking care of her ailing sister. Millie is a widow who lives on her own with an assortment of animals. Two of which are goats with big personalities! Millie is concerned for her niece Edith who is engaged to a man who Millie knows is not a perfect match for Edith. Edith owns and runs a garden nursery, but once she marries, in the Amish culture, her nursery will become her husbands. In fact Edith has already allowed Zeke to start running her business and he has managed to chase off all of her customers and run the business into the ground. Much to Millie's delight Edith has decided to break her engagement with Zeke. When Edith doesn't show for church services one morning Millie has a bad feeling about it and goes to see her niece. What she finds is her niece standing over a very dead Zeke inside one of her greenhouses. From that point on Millie is determined to help clear her niece of murder, and so begins her investigation...and she is not on her own. Millie gets help and advice in her investigating from a very dear and old friend, but first her friend insists that they have code names for each other. Millie soon becomes "Amish Marple". As their investigation progresses the name grows on Millie!

MATCHMAKING CAN BE MURDER is a spin off of the Amish Candy Shop series written by author Amanda Flower. So we see some of our favorite characters such as Sheriff Deputy Aiden Brody, his fiancee' Bailey and of course all of our favorite animals including Jethro the pig and Millie's two very rambunctious goats Phillip and Peter. We are introduced to Millie's childhood friend Lois Henry who happens to be an absolute hoot! Lois is as Englisch as they come, and even though they haven't seen each other in 20 years their friendship is solid. Lois is the perfect partner in solving crime with Millie. Lois's asides totally had me cracking up! She's as wildly attired as Millie is plain and yet they understand each other and have a fond affection for each other. Lois provides the wheels so Millie can get around the district to question suspects. As the plot unfolds and the mystery twists and turns the reader is entertained by both women's antics. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries I definitely recommend reading Amanda Flower's books!

[Chaitra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not one of the people who'd say write what you know, because I'm writing this review and I'm not Amish, I'm not even strictly an Englisher. But also, I'd side-eye anyone who isn't of the community they're writing about especially if I dislike the characters of that community. And I dislike most of Amanda Flower's Amish characters across too many series for it to be coincidental. The Amish could be exactly like Flower's description of them, but then again, she's not Amish and I don't have to trust her. I know this is a mystery and really not that deep (that denouement was plain as day from the beginning and was ridiculous also). But it's still rooted in the Amish community enough for it to feel jarring. I have no issues with Flower's other series, it's just these. But occasionally I forget why it is that I stopped reading these books, considering I do read her other series, and end up writing similar reviews.