True Confections

An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery #1

by Ruth Hartzler

When her husband of thirty years runs off with a college student named Cherri, Jane Delight returns to Pennsylvania to work in her Amish sister's cupcake store. Having lost everything in the divorce, Jane now finds herself sharing an apartment with two elderly ladies and their quirky cat. 
But there is no time to despair. A man is murdered in the cupcake store, and now Jane and her sister, Rebecca, are the prime suspects. Enter brooding detective Damon McLeod, a Scot with a tragic past and a desire for justice. 
Can Jane solve the murder, wrangle her new roommates, and stop herself from falling for the detective?
Or will she never get her new life on track?

BONUS: 2 Amish Recipes Included!

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

276 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2019

About the author

USA Today Best-selling author Ruth Hartzler spends her days writing, walking her dog, and thinking of ways to murder somebody. That's because Ruth writes cozy mysteries and adventures.
She is best known for her archaeological adventures, for which she relies upon her former career as a college professor of ancient languages and Biblical history.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nachdem Jane vollkommen überraschend von ihrem Ehemann nach 30 Ehejahren sitzengelassen wurde, zieht sie zunächst in ihr Heimatdorf, wo auch ihre Zwillingsschwester Rebecca lebt. Rebecca ist eine Amische, wohingegen Jane die Gemeinschaft mit 16 verlassen hatte. Jane bezieht mit zwei älteren Damen und einem Kater eine kleine Wohnung über dem Cupcake-Laden ihrer Schwester. Und kaum dort, geschieht in dem Laden ein Mord und Jane und ihre Schwester geraten unter Mordverdacht. Klar, dass Jane mit der Hilfe der beiden älteren Damen den Mord aufklären muss!
**
Ich hatte so einen Spaß an diesem Buch; herrlich!
Die Geschichte ist herrlich schräg, sehr amüsant, dabei aber auch spannend und irgendwie auch lehrreich, denn ich habe einiges über das Leben der Amischen erfahren, das mir zuvor noch nicht bekannt war. Das war sehr interessant!
Die Charaktere mochte ich auch uneingeschränkt. Sowohl Jane und ihre Schwester Rebecca, als auch die beiden älteren Damen, die immerzu übereinander sticheln, aber auch nicht ohne den anderen sein können. Und dann ist da auch noch der Detektiv aus Schottland...
Es passte einfach alles für mich, so dass ich mich bestens unterhalten gefühlt habe. Ich hoffe, es wird noch viele Bücher aus dieser Reihe geben!

[beachbum bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

looking forward to book two! For more thoughts on this book and other cozy mysteries please subscribe to my Youtube channel!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDn4...

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this delightful murder mystery book. Not that I think of murder as delightful, but in the way new to me author Ruth Hartzler told the story. I loved the lead character Jane Delight, although the circumstances that bought her to her twins sister's cupcake shop weren't of a delightful nature. The two elderly sisters, Eleanor and Matilda, both in their eighties kept things going along at a lively pace as they used their sleuthing skills to gather much needed clues to lead them to the real murderer. All the characters played their roles rather well but cute cat Mr Crumbles really licked the frosting off the cupcake, when it came time to stop the real murderer in their tracks before they could kill again.
This book is waiting to be read by all readers of Cozy mystery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I wasn't able to guess whodunit. Oh I thought I knew but I was wrong. That, my fellow sleuths , is what makes a murder mystery really good!!!
I downloaded a Kindle ebook copy of True Confections from Amazon. A favorable review was not requested. All of my opinions expressed here in this review are my own .

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an audio copy of True Confections from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I think the narrator did a good job with a variety of male and female characters including one male character with a Scottish accent. There were two instances where the Scottish accent was "bobbled" and was just off (almost sounded Asian).

This is not truly an Amish mystery despite being set in a town with Amish background characters and the author sprinkling in a few details about Amish life. The story features a formerly (over 30 years) Amish main character and her two non-Amish roommates.

Characters: I almost gave up on the book in the first chapter because we have a doormat main character whose husband dumps her and takes her to the cleaners. She's left with nothing and despite having been college educated and lived with an attorney for 30 years, she doesn't do anything to get her share of their estate. I so don't need to read another series with a character like this, but I gave it a chance. Despite being younger than me, and, again, having been out of the Amish community for 34 years, she insists on being called MISS because she's divorced. Was the author trying to be funny because the character's last name is Delight, so Miss Delight??? I would really think any modern woman of 50 would lean toward Ms. Why is the lead detective Scottish??? We learn nothing about him. Why does one of the elderly roommates always have curlers in her hair? Someone in her 80's would have been raised in a time when a proper woman wouldn't go out in curlers. Plus, she's a world traveler, she's not some hick.

Repetition: OMG, so much was said over and over. Had to be baptized or be shunned was stated slightly differently three times in a row by the same character. It couldn't be Rebecca because she's Amish, the Miss thing and more.

I do not understand all the positive comments about the cat. Mr. Crumbles added nothing to the story for me.

Jane's encounters with the mysterious person and the killer was the final disappointment. She takes everything at face value, questions nothing and doesn't pay attention to her instincts.

[Norma Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good cozy mystery

This book was fun and easy to read. Very interesting characters and a good plot. Mr. Crumbles was a good distraction and books are always better with Pets.

[Debi Paglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book that I’ve read by this author and I throughly enjoyed it. Good flow of the writing made it an easy read. Great kooky characters. I really enjoyed reading about the Amish traditions. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, well-written mystery with a like-able female protagonist.

[Stacy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I don't often read cozy mysteries but this cat could be my cat's twin! I really like the friendships in this and how over the top it all was. It was silly, but cute and enjoyable.

[Kellie O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good cozy mystery with lots of twists and turns. It kept me guessing who the murderer was until the very end!! I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫

[Katrina G · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was expecting this to be a fun little mystery, and let me tell you. It wasn't fun. It was a chore. I wanted to DNF this at just 2% in, but I needed it for a reading challenge, so I had to power through.

First of all, if I would have taken a shot of alcohol every time Jane corrected someone that her name started with Miss and not Mrs, I'd probably be deal from alcohol poisoning. It got real old real quick.

Second of all, Jane and her sister are supposed to be 50, but this whole thing read as if it was written by a 16 year old pretending to be an adult.

The dialogue wasn't great. It wasn't even that it was cringe worthy (because trust me, it was) but it was just written poorly. Refer to my second point made as to why I think that is

This is the first cozy mystery I've ever read, and I gotta say, it doesn't do anything to convince me to read any more of the genre. Luckily other 1 and 2 star reviewers of this have mentioned that they enjoy cozy mysteries, just not this one specifically, so I'm willing to give the genre another chance. I honestly don't think I could read anything worse than this

[Sandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. While it is identified as Amish, I wouldn't have identified it that way. The main character, Jane, was raised Amish but left and has now returned to a community that includes her Amish family. But she isn't Amish.
This is a well-written cozy mystery with interesting and quirky characters. The potential love interest fits in well. The main reason I didn't rate it higher was Jane's back story. She comes 'home' because when her husband divorced her, he left her penniless. Unfortunately, the circumstances described don't support this situation. I wish the whole 'penniless' thing had just been left out. It makes Jane look stupid and hopelessly inept. Regardless, I enjoyed the rest of the story and am looking forward to the next book.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a jerk Jane was married to! She was well rid of that guy, but it sure stunk how he told her he wanted a divorce. I just loved the older sisters that she ended up with roommates after moving to Pennsylvania to help her Amish twin sister with her bakery. Jane definitely never expected murder, intrigue and sleuthing out a murder with a couple of Miss Marple wannabes when she moved to her sister's town though.

I just loved the cat, Mr. Crumbles who belonged to the sisters. He was definitely handy to have around when meeting up with a killer! I'll be reading more in the series for sure. Two yummy-sounding Amish recipes were included at the end of the book.

[Alaina]

rtc

[Pamela Pavkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Confections is the first whodunnit written by Ruth Hartzler in her An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery series. This story will keep you guessing until the end as to who committed the crime. There are lots of suspects and each could have committed the crime for different reasons. This story moves at a great pace and will keep your interest. When I was done reading the story the reason for the cover explains itself.

The characters are very likeable and realistic. I felt so bad for the way Jane's life turned out. Her exhusband was a real cad. I enjoyed the quirky characters of Matilda and Elanore they kept the story very lively. The author has done an excellent job developing her characters.

I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached by anyone to post a favorable review. I have rated this book with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others who enjoy both the Amish and Mystery genres.

Congratulations to Ruth Hartzler for writing another fantastic story for her readers enjoyment and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Sanderella · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining and delightful cozy mystery!! The characters meshed together very well, and the cat seemed to know just what needed to be done. I couldn't put this book down--I even read while I was cooking supper.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was actually excited to read this one (i love true crime and mystery stuff) but it was somehow so bizarre while also being incredibly boring.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay story, but there were too many repetitive remarks...a memorable one was when everyone insisted on calling Jane Mrs., she'd immediately correct them and then they'd right away say Mrs. again.

I enjoyed the relationship between both set of sisters, but the older ones Jane's sharing an apartment with were a hoot.

I think some other parts were meant to be comical, such as the detective bowing to the Amish, but I didn't find them funny.

The way the story ended was a bit cringey...at least to me. I hate when the guilty person foolish spills everything.

The narrator was nice to listen to and did a good job for the different voices. I might give the next book a try, since they aren't very long.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll have to look at her other cozy books after reading this.

I'm not normally big on mystery, but this cozy Amish was enjoyable, not intimidating, had twists and turns, and kept me interested until the end. Especially the cat. 🐾

I was worried given the synopsis that the author turn it into a romance, but such was not the case. It was simply a crush.

I recommend!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, quick read

Not very obvious what the ending will be, which is great for a mystery! Nice book, quick read, good characters. End escalated quickly. Overall a good story.

[Wasanaa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable cozy mystery with a taste of Amish life and introduces a quirky cast that makes you curious to know more.

[Sandra Schlichter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read !

I loved the story, I could feel myself being pulled into the story, and into the lives of Jane, Matilda and Eleanor , even Mr. crumbles , it kept me riveted and interested, the plot twist at the end was a surprise, no doubt, just when you're convinced who the murderer is, you get a surprise!

[Johnny · Rating 2 out of 5]

True Confections: An Amish Cupcake Cozy had all the elements that I’ve enjoyed in other cozies set in Amish country: cultural tension and misunderstandings, romantic tension, and memorable characters. Unfortunately, the latter, a pair of elderly sisters who act anything but elderly, have a stereotypical eccentricity (interests, naivete, and uncomfortable outspokenness) but their sibling rivalry lacks authenticity in that they seem to enjoy spending time together regardless of your constant verbal sparring and hurt feelings.

In this introductory novel to what might become a better series than its opener, the twin sister of an Amish woman has resettled in her old hometown. Her Amish sister, Rebekah, is married, devout to the Ordnung of her community, and successful in her bakery that specializes in (I’m sure you guessed from the cover) cupcakes. Rebekah has allowed Jane (wouldn’t you think one biblical name for a twin would have called for a second biblical name instead of something out of ‘50s-era reading primers?) to live in the apartment above the bakery for a small fee. There is a string attached, though. The string is that she must room with the afore-mentioned pair of eccentric sisters. Jane is, as one discovers early on in the story, divorced and carries the pun-inducing moniker, Delight, as her married name. Pretty nice for someone who works in a bakery!

The bakery plays a key role in the story as the expected murder is a poisoning and, guess what he was eating when he died? That’s right, one of Rebekah’s cupcakes. Naturally, the reader is thrust into a plot where Rebekah and Jane are suspects and both seem to have a motivation to have “offed” the victim. That leads to Jane’s motivation to solve the mystery and the elderly sisters jump in purely out of their insatiable curiosity (and perhaps, naïve egotism).

All in all, True Confections unfolds as predictably as one would remove a sheet from the closet and begin making one’s bed. Yet, the conclusion seems rushed, at least one confession doesn’t seem quite credible (in terms of it being given and where it was given in the context of the novel), and, although the deus ex persona (as opposed to ex machina) that resolves a tricky situation seems way to convenient and contrived. In all fairness, this contrived event is set up reasonably well. The event itself is predictable; it’s consequences aren’t quite so predictable (or reasonable).

Still, True Confections is a light and entertaining start to what might become a popular series. It just isn’t as good as some of the cozies I usually read for my guilty pleasures.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've purchased each book in this series and have read some a couple of times already. It's just a fun super clean series with laughs and mystery and very low key romance which is a plus. Jane is in her fifties and Eleanor and Matilda are in their 80's and all three women are thriving. It's so refreshing to see an author write about the older generation without mentioning arthritis or being tired or needing a nursing facility. If Ruth Hartzler writes anymore in the Amish Cupcake Mystery series it will be an automatic purchase. I absolutely love all the book covers in this series to!

[Karmen Solmos · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐ I needed a break from heart-breaking romance so I decided to try a cozy mystery. Overall, it was an easy read and following the characters try and solve the murder was fun. Not the most intellectual book, but it gave me the break I was looking for.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not get past the 1st page. If you like woman who are doormats, this book is for you! Sick and tired of meek main characters who cannot speak up for themselves. We should not be celebrating this!

[Kay Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRUE CONFECTIONS by Ruth Hartzler is the first book in An Amish Cupcake Cozy Mystery series. It’s the story of Jane Delight as she turns 50 and her life starts to gets interesting.

The story opens with Jane being taken to a French restaurant for what she thought was a celebration for her 50th birthday. She soon finds out it’s so her husband can give her the news that he’s divorcing her for a much younger woman who just happens to be pregnant with his child.

Devastated, Jane finds out she has no home and no money (due to the prenuptials) as well as no skills for a job since she hasn’t worked outside the home in like 30 years.

Jane left the Amish at the age of 16. However, her identical twin sister, Rebecca remained. She is the owner of the cupcake store in town with a rental apartment above it. Jane moves into the already rented apartment with the blessing on her soon to be roommates, Eleanor and Matilda Birtwistle - who are off on an adventure, and starts working in her sister’s shop helping with the baking and at the counter. Soon after the elderly sisters return, with Mr. Crumbles, their new quirky cat in tow,

Rebecca and her husband, Ephraim, are one of two shop owners that have been badgered to sell their establishment by Colin Graves who needed them both to have all the land for his development. On a visit to their store with another offer, Colin drops dead after eating one of the sample cupcakes.

Through the investigation of Detectives Damon McCloud and Carter Stirling, Jane becomes their number one suspect. Now it’s up to the sleuthing Britwistle sisters and Jane and her twin sister to prove them wrong.
Ruth Hartzler did a wonderful job of keeping this cozy interesting and fun. She keeps you turning the page to find out what happens next to see how Jane gets out of this predicament while having you smile at the antics of Eleanor, Matilda and Mr. Crumbles - who definitely fits right in with his new owners. Loved the way she worked in the references to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries. I’m excited to try the Amish recipes included in the back of the book.

I would recommend TRUE CONFECTIONS to anyone that loves a clean cozy read that has you trying to figure out the clues before the reveal while making you laugh and scratch your head a few times along the way.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice start for a new-to-me cozy mystery series!

I enjoyed how most of the characters were my age: Jane, the MC, Jane's twin sister Rebecca. Secondary characters Matilda and Eleanor, adventurous octogenarian sisters, are charming. Matilda is a big fan of Miss Marple and Eleanor is constantly in hair curlers, and the sisters are world-wide travelers. Several fun scenes of Matilda, Eleanor, and Jane out investigating the death of a local developer, who died after being poisoned with wolfsbane. The developer was pressuring Rebecca, a member of the Amish community, to sell her cupcake shop as he had big plans for a new shopping center and Rebecca was one of two holdouts.

The usual cozy mystery tropes are here: the divorced MC, the cop love interest, the death off-screen. I learned several things regarding wolfsbane/aconite (without feeling as if I was hit over the head with the information). The PA Dutch was accurate (with bonus points for the Amish characters not speaking in a stilted way, which I've seen in at least one Amish-themed cozy mystery series).

Looking forward to reading more books in this series.

[Tracy Condie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series starter with some excellent character voicing by the narrator. I was intrigued by the idea of a former Amish member going back and being a part of an Amish community or as an active part of the family. Having read other Amish related cozies, that had aspect had not been introduced. I also like that the yummy recipes were included in the audio version, looking forward to some soft bottom shoefly pie. The older sisters, Matilda and Eleanor were a hoot and a half and nicely balance out Jane and Rebecca. Oh and what a perfect last name for Jane, bake store employee with the last name Delight! And everyone should remember by the end of the story that it is Miss Delight, thanks to her good for nothing ex-husband who broke her heart and essentially left her broke on her birthday. I can relate to Jane in a number of ways but thank goodness, that is not one of them! Looking forward to reading the remaining 5 novels since this one now has me hooked!

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, fun and entertaining. I love cozy mysteries. This one was no exception. I had so much enjoyment out of watching Jane Delight go back to family, find new friends and a new passion for life. She becomes an amature detective. She returns to Pennsylvania after a failed marriage of 30 years. She ends up sharing an apartment with two feisty women and their cat.

I enjoyed the writing and the narration. I would most certainly find other books/audios with this author and the narrator.

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane husband decided to end with Jane over 30 years of marriage to be with a 25 year old named Cherry. Cherry was having his baby. Jane husband said I cannot give you any money so why don't you love with sister Rebecca. The only thing with that is Jane sister is Amish. (Jane was Amish until 16). Rebecca has a cupcake store and Jane did move there. Jane roommates were 2 older sisters that like to sluth. Mr Crumbles is the cat the older sisters found. Colin was trying to buy out a lot of people in town. Colin was posoined in the Cupcake shop. Now Jane her sister Rebbeca and the older ladies need to find out done it.
This was a fun book to read. I will read 2nd book.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and quirky cozy mystery for me and I really enjoyed it. It was a quick read for me but exactly what I was looking for. Hope to see more in this series as we just got a glimpse of these characters and I’m interested in seeing how the author develops their stories. I really enjoyed the narrator as well.