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Mysteries Of Lancaster County #10
A Slowly Developing Story
When Lauren Collier sells a vintage camera from her late grandfather’s estate to Secondhand Blessings, Elizabeth opens the back and is surprised to discover an undeveloped roll of film inside. After Elizabeth tells Mary about the film, with Lauren’s permission, Mary offers to get the roll processed, and the prints she had made reveal a mystery involving a local Amish man who mysteriously disappeared decades earlier. Can Elizabeth help Lauren discover who this mystery Amish man is and how he is connected to Lauren’s grandfather? Could it be possible that Lauren has family in the Amish community? Meanwhile, Mary gets involved with making baked goods for Lancaster County’s Helping Hands program, which is hosting a fund-raiser to aid foster children. However, Mary’s repeated failed attempts at baking only tempt Martha to take over the project herself—an unwelcomed proposition, to say the least! Can Martha and Mary set aside their differences long enough to help Elizabeth solve a decades-old mystery?
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 22, 2021
A great cozy mystery centering around decades old film found in a camera from an estate liquidation.
Sisters Martha, Elizabeth and Mary own a thrift shop: Secondhand Blessings. They help out friend Laura who is clearing out her grandfathers house. The mystery begins when old photos are able to be processed but are then stolen. The plot thickens when Lauren has a break in and the sisters try to figure out what secrets the photos hold.
This is an interesting plot with a peek into the relationship of the sisters and how old secrets can affect the present. An enjoyable visit to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with a little light romance thrown in. I especially liked Mary and her adventures in baking.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Sisters Martha, Elizabeth and Mary own a thrift shop: Secondhand Blessings. They help out friend Laura who is clearing out her grandfathers house. The mystery begins when old photos are able to be processed but are then stolen. The plot thickens when Lauren has a break in and the sisters try to figure out what secrets the photos hold.
This is an interesting plot with a peek into the relationship of the sisters and how old secrets can affect the present. An enjoyable visit to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with a little light romance thrown in. I especially liked Mary and her adventures in baking.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
January 18, 2021
Lauren Collier finds an old antique camera in her grandfather’s house after he passes away. She brings it into the Classen girls (Elizabeth, Martha,Mary) second hand shop, Secondhand Blessings for them to sell. While looking it over they find that there is a roll of undeveloped film inside it.
They get the film developed. There are some photos of an Amish person, a farm house and some war photos. While looking at them they get stolen from the shop. It’s up to the girls to find the photos and try to solve who the Amish man is. Lauren is trying to go through her grandfathers but has several break ins.
Do the girls find out who the Amish man is in the photo? What about the breaking do find out who is doing it what they want from the house?
This was a book that was hard to put down once I started to read it. I laughed and cried through it!
They get the film developed. There are some photos of an Amish person, a farm house and some war photos. While looking at them they get stolen from the shop. It’s up to the girls to find the photos and try to solve who the Amish man is. Lauren is trying to go through her grandfathers but has several break ins.
Do the girls find out who the Amish man is in the photo? What about the breaking do find out who is doing it what they want from the house?
This was a book that was hard to put down once I started to read it. I laughed and cried through it!
February 24, 2021
This was is a great cozy mystery! I really liked each of the sisters! I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery along with them. I look forward to reading more books like this!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
June 23, 2025
This is set in the Amish, closely-knit community of Bird-in-Hand in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Three Mennonite sisters - Elizabeth, Martha, and Mary Classen - have married and moved away, but when their mother dies and leaves them the family farm (their marriages have ended for a variety of reasons), they move back home. They refurbish the house and barn and open a needed thrift shop - Secondhand Blessings - housed in the old barn. A Slowly Developing Story (apt title, eh?) begins when one of their neighbors, cleaning out her grandfather's house after his death, discovers an old camera in his effects and brings it to them to sell. But there is undeveloped film in the camera, which, upon closer inspection, dates back to the 1940's. The sisters contact a local photographer and arrange to have the film developed. But seeing the pictures creates an entirely new mystery: they recognize one of the men in the pictures, an Amish neighbor who has been missing for nearly seventy-five years. What happened to him? Authors Shaen Layle and Nancy Mehl have created a very "cozy" mystery here, and it's very engaging.
February 1, 2021
Sisters, Elizabeth, Martha, and Mary Classen, own Second Hand Blessings thrift store. When their friend, Lauren, sells them a vintage camera from her grandfather's estate, the old film inside brings to light some unusual pictures. Will they give light to a decades old mystery of the disappearing Amish man? Is he connected to Lauren in some way?
I love how this book was written. It gave enough background that the book is a standalone even though it is part of a series. The characters were well developed and the storyline was easy to follow. I love how the characters and sisters interacted with one another. It was a book that once you started it was hard to put down. A received a copy through the author and publisher. A positive review was not required.
I love how this book was written. It gave enough background that the book is a standalone even though it is part of a series. The characters were well developed and the storyline was easy to follow. I love how the characters and sisters interacted with one another. It was a book that once you started it was hard to put down. A received a copy through the author and publisher. A positive review was not required.
March 1, 2021
Fun read!
I enjoy these cozy mystery stories. I love the Lancaster setting, and have visited there several times. I really like the characters of the three sisters, and their differences and individual talents. It's always fun to try to solve the mystery, and the authors did a great job to keep you guessing throughout the story. I look forward to reading more books in this series, and following the Classen sisters on their next mystery adventure.
* I received a copy of this book from the authors/publisher. All opinions are my own.
I enjoy these cozy mystery stories. I love the Lancaster setting, and have visited there several times. I really like the characters of the three sisters, and their differences and individual talents. It's always fun to try to solve the mystery, and the authors did a great job to keep you guessing throughout the story. I look forward to reading more books in this series, and following the Classen sisters on their next mystery adventure.
* I received a copy of this book from the authors/publisher. All opinions are my own.
February 14, 2021
This takes place in February. The story involves pies, photographs, missing people, a storm, a car accident, and a door. The mystery was fun until the end. I liked some of the ending, but I was hoping something would happen differently. The baking was fun, too, mostly. There were a few things that bothered me about some of the relationships and characters behaviors.
March 30, 2021
What a great cozy mystery with sisters Elizabeth, Mary and Martha. How can you not fall in love with these characters. The sisters all have small nuisances that the others do to irritate them, but they are there for each other no matter. A roll of film that can cause such a mystery! You won't want to miss this read. You won't be disappointed.
February 24, 2021
A relatable cast of characters, some history, poignant moments & humor made this an intriguing story. Who would have thought that an old roll of film in a camera could have such a big impact on so many individuals. Looking forward to another book in this series.
March 14, 2022
When film from an old camera brought to Secondhand Blessings gets developed, the pictures open up a door to the past that someone else doesn't want shown. Everyone has secrets, but they are not all bad. A resolution to a family mystery changes several different lives in different ways.
February 22, 2021
Loved it. Great story. I enjoyed the whole thing about it.
February 22, 2021
This mystery is wrapped up in a normal, everyday world. It feels like something that could happen in my life or a friend's life. It was fun solving the mystery with the characters.
February 23, 2021
This book held my attention with the story. Thought I figured out who the missing son was not was surprised when it was someone else
March 31, 2021
Shaen Layle and Nancy Mehl have written a fascinating story in The Mysteries of Lancaster Series. The three sisters, Elizabeth, Martha and Mary, run their store called SecondHand Blessings and try to help their friend Lauren after her Grandfather passes away. When a mystery presents itself in the disappearance of some pictures from an old camera of his, the sisters dig in to solve the mysterious happenings. With everyday problems of life and a little bit of romance woven in the sisters all learn some life lessons about themselves and about God as well. I enjoyed this book and I recommend itto all who like mysteries. I received a complimentary copy of this book from one of the authors with no requirement for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews