Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes [Paperback]

Tamar Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1996 | Series: Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery (Book 2)

Featuring authentic Pennsylvania-Dutch recipes, the second novel in the mystery series featuring Amish innkeeper and amateur sleuth Magdalena Yoder finds Yoder a prime suspect in the murder of a film director. Reprint. LJ. K.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After her first appearance in Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth, dowdy Mennonite innkeeper Magdalena Yoder, 44, remains chaste and abstemious, and still in possession of her keen mind and sharp tongue, which she unleashes upon some Hollywood sleazoids shooting a movie at her country inn, the PennDutch. The murder of an assistant director, whose body is found pinned to a barn post by a pitchfork, shocks everyone. When numbskull local police chief Melvin Stoltzfus suspects Magdalena, the shrewd lady begins to clear her name by interviewing some of the more likely suspects in the nearby town of Hernia, Penn., (pop. 1528). The strength?and the weakness?of this tale is the acid-tongued voice of the heroine, who demonstrates her quick wit at the expense of others (including, here, a star-struck preacher's wife and her own promiscuous sister). But Myers bets too much on the entertainment value of Magdalena's zingers, which, like the heavy-handed contrast between Hollywood trendiness and stolid country values, become tedious. Buoying interest are recipes from the PennDutch kitchen, a sizzling scene in a six-seat outhouse and an impending romance for Magdalena.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Opinionated, irreverent, and often rude, Magdalena Yoder (Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth, LJ 1/1/94) again trades her successful innkeeper status for that of persistent amateur sleuth. Having negotiated an exorbitant sum from a movie company for the use of her famous PennDutch Inn, she then endures obnoxious local hopefuls, argumentative directors, changeable scripts, and, finally, murder. The doltish local police chief blames Magdalena. As a result, she runs to her own defense. Weird characters and a few good recipes accompany the quirky plot, but the key to enjoying this work is to appreciate its exaggerated humor. Recommended.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Signet (July 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451182979
• ISBN-13: 978-0451182975
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #617,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tamar Myers, who is of Mennonite background, is the author of the Pennsylvania Dutch mysteries and the Den of Antiquity series. Born and raised in the Congo, she lives in North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!, January 31, 2004

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes (Paperback)

When a Hollywood production company approaches the prim-and-proper Mennonite innkeeper, Magdalena Yoder, about using her inn as the setting for a movie, the amount negotiated soon wins her over. But, when she finds herself literally flooded with up-tight and immoral Hollywood types, and star struck neighbors, she quickly realizes she has made a mistake. Worse, when the assistant director is found murdered in her barn, with her pitchfork, Magdalena quickly becomes the number one suspect. There's only thing that she can do to protect herself and her inn, and that is to find the murderer, and quick!

A friend tipped me off to the existence of Mennonite mystery writer Tamar Myers, and I quickly got this book (even though it is the second Magdalena Yoder book). I must admit that I was not disappointed! The characters are funny and interesting, and I really enjoyed the setting. Ms. Myers captures the Mennonite/Amish way of thinking beautifully ("I am proud of who I am, but not so proud, mind you, that it's a sin."), but who knew that Mennonites could be so funny? I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lights, Camera, Murder!, May 23, 2005

By 

L. Kelly (Lakewood, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes (Paperback)

Magdelena Yoder, proprietor of the PennDutch Inn in the Amish country of Pennsylvania, is surprised when a Hollywood film crew leases her bed and breakfast to shoot a B-grade movie at the inn. Of course, being a good Mennonite who doesn't go to the movies, Magdelena and the rest of town is thrilled. When the movie's obnoxious assistant director is found murdered (with a pitchfork pinning him to Magdelena's barn wall), Magdalena suddenly finds herself as suspect "numero uno" in the murder. So Magdelena puts her detecting skills to work to find the real murderer, with hilarious consequences.

I found the characters in this book endearing and very funny. Magdelena's Mennonit point of view puts a funny spin on many things the rest of us take for granted. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit to the Amish country, and I look forward to reading more installments in Ms. Myers PennDutch mysteries.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A riveting mystery, September 11, 2004

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery with Recipes (Paperback)

A friend of mine mailed this book to me ~~ and I have to admit that I chuckled my way throughout this book! I've never read or even heard of Tamar Myers. This is the first book I've read of hers and I plan to read the rest of the books in the series.

Prim and Proper Magdalena Yoder is innkeeper of the PennDutch Inn that was in her family for generations. Her sister, Susannah (who Magdalena thinks should have gotten her name instead!) is gorgeous enough and dating the local sheriff who is after Magdalena to make a confession for a murder in her barn. Magdalena knew that she's going to have to figure out who put that pitchfork through the assistant director in her barn, because it wasn't her and she can't get the sheriff to believe otherwise. Hollywood has come to town and Magdalena is right in the midst of the upheaval.

This is written with spry and witty humor ~~ and Magdalena is just great as a detective. It's a fun book ~~ one that you can't really put down till the last page is finished. It's an interesting twist on detective novels ~~ it's more of an old-fashioned type of detective work and not full of the technology whiz that is common in today's mysteries. It's just clean fun and one that I would like to read more of!

9-11-04