A Plain Death: An Appleseed Creek Mystery [Paperback]

Amanda Flower (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2012 | Series: An Appleseed Creek Mystery

Welcome to Appleseed Creek, the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, where life is not as serene as it seems.

While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24-year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty to Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.

While driving Chloe’s car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish elder. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car’s cut brake line.

Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky’s handsome Amish-turned-Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God’s help, they’ll solve the mystery that’s rocking this small community.

Editorial Reviews

Review

 "Amanda Flower's novel, A Plain Death, has everything any fan of Amish fiction enjoys-an endearing heroine, a wonderful cast of Amish and English characters, and an intriguing mystery to solve. Amanda's smooth writing style and clever touches of humor instantly caught my attention. I read the book in one sitting, and am already anxious to read the next Appleseed Creek Mystery."

Shelley Shepard Gray, USA Today and New York Times best-selling author

About the Author

Amanda Flower is an academic librarian for a small college in Ohio and grew up visiting the state’s Amish Country with her family. An avid traveler, she has taken recent trips to Slovakia, Ireland, Israel, and Great Britain. Her 2010 debut, Maid of Murder, received an Agatha Award nomination for Best First Novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (July 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433676974
• ISBN-13: 978-1433676970
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amanda Flower, an Agatha-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she'd found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Her debut mystery, Maid of Murder, was a 2010 Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel and the first in a series featuring amateur sleuth India Hayes. In July 2012, Amanda will debuting her second mystery series, the Appleseed Creek Mystery Series, which is set in Ohio's Amish country. In addition to being a mystery author, Amanda is an academic librarian for a small college near Cleveland. Visit her online at www.amandaflower.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting New Series! June 18, 2012

By Michelle

Format:Paperback

I have a new author on my radar and I am not about to let her out of my sight! Amanda Flower has written a fantastic book! I must say I simply adored this book. It follows Chloe Humphrey, a twenty-four year old computer techy, who takes a job in the small quaint town of Appleseed Creek, Ohio. Right from the start Chloe realizes this small town may not be so small after all. As she is driving along a rural road she sees a young girl in distress. The girl is being accosted by two men who seem to want to do harm. Chloe intercedes and scares the men away. And so it begins.... Chloe finds out that the girl is Becky Troyer, who is Amish and is leaving home. Becky asks to stay with her and Chloe agrees for a few days. She seems harmless and Chloe likes her from the get go. Besides, she knows no one in town so this is a start. Becky promises to find a job and she is determined to do so. She gets an interview at a local greenhouse and decides to borrow Chloe's car without her knowledge to get there. Never mind that she has no license, she wants this job! On the way to the interview tragedy occurs. The brakes go out on the car, and Becky is unable to stop going down a hill and slams into a horse and buggy killing the beloved Bishop Glick. Shocked and horrified Becky manages to only receive a broken arm. Becky is in a heap of trouble. Chloe and Timothy Troyer, who is Becky's brother, rush to her defense. Chloe knows her car was in proper driving condition so what happened? After some investigation, it's discovered that the brake line was cut. Who would do such a thing? As the mystery deepens and I was drawn into the investigation, I quickly realized everything was not what it seemed.....

A Plain Death has it all- mystery, intrigue, and a cast of characters that you will think about long after the last page is turned. Throw in Timothy, a handsome suitor for Chloe, and you have a recipe for a prize winning book. Amanda Flower has cooked up a real winner and I can't wait for seconds!

This book was provided to me from B&H Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars charmingly appealing July 16, 2012

By D. Love

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

After an encounter with some bullies, Chloe is on her way to her new life, new home and a new roommate. When her roommate is injured in a car accident with a fatality, the cops discovers that Chloe's brakes were tampered with and now Chloe is on the search for a killer.

What a great read. This story had plenty of action and suspense that kept me turning the pages. The tone was very comfortable and the author did a good job at diverting my attention that kept me guessing as the story moved along. Chloe is a great character, strong yet vulnerable as is Becky, one of the secondary cast in this charmingly appealing and wonderful series. This debut mystery is a great beginning to what I hope is a long-running series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Plain Death July 6, 2012

By Amish1949

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoy reading Amish mysteries, and I really enjoyed reading this first book of the series-An Appleseed Creek Mystery by Amanda Flower-it was awesome! I had a hard time putting this book down,wanting to find out "who did it", I had a few clues,but then there was a twist or a turn in the plot, and I just had to read on till' I finished the book...and that was late last night! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, can't wait!