A Plain Disappearance

Once again it seems that Chloe Humphrey seems to attract more than just attention, she once again is the common factor in yet another murder in the heart of Appleseed Creek. This brings the total to three and even though she has an air tight alibi, this murder may in fact be the one that ultimately divides the English from the Amish in town. While exploring a deserted barn one early morning after a sleigh ride with her boyfriend, Timothy Troyer, they locate the body of Katie Lambright just under the snow. Signs may point to an accidental death by way of a frozen icicle that is missing just right above when they have found her body, but until they contact the local sheriff, Greta Rose, they won't know for sure. All they know is that she won't like that it will be Chloe once again who has discovered another dead body.

In the third novel in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series by Amanda Flower, A Plain Disappearance once again takes two very different genre's, Amish and Murder Mystery and combines them flawlessly to create something not only unique but unforgettable as well. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to read all of these novels and while there is a common thread running through them, they are each completely different. However with that being said in order to understand the relationships the English have with the Amish people living in Appleseed Creek is necessary to read them in order.

In this one it shows the difficulty that can had whenever a crime takes place within an Amish community. Rather than seek outside intervention, the Amish believe that whatever happens is best dealt within their own community of believers and is God's will. The sheriff utilizes the relationship that Chloe and Timothy have being former Amish residents as a common thread that will allow them to solve the crime and find out just who has murdered Katie Lambright, a young girl who was known for attracted more suitors than she needed. Is it possible that despite all the clues they find, the murderer is someone they don't suspect and resides within the town itself working alongside both English and Amish alike? To find out, you'll simply have to pick up this novel!

I received A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flowers compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are mine alone. This is such an exceptional series because of not only the combination of genres but it really addresses the subject of forgiveness and what happens when the seeds of bitterness are allowed to grow in people's hearts. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to more from Amanda Flower in the future. There are even some great discussion questions included for book groups.

For more information about A Plain Disappearance, Amanda Flower or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

You can also find Amanda Flower on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Plain Disappearance on the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour, please click here. 

The Appleseed Creek Mystery Series Books are listed below:

# 1 A Plain Death
# 2 A Plain Scandal
# 3 A Plain Disappearance

• Series: An Appleseed Creek Mystery
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (September 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433676990
• ISBN-13: 978-1433676994
• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 5.4 x 8.2 inches

A Plain Disappearance

Once again it seems that Chloe Humphrey seems to attract more than just attention, she once again is the common factor in yet another murder in the heart of Appleseed Creek. This brings the total to three and even though she has an air tight alibi, this murder may in fact be the one that ultimately divides the English from the Amish in town. While exploring a deserted barn one early morning after a sleigh ride with her boyfriend, Timothy Troyer, they locate the body of Katie Lambright just under the snow. Signs may point to an accidental death by way of a frozen icicle that is missing just right above when they have found her body, but until they contact the local sheriff, Greta Rose, they won't know for sure. All they know is that she won't like that it will be Chloe once again who has discovered another dead body.

In the third novel in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series by Amanda Flower, A Plain Disappearance once again takes two very different genre's, Amish and Murder Mystery and combines them flawlessly to create something not only unique but unforgettable as well. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to read all of these novels and while there is a common thread running through them, they are each completely different. However with that being said in order to understand the relationships the English have with the Amish people living in Appleseed Creek is necessary to read them in order.

In this one it shows the difficulty that can had whenever a crime takes place within an Amish community. Rather than seek outside intervention, the Amish believe that whatever happens is best dealt within their own community of believers and is God's will. The sheriff utilizes the relationship that Chloe and Timothy have being former Amish residents as a common thread that will allow them to solve the crime and find out just who has murdered Katie Lambright, a young girl who was known for attracted more suitors than she needed. Is it possible that despite all the clues they find, the murderer is someone they don't suspect and resides within the town itself working alongside both English and Amish alike? To find out, you'll simply have to pick up this novel!

I received A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flowers compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Handlebar Central for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are mine alone. This is such an exceptional series because of not only the combination of genres but it really addresses the subject of forgiveness and what happens when the seeds of bitterness are allowed to grow in people's hearts. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to more from Amanda Flower in the future. There are even some great discussion questions included for book groups.

For more information about A Plain Disappearance, Amanda Flower or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower

You can also find Amanda Flower on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

The Appleseed Creek Mystery Series Books are listed below:

# 1 A Plain Death
# 2 A Plain Scandal
# 3 A Plain Disappearance

• Series: An Appleseed Creek Mystery
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (September 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433676990
• ISBN-13: 978-1433676994
• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 5.4 x 8.2 inches

A Plain Scandal - Giveaway and Review

"I don't know how you've been able to worm your way into the affections of the Troyer family, but rest assured that's the only family you will lead from the Amish way!"

Once again those harsh words rung in the ears of Chloe Humphrey, an Englischer who has gained the affections of Timothy and Becky Troyer who have left the Amish faith in favor of an English lifestyle. But no matter how often Chloe and Timothy try to convince the new Bishop Hooley and Deacon Sutter, they remain convince that unless Chloe stays away from the Troyer family, the rest of the Amish community will be forced to shun them.

Despite all her protests, someone else is after the Amish community. Someone is cutting off the beards of Amish men and the hair from the Amish women against their will. This is considered a hate crime by the local sheriff because the Amish women never cut their hair. It's against their religious beliefs and the Amish married men are the only ones wearing beards and now they seem to also be the target of someone's hatred for the Amish. However when an Amish man is found murdered along with his beard being cut off, the risks for the entire community Amish and English have just risen.

However Chloe believes there is a single connection to all the crimes if she can only interview the victims. But with the new Bishop and Deacon controlling the Amish community and advising all to avoid dealing with Chloe, she isn't about to gain much cooperation. Will she be able to solve this latest string of crimes that have found there way into the heart of Appleseed Creek or will she be cast aside by the friends and family she has come to hold dear to her heart?

In the latest novel, A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower, we are once more gifted with a blend of Amish fiction coupled with a murder mystery in the second book in the Appleseed Creek mystery series. I received this book compliments of B & H Publishing Group and Shelton Interactive for my honest review and once again feel in love with the two different types of people living together in the heart of Ohio's Amish Country and admire the friendship that Chloe shares for the Amish people's beliefs. She tries to respect their personal beliefs even if she doesn't understand the harsh reality of being shunned personally. She wants to do whatever she can to help but faces barriers when the Amish refuse to help much in talking with her. I think Amanda Flower did an exceptional job at keeping the pace of the novel engaging but moving forward always keeping you guessing until the final pages of the book for the reveal. For those of you that love Amish fiction and a great murder mystery, trust me and pick up this series! You don't need to read the first book in the series to gain an appreciation for the residents of Apple Creek, but I know you'll be as hooked as I was and will want to pick up A Plain Death too, the first book in the series. This one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my book!

For more information about A Plain Scandal, Amanda Flower, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower

You can also join Facebook to follow Amanda Flower and stay up to date with all her latest novels.

Thanks to the generous folks at Shelton Interactive and B & H Publishing Group, they are providing a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your details to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you've already LIKED the page, leave me a comment there telling me you stopped by to enter the giveaway.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US Shipping Address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

5. "Like" Amanda Flower's Facebook page!

The giveaway will end on March 15th and I will notify the winner of the giveaway by email.

A Plain Death

I absolutely LOVE it when you find a great author that can immediately get you involved as part of her book from the very first page. To me it's a great sign of a talented writer if they can engage you from the beginning and keep you hooked turning pages as fast as you can read them. Success achieved with the latest novel from Amanda Flower, A Plain Death. This is just one of the many that will soon follow in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series and I can't wait for the adventure to continue.

The book introduces us immediately as twenty-four-year old Chloe Humphrey is attempting to find her way to her new home and job in Appleseed Creek, Ohio. As she is getting her bearings thanks to a GPS device that is as lost as she is, she happens upon a young Amish girl, Becky Troyer being harrassed by two English men. Chloe rescues the poor girl and in return Becky kindly guides Chloe to her new location. She learns that Chloe is heading up the new technology department at the local college and soon introduces Chloe to her handy Amish brother, Timothy, who offers to help around Chloe's new home fixing things. But it seems Becky is hiding more than she is willing to let on to Chloe who has become her new hero. When Chloe offers Becky a place to stay with her, she immediately accepts.

Seeing Becky has some issues since leaving her Amish faith, Chloe wants to help her find a new start. She locates a job at a local greenhouse that would be perfect for her. But rather than wait for a ride, Becky "borrows" Chloe's car, even though she doesn't have a license. On her way to the interview, Becky gets into an accident killing the local bishop. It's here that the novel really takes off. It seems that someone has tampered with Chloe's car and that the brake lines had been cut. Who is responsible? Are they after Chloe or Becky? Well to find out, you'll just have to pick up the latest copy of A Plain Death from Amanda Flower!

I received A Plain Death, compliments from B & H Publishing Group and Net Galley for my honest review and I am so glad I picked this one up to review. I love it when a great writer will combine elements from different genre's and create a masterpiece that will grab new readers and make them want even more. Amanda Flowers does that and so much more. I can't wait to pick up the next book in this series, A Plain Scandal, and for those of you that love Christian Amish with a blend of mystery added, then you will LOVE this one. I personally rate it a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on A Plain Death, Amanda Flower and where you can pick up a copy of this latest book today, please click on the links below:

A Plain Death by Amanda Flower

You can stay up with the latest books from Amanda Flower by clicking here for her Facebook page.