Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth

This author is a stone-cold riot! I have read her other books, Den of Antiquity, and have found the same thing to be true: she knows how to write humor. I find myself giggling throughout most of her books but, at times, I find myself laughing my head off at some scenario or another. Her strong suite is describing those times when screaming begets screaming which begets more screaming which begets even more screaming. She has a style that is rare and I really enjoy reading her. I find myself reading passages over and over to myself and then grabbing my husband to read them to him. He, who is very picky, says she is a good writer. You will enjoy everything about "Mags" and her trials and tribulations. Be ready to giggle.

Magdalena Yoder is the owner of the PennDutch Inn, located Hernia, Pennsylvania. When deer-hunting season arrives, so do a group of animal rights activists who are vegetarians. This frustrates the meat-loving cook, Freni Hostetler, and she quits. Soon afterward, a guest (who looks like a moth, according to Magdalena) is discovered dead on the stairs. But was it foul play or a fatal fall? Magdalena disarms you with her humor, saying that Melvin Stolzfus looks like a praying mantis, and says when somebody is talking about him, "Praying mantises eat their mates," and then the person says "Pardon me?" and Magdalena says quickly, "Never mind." This happens frequently throuhgout the story. Magdalena will say something that she is thinking and then the person to whom she is talking will say "Pardon me?" or "Excuse me?" Another one of the things Ms. Yoder says is "I plead the fifth amendment", but I don't want to spoil any more of the humor, or the broth. A must-read for....everyone.

Bought the book yesterday and finished it today! I laughed when I saw what is probably her real family's cameo in the book - her husband as the vacationing Chief of Police, and his wife, who is, obviously, our author... Mrs. Myers has a very clever way with words, and I will be reading more of her books. Thanks!

I am not a mystery reader, however I was given this book to read and pass on. I reluctantly started reading it. What enjoyment I experienced! The characters readily got my attention. The keeper of the inn was wonderful. It was as if she was personally telling me about her "pleasures" and "displeasures"; always remembering to tuck in a short prayer to stay right with God. It was light reading that kept me always changing my mind as to who the crook might be. Serious mystery readers would probably find this book too light and not too capturing. Good summer reading.

Tamar Myers' Pennsylvania Dutch mysteries are very enjoyable, "put your feet up" books. The characters are warm and human. In particular, they show the Amish/Mennonite characters to be individuals with faults and good points like the rest of us, which in other books is not usual.