A Plain Scandal

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from the publishers as a win in a contest that I forgot. I found it in my "To be Read" recently. Recently I finished book one of this four book series and loved it. This is the second book, and I loved it even more.

Humor explodes in a great scene betwin Chloe Humphrey and the killer. Not telling you who the killer is and I admit I was gripping the couch cushion tightly when the future got scary but Chole grabs the only thing nearby to defend herself and I roared with laughter and relief. That sounds odd, doesn't? I stopped and thought about using that item for self defense. I am very much anti-gun but it would work for me if I had enough grip strength in my hands to fill up my car. But I show more don't, so I am shelving that as an idea for self defense for me. personally.

The rest of the book gave me the comfort that cozy mysteries are able to give. Plenty of wonderful food to be tempted with, a romance summering on the stove top with slow heat, a use of past murder headlines (fact inspiring fiction) and a large assortment of suspects that the author expertly juggles in the story.

Amanda Flower does not let you down! show less

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower is the second book in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series. Chloe Humphrey is enjoying her job at Harshberger College. Chloe is the Director of Computer Services. Becky Troyer (ex-Amish) is still living with Chloe and is now working part-time at Young’s Family Restaurant. Becky has completed a majority of her community service and is looking forward to finishing her hours.

While at home on day, Dylan Tanner shows up at the girls front door! He has come to tour the property. Evidently, Dylan has purchased the home from the former owner and they were not notified. Chloe knows Dylan from Harshberger College. Dylan is the chair of the biology department. Dylan wants to restore the home to its former glory. show more Chloe and Becky do not want to live in a house undergoing restoration. This is going to be a challenge.

Timothy Troyer and Chloe are getting to know each other. They have yet to go on an “official” date, but they see a lot of each other. Timothy has also been making repairs to the house as they are needed. That is the first thing that Dylan nixes. He wants the restorations to be “authentic” to the time period of the home.

Timothy has become a contractor (instead of just a carpenter) and is first job is at the Young’s Flea Market. The owner’s (Ellie Young) son, Ezekiel Young is overseeing the project. Ezekiel is the opposite of his twin brother, Uriah. Uriah is friendly and nice, while Ezekiel can be testy (and come across rude). Chloe goes looking for Timothy one day at the flea market and stumbles across the body of Ezekiel. Appleseed Creek Chief of Police, Greta Rose is summoned to the scene.

At the same time someone is terrorizing the Amish. Someone has cut off the hair of four girls and the beards of two men. Who would commit such a horrible crime? Timothy’s grandfather is one of the victims. Chloe and Timothy are determined to find out who is behind these crimes as well as solve Ezekiel’s murder.

I found A Plain Scandal to be just delightful. Amanda Flower has created a great town with unique characters. I give A Plain Scandal 5 out of 5! I enjoyed revisiting Appleseed Creek to see how Becky is handling being an Englisher, Timothy and Chloe’s romance, and checking up on the Troyer family (as well as Greta Rose). show less

This is the second in the Apple Creek series. I enjoyed both the mystery and how the town, the college, and the Amish dealt with it, often in very different ways. I would frequently chuckle at places in the book because the author injected moments of humor. Cloe dressed as a snowman was a classic. Every aspect of the book seemed to be realistic, even Cloe's relationships at the college, with her friends, and within the Amish community. It takes a good writer to keep all those balls in the air without dropping one or more. My congratulations to Amanda Flower for a job well done.

The Amish community is under a strange kind of attack – someone is cutting off the hair and beards of the Amish. Though distressed by these attacks, the Amish prefer to handle the misdeeds themselves. But when her Amish friends become more and more anxious by the attacks and one attack ends in a death, Chloe decides to do some sleuthing on her own. Wanting to restore peace and tranquility back to the community she has embraced, Chloe puts herself in danger. A suspenseful story with well-developed characters, this tale is highly entertaining.

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower is the second book in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series. Chloe Humphrey is enjoying her job at Harshberger College. Chloe is the Director of Computer Services. Becky Troyer (ex-Amish) is still living with Chloe and is now working part-time at Young’s Family Restaurant. Becky has completed a majority of her community service and is looking forward to finishing her hours.

While at home on day, Dylan Tanner shows up at the girls front door! He has come to tour the property. Evidently, Dylan has purchased the home from the former owner and they were not notified. Chloe knows Dylan from Harshberger College. Dylan is the chair of the biology department. Dylan wants to restore the home to its former glory. show more Chloe and Becky do not want to live in a house undergoing restoration. This is going to be a challenge.

Timothy Troyer and Chloe are getting to know each other. They have yet to go on an “official” date, but they see a lot of each other. Timothy has also been making repairs to the house as they are needed. That is the first thing that Dylan nixes. He wants the restorations to be “authentic” to the time period of the home.

Timothy has become a contractor (instead of just a carpenter) and is first job is at the Young’s Flea Market. The owner’s (Ellie Young) son, Ezekiel Young is overseeing the project. Ezekiel is the opposite of his twin brother, Uriah. Uriah is friendly and nice, while Ezekiel can be testy (and come across rude). Chloe goes looking for Timothy one day at the flea market and stumbles across the body of Ezekiel. Appleseed Creek Chief of Police, Greta Rose is summoned to the scene.

At the same time someone is terrorizing the Amish. Someone has cut off the hair of four girls and the beards of two men. Who would commit such a horrible crime? Timothy’s grandfather is one of the victims. Chloe and Timothy are determined to find out who is behind these crimes as well as solve Ezekiel’s murder.

I found A Plain Scandal to be just delightful. Amanda Flower has created a great town with unique characters. I give A Plain Scandal 5 out of 5! I enjoyed revisiting Appleseed Creek to see how Becky is handling being an Englisher, Timothy and Chloe’s romance, and checking up on the Troyer family (as well as Greta Rose).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest review. show less

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower is a wonderful story of Amish life in the town of Appleseed Creek, Ohio. Chloe Humphrey is not Amish but she has chosen to live in Appleseed Creek where she works at the local college as a computer specialist. A buggy accident that turned out to be murder has been solved but now the people in the community are living in fear for someone is going around cutting the hair of Amish women and the beards of Amish men. Chloe has helped the local police solve other crimes and when she finds a local man stabbed in the back with his beard cut off, she decides that it is her responsibility to help solve the murder and bring peace back to the community. To add to Chloe’s problems, she and her roommate Becky are show more having problems with their new landlord who is becoming more of a jerk with every passing day. Becky and Timothy, sister and brother, have left the Amish way of life and are comfortable with their relationship with God and living as Englisch. The romance between Chloe and Timothy continues to develop in spite of all the chaos going on in the community. Also, the new Bishop and the Deacon are ruling the Amish community with an iron hand and are warning everyone to have no association with Chloe, Becky, and Timothy.

The author did an excellent job in the writing of this story and with every element of the story. There was suspense woven throughout the story and it kept me guessing from page to page. Every character was expertly developed and I felt as if I were living right there in the community of Appleseed Creek and was friends with all the characters. Well there were a few that were not friend material but the author gave reasons to dislike them. All the scenes were so well described that I could see myself taking part in whatever was going on. The plot had several twists and turns but everything was brought together for a satisfactory ending.

I very highly recommend this book to everyone that likes a great Amish story that also contains a good deal of suspense.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from B & H Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. show less

Chloe Humphrey returns and there is another sleuthing opportunity afoot when a local Amish man is killed during the construction of an all weather market. His beard is cut off, and coming on the heels of similar Amish hair cutting attacks, makes it seem as though the Amish are targeted. Chloe's relationship with the Troyer family continues, and her uncertainty of the future of their friendships seem to ring true with the English/Amish differences. Becky's character is especially endearing, as she continues to learn English ways. Fowler does a nice job writing of the Amish community. There is a side story that just seems to serve to propel certain plot points onward, but concludes at the end of the book too. I look forward to more from show more the group in Appleseed Creek. show less