Courting Can Be Killer

Flower brings back the dynamic duo of Lois Henry and Millie Fisher in this fun second installment of her An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series (following Matchmaking Can Be Murder). One day at the flea market in Harvest, Ohio, 19-year-old Michigan transplant Ben asks matchmaker Millie to encourage Tobias Lieb to allow Ben to court Tobias’s daughter, Tess. But after the flea market burns and Ben dies in the blaze, everyone assumes the fire was Ben’s fault simply because he was an outsider. With Englischer best friend Lois’s help, Millie sets out to clear Ben’s name. The trail leads from one cryptic clue to the next as the duo dig into Ben’s troubled past in Michigan after finding letters from his estranged family. Their investigation roots out Tobias as the origin of the rumors surrounding Ben’s involvement in the fire, and Millie starts to believe the town has conspired to keep Ben from marrying Tess, who conveniently keeps popping up with half-truths and tears. The use of Millie’s matchmaking intuition in the murder investigation brings a refreshing edge to the cozy Amish genre, and Flower combines quirky characters, close-knit community, and first-class sleuthing to great effect. Fans of Amish mysteries will love this. (Dec.)