Plain Missing by Emma Miller

Rachel owns the local bed and breakfast but when her mother has breast cancer and must use chemotherapy, she moves home to fill in and help.  Her mother still won't speak to her because she didn't get baptized but Rachel still loves her home and the community.  It hurts but she accepts it because she knows the reason she does it.

Kensington Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 28th.

Amish parents host singing nights with the young ones.  They provide food and drink and chaperone them until bedtime.  They allow them to sit out by the fire and chat.  Once in a while they have a few beers but nothing bad happens.  At least nothing did until Elsie and Dathan didn't come home after the event.  No one could find them or the carriage they'd been in.  Most everyone thought they'd run off to get married but her family didn't.  Rachel get caught up in it since she was her cousin.  When a senior trooper decides they must have done that, he stops investigating and tells the local trooper is to cease and desist on the case. Rachel's mother, still not speaking to her, lets her know she wants her to pursue the truth, whatever it might be.

First they find Elsie's body, buried in the Amish cemetery in an unmarked grave.  Then they find Dathan's.  He's been hit by a car or a truck.  Who would have done that?  And why kill Elsie?

This is a sad story because the killers committed their crimes more by being stupid and messing around drinking than from actual intent.  Elsie's older sister and Rachel almost die in the story, too.  Bad people are bad people.  

I enjoy Amish stories.  I had cottoned onto the killers a bit early in the story but I enjoyed how the author dealt with the ending.  Not everybody is happy ever after but most of them are.  If you like Amish stories, you'll enjoy this one, too.

Plain Dead by Emma Miller

Rachel is happily running a bed and breakfast and chairing a winter festival for the Amish to show off their arts and crafts.  When the local newspaper man hints he will print something nasty in the paper about her, she loses her temper and shouts at him.  He's already hurt an Amish family with his gossip column.  She doesn't want her past to ruin her future.  That becomes another worry for her.  It's even worse when he's found dead the next day...

Kensington Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today so you can grab a copy now.

I enjoy reading books about Amish people.  I admire their lifestyle and their way of life.  I wouldn't want to live it but I appreciate the style and find it appealing.

Rachel is engaged to Evan.  He's the local cop.  Since she has left the Amish, it's a bit uncomfortable when she goes home to visit but she's trying to introduce Evan to her family.  She hasn't mentioned her engagement and that she plans on marrying him yet.  It's probably just as well since she goes on the suspects list for the murder.  That drives a wedge between her and her beloved.  She can't believe he'd do that.  He tells her he knows she didn't do it, but she had that argument with the man, went to his house that night, and even has a key to his house.  Nobody broke in to kill him; they must have had a key.

While Rachel and Evan are arguing, they are both searching for the murderer.  I had absolutely no idea who the murderer was.  The ending was shocking and sad for the Amish community.  Several people had come under suspicion, so it will take a while to mend hurt feelings and for life to settle down again.  In cases like this, it's good that the community will support the family that is left after the tragedy.  He's going to need them.

Plain Killing by Emma Miller

It was a hot day, so a buggy of Amish girls went to the quarry to go swimming and have a picnic.  When they find a dead body, their picnic is ruined...

Kensington Books sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  This book has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Rachel has left the Amish and runs a bed & breakfast in town.  She'd spent her time away, but found her home called to her.  She can visit the Amish but she's a guest now, not a family member.  She can live with that.

When she and her cousin find the drowned woman, they wonder why she was wearing Amish clothing.  Normally you don't swim with your clothes on but you also don't wear Amish clothes when you've been shunned for leaving the religion after you've been baptized.  She's a vision from the past.  No one knows where she's been, why she came back or how she ended up in the quarry.

Rachel is attempting to find things out while her boyfriend, Evan the cop, is telling her to stay out of it.  Dealing with Amish and trying to find the other missing girls is something she's good at.  It works on her emotions, too.  She's left the Amish and is happy with it, but she also misses the camaraderie and feeling of protection that's present there.  She's determined to see if she can find someone who left and make sure they're not in danger.  She manages that, but she's still a long way from the truth. There is danger far away and close at home both.  Rachel ends up getting in the middle and almost dies for her efforts.

The way the story ended was appropriate but it made me cry.  Sometimes even innocent actions can go wrong and the consequences become bigger than you can handle.

You won't forget this story quickly.  I'm ready to read the next one.  Evan has asked Rachel to let him court her.  She won't say yes.  I want to shake her and say do it!

Plain Murder by Emma Miller

Rachel was back home.  She'd gone away to school and to visit the Englisher's world and she's not Amish anymore.  She's running her own bed and breakfast and trying to make a life for herself.  The Amish life still draws her but she likes living her life free from all the rules and without the restrictive clothes.  When her Uncle is accused of murder, she can't just stand by and let God handle it.  She has to find out what happened.

Kensington Books sent me an ARC of this story for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Uncle Aaron will not defend himself.  He simply tells them he's innocent when they take him to jail and then he says nothing more.  Rachel tries to get him to talk to his attorney, but that's not the Amish way.

It's hard to run a bed and breakfast and be gone all the time to look for clues.  When the word gets out that her Uncle may be a murderer, her guests begin to cancel appointments.  That gives her more time but less money to run her business.  Despite the stress and strain, she still tries to find out who the real killer is.

This is a well written story with enjoyable characters.  I was amazed by the killer.  How could someone so good and kind have killed Willy?  We all do things we think we must when confronted by danger.  

This has the feel of a new series.  I hope to read more about Rachel and her adventures.  

Happy reading.