Just Plain Murder (An Amish Mystery)
by Laura Bradford
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Berkley (November 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0440000408
ISBN-13: 978-0440000402
Kindle ASIN: B07BD1Y18R
Claire Weatherly and her beau, police detective Jakob Fisher, learn that when it comes to murder, evil can hide in plain sight in this all-new addition to the national bestselling Amish Mysteries.
Jakob and Claire have been enjoying more time together in lovely Heavenly, PA. With Claire’s help, the detective is making slow progress reconnecting with the members of his Amish family who shunned him when he left to pursue a career in law enforcement. Jakob’s mentor, Russ Granger, the long-retired police chief who inspired him to become a cop, is back in town. Claire has always wanted to meet the man who changed the course of Jakob’s life. But not long after he arrives in Heavenly, Russ is murdered.
Jakob can only imagine that his old friend must have been killed by someone outside of the Amish community. He and Claire soon find that things are not as they seem–and that Russ may have stumbled into something sinister before he was killed. The answers they uncover are closer to home and more shocking than they ever expected.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The lines become a little more blurred between the English and the Amish as Jacob Fisher’s mentor returns to Heavenly only to be killed before the two men can reconnect. The family that has shunned him knows how much this man meant to him. Claire is trying to bring his family closer while doing her best to be there for him herself, but he is carrying a heavy load of burden. This awful crime happened in his town and on his watch. He can’t believe anyone in Heavenly would be behind the heinous act, but he needs to get to the truth and find out what his friend stumbled into that got him killed.
Laura Bradford has written quite a mystery in this long-awaited return to Heavenly Pennsylvania. She gives us a clearer picture of Jacob Fisher and why he left the Amish way of life to become a police officer. Because he did it after he was baptized he has been shunned by his family. He paid that high price because he found his true purpose in law enforcement. Sadly, a man he respected, his mentor, has been killed and Jacob needs to step away from his pain and grieving to bring a killer to justice. The author brings Claire into the picture as support in a tender way, as a helpmate to lean on and a sounding board and partner in solving the crime. Her intuition and ability to get closer to the Amish make them a great team.
The amateur sleuth really came out of me while reading this story. It was very complex and surprising. There was a subplot about a rebellious Amish teen on rumspringa that twisted into the main plot and by the end, the teen played a key role and had an awakening of their own.
Ms. Bradford’s storytelling talents were out in full force for this story. By the end I cared more for characters I already cared for greatly. She brought out my mothering feelings regarding that teen and I genuinely was concerned about his life and hope he is included in future stories. The characters in this story continue to be some of my favorites. They continue to grow and their lives move forward and I feel blessed to follow them on their life journeys.
I have loved the town of Heavenly and it’s uniqueness since book 1 and I hope we will not have to wait as long to visit again. I look forward to many more stories with Claire, Jacob, their friends, and their families.
Check out my review of Portrait of a Sister, an Amish story released
by Laura Bradford on June 26, 2018, here.
About The Author
While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend’s house more than thirty years ago, Laura Bradford (a.k.a. Elizabeth Lynn Casey) fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do anything else.
Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of the Amish Mysteries
In June 2018, Laura debuted her first-ever women’s fiction novel, Portrait of a Sister
Laura is a former Agatha nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, traveling, baking, and visiting the sea lions at the Central Park Zoo. For more information and all the latest book news, visit her website at www.laurabradford.com.
Author Links
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Also by Laura Bradford
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Click Here for books written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
So glad there’s a new addition to this great series!
This sounds like a great series which I shouldn’t miss!
Thank you for your review on “Just Plain Murder” by Laura Bradford. Love this author’s books and can’t wait for the opportunity to read this one on my TBR list. As always, an awesome cover!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks!!!!
Laura is a new author to me. I love reading both Amish books and cozies so this would be the perfect combination for me.