Article and Interview by Elise Cooper
Courting Can Be Killer by Amanda Flower is book two in a great Amish cozy mystery series. It has a combination of quirky characters, close-knit community, and a fun suspenseful story. The main character, Millie Fisher, is becoming more of an amateur sleuth than a matchmaker.
The plot has a massive fire at the Amish flea market. Ben Baughman, who has set his heart on marrying Tess Lieb, is found dead. Millie is devastated considering Ben looked upon her as an aunt. After rumors start to fly that either Ben killed himself or that he started the fire when he fell asleep, Millie feels it is necessary to find out what happened and clear Ben’s name. She suspects foul play but must find facts to support her assumption. Getting help from her best friend, Englisher Lois Henry, both set out to prove Ben’s innocence.
Lois and Millie are complete opposites. Lois is flamboyant, while Millie is reserved, but together they make for wonderful characters. Lois has dubbed Millie the “Amish Marple,” and they set out to figure out what happened. But her hair-brained ideas have gotten Millie into hot water not only with the local law enforcement, but also with her Amish community.
Whether this series or the Candy Shop Mysteries, these Amish cozy mysteries make for a wonderful read. People will enjoy the books as they connect the clues to find out who committed the crime.
Elise Cooper: So, you just got married. How is married life?
Amanda Flower: Great! We have the Amish building our house. It has been great for research of future books. They will be building a barn, garage, and possibly a small cottage where I can write.
EC: How did you get the idea for this story?
AF: It came from something that really happened. My husband and I were down in Holmes County, the setting for my books, meeting our builder. We saw huge amounts of smoke and found out this Amish flea market was on fire. It used to be a barn. First on the scene were the Amish pumping water and using buckets. Eventually the fire department came. Thank goodness no one was hurt. It was caused by a lightning strike so there was no nefarious situation. I decided to fictionalize it into a murder mystery.
EC: How would you describe the English friend, Lois Henry?
AF: Fun, curious, likes to get her hands dirty, and is helpful. She is also caring, nosy, unpredictable, and exuberant. I am going to give her character more page time because she is so much fun to write and is more like me.
EC: You always put in your books some tidbits about Amish life? The father is the head of the household?
AF: Think of the English culture back in the 1800s where a young woman had to get permission from her father to even sit near a guy. A young woman could not even start a business or do anything without their father’s blessing. The Amish still have that family structure back then. Young Amish woman only go to school until the 8th grade and can have a job only until they are married unless the husband gives his consent.
EC: The significance of a beard?
AF: Amish men who are married must grow a beard, but not mustaches. They associated mustaches with either the military or government that they are not a part of. Also, the length of the beard is dependent on what their Bishop decides. Even after being widowed they do not shave their beard.
EC: Some use tractors?
AF: Small family farms, including those owned by the Amish, are in jeopardy to the big company farms. Part of their survival is for some of the Amish men able to use farm equipment like tractors when working so they can stay competitive.
EC: There is a quote about technology and gadgets?
AF: You must be referring to this one, “I understand that the convenience of having them could become a crutch, making us too dependent on gadgets rather than relying on community.” This is a pretty firm Amish belief. They believe friends and family should connect face to face to keep the relationship strong. This is also the reason the Amish do not drive cars. They fear the community will fall apart as families would move across the US. Each community usually consists of forty families and many times different districts have different rules that are designated by the Bishop.
EC: What about your next books?
AF: The next Candy book comes out in April. In that book Lois makes an appearance because she has a skill Bailey needs. It is titled Lemon Drop Dead and highlights one of Bailey’s helpers, Emily. She had a baby out of wedlock and now is married and pregnant again. She finds out her first child, now five years old, is orphaned.
The next Matchmaker book has a lot of Lois and comes out in November. It is titled Marriage Can Be Mischievous and is a mystery about Millie’s old flame, Uriah Shrock. Readers learn why he went back to Holmes County after living in Indiana forever. He is attached to a murder that happened in the 1980s. Also, Millie is struggling with the idea of having more of a personal relationship with him.
The next Detective book written for Hallmark does not have a release date yet. It takes place in New York over New Year’s Eve. A murder happens at a ski lodge that is similar to the Clue Game.
EC: THANK YOU!!
