Hearse and Buggy

In Laura Bradford's Hearse and Buggy, the first installment in the Amish cozy mystery series, this debut would intrigue you about the Amish and compel you to read more. For Claire Weatherly, she moved from NYC to the Amish community of Heavenly, Pennsylvania, after she was recently divorced from her husband Peter to start a new life. She lives in the inn with her Aunt Diane and runs an Amish craft shop called Heavenly Treasures. She learned about how the previous owner Walter Snow had left town and ran off with their money. And when he was found dead behind her shop, it leaves Claire a good reason to find out more about him. Besides that, she meets Jakob Fisher, a Heavenly PD detective, who was formerly Amish and shunned from the community. Instantly, there's some chemistry behind them as they work together to find out who murdered Walter Snow. They also discover who was behind the pranks and other surprises in the town to cause trouble. Claire also meets Benjamin Miller, a young Amish widower, who she cared for as a friend. While she had gotten herself stuck in an awkward love triangle of sorts, she began to piece together a new life for her and helped solved the mystery of who killed Walter Snow. It was a big shock in the ending to find out who had done it.

This was a great debut from Laura Bradford.  I really enjoyed learning about the Amish lifestyle and learning about Claire immensely. I cared for her and didn't want to see her hurt. I loved the picturesque settings of Heavenly, Pennsylvania, when it was split into two sides between the Amish and English residents. I also cared for Esther and Jacob Fisher as well. This was so beautifully written and touching, though I found one typo, when Paul had replaced her ex-husband's name.... twice. This would enchant you and captivate you with lovely imagery for the locations with non-stop action, drama, suspense, and intrigue. 

Will you check out Hearse and Buggy tonight?