I only within the last two years started reading religious themed cozies. I truly enjoy Amish cozies and this is another great series to add to my list. It was a quick, fun read. The mystery wasn't too easy to solve. I enjoyed it.

Nice cozy, Amish mystery. However, the lack of attention by Rachel to her wedding plans did make it seem she wasn't all that interested in getting married. Nice mystery and kept me guessing who did it.

Another delightful cozy mystery filled with suspense and plenty of twists and turns along the way. An amazing book to get lost in, a great read.

Plain Confession is book five in Emma Miller's Amish Mystery series, featuring Rachel Mast. Rachel is drawn into, and becomes quite obsessed, with the murder of Daniel Fisher. Rachel, and many others, feel that the man who confessed to the murder is innocent of the crime and covering up for someone else...but who? Daniel's family says he has no enemies, but Rachel quickly finds out that Daniel wasn't the upstanding member of the community that he was portrayed to be. At the same time, her wedding with Evan is fast approaching and everyone is wondering when Rachel will take that seriously, instead of poking her nose into this investigation. All in all, this was a great addition to the series and it was interesting as the story unfolded. I will definitely continue this series.

Fifth in a series called Stone Mill Amish Mystery follows Rachel Mast who, having left the Plain community to work and gain an MBA, has returned for a simpler world than the whirl of city life. In PLAIN CONFESSION we see that she has opened a B&B in Stone Mill, Pennsylvania. Her mother's been undergoing chemotherapy, and Rachel wants to be near.
Rachel goes to help when a man called Daniel Fisher is shot in a hunting accident. Many hands are needed for the funeral and meal. But her fiancé, the local police officer, arrives with some serious news. Daniel appears to have been murdered. Evan Parks has to make a full investigation now that the medical examiner has carried out his work. The November winds suddenly feel quite a bit colder.
The Amish often prefer to deal with one of their own than with outside law. Thus Rachel, in an intermediary position, translates both language and culture for the officers -- and of course for the reader. While she dresses in any way she pleases normally, for dealing with the bereaved family she dons skirts and simple garb; they will feel better about talking with her. A young teen cousin of Rachel's family, Mary Aaron, is experimenting with life -- and some feel Rachel may be a bad influence.
Every community has some folks who are a little odd, but are accepted. This Amish district has a young man who is probably on the Asperger spectrum, Moses Studer. He's the first man the police suspect. Rachel can't see Moses ever harming anyone, and what reason could there be? In her inquiries she meets some rather more complex characters, including a man with electric gates and twenty pit bulls. I enjoyed all the small touches of real life in this book. The way people smell, mushroom picking, who goes to the supermarket (for pickling spices, canning jars and baking goods, since you ask), and fittings for a bridal dress. A smokehouse with smoked, salted, and sugar-cured hams. I almost felt I was on the spot.
Having finished PLAIN CONFESSION by Emma Miller I sat for a while asking myself what this reminded me of; the answer that came was Jo Nesbo. Different country, not a police procedural, but Nesbo's books have similar qualities of realism, grit, and beauty despite tensions and violence. Emma Miller is very impressive. She deserves a wide readership equally as much as any major crime author.

Rachel Mast, is a character that lives between two worlds. Born and raised Amish, she presently lives as an Englisher and runs a Bed & Breakfast as well as a gift shop in the nearby town of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania. At this time, she is planning her upcoming marriage to Evan Parks, an English State Trooper. Rachel often acts as a go-between when the Amish people have any issue with English law enforcement. Rachel is helping her mother at the wake of a young Amish man, Daniel Fisher, who died in a hunting accident. Evan arrives to tell her the detectives want to question the family as Daniel's death is actually a murder. When the detectives arrive, Rachel assists the family while they are being questioned, much to the chagrin of the detective. When Moses, the older brother of the widow is arrested after he confesses to the crime, Alma, Daniel's mother-in-law asks Rachel to help find the real killer. Moses is considered odd, but Rachel thinks he has Asperger's Syndrome. Rachel and her cousin, Mary Aaron begin to ask questions. They are sure that Moses is covering for someone. As the investigation continues, the townspeople are taking bets on whether the wedding will actually take place at all or whether Rachel will back out.

This story is filled with mystery and suspense. There are many twists along the way with more than a couple suspects. The mystery in this story is well plotted and will keep you guessing as to who is the guilty party. I changed my mind on who it was a few times and I love when I think I have it all figured out only to be thrown in a different direction by the author. Rachel's character is strong, loyal, smart, stubborn, persistent and doing an amazing job of balancing her old and new worlds. I enjoyed the character of the English "prepper", Charles, who lives on the mountain. It looks like he may become a friend and I would love to see him in a future story. Mary Aaron is still trying to decide which world she wants to live in. She works well as Rachel's sidekick. Of course Evan continues to be the patient, understanding man who is proud of Rachel and her feelings for others. He has moments in this story where he has issues, but that makes him more realistic. Another great story by Emma Miller and I look forward to my next visit to Stone Mill, Pennsylvania.

Plain Confession by Emma Miller is the fifth book in A Stone Miller Amish Mystery series (aka An Amish Mystery series). Rachel Mast owns Stone Mill House, a bed and breakfast, in Stone Mill, Pennsylvania. She is attending the funeral of Daniel Fisher who died in a hunting accident. Many people comment on Daniel’s kindness and the improvements he made to the Studer farm since his marriage to Mary Rose. Rachel is surprised when Evan Parks, her fiancé and a state trooper, shows up at the funeral with the news that Daniel’s death was not an accident. Detective Sharp is in charge of the investigation (since Evan stepped down), but he is unfamiliar with the Amish and he is lacking in people skills. Moses Studer, Daniel’s brother-in-law, confesses to killing Daniel when he is questioned which leads to his arrest and the end of the police’s investigation. Alma Studer, Daniel’s mother-in-law, comes to Rachel asks her to prove Moses innocence. Rachel agrees to help Moses and sets out to find the truth. She needs to work in her wedding preparations in between her sleuthing. Rachel and Evan’s wedding is fast approaching, and Rachel has yet to have her final dress fitting. Townspeople are wondering if Rachel will show up at the altar or become a runaway bride. After making some inquiries, Rachel soon discovers that outward appearances are deceiving. Rachel becomes intent on solving the case before she walks down the aisle. Who killed Daniel Fisher? Will Rachel make it to her wedding? Return to Stone Mill and help Rachel solve the case in Plain Confession.

Plain Confession is the fifth book in the series, and it can be read as a standalone. Details on Rachel, her family and Evan are included. I found Plain Confession to contain good writing, and it was easy to read. Emma Miller is a descriptive writer which helps bring a book to life. I did feel that some details were not needed. An example is as a person is driving down the road readers get a detailed description of the scenery, the turns the person makes while driving, etc. Rachel Mast is a unique character. She was raised Amish, but she was not baptized into the faith. She stayed in the community where she was raised and runs a bed and breakfast. This allows her to interact with the Amish and Englisch. I like that Rachel honors Amish traditions (dressing modestly and covering her head for example) and is respectful. I felt that she became too fixated on the case. It made it seem like she was having second thoughts about her marriage to Evan Parks. I did not like how Evan did not want her to look into Daniel’s case and kept reminding her (once was enough). It felt off since Rachel has helped Evan on past cases. I like that the main characters are established and nicely developed. I was not a fan of Detective Sharp. Sharp is a cliché nasty detective that is similar to those in other cozy mysteries. The mystery has some good components, but I felt it was too simple. I wish it had been more complicated and harder to identify the culprit. The investigation consists of Rachel asking questions and then speculating on the case. I was curious as to why Daniel’s body had been released for the funeral when the investigation into his death was not complete and the autopsy results were not in. Of course, the police showing up at the funeral was tacky and inconsiderate (they could not wait until the next day). Plain Confession needed more action. The pace was too slow at times which made my attention wander. Christian elements are woven seamlessly into the story (having faith, God’s mercy), power of prayer). My rating for Plain Confession is 3 out of 5 stars. While Plain Confession is not my favorite book in the series, I will continue to read the books in A Stone Mill Amish Mystery series.

Emma Miller is back with another Plain Mystery story for us and it is excellent. Rachel Mast left the plain community when she was younger, but she has returned home and made amends with her family. She is running her bed and breakfast and happily engaged to Evan, her police officer boyfriend. Wedding details are in full swing. When a young man is shot during an apparent hunting accident, Rachel attends his funeral to support her family. When Evan shows up during the mourning time to let her know that it wasn’t an accident, she is shocked. She is even more shocked when nobody in the family seems to want to know what happened. However, when Moses, the young man’s brother in law, confesses to the murder, she is absolutely sure that he can’t have done it. She is convinced he is protecting someone, but whom? When Moses’ mother comes to her and asks her to investigate, she agrees to try and find out what happened. Evan is not happy with that at all and just wants her to let the police do their job. As the wedding draws closer and she finds herself closer and closer to solving the case, she may not get her happy ending after all. Will the killer find her first?
I thought this story was great. It kept me guessing right up to the end. There were so many possibilities and at some point, they all fit and could have been the killer. I am looking forward to more stories in the Amish Mystery set! I received a free copy of this story from NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions in it are expressly my own!

As Rachel is finalizing her wedding plans to State Trooper Evan she learns that a local man's death may not have been an accident. Daniel was an Amish man that the town had nothing bad to say until his death then stories started circulating that he was not whom he seemed. Will Rachel focus on her wedding plans so this time the wedding will go off without a hiccup or will she find herself in the middle of the investigation and losing sight of her future?

I have been wanting to read this series for several years as my mom has read a few of them and raves how good the stories are in her opinion. I have to agree, after reading the 5th book in the series it is now on my summer TBR list. I instantly liked Rachel. She is ex-Amish but still tries to follow her life as she was raised. She runs a local inn with the help of her cousin who is in her rumpsringa (a time when Amish youth get to live in both worlds). Since moving back to her hometown she has found herself in the middle of several murder investigations. This time it is two weeks before her wedding. Her wedding has been postponed once already.

On the surface Daniel appeared to be everything an Amish man should be but as Rachel starts questioning his death at the request of his mother-in-law she learns he was quite the opposite. Moses, Daniel's brother-in-law, has confessed to killing Daniel but no one except for the English law system believes he really did it. Rachel is almost certain he is autistic and had he been diagnosed properly years ago he would be better understood. The more she investigates the more dead ends she runs into.

Two of the side characters are really amazing characters that I hope I see more of as I catch up on this series. There is Chuck, a doomsday prepper, who has seen more death and tragedy serving in the war than one should ever experience and Salome, the elderly midwife and herbalist, who knows everyone's stories and secrets. Both turned out to be true friends to Rachel.

If you are interested the series in order is:
1. Plain Murder
2. Plain Killing
3. Plain Dead
4. Plain Missing
5. Plain Confession

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A totally delightful story!
Rachel has left the Amish faith, but since she never joined the church, she still has a relationship with her family. She is engaged to a state trooper, Evan. Rachel has a knack for becoming involved in police matters and putting herself in harms way. She has also called off her and Evan's engagement once before, but is now ready to marry Evan and spend the rest of her life with him.
Rachel owns and operates an inn.
Daniel Fischer was killed while hunting and it was first assumed to be a hunting accident and then became investigated as a murder. Rachel, curious to know what happened, began asking questions herself. She was sure Moses, who confessed to the crime and was arrested, was not guilty of murder. Evan repeatedly asks her to leave the investigating to the police and concentrate on their wedding. She has missed dress fittings as well as other wedding appointments.
Rachel doesn't seem able to honor Evan's requests. I was amazed at his patience with her. The man is in love!
She uncovers information about Daniel that paints a different picture than what most of the Amish community had of him. He had dark side and wasn't loved by all, after all.
I did think I had the ending figured out, but I was surprised by being wrong. Pleasantly, because who wants to read a very predictable story, after all?
This book is part of a series, but I have not read any of the others and feel this one is good as a stand alone.
I was given a free copy of this to read by the publisher, Kensington and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book and hope to read more in the series to catch up.
4 stars

Plain Confession
An Amish Mystery, Book #5
Emma Miller
5 Stars

Synopsis:

When Rachel Mast returned to Stone Mill, Pennsylvania, she unwittingly became a bridge between the closed Amish community and the Englisher police. Now, as she prepares for her wedding, she's drawn into an investigation that could end in a different ceremony--her funeral . . .

Rachel didn't know Daniel Fisher well, but it still comes as a shock when her fiance, a state trooper, tells her that the young Amish man's death may not have been a hunting accident. The police believe he was murdered and they need Rachel's help telling the family. But when she does, they don't seem upset or even surprised. Even more unsettling, Daniel's brother-in-law confesses--while his mother begs Rachel to prove his innocence. But why would he give a false confession? Who is he trying to protect?

As Rachel's search for answers overshadows her wedding plans, rumors swirl that she might not show up at the altar--and that Daniel wasn't as upstanding as he seemed. While the list of people who wanted him dead grows, Rachel is caught in the killer's crosshairs, and if she's not careful, it may be more than her feet that turn cold . . .


Praise for the Amish Mystery series

"An excellent addition to the Amish mystery subgenre."--Library Journal

"An exciting tale of mystery, love, and danger."--Booklist

"A well-informed look into the tranquil world of the Amish with a fairly edgy puzzler."
--Kirkus Reviews (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. Rachel is caring, smart and willing to do whatever it takes to help her friends. When she feels that an Amish man is wrongly accused of murder, she is determined to find the real killer.
Rachel is a buffer between the Amish world and the English world and she knows that without her help, the wrong man will get sent to prison. I really like the fact Rachel continues to respect the traditions and beliefs of the Amish, although she is no longer a part of their world.

The writing style flows smoothly and allowed me to see the setting and activity through the eyes of the characters. The setting was inviting and I could picture it in my mind while reading the book. That helped pull me into the story right from the beginning.

The mystery was carried out well throughout the whole book and it was well paced. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through. There were enough twists and turns and red herrings thrown in that it was not an easy mystery to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you like Amish based mysteries as much as I do, this book is a must read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

This is the fifth installment of the Amish mystery series. Rachel Mast moved back to Stone Bridge and is running a B&B but always seems to be pulled into helping local police solve a mystery. Rachel once Amish (not baptized) can help bridge the gap between the Amish community and “English” police Amish community as she speaks their language and she is trusted. Rachel is engaged and getting ready for her wedding to her State trooper fiancé Evan and becomes involved in solving the mystery of a murder of an Amish in a supposed “hunting” accident. The brother-in-law confesses but Rachel does not believe him and sets out to solve the mystery to save an innocent man.

Rachel Mast returned to her home town of Stone Mill, Pennsylvania. Not wanting to return all the way to her Amish roots, Rachel opens an Inn and becomes a bridge between law enforcement and the Amish in the area. It is almost wedding time for she and her state trooper fiancé Evan to finally walk down the aisle. However, with the hunting death of Daniel Fisher, plans do not go as planned. Will Rachel and Evan finally tie the knot? Or will a funeral be in order?

I love this series. There are not many Amish mystery books. Emma Miller does a wonderful job of combining the two. I love how when we return to Stone Mill, all of the characters seem like old friends. During this book, I kept cheering Rachel on in her plans for her wedding. However, I can relate to her reluctance for all the formalities that come along with a wedding. I highly recommend this series and hope there is another story. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

The author has us back at Rachel Mast’s Inn, and we catch up with her life, and with Mary Aaron, and Evan, and of course her State Trooper fiancé, and without a doubt there will be a mystery.
Balancing her wedding, and running the inn, along with the murder of a local Amish man, keeps our girl busy, and missing appointments. There are even odds that she will bolt from her ceremony.
This one is going to keep you guessing from beginning to end, and we get to meet a lot of interesting characters while we try to guess to find out who the murderer really is.
I enjoy being in this community, and hope for more, need to know what happens with Mary Aaron, and the rest of the folks we have come to know.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

Rating: 4.5/5

I have to admit that whenever I spot another book in this series I endeavour to read it! However, don’t let that make you think you need to have read any other books from the series to enjoy this one - you don’t, I believe it works well as a standalone although to setting and some of the characters are common throughout the series.

Rachel Mast had grown up in the local Amish community but chosen not to be baptised into that faith after falling in love with her fiancé, Evan Parks, an Englisher state trooper. When Evan is at the home of an Amish family where someone has been shot, he asks Rachel to help liaise with the Amish community who are reticent to work with the Englishers. When she gets there, a young man confesses to murdering his brother-in-law but Rachel doesn’t believe him to be guilty. When his mother asks Rachel to help prove he is innocent she can’t help getting involved - despite already being busy trying to sort out her own wedding! As she struggles to reveal the truth, she’ll put herself into danger of being the murderer’s next victim and keep missing key appointments for her wedding preparations! Can she survive to marry Evan or will she be the next to die?

I really enjoyed this Amish murder mystery and found it an enthralling read. It is so full of twists and turns to keep you guessing and you’re never certain what will happen next - or if Rachel will actually make it to the church on time for her own wedding! I love the excellent character development, the insight into an Amish community and the intrigue concerning the local recluse and the murder. I’ll definitely continue to look out for more in this series in future and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.

I requested and received a copy of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

I have enjoyed this Amish Romantic Suspense book. I like how it weaves the Amish like into a current story. I have read all the books in this series and am looking forward to the next book. Lots of emotion

Well done sort of cozy which addresses the issue of domestic violence in the Amish community. I've only read one other book in this series so this was more or less a standalone for me and I was fine with it. Rachel, who left the Amish but resides in the community, and her cousin Mary Aron, who is debating her own future, find themselves investigating the murder of Daniel, who was not as well liked as his family wanted everyone to believe. There's some tension between Rachel and her fiancé Evan because Rachel keeps skipping appointments related to their wedding (partly, it's worth noting, because she's unfamiliar with English wedding customs.). It's a good read and the only thing missing are recipes ;). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next one!

Plain Confession is the fifth in the Amish Mystery series. Rachel Mast is engaged and supposed to be getting married; that is if she can stop investigating a murder long enough to plan her wedding. Someone in the Amish community has died under mysterious circumstances. The police believe it to be murder. Someone has confessed and Rachel was asked by a family member to help. Despite the confession Rachel believes the person to be innocent. The Amish trust Rachel since she used to be Amish herself. She is able to speak their language and ask questions. I had no idea who the guilty person was. My suspicions ran one way but I was entirely wrong. I sure was surprised by who it turned out to be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This books is due to be released on March 27, 2018.

Plain Confession was a suspenseful read with twists that kept you guessing about the identity of Daniel's killer to the very end. I enjoy Amish stories and the recent addition of mysteries to the Amish genre has been a welcome one to me. The interaction between the Englisher community and the Amish community intrigues me and I like that someone who has chosen to leave the community is able to act as an intermediary between the two groups and help to ease the tensions between the police and the Amish who wish to remain separate from our world.