While I did like the story , for some unknown reason I'm just not enjoying this series and I've tried more then once , so maybe this series isn't for me .

Candy Cane Crime by Amanda Flower is a fun cozy mystery set at Christmas. I recommend this mystery to all mystery readers.

Another "in-between" book that brings back our friends and focuses on Charlotte. It's Christmas time in Harvest, Ohio when Charlotte puts her sleuthing skills to work. I like getting these smaller stories focusing on another point of view from this fun series. Great story & enjoyable read.

Candy Cane Crime

by Amanda Flower

I just love that Amanda Flower has contributed Candy Cane Crime to the growing list of Christmas themed cozy mysteries. Why? Because it has a real Christmas flavor to it, not just a background setting. More importantly, because there is no murder! The mystery revolves around the Candy Cane Exchange, a fundraiser for new costumes for the town’s Christmas parade and pageant. Even without a murder, there is a villain to be rooted out in the little town of Harvest.

Charlotte, a young Amish woman who works in the candy shop, volunteers to be coordinator for the project. At age twenty-two, Charlotte is considered “old” to have not yet decided on whether to join the Amish church or to become Englisch. She becomes obsessed with who her secret admirer might be with several candidates under consideration and observation. The story is told from Charlotte’s point of view since, for most of the story, the usual main character of the series, Bailey, is in New York. This change in POV works perfectly for Candy Cane Crime.

The word “sweetest” is used many times and has a special significance in this story. It is a fast read, and I was sorry to come to the end. This is the sweetest cozy mystery! If you are searching for something gentle, Christmasy, and guaranteed to make you smile, seek out Candy Cane Crime.

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #6 in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series, but is perfect as a standalone.
2. A recipe for Peppermint Popcorn is included that sounds delicious.

Publication: October 6, 2020—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

“Other than the bishop’s wife, Ruth Yoder, Margot is the most determined woman I’ve ever known. If the two of them joined together, none of us would have any peace. It’s for the best the pair of them are rarely in agreement.”

Since I had left my conservative home district, I had heard little from my siblings and parents. I knew that I had made the right decision, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I missed them and wished they would at least speak to me from time to time.

But that wasn’t how I was. It was why I had never fit well in my old conservative district. I had this need to know and ask why and how.

I loved this book, i can read Christmas stories al year long!!! Amanda Flower was a new author to me, she is now a go to for me!

This was my first read in the series but I'm happy to report that it didn't hinder my experience. This was a fun and light read that is perfect for the holidays or like I did, a Christmas in July readathon. Charlotte is an adorable character and following her while she tries to figure out who her secret admirer is was so much fun. Also, everyone love a Christmas pig!

This is a cozy mystery, and this is 5.5 book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery Series. This is a short novella. I really enjoyed this book. I found it cute and the characters where great. The plot was simple, but good. I really enjoyed a mystery that was not a murder mystery. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Books) or author (Amanda Flower) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I like the realistic Amish flair plus Bailey's candy is always as interesting as the murder. Flower has created a great lityle slice of Ohio for readers to enjoy.

Candy Cane Crime by Amanda Flower is the third novella length book in the cozy Amish Candy Shop Mystery series that also has six full length novels so far. Candy Cane Crime falls between books five and six of the series in chronological order but as with the other books of the series it has it’s own mystery solved within so it could also be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. For those that follow from the beginning in the series though there is character building carrying over from book to book to tie them altogether.

The majority of the books of the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series feature Bailey King who had been working in New York as a chocolatier before she decided to return to Harvest, Ohio and help her Amish grandmother run their family owned candy shop, Swissmen Sweets. While Bailey is not Amish herself she does find herself fitting into the community with her Amish roots and trusted more than other outsiders. However, Bailey has again dropped to the background of this novella to allow her assistant and cousin, Charlotte Weaver, to step up and take over the lead in this novella as she did in Criminally Cocoa. Charlotte has volunteered to help with the town’s candy cane fundraiser when a secret admirer sends Charlotte anonymous notes so of course Charlotte needs to find out who wrote them.

I have followed the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series from the beginning and it has become one of my favorite cozies to pick up with each book that comes along. I love the fact that you are mixing a regular person into the Amish community and how the author has continued to expand the characters along the way with having another lead step up in the novellas and also now has started a spin off series with an Amish community member in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. With each book a new fun mystery comes into play and you feel as if returning to family so I’ll definitely keep returning as long as the series continues!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This tale is told by Charlotte, the cousin of series main character Bailey, and doesn't involve murder. Charlotte finds herself in charge of the church's Christmas fundraiser, an candy cane exchange. The mystery comes in as in the process of putting notes with candy canes for special delivery on Christmas Eve, Charlotte discovers that she has a secret admirer. Curiosity must be a family trait, as Charlotte is determined to find out just who it is.
As a quick-read novella in the Amish Candy Shop mystery series, this is a cute little Christmas story. While it can be read on its own, it definitely helps to be familiar with the series and it characters.

I great Christmas Novella with my favorite Candy maker. However I am not a fan of Bailey in New York. Regardless great quick read with a Christmas theme

This Christmas themed novella is told from the point of Charlotte, Bailey's cousin. Charlotte is my favorite character in the series so I loved the swap. Charlotte finds herself in charge of the town's candy cane exchange in addition to working at the candy shop. Many of the candy cane notes are addressed to Charlotte from her secret admirer. Several other characters from the series are worked into the story. While there was no murder, this is a wonderful holiday read!

Even though this is a novella the author does a nice job of giving us a simple mystery that has clues, a couple of suspects, a few red herrings, a cute twist, and no dead bodies. The characters are well written, well developed, likeable, and relatable which makes them seem lifelike and believable.

I did enjoy that there was no dead body like there were in the others other holiday mysteries. I also enjoyed that this story finally had Charlotte finally realizing that she is ready to make a serious decision about her life. I am glad that Charlotte's admirer finally got up the nerve to tell her how he felt about her and that he wouldn't pressure her about her decision about being baptized into the Amish church. There were two things that I didn't like about the book and they both involved Able, I didn't like how he treated Charlotte and I also didn't like why he was always hanging around the mailbox. I look forward to reading Lemon Drop Dead to see what happens to the residents of Harvest Ohio and to see what kind of mystery they will get involved in.

I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley for my honest review.

A cute novella about Bailey's, cousin Charlotte and her secret admirer. It is a great addition to the series.

I absolutely love Amanda Flower and her Amish cozy mysteries. This is the sixth book in the Amish candy shop mystery series.

This book is a little different from the rest because it is a novella. Bailey King is in New York working on her new cable show. Before she leaves, Margot Rawlings, who sets up town events, asks Bailey to run the town Candy Cane Exchange. Bailey refuses, but her cousin, Charlotte, volunteers.

What Charlotte finds in the box, though, is notes from a secret admirer. She tries to figure out who it is, But something else is going on with the Candy Cane Exchange, and it's up to Charlotte to put her sleuthing skills to good use, and figure it out.

Another entertaining and engrossing story in this series.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and was happy to catch up with the characters.
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine

A really cute Christmas edition. I enjoyed Charlotte taking center stage and getting to know her better.
Fun series and a fun holiday way to hold us over.

This was such a cute story about Cousin Charlotte and her secret admirer. I think it would be fun to read whenever, but it is set at Christmas time, when Charlotte volunteers to help with a fundraiser that delivers candy canes and notes to people. I like Charlotte and I want to see how she develops. In fact, I suspect there are a lot of stories to tell in this town. I also liked the cute, spoiled little pig that is on the cover :)
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read a copy of this book!

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* really love these novellas, theyre too cute and such a great filler between books!

This is a light-hearted holiday cozy. Not your typical cozy, as there was no murder, with that being said, the mystery is still interesting and keeps you guessing. I really enjoyed getting to know one of the secondary characters, Charlotte, better. Getting to know other characters adds more depth to the series as a whole. Recommended for fans of the series and cozy mysteries.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.