A Murder of Aspic Proportions was a great read! It’s eye opening to read how the Amish live in different communities. Yoder, Kansas, has a large population of Amish that the main character, Sissy, is related to. When her cousin confesses to a crime she didn’t commit, Sissy and her auntie, Bethel, look for the real killer. Can’t wait for the next book!

A charming and entertaining cozy mystery. I loved the characters and look forward to then next installment.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Columnist Sissy Yoder has returned to Yoder, Kansas, to help her pregnant cousin and the family's Sunshine Cafe. But when a local tomato farmer is murdered, another cousin confesses. Sissy and her aunt Bethel, both amateur sleuths, decide to solve the case. They face quite a challenge that ends in quite a mess.
This book is the second in a series but could stand alone. However, there are tons of characters that are difficult to keep straight. I found that distracting.
The romance is sweet. I appreciate that Sissy knows her mind and doesn't date just to have a man. She's a strong woman in her own right.
Readers may appreciate the insights into Amish culture in Kansas. The author is compassionate about explaining various aspects of life, family, work, and relationships among church members.
I probably wouldn't read more books in this series, but it is cute.

Sissy Yoder isn’t Amish, but her Aunt Bethel is, so when her aunt broke her leg, Sissy went to help. It was a bit of a culture shock for both of them. Sissy drives her convertible much faster than Bethel is comfortable with, but when she needs a ride and time is of the essence, what other choice does she have but to ask Sissy for a ride and then hang on tight?


On their way back from the doctor’s office, getting the cast removed, of course, they pass a roadside sign advertising ‘to die for tomatoes.’ When they stop to shop for produce for the Sunflower Café, her aunt’s restaurant, the owner is nowhere to be found— until they go into the grow house. There’s Walt, facedown on the ground, surrounded by a puddle of water. Sissy’s not happy about the situation. After all, she was accused of murder once before. Now she’s standing next to another victim and hoping it was natural causes.

Of course, it wasn’t. Now Bethel thinks the pair of them are Cagney and Lacy, the Amish version. Since Walt was hated by pretty much everyone who knew him, the list of suspects is long. There’s nothing for Sissy to do but roll up her sleeves, gather up her Yorkie, Duke, and along with Bethel, figure out who did it. In her spare time from working at the restaurant and secretly writing her advice column, of course.

I like the way Amish and non-Amish are mixed in this second book in the series. Sissy is someone you’d like to know although you’d hesitate to get in a car when she’s behind the wheel. Bethel has rules to follow but is willing to bend them when necessary. It’s surprising how many times it’s necessary.

For an enjoyable read, visit Amish country with Sissy and Duke.

Another great story with Sissy and Aunt Bethel as the main characters. I was on the edge of my seat to find out who did the killing and was shocked. The characters will have you laugh, crying and upset.

I received an ARC copy of this book and I am under no obligations to leave a positive review.

Based in a small town in Kansas a twenty something advice columnist turned cafe manager and sleuth with her loyal Yorkers farm fresh produce try to solve a murder. Sissy Yoder is running her aunts cafe and she must admit that life in tiny Yoder has been anything but dull. She already solved one homicide after being the prime suspect in the case. After all this Sissy just wants a peaceful respite and to write her advice column with her loyal Yorkie Duke and to get some of Walt Summer’s scrumptious “to die for tomatoes “ for the sunshine cafes menu. But when the unsavory Summers disliked by everyone in town turns up murdered in his garden shed Sissy has to roll up her sleeves dig for clues and weed out the tomato murderer. This had a great plot to solve a murder with lots of characters involved.
I would recommend to everyone.

A MURDER OF ASPIC PROPORTIONS was a quick paced cozy mystery. It's the second book in the A SUNFLOWER CAFE MYSTERY series and it was nice being back in small town Yoder, Kansas where many of the Amish inhabitants also have the last name of Yoder. Sissy and her aunt, who owns the Sunflower Café, are front and center as they are playing at amateur sleuths much to the chagrin of the police.

The story has many stories being told and is filled with clues and suspects. But why are we bothering to solve the crime when a signed confession has already been given by a most unlikely suspect? The story has a nice flow with some laugh out loud moments. We get to solve the mystery along with Sissy, her aunt and others as gossip abounds and food is always being served. There was closure with the solving of the crime in an unexpected manner. I can't wait to see what Sissy and the others get up to next. The title and cover drew me in and I love the Aunt Bess sayings at the beginning of each chapter.

Ms. Lillard is an author whose books I enjoy. I look forward to reading what she pens next.

My favorite read of June is this book. Sissy and her Amish aunt Bethel are quite a team. When they discover a local farmer dead, everyone wonders if he was killed for his tomatoes. I love all of the characters as well as the setting. I had not read the previous book in the series, but I had no problems jumping right into this one as if I had been reading the series forever. The previous book is on my TBR list, and I hope number three is coming soon!

Another died body and guess who's there when they find it Sissy. She hasn't been in town long and this is the second body she has come across. At least this time she has more of an alibi. In Amish country things aren't very paced and neither are the books. However, you will find all the characters wonderful and hilarious. If you like Cozy Amish mysteries this is your book!

A Murder of Aspic Proportions by Amy lillard is the second in the sunflower cafe series. Sissy is in Yoder, Kansas to help her aunt with the cafe while her cousin is on bed rest with twins. She’s only been there two weeks and already solved one murder. Therefore, when she and her aunt come upon a second dead body at a tomato farm, she is definitely not wanting to help find the killer. However, her cousin pleads guilty and Sissy must help figure out why! A cute story. Lots of fun. I enjoyed it. Thanks NetGalley.

cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, small-town, small-business, family-business, family-dynamics, Kansas, relatives, pet-dog, murder-investigation, murder, Amish-community, religious-practices, journalist, reporter, relationships, situational-humor, verbal-humor, cultural-differences, local-law-enforcement*****

Sissie's most recent career was as an advice columnist in a Tulsa newspaper, now she is on hiatus from that and trying to help out her curmudgeonly aunt at her cafe in Yoder, Kansas.
Helping included driving her aunt as needed in her small car instead of borrowing a tractor which is the usual transport with an engine. While they were out they inadvertently came upon a fairly recent murder of a man who seems to have been almost universally despised. The local law is a bungling braggart, but a very nice young Amish girl confesses and is hauled off to jail. Sissie and her aunt know that this is misplaced loyalty and begin their sleuthing to find the CORRECT villain. Great characters, atmospheric descriptions, messy red herrings, and corkscrew plot twists. Loved it!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you!

I loved this fun cozy mystery. I love Sissy and Aunt Bethal. I love that Sissy came to help Aunt Bethal at her cafe when her cousin needed to go on bed rest and then she keeps coming upon bodies. I love that in this story that Sissy helps to solve the death of a rotten man. I love all the twists and turns and the many laughs in the story. I love the Aunt Bess sayings at the beginning of each chapter. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I had fun and ejoyed this story: lovely setting, solid mystery and a fun.
It wasn't hard to solve the mystery but it had fun nonetheless
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The second Sunflower Cafe mystery is a cozy mystery that proceeds at a relaxed pace. The familial interactions are dominant in the story. The reader gets to follow Sissy’s cousin Lizzy’s pregnancy to its conclusion.
There isn’t really much investigating in the regular sense. Sissy and her Amish aunt Bethel go poking around, but don’t really find much to clarify the situation. Despite Sissy’s concern for Emma sitting in jail, she doesn’t solve the murder of Walt Summers. It’s more a case of stumbling onto the solution.
The author does weave in all the clues that the characters need to get to the solution. I saw it coming but kind of hoped the answer wouldn’t be what I thought. I think you have to be a farmer to understand.
I was a little disappointed that Sissy and Bethel didn’t find another source for tomatoes and have the tomato recipes at the cafe be something that was worked into the story to go along with the title.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to review the book.

Sissy had a super unlikely sleuthing buddy in this case where her Amish cousin had confessed to a murder everyone knew she didn't commit. She and Aunt Bethel set out to find the real killer knowing there's no way Emma did this. Bethel surprised me by initiating trips to either visit Emma in jail or talking to possible suspects. And that little stinker Bethel's secretly a fan of Agent Gibbs, who knew? I'm betting there's lots of secrets we don't know about this mysterious little woman who I'm pretty sure Sissy wishes was a teeny bit more loving.

The showdown was almost funny in parts, you'll see when you read it. Sissy had a side story going on concerning a new hot guy in town, but I'm pretty sure nothing's gonna come of that. She's not even sure if she thinks of Gavin in that way. At least he's a good friend to her which is what she needed still being fairly new to the town. I think it's pretty cool though how Sissy found all these people she's related to and really took to them and enjoyed their get-togethers. I'm definitely hoping another book comes out! It's available Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

A Murder of Aspic Proportions
(Sunflower Cafe 2)
Amy Lillard




Amy Lillard aka Amy Louellen is a fairly prolific writer with over 60 books written. She writes mysteries, romance, contemporaries, and westerns.


Sissy and Aunt Bethel are on the way from getting her cast removed. Sissy and Josie want to add to the menu, so she decides to take her aunt test tomatoes. Sissy notices a road sign for To Die for Tomatoes. After Sissy comments, Aunt Bethel agrees with the sentiment. Summers’ Tomato Farm in Yoder, Kansas, is the home of these amazing tomatoes. It’s run by Walt Summers. The stand was empty upon arrival so Bethel and Sissy took a look around only to find Walt dead in the shed!

Sissy feels because the police detective is incompetent, that she must solve the crime!
An innocent girl's life hangs in the balance.

This book has me on the fence. I like the mystery, but I don’t really like the characters. I found that the main character Sissy left me vacillating between annoyed and depressed. Honestly, I think this book should be called an Amish Christian cozy. And while there are some great Christian cozies this is not one that makes my top 10. Sissy was just too hard for me to really like as a character. I did not read the previous book Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary, so it’s possible I missed something character-wise. Again, the mystery itself was solid and interesting. The characters are just not for me.
2.5 stars






Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
#Netgalley #AMurderofAspicProportions #SunflowerCafe #AmyLillard #Amish #cozy

A Murder of Aspic Proportions is the second book in the Sunshine Café Mystery series. The main character, Sissy, is trying to figure out who murdered a local farmer who was not very popular. Sissy is an adorable character who works at the local café for her aunt. She’s new to town and is getting reacquainted with her extended Amish family and making new friends. She has a sweet little dog who loves to come along as Sissy investigates.

The mystery is well thought out and contains plenty of suspects. Her aunt, who is a bit cranky but lovable, is really into solving this murder with Sissy. They live in a small town and it is fun getting to know the locals. I’m not familiar with Amish culture so I’ve enjoyed learning about that too. The book left me feeling good at the conclusion, and throughout reading it. That is always the best sign for me of a series I want to continue reading. I’m looking forward to the next in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies for this wonderful ARC. I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I will post this review to my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, & Amazon accounts on the publication date, 6/27/23.

Walt is a lousy human but he grows great tomatoes. Or he did, anyway, before he was murdered! Sissy and her aunt Bethel snoop around to find out which of the many people in town who disliked Walt was the one who killed him- and it wasn't Emma Yoder who has confessed to it. Fairly standard cozy stuff but what makes this different is the family dynamic. Sissy and her parents are no longer Amish while the rest of the Yoder family (including cousin Bethel) are. I liked the first book but don't worry if you didn't read that one as this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

We once again get to visit Yoder, Kansas where Sissy Yoder has returned to help her aunt run her Sunshine Cafe. Glad that life had settle some after the last murder, Sissy is looking forward to a quiet summer writing her advice column and managing the cafe. However, after stopping to get some of Walt Summer's To Die For Tomatoes, she and her aunt find him dead in his shed. Who would want to kill the best tomato farmer in the county? Suspects come out in droves once it is established that Walt was anything but nice. Will Sissy find the real killer?
I love this series because the setting is small town America where everyone knows everyone's business. Sissy, her dog Duke, and her family and friends bring us back to when times were simpler and a town actually helped one another. I received an advanced copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

A Murder of Aspic Proportions by Amy Lillard is a cute, lighthearted cozy mystery. Amy Lillard has a casual writing style. It is reminiscent of talking with an old, Southern friend. The story moves along at a good pace. There is a cast of quirky characters that includes Sissy Yoder, Aunt Bethel, Lizzie, Gavin Wainwright, and indolent Earl Berry. Sissy Yoder temporary stay in Yoder, Kansas may become permanent. She is discovering that she likes life in the small town. Sissy especially likes the Chicken Coop, her tiny home that she shares with her small companion, a Yorkie named Duke. Sissy is getting to know her Amish relatives as well. She has a fondness for her Lizzie who is on bedrest awaiting the birth of fraternal twins. Aunt Bethel is quite a character. She is a bit of a grump, but Bethel loves her family. The mystery was simple and frustrating. Emma, a young Amish woman, confesses to the crime. Deputy Earl Berry should not be in charge of a donut shop much less a town. That he would let her confess without a lawyer or a parent present is appalling (it is a small town, and he should know that Emma could not have committed the crime). Earl Berry does no investigating (why is this man an officer of the law). I can understand why Bethel feels the need to clear Emma. Sissy, of course, is happy to tag along and help (plus, she has the car). The mystery is one that can be solved early in the book. The reason why is mentioned many times. The reveal was anticlimactic and unsatisfying. I did feel that A Murder of Aspic Proportions was a little long. Fifty pages could have easily been shaved off. There is repetition of information (Sissy’s convertible Fiat is mentioned eleven times, Duke is mentioned by name over fifty times, her column alias at least eight times). There is humor in the story which keeps things light. A Murder of Aspic Proportions is the second A Sunflower Café Mystery. It can be read as a standalone since the author provides the necessary background information on the main characters. A Murder of Aspic Proportions is a cute story that is good to read when you need something to lighten your mood or brighten a rainy afternoon. A Murder of Aspic Proportions is an upbeat tale with a snuffed-out farmer, a cozy convertible, an idle deputy, a false confession, stolen tomato plants, futile fertilizer, and a sleuthing Sissy.