"Murder of an Amish Bridegroom" introduces readers to a charming new cozy mystery series, the Amish Seamstress Mystery series by Patricia Johns. Set in Blueberry, Pennsylvania, this book offers a delightful twist by presenting the Amish lifestyle through the eyes of its main character, Petunia Yoder.

Petunia, at twenty-two years old, embraces her status as Blueberry's youngest old maid, thanks to her outspoken nature and lack of culinary skills. When her best friend, Eden Beiler, becomes entangled with Ike Smoker, a man with a dubious reputation in the community, their lives take an unexpected turn. Ike's murder, with Eden found at the scene, thrusts Petunia into a role she never imagined: assisting Detective Asher Nate in navigating the Amish community to uncover the truth.

What sets this mystery apart is its portrayal of Amish life and values, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. Petunia's relationships, particularly with her father and Detective Nate, are endearing and well-developed, hinting at potential romantic undertones that keep readers engaged.

While some aspects may stretch believability, such as the depiction of certain Amish practices, the overall story's charm and the intricate web of secrets and suspects make for an enjoyable read. The audiobook narration by Rebecca Gallagher enhances the experience, bringing the characters and setting to life.

"Murder of an Amish Bridegroom" is a promising start to a series that blends cozy mystery elements with insights into Amish culture, making it a recommended choice for readers seeking a refreshing twist in the genre.

I can’t handle this. I live in an area with a lot of Amish and this book comes off as so out of touch. The heroine can never marry because she’s not good at making pies? They are going to an ice house in 2024 in Pennsylvania? She’s making ice cream from ice cut from blocks from a lake? Just no. This seems really gross and fetishizing.

My first book by this 🇨🇦 Canadian author and her terrific Amish cozy "An Amish Seamstress" series will be one that I'll follow.

This is a great start to a new series set in Blueberry, Pennsylvania. Petunia Yoder is a heroine I adore. She's curious and outspoken and surprisingly for an Amish lady, she can't cook or bake. 🫨

The mystery is light and enjoyable with a good amount of suspects and secrets. Petunia becomes involved in solving a murder when her friend Eden is seen with blood on her hands at a local ice shop and a dead ice man, Ike Smoker. Petunia helps an Englisher detective Asher Nate who isn't familiar with her community as she believes wholeheartedly that her friend can't be the killer.

I find the characters, and setting of Murder of an Amish Bridegroom charming. The story has a good pace and flows well without the fillers you find with some cozies. Will definitely be reading/listening to more!

Rebecca Gallagher's narration was great for the story and character, and very enjoyable to listen.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ALC.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to read and review Murder of an Amish Bridegroom on NetGalley.

Narrator: Rebecca Gallagher

Stars: 4.5

This is book one in the Amish Seamstress Mystery series and I need to know when will book two be available. I really enjoyed the book. I went through it so quickly, I felt lost when it ended. Let me explain, the story was spot on. The characters were developed; I felt like I have known them forever. The story was explained in the synopsis. It was not over the top. I found it to be instinctive. I wanted to follow along.

My one issue was with Petunia. Even now I'm wondering can a woman be half Amish and half English. Petunia spoke English, but had Amish ways. I liked the relationship between her and her father, as well as she and the local detective. Both felt natural.

There is only one other cozy mystery series that I have enjoyed this much (Traci Hall's Scottish Series) and I did have moments were I reminisced.

I loved the narrator. She performed beautifully.

Recommend to readers transitioning from middle grade to teen and adult mysteries, as well as for adults.

I enjoyed this book. It is the first time I've read the author. I look forward to more to see what happens with "Pet". I like the characters and the Amish small town. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns is a good story about Petunia, a seamstress turned sleuth. When her best friend is charged with murdering her boyfriend, Petunia, a young Amish "old maid" sets out to help clear her friends name, with the help of a local detective. What they discover will have them reeling, as secrets of their community are revealed. I was surprised at the end; it was not who I expected at all. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

This book offered a fascinating insight into the lives of the Amish community (as well as providing an intriguing murder mystery!) As someone who lives in a country where there are no Amish, I genuinely loved how well their way of life was portrayed along with how the Amish way of living interacts with "modern" life. The characters were all very well-developed and three-dimensional with each person having their own personality, hopes, and secrets - and the narrator did a wonderful job with each character's accent too! I will say however that the ending was somewhat disappointing as the murderer wasn't very surprising and there were no "plot twists" as such, however, it was still an entertaining read and taught me a lot about the Amish way of life!

I always like when I learn something from a book when I'm not expecting it. That's what happens in "Murder of an Amish Bridegroom," which is as wholesome as a cozy mystery can me. I'm not super familiar with Amish culture and felt like I have a new appreciation for it after reading this. It's also got all of the hallmarks of a solid cozy mystery. If you want a calm, quiet whodunnit, this is a great choice!

"Murder of an Amish Bridegroom" is a very different type of book than I would normally choose, but I enjoyed it way more than I predicted. This is book 1 in a new cozy mystery that is a classic whodunit mixed with the Amish community and way of life. The characters are charming, well-developed, and very entertaining. The audio version is narrated by Rebecca Gallagher, who does an excellent job engaging readers with the story. Grab your favorite beverage, blanket, and sit by the fire while enjoying the quick and easy read. If you love light romance, suspense, and cozy mysteries, you will love this book.

Thanks to Patricia Johns, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Petunia is introduced to us readers through this first installment of An Amish Seamstress Mystery. Petunia has to put some of her traditional Amish ideals aside to partner with an Englisher and detective, Asher Nate. Asher needs Petunia as a social bridge while he’s investigating a murder of an Amish man in Petunia’s community. When Petunia’s bestfriend becomes a prime suspect, she realizes it’s better to be close to the investigation.

As a lover of cozy mysteries (with or without romance) I found these characters to be charming and entertaining. This Amish community held plenty of lies and secrets. I thoroughly appreciated not immediately solving the mystery, but also following along with the story. As it progressed, I found myself finding it harder to put the book down. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is such a fun mystery! I enjoyed how Patricia Johns weaves in all the Amish history, as well as insights into their unique culture. I hope there will be many episodes in the Amish Seamstress Mystery series.

A clever mystery, great characters, and a nice peek inside this interesting world. I highly recommed Murder of an Amish Bridegroom.

The audio version is nicely performed by Rebecca Gallagher.

I love cozy mysteries, and this one added an interesting spin by making the amateur sleuth Amish. The problem is, it seems like half the Amish community in Blueberry doesn't really adhere to their faith. So the Amish spin didn't work as well as I had hoped it might, which was a bit disappointing.

But otherwise, it was a fun cozy mystery with lots of interesting characters, potential suspects, and a bit of romance thrown in for good measure--all the elements of an entertaining cozy.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thanks to Patricia Johns, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I enjoyed this mystery. Take a classic whodunnit and put in the world of the Amish and you have this delightful story. There is an element of romance and an excellent set of suspects and clues. If you like cozy mysteries and clean romance, you will love this book.

This was a fun read and I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I am now adding all of Patricia Johns' books to my TBR. I really want to see Pet and Asher get together! I love learning about other cultures/religions and so I loved the details of Amish life explained in this book!

#MurderofanAmishBridegroom
#NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

This was a good mystery. It was such an easy read. I loved getting a bit of inside to the Amish life. I also enjoyed the characters and the storyline. So good.

I loved this first in series! I both read and listened to this audio book and I was not disappointed with the narration! The narration fit perfectly with what I imagined while reading the book.

The setting is in cold and frigid Amish country and the main character is a strong willed “unmarriagable” Amish woman, Petunia. Petunia has accepted her fate, knowing she is not marriage material. She speaks her mind too much, she has too much of an opinion and she can’t cook for anything. She has resigned to caring for her widowed father instead of settling down with her own family.

Things take an unexpected turn when she finds her best friend, Eden standing over the body of Eden’s not so secret lover, Ike Smoker. Ike is a bad boy who showed up in Blueberry, PA several months prior. Everyone has warned Eden against Ike but she loves him….

Local detective, Asher Nate is investigating Ike’s murder, and asks for Petunias help with navigating the Amish community.

It is impossible not to adore Petunia and appreciate her strong sense of self. She seems to feel a sense of longing for her own husband and family, but is also excited at being the towns youngest old maid.

I can’t wait to read more of these!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title.

I know that cozies are not supposed to be realistic, but this was a little much for me. I'm not an Amish expert, and I know there are so many different orders with different practices and beliefs throughout the country, however I didn't feel the Amish as a whole was portrayed well here. There were so many contradicting morals that didn't feel authentic and were very much secular behavior to me. For example, Amish men in bars getting drunk and urinating in public, a single woman keeping company with a man who doesn't belong to her faith, multiple accounts of adultery leading to pregnancy, snooping, stealing (taking a photo), and physcial abuse (slapping).
I'm not saying these things don't happen, but to write a book portraying Amish lifestyle, this felt wrong.

The narration was fine as far as how she preformed, my only complaint was the sporadic use of accents. I think the Amish accent should have been used throughout the book or not at all. It really didn't flow well with the random use.

In the end, I was surprised at "who done it" as I was wrong every time I guessed throughout the book. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

This was a twist on the Amish solving a murder. The main character worked often with the English policeman and at times I wondered if there would be something between them Petunia is not like the others in her community and is all to happy to help out he police detective. She goes off on her own and with help from others as she works to clear the name of her friend. I think I will like this series and look forward to seeing what Pet gets up to next.

This is a first in series and a new to me author. The mystery kept me guessing. Petunia is an interesting main character. She is outspoken and many of her actions would be controversial in her Amish community.
I was a bit confused by the title of the book as the man who died was not in this instance an Amish bridegroom. Ike Smoker never proposed to Eden. There are many reveals in the story that let you know just how far off course this man was.
I like detective Asher Nate. He has a past that has wounded him. He is able to bear criticism from Petunia.
My understanding of Amish society is entirely influenced by books, so I can’t say how accurate the portrayals are, but they certainly represent how many groups of people would react in situations posed in the book.
I liked the narrator’s voice in the audiobook.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this book.

This was a cute story that felt like it flew by. It follows the Amish lifestyle and gives insight into decisions made within the community and how they are made. I love the idea of the main character being a cultural consultant for the officer involved in the investigation, and her relationship with her father.
This book was a nice palette cleanser I'd recommend to others.