Millie, an older Amish woman, and her English friend Lois are excited about the county fair, Millie because she is entering a quilt in the show and Lois because she is meeting a new man. As Millie is arranging her quilt in the Needlework tent, she is startled by an argument between Ruth Yoder and Tara Barron, the head judge. Apparently Ruth missed the entry deadline but doesn't think that that should really matter for her the bishop's wife. Tara is firm, Ruth's quilt cannot be entered.

The next morning Tara is found dead and she is surrounded by pieces of Ruth's quilt. Because it appears that Ruth is a strong suspect, Millie and Lois set out to find the real killer,

I love the characters in this series because they play so well together. It's also great to see them in cameo roles in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. The mystery was entertaining especially with the insertion of mischievous goats and a pig with a following. ( )

Millie, AKA Amish Marple, and her English friend Lois are enthralled with the county fair. Millie has entered the quilt competition, and Lois is searching her new dating app for a boyfriend. Millie’s frisky goats are also entered in a competition, being shown by her grand-nephew. Millie can’t help getting involved with a young Amish friend of her grand-nephew’s when the boy’s cruel father abandons him at the fair. And to complicate matters, the head of the fair is found dead in the quilt barn with the shredded quilt that the bishop’s wife made. Millie and Lois are on the case, but they have a lot on their plate, so to speak, and staying safe seems to be falling off the edge. This well written cozy is just another example of the fine storytelling abilities of author Amanda Flower. Intriguing, entertaining, and delightful, it’s a wonderful way to while away a few hours. ( )

Dating Can Be Deadly by Amanda Flower takes us back to Harvest, Ohio for the Holmes County Fair. I just love Millie Fisher and Lois Henry. Those two are quite a pair. Lois and Millie are opposites, but they have been best friends since they were children. Lois’s handbag must weigh a ton. I am just amazed at what Lois has in that bag (and I thought I carried a big bag). Millie’s mischievous goats are entered into the competition at the county fair (thanks to Millie’s nephew Micah) and you know those two are itching to explore the fairgrounds. When a murder occurs at the fair in the quilt barn, Lois and Millie are on the case. There are a handful of suspects. Millie and Lois ask questions plus nose around for clues. Some readers may be surprised when the killer’s identity is revealed (it means you missed a vital clue or two). I like how Lois’s purse played into the reveal. I laughed often while reading Dating Can Be Deadly. You never know what Lois will say or do next (and her outfits are something else especially her ensemble for the square dance). I do wonder how much gel and hairspray Lois uses to get her hair to stay in place (I bet Lois could get picked up by a twister and her hair would remain intact). I love that the story includes characters from An Amish Candy Shop Mysteries including a certain polka dotted pig. Cupid is in town, and he is knocking at Millie’s door. The question is, though, Millie ready to open her heart. Dating Can Be Dating is the fifth An Amish Matchmaker Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but I encourage you to read this delightful series in order. Dating Can Be Deadly is an entertaining tale with fighting fair officials, roguish goats, quality quilts, dating dilemmas, helmet hair, a heartless relative, and fair food. ( )

Dating Can Be Deadly is the fifth book in the An Amish Matchmaker Mystery series.

Millie and Lois have been friends since childhood. Even though their lives are worlds apart, Millie is Amish, and Lois is an Englischer, they accept each other's beliefs without question.

The Holmes County Fair is about to open, and Millie plans to exhibit a quilt she has made. Lois takes her to the fairgrounds to hang the quilt in the judging area. Shortly after arriving, they see Ruth Yoder, wife of a local Amish Bishop, arguing with Tara Barron, the head judge and president of the fair board. Ruth wanted to enter a quilt but was late getting her application in, and Tara refused to make any exceptions.

One night, Millie learns that her goats, Peter and Phillip, whom her grand-nephew was showing, had escaped their pen, and she needed to come and catch them. Lois drives them to the fairgrounds, and their search for the goats leads to the pole barn where the quilts are exhibited. They find more than the goats. Tara's dead body is lying on the shredded quilt that Ruth Yoder wanted to display.

Millie and Lois begin to investigate, as the police will probably suspect that Ruth might have had reason to kill Tara, but they know that Ruth would never kill anyone. Millie and Lois realize that Tara’s quilt shop burned down. Her ex-husband becomes a suspect when it’s learned he was her partner in the shop. There will also be a few more suspects. Before it’s all over, Millie will again be reminded why Lois carries a brick in her HUGE purse. Millie will also help a young Amish lad and his pygmy goat find a caring home. A very touching story. Once again, I enjoyed reading about the antics of Peter and Phillip.

The book is well-written and plotted. It reads at a good pace and provides a few chuckles, too. I love reading how Millie and Lois interact with their different lifestyles.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful series. ( )

cozy-mystery, Amish, Amish-community, family, friends, friendship, verbal-humor, situational-humor, sly-humor, sleuthing-seniors, goats, local-law-enforcement, rural, relationships, fair, Ohio, small-town, small-business, amateur-sleuth, murder-investigation*****

Now that they are 68, Millie and her non-Amish friend from childhood, Lois, are still great friends despite their differing lifestyles Lois works well with Millie in investigating. Millie's goats are at it again! I know there's a good cozy in the middle of all this, but the laughs are the bestest! Laugh your sox off. Loved it and it really can stand alone.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )