When quilt shop owner Angie finds township trustee Wanda Hunt dead at the auction, suspicion falls to her friend Rachel and her husband when the death cause appears to be from consuming a scone Rachel had given her earlier. Angie knows Rachel would not do that, but a zoning issue with a factory her husband plans to build presents a motive. Angie feels obligated to help Sheriff Mitchell with his investigation. Wanda's nephew, a troubled teen, had been living with Wanda and working at the auction yard. After the murder, he goes to stay with Sheriff Mitchell until his mother can come from California to pick him up. This creates problems with Mitchell's ex-wife and his custody rights. The antics of Angie's dog Oliver and Petunia the goat create some comic relief. I listened to the audiobook version of the book. The narrator drove me crazy with her mispronunciation of some of the Holmes County places such as Berlin. (It's pronounced differently than the place in Germany.) ( )

The second in the series - with Angie's friend Rachel as the prime suspect in the death of a town trustee who was threatening to refuse to allow the building of the pie factory on the grounds of the land Rachel and Aaron have purchased to expand their business. Thus, the readers not only get a mystery to solve, but also get a taste of small-town politics at its most ridgid and officious. Of course, we have the continuing interest between Angie and the local Sheriff, to add spice to the book. Enjoyed it all. ( )

Follows cozy format but still fun. ( )

Angie owns an Amish quilt shop, Running Stitch, even though she's not Amish. It was left to her by her Amish aunt, and she's coming to be a part of the community, and making friends among the Amish. She's excited to be having a few of her aunt's quilts up for auction in the Rolling Brook Amish Auction. Her friend and business neighbor, Rachel Miller, is also selling baked goods from her bakery. Rachel's husband Aaron is planning to open a factory for the pies, but not everyone is happy about it.

When Wanda Hunt, a town trustee, comes to Rachel's table she tells her that there's no way the factory will be approved and Aaron should have looked at the rules before he bought the land. Rachel is upset, but refuses to involve herself in her husband's business, instead offering one of her fry pies to Wanda. Later, while chasing her dog Oliver, Angie chases him through the auction grounds where she finds Wanda dead -- holding what's left of a blueberry fry pie. Now, with Rachel in the hot seat, Angie vows to do whatever it takes to keep her friend from being unfairly accused of a crime -- even if she winds up in the sights of a killer...

This is the second book in the series and I have to say that I did like it better than the first. Although it still bothers me that Angie's snooping is too overt - by that I mean she just walks up to people and asks them questions without even trying to be subtle about it. It's invasive and just a tad uncomfortable to read. I find myself skimming over most of it, when I shouldn't have to do that, because I want to see what peoples' answers would be. I would like to see Angie tone it down a bit when it comes to trying to get information out of people. In real life, her actions would more than likely get her physically attacked by someone.

Other than that, it was nice to see the connections she's making in the community, and one especially that will bring her closer to the Amish. I do like that her relationship with Sheriff Mitchell might be moving forward, as it's obvious they're both attracted to each other; although I do think that his ex-wife, while protective of her son, might be using him as a weapon against her husband to get him to do what she wants, and I really don't like that.

I also don't care much for Angie's mother. She's deluded in her daughter's life and refuses to allow Angie to grow up and do what she feels as right. Even from Dallas she's trying to run her life. Angie just hasn't moved far enough away to get away from this woman. I don't know how she dealt with her. I wouldn't be able to - at least not for long.

The mystery itself was interesting, and there were plenty of characters who could have killed Wanda, even though there never seemed to be a motive strong enough until later in the book. Once we had the motive, we pretty much knew how to narrow it down. So, although not many clues, it was still done nicely. All in all, even though it was an easy read and can be read in one night, I have to say that I really dislike it when the author leaves cliffhangers at the end. However, I will read the next in the series, but if it follows the same formula for the ending, I won't pursue this any further. ( )

Angie is trying to make a success of her newly inherited quilt shop, and putting some quilts up for auction at the Amish market is hopefully a way to make money and promote her shop. But when her Amish friends become people of interest in a suspicious death, Angie is driven to find the truth and prove her friends innocent of the crime. Her shop almost takes a back seat to her desire to help. And yet she still manages to sell some quilts before she finds herself in hot water. This is a well-crafted tale, complete with a surprise ending, and with characters that are intriguing and interesting. Their developing relationships with each other promises to make future books in the series even more interesting. ( )