Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A nice addition to the long running series featuring Magdalena and the people of Hernia. It helps, I think, to have read some of the others and to be patient about the sometimes over the top humor. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I continue to be a fan.

Magdelena Portulacca Yoder Rosen owns a bed and breakfast in Hernia, PA. She gives her guests a “genuine” Amish experience, as they have to carry their own luggage to their rooms, have no electricity or running water and check their cell phones at the door. They also help out with mucking stalls and cleaning their rooms. Magdalena is Mennonite, although her grandparents were Amish. She lives here with her retired Jewish husband and five-year-old son. Mags is also the mayor of Hernia, and the town is getting ready for its Fourth Annual Billy Goat Gruff Festival.

There have been a few murders occur at her B & B, and Mags has helped the local police with each case. When she receives a call from Police Chief Toy Graham about a couple being found in a dumpster, Mags is on the case. This couple was supposed to have stayed at her B & B for the festival. A series of catastrophes and acts of vandalism unfold as the festival is about to begin, all aimed at Mags. Someone is trying to kill her. Are these incidents related to the murders? Can they find the person responsible and save the festival?

MEAN AND SHELLFISH is a very unusual inspirational cozy mystery with the quirkiest characters I’ve ever met in a book. The storyline takes so many side trips, it’s sometimes hard to remember where it was going when it does get back on track. The supporting characters are a cadre of outlandish individuals with very bizarre names. You’ll meet Mag’s jailbird sister, an odd Texas couple, a one-legged Aussie and even a resident ghost. Some of Mag’s relatives even have intersecting bloodlines. The narrative is filled with idioms, alliterations and plays on words that will have your head spinning and your tongue twisted. Mags is a very strong main character, who is grounded in the Word of God from her Mennonite upbringing and quotes it often in appropriate situations. MEAN AND SHELLFISH will have you shaking your head when you get the finish line. Read it for a good laugh!

Tamar Myers's tale of a fictional Amish/Mennonite town in Pennsylvania is full of humour. Mean and Shellfish is a cozy mystery with nods to the stereotypes of small towns and several different religions. Her main character, Magdalena Yoder, the owner of the PennDutch Inn Bed and Breakfast is a strong personality that the others complement. This was my first leap into the series at book twenty-two so I have a fair bit of reading to catch up on if I'm going to complete the series so far! Luckily for me, it was a good standalone read, and I did not feel lost. A great whodunit and a place I would very much like to revisit.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Severn House Publishers via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This one was better than the previous book, with a more cohesive plot. Longtime fans will enjoy this latest entry in a funny Mennonite mystery series, with lots of internal dialogue and mouth-watering food descriptions.

Mean and Shellfish
by Tamar Myers

This is my first opportunity to read in this genre and author and I really enjoyed it. Lots of funny stories and this book made me laugh. I believe this is #22 in the series so I have a lot to catch up on. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this digital ARC.

3star

It has been a few years since I "visited" the town of Hernia run by Mayor Magdalena Yoder, proprietress of the PennDutch Inn bed and breakfast. Mags is just as funny as I remember and not just chuckle funny but laugh out loud funny because she has a personality that is definitely bigger than her farm and the stories are filled with just as many charachters as it is with farm animals. The author does a great job of sprinkling in bits of back story so that the reader is never lost but rather is as enticed to do the work and read the earlier stories. Doing the work is a popular theme in the PennDutch stories, after all people pay a great deal to get an honest to goodness Amish experience complete with mucking out stalls and schlepping their own luggage. This is one of the craziest PennDutch cozy yet and not just because there is a Billy Goat parade where one can throw candy at those who walk in the parade making goat noises, or because of the extremely unusual suspects, or the red herrings. Add it all together and you have a tired and true Magdalena Yoder Mystery complete with a very yummy recipe.

This is a funny series and this new novel is thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining.
I was happy to catch up with the characters and found the mystery solid.
It's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ms. Myers tale of a make believe Amish/Mennonite town in Pennsylvania is full of humor. It's a cozy mystery with jabs at the stereotypes of small towns and several different religions. Her main character is a strong personality that the others compliment.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse

A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery

This is one of the funniest cozy series! And the laughs may come to an end before the festival!

Murder, wild shenanigans, and visitors from afar may all take center stage at Hernia’s fourth Billy Goat Gruff Festival. It is after all the premier event of Hernia.

The festival has attracted visitors from all over the world and one of those would be Gabe’s sister, Miriam, who shows up from Australia and is staying at the inn.

While not as shocking as her only having one leg, murder is soon out doing that one. As if murder wasn’t enough for poor Magdalena, weird and off the charts odd things begin to happen as the festival kicks off. Magdalena needs to find a killer and quickly. And as she soon finds out the target may not be the festival after all.

This is such a funny, foody, quirky laugh-out-loud book. The characters are so memorable and I just never want the book to end.

NetGalley/Pub Date 04 May 2021 Cannongate Books/ Severn House

This is a funny mystery with wonderful characters. Billy Goat Gruff Festival is in Hernia. Magdalena is a hoot and will have you cheering her on. A murder then countdown begins for Magdalena to solve the crime. This one can easily be read as a stand alone.
#MeanandShellfish #NetGalley

Delightfully Escapist.....
Book twenty two in the Pennsylvania-Dutch mystery series finds the annual Billy Goat Gruff Festival underway, a highlight in Hernia. As visitors arrive from far and wide, bizarre events begin to unfold alongside a rather gruesome find. As amusing as ever, protagonist Magdalena delights with witty asides and quirky quips. Delightfully escapist.

This is my first introduction to this series and I have to say, I laughed out loud a few times will envisioning my grandmother, who was also a Mennonite, saying some of the very things that Mags did. 

The whodunit was enjoyable and the setting made me feel like I was visiting my family again. I will be checking out more in this series as I truly enjoyed the banter and protagonist. She’s just about in my age group too, so I can relate even more.

The great thing about this laugh out loud Pennsylvania-Dutch series is that you can join any instalment and be quickly brought up to date on the main characters. All the favorites are here in the newest title Mean and Shellfish; the word play and the banter, as well as heroine Magdalena Yoder's asides to herself, are hilarious. And the murder and mystery isn't bad too. This is a classic small town America cozy series, including the almost obligatory and zany heroine, the love interest, even the handsome law officer down to the crazy - and in this case we do mean crazy - relatives. If you want to play "guess the murderer" this series really isn't for you; if you want to curl up and escape the pressures of the pandemic and be well entertained for a few hours, there are few better cozy authors around.