Death by Tart Attack

We always buy Tamar Myers for our library. We always recommend her for people looking for long running cozy mystery series. Our patrons love her.

As the mayor of Hernia, and the richest woman around, this simple woman manages to attract murder like bees to honey. When her bigamist ex-husband shows up in town with plans to build a huge religious themed attraction, Magda vows to keep her town quiet and stop him at all costs. Though she surely wouldn’t kill him. But someone else would…and now she has to find out who without joining Aaron in the great beyond.

What’s better than a snarky mennonite who solves murders? Not much when it’s Magdalena Yoder! I adore this series and can’t get enough of her snarky, simple ways. You’ll find yourself laughing at times and maybe even wanting to check into the Penn Dutch Inn, even if only for a glass of cow juice.

It it were possible to give 10 stars, I would!!! Magdalene Yoder will being a huge smile to your face. Fun, fun, fun! The characters are like family, I have enjoyed them so much! Great lighthearted reading! A favorite of many! Thanks #netgalley and #SevernHouse for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

You know those reviews that say "made me laugh out loud" and you treat those with some scepticism. Well, you can believe it here. It's almost a laugh out loud each page. Huge fun; with self-deprecating Amish-Mennonite Magdalena Yoder Rosen at the centre of things as usual - though her long dead Granny steals the show with her appearances (only visible and audible to some) and who now prefers to be politically-correctly referred to as an Apparition-American. (Told you it was laugh out loud stuff, as are in in-jokes about Harlan Coben and Kirkus Reviews. If this is your first Tamar Myers adventure, then don't worry about getting to know the series characters for they are well explained. And if it is your first, go back to the start of the series and enjoy. them all.

Secrets Are Simmering…
The twenty third, no less, in the long running and entertaining Pennsylvania-Dutch Mystery series finds Magdalena Yoder accused of the murder of her duplicitous ex-husband. As the shock and disbelief echo through Hernia, Magdalena becomes determined to clear her name. What secrets are simmering beneath the seemingly placid waters of Hernia? A fun and entertaining mystery with a colourful cast of characters and a worthy addition to the series.

On page one and I’m already laughing. Magdalena Yoder is not only the mayor of her town, she is it’s the richest resident. And she is funny! Oh does she make you laugh.

When her kind of ex-husband shows up planning to build a giant theme park based on the book of Revelations, Magdalena is incensed. They are a quiet community and don’t want some Disney version of the Bible bringing thousands of people to their quiet community.

Aaron Miller is not a good man. Not even close. But he owns the land and this could be ugly.

As he is showing his plans to the public community he bites into a tart and that’s the last thing he does. Obviously, he’s been poisoned, but by who? Who baked the tart? Who would want him dead?

Suspicions fall on Magdalena of course and she isn’t going to stand for that. She is going to solve this murder and clear her name. But will the secrets bubbling below the town’s perfect facade mean the end of her?

Magdalena is one of the funniest characters in the cozy world. I could listen to her all day.

Another really good read.

NetGalley/May 3rd, 2022 by Severn House Publishers

Tamar Myers's tale of a fictional Amish/Mennonite town in Pennsylvania is full of humour. Death by Tart Attack is a cozy mystery with nods to the stereotypes of small towns and several different religions. Her main character, Magdalena Yoder Rosen, the owner of the PennDutch Inn Bed and Breakfast is a strong personality that the others complement. In this instalment, her ex-husband, Aaron Miller is determined to build an earth-shatteringly large amusement park. When he is found dead after munching on a tart, she must prove her innocence. This was my second jaunt in the series at book twenty-three 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 via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Sassy Magdalena is back! This book is hilarious! Magdalena has a sharp tongue and a quick wit. In this latest installment, she must put a stop to her ex-husband building Armageddonland theme park in her quiet community. Hilarity and danger ensues. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Magdalena is tough cookie and funny to boot. The characters are all flawed and highly amusing. The plot was outlandish but a fun read. I recommend this series.