The crow's call /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Mysterious Events Plague a Greenhouse in Pennsylvania's Amish Country



When Vernon King, his son, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are left to cope with their deaths, as they become the sole providers of the family they have left. The women's only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business.



Amy King has just lost her father and brother, and her mother needs her to help run the family's greenhouse. It doesn't seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother to help. But Sylvia is also grieving for her husband while left to raise three children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do. As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold. When things become even more stressful at the greenhouse, will Amy crumble under the pressure?

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

Prolific Brunstetter (The Healing Jar, 2019, etc.) launches a new series that offers a most unusual perspective on Amish detection.Unlike the many mysteries set in Pennsylvania Amish communities but narrated by outsiders, Brunstetter's first Amish Greenhouse Mystery is presented from the viewpoint of the Amish themselves. The King family faces unspeakable tragedy when father Vernon, teenage son Abe, and son-in law Toby are killed in a buggy accident. Vernon's widow, Belinda, decides to provide for her grieving family by continuing to run the family's greenhouse rather than accepting her son Ezekiel's offer to give up his farm in Clymer, New York, and return home to help her. Daughter Amy decides to put a stop to her courtship with her beloved Jared in order to devote all her time to helping her mamm, although it wounds her to see Jared turn his attention toward her best friend, Lydia Beiler. Teenage Henry, on the other hand, rebels, shirking his chores and sneaking off at night. To compound their grief, the Kings face a series of mishaps in the greenhouse that threaten their livelihood. Animals find their ways into the locked building, pots are knocked over, and plants are poisoned with weed killer. Readers who count on a big reveal will be disappointed, but others may enjoy this slow-paced look at domestic detail and low-stakes suspense.After a traumatic opening, Brunstetter's series debut is overwhelmingly gentle. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Wanda E. Brunstetter began writing when she was a child. She became more serious about writing and completed coursework on writing for children at The Institute of Children's Literature in 1980 which was also the year of her first publication. Brunstetter is a professional ventriloquist and has published several ventriloquist books.

Brunstetter's first novel was published in 1997. She enjoys writing about the Amish because of their peaceful and simple lives. Her book, Lancaster Brides, was on the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) bestseller's list for seven months. Her book Lydia's Charm made The New York Times Bestseller list for 2010 and her title The Healing made Publisher's Weekly Best Selling List for 2011. Also her title Goodbye to Yesterday made The New York Times Best Seller List in 2013. Brunstetter's title, The Decision, made the Publisher's Weekly Best Seller in 2015.