104th out of 660 books
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636 voters
Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth (Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery #1)
by
Tamar Myers
In the first book of a wickedly funny new mystery series, Tamar Myers has created a memorable cast of eccentric characters and spiked her plot with a tasty selection of authentic Pennsylvania Dutch recipes. Magdalena Yoder, practical Mennonite proprietor of the determinedly quaint PennDutch Inn, has succeeded in converting a tranquil family farm into a thriving hostelry ca...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
August 1st 1995
by Signet
(first published December 1st 1993)
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I don’t know, guys... I think I may need to give up cozy mysteries all together (which bodes ill for the copy of We’ll Always Have Parrots that I have sitting my bedside table) because much like the last one I read, I found this story completely inane.
Magdalena Yoder, the Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite-turned-hotel owner, spends most of her time happily fleecing her customers and insulting their intelligence. To liven the story up, though, she still manages to spend a few moments per chapter to re...more
Magdalena Yoder, the Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite-turned-hotel owner, spends most of her time happily fleecing her customers and insulting their intelligence. To liven the story up, though, she still manages to spend a few moments per chapter to re...more
You might have realised by now that I’m somewhat of a sucker for a pun. I feel a certain sort of solidarity with authors who are absolutely determined to squeeze in a particularly groan-worthy pun regardless of whether it has any place being there at all. And so, happening upon Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth, I had little choice but to pick it up and read it.
Now, I should admit that Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth was technically read in two sittings rather than the breezy single sitting favour...more
Now, I should admit that Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth was technically read in two sittings rather than the breezy single sitting favour...more
I really enjoyed this first book in the Pennsylvania-Dutch mystery series. Even though Tamar Myers mixes up her Amish and Mennonite sects more than I think is realistic, I was very entertained by her characters, particularly Magdalena Yoder. I was born and raised in Pennsylvania-Dutch country, so I'm familiar with the Yoders, the Zooks, the Stoltzfuses, the Hostetlers, the Myers, etc. I'm a also familiar with the vast differences between Mennonites and the Amish as well as the "quaint" label att...more
Magdalena Yoder runs the PennDutch Inn in Hernia, PA and is related to almost everyone in town, either close, distant, or once removed, etc. Her sister Susannah, who left the Mennonites to marry but is now divorced, lives at the Inn but is very undependable, lazy, and sleeps around. Their parents died in an accident and Magdalena and Susannah are the only ones left in their immediate family.
It is the beginning of deer hunting season and they are looking at having a full house, so full that when...more
It is the beginning of deer hunting season and they are looking at having a full house, so full that when...more
I've been researching my husband's Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, which includes Mennonite, and thought I would enjoy reading a book which combined his heritage with my favorite genre, mysteries.
Sadly, I "unenjoyed" this book. The main character is, hopefully, a poor representative of her religion. She lies with impunity, is mean, rude, obnoxious, conceited... I could go on, but why bother? She's not a person I'd like to befriend.
For the humor to be more than mostly tasteless jokes there needs to...more
Sadly, I "unenjoyed" this book. The main character is, hopefully, a poor representative of her religion. She lies with impunity, is mean, rude, obnoxious, conceited... I could go on, but why bother? She's not a person I'd like to befriend.
For the humor to be more than mostly tasteless jokes there needs to...more
I'll admit, I wasn't sure I would like this series. So far (I'm on book six), it's been okay. I'm not thrilled with the occasional proselytizing, slut-shaming, and so forth, but it's from the point-of-view of characters raised in situations that such things are a part of their character (that is, it doesn't come across as the author's views hammered in), and they don't go without responses to them. Maybe not as strong as responses as many-- including myself-- would hope, but they are there.
The m...more
The m...more
Too Many Crooks Spoil The Broth is the first book in the Pennsylvania Dutch mystery series. Be proud! I'm reading this series in order! Before I review this book, I have to say, if you are knowledgeable of the Amish or Mennonite culture, you might want to pass on this series, cos Tamar seemed to be getting her religions muddled from time to time.
If you can get passed that, this is a hilarious start to a series. Magdalena is such a squirrelly woman. It is absolutely hard to believe she runs a B &...more
If you can get passed that, this is a hilarious start to a series. Magdalena is such a squirrelly woman. It is absolutely hard to believe she runs a B &...more
I was just looking for a quick beach read. Well it was that, I guess. Myers goes deep in Amish/Mennonite ambiance and a kind of humor that is generally successful, but too often just crass. (I know Susanne is a comic foil, but does she really need to allow her "rat" dog to trample across the syrup laden dishes and then stuff it into her bra?) As to the mystery part (the part I was looking forward to enjoying) the corpse is entirely forgotten during most of the tromp, the character who brings the...more
It's an interesting twist on the traditional cozy mystery, with the Pennsylvania Dutch background. I like the idea of recipes, and indeed found a couple I would like to try. There was a bit too much emphasis on sin and judgment for my taste, with the heroine being a middle aged virgin spinster, but it looks like there may be some romance in her future. I thought the characterization of the murderer was off somehow, that in the end said murderer behaved in a stereotypically repugnant way that had...more
A gift from a friend, I started this book immediately upon completing the Taylor book. Why is this series so popular? I find none of the characters even remotely likable and the whole Mennonite austerity, self-righteousness, and sanctimony is almost more than I can bear. Not sure if I'll be able to make if through this one, but it will certainly be the last I read in this awful series.
I did finish this book, but really found the characters loathsome. The proprietress of the Inn was particularly...more
I did finish this book, but really found the characters loathsome. The proprietress of the Inn was particularly...more
I bought this book on a whim, because I liked the idea of a novel that contained recipes ... and enjoyed it so much that I became hooked on the series. That was several years ago; now I will no longer read books that are part of a series, with the exception of this one and J. D. Robb's "In Death" Series.
These are the books I turn to when I'm tired of reading about true crime, doomsday political stuff, dense "intellectual" novels or anything I have to think too hard about. I love the characters a...more
These are the books I turn to when I'm tired of reading about true crime, doomsday political stuff, dense "intellectual" novels or anything I have to think too hard about. I love the characters a...more
I have developed a great affection for this author. I buy all her titles in both her Penn Dutch series as well as her Den of Antiquity series, just because they are hers. While there are some that will stay with me longer than others, I recommend both series. They are light reads, with some cultural significance, fun puns, and heroines who aren't afraid to joke at their own expense. (Perhaps who are more afraid to take themselves seriously...)
I do have a bit of preference for the Penn Dutch s...more
I do have a bit of preference for the Penn Dutch s...more
It took a while for me to get into the story, I just didn't fell the story.
A woman running a Amish way of life bed and breakfast to make ends meat after her parents die, fights her 'sinful' siter, hunters of all kinds that includes a murder in the inn.
Reading all I can of cozy mysteries and came across this one while looking for another...gave it a try and glad I did. It has a little different twist and different take than others I have read with first person view.
A woman running a Amish way of life bed and breakfast to make ends meat after her parents die, fights her 'sinful' siter, hunters of all kinds that includes a murder in the inn.
Reading all I can of cozy mysteries and came across this one while looking for another...gave it a try and glad I did. It has a little different twist and different take than others I have read with first person view.
Fairly average cozy mystery. Very cute of the author to make the chief of police's wife's name "Tammy Myers". I thought that Magdalena was not as tough as she sounded. It was nice to actually read the first book of a series before reading any others (I never seem to be able to read anything in order). Not sure if I would read any more in this series or not - guess I will decide based on each book. I will copy out the "Boiled Cookie" recipe though - sounds easy & good!
I much prefer her Den of Antiquity series which is humorous and more interesting storylines. I had a hard time finding Magdalena Yoder, the main character, as anything more than annoying. Even if she's meant to be prickly, she wasn't interesting whereas Abbie in the Den series is often rude and selfish yet she's still humorous and interesting enough to want to find out what will happen to her next.
Acerbic Magdalena Yoder, Mennonite innkeeper, hosts an odd group of hunters and animal rights activists at The PennDutch Inn in Hernia PA with to be expected conflicts. You might not expect, however, 2 murders, pregnancy, poison and a presidential candidate. #1 in the series. Recipes are included.
Entertaining cozy mystery. Might read another in the series. Plot is a little overcomplicated.
Entertaining cozy mystery. Might read another in the series. Plot is a little overcomplicated.
Mostly, I'm just shocked that the book was in any measure enjoyable given that the protagonist is one of the most hypocritical, nasty characters I've ever read. She calls her sister a slut for not only talking to a man, but also wearing shorts (shock! horror!) yet gleefully lies and cons her customers out of money throughout. Yet somehow I didn't completely hate it, so kudos to the author.
Apr 30, 2013
Connie N.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-in-series,
cozy-mystery
This was pretty cute with an enjoyable (but sometimes a little over-the-top) main character who is the owner of a Pennsylvania Dutch Inn. She apparently is Amish (or Mennonite) and occasionally indicates this by frowning on swearing or speaking in a fake German accent. Because it seems as though she's just giving her Amishness lip service, it sometimes makes her seem quite unappealingly close-minded. However, since much of what she says is quite funny and said with tongue-in-cheek, that makes up...more
Love cozy mysteries, but this one....not so much. Really didn't like the main character, Magdelena Yoder, the owner of the PennDutch Inn. It seemed like every other paragraph contained the words "if your mother was alive", "keep my mother out of this" or "momma's spinning in her grave". I think I'll try the author's other series and see if I enjoy that better.
This book is ridiculous, yet I cannot put it down. It's a light read, but I think there's more to it if you're looking for it. The author uses more language than I'm comfortable with, to paint her characters, who are quite colorful.
All in all, it was good. There's something compelling about her writing. I have a love-hate relationship with her books :)
All in all, it was good. There's something compelling about her writing. I have a love-hate relationship with her books :)
This mystery is quite different from many I've read. There was a lot more descriptive detail and a lot less actual mystery. I ENJOYED all the descriptive detail of this lifestyle in Pennsylvania Dutch country. However, the mystery wasn't really much of a mystery. Two people died, so there was a mystery. When the coroner's report came through, there was a plausible explanation, and a guy eventually confessed to some of it. The rest was "conjecture" ... anyway, I enjoyed it enough to read more of...more
This is the first in a series of an Amish woman that sets up her home as a B&B in Pennsylvania after her parents die. She offers the AML (Amish Living Plan) which is where each person cleans up after themselves. She does offer all meals as well (for a fee).
After a great review the B&B is always booked. Around rolls hunting season and she is booked once again with a lively group. A senator and his wife and various members of a animal rights group trying to save people from killing the dee...more
After a great review the B&B is always booked. Around rolls hunting season and she is booked once again with a lively group. A senator and his wife and various members of a animal rights group trying to save people from killing the dee...more
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Tamar Myers was born and raised in the Belgian Congo (now just the Congo). Her parents were missionaries to a tribe which, at that time, were known as headhunters and used human skulls for drinking cups. Hers was the first white family ever to peacefully coexist with the tribe, and Tamar grew up fluent in the local trade language. Because of her pale blue eyes, Tamar’s nickname was Ugly Eyes.
Tamar...more
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