Mysteries ofLancaster County
Series · 24
books · 2019-2025
Books in series
#1
Another's Treasure
2019
Nestled among Pennsylvania’s rolling hills is Bird-in-Hand, a tiny village where Amish, Mennonites, and Englishers live side by side. It’s here where the close-knit Classen sisters reunite after inheriting their family home—a beautiful Victorian farmhouse—with hopes of reopening their grandmother’s incredibly popular gift and thrift store, Secondhand Blessings, housed in the centuries-old barn next to the house. Soon life in this quiet community is bursting with excitement and unexplained mysteries Little do the sisters know as they gather up flea-market finds, handmade quilts, and baked goods from their own kitchen that they’re filling the nooks and crannies of their rustic store with a host of mysteries and surprises! But the sisters end up with more than they bargained for when Anita Smucker, who donated dozens of items from her wealthy parents’ estate, accuses them of stealing a valuable family heirloom. Anita isn’t certain what it is and the sisters don’t know if they’ve sold it or if it’s still sitting on their shelves. As the sisters work to solve the mystery, what they discover goes way beyond anything they ever expected. Suddenly, the lives of the three Classen sisters are changed forever…
#2
Garage Sale Secret
2019
Why was her uncle Paul buried so far away from his family’s plot? And at Secondhand Blessings, another mystery emerges. Like clock- work, a group of four women come into the shop every Monday to consign their weekly garage-sale and estate-scavenging finds. But when only three of them show up one week, it soon becomes apparent that something sinister is afoot for the missing woman.
Meanwhile, Mary can’t quite figure out a man who has come to Bird-in-Hand. While the charming, attractive man seems friendly enough, and maybe even interested in Mary, there’s just something about him that puts her on the defensive. Is Mary just being overly cautious, or is there good reason for her wariness?
#3
An Unbroken Circle
2019
Mystery arises at Secondhand Blessings when Martha promises to hold a unique crazy quilt for her late mother’s best friend Anne, who says it is a family heirloom. But then an elderly Amish customer comes along and demands that she be allowed to buy the quilt, claiming that it belonged to her family. Do the two share some connection the Classens don’t know about? Can Amish neighbor Rachel Fischer help the sisters uncover the clues they need from members of the tight-lipped Amish community? As the sisters piece together the patchwork of tantalizing clues amid Amish and Englishers alike, they soon realize that solving this mystery is not as easily sewn up as they had hoped.
Meanwhile, a friendly Mennonite deliveryman joins Bill in the queue of would-be suitors for free-spirited Mary. But is she ready to give her heart to him, or anyone else, just yet?
#4
Mysteries of Lancaster County
Mixed Signals
2019
Mysteries of Lancaster Mixed Signals by Beth Adams.
#5
Stamp of Approval
2019
#6
Plain Beauty
2019
When a little Amish boy in Bird-in-Hand is diagnosed with leukemia, the Plain community rallies around him—as do Martha, Mary, and Elizabeth, and Secondhand Blessings becomes a staging area to gather donated goods for a fund-raising auction. The little boy’s grandfather, Alvin Miller, donates a racehorse he recently acquired, along with a valuable saddle, to the cause. But when Alvin’s stable is set on fire and both the horse and saddle disappear, Martha and her sisters are thrust into solving a mystery that follows horse dealers and trainers from Virginia to Pennsylvania to Maryland.
Meanwhile, Martha gets disturbing news from her family in Kansas. Her own granddaughter, Celeste, has fallen ill. Will the mystery behind the fire and the disappearance of Alvin’s prize horse remain unsolved while Martha tends to the needs of her faraway family?
#7
The Ties That Bind
2019
The Ties That Bind is the 7th book in the Mysteries of Lancaster County mystery fiction series.
When Elizabeth purchases a beautiful porcelain pitcher for Secondhand Blessings from a mysterious man and his canine companion, she soon realizes that the pitcher is worth far more than what she paid for it. And when she finds what looks like the pitcher’s matching basin in an auction held at a nearby Amish farm, she wonders if the seller could have a connection to the Amish family. Determined to find the mystery man who sold her the piece and give him the opportunity to sell it for a fairer price, Elizabeth soon realizes that tracking him down may be harder than she expected. She learns that, not only has he not been home in days, but there is a possibility he is also very sick. Can Elizabeth find him before it’s too late?
Meanwhile, Martha is elbow deep in flour and frosting, and Mary is working out the décor for their dear friend Anne’s wedding. But they find themselves struggling to keep up with the wedding plans when the bride keeps changing her mind.
#9
Lights, Camera, Christmas
2019
A famous tv chef drives by the home. They decide to film a secret episode for the chef's show. Mary and Martha get news that their families can't travel to be with them for the holiday's. Soon accidents start to happen. Can they all survive them including the chef?
#10
A Slowly Developing Story
2025
When Lauren Collier sells a vintage camera from her late grandfather’s estate to Secondhand Blessings, Elizabeth opens the back and is surprised to discover an undeveloped roll of film inside. After Elizabeth tells Mary about the film, with Lauren’s permission, Mary offers to get the roll processed, and the prints she had made reveal a mystery involving a local Amish man who mysteriously disappeared decades earlier. Can Elizabeth help Lauren discover who this mystery Amish man is and how he is connected to Lauren’s grandfather? Could it be possible that Lauren has family in the Amish community? Meanwhile, Mary gets involved with making baked goods for Lancaster County’s Helping Hands program, which is hosting a fund-raiser to aid foster children. However, Mary’s repeated failed attempts at baking only tempt Martha to take over the project herself—an unwelcomed proposition, to say the least! Can Martha and Mary set aside their differences long enough to help Elizabeth solve a decades-old mystery?
#11
Pride and Pettiness
2020
When Mary is asked out on a date by the handsome and fun-loving baseball coach at the local high school, she thinks it is the perfect time for a new haircut and color. However, things go terribly awry when she goes to old friend and hairdresser, Paige Schiller, and winds up with blue hair. Paige is mortified by the fiasco and has no explanation, but Mary stumbles on a clue when she finds the label switched on a bottle of hair color. Could it be an unhappy accident or is someone trying to sabotage Mary’s date . . . or Paige’s salon? Mary believes the latter, especially when one of Paige’s customers falls prey to faulty clippers and another receives a bad perm, which results in more unhappy customers. Can Mary and her sisters, Elizabeth and Martha, track down the culprit? The clues may be cut and dried, but the case is anything but in this hairy caper.
#12
By Any Other Name
2020
When Adam Fischer—Rachel’s eldest son—faces arrest for a hit-and-run and other serious crimes, the Classen sisters are sure the authorities are targeting the wrong man. Adam doesn’t even drive, let alone have a credit card, such as the one used for fraud. But someone claiming to be Adam has been involved in a number of crimes, and all the evidence points to him. As Martha and her sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, learn more about Adam’s past, they start to wonder if there’s more to Adam’s story than meets the eye. Yet, as they search for clues to help Adam, the identity of the real criminal remains just out of reach. Will they be able to find answers before an innocent victim is thrown in jail?
Meanwhile, Mary is determined to rebuild their mother’s garden, but with the weather still on the chilly side the project isn’t going exactly the way she planned. Elizabeth is digging through her father’s old clothing to find material for her newest quilting project, but instead she uncovers shocking insights into his past.
#13
Beg, Borrow or Steal
2020
Elizabeth Classen’s curiosity is aroused when she notices an unfamiliar teenage girl hiding pieces of fruit in her pockets from the refreshment table during the church's social hour. No one seems to know the girl, few other people observed her, and when Elizabeth tries to speak with her, the girl bolts. Who is the fruit thief? Why is she sneaking food? And how can Elizabeth help her?
At home, the sisters find evidence that a thief of a different sort has been sneaking into their ramshackle henhouse. This discovery prompts them to undertake a project that quickly becomes more challenging than they'd anticipated. Meanwhile, middle sister Martha is tapped at the last minute to oversee a library book sale when the chair-person takes ill; and youngest sister, Mary, tries to do a good deed as a foster parent to a rescue dog, which brings a whole doggie bag full of troublesome tricks along with it..
#14
Lilacs, Lavender and Lies
2020
As Mary Classen Baxter shops for the last of her spring plants at Franz Farms, she gets to know the Mennonite owner, widower Gabriel Franz, quite well. As they spend time together, Mary begins to wonder if the two of them could have a future together. When Gabriel’s nursery and fields are vandalized and items start to go missing, Mary is determined to help her new friend and solve the crimes.
When Elizabeth stumbles across a Bible with the name Franz written in the front of it at a moving sale, she recognizes the Bible as a family heirloom. Could it be one of the items taken from Gabriel’s farm? How did it end up in another family’s sale? And what is the significance of the handwritten poem tucked in the back of the Bible? The Classen sisters soon find themselves embroiled in yet another mystery, one that will lead them to unexpected discoveries.
#15
Summer Harvest Secrets
2025
It’s June in Lancaster County, and farmers are harvesting their ear-ly summer crops. Martha Classen Watts and her sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, are excited to go strawberry picking and attend the annual Strawberry Festival at the Beiler farm. That is, until their friend Rachel Fischer tells them the Beilers’ crops have failed, and there are hints of sabotage. Who would destroy the strawberry fields and why? Martha dives into the mystery, determined to help her friend Willa Beiler and her family.
Meanwhile, with hot weather around the corner, Elizabeth is busy with a new venture—–making homemade ice cream to sell at Secondhand Blessings. With baskets of fresh strawberries and a treasured recipe in hand, Elizabeth makes a delicious first batch. The enterprise looks like it could be a success—–especially when Mary’s old friend and artist Pierre Lavigne comes to Bird-in-Hand and offers a helping hand.
#16
Collateral Damage
2020
Elizabeth Classen is delighted when her high school sweetheart, Peter Russell, comes to town, but she quickly realizes that he’s had a difficult life since he left Bird-in-Hand many years earlier. All he wants now is to reconnect with his daughter, Crystal, and get to know his teenage granddaughter, Willow. However, the gulf between father and daughter only grows wider when Crystal’s valuable diamond pendant disappears and she accuses Peter of theft. Can Elizabeth clear his name before it’s too late for this family to reconcile?
Meanwhile, Martha and Mary clash when Mary’s little grandson, Nick, comes to stay for a few days. They are soon reminded that it’s been quite a while since they were responsible for a baby. Can they find a way to compromise and work together to take care of little Nick?
#17
Arson, Plain and Simple
2020
Mary’s childhood friend Jake Miller has returned to Bird-in-Hand to visit his brother Caleb and meet Caleb’s new wife, Anna.Caleb is elated to see Jake after so many years, but Anna is not so welcoming. When Caleb’s workshop is set on fire with Caleb inside, Jake’s suspicions fall on his brother’s unhappy bride—especially when other Amish businesses in the area have been set ablaze, and Anna seems to have motive for each. Jake recruits Mary and her sisters to help solve the mystery. Can the Classen sisters find out who is setting the fires and why?
Meanwhile, change is coming in the lives of the Classen sisters. Mary has been offered the chance to paint for a gallery in Philadelphia, Martha has been wondering if perhaps she wants to open her own bakery, and Elizabeth…well Elizabeth doesn’t want anything to change. Is it time for the sisters to go their separate ways so soon after reuniting?
#18
Bird's Eye View
2025
What better way to enjoy the scenic splendor of Lancaster County than from the sky? When Martha and her sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, attend the annual Lancaster County Hot Air Balloon Festival, they’re excited about getting a bird’s-eye view of Bird-in-Hand. But as their balloon drifts across the idyllic landscape, Martha is shocked to witness what looks like a kidnapping taking place in a parking lot below. When the Classen sisters finally make it to the spot of the abduction, all they find is a small charm from a Girl Scout summer camp held years ago. Could this be a clue to the identity of their missing woman? When no one files a missing person report, the sisters have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. Will they find the woman—and discover the reason she was kidnapped—or has the sisters’ penchant for mystery made them see a crime where none exists?
#19
Dairy Disaster
2020
Elizabeth Classen has always loved the close-knit community of Bird-in-Hand, especially because, in times of trouble, neighbors come together to care for one another or lend a helping hand. So when Moses Troyer, an Amish dairy farmer, is injured in a buggy accident and is left unable to work, Elizabeth and her sisters, Martha and Mary, help out by purchasing milk from his daughter. However, things take a sour turn when the Classen sisters start getting complaints about their baked goods not tasting right and even making people sick! The sisters trace the source of the issue back to the milk they purchased from the Troyers. They soon discover it wasn’t simply one bad batch of milk, but the entire supply! Could it be sabotage? And if it is, who would harm the Troyers’ business when they need it most? Can Elizabeth and her sisters find out who the culprit is before the cows come home?
#20
Not Her Type
2020
When a vintage typewriter comes into the shop, Mary is delighted to take a closer look at such a fun treasure. As she unspools the ribbon cartridge, Mary finds a clue to a fifty-year-old mystery! With the help of her sisters, Elizabeth and Martha, Mary looks into the cold case and makes some unexpected discoveries. With a long list of suspects, the Classen sisters soon realize that someone desperately wants these long-buried secrets to remain hidden. Together, can they solve this long-forgotten case?
With Thanksgiving around the corner, Martha has taken on perhaps a little more than she can handle when it comes to baking for the Lancaster Community Thanksgiving Meal. But a surprising helper may be just what she needs to finish the pies in time. Meanwhile, the sisters’ loyal Border collie, Pal, faces a difficult diagnosis. Can they make the best and right decision for their mama’s beloved pup? Is it time to say goodbye to their dearest friend?
#21
Christmas Derailed
2020
Join Martha as she takes her family on this delightful train ride to celebrate the holidays. But as they enjoy the festive ride and drink hot chocolate, things come to a screeching halt when they realize that a little Amish girl—Addie Wilson—is missing! As everyone frantically searches for the missing girl, clues lead them to wonder…did she simply wander off? Or was she taken? With the help of her sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, Martha will do whatever it takes to help the Amish family find their little one.
With the holidays approaching, Martha is glad to have her son Craig and his two sons visit for Christmas, but her grandson Dylan is acting moody and subdued. Can Martha get to the bottom of his sour attitude? Meanwhile, Mary and Elizabeth are learning to navigate Christmas in their new relationships. Can they find a way to balance their family traditions with making some new memories?
#22
Handcrafted Secrets
2020
After a near accident on icy roads in Lancaster County, Elizabeth Classen watches as a furniture truck slides through a slippery intersection and crashes! As the driver is rushed to the hospital, the police open the truck to check the damage and soon discover that the compartments of a desk inside have opened, revealing a secret stash of drugs. Could the Amish furniture store be a front for drug smuggling? Or was someone else using the store for their own personal gain? Fingers are pointing at the driver of the truck, but Elizabeth doesn’t believe he is the culprit. Can she prove there is more to this case than meets the eye? Or will an innocent man end up in jail?
Meanwhile, Martha has been acting very strangely lately. Packages are arriving every day at the Classen house, and they are all addressed to Martha. What is Martha hiding? Mary and Elizabeth sure would like to know! Is their sister becoming a shopaholic?
#23
In Plain Sight
2021
After the sad loss of the Classen sisters’ dear friend, Bertha Shetler, Mary finds herself drawn to comfort Katura Stolfuz, a shy young woman who had been taken in by Bertha for the past few months. Mary knows the pain of losing a mother, and she hopes she can comfort Katura during this difficult time. But when Dan Bontrager suddenly returns to Bird-in-Hand after turning his back on the Amish life years before, Mary finds it strange that he seems to be showing an interest in Katura. Then two more people show up in town in search of a missing loved one, each of them fearing the worst and with strikingly similar descriptions. Is it coincidence? Or could they share a connection? Mary is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Meanwhile, Martha wants to surprise Elizabeth with a very special quilt for her upcoming wedding. But the project becomes a harder one than Martha could have predicted—especially when Elizabeth’s dreams of wedded bliss stand in jeopardy as she faces a rocky start in her relationship with her future stepdaughter. And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, Mary gets a special surprise, but is she ready for it?
#24
A Missing Memory
2025
When Martha accepts an invitation to teach a cooking class at the Lancaster Senior Center, she meets the eccentric and enthusiastic Lucy Hill, who used to fly top-secret missions during the Cold War. Somewhere between boiling pasta and making cheesecake, Lucy confides in Martha that there’s one mission that has haunted her for years. The problem is, the only memory she has from the mission is waking up in a hospital bed, and the words, “the gray lady.” Who or what is the gray lady, and what does it have to do with Lucy’s top secret mission? Meanwhile, Lucy’s cousins are trying to take Lucy’s well-being into their own hands, and it looks like Martha and Lucy aren’t the only ones trying to learn about Lucy’s mission.
#25
Secondhand Chances
2021
As the much-anticipated date approaches for the double wedding of Elizabeth to John and Mary to Bill, the Classen sisters are trying their best to get everything just right. While Martha deals with the picky wedding-cake baker, who just can’t seem to make up her mind, the sisters receive a flurry of incoming mail. To their delight, most of it consists of congratulations and RSVPs for the wedding ceremony. However, one letter in a bright red envelope stands out…an anonymous poison-pen letter demanding that the sisters vacate their home and store immediately. At first, the sisters think they are the sole targets of the letter writer, but as the days pass they soon discover they aren’t the only ones in Bird-in-Hand who have been receiving hostile mail. In the flurry of trying to uncover the anonymous letter writer, old suspicions are raised and long-held grudges are unearthed. Can the Classen sisters solve their latest mystery before two of them say “I do”?
Authors
Cara C. Putman
Author · 29 books
Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She is a clinical assistant professor in law and ethics at Purdue University's School of Business. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. She loves bringing history and legal romantic suspense to life. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska, George Mason University School of Law, and Krannert School of Management, Cara left small town Nebraska and headed to Washington, D.C., to launch her career in public policy. Cara is an author chasing hard after God as she lives a crazy life. She invites you to join her on that journey. She's currently writing her 41st book with more on the way. Please check out her website to learn more about her books and read first chapters.
Leslie Gould
Author · 38 books
Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of over forty novels. She received her MFA in 2009 and has taught writing at two universities. Leslie enjoys traveling, hiking, and history. She and her husband, Peter, are the parents of four adult children and one grand baby. Visit her at http://www.lesliegould.com/.
Janice Thompson
Author · 50 books
Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of inspirational author Janice Hanna Thompson, where romantic comedy rules the day! I hope you love to laugh, because I make it my goal to tickle your funny bone at every turn in my light-hearted tales. Whether you’re looking for inspirational romance, quirky cozy mysteries, light-hearted historicals or fun books for younger readers, you will find it here. You will also find an abundance of non-fiction books, guaranteed to ease life’s burdens. Why do I focus on the light-hearted stuff? Because life is hard! My readers lead busy, chaotic lives and need those special “Calgon, Take Me Away!” moments! Providing “Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters” brings me great delight. Lest you think it’s all fluff, think again! Woven between the lines of each cheerful tale you will find the ultimate love story, one guaranteed to stir your soul and get your heart fluttering. Talk about a real happily ever after! There’s something for everyone on my site, so settle back in your chair, grab a cup of Earl Grey tea, and get ready to discover a light-hearted approach to life!
Kathleen Y'Barbo
Author · 49 books
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than one hundred novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine. To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
Tricia Goyer
Author · 58 books
Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of ten, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.
DeAnna Julie Dodson
Author · 22 books
DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with four spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her first books, In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, are a trilogy of medieval romances and have just been redesigned and freshly edited for Kindle. She is also the author of the contemporary mystery, Letters in the Attic, and has recently signed on to write another Annie's Attic Mystery: The Key in the Attic, due out in 2012. Her newest books, yet to be released, are A Dinner of Herbs, a Civil War drama, and a 1930s English mystery, Rules of Murder. Civil as an Orange, her current work in progress, is the sequel to Rules of Murder. You can find out more about DeAnna and her books, including sample chapters, at her website: http://www.deannajuliedodson.com/
Nancy Mehl
Author · 42 books
Nancy Mehl is the bestselling author of over 50 books. She’s won the Daphne Du Maurier Award, as well as an ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award and a Carol award. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Christy award. Her short story, Chasing Shadows, was in the USA Today bestselling Summer of Suspense anthology. Learn more about her at www.nancymehl.com and on her blog, the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com.
