Amish Inn Mysteries

The people of Pleasant Creek are delighted to welcome Liz Eckardt to their picturesque country town as she reopens the Olde Mansion Inn bed and breakfast. But a new start and a simpler life aren't the only reasons Liz is setting down roots in the heart of Indiana's Amish community. She is quietly embarking on a quest to find answers about her late mother's secret life growing up Amish. Becoming the town's new innkeeper helps Liz ingrain herself among the townsfolk while searching for the truth about her Amish relatives. That is until she finds herself in the middle of the mysterious murder of one of the inn's guests. Is there a connection between the death of her troublesome lodger and the truth about her long-lost family?

Liz Eckardt is more grateful than ever that the discovery of her mother's secret Amish history brought her to the idyllic town of Pleasant Creek, Indiana. Her work at the Olde Mansion Inn gives her a deep sense of fulfillment. She has been welcomed and embraced by her newfound family, and she's constantly kept in stitches thanks to her new friends in the local quilting group, The Material Girls. The hustle and bustle of the inn's opening has finally settled down, and Liz is able to enjoy the so-called "simple life" at last. That is until Beans, her notoriously lazy bulldog, pulls her into a new mystery when he uncovers a freshly buried stash on the inn's property -- an old love letter, a Civil War era photograph ... and human bones! Liz is determined to get to the bottom of the macabre find, but exactly how deep will she have to dig to learn the truth? She enlists the help of a local historian but quickly learns that history's mysteries aren't so easily solved. It seems that Emma, the young woman in the old photograph, had a hidden life of her own -- secrets that someone, all these years later, clearly wants to keep buried. Whatever happened to young Emma? And who is trying to keep Liz from digging up the past? With the helping hands of the Material Girls and Pleasant Creek's handsome mayor Jackson Cross, Liz slowly unearths the clues that will lead her to the heart of the matter, and to a local family's secret that has been buried deep for over a century.

The quaint Indiana town of Pleasant Creek is bustling with activity as Christmas draws near. Boston native and innkeeper, Liz Eckardt, is learning to embrace her new home's holiday traditions and welcomes the slower-paced life at the heart of Amish country. The little town is brimming with yuletide cheer, and the brisk air is filled with the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies and the merry sounds of carolers. Liz is certain her godson Steve, coming home for the holidays from his military post overseas, will appreciate the comfort and joy that only a nice, simple country Christmas can bring. Unfortunately for Liz, 'tis the season for unexpected mysteries and unwelcome surprises. Instead of her beloved godson arriving on the Olde Mansion Inn's doorstep, who should appear but Liz's troublesome ex-fiancé Matt, demanding a room and much of her time and patience. Meanwhile, frightening packages from a sinister "Santa" have been appearing on the doorsteps of several local businesses, each filled with a variety of unsavory items and a card bearing a single chilling word: "Heartless." Are these cards accusations or confessions? Who could be leaving the ghastly "gifts" all around town? And is it merely a heinous holiday prank, or is Santa planning to bring something more ominous to the people of Pleasant Creek? With each new delivery, the contents of the packages become more and more disturbing, and Liz is determined to find out why the culprit is dead set on ruining Christmas for everyone. Wrapped up in the mystery, she calls on her dear friends in both the English and the Amish communities for help. Join Liz, the lovable ladies of the Material Girls quilting group, and the town's handsome mayor, Jackson Cross, as they try to find a way to bring the grisly gift giver to light, all while keeping the Christmas spirit alive.

Liz Eckardt still has a lot to learn about life in Pleasant Creek, Indiana. Expecting the dreary months of February and March to be an "off season" for her newly opened bed and breakfast, she is surprised to find that the Olde Mansion Inn will be filled with a lively group of alumni, graduates of the local high school. It is sectional time for the area's high school basketball teams, and the town is swept up in "Hoosier Hysteria." Liz can't help but get into the spirit, and she looks forward to the upcoming game. Old school rivalries resurface, and Liz has her hands full acting as referee to the inn's spirited guests -- until the coach of the hometown team is found dead in his office, seemingly of natural causes. But his bereaved fiancee, Kate Linder, thinks something is amiss. Could it be that the coach was the victim of foul play? Liz soon learns not everyone in Pleasant Creek was a fan of the amiable Coach John Albertson. Suspicious acts of vandalism prior to his death suggest someone had it out for him, but who could it be? An abandoned daughter, a disappointed dropout, a colleague confined to the sidelines -- all had good reason to take Coach Albertson out of the game. But which of his rivals sported a grudge poisonous enough to facilitate murder? With so many suspects in play, it's up to Liz to find out who would want to harm the coach. Tensions run high with the basketball tourney underway, and when Kate claims she's being followed, Liz worries that someone in Pleasant Creek suffers from an unusually sinister version of March Madness. But her investigation produces more questions than answers, and with one blocked shot after another, Liz feels like she's getting nowhere ...Until the killer targets her.

Wedding bells will soon ring at the Olde Mansion Inn. Liz Eckardt is thrilled to be hosting an autumn wedding at her bed-and-breakfast, and the celebration is even more special because the bride is the goddaughter of her good friend Mary Ann Berne. While planning the joyous event, Liz revels in her new life as innkeeper in the picturesque town of Pleasant Creek, Indiana. On the morning of the ceremony, Liz and her friends in The Material Girls quilting group put the finishing touches on the inn. The day promises to be sunny and perfect, and Jaynes Lake will provide a stunning backdrop when Renee Paulson and Josh Conrad exchange vows. The minister and the guests arrive, and the bride is ready to walk down the aisle. But there's one thing missing. The groom. Josh's disappearance is shocking. Renee believes something ominous happened to her fiancé, and she asks Liz and the other Material Girls to find him before it's too late. As Liz searches for answers, she discovers that before he disappeared Josh was stressed to the limit. He'd experienced trouble with a loan and a disgruntled customer at the bank where he works. To make matters worse, Josh was heard swapping heated words with someone over the phone, and he'd argued with his father on the morning of the wedding. Did someone harm Josh? Or did he take off and leave Renee at the altar because he couldn't handle the pressure? Liz and her friends go to great lengths to locate Josh, but will time run out on Renee and Josh's happily ever after?

Liz Eckardt is busy juggling the demands of her colorful guests at the Olde Mansion Inn in the delightful town of Pleasant Creek, Indiana, when she's summoned to jury duty. Expecting it to be a quiet respite from the hectic pace at the inn, Liz prepares to escape into a good mystery novel. But the waiting room is far from quiet. Fellow juror Nora Wexler is loud, rude, and spends her free time insulting people and complaining about her ex-husband. When Liz asks Nora to keep it down so she can read, Nora explodes in anger. After the case is settled and the jurors are dismissed, Liz waits at the elevator. The door opens, and Nora collapses in front of her, struggling to breathe. She points at Liz and whispers, "She tried to kill me." When Nora dies, Liz finds herself smack-dab in the middle of a real-life mystery -- and a prime suspect in a murder case. Attempting to clear her name by locating the real killer, Liz embarks on her own investigation with help from her friends in the Material Girls quilting group and the town's mayor, Jackson Cross. During the search, Liz is not surprised to learn that Nora had made plenty of enemies in her life. But Liz is surprised when her own life is threatened. Will she identify the murderer before she becomes the next victim?

Pleasant Creek, Indiana, buzzes with anticipation as thousands of people converge on the sleepy little town for the annual Harvest Festival. The Kappel Apple Race and the Hog Wild Ride draw groups of cyclists and bikers to Liz Eckardt's Olde Mansion Inn. But tension between the rival groups threatens to ruin the festive atmosphere. As Liz attempts to keep the peace, the conflict among her guests pushes her patience to the limit. The tension escalates when Trent Cleveland, the egotistical champion cyclist, sets his womanizing sights on one of the biker's girlfriends. As the Kappel Apple Race begins, Trent is expected to triumph once again. But before the star cyclist can cross the finish line ... he crashes into a tree. To everyone's shock, Trent dies before he reaches the hospital. How did the young, healthy cyclist die so quickly and unexpectedly? Had he been suffering from a major medical issue without realizing it, or was he a victim of foul play? Trent had made many enemies, broke numerous hearts, and won countless races over the years, so the list of potential suspects is long. With help from her family and fellow Material Girls, Liz investigates the circumstances surrounding the race, uncovering ugly family secrets and a web of lies. When Liz and her family are threatened, she stays the course, determined to discover the truth about Trent's final race.

Thanksgiving is only a week away, and Liz Eckardt plans to make a delicious, home-cooked feast for her guests at the Olde Mansion Inn while she revels in the holiday festivities in Pleasant Creek, Indiana. Residents eagerly await the pumpkin pie bake-off and the national spotlight it will shine on their small town when the event is broadcast on a popular TV show. Mary Ann Berne, Liz's good friend and fellow Material Girl, is expected to win the pie contest, but one of Liz's guests is also a strong contender. With the cameras rolling and everyone in town watching, the judge tastes the final round of pies. But when she takes a bite of Mary Ann's pie . . . she chokes and collapses to the floor. Someone poisoned Mary Ann's pie, and Liz and the other Material Girls quickly set out to find the culprit. But who would want to harm the judge? As they desperately search for answers, they discover numerous secrets and lies, old high school conflicts that have never been resolved, and simmering resentments ready to boil over . . .During this season of thankfulness, Liz witnesses estranged families attempting to reconcile while she strives to make the holiday joyous and memorable for her family and friends. Will they all have a reason to be thankful this year, or will it turn out to be a Thanksgiving they would rather forget?

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and with it comes a new cast of intriguing characters to Pleasant Creek, Indiana. Guests flock to the Olde Mansion Inn owned by Liz Eckardt, who is eager to offer the cozy and welcoming atmosphere of her newfound home to the winter holidaymakers. One in particular, the handsome and enigmatic Shane O'Rourke, charms Liz and her guests with his kind acts and dashing good looks. Liz's heart flies to her throat when Shane's lifeless body is discovered on the banks of Jaynes Lake. Who was this mystery man, and what was his purpose for coming to Pleasant Creek? The local authorities try to make sense of the ghastly murder, but one piece of the puzzle just won't fit: on the body of the victim, they find a photograph of one of Pleasant Creek's most beloved citizens . . . and one of Liz's dearest friends! Meanwhile, Naomi Mason, the owner of the local bakery, is distraught. Her elderly mother has grown distant and forgetful in her upscale nursing home, and Naomi's past loves and losses are now coming home to roost. Liz is determined to get to the bottom of the trouble in Pleasant Creek and to absolve her friend. But does Naomi know more about the goings-on than she is willing to admit? On a wing and a prayer, Liz and the rest of the Material Girls, along with Mayor Jackson Cross, pull together to solve the mystery in time for the Valentine's Day party and auction. But will they manage to learn the truth before anyone else runs afoul of the killer's deceptive heart?

Pleasant Creek, Indiana, loves its history. Each summer the town sponsors Heritage days, a festival commemorating the signing of Pleasant Creek's original town charter. Liz Eckardt couldn't be happier to participate in the star-spangled celebration. Her bed-and-breakfast, the Olde Mansion Inn, is booked solid. But someone else isn't happy. Antique items related to the historic event are being stolen from Pleasant Creek's people and businesses, including Liz herself. Not only that, the culprit is demanding that a reenactment of the original signing be performed during the celebration, or else people Liz cares about may come to harm. Determined to keep her friends safe, Liz takes on the daunting task of researching the original signing and directing the reenactment. Does the culprit merely want to torch the celebration or is there more to his sinister plan? Material Girl Sadie Schwarzentruber has troubles of her own. Someone from her past resurfaces, and it looks like bygones may not be bygones for the descendant of one of Pleasant Creek's founding fathers. Adding fuel to the fireworks, the beloved town historian, who's collecting up artifacts as fast as others are being stolen, may have his own agenda. And what about the new director of the Pleasant Creek Playhouse? Hot publicity might be just what she needs to get her new venture off the ground with a bang. Liz and the rest of the Material Girls, aided by Mayor Jackson Cross, will have to band together if they're going to pull off this event without anyone getting hurt. Will this year's celebration go down in history? Or go up in flames?

It's a scorching hot summer in Pleasant Creek, Indiana, but the temperature isn't the only thing that's boiling. Everyone's on edge, including Liz Eckardt and her quilting group, the Material Girls. So when charming Anglophile Cyrus Whittington arrives in an antique car to stay at Liz's bed-and-breakfast, it's like a breath of cool, fresh air. Liz feels an immediate connection with the elderly eccentric. Like her, he came to Pleasant Creek searching for long-lost Amish relatives. She sets out to help him find his family. But Cyrus seems to have brought more than a love of glass and china along with him. A rash of break-ins at nearby Amish farms coincides with his appearance. And when Cyrus shows Liz his precious heirloom tea service and declares he's looking for a matching set among the Amish to confirm his heritage, Liz can't help but wonder if he's hiding something. Is her new friend guilty of the crimes? When she begins receiving threatening phone calls, and even a smashed teacup in the mail, she's steaming mad -- and ready to investigate. That's not the only trouble brewing at the Olde Mansion Inn. Stirring the pot are a mysterious stranger seen skulking around the grounds, and two female guests who, ostensibly vying for Cyrus's attention, may have agendas of their own. Add in one appliance salesman who comes and goes just as the criminal acts are happening, and Liz's world will be anything but cozy until she finds the perpetrator. It will take the combined skills of Liz, the Material Girls, Mayor Jackson Cross, and of course the English bulldog Beans to serve up a cuppa justice before any more lives are fractured. Will it be tea -- or jail -- for two?

Pleasant Creek, Indiana's first annual summer arts and crafts fair has Liz Eckardt beaming. Tourists are coming out of the woodwork to get their hands on Amish-inspired goods, and the Olde Mansion Inn, her bed-and-breakfast, is full to the rafters. But when sawbucks start disappearing from the vendors, and Mayor Jackson Cross's furniture samples are marred, it's clear someone is trying to throw a monkey wrench into the festivities. Unfortunately, Jackson has bigger worries. His ex-employee is mad enough to spit nails, and when he is found polished off -- murdered with a distinctive table leg -- Jackson becomes the prime suspect. Liz decides to investigate when she suspects that some of the guests under her roof are not on the level -- a mysterious Texan, two very nosy ladies, and a gentleman clearly using an assumed name. And what about the family who've arrived in Pleasant Creek ostensibly looking to dust themselves off and make a fresh start? Are they who they seem to be, or are they responsible for the sinister handiwork around town? Liz and the rest of the Material Girls will need all the tools of the trade to hammer out a solution to the crimes in Pleasant Creek before Jackson is sent to the Big House -- permanently.