The Agatha Award-winning author reveals how her faith impacts her mysteries.
A former librarian, Amanda Flower knew she had a knack for writing in the sixth grade when she read one of her stories and had the class in stitches. Today, she’s a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author. Alongside her popular Amish Candy Shop Mysteries, she kicks off a brand-new spin-off series with Matchmaking Can Be Murder (Kensington).
When widowed Millie Fisher moves back to her childhood home of Harvest, Ohio, she notices one thing right away—the young Amish are bungling their courtships and marrying the wrong people! But when she becomes embroiled in a murder case, she must piece together a patchwork of clues to keep her niece out of prison, protect her own reputation, and find a killer.
In this exclusive interview, Amanda explains what inspired her to launch the spin-off series, shares details about her amateur sleuth, and explains how her faith impacts her as a mystery writer…
The Amish Matchmaker Mysteries series is a spin-off of your Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. What led you to launching this companion series?
I just knew there were more stories to tell in Harvest, Ohio and I wanted to tell them from an Amish POV. The protagonist in the Amish Candy Shop Series, Bailey King, is English. Fans of the Amish Candy Shop Series do not have to worry about those books ending. The two series will run simultaneous. It’s been fun writing about the candy shop characters from a different point of view.
Tell about your Amish sleuth Millie Fisher…
Millie is a sixty-seven-year-old Amish widow. She doesn’t have any children and makes her living quilting. She lost her husband twenty years ago. She is also the village matchmaker and helps young Amish men and women meet their matches. She’s curious and has a strong sense of right and wrong, which lends well to being an amateur sleuth.
What spiritual themes play out through Matchmaking Can Be Murder?
The biggest theme in Matchmaking Can Be Murder is forgiveness. The murder centers around members of Millie’s family who Millie believes she wronged years ago. She wants to be forgiven and must learn to forgive herself as well.
Click thru to find out what inspired Amanda to set her mysteries among the Amish…