A Plain Death by Amanda Flower is the first book in the new “Appleseed Creek” mystery series. Publisher: B&H Publishing, July 2012

Welcome to Appleseed Creek, the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, where life is not as serene as it seems.

While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24-year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty to Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.

While driving Chloe’s car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish elder. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car’s cut brake line.

Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky’s handsome Amish-turned-Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God’s help, they’ll solve the mystery that’s rocking this small community.

After an encounter with some bullies, Chloe is on her way to her new life, new home and a new roommate. When her roommate is injured in a car accident with a fatality, the cops discovers that Chloe’s brakes were tampered with and now Chloe is on the search for a killer.

What a great read. This story had plenty of action and suspense that kept me turning the pages. The tone was very comfortable and the author did a good job at diverting my attention that kept me guessing as the story moved along. Chloe is a great character, strong yet vulnerable as is Becky, one of the secondary cast in this charmingly appealing and wonderful series. This debut mystery is a great beginning to what I hope is a long-running series.