A nice debut. The beginning of the book started a bit too over-the-top, with the main character, Claire, going on about how lovely everything is, how at peace she was, etc. etc. and it had me thinking the rest of the book was going to be a chore.
Luckily, that only lasted a few chapters and the characterisations became much more three-dimensional after that. The plot was a good one, if typical for a cozy. I really enjoyed the ending and I really appreciated that it didn't end with the clichéd protagonist-in-imminent-danger situation that seems bog standard in just about every cozy mystery.
The author did a very good job mixing up the suspects - I knew who they were but not what they were guilty of. Having everything take place amongst the Amish was interesting and I enjoyed reading about their cultures and beliefs. Having the Detective in charge of the case a former Amish that's been shunned by this community made for an even more interesting dynamic that could add a unique complexity to future books.
Overall I enjoyed the book and I'll be looking for the second in the series. I'll be hoping for a bit more humour and a bit less solemnity and definitely more about the Amish.