Book: Murder, Plainly Written
Author: Mindy Steele
Genre: Christian Amish Mystery
Release Date: September, 2026
She just wanted to fit into Amish Country. . .now she’s standing out!
First novel in The Plain Order Ink Society series, in which Amish writers crack the case of local mysteries.
Sadie Lynch thought inheriting her late Amish aunt’s candle shop was a blessing—a chance to leave her stalled writing career behind and find a fresh start. But running a Plain business when she’s not Amish isn’t exactly filling her store with customers—especially when the local minister insists she sell out.
Sadie, who doesn’t want to leave, thankfully meets Wanda—an Amish woman with a secret obsession. As Wanda continues to visit the candle shop, an unexpected partnership blooms when Wanda agrees to help Sadie’s shop in exchange for writing advice.
But the grand reopening of the candle shop takes a deadly turn when the body of the Amish minister is discovered behind the counter. Now Sadie is the only suspect, prompting Wanda and the Plain Order Ink Society to try helping her solve the mystery.
But in this Plain community, secrets burn brighter than flames—and nothing is as simple as it seems.
Click here to get your copy!
Amish Fiction is a genre that I absolutely LOVE. I have been a fan of Mindy Steele for many years. Murder, Plainly Written is Book 1 in the Plain Order Ink Society Series. I am very excited about this series as it is a bit different from the Amish Fiction I normally read.
I dove right into reading this book and it was hard to put it down. I didn't put it down until I finished it. The setting is in Ohio Amish Country. The 2 main characters in this book are Sadie Lynch and Wanda. Sadie is a young aspiring Writer. Her career is stalled, so she is excited when she inherits an Amish Candle Shop from her Aunt. Sadie makes the move to the Amish Community to run the Candle Shop. She is trying to find her place in the Amish Community, as she is not Amish herself. The local Minister is trying to convince her to sell the Candle Shop, but Sadie is standing strong and looking forward to the Grand Opening. Wanda is a local Amish Woman is has become a friend to Sadie. Wanda agrees to work in the Candle Shop and give Writing Advice to Sadie. The story takes an unexpected twist when the Local Minister is found dead in Sadie's shop on Grand Opening Day. Sadie is immediately looked upon as the suspect. Wanda and Sadie know Sadie isn't the murderer and are determined to uncover the truth. Wanda and her group of Writing buddies take on the case of work to resolve the murder mystery. I really LOVED watching the Friendship between Sadie and Wanda blossom. Sadie took a leap of faith moving to an Amish Community, and it helped her in many areas of her life. The book is one of Faith, Friendships, and Mystery. I absolutely LOVED this Cozy Amish Mystery! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Amish Fiction! FANTASTIC BOOK!
Mindy Steele was raised in Kentucky timber country and has been writing since she could hold a crayon against the wall. Steele writes Amish Romance peppered with just the right amount of humor, as well as engaging Suspense, using rural America and the residents as her muse. Steele strives to create realistic characters for her readers and believes in engaging all the senses to make you laugh, cry, hold your breath, and root for the happy ever after ending. A hopeless romantic, with a lyrical pen, Steele wants her readers to find themselves somewhere within her pages. A mother of four and grandmother to a half dozen blessings, Steele enjoys hiking and gardening, coffee indulgences and weekend road trips, and is personally doing all she can to make peanut butter its very own food group.
More from Mindy
Murder, Plainly Written
The Story Behind the Story
Stories often begin in the most unexpected ways, and this one started with a group of remarkable new friends.
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to meet a number of Amish authors from different communities. Among them were Old Order Amish writers, a New Order Amish woman, and a Danner Amish author from the Dan Amish church. What began as introductions soon blossomed into friendships that I treasure deeply.
Before long, I was invited to attend one of their monthly gatherings. Sitting among these talented storytellers, listening to their experiences, laughter, and unique perspectives on life, I found myself inspired not only by their writing but by their personalities. Since then, I have remained in contact with many of them, and our friendship continues to be a blessing.
When I was asked to write a cozy mystery series, my thoughts immediately turned to those wonderful authors. Their distinct voices, humor, wisdom, and observations about life seemed perfectly suited for solving mysteries. As we talked, they enthusiastically embraced the idea and even helped by creating character names for the series.
I could not resist imagining how each of them might approach a mystery. Who would follow the clues? Who would rely on intuition? Who would ask the questions no one else thought to ask? Those playful questions became the foundation for this series.
Murder, Plainly Written is the first book in that journey. While the story itself is entirely fictional, many of the characters were inspired by real people, and many of the settings were drawn from real places and experiences. It has been a joy to blend mystery, friendship, and a touch of Amish life into a story that celebrates the people who inspired it.
I hope as you read you get to know the characters and perhaps solve a mystery or two along the way.
Thank you for joining me on this adventure.
—Mindy Steele
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 30
The Avid Reader, September 30
Simple Harvest Reads, October 1 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 2
Texas Book-aholic, October 3
Artistic Nobody, October 4 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, October 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 6
Guild Master, October 7 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 8
Avid Reader Nurse, October 9
Mary Hake, October 9
Fiction Book Lover, October 10 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, October 11
The Bookish Ledger, October 12 (Author Interview)
Lily’s Corner, October 13
To celebrate her tour, Mindy is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://gleam.io/q9rfA/murder-plainly-written-celebration-tour-giveaway
Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Murder, Plainly Written by Mindy Steele
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