Chocolate, Indians and a Tale

I really am thankful my mom has a hobby. She's needed one. I'm just not into her hobby anymore than she's into mine. Here's the latest genealogical discovery that she has made on my dad's side of the family.

My six times great grandmother (or something close to that) was murdered along with a few of her children by Indians in Lancaster, PA while trying to escape through a window. And scalped at that! Her husband and the rest of their children (including my 5x great grandmother) were all kidnapped.


I just sent out a message on Facebook to my author friends who write Amish fiction if they have ever written about Indian murders and scalping. I have to admit that it's not my genre of choice, so I'm not sure if any have broached the subject.


Oh, and I almost forgot. Some distant relative married a Hershey. I unfortunately am not a direct Hershey descendant.


Speaking of the Amish, the book I just finished reading had some Amish characters. I grabbed it out of my stockpile of "between other books I want to read" selections. I think I bought it for $5 when I was shopping in Branson on the most solo vacation I've ever taken with 4 other people. It was at the mall that got hit by the tornado a few weeks ago.


I picked up Operation Bonnet because I had worked with Kimberly Stuart, the author, before and knew it would at least be funny. It was funny. It's one of those "mindless reads" for lack of a better description because its heavy on lightheartedness and light on deep thought. It does have its moments of sadness as the main character Nellie reflects on the mental decline of her grandmother.

The way that Nellie narrates and makes fun of some of the Amish characters may rub people the wrong way though.


Here's the back cover copy to give you more 411 on the story:

Twenty-year-old Nellie Monroe has perfect college GPA, a job that's beneath her and a restless brilliance that makes her a bit of an odd duck. Oh, and she wants to be a private investigator, even though her tiny hometown offers no hope of clients.

Until she meets Amos Shetler, a refugee from the local Amish community who's carrying a torch for the girl he he left behind. So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish. Literally, since she's talked her way into Amish cooking lessons.

But though she's brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. In short order she has alienated her best friend and angered her college professor--and appears to have botched her case. Will the boy still get the girl? Can Nellie save her career in criminal science? And more importantly, will she ever learn how to make a decent pie crust? 

Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.


Click here to buy it on Amazon. It is currently bargain priced at $6. 



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