by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Kathryn King is an unmarried, plain-spoken resident of the Amish community in Blue Sky, Pennsylvania, and is affectionately referred to as “Kappy” because of her skill making the traditional kapp worn by the women of the community. She is also unintentionally known for her skill at uncovering secrets, motives, and the identity of a few murderers. She helped Jimmy Peachey, a mentally-challenged neighbor, evade jail when accused of the murder of his mother (Kappy King and the Puppy Kaper 2017), was the only one to see poor Sally June’s death was not an accident, but a deliberate act of running her and her buggy off the road (Kappy King and the Pickle Kaper 2018), and when Frankie Lehman and her family are chastised for the death of a competitor in the local pie contest, she steps in to uncover long-held secrets and a murderer (Kappy King and the Pie Kaper 2018). Kappy doesn’t do it all on her own having a whole community of support including Deputy Jack Jones and former Amish Edie Peachey who returned to help support her brother Jimmy in his many animal-related ventures.

This Little Piggy Earns 5/5 Calendar Words…Entertaining Fun!
Kappy and her good friend Edie Peachey are looking forward to the upcoming third annual Smoking in the Valley Barbecue Competition, but first things first. Jimmy, Edie’s challenged brother, is excited about adding pigs to his menagerie. Edie emphasizes “Pig. Singular. One pig,” however, Jimmy doesn’t hear her since his attention is captured by a road full of pigs. A truck had run off the road, and it’s load was scampering all over. No driver is found, so they stop to wrangle as many piglets as they could until animal control arrives. Their exciting side adventure didn’t make them too late to visit the Kent farm where Jimmy is suppose to choose his “one” pig, but no one’s answering the door. Jimmy sees a pen and spies a little one with a notched ear much like the pigs they spent time rescuing. When searching for the farmer, he check the greenhouse and freezes. The farmer is there…dead. The issue becomes complicated when they discover they’re not where they’re suppose to be. Jimmy had left the directions at home, so it isn’t Gerald Kent, it’s Balthazar Lapp, and it isn’t everyday pigs Jimmy is eyeing, but specialty miniature potbellies. More curious details, missing persons, unexplained crops, and pigs pop up, but Jimmy can’t believe the man the police arrest is guilty. He pleads for Kappy’s help, and help she does.

Fantastic Fun! Amy Lillard’s fourth book, in her Kappy King Kaper Mystery, is quite entertaining with a clever mystery, diverse characters, a couple of dogs, and lots of pigs. It’s been a few years for fans of Kappy King, but there’s plenty of helpful background to get both regular and newbie up to speed. The mystery was very involved with intriguing revelations about the victim’s greenhouse, a debate of medicinal and recreational uses of marijuana, a barbecue competition, and pigs, the investigation was realistically done with eavesdropping and some informal snooping, and the final conclusion had a surprising twist. I enjoyed Kappy and Edie’s teamwork and the fact they didn’t always circumvent law enforcement. Amy’s writing has several realistic elements including interspersing German often used in the Amish community.

Kappy King lives the Amish ways although she’s not perfect; she easily rationalizes her reading many of the “verboten” detective novels which does well to explain her mindset when investigating suspicious deaths. She doesn’t avoid or criticize, but often embraces, her friend Edie’s use of a cell phone, extra solar panels, and a car; she recognizes they sure come in handy. Edie’s dynamic with her brother is portrayed well, too, with realistic snaps, cajoles, and several “no-s” with dubious explanations, but tempered with endearing moments of reciprocated care and concern. Edie hadn’t anticipated her life changing, again, having left the Amish community for life among the “English,” and her dilemma about whether or not to remain in a community that often “shuns” her is real, but resolved in a surprising fashion. Romance maybe in the future for both young women. Entertaining fun!

Be a Big Amy Lillard Fan!
Award winning author Amy Lillard writes both romance and mysteries with several that explore the Amish community. The four books about Kappy King and the “kapers” she investigates will soon be joined by a fifth book: Any Way You Slice It: Kappy King and the Pizza Kaper. Don’t miss them!

Facebook—Amy Writes Romance
Website—Amy Lillard
Amy Writes Mysteries
Kappy King Mystery Series

Editor’s Note: Amy recently wrote a guest post for KRL talking about writing Amish mysteries.

To enter to win a copy of This Little Piggy, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “little piggy,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 30, 2022. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. If you enter via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

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