Tamar Myers’ fifth installment in her Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series, Between a Wok and a Hard Place, begins a month after Magdalena Yoder’s wedding to Aaron Miller, Jr. Since she went into the marriage a virgin, she is still in shock from the wedding night a month after the fact. Until that night, she had never seen a naked man. “How was I to know they looked like that?” she asks. The reader is to understand that the sight was so unnerving, she is still reeling from it.
As a result, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that Magdalena is not grieving over the fact that her new husband has gone to Minnesota for an indefinite period of time to take care of some unspecified business. She delivers him to the Pittsburgh airport at 10:30 one night. As she is driving through Hernia at 4:00 A.M. the next morning, she almost runs over a dead body in the middle of the road. She blames her distracted driving on the shock waves from her wedding night a month earlier.
Formation of a Bizarre Alliance
The Between a Wok and a Hard Place murder victim is an unknown, beautiful Asian woman. When Magdalena narrowly misses running over her, the woman is in the road on her back, her hands folded across her chest, and a white cotton handkerchief spread across her face.
Naturally, Magdalena notifies Chief of Police Melvin Stoltzfus about the body in the road. After they discuss the situation, the Chief makes a startling request. He wants Magdalena to assist him with this investigation. After she jiggles her ears with her pinkies to try to return them to working order, she reminds him he already has an assistant. She does not remind him of a fact she has made clear to him over the years – that he is her nemesis!
But Melvin has a leg in a cast, and his assistant, Zelda Root, doesn’t perform so well on “big, important cases.” As a result, he bats away all Magdalena’s objections. And she finally capitulates – she is on the case.
Back at the PennDutch Inn
Back home at the PennDutch, conditions are stormy. Freni, the 75-year-old cook is crotchety, as usual. She was promised she wouldn’t have to cook for children, and there are three children staying at the Inn now. Magdalena’s sister Susannah is wailing over a lost job. Magdalena’s mid-morning nap gives her a headache. And her father-in-law, Aaron Miller, Sr., wants to discuss the flying saucer he saw landing across the road early that morning.
The inn has a full complement of guests:
• A married couple with three children – the husband is a photographer and the wife a children’s author
• A former child actor
• A world-famous osteopath who has developed a back brace he wants Magdalena to help him publicize
• A business executive
Magdalena isn’t between a wok and a hard place yet, but pressures are mounting.
The Continuing Case of the Woman in the Road
The autopsy on the beautiful Asian woman reveals she was strangled. Then, she had apparently been run over by an Amish buggy. Upon receiving this information, Magdalena decides to visit Annie Kauffman who knows everything that goes on in Hernia. The visit to Annie leads Magdalena, indirectly, to a couple of Amish teenagers who were out in a buggy on the night of the murder. Now, she has something she can get her teeth into!
But the Amish are tough nuts to crack. They protect their children, and it’s all Magdalena can do to get any information out of them. Eventually, of course, she does manage to track down the murderer. And along the way, she faces several challenges:
• A reporter from the National Intruder
• The foibles of her current guests
• Another murder
• A BIG surprise from her Pooky Bear (aka her husband, Aaron Miller, Jr.)
But I’ll leave all those tantalizing events for you to discover when you read the book. And here’s another reason to read Between a Wok and A Hard Place – in this book, Magdalena explains (obliquely) how the town of Hernia came by its name. I had always wondered about that.
Character
The heroes of Christian mystery novels are often ordinary people who find extraordinary strength through their faith. They are relatable and flawed, which makes their journey towards truth all the more compelling. Their faith is not just a backdrop but a driving force in their quest for justice.
The character development in Between a Wok and a Hard Place is particularly strong. Magdalena Yoder is not just a sleuth; she’s a businesswoman, a community leader, and a deeply religious individual grappling with the secular world. Her interactions with the diverse cast of characters reveal layers of her personality and challenge her beliefs in ways that are both engaging and enlightening.
Themes
Throughout the book, Myers tackles some profound themes. Through Magdalena’s eyes, readers explore issues of identity, community, and the clash between tradition and modernity. The novel is not just a mystery; it’s a commentary on the changing dynamics of rural America, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the universal quest for understanding and acceptance.
In conclusion, Between a Wok and a Hard Place is a delightful addition to the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series. Tamar Myers combines humor, mystery, and cultural exploration with a skilled hand, creating a world that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Magdalena Yoder continues to be a compelling protagonist, and her latest adventure is a testament to Myers’ ability to blend different genres and themes into a cohesive and enjoyable narrative. Whether you are a long-time fan of the series or a newcomer to Hernia, Pennsylvania, this book is a satisfying read that will leave you both amused and intrigued.
Character List for Between a Wok and a Hard Place
This list carefully avoids spoilers. Names and descriptions below reflect the original information given about each character. Main characters are listed, along with some minor players.
Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery Series RegularsMagdalena Yoder Miller – 46 year-old Mennonite (one of those Mennonites who were formerly Amish, from Switzerland) – has been married one month to Aaron Miller
Susannah Yoder Entwhistle – Magdalena’s 36-year-old sister. She ran off and married a Presbyterian after the death of her parents. Now divorced, she is lazy and irresponsible. She billows when she walks because she drapes herself in “enough fabric to clothe a small third-world country.”
Papa and Mama Yoder, deceased – The parents of Magdalena and Susannah died about 11 years earlier in a highway smash-up, their vehicle being sandwiched between a truck full of running shoes and a tanker full of milk. Previously Mr. Yoder had been a dairy man and Mrs. Yoder sold eggs. They may have already passed on to Glory, but you’ll hear about them, especially Mama.
Mose Hostetler – age: mid 70’s, a kinsman and handyman for the inn – Amish instead of Mennonite
Freni Hostetler – 74 years old, Mose’s wife – the cranky cook for the PennDutch Inn
Aaron Miller – Magdalena’s new husband, her “Pooky Bear”
Aaron Miller, Sr. (Pops) – Aaron’s father
Melvin Stoltzfus – Hernia’s Chief of Police
Zelda Root – Melvin’s assistant and fiancé
John Hostetler – Mose and Freni’s son who now runs their farm while they work for Magdalena
Barbara Hostetler – John’s wife – 6 feet tall – always at odds with Freni
A.L.P.O. – Amish Lifestyle Plan Option – Penn Dutch Inn guests pay extra to take care of their own rooms, laundry, and meals
PennDutch Animals• Shnookums – Susannah’s tiny dog
• Matilda and Bessie – milk cows
Characters in Current StoryPennDutch Inn Guests:
• Angus Dixon – Pulitzer prize-winning photographer
• Dorothy Dixon – children’s book author
• 3 Dixon children – Bradley, Marissa, and Caitlin
• Terry Slock – former child actor on the popular TV show, Mama Wore Pearls
• Dr. Wilmar Brack – world-famous osteopath
• Ms. Shirley Pearson – a high-level executive of Silver Spoon Foods, the American division of Kakogawa Foods
Rita Stutzman – her missing scarecrow was a case for the local police
Annie Kauffman – knows everything that goes on in Hernia
Lizzie Kauffman – Annie’s daughter
Mary – Lizzie’s playmate, next door neighbor
Eli Kauffman – Annie’s husband
Samuel Kauffman – Annie’s teenage son
Enos Mast – Amish teenager (also his grandfather’s name)
Isaac Mast – Enos’ father – a farrier
Yoshi Kobayashi – a 23-year-old Japanese tourist who went missing in Erie
Reverend Sims – Presbyterian pastor
Martha Sims – Rev. Sims’ wife
Edwina Stucky – organist at the First Mennonite Church of Hernia
Harvey Zook – found the Mast horse and buggy on top of Stucky Ridge in Settler’s Cemetery
Catherine Blough – Harvey’s girlfriend, prettiest girl in Hernia
Salina Zook – Harvey’s mother
Abigail Cobb – a Presbyterian – makes clothes for and sells Amish crafts to Englishers
Jacob Zook – Mennonite farmer who rescues cars in distress with his tractor
Dr. Rosenkrantz – a competent, unpleasant physician
Thomas Arnold – Samuel Kauffman’s alias
the Amos Augsburgers – Amish couple – invited Aaron Miller, Sr., to supper one evening
Deirdre Miller – Aaron Jr.’s first wife
Elizabeth (Lilibet) Augsburger – Amos’ wife
Obadiah Augsburger – son of Amos and Lilibet, about Caitlin Dixon’s age
Leona da Vinci – graduate student at Temple University
Wang Mei Hua – Leona’s roommate
Hillary Clinton – receptionists at the Bedford hospital
Recipes• Annie Kauffman’s Dutch Country Chicken and Cabbage
• Great-Grandma Blough’s Upside-Down Caramel Apple Pie
• Hernia Corn Fritter Cutlets
• Bigamist’s Breakfast Gingerbread
• World’s Best Chicken Salad
• Banana Boats
***
Here’s a link to the book on Tamar Myers’ website: Between a Wok and a Hard Place
Here are links to my blog indexes, which will make it quick and easy for you to find another post to read.
Blog Index – Lists blogs 1-35
Blog Index 2 – Lists blogs 36 to 70
Blog Index 3 – Will list blogs 71-100
Photo credit: Lumin Osity on unsplash
Here’s a downloadable list of the characters in the book: