There is an absolute, lighthearted comfort in a cozy mystery that seamlessly mixes laugh-out-loud humor, eccentric small-town suspects, and mouth-watering recipes. Tamar Myers is an absolute master of this style. Having grown up as the daughter of Christian missionaries in the Belgian Congo and later living in an Amish-Mennonite community, she infuses her books with highly unique, authentic cultural flavors.
Her extensive library is neatly organized into distinct, beloved companion series. Below is the ultimate roadmap to reading Tamar Myers’s books in order.
1. Pennsylvania Dutch Inn Mysteries (Mag Magdalena Yoder)
This is Myers’s flagship, smash-hit cozy mystery series. Set in the fictional, quirky town of Hernia, Pennsylvania, the books follow Magdalena Yoder, a shrewd, plain-spoken Mennonite woman who runs the PennDutch Inn. Every book features authentic, deliciously heavy Pennsylvania Dutch recipes!
1. Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth (1994)
The series debut introduces us to the PennDutch Inn. Magdalena is hosting a group of eccentric, demanding deer hunters when one of her guests is found run over by a rogue snowmobile, kicking off her very first amateur investigation.
2. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime (1995)
A high-profile Hollywood movie crew arrives in Hernia to film on location. The glamorous production crashes to a halt when the film’s obnoxious leading man is found pinned to the ground with a pitchfork in the herb garden.
3. No Use Dying Over Spilled Milk (1996)
Magdalena travels to Ohio to visit her Amish cousin, only to discover that her relative has mysteriously drowned in a massive vat of milk at the local cheese factory.
4. High Five’s and Low Thievery (1997) (also published as Just Plain Murder)
Magdalena tries to keep her head down, but local antique thievery and a dead body hidden inside an antique chest force her to step up her sleuthing game.
5. Eat, Drink, and Be Wary (1998)
The local Hernia agricultural fair turns deadly when a prominent judge is found stuffed inside a prize-winning sack of grain, leaving Magdalena to sort through a crop of suspicious suspects.
6. Play It Again, Spam (1999)
A bizarre, high-stakes local talent show brings a mountain of eccentric acts to the inn. The curtains close early when a performer is found dead after consuming a suspicious dish.
7. The Hand That Rocks the Ladle (2000)
Magdalena’s world is thrown into chaos when her cousin, who is supposed to be helping her cook at the inn, goes missing. When a body is discovered hidden in a massive, commercial-sized chest freezer, Magdalena must figure out who is cooling off local rivals.
8. A Penny Urned (2000)
When an eccentric, wealthy guest passes away unexpectedly at the PennDutch Inn, her family gathers for the reading of the will. Tensions explode when the deceased’s ashes—stored in a highly valuable antique urn—vanish, followed quickly by the murder of one of the primary heirs.
9. As the Twig Is Bent, the Cuckold Is Bound (2001)
Magdalena finds herself dealing with a double dose of trouble when a local marriage guidance counselor is found dead. As she digs into the counselor’s private client files, she uncovers a scandalous web of small-town affairs, secrets, and a killer determined to keep them quiet.
10. Gruel and Unusual Punishment (2002)
A minor zoning dispute lands Magdalena briefly in the local Hernia holding cell. Her short stay turns into a murder investigation when a fellow inmate dies after eating a bowl of prison gruel that was explicitly meant for Magdalena.
11. Custard’s Last Stand (2003)
The inn plays host to a highly competitive gathering of historical re-enactors. The mock battles turn deadly when a real weapon is swapped in for a prop, and a local bakery owner is found poisoned by a batch of spiked custard.
12. Thou Shalt Not Kill Unless Otherwise Instructed (2004)
A rigid, ultra-conservative religious sect moves into the outskirts of Hernia, creating intense friction with the local Mennonite and Amish communities. When the sect’s self-proclaimed prophet is found murdered, Magdalena must bridge the cultural divide to find the culprit.
13. Assault and Pepper (2005)
The annual Hernia charity chili cook-off is completely derailed when one of the chief judges falls dead after tasting a highly secretive, heavily spiced entry. Magdalena must sort through a kitchen full of jealous cooks to find who added a lethal dose of poison.
14. Tannin Territory (2006)
Magdalena expands her business horizons by hosting an elegant wine-and-cheese tasting weekend at the inn. The sophisticated atmosphere turns sour when a prominent local wine critic is found drowned in a massive vat of fermenting grapes.
15. The Witch Hunt (2007)
As Halloween approaches, a self-proclaimed modern witch arrives in Hernia to research local folklore. When she is found dead under highly suspicious, ritualistic circumstances, the superstitious townspeople panic, leaving Magdalena to find the real, human killer.
16. The Crepes of Wrath (2008)
A glamorous French cooking academy opens a temporary satellite branch at the PennDutch Inn. The culinary joy vanishes when a cruel, highly abusive celebrity guest chef is found strangled with a silk apron string in the pastry kitchen.
17. The Cane Mutiny (2009)
Magdalena takes a well-deserved vacation to a tropical sugar cane plantation. Her peaceful holiday is instantly shattered when the plantation’s tyrannical owner is murdered, and Magdalena is forced to solve a crime in an unfamiliar, high-stakes environment.
18. Butter Safe Than Sorry (2010)
A massive butter-sculpting contest brings immense prestige—and intense rivalries—to Hernia. When the reigning champion is found dead inside a commercial dairy cooler, Magdalena must churn through a list of jealous artists to find the killer.
19. The Death of All Things Seen (2011)
An elite, reclusive group of birdwatchers gathers at the inn to spot a rare, migrating species. The quiet weekend in nature turns bloody when a prominent ornithologist is found dead in the woods, pinned by a high-powered hunting arrow.
20. Pennies from Burger Heaven (2012)
A massive fast-food franchise attempts to buy out a historic piece of Hernia land to build a drive-thru. Local protests turn lethal when the corporate executive spearheading the buyout is found dead inside a burger prep station.
21. Tea with the Black Dragon (2013)
Magdalena hosts an exotic, high-end tea tasting featuring a highly rare, incredibly expensive blend known as the Black Dragon. When the master tea blender collapses dead during the opening ceremony, Magdalena must trace the poisoned leaf to its source.
22. Down Assignments in Hernia (2014) (also published as The Bathtimes They Are A-Changin’)
A local renovation project at the inn uncovers a hidden, historical room dating back to the Underground Railroad. The historical excitement turns into a modern-day crime scene when a crooked contractor is found dead inside an antique clawfoot tub.
23. The Boy Who Cried Amish (2015)
A mysterious young boy appears in Hernia claiming to have escaped a strict, abusive Amish commune. As Magdalena steps in to shelter him, she discovers the boy’s story doesn’t quite add up—and the dangerous adults hunting for him will stop at nothing, including murder.
24. Over the River and Through the Woods (2016)
A massive winter blizzard completely traps Magdalena and her guests inside the PennDutch Inn over the holidays. With the power out and a killer hidden among the frozen guests, Magdalena must use her wits to survive the night.
25. Tea with Hex and Mystery (2018)
Local hex signs painted on barns across Hernia are mysteriously altered to display dark, threatening symbols. When a local folk artist associated with the signs is found murdered, Magdalena must decode the visual riddles to catch the killer.
26. Monsters, Hexes, and Amish, Oh My! (2020)
Rumors of a mythical, terrifying beast roaming the woods of Lancaster County drive a wave of cryptozoologists to the inn. The monster hunt turns deadly when a researcher is found mauled—but Magdalena quickly realizes the weapon used was entirely human.
27. The Hernia Antiques Roadshow Murder (2022)
A popular, televised antique appraisal show broadcasts live from Hernia. Tensions explode when a local resident brings in a priceless family heirloom, only to be murdered backstage before the appraisal can air on national television.
2. Den of Antiquity Mysteries (Abigail Timberlake)
This sparkling, sassy cozy series moves the location to Charlotte, North Carolina. It stars Abigail Timberlake, a sharp-witted, recently divorced owner of an antique shop named The Den of Antiquity, who has a radar for finding valuable collectibles and hidden bodies.
1. Larceny and Old Lace (1996)
Abigail is building her new life when her wealthy aunt is brutally strangled with a piece of priceless, antique Belgian lace. Abigail sets out to untangle the family secrets to catch the killer.
2. Gilt by Association (1996)
Abigail attends a high-stakes estate auction looking for hidden treasures. Instead, she finds herself associated with a murder when a rival antique dealer is found dead.
3. The Ming and I (1997)
A priceless, ancient Ming dynasty vase disappears from a local estate, and the trail of clues leads Abigail straight into a web of international smuggling and murder.
4. So-So Swastika (1998) (also published as Dark Antiques)
Abigail inadvertently purchases a box of historical military memorabilia containing rare WWII artifacts. The acquisition turns dangerous when a local collector obsessed with the era is found murdered, pulling Abigail into a dark web of historical grudges.
5. Tiles and Tribulations (1998)
Abigail is hired to appraise a historic mansion’s rare, hand-painted ceramic tile collection. Her work is interrupted when a prominent local restoration architect is found crushed beneath a collapsed fireplace mantel.
6. Statuesque (1999)
An elegant, high-society charity gala featuring a collection of priceless marble statues turns into a crime scene. When a prominent local socialite is found dead, posed exactly like one of the sculptures, Abigail must unmask the artistic killer.
7. Baroque and Hungry (2000)
Abigail travels to an antique convention in New Orleans, looking forward to rich food and historic shopping. Instead, she finds herself investigating the murder of a prominent local antique dealer who was hunting for a legendary Baroque artifact.
8. Splendor in the Glass (2002)
Abigail acquires a flawless, incredibly rare collection of Depression-era elegant glassware. The pride of her shop becomes a curse when a local collector is found dead, and a critical piece of the glass collection goes missing.
9. It’s a Thin Line Between Love and Hate (2004)
Abigail’s personal life and professional world collide when her ex-husband reappears in Charlotte, accompanied by a glamorous new fiancée. When the fiancée is found murdered with an antique weapon, Abigail becomes the police department’s prime suspect.
10. Theft in the First Degree (2006)
A daring, sophisticated midnight heist drains Abigail’s shop of its most valuable first-edition books and estate jewelry. Refusing to wait for the slow-moving police department, Abigail launches her own rogue investigation to recover her livelihood.
11. The Glass Is Always Greener (2009)
Abigail becomes entangled in a high-stakes feud between rival local historical societies fighting over the ownership of a historic estate. The corporate legal battle turns bloody when a prominent preservationist is found dead in the estate’s greenhouse.
12. The Nightmare Before Christmas Antiques (2012)
The holiday season brings zero joy when a seasonal antique pop-up market becomes the target of a ruthless thief. When a beloved local vendor is found murdered inside a holiday display, Abigail must catch the grinch before Christmas morning.
3. The Amanda Brown African Mysteries
Drawing heavily from her own unique childhood experiences, this critically acclaimed historical mystery series takes place in the 1950s Belgian Congo. It follows Amanda Brown, a naive but well-meaning young American missionary who finds herself solving complex tribal and colonial crimes.
1. The Witch Doctor’s Wife (2009)
Amanda arrives in the Congo full of idealistic zeal. She is instantly thrown into a complex landscape of diamonds, local tribal magic, and a baffling murder that tests her resilience.
2. The Headhunter’s Daughter (2011)
When a wealthy, prominent plantation owner’s daughter goes missing in the dense jungle, Amanda must navigate dark colonial politics and local folklore to find her.
3. The Boy Who Said No (2013)
Amanda tries to protect a young local boy who is falsely accused of a terrible crime, unravelling a deep-seated conspiracy within the colonial infrastructure.
About the Author: Tamar Myers
Tamar Myers is an exceptionally diverse American author who was born in the Belgian Congo to United Nations-affiliated Christian missionaries. She spent the first fifteen years of her life immersed in a remote tropical environment before moving to the United States. She later married into a family with deep Amish and Mennonite roots, giving her a fascinating, firsthand view of the tight-knit communities she satirizes so lovingly in her fiction. Myers is an avid antique collector, a gourmet cook, and a passionate animal lover who infuses every single page with her genuine hobbies.
Why the Order Matters
While each book presents a standalone crime that gets solved by the final chapter, reading Tamar Myers out of sequence can ruin your experience.
The primary joy of her writing is the hilarious, slow-burn evolution of the recurring cast. Over the course of twenty-plus books, Magdalena Yoder deals with her wild, romance-obsessed sister Susannah, navigates her changing marital status, handles local town rivalries, and deals with the hilarious, escalating absurdity of the guests checking into the PennDutch Inn. Reading chronologically ensures you catch every running joke perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tamar Myers’s latest book?
Her most recent release is The Hernia Antiques Roadshow Murder, which added a brilliant, modern twist to her classic Pennsylvania Dutch Inn franchise.
Are the recipes included in the books real?
Yes! Every single novel in the Pennsylvania Dutch Inn series includes genuine, step-by-step recipes for traditional, hearty Mennonite and Amish dishes—ranging from shoofly pie and homemade apple butter to rich potato soups.
What authors write similarly to Tamar Myers?
If you love the blend of culinary themes, antiques, and hilarious small-town antics, you will absolutely adore the works of Diane Mott Davidson (Goldy Schulz culinary mysteries), Laura Childs (Tea Shop Mysteries), and Charlotte MacLeod.
Verdicts and Recommendations
The Final Verdict: For an iconic, hilariously funny cozy mystery experience packed with good food and small-town charm, start directly with Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth (1994).
This catalog is a perfect match for: Readers who love a lighthearted whodunit, home baking, quirky family dynamics, antique hunting, and heroines who speak their minds no matter what the suspects think.
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