[.ca] Hand That Rocks The Ladle (ISBN 0451197550)

Will you quit wailing, already?:
Tamar Myers, The Hand That Rocks the Ladle (Signet, 2000) I'll get this out of the way first and foremost: I like the Den of Antiquity novels better than I like the Pennsylvania Dutch novels. But it's hard to turn down any book that has recipes as a part of its plotline, isn't it? Myers brings back indefatigable Mennonite heroine Magdalena Yoder, owner of the Penn Dutch Inn and the most unreliable narrator outside the autobiographies of some of those she reports have stayed at her inn. In this episode of her escapades, her cook, Freni, has a daughter who's pregnant with triplets, a husband who's feeling sympathy pains, and a cadre of evil doctors straight out of a Robin Cook medical thriller. When Freni's daughter gives birth to twins, everyone is quick to blame it on her old doctor, who has something of a fondness for the bottle, and probably miscounted the heartbeats. Right? But Freni knows different, and she ropes Magdalena into finding baby number three, despite Amanda having an innful of very odd guests, no cook, and a mysterious stranger she is convinced is Michael Jackson. The main problem I have with the Penn Dutch mysteries is that the narrative tone just gets under my skin for some reason. The Den of Antiquity books are narrated pretty much like any other novel, but Myers has infested Magdalena Yoder with a voice that stops just this side of annoying; imagine Frances MacDormand's character in Fargo, but with a rural Pennsylvania accent, and I think you'll understand what I'm getting at. It's n full steam here, and undercuts the otherwise fun book (and wonderful recipes for things like Toad Stroganoff. I kid you not). The other problem with it is that one of the main clues to what's going on comes in the first couple of chapters, and might as well have "I'M A CLUE" stamped on it in big red letters, so when you get to the big twist ending, you've seen it coming for the last two hundred pages. Those problems aside, the book is well-plotted and well-paced, and the nutzoid quality of the characters makes it as interesting a read as any of the other Penn Dutch books; still, if you're a Myers newbie, you might want to head for the Den of Antiquity mysteries first. ** 1/2

Typical Magdalena Fair:
This book has some definite possibilities, and the idea behind the story is a good one (baby nappers in Hernia, and it's up to Magdalena to uncover the ring.) But, the books are so repetitive, and overusage of certain words take away from the story, and this repetiveness certainly takes away from the humour that is supposed to be behind each scene. Still some of the characterizations are good, but my favourite character, Frenie, doesn't appear that much in this one. In spite of these shortcomings the reader gets a real sense of the Pennsylvania-Dutch country and the lifestyles of the Amish and Mennonites.

Magdalena rocks!:
This time our favorite sleuth, Magdalena, is snooping in a different kind of mystery. Was there a third baby? If so, where did it go? What's going on over at the gorgeous doctor's house? And who is that mysterious celebrity hiding out in Room 6? Myers's writing is so effortlessly funny, I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I must say, in the genre of comic mysteries, Magdalena takes the cake! (And the pie -- Freni's Butterscotch Chiffon Pie, recipe on page 37.) The Pennsylvania-Dutch references give it a real sense of place. I believe the Penn-Dutch series began with "Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth," but you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

I must agree with others...:
while the story is a fun read, the word "wailed" is used way to much. In fact every time she answers someone she "wails". If I had to be around someone that wailed all the time it would get old fast. Please use another word. I like the stories....

Fabulous series:
This book started with what I thought was an unbelievable premise. But in the end, it turned out to be something I could unfortunately believe. I like this series set in the Inn. The customers are always a hoot. Magdalena is hilarious in all her antics and beliefs. I don't really get into her carrying around a kitten in her bosom though. I always look forward to reading more in this series. Highly recommend it.