85.
Author: Madlyn Alt
Title: [Hex Marks the Spot]
Publication: Kindle E-book
Pages:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: November 8, 2010
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Hex Marks the Spot is the third installment in Madlyn Alt's Bewitching Mysteries series, which follows Maggie O'Neill as she works in a marvelous antiques shop, explores faith and spirituality, and helps figure out a dead body or two. Alt's series is light and fluffy, and just what I was looking for in the midst of my semester-crunch.

However.

I have always had two small problems with Alt's series, and the second is severely highlighted by the subject of the third book. My first problem is Liss' "accent," and the second problem is ...Eli. I am perfectly willing to believe that my own ignorance is getting the best of me at the moment, but Alt's representation of the Amish seems so far out of my own understanding that I have a difficult time concentrating on the story itself. The accents (and frequency of Ja) are bad enough, but ... Amish men using gas-powered saws? Working in modern factories? Carrying cell phones? Ah ha! My faith in Ms. Alt is restored! It looks like she does do her research (as I hoped), and my problem is really my own making. Here's an article from Wired on the Amish and their use of technology, specifically cell phones. Excellent work, Ms. Alt.