The Crow's Call by Wanda E. Brunstetter is the first novel in the Amish Greenhouse Mystery series. Michelle and Ezekiel from The Prayer Jar trilogy are in this series. I thought The Crow's Call was well-written with steady pacing and developed, realistic characters. You could feel the character's emotions pouring from the pages. I felt so bad for this family who suffered such a devastating loss. To lose three family members in one day is unthinkable. Each one of them is grieving and each one handles it differently. They struggle to get through each day. Their workload has increased, but they must soldier on. Unfortunately, Sylvia, the eldest daughter, is too grief stricken to do more than mind her children. Henry, the youngest child, is full of anger and bitterness which he takes out on the family. Amy is our main protagonist. Before the deaths, she was looking forward to her beau proposing. With all the added responsibilities, Amy has little time to see Jared Riehl. Ezekiel and Michelle are settled in Clymer, New York where their bee business is doing well, and Ezekiel just drew the lot for a minister. He feels he should move back home, but his mother does not want him to disrupt his new life. I enjoyed getting to know the various characters and their stories. It makes for an interesting book. As if the King family does not have enough to handle, someone starts sabotaging the greenhouse. They do not know if it is Henry acting out, the new English neighbors, the homeless woman, the owners of the new greenhouse in town or an unknown entity. The crow was an interesting addition. Amy has feared crows since a child and believes its caw foretells doom. Is the crow warning them of danger or just a coincidence? Faith plays an important part of the King family's lives. A terrible tragedy can either draw you closer to God or pull you away. We see a combination of both in The Crow's Call. The Crow's Call allows us to follow the King family as they struggle with their grief and attempt to move forward with their lives. It is not an easy process. You move forward a step and then go two steps backward. This realistic novel will tug at your heartstrings. The Crow's Call has family, friendship, community, faith and mystery. I am eager to read The Mockingbird's Song when it is released.

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