Nearing the Christmas holiday in Home Valley, Ohio, Lydia Brand aids her neighbor, Josh Yoder with his menagerie of animals, used in the traditional re-enactment scene of the birth of our Christ. Both are of the Home Valley Amish community and feel a romantic closeness even though Lydia is supposedly being courted by Gideon Reich who works in her father's Amish furniture store. Lydia loves the camels, much to her mother's disappointment. Lydia also works during the week as receptionist in the furniture store; her parents are trying to keep her close to home.

During a snow storm Lydia stumbles upon Victoria Keller's dead body; a sister of their neighbor, Senator Elizabeth "Bess" Stark, her son Connor and his family. Clutched in her hand is a note "to the girl brand baby...Your mother is alive". Knowing she is adopted, this begins Lydia's search for the truth of her true parentage and death of the couple she believes were her real parents. Aided by a female "Englisch" friend of Josh's who is a journalist, one death is compounded by another. As mysterious incidents begin to happen at her home as well as at Josh's, Lydia's life is in jeopardy as her inquires all get far too close to the truth.

The story line in UPON A WINTER'S NIGHT is so interesting I could barely put it down from as I was anxiously needing to see what happened next. Karen Harper has an amazing ability to weave a story full of suspense and keeping the reader on edge until the end, guessing at what is actuality. The reader is guaranteed a thrilling ride from page one through to the very last page.

UPON A WINTER'S NIGHT is complete, including an innocent romance between two terrific characters, unable to deny their love. It is an extremely insightful look and lesson into the ways of the Amish and their customs. I thoroughly loved this story and know everyone reading it will as well.