Falling to Pieces Book Review

A Shipshewana Amish Mystery

SUMMARY:  In this first book of a three-book series, author Vanetta Chapman brings a fresh twist to the popular Amish fiction genre.  She blends the familiar components consumers love in Amish books - faith, community, simplicity, family - with an innovative who-done-it plot that keeps readers guessing right up to the last stitch in the quilt.

     When two women - one Amish, one English - each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful online quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship.  As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation.  But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer.

     Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way to life.

REVIEW:  Callie just wanted to get away from the memories and stress caused by her husband's death, the loss of their child, and her job.  Going through and packing up the quilt shop her Aunt Daisy left her in Shipshewana seemed the perfect escape.  Deborah, Melinda and Esther needed Callie to keep the shop open and sell their quilts so they would have extra money for expenses caused by a husband's death and the illness of a child.  Instead, a murder causes the friendship of Deborah and Callie to develop, which will be needed when things get rough.  

     When I got this book, I wasn't sure what to expect.  An Amish Mystery sounded interesting and it was.  There is not a lot of gore that is so popular nowadays but a lot of suspense and trying to figure out who did it and if and when they would be caught.  I really enjoyed this book and, like it says in the summary, it keeps you guessing right up to the end.  If you like a good mystery and/or you like the Amish genre of books, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  I can't wait to read the other two books.  I already have possible plot lines and relationships forming in my mind.

This Advance Reader Copy was provided by Zondervan for review without compensation.

Vannetta Chapman holds a BA and MA degree in English and has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups.  She published an Amish novel with Abington Press called A Simple Amish Christmas.