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Shipshewana Amish Mystery #2
A Perfect Square
Amish-English sleuthing duo Deborah Yoder and Callie Harper set out to solve a murder. But more than an innocent man’s future is at stake. In book two of the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series, God’s grace touches the long-lost past as well as lives shaken by current tragedy.
There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben, brother of Deborah's best friend's fiancé, is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Callie—fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop—Deborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes.
An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and events—one that can bring unexpected touches of God's grace and resolve the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.
There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben, brother of Deborah's best friend's fiancé, is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Callie—fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop—Deborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes.
An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and events—one that can bring unexpected touches of God's grace and resolve the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2012
220 people are currently reading
1093 people want to read
About the author
Vannetta Chapman
128 books1,453 followersVannetta Chapman is a New York times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over t0 novels. She has sold over one million copies and writes in a variety of genres that include dystopian, suspense, dystopian, romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery.
Chapman has 25 years educational experience as an English teacher at the high school and collegiate level. She currently resides in the Texas Hill Country where she writes full times.
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Chapman has 25 years educational experience as an English teacher at the high school and collegiate level. She currently resides in the Texas Hill Country where she writes full times.
Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free ebook! For more information, visit her at http://vannettachapman.com
https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman
https://www.facebook.com/VannettaChap...
http://vannettachapman.com/blog/
https://www.instagram.com/vannettacha...
http://vannettachapman.com/book-list/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
August 25, 2015
A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman****
It is nearing time for Esther and Tobias' wedding and there is much is to be done. But wedding plans are interrupted when a young Amish girl is found floating in the pond on cousins Tobias and Reuben's farm. Who is the young girl and how did she get there? They are shocked when Detective Shane Black arrests Reuben Fisher for her murder. Reuben is a quite, gentle man and could not have committed this murder his friends insist. Reuben does not help his case by not talking or answering any of the detectives questions. Deborah Yoder is sure he did not murder the girl and enlists her Englisher friend Callie-owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop, to find out what happened.
Callie is all for helping Deborah figure out what actually happened to the young girl and get Reuben out of jail. But she also finds herself in the middle of another mystery when she finds an elderly Amish man at her shops door early one morning. He is looking for his long lost daughter and asks Callie to help him find her. Adding more mystery to his request, his son says he does not have a sister. Does the man only think he has/had a daughter? After a little searching, Callie learns that the man's daughter actually has been missing since the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. Convinced that she must help try to reunite this father and daughter, Callie continues to search and uncovers some surprising information.
A Perfect Square is a murder mystery but it has another mystery woven into the story. There is much more in this story: mystery-of course, suspense, little romance, the bond of friends—even between the Amish and Englishers, forgiveness, strong faith, prayers and God's will, with characters that are true-to-life making this a story to read. I have been a long-time fan of Vannetta Chapman and know when I read one of her books it will drawl me into the story.
~~I received a copy of this book from the author for my review~~
It is nearing time for Esther and Tobias' wedding and there is much is to be done. But wedding plans are interrupted when a young Amish girl is found floating in the pond on cousins Tobias and Reuben's farm. Who is the young girl and how did she get there? They are shocked when Detective Shane Black arrests Reuben Fisher for her murder. Reuben is a quite, gentle man and could not have committed this murder his friends insist. Reuben does not help his case by not talking or answering any of the detectives questions. Deborah Yoder is sure he did not murder the girl and enlists her Englisher friend Callie-owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop, to find out what happened.
Callie is all for helping Deborah figure out what actually happened to the young girl and get Reuben out of jail. But she also finds herself in the middle of another mystery when she finds an elderly Amish man at her shops door early one morning. He is looking for his long lost daughter and asks Callie to help him find her. Adding more mystery to his request, his son says he does not have a sister. Does the man only think he has/had a daughter? After a little searching, Callie learns that the man's daughter actually has been missing since the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. Convinced that she must help try to reunite this father and daughter, Callie continues to search and uncovers some surprising information.
A Perfect Square is a murder mystery but it has another mystery woven into the story. There is much more in this story: mystery-of course, suspense, little romance, the bond of friends—even between the Amish and Englishers, forgiveness, strong faith, prayers and God's will, with characters that are true-to-life making this a story to read. I have been a long-time fan of Vannetta Chapman and know when I read one of her books it will drawl me into the story.
~~I received a copy of this book from the author for my review~~
September 21, 2016
This was another enjoyable installment in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series. Characters from the first book, Falling to Pieces, are joined by some new people, of course in part because they need someone to kill off. However, these characters were also used to enrich the story and make the reader feel like they, along with Callie, are being welcomed into the Shipshewana community.
I enjoyed the relationships in this book and the way the storylines tied together, but I have to admit that other parts were difficult. Even if I hadn't had recent experiences with it, the theme of young people dying just when they are planning to get married and start their lives would be one to choke me up. Though each situation was thoughtfully dealt with, it took away the lighthearted feel of the first book.
There wasn't so much a murder mystery in this book as there was coping with different types of loss and the unexpected paths that our lives take. I will be carrying on with this series and hope to see one of Callie's many suitors tame her temper a little bit. ;-)
I enjoyed the relationships in this book and the way the storylines tied together, but I have to admit that other parts were difficult. Even if I hadn't had recent experiences with it, the theme of young people dying just when they are planning to get married and start their lives would be one to choke me up. Though each situation was thoughtfully dealt with, it took away the lighthearted feel of the first book.
There wasn't so much a murder mystery in this book as there was coping with different types of loss and the unexpected paths that our lives take. I will be carrying on with this series and hope to see one of Callie's many suitors tame her temper a little bit. ;-)
December 17, 2020
Great book and series. Love the characters and how they interact. Great mystery
November 25, 2013
When Vannetta Chapman writes, she brings her characters vividly to life for the reader and weaves a story of mystery, family, commitment, devotion, devastation, and faith filled lives. Her cozy mysteries depict the Amish in their communities and their relationships with the outside world in a believable way, and I think she truly writes as faithfully about the true side of the Amish as any author published.
In A Perfect Square, which is book 2 in the series, a body is found on an Amish farm and the local law enforcement ends up taking Reuben into custody. While circumstances seem to point to Reuben as the culprit, other forces are at play that indicate differently.
Again, Vannetta Chapman has brought surprise to the story and she has woven it into the very fabric of the Amish community. Along with the details of the mystery, she has focused on the very important quality of Amish quilt making and how they strive for perfection and take such pride in their handcrafted quilts.
I recommend Vannetta Chapman’s books for faith filled reads for anyone seeking a quality read.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a gift copy of the book by the author and not required to render a review. The review is my gift to her. Opinions expressed are solely my own.
In A Perfect Square, which is book 2 in the series, a body is found on an Amish farm and the local law enforcement ends up taking Reuben into custody. While circumstances seem to point to Reuben as the culprit, other forces are at play that indicate differently.
Again, Vannetta Chapman has brought surprise to the story and she has woven it into the very fabric of the Amish community. Along with the details of the mystery, she has focused on the very important quality of Amish quilt making and how they strive for perfection and take such pride in their handcrafted quilts.
I recommend Vannetta Chapman’s books for faith filled reads for anyone seeking a quality read.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a gift copy of the book by the author and not required to render a review. The review is my gift to her. Opinions expressed are solely my own.
September 4, 2018
Callie and Deborah are becoming fast friends despite their different cultures. Callie is learning more about the Amish, and Deborah is glad to be her helping friend. They are anticipating with great joy a mutual friend’s wedding when the upcoming nuptials are marred by the discovery of a young Amish woman’s body floating in a pond on the groom’s land. When a cousin is arrested for her murder, Deborah and Callie get involved, trying to find real guilty party. Much of this novel concerns the relationships between the characters and the beliefs of the Amish community. The story is really character driven as there isn’t much of a mystery. Still, it is well written and much of the interest in the story comes the side stories of the characters, with the story being told in flashbacks alternating with the present day.
February 7, 2013
The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series Book Two "A Perfect Square" is a stand-alone read. Vannetta Chapman does an excellent job of continuity with her characters from Book One so the reader can keep up. In A Perfect Square Callie faces 'an old man who has lost his past and a young man who may lose his future.' Full of suspense and a continuation of a special friendship, this is a must-read!
September 10, 2016
I had an incredibly hard time caring about any of these people. The slow pace and constant POV switching was something I was okay with in the first book because it was restricted to a few people. But now, it's like a dozen people and it's hard to get a proper feel when you're always jumping to the next person.
December 24, 2020
A young Amish woman is found dead in a pond with the back of her head bloodied. Although it appears that she was a stranger to Shipshewana, there are indications that Reuben, the owner of the land where she died, knew her. Unfortunately, Reuben refuses to speak to the police, and Tobias (his cousin) and Esther (Tobias's fiancee) are worried that he'll be blamed for a murder they're sure he didn't commit.
Deborah (an Amish woman) and Callie (an Englischer - a non-Amish person) do what they can to help their friends, but with Reuben refusing to say anything in his own defense, their options are limited. Meanwhile, a young Amish man is hiding in the woods - he knew the dead girl, and he may be the key to this mystery.
I feel like my description makes more of Deborah and Callie's amateur sleuthiness than is really warranted - for the bulk of the book, they do very little investigating. Granted, Reuben gives them almost nothing to go on, but it made for an odd mystery. This actually worked better for me if I approached it as general Amish fiction rather than as a mystery.
I got an ARC of this book at a conference (and may have met the author, based on the autograph on the title page). Although I like cozy mysteries, I rarely read inspirational fiction and have never read Amish fiction before. The glossary at the beginning of the book was helpful, and Callie's "outsider" status (Deborah considered her to be as close as family, but she definitely wasn't Amish) gave Chapman plenty of opportunities to work explanations about Amish life and traditions into the text.
This is the second book in a series and I hadn't read the first, so that was a bit of a problem. There were lots of characters with very intertwined relationships, and it was hard for me to keep track of all of them. It didn't help that Chapman spent so little time focused on any one character that it was hard for me to get to know the cast. I learned basic information about several of them (and almost resorted to taking notes in order to keep it all straight - a character list would probably have been as useful as the glossary) but that was pretty much it. As a result, I didn't finish this with a desire to see more of any of the characters - I just wasn't that connected to any of them.
It's a shame, because several of these characters could have been very interesting. Deborah, a married Amish woman with several small children, seemed to be more inclined to amateur sleuthing than Callie, although she had to work it in around taking care of her family. Callie, meanwhile, was a widow (whose husband may have been a murder victim in the previous book? it was tough to tell) who was originally from Houston and somewhat surprised and pleased to find that Shipshewana was beginning to feel like a real home to her. She had not one, not two, but three potential love interests - unfortunately, it was handled in such a lukewarm way that I kept forgetting about the existence of one of the love interest possibilities, and it's probably a good thing that Chapman opted to pair one of those options up with Callie by the end of the book rather than keep the uncertainty going.
All in all, this was an okay read, but a fairly disappointing mystery. The revelation about what really happened to that girl made the bulk of the book feel like a waste of time - the side story about Ira Bontrager's missing daughter turned out to be much more interesting and satisfying, with more amateur sleuthing. I don't intend to read more of this series.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Deborah (an Amish woman) and Callie (an Englischer - a non-Amish person) do what they can to help their friends, but with Reuben refusing to say anything in his own defense, their options are limited. Meanwhile, a young Amish man is hiding in the woods - he knew the dead girl, and he may be the key to this mystery.
I feel like my description makes more of Deborah and Callie's amateur sleuthiness than is really warranted - for the bulk of the book, they do very little investigating. Granted, Reuben gives them almost nothing to go on, but it made for an odd mystery. This actually worked better for me if I approached it as general Amish fiction rather than as a mystery.
I got an ARC of this book at a conference (and may have met the author, based on the autograph on the title page). Although I like cozy mysteries, I rarely read inspirational fiction and have never read Amish fiction before. The glossary at the beginning of the book was helpful, and Callie's "outsider" status (Deborah considered her to be as close as family, but she definitely wasn't Amish) gave Chapman plenty of opportunities to work explanations about Amish life and traditions into the text.
This is the second book in a series and I hadn't read the first, so that was a bit of a problem. There were lots of characters with very intertwined relationships, and it was hard for me to keep track of all of them. It didn't help that Chapman spent so little time focused on any one character that it was hard for me to get to know the cast. I learned basic information about several of them (and almost resorted to taking notes in order to keep it all straight - a character list would probably have been as useful as the glossary) but that was pretty much it. As a result, I didn't finish this with a desire to see more of any of the characters - I just wasn't that connected to any of them.
It's a shame, because several of these characters could have been very interesting. Deborah, a married Amish woman with several small children, seemed to be more inclined to amateur sleuthing than Callie, although she had to work it in around taking care of her family. Callie, meanwhile, was a widow (whose husband may have been a murder victim in the previous book? it was tough to tell) who was originally from Houston and somewhat surprised and pleased to find that Shipshewana was beginning to feel like a real home to her. She had not one, not two, but three potential love interests - unfortunately, it was handled in such a lukewarm way that I kept forgetting about the existence of one of the love interest possibilities, and it's probably a good thing that Chapman opted to pair one of those options up with Callie by the end of the book rather than keep the uncertainty going.
All in all, this was an okay read, but a fairly disappointing mystery. The revelation about what really happened to that girl made the bulk of the book feel like a waste of time - the side story about Ira Bontrager's missing daughter turned out to be much more interesting and satisfying, with more amateur sleuthing. I don't intend to read more of this series.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
January 17, 2012
An young Amish woman was found dead on the property of cousins Tobias and Reuben Fisher. After an investigation of the area, Reuben became the prime suspect in her murder. Reuben refused to talk to anyone about anything, which didn’t help the case against him. Deborah Yoder, a friend of Reuben, was convinced he was innocent. She set out to prove this, putting together clues that lead to the truth of the young woman’s death. Her friend, Englisher, Callie Harper also got involved.
Callie had her own mystery to solve. One day Ira Bontrager, a confused, elderly man showed up at her quilt shop and asked her to find his daughter who went missing over 40 years ago. He knew she helped solve a police case a few months back and was sure she could help him. Callie had been through more than one loss of her own recently. She decided to help Ira even though it seemed a hopeless cause.
The whole story deals with how and why the young woman was found dead on the Fisher’s property, with the search for Ira’s daughter a sub plot. Everything begins to come together as you read each page. You will start to question several characters and their motives. Why won’t Reuben talk? Is he guilty of the murder? What clues does Deborah find? Does Callie find Ira’s daughter that his own son knows nothing about? Read A Perfect Square to find out.
I met Deborah and Callie, along with other characters in this story when I read Falling to Pieces. You can read my review of Falling to Pieces here . Deborah is a caring person that is dedicated to her friends. Callie is finally discovering the joy of friendship, maybe even a little romance, thanks to moving to Shipshewana. Deborah and Callie didn’t meet up with people and clues by accident, God was working out His will through them. This book shows how God uses people and events to piece together His perfect plan. I would recommend this book to any fan of Amish fiction.
Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series
Book 1 - Falling To Pieces
Book 2 - A Perfect Square
Book 3 - Material Witness (to be released 9/1/12)
I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
Callie had her own mystery to solve. One day Ira Bontrager, a confused, elderly man showed up at her quilt shop and asked her to find his daughter who went missing over 40 years ago. He knew she helped solve a police case a few months back and was sure she could help him. Callie had been through more than one loss of her own recently. She decided to help Ira even though it seemed a hopeless cause.
The whole story deals with how and why the young woman was found dead on the Fisher’s property, with the search for Ira’s daughter a sub plot. Everything begins to come together as you read each page. You will start to question several characters and their motives. Why won’t Reuben talk? Is he guilty of the murder? What clues does Deborah find? Does Callie find Ira’s daughter that his own son knows nothing about? Read A Perfect Square to find out.
I met Deborah and Callie, along with other characters in this story when I read Falling to Pieces. You can read my review of Falling to Pieces here . Deborah is a caring person that is dedicated to her friends. Callie is finally discovering the joy of friendship, maybe even a little romance, thanks to moving to Shipshewana. Deborah and Callie didn’t meet up with people and clues by accident, God was working out His will through them. This book shows how God uses people and events to piece together His perfect plan. I would recommend this book to any fan of Amish fiction.
Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series
Book 1 - Falling To Pieces
Book 2 - A Perfect Square
Book 3 - Material Witness (to be released 9/1/12)
I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
January 1, 2015
SUMMARY: There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben Fisher is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend, Callie---fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop---Deborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and events---one that can bring unexpected touches of God's grace and resolve the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.
REVIEW: Another easy to read, enjoyable cozy mystery from Vannetta Chapman. The same group of characters from Falling to Pieces is brought together again as another murder occurs in the Amish town of Shipshewana Indiana. I thoroughly enjoyed the role "Enslischer" Callie plays as linchpin of a group of Amish friends due to her ownership of the local quilt shop. The developing relationship between her and Shane the local sheriff adds to the character of the story.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I do believe in the Lord's Word,..."But when my heart hurts, as it does today, I have to wonder if His plan doesn't include a bit more refining and learning than I would have chosen. I have to wonder if there couldn't have been any easier way. I wonder why."
"Their lives weren't perfect, like the square in Deborah's quilts, but the way they fit together, the way the cared for one another and supported one another, the way they had all come into each other's lives at the exact time when they needed each other...Callie realized there was only one explanation for those things. Their lives were stitched together by a divine quilter, and she could trust the pattern would be a good one."
REVIEW: Another easy to read, enjoyable cozy mystery from Vannetta Chapman. The same group of characters from Falling to Pieces is brought together again as another murder occurs in the Amish town of Shipshewana Indiana. I thoroughly enjoyed the role "Enslischer" Callie plays as linchpin of a group of Amish friends due to her ownership of the local quilt shop. The developing relationship between her and Shane the local sheriff adds to the character of the story.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I do believe in the Lord's Word,..."But when my heart hurts, as it does today, I have to wonder if His plan doesn't include a bit more refining and learning than I would have chosen. I have to wonder if there couldn't have been any easier way. I wonder why."
"Their lives weren't perfect, like the square in Deborah's quilts, but the way they fit together, the way the cared for one another and supported one another, the way they had all come into each other's lives at the exact time when they needed each other...Callie realized there was only one explanation for those things. Their lives were stitched together by a divine quilter, and she could trust the pattern would be a good one."
May 16, 2012
After devouring the first book in this series I was anxious to find out where the author would take us with the next book, and I must say this Amish mystery series is second to none!
This book easily pulled me right back to Shipshewana Indiana. Deborah Yoder and her friend Esther are headed to Daisy's Quilt Shop which is run by their friend Callie Harper, and contemplating the wedding that is going to take place between Esther and Tobias in a few weeks when the find a body floating in a local pond. Thing is the body is found in a pond that Tobias and his cousin Reubin have been farming. When Reubin is arrested as a suspect, can Callie and her friends figure out who committed the crime and exonerate Reubin?
I love a good cozy mystery and when several of the primary characters are Amish it's even better. The author not only provides realistic characters, but also provides the reader with a fast moving plot that kept me riveted until the final page. While the main focus was figuring out who-dun-it there were a few secondary stories that the author tied together perfectly to the main storyline. I enjoyed visiting all the old characters from the first book, and couldn't help but wonder if Callie might find romance in this story. I love that Max Callie's dog plays such a great role in this mystery series. The pretty covers and the promise of an Amish mystery drew me to this series but a fast moving plot and interesting characters is what keeps me coming back. I can't wait to take another trip to Daisy's Quilt Shop!
While this book is the second in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series the author provides enough background information that this book can easily be read as a stand alone work, but anyone who loves a great mystery will certainly want to read the first book "Falling To Pieces" as well. Highly recommended!
A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book easily pulled me right back to Shipshewana Indiana. Deborah Yoder and her friend Esther are headed to Daisy's Quilt Shop which is run by their friend Callie Harper, and contemplating the wedding that is going to take place between Esther and Tobias in a few weeks when the find a body floating in a local pond. Thing is the body is found in a pond that Tobias and his cousin Reubin have been farming. When Reubin is arrested as a suspect, can Callie and her friends figure out who committed the crime and exonerate Reubin?
I love a good cozy mystery and when several of the primary characters are Amish it's even better. The author not only provides realistic characters, but also provides the reader with a fast moving plot that kept me riveted until the final page. While the main focus was figuring out who-dun-it there were a few secondary stories that the author tied together perfectly to the main storyline. I enjoyed visiting all the old characters from the first book, and couldn't help but wonder if Callie might find romance in this story. I love that Max Callie's dog plays such a great role in this mystery series. The pretty covers and the promise of an Amish mystery drew me to this series but a fast moving plot and interesting characters is what keeps me coming back. I can't wait to take another trip to Daisy's Quilt Shop!
While this book is the second in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series the author provides enough background information that this book can easily be read as a stand alone work, but anyone who loves a great mystery will certainly want to read the first book "Falling To Pieces" as well. Highly recommended!
A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2012
Amish Mystery At Its Best!
Will Callie and Deborah solve another Amish mystery? The adventures begin once again in the small town of Shipshewana, Indiana.
Esther and Deborah are on their way to take food to Reuben and Tobias. While driving down the lane Esther spots some wildflowers growing near the pond and asked Deborah to stop the buggy so she can pick some. They are meeting Callie at Daisy’s Quilt Shop in an hour and Esther wants to take some flowers to her. As Esther nears the wildflowers she sees the body of an Amish girl face down in the pond. All of a sudden Deborah hears a loud scream from Esther.
This book was a real page turner for me and reeled me in from page one. I loved how the author includes mystery, suspense, some romance, the power of prayer and following God’s will into this great read. Not only is this a murder mystery but this book also includes another mystery woven in. I found this to be a very pleasant surprise and loved how this situation was handled.
This book is filled with a variety of characters in all walks of life. I found myself really caught up in the lives of these characters. Of course we can’t forget Max. He is definitely one of my favorites!
For those who have read “Falling to Pieces” and liked the book I am here to tell you that you will love “a Perfect Square” just as much if not more. I can’t wait for book 3 in this series to be published. Thanks to Vannetta Chapman for some great reads. Keep them coming!
Will Callie and Deborah solve another Amish mystery? The adventures begin once again in the small town of Shipshewana, Indiana.
Esther and Deborah are on their way to take food to Reuben and Tobias. While driving down the lane Esther spots some wildflowers growing near the pond and asked Deborah to stop the buggy so she can pick some. They are meeting Callie at Daisy’s Quilt Shop in an hour and Esther wants to take some flowers to her. As Esther nears the wildflowers she sees the body of an Amish girl face down in the pond. All of a sudden Deborah hears a loud scream from Esther.
This book was a real page turner for me and reeled me in from page one. I loved how the author includes mystery, suspense, some romance, the power of prayer and following God’s will into this great read. Not only is this a murder mystery but this book also includes another mystery woven in. I found this to be a very pleasant surprise and loved how this situation was handled.
This book is filled with a variety of characters in all walks of life. I found myself really caught up in the lives of these characters. Of course we can’t forget Max. He is definitely one of my favorites!
For those who have read “Falling to Pieces” and liked the book I am here to tell you that you will love “a Perfect Square” just as much if not more. I can’t wait for book 3 in this series to be published. Thanks to Vannetta Chapman for some great reads. Keep them coming!
July 30, 2012
A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman
I was excited to revisit my friends in Shipshewana again in Vannetta Chapman’s second book in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series. I really grew to love Deborah and Callie, Esther and Melinda and couldn’t wait to see what this book has in store for readers. And I can say that I love this book as much as I did the first, and was hooked from the very first pages.
When a young Amish girl is found dead in Ruben’s pond, he ends up being the only suspect, especially since he wouldn’t answer any questions the authorities were asking him. Who is Ruben trying to protect? Will he actually go to prison for life to protect this person? This murder of an unknown young lady has the Shipshewana community in an uproar.
With officer Shane Black on the case, Deborah knew that he would do nothing to find out Ruben’s innocence. That meant the job was up to her, and she would have Callie’s assistance. Turns out, Callie is looking for someone herself. A daughter, one that no one knows about except her very ill father. These ladies have their work cut out for them as the try to solve these mysteries.
I love how Vannetta Chapman weaves these stories together with characters that are well created and developed and a plot that will keep readers wanting to find out what’s gonna happen to whom. I highly recommend A Perfect Square for your enjoyment.
This book was provided by Zondervan Publishers for me to read and review. I was not expected or required to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.
December 30, 2018
Review: The Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman A perfect Square is about a group of friends. That group of friends seems to bring Mysteries to an English friend that become an owner of Daisy Quilt Shop. When a dead girl is found and an Amish young man is the center of it. Callie and her friend Deborah need to find out who killed her or what happened to her. Who is Ruben Fisher covering for? Why will he not clear his name? There seem to be more going on than anything when and Old elderly man shows up at Daisy Quilt Shop, claiming to find his long-lost daughter? Will, it seems that this long lost daughter is really a clue to the dead young girl they find in a pond? Vannetta Chapman does a wonderful job of giving the readers something to hang on to. Will God grace help and mend. There seems to be a family that thinks that their daughter is running and living in the English world? What happens when the parents find out the truth about their daughter? What about the young man that on the run? What happens on Palm Sunday in 1965 with the Tornadoes?
May 12, 2012
My Thoughts:
I love a murder mystery, especially if it has been taken up a notch by placing it in an Amish setting. Callie and her friends are once again trying to solve a mystery. Reuben has been locked up in jail as a suspect in the death of an Amish girl. No one in the community believes Reuben could or would have done such a thing. While Callie has her hands full with one mystery, an old Amish gentleman comes to her seeking her help. His daughter had disappeared during the 1965 Palm Sunday tornadoes. I remember those tornadoes and the feel of our house being lifted off of its foundation. Now Callie must try to make the connection between the two mysteries to solve them.
I love reading books by Vannetta Chapman. It is a great blend of Amish and English, Romance and Mystery. The Christian aspects are not preachy. I can’t wait until the third book in this series, Material Witness, comes out this fall. If you want to see what Vannetta is up to go to her Facebook page.
August 16, 2013
When a young Amish girl is found dead, floating in the pond of a local Shipshewana Amish man, Reuben, the ladies are once again faced with a mystery to solve. When Reuben is arrested and refuses to defend himself, Callie, Deborah and Ester set out to prove his innocence. How did the girl end up dead? That is what Detective Shane Black and Reuben's lawyer Adalyn would like to know. Is Reuben protecting someone? How did he know the girl? Slowly the answers are revealed. Some unexpectedly when Callie is asked to find the long lost daughter of an elderly Amish man. I appreciate the Godly insight interspersed throughout the story. Am looking forward to reading Material Witness, book 3 of the series.
August 26, 2022
Wow this was so bad compared to the first part of the series! Where the first one was sweet, moving and had an interesting murder plot where it felt natural that Callie and her friends got involved, this one was overly sentimental, even cringe, and Callie’s involvement in the murder investigation made no sense at all. The side plot with the lost girl was just weird. I’m giving the third part a chance anyway and hope it will be better!
December 12, 2022
Another good story from a favorite author. Mystery, friends, family and faith. A young girl is dead. An elderly man is looking for a lost daughter. Deborah and Callie are on the cases. A little romance and it all makes for an enjoyable read. Pam Ward does a nice job narrating this captivating story.
June 24, 2012
Callie once again ends up helping her friends and neighbors. Murder in a small Amish town! Even better an Amish man's the main suspect! Good twists and turns as I read along! Kept me guessing til the end!
March 28, 2015
You can't turn back and choose a different path. Live the life you've been given.
January 9, 2013
This is a good book. It is part of a series and I will read more books. I could not stop reading this book!
December 7, 2013
I love this author's style and stories.
September 22, 2018
It should be no secret by now that Vannetta Chapman is one of my favorite authors. She takes a genre I appreciate, Amish Fiction, and mingles it with a genre I love, mystery, sprinkles a little bit of romance and a whole lot of faith and has yet to disappoint me. I reviewed the first book, 'Falling to Pieces', in the Shipshewana Mysteries series back in June and it's been an interesting journey to get from there to here. While the journey is important, getting into this series is a perfect stop along the way. We are back with Callie, and Max, and her friends as yet another death comes up in this small, relatively crime-less, Amish town. It's not even been a year before the girls are tugged into another body, another death, and one of their own on the line for it.
I have to wonder if Callie ever thinks that perhaps moving to Shipshe was perhaps not the best idea. I mean, yes she finds new friends and a social life but geez Louise Merry Christmas she also finds herself enmeshed in a lot of death. It's been mere months and another body finds it's way into her life. She sure didn't experience that in her isolated life in Texas. She's also found a few eligible bachelors who might perhaps maybe have an interest in her. Again, didn't happen when she was living in Texas, even if she's not quite sure she's ready for a relationship since her husband's passing a couple years back. I guess you take the bad with the good? (And I swear on my fuzzy socks I literally was singing the Facts of Life theme song in my head while I typed that!) That being said I have to share a couple of things with you that I loved, not only about this book but all Vannetta books. First, this is not a 'story', this is a life. All the depth of things that happen around you every day are woven in. Though I'm super grateful that she doesn't have us tag along on potty breaks, it's literally the woven fabric of life. It's so multidimensional. Callie is running her store and falling, maybe, in like and finding a body with her friends and making time for an old timer with a few memory hiccups who wants to find his daughter missing for decades that no one believes exists. Sound familiar? I mean not that I just ran down your life but just that everything swirls and whirls and stacks up around you while you are making breakfast and doing dishes and trying to figure out if you dog likes wearing bandanas to match your clothes or not.
And while you are living life and making plans things come together that no one ever saw coming. Who knew that senile old guy would help to solve the mystery of the body. Who knew that dress seams were such a big deal, or that someone would even notice?!? Not I for sure and certain. The second thing I love is that it's not always sunshine and rainbows and happy endings. Sometimes when you do something wrong, even if it's an accident, there are consequences. I've said for years, and the Minions hate it, that everything in life has consequences. Positive outcomes are still a consequence of our choices. I guess, in my mind, I'm trying to help them break the stigma of 'consequence' to realize that life is about outcomes. Give and take, positive and negative, natural and enforced; it all comes down to choices and outcomes. I can't wait to visit Callie and Deborah and the rest of the Shipshe gang next month when I bring you 'Material Witness' the final installment in the Shipshewana Amish Mysteries series.
Originally posted at https://fizzypopcollection.com/a-perf....
I have to wonder if Callie ever thinks that perhaps moving to Shipshe was perhaps not the best idea. I mean, yes she finds new friends and a social life but geez Louise Merry Christmas she also finds herself enmeshed in a lot of death. It's been mere months and another body finds it's way into her life. She sure didn't experience that in her isolated life in Texas. She's also found a few eligible bachelors who might perhaps maybe have an interest in her. Again, didn't happen when she was living in Texas, even if she's not quite sure she's ready for a relationship since her husband's passing a couple years back. I guess you take the bad with the good? (And I swear on my fuzzy socks I literally was singing the Facts of Life theme song in my head while I typed that!) That being said I have to share a couple of things with you that I loved, not only about this book but all Vannetta books. First, this is not a 'story', this is a life. All the depth of things that happen around you every day are woven in. Though I'm super grateful that she doesn't have us tag along on potty breaks, it's literally the woven fabric of life. It's so multidimensional. Callie is running her store and falling, maybe, in like and finding a body with her friends and making time for an old timer with a few memory hiccups who wants to find his daughter missing for decades that no one believes exists. Sound familiar? I mean not that I just ran down your life but just that everything swirls and whirls and stacks up around you while you are making breakfast and doing dishes and trying to figure out if you dog likes wearing bandanas to match your clothes or not.
And while you are living life and making plans things come together that no one ever saw coming. Who knew that senile old guy would help to solve the mystery of the body. Who knew that dress seams were such a big deal, or that someone would even notice?!? Not I for sure and certain. The second thing I love is that it's not always sunshine and rainbows and happy endings. Sometimes when you do something wrong, even if it's an accident, there are consequences. I've said for years, and the Minions hate it, that everything in life has consequences. Positive outcomes are still a consequence of our choices. I guess, in my mind, I'm trying to help them break the stigma of 'consequence' to realize that life is about outcomes. Give and take, positive and negative, natural and enforced; it all comes down to choices and outcomes. I can't wait to visit Callie and Deborah and the rest of the Shipshe gang next month when I bring you 'Material Witness' the final installment in the Shipshewana Amish Mysteries series.
Originally posted at https://fizzypopcollection.com/a-perf....
February 28, 2025
This has a lot of mysteries going on at once! A dead girl in a pond, an old man who lost his daughter...50 years ago, and more.
We see the friendship between Callie and Deborah continue to grow. Deborah's character and respect in town is well seen in this novel. Also the Callie's knowledge of the Englisher world is helpful in navigating both worlds.
We see the friendship between Callie and Deborah continue to grow. Deborah's character and respect in town is well seen in this novel. Also the Callie's knowledge of the Englisher world is helpful in navigating both worlds.
August 30, 2020
loved it
March 28, 2018
Another excellent story! I love the characters and am looking forward to Book 3 and finding out who Callie ends up with! I know who I'm rooting for... not sure it's going that way!
November 5, 2018
4.55 stars - pg13 (mild?) (it’s a murder mystery, but no bad language, etc.)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to start the third in the series. As with the first, this book did not have a strong Gospel message, but rather an inspirational message of trusting in God’s will for our lives. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a hormonal woman, but this book brought me to tears several times (not in a bad way). This is the second in a series and it can be read as a standalone but I think if you read them in order, you’ll have a much better appreciation for all the things that go on between characters.
As in the first book, this was an excellent story but it’s not the kind of cozy where you can really follow the clues and figure out the whole mystery. You can figure out parts of it, but mostly it’s revealed to the reader, and this one had about 50 pages of story left after the reveal. I eagerly kept reading because I read more for a good story line filled with great characters and humor and a touch of romance than I do for a good mystery. Hard-core mystery buffs who only read to solve mysteries might not appreciate that there’s not a lot to solve for the last part of the book.
I loved that Callie is not some silly woman running around being an obnoxious Sherlock-wannabe. Her investigating is more a natural part of her everyday life, plus it’s a nice collaborative effort between herself, her Amish friends and the police. I found it refreshing how the author portrays the Amish and their daily life and customs. They’re shown as “real” people you can relate to instead of the stiff caricatures you often read in books. I love their sense of community. And some of the Amish marriages are shown as tender, sweetly-sensual, respectful, and love-filled… once again, “real” and lovely. And, oh how I adored Reuben, I so hope he finds a lovely Amish wife in book three!
(p. 137/138 annoyed me -- I didn’t feel that this little scene was necessary to the story line. This seemed like something a secular author - with an axe to grind against all Christians – would do.)
For more info on what the Amish believe, in comparison to born-again Christians, one source I would suggest is the Mission to the Amish People started by former-Amish, Joe Keim and his wife.
Interesting article on their website about whether the Amish believe in salvation through faith, by grace, in Christ alone. http://www.mapministry.org/articles/2... And these books: Amish: Born Again the Same Way as Others? and Excommunication and Shunning
and My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to start the third in the series. As with the first, this book did not have a strong Gospel message, but rather an inspirational message of trusting in God’s will for our lives. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a hormonal woman, but this book brought me to tears several times (not in a bad way). This is the second in a series and it can be read as a standalone but I think if you read them in order, you’ll have a much better appreciation for all the things that go on between characters.
As in the first book, this was an excellent story but it’s not the kind of cozy where you can really follow the clues and figure out the whole mystery. You can figure out parts of it, but mostly it’s revealed to the reader, and this one had about 50 pages of story left after the reveal. I eagerly kept reading because I read more for a good story line filled with great characters and humor and a touch of romance than I do for a good mystery. Hard-core mystery buffs who only read to solve mysteries might not appreciate that there’s not a lot to solve for the last part of the book.
I loved that Callie is not some silly woman running around being an obnoxious Sherlock-wannabe. Her investigating is more a natural part of her everyday life, plus it’s a nice collaborative effort between herself, her Amish friends and the police. I found it refreshing how the author portrays the Amish and their daily life and customs. They’re shown as “real” people you can relate to instead of the stiff caricatures you often read in books. I love their sense of community. And some of the Amish marriages are shown as tender, sweetly-sensual, respectful, and love-filled… once again, “real” and lovely. And, oh how I adored Reuben, I so hope he finds a lovely Amish wife in book three!
(p. 137/138 annoyed me -- I didn’t feel that this little scene was necessary to the story line. This seemed like something a secular author - with an axe to grind against all Christians – would do.)
For more info on what the Amish believe, in comparison to born-again Christians, one source I would suggest is the Mission to the Amish People started by former-Amish, Joe Keim and his wife.
Interesting article on their website about whether the Amish believe in salvation through faith, by grace, in Christ alone. http://www.mapministry.org/articles/2... And these books: Amish: Born Again the Same Way as Others? and Excommunication and Shunning
and My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son
September 11, 2017
My first book by Vannetta Chapman. Glad I found her!
November 3, 2014
I really loved "A Perfect Square" by Vannetta Chapman. It is a perfect Amish mystery! There are two mysteries and once the second mystery is solved, it led to the answer for the first one. The two mysteries together form a perfect square. You will understand that better after reading the book.
I was immediately drawn to this story. The setting is Shipshewana, Indiana and I am from Indiana. Also, I love both Amish fiction and mysteries. The writing by Vanessa Chapman captured me immediately and wouldn't let me go until the last page. I want more.
This is the second book in a series but there was no problem reading it as a standalone. Problem is that if you are like me, you will want to read the first book too, "Falling to Pieces" and everything else that she has written!
The characters are well developed and besides solving the mysteries, you will be interested in their personal lives. Callie is an Englischer (non-Amish) who inherited her aunt Daisy's quilt shop. She is a widow and lives with Matt, her Labrador retriever.
Her closest friends are Widow Esther Zook who will be getting married to Tobias soon, and Deborah Yoder who is married to Jonas and has five children.
At the beginning of the book, the two are going in a buggy to deliver a casserole for Tobias and his cousin Reuben who are working at Reuben's place. As they are riding, Esther notices some black eyed susans and goldenrods swaying in the wind. They stop the buggy so that Esther, her twins, Jacob and Joshua and Esther's daughter, Leah can go over and see them. But Deborah glances up and sees a dead girl floating in the water. Who is she? What happened?
Later in the book, Callie finds an elderly Amish man with dementia outside her shop and he says that he knew of her reputation for solving mysteries and he wants help in finding his daughter. She has been missing since April 11, 1965 in the Palm Sunday Tornadoes. That was a real event that devastated several Midwest states, leaving 250 dead and 1,500 injured. He knows that she has to be alive!
These two mysteries dovetail beautifully. There are several religious messages in this story but they are not presented in a preachy way but fit in very naturally. This story also has so much heart and feeling of community in it, a good sign of great Amish Literature.
I thoroughly loved the story and recommend it to everyone who loves a good mystery and fans of Amish fiction.
I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program but that in no influenced my review.
I was immediately drawn to this story. The setting is Shipshewana, Indiana and I am from Indiana. Also, I love both Amish fiction and mysteries. The writing by Vanessa Chapman captured me immediately and wouldn't let me go until the last page. I want more.
This is the second book in a series but there was no problem reading it as a standalone. Problem is that if you are like me, you will want to read the first book too, "Falling to Pieces" and everything else that she has written!
The characters are well developed and besides solving the mysteries, you will be interested in their personal lives. Callie is an Englischer (non-Amish) who inherited her aunt Daisy's quilt shop. She is a widow and lives with Matt, her Labrador retriever.
Her closest friends are Widow Esther Zook who will be getting married to Tobias soon, and Deborah Yoder who is married to Jonas and has five children.
At the beginning of the book, the two are going in a buggy to deliver a casserole for Tobias and his cousin Reuben who are working at Reuben's place. As they are riding, Esther notices some black eyed susans and goldenrods swaying in the wind. They stop the buggy so that Esther, her twins, Jacob and Joshua and Esther's daughter, Leah can go over and see them. But Deborah glances up and sees a dead girl floating in the water. Who is she? What happened?
Later in the book, Callie finds an elderly Amish man with dementia outside her shop and he says that he knew of her reputation for solving mysteries and he wants help in finding his daughter. She has been missing since April 11, 1965 in the Palm Sunday Tornadoes. That was a real event that devastated several Midwest states, leaving 250 dead and 1,500 injured. He knows that she has to be alive!
These two mysteries dovetail beautifully. There are several religious messages in this story but they are not presented in a preachy way but fit in very naturally. This story also has so much heart and feeling of community in it, a good sign of great Amish Literature.
I thoroughly loved the story and recommend it to everyone who loves a good mystery and fans of Amish fiction.
I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program but that in no influenced my review.
August 29, 2017
A PERFECT SQUARE (SHIPSHEWANA AMISH MYSTERY #2) vANNETTA CHAPMAN
In the quiet town of Shipshewana Indiana, the Amish live with their close knit families. the body of an young Amish girl, is found in the pond of Ruben Fisher.
Ruben refuses to give the local law enforcement any information regarding the body. Debbie Yoder and her Englisher friend, Callie Harper take it upon themselves to find out the truth about the young girl's death.
This mystery will only get deeper, when an elderly man approaches, Callie and asks her to find his long lost daughter, who disappeared during the Palm Sunday Tornadoes in 1965.
Will Deborah and Callie be able to prove that Ruben is innocent in the death of the young Amish girl.
Will Callie be able to find the long lost daughter for a desperate elderly man, so he will know the truth about his daughter.
How will these two pieces come together in this crazy quilt of a mystery.
I suggest you read this book, full of suspense and surprises to find the answers to these two mysteries.
In the quiet town of Shipshewana Indiana, the Amish live with their close knit families. the body of an young Amish girl, is found in the pond of Ruben Fisher.
Ruben refuses to give the local law enforcement any information regarding the body. Debbie Yoder and her Englisher friend, Callie Harper take it upon themselves to find out the truth about the young girl's death.
This mystery will only get deeper, when an elderly man approaches, Callie and asks her to find his long lost daughter, who disappeared during the Palm Sunday Tornadoes in 1965.
Will Deborah and Callie be able to prove that Ruben is innocent in the death of the young Amish girl.
Will Callie be able to find the long lost daughter for a desperate elderly man, so he will know the truth about his daughter.
How will these two pieces come together in this crazy quilt of a mystery.
I suggest you read this book, full of suspense and surprises to find the answers to these two mysteries.
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