Monday, January 19, 2015

Murder Tightly Knit (Amish Village Mystery #2) by Vannetta Chapman [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN13: 9780310325697
About the book: In a town where Amish and Englisch mingle every day, a grisly murder leads to mutual suspicion. Can Amber and Hannah find the killer before fear unravels the community . . . or he strikes again?

Now, as leaves of brown, gold, and orange blanket Middlebury, Indiana, Owen lies dead on the Pumpkinvine Trail. The only clues to the murderer’s identity point in two very different directions.

The police call in a federal investigator, but Hannah and Village manager Amber Bowman are in no mood to wait for them to figure out what they already know—that no one from the Amish Village could have killed Owen Esch.

Amber and Hannah will need to work quickly to solve the murder mystery and bring harmony back to the Amish community.

My thoughts: In the first book of the Amish Village Mystery series, Murder Simply Brewed (read my review-click here), the author takes the reader into a lovely, quiet village of touristy, shopper friendly shops. These are manned by folks of the Amish faith as well as non-Amish and they work well together. The series is a gentle read in the genre of cozy mystery. Prepare as you open the pages of Murder Tightly Knit to have this gentle atmosphere shattered with the murder of a local Amish man whose heart was pierced with the arrow of a crossbow.

While the story opens with the shattering of peace that normally surrounds the village, the story flows with a gentle rhythm as good folks work together and in desperation to find the killer.

I thought it interesting that the author wove into the story the growth of survivalist groups and their varied agendas that cause concern and investigation by the government. The Amish are grouped with survivalists of a darker motive, yet the Amish are just a naturally conservative group that believes in harvesting their bounty and in preparing for the future with what God allows. While not an integral part of the story, it does, however, factor in to the activities of the characters.

Chapman writes a good story. It is clean. It presents the Amish lifestyle and faith with clarity and respect. The solution to the mystery is not easy to determine (at least for this reader). I like that the story had the killer speak between chapters. He revealed a little of himself, but not enough to solve the mystery. Of course, he wasn't speaking to anyone - it was just "himself" on the pages for the reader to get to know a bit of.

I recommend this book as a good, clean, relaxing cozy mystery that is faith based.

GIVEAWAY: Vannetta Chapman has reserved a copy of Murder Tightly Knit for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win. Use the entry form below. Begins January 19 & ENDS February 9 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author: Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania.


Her novel, Falling to Pieces, was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner for best mystery. All of her books have been Christian Book Distributor bestsellers. She currently writes Amish fiction for Abingdon Press, Zondervan, and Harvest House. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy in exchange for my review. I was not compensated for this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

52 comments:

  1. I have not read any yet, but I have always been interested in the Amish.

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  2. I have the first one and I would love to win this one. Thank you for the opportunity.

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  3. I've read A Home for Lydia, and A Simple Amish Christmas.

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  4. I read "The Christmas Quilt" and "A Simple Amish Christmas"!

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  5. Vannetta is an amazing author and her mysteries are wonderful!

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  6. I have not read any of her books yet. But I love reading anything and everything I can get my hands on!

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  7. Know you are a great author so it has to be good

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  8. I have read "The Christmas Quilt" and I have Murder Simply Brewed coming!

    Blessings, Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a)

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  9. I have the... The Christmas Quilt :)
    dkstevensneAToutlookDotCOm

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  10. I would love this book read The Christmas Quilt. Love your books they are always hard to put down. :)

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  11. I love Vannetta's books. I have already read Murder, Simply Brewed and the Shipshewana series. Can't wait to read Murder Tightly Knit.
    MarshaMysteryreader@yahoo.com

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  12. Can't wait to read more about Amber, Hannah and Middlebury!

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  13. Have read the first one and would love to win this one. jlscott49 at roadrunner dot com

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  14. Love reading your books and anxious to read each and everyone...
    Cheryl Callan
    Callan210@msn.com

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  15. Looking forward to reading a Vanetta Chapman Amish mystery! Thanx for the giveaway!

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  16. I have read many of Vanetta Chapman's Amish novels, but not one of her mystery ones. Thanks for the giveaway.
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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  17. I read The Christmas Quilt. Pretty sure it's very different than this one, though!

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  18. Love anything Vannetta writes. Would love to own this book

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  19. I don't believe I have ever read anything by Vannetta Chapman, but I do love Amish fiction books! I am sure I would enjoy this one. I also love a light cozy mystery story so this would be right up my alley :-) Thank you for a chance to win a copy of "Murder Tightly Knit". Guess I'm going to have to check out the first one too, "Murder Simply Brewed"

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  20. Love anything by Vannetta and loved meeting you one time!!!!
    sstrominger1360@comcast.net

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  21. I have read A Simple Amish Christmas, A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia and Falling to Pieces. Trying to catch up with her other books. Looking forward to reading more.
    kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

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  22. I read the Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman.

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  23. I love to read about the Amish. Good luck to all.

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  24. I've never read any of Vannetta's books but her mysteries really look great.

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  25. This sounds like a very interesting book.

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  26. Hello Vera. Vannetta knows how to tell a story to keep your attention. Love her and her books. I first got The Shipshewana Mystery Series, Falling to Pieces, A Perfect Square, and still need Material Witness #3. She writes a good mystery. I have 3 others to be read. I met Vannetta and she is a very neat lady. Hope to see her again. I would love to win this book of hers.I hope to eventually have all of her books in my bookshelves. Thanks for this give-away. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  27. Vera, Would have shared this for my family and friends on FB, but they don't want it on here. And, I don't Tweet or have a blog. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  28. I am reading this book now, but would not mind winning it. cr8ted4him@frontier.com

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  29. Simple Amish Christmas, A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia and Christmas Quilt. I love Vannetta's books and would really llove to read this one as well.

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  30. Cnnamongirl(at)aol(dot)com Deanne Patterson

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  31. I have read some of Vanetta's books. A Simple Amish Christmas, Falling to Pieces, A Perfect Square and Material Witness. Love her books!!
    donnac.taylor@hotmail.com

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  32. I just finished reading An Amish Garden

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  33. I read A Wedding for Julia and I really liked it. I love reading Amish fiction.
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Merry

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  34. I have not read any of your books, but I do love reading Amish fiction. Thanks for a chance to win.

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  35. Yes, I read Murder Simply Brewed and really enjoyed it.

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  36. I have read "A Simple Amish Christmas" I really loved it and look forward to reading my next one! You are a wonderful writer and I would consider myself honored and blessed to win this book! Thanks so much for the opportunity! God Bless and Good Luck to Everyone!

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  37. I don't think I've ever read a Vannetta Chapman book, but I've certainly heard good things about her. And since I love cozy mysteries, this series especially appeals to me. Thanks for sharing it at Booknificent Thursday this week!
    Tina

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  38. No, I have not read her books, they look great, though.

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  39. I haven't read any yet but i want to.

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  40. No, I have not read any of them.

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  41. No, I haven't read any of these books

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  42. I have not read any yet but I love mysteries and the Amish so this is a perfect pairing!

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  43. I have not read any yet but I love mysteries and the Amish so this is a perfect pairing!

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  44. I have never read any of Vanetta Chapman's books but from your reivew, it sounds interesting. I appreciate a good mystery, love story or whatever that is clean. I don't understand why vulgarity is put so much in other writer's stories. Is that really how they talk all the time? It's always been a question of mine.

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  45. no I have not read any yet but it looks like a good read

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  46. No, I haven't read them yet.

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  47. I have not heard of them, but anything Amish, Indiana, and knitting? I want to read it!

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  48. I have not read any of these books yet but they look good.
    heather hgtempaddy@hotmail.com

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  49. I have not, but I love books about the Amish.

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