Murder Tightly Knit

November 15, 2014

Hannah Troyer just wants a simple life. She is sure Jesse Miller will propose, and she's looking forward to planning her wedding. But soon Hannah and those she loves are embroiled in a tragic murder of one of their own. As she and the Village Shops manager Amber Bowman search to find Owen Esch's killer, their own lives are endangered, and order in their Amish community is threatened. Jesse is sure his brother is involved in the case but resents his sudden return--always the prodigal son who gets the party--and his resentment hinders him from seeking the truth. VERDICT In this second installment of Chapman's cozy series (after Murder Simply Brewed), the Carol Award-winning author adeptly fleshes out her characters and weaves in facts about the Amish faith without overwhelming the narrative. Readers of inspirational fiction and fans of Beverly Lewis will delight in this gentle mystery.--Jane Blue, Andrews P.L., NC

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2014
Middlebury, Indiana, is home to Amish and English folk alike, a bucolic town where autumn is settling peacefully until Owen Esch, a local Amish, is murdered. His friends and family all fear that someone in their midst is a killer. Hannah Troyer, one of Owen's Amish friends, and Amber Bowman, the manager of the local shopping area, team together to get to the bottom of the mystery. Owen's death isn't the only unusual occurrence in Middlebury. The return of a so-called prodigal son has some casting doubt on his motive for coming home. Another woman has been taking mysterious phone calls and entertaining an unfamiliar visitor. Amber and Hannah reason there must be a common thread, and they soon find themselves deep into the world of survivalists. Chapman's (Falling to Pieces, 2011) latest inspirational crime tale is full of romance and adventure. Readers will enjoy figuring out the murder mystery while also growing close to the characters as they fall in love, learn more about one another, and grow deeper in their faiths.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)