The Best Amish Mystery I Have Read This Year!!

"Material Witness"

               By Vannetta Chapman

Amish theme + quilt + mystery+ superb author= A FABULOUS BOOK !!!

Wow, is all I can say!!  "Material Witness" is the third in The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series by Vannetta Chapman, following book 1, "Falling to Pieces" and book 2, " A Perfect Square". Well, I must tell you, this is by far the BEST in the series!! Not that the others were not superb, but this book kept me so involved, that the world passed by , without me noticing. I easily could have read all night, glued to the page, had I not had a husband reminding me that the book would still be there the following morning and I would need some sleep.

It is very difficult to write a synopsis of this book without giving spoilers. Vannetta keeps you on the edge of your seat , as you follow the adventures of the main character, Callie , owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop and  her three best friends, in what at first appears a quiet Amish community. It is far from calm and peaceful, as murders occur, a thief is at work and lives are threatened. Callie's dog , Max, also plays an important role in the mysterious happenings that occur. Man's best friend becomes a helper indeed in helping solve the crime and capture the criminal.

Callie is ready for a fun filled time at the Fall Crafters' Fair, selling her fabric and quilting goods, as well as the quilts made by her Amish friends. Before much time has passed by, a murder has occurred, witnessed by a child sitting quietly in his wheelchair.  Why, is the big question? The person killed was not a threat to anyone ! The reason for this is a complete puzzle. BUT, this is just the beginning. As the plot progresses, killing and threats are a theme that we see again, BUT the biggest question we ask is , "Why?" None of them make any sense. You will, as I did, as you read, make guesses , but as the story progresses the plot thickens and all of my ideas went out the window!!

Entering the scene , then are the police who are involved in the investigation of the many crimes that take place, Andrew Gavin and Captain Taylor.  Trent , the editor, photographer, and writer of the town paper, also becomes involved. Then enters, Shane Black, who has been somewhat of an admirer of Callie for some time. Romance is in the air, in spite of the  fears and  mysteries.

Amongst the other mysteries, comes a strange request in a will- the restoration of antique quilts- why are they appearing in this book? What do they mean? Why are they so important to the book?

Does Callie find the love of her life? Do they find the murderer?..... I can not say more without giving away the best parts of this imaginative, creative story! You will just have to read it to find the answers.

The characters are described so realistically, that you get to be personal friends with them. Vannetta has written with a rare talent of making them ordinary, real people, with problems as you and I have. I felt their fears intensely, their challenges as well as their joys.

The plot has so many twists and turns, there were times that I had to go back to make sure that I had the details correct in my mind. Just when I thought I had an answer to a crime, another element would be thrown in to confuse me even more.

All I can say, Vannetta, is , "Please keep writing!!" These Amish mysteries are a hit and are written with an unusual talent . They are not an ordinary Amish story. Each one is unique and teaches us a lesson along the way. Depending on God , is a theme carried on through all the Shipshewana mysteries.  LOVED IT, VANNETTA!!

This ebook was provided by Zondervan and NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.