1. Murder Simply Brewed, Amish Village Mystery Series #1
    Vannetta Chapman
    Zondervan / 2014 / Trade Paperback
    Our Price$12.99 Retail Price$16.99 Save 24% ($4.00)
    4.8 out of 5 stars for Murder Simply Brewed, Amish Village Mystery Series #1. View reviews of this product. 45 Reviews
    Availability: In Stock
    Stock No: WW326168
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  1. A Simply Enchanted Life
    North Carolina
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Squeaky clean Amish murder mystery
    February 21, 2018
    A Simply Enchanted Life
    North Carolina
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Everyone knows that I'm obsessed with coffee. So, this book had everything that I love in it. There's murder, pie, and coffee. Wait, that came off completely wrong. I don't love murder! I do love mysteries, pie, and coffee!

    I've been on a mystery kick lately. Years ago, I used to devour Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Beldon books at a rate that alarmed my parents. Murder Simply Brewed takes me back to those days when reading a cozy murder mystery was the highlight of my day. I'm really not helping my case, am I?

    Anyway, this book is a breath of fresh air in the Amish genre. Who would have thought of Amish and murder? Apparently, Vannetta Chapman.

    Even once I figured out "whodunnit," I couldn't have predicted the how. In fact, I didn't see it coming at all!

    Overall, this book is a great read for people who want a squeaky clean murder mystery. There is no gore or disturbing violence. It's just an enjoyable, clean cozy mystery. Two sweet budding romances are just icing on the cake for this book. I can't wait to pick up the rest of this series!
  2. Phyllis W
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Great start to series
    February 4, 2016
    Phyllis W
    Quality: 0
    Value: 0
    Meets Expectations: 0
    I really enjoyed reading this book. It had good character development, several twists and turns, and the snake really caught me by surprise. Didn't see that coming. By the end of the book, I felt I knew the people in this town, and couldn't wait to come back for a visit.
  3. VicsMediaRoom
    Irvine, CA
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: male
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Murder, Vandals, Mystery Hunters Mystery Suspense Thriller
    May 11, 2015
    VicsMediaRoom
    Irvine, CA
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: male
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Vannetta Chapman in her new book, Murder Simply Brewed Book One in the Amish Village Mystery series published by Zondervan introduces us to Amber Wright and Hannah Troyer.

    From the back cover: When the coffee shop manager is murdered in Middleburys Amish Artisan Village, two women from different walks of life must join together to solve the mystery.

    Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright is optimistic about the growing profit from her collection of Amish shopsuntil she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a solitary hole in the front window and the store manager lying next to the espresso machine, dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register.

    When Amber hires a young Amish woman, Hannah Troyer, to take over the shops duties, the two women become fast friendsas well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Grays death is a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah arent convinced.

    Clues that dont add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and a blossoming romanceall will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to reveal answers to the mysteries around them.

    Now this is what a murder mystery is all about. First we have Amber Wright, an English woman, who has some Amish Village shops one of which is A Simple Blend, a coffee shop. Then we have Hannah Troyer, who is Amish, that Amber hired to take over A Simply Blend after the death of Ethan. Nobody liked Ethan and when these two women set out to find his murderer they have a huge mystery with a large set of suspects with very little to go on. This is going to keep you flipping pages as you get involved with mystery hunters and a vandal. Ms. Chapman has done an outstanding job in giving us a first class mystery. Amber and Hannah are really great characters that we fall in love with and feel as though they are friends that we do not want to leave when the book is finished. The good news is Ms. Chapman has written a second book in this series so we can reunite with them soon.

    Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
  4. lcjohnson1988
    Indiana
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    July 21, 2014
    lcjohnson1988
    Indiana
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Amber Wright is the manager of an Amish artisan village of shops, inn and restaurant. One of the shops is a coffee shop where visitors often go for their caffeine fix. One morning the manager of the coffee shop, Ethan Gray, is found dead. Amber must see to finding a replacement and feels responsible for the employee's death while on her watch so to speak. Then, there are some acts of vandalism that leave quotes from the Bible's book of Daniel. Do these incidents have anything to do with Ethan's death? Even though the death is ruled natural, there are nagging inconsistencies in some people's behavior and actions that cause Amber, Hannah and Tate to think maybe the death as not so natural after all.

    Amber hires Hannah, a young Amish woman, to take over managing the coffee shop. Hannah hears some rumors among other workers and shares what she learns with Amber. A friendship develops between the two women as they share clues they uncover. Hannah also begins to notice her best friend Jesse has become a man while she wasn't looking, and the two may have more than friendship in their future. Amber shares her beliefs with local law enforcement, but without proof they don't believe her. She and Tate spend a lot of time together hashing over the clues they've gathered. As the case comes to a head, Amber realizes she loves Tate and wants a future with him, but will she survive the culprit's next attempt?

    I really liked the romance that developed between Tate and Amber. It was nice to see romance budding between two middle-aged people. I also liked the mystery element of the story, although I think it got bogged down a little bit with many details about the village and its workings. Maybe those with a love of all things Amish will find those details more interesting. The advice dispensed by Hannah's mother also was wise and biblical, which I really appreciated. I look forward to the next mystery due to be released in December, titled, Murder Tightly Knit.
  5. Carole Jarvis
    Jonesboro, Georgia
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Delightful blend of Amish, mystery and romance
    July 12, 2014
    Carole Jarvis
    Jonesboro, Georgia
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    Murder Simply Brewed is the most delightful story - a perfect blend of Amish fiction, cozy mystery, and romance that entertains and inspires. Vannetta's prose is tight, with every word moving the story along. A "comfort read" for me on the one hand as I enjoyed its characters and setting, I was still held in its grip, eager to see how the mystery element would be resolved.

    The charming setting - an Amish Artisan Village in Middlebury, Indiana - is a place every reader will surely want to visit. Located on seventy acres, it consists of an inn, conference center, restaurant, bakery, and six artisan shops. Be sure to visit Vannetta's Pinterest board to get a feel for the village and surrounding area.

    I especially appreciated the connection between two couples - one young and Amish, one older and Englisch - and the growing friendship between Amber and Hannah as well. Amber had been the village manager for 22 years, and was convinced that it was too late for God to satisfy her dream of marriage. Tate, a farmer in his early 50s, had a no-nonsense way about him and liked the quiet life. An unlikely pairing like this makes for great storytelling, and I loved the scene where Amber and Tate are trying to get his donkeys, Velvet and Trixie, out of the rain.

    Hannah is the sweetest young Amish girl who struggles with vanity, but in an innocent way. The friendship between Amber and Hannah may have started because of Hannah's natural investigative skills - she was a good listener, noticed things, and people trusted her - but it quickly grew into much more. Hannah reflects that while Amish communities remain separate in some cases, "In Middlebury, it seems that Gotte has woven our lives together in some areas, especially at work. . . . What if we're supposed to look out for one another?" Hannah's neighbor, Jesse, is another delightful character, and I look forward to seeing the relationship between these two grow.

    I am a huge fan of cozy mysteries and I can say that Vannetta excels in this area. It is so refreshing to read a mystery that is well plotted and thought out, populated with interesting suspects, and with spiritual overtones. Especially moving is the Amish view of death, reflected in Minerva's words to Hannah: "Often a death is just the end of one's completed life. I've seen many people struggle with that truth, because they weren't ready to be without their loved one. . . . We all must accept how temporary this life is, which is sometimes a painful idea."

    Spiritual values shine in the way Amber and Hannah become a friend to the victim, even in death, and later to one who would do harm. Vannetta Chapman is an author that I never fail to enjoy, and I highly recommend Murder Simply Brewed. 5-star rating in comparison to other Amish fiction.

    Thank you to Vannetta Chapman for providing a copy of this book and to BookLook Bloggers for providing an electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying items 1-5 of 45
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