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Shipshewana Amish Mystery #1
Falling to Pieces
In this first book of a three-book series, author Vannetta Chapman brings a fresh twist to the popular Amish fiction genre. She blends the familiar components consumers love in Amish books—faith, community, simplicity, family—with an innovative who-done-it plot that keeps readers guessing right up to the last stitch in the quilt.
When two women—one Amish, one English—each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer.
Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.
When two women—one Amish, one English—each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer.
Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2011
About the author
Vannetta Chapman
126 books1,418 followersVannetta Chapman is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 40 novels. She has sold over one million copies and writes in a variety of genres that include dystopian, suspense, romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery.
Chapman was an English teacher at the high school and collegiate level for fifteen years. She currently resides in the Texas Hill Country where she writes full times.
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/
Chapman was an English teacher at the high school and collegiate level for fifteen years. She currently resides in the Texas Hill Country where she writes full times.
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 297 reviews
November 17, 2017
A pleasant enough story with a light mystery and likeable characters.
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October 23, 2011Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman is about Callie Harper, pharmaceutical rep from Houston, who inherits her aunt’s quilt shop in Shipshewana, Indiana. Callie knows less about quilting than I do, but the Amish women in town rely on the shop to sell their quilts to the tourists on market days. Completely unfamiliar with the Amish, this thoroughly modern, conceal-and-carry approved woman (if you don’t know what that means you aren’t from Texas) is surprised to find herself accepted into the community. She’s just beginning to fit in when she gets crossways with some residents for selling the quilts on the internet.
And this is where Vannetta Chapman really gets crafty.
This isn’t your typical agrarian book where the women stay in the kitchen and on the farm. No, these Amish ladies are entrepreneurs, and when someone is murdered they turn into amateur detectives.
How do the peaceful, non-violent Amish deal with a murderer in their midst? How do they handle neighbors who don’t share their ways? I think one of the reasons this book appeals to me is that it shows the cooperation between the Englishers and the Amish. In Chapman’s Shipshewana there’s no artificial division between Christians. Everyone functions as part of the community.
Although the mystery is solved by the end of the book, I wasn’t ready to leave Shipshewana. Thankfully, two more books are planned in this series. Isn’t that wunderbaar?
It’s come to my attention that the FTC wants reviewers to disclose any connection between themselves and the product being reviewed. I bought this book for full cover-price even though there was a 20% off sale on Saturday. I was that impatient. Vannetta is a friend of mine. We ate lunch together once, but we went Dutch. I’ll keep you posted on any other potentially scandalous connections.)
And this is where Vannetta Chapman really gets crafty.
This isn’t your typical agrarian book where the women stay in the kitchen and on the farm. No, these Amish ladies are entrepreneurs, and when someone is murdered they turn into amateur detectives.
How do the peaceful, non-violent Amish deal with a murderer in their midst? How do they handle neighbors who don’t share their ways? I think one of the reasons this book appeals to me is that it shows the cooperation between the Englishers and the Amish. In Chapman’s Shipshewana there’s no artificial division between Christians. Everyone functions as part of the community.
Although the mystery is solved by the end of the book, I wasn’t ready to leave Shipshewana. Thankfully, two more books are planned in this series. Isn’t that wunderbaar?
It’s come to my attention that the FTC wants reviewers to disclose any connection between themselves and the product being reviewed. I bought this book for full cover-price even though there was a 20% off sale on Saturday. I was that impatient. Vannetta is a friend of mine. We ate lunch together once, but we went Dutch. I’ll keep you posted on any other potentially scandalous connections.)
February 3, 2015
I read this book in one day! I could not put it down. I love the characters & the storyline (also appreciated it wasn't gruesome even for a murder mystery) but oh this is so much more than a mystery! It's about friendship & God's will & the good things He has ahead for us :) I love the potential for romance that it ended with and I have my definite opinions on that! Oh and I also loved how spunky Callie is . She's no wimp! I can't wait to start #2!
August 12, 2020
On a recommendation from a Goodreads friend I picked this up, and I’m glad I did. This was not your run-of-the-mill Amish book, except there was quilting, buggies and typical Amish words like "Gotte’s wille"(God’s will), or "boppli" (baby), which for some reason writers of Amish fiction feel compelled to throw in to make it sound more Amish I suppose. Totally unnecessary in my opinion, in fact a bit irritating, but they all do it so the reader has to overlook it. (Eyes rolling)
Anyway, this was more mystery than anything, with plenty of non-Amish characters that were quite prominent, including the main character, Callie Harper, who suddenly became the owner of the only quilt shop in Shipshewana, Indiana after her Aunt Daisy's sudden death.
Three Amish ladies used her shop to sell quilts, the proceeds of which were to benefit a young widow with reduced means of support. Their desire was to befriend Callie in hopes she wouldn’t sell the shop. But when a local newspaperman's latest libelous article put her shop in jeopardy, they rallied around her...all except for the police when the newspaperman was found dead.
What followed was one incident after another. Just when the reader thinks there can’t be anything else happen, a new crisis or predicament comes around the corner to draw us up sharp. What fun!
Clean without a romance or all the tantalizing physical attraction thrown in. I rather enjoyed the absence for a change.
Really good book with terrific writing.
This was the audio version with Pam Ward as the narrator who did a great job!
Anyway, this was more mystery than anything, with plenty of non-Amish characters that were quite prominent, including the main character, Callie Harper, who suddenly became the owner of the only quilt shop in Shipshewana, Indiana after her Aunt Daisy's sudden death.
Three Amish ladies used her shop to sell quilts, the proceeds of which were to benefit a young widow with reduced means of support. Their desire was to befriend Callie in hopes she wouldn’t sell the shop. But when a local newspaperman's latest libelous article put her shop in jeopardy, they rallied around her...all except for the police when the newspaperman was found dead.
What followed was one incident after another. Just when the reader thinks there can’t be anything else happen, a new crisis or predicament comes around the corner to draw us up sharp. What fun!
Clean without a romance or all the tantalizing physical attraction thrown in. I rather enjoyed the absence for a change.
Really good book with terrific writing.
This was the audio version with Pam Ward as the narrator who did a great job!
November 20, 2020
An entertaining mystery with great characters! You'll be hooked from page 1!
November 5, 2018
4.50 stars - pg/very mild pg13 (it’s a murder mystery, so guess it can’t be totally “pg”, but no bad language, etc.)
Engaging story, I read straight through in two days (quite fast for me) and immediately started the second book in the series. Loved the growing friendship between Callie and Deborah. Faith and trust in God are gently threaded through the story (it’s so refreshing to read an inspirational cozy mystery – wish there were more of them). There are some special moments in the story where Callie learns more about who her deceased aunt really was; I loved when she found her prayer journal and realized her aunt had been praying for her all along during some rough times in Callie’s life. She was still in one of those rough patches of depression and lack of direction or motivation in her life. I could totally relate, having been there myself a time or two. ”She was dressed. She was clean. And she’d eaten. These days it didn’t get much better.” (When you’re in a hole, some days it’s a miracle, if you can manage just one of those three things!!)
To me, it felt like this book had a fairly realistic portrayal of the Amish (Amish sects throughout the country can be very different, but author portrayed this group as real people, not stiff caricatures). I appreciate that, for the most part, the author didn’t make Callie totally clueless. There were (of course!) some details that made absolutely no logical sense and a few stupid or contrived moments where my eyeballs rolled, but, thankfully, they weren’t too often (I may put some of them in a spoiler below --- simply because when they did happen, they really annoyed the boogers out of my logical self!). A lot of people complain about all the love triangles in cozy mysteries these days, but I don’t mind a triangle (or in this case “quadrangle”) so long as Callie isn’t leading them all on at the same time; in real life you have to spend time gradually getting to know different folks (at the same time) and finding out if there’s more to pursue (romantically) with any particular person. I like a little romance (and humor) thrown into my cozy mysteries. I liked all three guys in this book and hope author handles it equally well throughout the series. And if the guys all fizzle out, Callie’s still got Max, her aunt’s precious dog that she’s inherited along with the quilt shop.
I must say that I was disappointed because I like to follow clues and try to solve “who-done-it” and there was no way the reader could solve parts of who did it and why. Because I’m sooooo logical and analytical, I spend way too much time stopping and trying to put it all together and solve the mystery before it’s revealed. Had I known ahead of time that it wasn’t completely solve-able, I could have just relaxed and read solely for fun and been less frustrated at the end.
(Side note. Why is it that, in so many books, authors make people “in their 50’s” and “nearing fifty” seem old and have gray hair?? I, and my peers, am a similar age and don’t have gray hair, maybe a few individual gray hairs are starting to show up, but we’re not anywhere near being gray-haired, little old ladies yet!)
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
Engaging story, I read straight through in two days (quite fast for me) and immediately started the second book in the series. Loved the growing friendship between Callie and Deborah. Faith and trust in God are gently threaded through the story (it’s so refreshing to read an inspirational cozy mystery – wish there were more of them). There are some special moments in the story where Callie learns more about who her deceased aunt really was; I loved when she found her prayer journal and realized her aunt had been praying for her all along during some rough times in Callie’s life. She was still in one of those rough patches of depression and lack of direction or motivation in her life. I could totally relate, having been there myself a time or two. ”She was dressed. She was clean. And she’d eaten. These days it didn’t get much better.” (When you’re in a hole, some days it’s a miracle, if you can manage just one of those three things!!)
To me, it felt like this book had a fairly realistic portrayal of the Amish (Amish sects throughout the country can be very different, but author portrayed this group as real people, not stiff caricatures). I appreciate that, for the most part, the author didn’t make Callie totally clueless. There were (of course!) some details that made absolutely no logical sense and a few stupid or contrived moments where my eyeballs rolled, but, thankfully, they weren’t too often (I may put some of them in a spoiler below --- simply because when they did happen, they really annoyed the boogers out of my logical self!). A lot of people complain about all the love triangles in cozy mysteries these days, but I don’t mind a triangle (or in this case “quadrangle”) so long as Callie isn’t leading them all on at the same time; in real life you have to spend time gradually getting to know different folks (at the same time) and finding out if there’s more to pursue (romantically) with any particular person. I like a little romance (and humor) thrown into my cozy mysteries. I liked all three guys in this book and hope author handles it equally well throughout the series. And if the guys all fizzle out, Callie’s still got Max, her aunt’s precious dog that she’s inherited along with the quilt shop.
I must say that I was disappointed because I like to follow clues and try to solve “who-done-it” and there was no way the reader could solve parts of who did it and why. Because I’m sooooo logical and analytical, I spend way too much time stopping and trying to put it all together and solve the mystery before it’s revealed. Had I known ahead of time that it wasn’t completely solve-able, I could have just relaxed and read solely for fun and been less frustrated at the end.
(Side note. Why is it that, in so many books, authors make people “in their 50’s” and “nearing fifty” seem old and have gray hair?? I, and my peers, am a similar age and don’t have gray hair, maybe a few individual gray hairs are starting to show up, but we’re not anywhere near being gray-haired, little old ladies yet!)
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
November 22, 2011
Title: FALLING TO PIECES
Author: Vannetta Chapman
Publisher: Zondervan
September 2011
ISBN: 978-0310330431
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary/mystery
Deborah Yoder is an Amish woman, married, with five children. But she has two friends who are both needy. One has lost her husband, and is relying on the community for support and care, the other has a seriously ill child and needs a lot of money for medical care. Deborah and her friends start stitching quilts which they sell locally at Daisy’s Quilt Shop. But then the unthinkable happens and Daisy dies of a heart attack while tending her garden.
Callie Harper has inherited her aunt’s quilt shop and that inheritance turns her life upside down. Already reeling from losing her husband and the death of her baby, Callie doesn’t want a quilt shop in the middle of Shipshewana, Indiana. She needs to start looking for a new job where she belongs—in Houston, Texas. Callie has no intentions of reopening her aunt’s store, and Deborah has no intentions of taking no for an answer.
But then, due to circumstances out of her control, Callie learns she’ll sell faster if it’s open. Deborah talks her into selling the quilts on eBay. And that move has several in the community upset. But then a murder occurs and Deborah and Callie try to set aside their differences and try to solve the mystery…
FALLING TO PIECES is the first book in Ms. Chapman’s Shipshewana Amish Mystery series. Technically, this is not an Amish fiction since the main character is English, not Amish, but there are Amish in there—such as Deborah (and her friends.) I love the setting. I had the opportunity to briefly visit Shipshewana once, and would love to go again sometime.
Ms. Chapman has a unique idea here, using the popularity of a Amish tourist attraction as a setting for her cozy mysteries. She did keep me guessing with whom the murderer might be, which is a good thing. If you are looking for a mystery to read, then pick up FALLING TO PIECES. Don’t judge this book by it’s cartoonish cover. An excerpt from her second book in this series, A Perfect Square, is included at the end. $12.99. 332 pages.
Author: Vannetta Chapman
Publisher: Zondervan
September 2011
ISBN: 978-0310330431
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary/mystery
Deborah Yoder is an Amish woman, married, with five children. But she has two friends who are both needy. One has lost her husband, and is relying on the community for support and care, the other has a seriously ill child and needs a lot of money for medical care. Deborah and her friends start stitching quilts which they sell locally at Daisy’s Quilt Shop. But then the unthinkable happens and Daisy dies of a heart attack while tending her garden.
Callie Harper has inherited her aunt’s quilt shop and that inheritance turns her life upside down. Already reeling from losing her husband and the death of her baby, Callie doesn’t want a quilt shop in the middle of Shipshewana, Indiana. She needs to start looking for a new job where she belongs—in Houston, Texas. Callie has no intentions of reopening her aunt’s store, and Deborah has no intentions of taking no for an answer.
But then, due to circumstances out of her control, Callie learns she’ll sell faster if it’s open. Deborah talks her into selling the quilts on eBay. And that move has several in the community upset. But then a murder occurs and Deborah and Callie try to set aside their differences and try to solve the mystery…
FALLING TO PIECES is the first book in Ms. Chapman’s Shipshewana Amish Mystery series. Technically, this is not an Amish fiction since the main character is English, not Amish, but there are Amish in there—such as Deborah (and her friends.) I love the setting. I had the opportunity to briefly visit Shipshewana once, and would love to go again sometime.
Ms. Chapman has a unique idea here, using the popularity of a Amish tourist attraction as a setting for her cozy mysteries. She did keep me guessing with whom the murderer might be, which is a good thing. If you are looking for a mystery to read, then pick up FALLING TO PIECES. Don’t judge this book by it’s cartoonish cover. An excerpt from her second book in this series, A Perfect Square, is included at the end. $12.99. 332 pages.
December 13, 2013
Falling to Pieces by Vannetta Chapman
Review by Kara Grant
*to this day, this remains one of my FAVORITE vannetta chapman books!*
Not your usual Amish buggy ride! (from the back cover)
My Review
Wow, what a DELIGHTFUL book! I have had the pleasure of getting to know Vannetta Chapman on facebook and have been eager to read her book for a while now. I highly recommend chatting and connecting with authors on facebook. It’s a chance to know what they like, how to pray for them, and it’s both a treat and a blessing to do so. Falling to Pieces was sooooooo worth the wait for me! It is one of my fave reads for 2012 and one of the best Amish books I’ve read! Chapman brilliantly brings the Amish and the English together in this cozy mystery from the first page and keeps the reader both intrigued and delighted throughout.
Daisy Powell is enjoying her day with her garden and her dog Max when there’s a disturbance nearby and the next thing you know someone finds her dead. However, she is mentioned throughout the story and Chapman keeps her memory alive in such a way that her character is felt in a loving and honorable way. Enter Callie Harper, Daisy’s niece, who arrives from Texas to sell the quilt shop she knows nothing about. She is determined to get closure about the aunt she barely knew and get back to Texas to restart her life. Little does she know that God has another plan for her right there in Shipshewana.
Deborah Yoder is the one to find Daisy’s body. Now she has to find a way to continue selling her quilts with best friends Melinda and Esther when she hears about Daisy’s niece moving in. Will Callie agree to help with this business arrangement or will she really sell the shop?
I love how Deborah and Callie meet and it was lovely watching their friendship develop throughout the story. Callie is broken in so many ways, but as she gets to know this quaint town and its charming community, healing comes in ways she didn’t expect. Watching Callie fall in love with Shipshewana, its culture, and the people there was a delightful journey for me to experience. I enjoyed this book in such a way that it literally was a cozy atmosphere for me to read. I felt at home with Callie, Deborah, Esther, and Melinda as if I was there with them trying to place together clues as they do quilts. I laughed with them, I felt their pain and losses, and I understood their reactions to everything.
Chapman has created a story with genuine characters that you immediately fall in love with and don’t be surprised if you find yourself cheering for Callie and Deborah along the way! Callie’s personality reminded me of Chapman also; they are both loving, humorous and spunky women that will pull you in and keep you wanting more.
There are references to eBay, the internet, and Paul Revere.
This book is not just for those who enjoy Amish fiction. No way…this book is for anyone who loves a good mystery, unexpected situations, an amazing dog, romance, starting over, friendship, and a community that helps its own and embraces newcomers. I’m sooooo looking forward to A Perfect Square, the sequel, and more of these characters that both entertained me and touched me. I was hurting about something and every time I picked up this book, it was just the story I needed that both encouraged and helped me forget my own little world. Vannetta Chapman blessed me tremendously with this book and I highly recommend it for anyone experiencing changes, adjustments, loneliness, or just a different kind of adventure. You will be pleasantly surprised and when you finish reading, the characters in this story will stay with you as if they’d been your friends all along. Please visit Vannetta Chapman at her website to learn more about her books, her quilting, or just to get to know her better: http://www.vannettachapman.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/#!/VannettaCh...
I want to thank Zondervan for sending me a paperback review copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Review by Kara Grant
*to this day, this remains one of my FAVORITE vannetta chapman books!*
Not your usual Amish buggy ride! (from the back cover)
My Review
Wow, what a DELIGHTFUL book! I have had the pleasure of getting to know Vannetta Chapman on facebook and have been eager to read her book for a while now. I highly recommend chatting and connecting with authors on facebook. It’s a chance to know what they like, how to pray for them, and it’s both a treat and a blessing to do so. Falling to Pieces was sooooooo worth the wait for me! It is one of my fave reads for 2012 and one of the best Amish books I’ve read! Chapman brilliantly brings the Amish and the English together in this cozy mystery from the first page and keeps the reader both intrigued and delighted throughout.
Daisy Powell is enjoying her day with her garden and her dog Max when there’s a disturbance nearby and the next thing you know someone finds her dead. However, she is mentioned throughout the story and Chapman keeps her memory alive in such a way that her character is felt in a loving and honorable way. Enter Callie Harper, Daisy’s niece, who arrives from Texas to sell the quilt shop she knows nothing about. She is determined to get closure about the aunt she barely knew and get back to Texas to restart her life. Little does she know that God has another plan for her right there in Shipshewana.
Deborah Yoder is the one to find Daisy’s body. Now she has to find a way to continue selling her quilts with best friends Melinda and Esther when she hears about Daisy’s niece moving in. Will Callie agree to help with this business arrangement or will she really sell the shop?
I love how Deborah and Callie meet and it was lovely watching their friendship develop throughout the story. Callie is broken in so many ways, but as she gets to know this quaint town and its charming community, healing comes in ways she didn’t expect. Watching Callie fall in love with Shipshewana, its culture, and the people there was a delightful journey for me to experience. I enjoyed this book in such a way that it literally was a cozy atmosphere for me to read. I felt at home with Callie, Deborah, Esther, and Melinda as if I was there with them trying to place together clues as they do quilts. I laughed with them, I felt their pain and losses, and I understood their reactions to everything.
Chapman has created a story with genuine characters that you immediately fall in love with and don’t be surprised if you find yourself cheering for Callie and Deborah along the way! Callie’s personality reminded me of Chapman also; they are both loving, humorous and spunky women that will pull you in and keep you wanting more.
There are references to eBay, the internet, and Paul Revere.
This book is not just for those who enjoy Amish fiction. No way…this book is for anyone who loves a good mystery, unexpected situations, an amazing dog, romance, starting over, friendship, and a community that helps its own and embraces newcomers. I’m sooooo looking forward to A Perfect Square, the sequel, and more of these characters that both entertained me and touched me. I was hurting about something and every time I picked up this book, it was just the story I needed that both encouraged and helped me forget my own little world. Vannetta Chapman blessed me tremendously with this book and I highly recommend it for anyone experiencing changes, adjustments, loneliness, or just a different kind of adventure. You will be pleasantly surprised and when you finish reading, the characters in this story will stay with you as if they’d been your friends all along. Please visit Vannetta Chapman at her website to learn more about her books, her quilting, or just to get to know her better: http://www.vannettachapman.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/#!/VannettaCh...
I want to thank Zondervan for sending me a paperback review copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
December 10, 2011
Callie is a young widow who comes to Shippshewanna after her beloved aunt dies. Auntie owned a quilt shop and several Amish women are reliant upon her to sell their quilts. One of the women has a significant need for the funds as she has a child with a rare illness. Callie is a spunky woman from a big city in Texas suddenly in small town Indiana. A real fish out of water. But as the story progresses one senses she was a goldfish swimming in the ocean who needed to be in a tank, required the cozy closeness that provided. Lovely job of dropping that into the story over time. The Amish quilters are lovely women, each with distinct voices that are also unlike most other Amish stories I have heard.
Callie hasn’t gotten over the loss of her husband, in fact doesn’t even share this with her new friends until very late in the book. She is an endearing character despite her prickly behavior, which furthers the story line, especially when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder. This is not a romance but there are a couple of romantic possibilities. By the end of the story we have a real possibility for a boyfriend in the next book, which I am looking forward to reading/listening to!
This was a great Christmas season listen because it a) has an easy tempo b) has an excellent narrator (amazingly she sounds almost exactly like the real Vannetta Chapman!) c) it’s like having a girlfriend in your room with you telling you the story d) while it is a suspense/mystery it has a cozy feel and is not knuckle whitening – I mean who needs that this time of year? It has a soothing quality to it despite the suspense and the murder mystery. It may be one of the first women’s fiction reads I’ve read in a long time, but Vannetta’s book almost defies genres.
I plan to listen to this book again sometime as I really liked it and it has the qualities of a repeat listen - great voice, characterization, and pleasing story line.
Bibliotherapy: Loneliness, estrangement, grieving, child with a rare disease, and friendships.
Formats: I listened through http://audible.com and it is available in paperback, ebook (e.g., Kindle), and audio.
Callie hasn’t gotten over the loss of her husband, in fact doesn’t even share this with her new friends until very late in the book. She is an endearing character despite her prickly behavior, which furthers the story line, especially when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder. This is not a romance but there are a couple of romantic possibilities. By the end of the story we have a real possibility for a boyfriend in the next book, which I am looking forward to reading/listening to!
This was a great Christmas season listen because it a) has an easy tempo b) has an excellent narrator (amazingly she sounds almost exactly like the real Vannetta Chapman!) c) it’s like having a girlfriend in your room with you telling you the story d) while it is a suspense/mystery it has a cozy feel and is not knuckle whitening – I mean who needs that this time of year? It has a soothing quality to it despite the suspense and the murder mystery. It may be one of the first women’s fiction reads I’ve read in a long time, but Vannetta’s book almost defies genres.
I plan to listen to this book again sometime as I really liked it and it has the qualities of a repeat listen - great voice, characterization, and pleasing story line.
Bibliotherapy: Loneliness, estrangement, grieving, child with a rare disease, and friendships.
Formats: I listened through http://audible.com and it is available in paperback, ebook (e.g., Kindle), and audio.
October 28, 2011
I loved this "cozy mystery". The main characters, Esther, Deborah, Melinda, three Amish women, and Callie an Englisher who comes to take over her aunt's quilt shop upon her death, all find themselves involved with the police in mystery, murder, and mayhem. When Callie is accused of the crime, the three Amish friends come to the aid of their new Englisher friend. Looking forward to more "cozy mysteries" from this author.
April 9, 2012
I liked Vannetta Chapman's style of writing very much. The story line was different, especially given that it takes place in an Amish community. It took me by surprise that it wasn't very "Amishy" (by my standards) but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I'll be purchasing more books by Chapman.
June 30, 2012
Easy to read and enjoy! Enough suspense to keep you guessing! Life is full of changes and doesn't always go the way you think. Sometimes God has better unexpected plans! Callie experienced this as well as finding her new "normal" life. She had a few twists and turns in her path.
March 21, 2019
Reading book one lead me to read #2 & #3!! Vannetta's characters are so very real. Loved!!
September 8, 2016
I'm still not sure why Christian fiction so heavily features the Amish. Is it so hard to envision a life dedicated to God with the inclusion of electricity? Anyway, Shipshewana, where this series takes place, is just down the road from where I live, so I took the bait.
Sure, there is a little too many facts about Shipshewana and Amish lifestyle forced into awkward dialogue, but I had few other issues with is story. The narrator was actually my biggest difficulty. The prologue of this book begins with an elderly resident of Shipshewana who witnesses the beginning of a crime before she dies of a heart attack. The voice of the narrator fits this character perfectly. Unfortunately, the rest of the book features said lady's 27 year-old niece who comes to take over her estate. I couldn't get out of my head that I was listening to an old lady's voice until something jarring would happen, like a young guy flirting with her.
Along with the typical cozy mystery stuff, the main character, Callie, is dealing with more than the loss of her elderly aunt. It is slowly revealed that she has encountered much loss and grief in her life and has never known how to handle it. Instead, she has buried it deep beneath a tough Southern girl exterior. She comes from Houston & isn't quite sure what to make of Shipshewana, which is like no other town with it's Amish population and crowded market days.
Debra is an Amish woman who immediately befriends Callie due to her previous relationship with her aunt. Most Amish novels give one the feeling that all Amish are happier, more devout, and all around better people than us Englishers, but I didn't get that quite as much from this. Debra has a gas powered washing machine and refrigerator and doesn't come across quite as 18th century as some Amish characters.
An enjoyable light read, Falling to Pieces made me want to read more and find out how stubborn but broken Callie is put back together.
August 14, 2020
Surviving loss, building new friendships, and solving a small-town mystery create this wonderful amish tale of "Falling to Pieces."
Callie Harper is recovering from the tragic loss of her husband only a year ago, and now is faced with the death of her Aunt Daisy and the inheritance of her quilt shop in the small Amish community of Shipshewana. Her story begins with meeting and making new friends, as well as business acquaintances in the area. But, of course, as in all ventures, not everyone agrees with the way things are done. Unfortunately for Callie, this creates a whole string of events into happening which she has no control over, but with good friends at her back, she is able to get through and overcome. Follow her story as she discovers how important the love of friends can really be.
Mixing mystery and suspense with Amish values make this a wonderfully enjoyable book. I loved getting to know the characters and how they cared for one another with all their personal challenges. When Deborah presented Callie with the friendship quilt toward the end of the story, I couldn't help myself from tearing up. When a story can bring with it that much emotion, I can definitely say it is a good story!!
This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I hope to read more of this type of Amish fiction from her in the future!!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction with a suspenseful mystery thrown in!
This book was kindly provided to me by Zondervan Publishers for my honest review.
Callie Harper is recovering from the tragic loss of her husband only a year ago, and now is faced with the death of her Aunt Daisy and the inheritance of her quilt shop in the small Amish community of Shipshewana. Her story begins with meeting and making new friends, as well as business acquaintances in the area. But, of course, as in all ventures, not everyone agrees with the way things are done. Unfortunately for Callie, this creates a whole string of events into happening which she has no control over, but with good friends at her back, she is able to get through and overcome. Follow her story as she discovers how important the love of friends can really be.
Mixing mystery and suspense with Amish values make this a wonderfully enjoyable book. I loved getting to know the characters and how they cared for one another with all their personal challenges. When Deborah presented Callie with the friendship quilt toward the end of the story, I couldn't help myself from tearing up. When a story can bring with it that much emotion, I can definitely say it is a good story!!
This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I hope to read more of this type of Amish fiction from her in the future!!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction with a suspenseful mystery thrown in!
This book was kindly provided to me by Zondervan Publishers for my honest review.
November 26, 2011
This is a book that i wouldnt normally pick up to read, since i won it i decided to give it a try. Man did i ever judge a book by its cover. because it said Amish i thought it would be boring by i surprisingly wrong. This book was full of adventure, excitement and a lot of action and drama.I am so glad that i won this book on Goodreads, it helped me open up my horizons on different types of books.
Summary:
Callie Harper moves to Shipshewana not for a new life but to fix up and move things after her aunt dies. What she doesn't expect is the hospitality and the new friends she will come to care for. When she moves there she wants to leave as soon as possible, callie questions how people can live without cell phones and cars. Until she meets Deborah and she changes her perspective on life for an Amish. Since Callie is the new stranger in town all eyes are on her, people wonder who she is? Deborah first befriends her because she wants her to keep the quilt shop open so the proceeds will help her friends. When callie and Deborah decide to auction the quilts on Ebay, the news paper editor in town Mr. STakehorn belittles her shop and says that she tries to convert the Amish and change there ways. when callie confronts stakehorn they get into and argument where she tries to get a retraction. later thta night callie goes to meet stakehorn at the newspaper gazette and finds him dead. now the police and people in shipshewana community thinks she is the killer.Now her and Deborah must find out who the killer is to save her shop and clear her name.
Summary:
Callie Harper moves to Shipshewana not for a new life but to fix up and move things after her aunt dies. What she doesn't expect is the hospitality and the new friends she will come to care for. When she moves there she wants to leave as soon as possible, callie questions how people can live without cell phones and cars. Until she meets Deborah and she changes her perspective on life for an Amish. Since Callie is the new stranger in town all eyes are on her, people wonder who she is? Deborah first befriends her because she wants her to keep the quilt shop open so the proceeds will help her friends. When callie and Deborah decide to auction the quilts on Ebay, the news paper editor in town Mr. STakehorn belittles her shop and says that she tries to convert the Amish and change there ways. when callie confronts stakehorn they get into and argument where she tries to get a retraction. later thta night callie goes to meet stakehorn at the newspaper gazette and finds him dead. now the police and people in shipshewana community thinks she is the killer.Now her and Deborah must find out who the killer is to save her shop and clear her name.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2018
Callie has inherited her aunt’s quilt shop in a small Amish community. Her plans to sell the shop are halted, at least temporarily, when an Amish woman and her two friends approach Callie to honor a verbal agreement they had with her aunt to sell their quilts. Quite soon, things begin to happen. The quilt shop is again open and flourishing, the women are becoming friends as they get to know each other, and then the obnoxious local newspaper editor is found dead by Callie, who becomes a person of interest to the police. Callie and her new friends team up to catch the real culprit, but, being amateurs, soon need rescuing themselves. Author Vannetta Chapman has penned a story that combines the Amish community and the English world in a interesting way to produce a delightful and gentle mystery. The first in a series, this entertaining novel will leave the reader wanting to read the next one.
July 24, 2015
Excellent
This book is an excellent Amish mystery. The story had me wondering who the bad person was and how did the newspaper editor really die? I can't wait to read the next book by this author!
This book is an excellent Amish mystery. The story had me wondering who the bad person was and how did the newspaper editor really die? I can't wait to read the next book by this author!
October 5, 2011
This book was awesome. It had me laughing, wondering, and even crying. It's about friendship, family, and faith with a mystery incorporated in.
December 12, 2013
Amish mystery by an author who has done several. Two are audiobooks. I like her writing style. All are available in local libraries.
March 9, 2018
Fantastic Mystery!
What an enjoyable story. The characters felt like they were my friends. The mystery was breath taking and I didn’t figure it out until it was revealed.
What an enjoyable story. The characters felt like they were my friends. The mystery was breath taking and I didn’t figure it out until it was revealed.
December 30, 2018
Callie Harper inherits her aunt's quilt shop in the small town of Shipshewana, Indiana. An Amishwoman, Deborah Yoder, approaches her and asks if she would sell their quilts on E-bay. The local editor is scandalized and writes a nasty editorial against Callie in his paper. Unfortunately Callie has a temper and confronts him. When the editor is found dead shortly after, Callie is considered a suspect and is harrassed by the police. Together Deborah and Callie try to figure out what is going on and discover more danger than they expected.
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April 14, 2018Wonderful book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The church were all well developed and you felt like you knew them. The mystery was good and was eventually solved by the lead characters. No profanity was a big plus.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The church were all well developed and you felt like you knew them. The mystery was good and was eventually solved by the lead characters. No profanity was a big plus.
October 27, 2011
“Falling to Pieces, A Shipshewana Amish Mystery” by Vannetta Chapman
Callie, from Austin, Texax, is not Amish, and neither is her aunt who just passed away in Shipshewana, Indiana, where she was just found dead face down in her garden, the same place she owns a quilt shop.. Callie needs to go to the Quilt Shop her aunt owned there so she could sell it and get back to her own home.
While Callie was in Shipshewana, she found this shop also attracted quite a few tourists, and she also met and befriended many wonderful Amish women there as well who really depended upon this quilt shop for all of their quilting and sewing needs. These women had also helped her aunt run the quilt shop she owned. They knew everything about the quilt shop, and were quite able to run the shop without her. They also held some of their quilting bees at the quilt shop.
The local newspaper editor ran a rather derogatory article against the quilt shop, and Callie was all set and ready to go to the newspaper for an after hours meeting to discuss this problem.
When she arrives, she finds he is dead. She ran out of the building frantic. She caused such a ruckus, it attracted the police. Now Callie is being held responsible for the murder of this man. Everyone knew she didn’t do this, except the police who were constantly after her. Callie takes the investigation of this murder into her own hands. Callie is bound and determined to solve this murder on her own. Despite the police investigating this crime and getting nowhere but to continue to blame Callie, even the Amish women knew Callie did not commit this murder and helped her to prove it.
I found this book very enjoyable and completely different than all the other Amish books that have been written. The difference is this book is not specifically about an Amish woman, but an Outsider who comes to Shipshewana. There are many Amish women who work at the shop and Callie does befriend one in particular who happens to know a lot more about the local police than what she leads Callie to believe. The rest of this book focuses on the murder investigation and Callie trying to prove herself innocent.
I do look forward to the next book in this series. The writing was good, and the story really held my interest as well as the characters..
The really neat part about this book is I have been to Shipshewana and could relate to the town’s description.
I received this book for “FREE” from HarperCollins Publishing courtesy of NetGalley as an ebook through their Book Reviewer’s Program in exchange to read and write a review about this book. It is NOT required for my review I write to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.” I was NOT provided with “ANY” monies to accept this book, “NOR” to read it, NOR were “ANY” monies given to me to write the review for this book. All that was ‘expected’ of me was to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. Again, the opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
March 26, 2012
Oh, this is a very intriguing mystery. Mrs. Chapman does a wonderful job of combining Amish and English life, presenting both equally and in a true to life form, and mixing it up with murder. She really is a very skilled writer. Callie is a character that almost anyone can relate with, and Deborah is the one you wish you could be more like. Although you will know the murder victim since the beginning, you will not guess who or why. And let me tell you: I thought the book was very well written, with a nice and slow pace, with enough time to get to know the characters (most of them, anyway) and their motivations, with enough descriptions to get a real sense of the place; never boring, but you're always anticipating, with this cannot-wait expectation of WHO and WHAT is he looking for and WHY, my goodness, WHY?! And then, with all this tension, anxiety and desperation built up, you get to the climatic scene that does not disappoint in any way and there you are: expectant, trying to figure it out, to make sense for yourself... Don't bother; just enjoy the ride, loose yourself in the drama and mystery, and be advised: it is impossible to outsmart this novel. You will not guess it, but you will like it.
The motive behind everything is the only thing that left me, I don't know... kind of wanting something else, wishing it was for a more fantastic reason. But Mrs. Chapman is clear from the beginning: this is set in today's world, with today's worries, and complications. So don't expect a mysterious reason or surprise in the end. Like I said before, it is true to life.
Something I liked but also disliked? The love interests for Callie, only because I have my heart set on one specific law enforcement officer and I sense that Callie is not headed in that direction... *sigh*
There are a few loose strings, which I figure will be covered in the sequel, A Perfect Square, that came out this month. So read up and enjoy, but, fair warning, you would most likely want to buy the sequel.
The motive behind everything is the only thing that left me, I don't know... kind of wanting something else, wishing it was for a more fantastic reason. But Mrs. Chapman is clear from the beginning: this is set in today's world, with today's worries, and complications. So don't expect a mysterious reason or surprise in the end. Like I said before, it is true to life.
Something I liked but also disliked? The love interests for Callie, only because I have my heart set on one specific law enforcement officer and I sense that Callie is not headed in that direction... *sigh*
There are a few loose strings, which I figure will be covered in the sequel, A Perfect Square, that came out this month. So read up and enjoy, but, fair warning, you would most likely want to buy the sequel.
April 23, 2012
I read them backwards. LOL I read A Perfect Square first which is the sequel to Falling to Pieces. But it was all good!! I love mysteries and Amish fiction and Christian romance and I got all these rolled into one with Falling to Pieces. Callie comes to Shipshewana, Indiana from her home in Texas to sell her aunt's quilt shop....or so she thinks. Callie has known great sorrow in losing most of her family and yet, she finds not only a mystery to solve but friends. True friends who come to help you clean the shop, walk the dog, have lunch or tea together, to quilt a few stitches......Deborah, Esther, and Melinda become friends with Callie quickly and draw her into their Amish homes and hearts.
Callie has a run-in with the editor of the small town local newspaper and even threatens him in public, so when things take a terrible tragic turn, Callie finds herself being hauled off to the local police station for questioning, but Deborah comes to her aid and provides a lawyer and a shoulder to lean on through it all. Can Callie overcome the depression and loneliness? Will she sell the quilt shop or decide to stay in this lovely little town among the horses and buggies, prayer kapps, and quiltings? How does finding Aunt Daisy's prayer journals help Callie?
I highly recommend this book and hope that you will check it out too! It is another one of those which I have found hard to put down.
June 28, 2012
Falling to Pieces - Vannetta Chapman This is the first book in a new 3 book series. It connects the English with the Amish. Callie comes to town from Houston to see to her aunt's affairs. Her aunt Daisy owned a quilt shop in town before she died and Callie having suffered some heartache thinks a change of scenery for a little bit might be healing to her. She is not interested in making friends – she is just there to sell the shop and move on – although she is not sure where she is moving on to. Life has hurt her deeply and she is trying to deal with is all – without God. Deborah, an Amish wife and mother, asks Callie, to sell some quilts on EBay (which she pronounces wrong) to help out her friends. This story is really the story of friendship, acceptance, small towns and how they come together. There is even a mystery thrown in. Deborah doesn’t seem to be looking for new friends either – she is looking to help her friends, who have minor rolls. Then there is Max, who doesn't love a story with a dog who takes on a large role? I enjoyed this book - there are some things that I am not so fond of, a few loose ends that I am still shaking my head about but liked it enough to want to read the second book in the series.
September 10, 2012
Callie Harper comes to Shipshewana to settle her aunt's affairs by selling the quilt shop. She did not want to be here, never mind getting the store ready to re-open. In her mind, she was hoping to head back to Houston, Texas as soon as possible. But the friendships that she is building in Shipshe help her realize that she has nothing to go home to since she has no job and no family to return to.
After a negative editorial in the local paper rages Callie, she decides to face the editor personally only to discover that he is dead. She is being questioned as a person of interest as the investigation continues. Other events then take place that question Callie's involvement. But Deborah Yoder knows better but they have not connected the pieces. Will Callie stay in Shipshe? Will they figure out who killed the newspaper editor and why?
I really enjoyed this first book of this series by Vannetta Chapman! I loved how the friendship developed between Callie and Deborah. As a dog lover, I really wanted to hug her dog Max too! The characters were very realistic to me as one the small Amish town of Shipshewana, Indiana. I am looking to continue reading this series with A Perfect Square and Material Witness. Thanks Vannetta for writing another great book! :)
After a negative editorial in the local paper rages Callie, she decides to face the editor personally only to discover that he is dead. She is being questioned as a person of interest as the investigation continues. Other events then take place that question Callie's involvement. But Deborah Yoder knows better but they have not connected the pieces. Will Callie stay in Shipshe? Will they figure out who killed the newspaper editor and why?
I really enjoyed this first book of this series by Vannetta Chapman! I loved how the friendship developed between Callie and Deborah. As a dog lover, I really wanted to hug her dog Max too! The characters were very realistic to me as one the small Amish town of Shipshewana, Indiana. I am looking to continue reading this series with A Perfect Square and Material Witness. Thanks Vannetta for writing another great book! :)
December 23, 2013
What a very enjoyable, cozy mystery! This book is full of interesting characters, misunderstandings, light hints at possible future romance and a mystery that doesn’t fully play out until the very end.
Falling to Pieces kept me interested right through to the end and I am very happy to say that I have the next two books in the series sitting on my bookshelf. I have grown fond of the many characters in this book and look forward to seeing how things progress with them in the next two books in the series. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this foray into a small Amish town. The author has done a great job of explaining Amish wordings and customs in this book as well. I am hoping that there will be some romance developing between a couple of the characters, as Vannetta Chapman writes romantic attraction splendidly. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Falling to Pieces is currently only $1.99 as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Christian Book Distributors. I highly recommend picking this one up, especially at such a great price.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
Falling to Pieces kept me interested right through to the end and I am very happy to say that I have the next two books in the series sitting on my bookshelf. I have grown fond of the many characters in this book and look forward to seeing how things progress with them in the next two books in the series. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this foray into a small Amish town. The author has done a great job of explaining Amish wordings and customs in this book as well. I am hoping that there will be some romance developing between a couple of the characters, as Vannetta Chapman writes romantic attraction splendidly. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Falling to Pieces is currently only $1.99 as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Christian Book Distributors. I highly recommend picking this one up, especially at such a great price.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
May 6, 2016
This book was terrific. It kept me guessing as to "who done it". It has been on my to read list for a long time and I am happy I finally got to it. Amazon description :
n this first book of a three-book series, author Vannetta Chapman brings a fresh twist to the popular Amish fiction genre. She blends the familiar components consumers love in Amish books—faith, community, simplicity, family—with an innovative who-done-it plot that keeps readers guessing right up to the last stitch in the quilt. When two women—one Amish, one English—each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer. Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.
n this first book of a three-book series, author Vannetta Chapman brings a fresh twist to the popular Amish fiction genre. She blends the familiar components consumers love in Amish books—faith, community, simplicity, family—with an innovative who-done-it plot that keeps readers guessing right up to the last stitch in the quilt. When two women—one Amish, one English—each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer. Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.
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