What the Bishop Saw Review!

Posted by abakersp in Amish / 7 Comments

Woohoo! Vannetta Chapman has a new Amish book out! Happy Dance 🙂 Spoiler alert…this one is good!

Purchase your copy at Amazon!

About the Book

A fire blazes out of control in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, leaving an elderly Amish bachelor dead. Bishop Henry Lapp rushes to the scene, and he learns the fire was no accident. Someone intended to kill Vernon Frey. But who would want to kill Vernon? Well, practically everyone—Amish and Englisch alike.

When the police point the finger at a suspect Henry knows is innocent, the bishop must decide whether or not to use his mysterious, God-given gift—one he’s tried desperately to ignore all these years—to try and set the record straight. His close friend and neighbor, Emma, encourages Henry to follow God’s leading.

Could the clue to solving the case be locked somewhere deep in his memory? Will Henry find the courage to move forward in faith and put the right person behind bars? Is his friendship with Emma becoming something more?

What the Bishop Saw is a story of extraordinary talents, the bonds of love and friendship, and the unfailing grace of God.

My Perspective

There are three things that I love reading about: Amish, love, and mystery. This book had all three! I do not recall reading an Amish mystery/suspense story recently, and I loved how Vannetta included that in this book. It had me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out exactly who it was that was wreaking havoc in this poor community! I would come to a point where I thought I knew the answer, and then I was thrown a curveball so I had to try again. No joke, I had probably blamed three or four different characters until I determined who the villain actually was!

I have forever been a fan of Vannetta’s books, and I think this one is in my top five book of hers for sure. It had a lot of different aspects to it that you don’t typically see in Amish fiction, such as the issue of dyslexia, an arsonist, and the interesting way that Henry could draw scenes so accurately, down the little detail. In the book his parents mentioned that it could be a blessing but also a curse, and I have to say I’d agree with that. I’m sure it weighs heavily on his mind as he is presenting them to people, especially the arson investigator.

Here was my favorite part of the whole book : The sweet friendship between Henry and Emma. Most relationships in Amish fiction are between younger people, so to see a pair of sixty year olds coming together, counting on each other, and strengthening their friendship was really a joy to read for me. I also loved Lexi, Henry’s beagle. I think perhaps she brought a little joy in his life that he didn’t realize he was missing.

Amish fiction fans will love this book. Be prepared for some suspenseful scenes too that may or may not have you biting your nails! But never fear, the message that Gods in control reigns throughout the book. I hope there are more of these mysteries in the future!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Vannetta ChapmanVannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published more than 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. A Promise for Miriam earned a spot on the June 2012 Christian Retailing Top Ten Fiction list. Anna’s Healing was a 2015 Carol Award finalist. Chapman writes Amish romance, Amish cozy mysteries, and Christian dystopian (suspense). Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com

For more information, visit her at
webpage — www.VannettaChapman.com
blog — http://vannettachapman.com/blog/
facebook — www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks
pinterest — http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman
instagram — https://instagram.com/vannettachapman
twitter — https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman

What is your favorite book by Vannetta?

7 responses to “What the Bishop Saw Review!

  1. Diane Craver

    Thanks, Jessica, for sharing about Vannetta’s latest book. I haven’t read this one yet. I love her mysteries and her Amish Village Mystery Amish Series is wonderful. She has an older couple in this series who fall in love. I’ve read many of her books and she is a talented storyteller.