An enjoyable mystery in an Amish setting -- Murder Freshly Baked

Vannetta Chapman finishes her Amish Village Mystery series in great style with Murder Freshly Baked.  This book works fine as a stand alone, although there are several references to events from the previous books in the series.

This story is a mixture of several elements, some of them very difficult topics that have nothing to do with the Amish backdrop -- things such as PTSD and cancer.  Vannetta weaves all the different pieces together into a well-crafted story that keep you involved and guessing about the outcome of the mystery.  With Amish and Englisch characters, along with a couple of pretty important animals, there is something for readers with a wide variety of interests.

Although the mystery and sub-plots of the story were very good, I think Vannetta's characters are what really drive this story.  Hannah and Amber, of course, are great -- women I would enjoy sharing a friendship with.  Pam is what we southerners would call a "hoot."  But Preston was actually one of my favorites.  Watching him deal with such major challenges and learn about God's care and grace was a very enjoyable part of this story.

Having had the opportunity to visit Shipshewana and Das Dutchman Essehnaus in Middlebury last summer, I could almost picture myself walking through the shops of the fictional Amish Artisan Village where the story takes place.

I highly recommend Murder Freshly Baked as a great, fairly quick read. Thanks to Booklook Bloggers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

About the Book:

When delicious baked goods become lethal, it's time to find a killer.

Kindness is a virtue 
Meanness is a sin 
Better watch your bakery pies 
For poison I've slipped in

The Amish Artisan Village in Middlebury, Indiana, has been decorated with every color of balloon and flower for the Race for a Cure. As manager of the Village, Amber Bowman is thrilled to see the turnout-and relieved to have something to distract her from the "Poison Poet"-an individual who has been sending notes containing bad poetry to warn of poisoned baked goods.

Then Ryan Duvall crosses the finish line of the race-and falls down dead, murdered in broad daylight. But who did it? And why? The police suspect Preston Johnston, but Amber refuses to believe her employee could do such a thing.

Amber once again looks to her young Amish friend Hannah Troyer to help her find the killer-and to determine if it's the same person leaving the cryptic poems and pies. Can they help the police before the Poison Poet strikes again? Both Amber and Hannah will need to draw on their faith as they fight to preserve the peaceful community they've built at the Amish Artisan Village.

About the Author:

Vannetta Chapman is author of the best-selling novel A Simple Amish Christmas. She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. In 2012 she was awarded a Carol Award for Falling to Pieces. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania.

Visit Vannetta's webiste: www.vannettachapman.com Twitter: @VannettaChapman Facebook: VannettaChapmanBooks