I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Series: The Amish Bishop Mysteries #3
Published by Harvest House Publishers on March 6th, 2018
Source: The Publisher
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Cozy, Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Romance, Suspense
Pages: 352
What You Don't See Might Hurt You
Every year, residents of the small Amish community in Monte Vista, Colorado, look forward to the Ski Hi Stampede, the state's oldest professional rodeo. The rodeo is always good, clean entertainment for the hardworking farmers of the San Luis Valley. But this year, the Stampede turns deadly for one Amish man. Did rodeo fans see an unfortunate accident? Or something more sinister?
Amish bishop Henry Lapp is known far and wide for his uncanny ability to draw and remember the smallest details of anything he's seen, skills that have served him well in past investigations. He was at the rodeo that day. The problem? He didn't see Jeremiah Schwartz's death.
With a murderer on the loose and members of his community being threatened, Henry must act fast. But can he solve a crime he didn't see? This time around, Henry will have to rely on his keen sense of human character and observation, skills he's honed in his role as bishop, if he hopes to crack the case.
Who the Bishop Knows is a story of accepting our talents, putting one another first, and trusting that God will care for His children.
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: mild violence (though no detailed description)
Suggested Age: 12+
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Profanity: None
Sex: None
Violence: mild violence (though no detailed description)
Drugs & Alcohol: Mentioned (though no detailed description)
Trigger Warning: None
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Who the Bishop Knows is book #3 in The Amish Bishop Mysteries by Vannetta Chapman. Other books in the series include What the Bishop Saw (#1), and When the Bishop Needs an Alibi (#2).
The Amish Bishop Mysteries have been an enjoyable Amish/Cozy mystery series. Years ago I used to read cozy mysteries and then one day I just stopped. I’m not even sure why. This series reawakened the interest that I’d had in cozy mysteries years ago.
Bishop Henry makes this entire series. The unique talent that allows him to draw anything with perfect photographic memory makes him feel like he’s cursed. Over the course of this series, we see Henry accept his talent as a gift from God. His story is one of love and acceptance.
One of my favorite things about this series is the sweet love story between Henry and Emma. It is rare to find any story (Amish or otherwise) where a man and woman in their 60-70’s fall in love. It’s just not done. Which is a shame! I appreciate that the author shows that Henry and Emma are still valid members of their home and community.
Overall, this book flowed at a nice, easy pace. I had suspicions of who had committed the crime and a certain incident sealed their guilt in my mind. Solving the crime didn’t ruin the story for me as the author managed to keep an air of mystery on how the crime was committed.
My only real complaint is that there is one character that has no resolution. I won’t say who this character is as it would subtract one of the suspects. I would have liked to have known what happened to him/her after the mystery was resolved though as a secondary character, it doesn’t detract from the star rating for me.
Though the series wraps up nicely, I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters. I’m not sure if I’m ready for the series to be over. Still, I look forward to future cozy mysteries by this author in the future.
About Vannetta Chapman
Vannetta Chapman holds a BA and MA degree in English and has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving over two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. She published a novel with Abingdon Press called A Simple Amish Christmasin October of 2010. Her first Quilt Shop Murder Mystery, Falling to Pieces (Zondervan) was released in September of 2011 and received the 2012 Carol Award for best mystery. She currently lives in the Texas hill country.
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