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A Perfect Square (Shipshewana Amish Mystery #2)

by Vannetta Chapman (Goodreads Author)

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 197 ratings · 59 reviews

There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben Fisher is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn'...more

Hardcover, Large Print, 439 pages

Published August 1st 2012 by Center Point Large Print (first published March 6th 2012)

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Apr 04, 2012 Dorrice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although I am not sure yet how many stars I will give this book, I am enjoying the reading of it. Vannetta Chapman develops her characters gradually while moving the plot along at a fast pace. I'm a little over half way through at this point. More later when I finish.

And I have finished and I loved every page. The characters are believable, although it was hard to relate to Reuben's refusal to cooperate with his attorney when he was unjustly accused of murder. In the end it was more understandab...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Lois rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an Amish mystery, if you can imagine such a thing. This one was not the first book in the Shipshewana Amish Mysteries, but it was available at the library, so I tried it. It is a nice gentle murder mystery, including characters who are both Amish and English. I will definitely read others by Vannetta Chapman.

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Jun 24, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Callie once again ends up helping her friends and neighbors. Murder in a small Amish town! Even better an Amish man's the main suspect! Good twists and turns as I read along! Kept me guessing til the end!

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May 06, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I started this book I knew I would not be disappointed. I was immediately pulled back to Shipshewana, Indiana, where I was greeted by my favorite characters Callie, Deborah, Esther and Melinda. This time around the ladies are faced with a murder mystery involving their dear friend Reuben Fisher. Ester is engaged to marry Tobias, Reuben’s cousin. A young Amish girl is found dead on Reuben and Tobias’s land. Reuben is implicated in the girl’s death and hauled off to jail. They are determined...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was interesting and kept me turning the pages, not just for the mysteries, but also to see the relationships grow and foster.

Callie Harper, the owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop is embroiled in a mystery from 1965 as an older Amish Grandfather wanders into her store. Grossdaddi Ira is seeking, through the fog of dementia, his daughter that was 'lost' during the infamous Palm Sunday Tornadoes that swept the midwest. He came to Callie for help because he saw the newspaper article with her and...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Perfect Square
Vannetta Chapman

Book Summary: There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms, and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben Fisher is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Callie-fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy'...more A Perfect Square
Vannetta Chapman

Book Summary: There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms, and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben Fisher is in jail as the suspect! Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Callie-fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop-Deborah sets out to uncover the truth. But the mystery deepens when an elderly man seeks Callie's help in finding his long-lost daughter, missing since the days of the 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes. An old man who has lost his past. A young man who may lose his future. Once again Deborah and Callie find themselves trying to piece together a crazy quilt of lives and events-one that can bring unexpected touches of God's grace and resolve to the tragedy that has shaken this quiet Amish community.
Review: This was a great book. I enjoyed this story tremendously and thought that the characters were great every last one and the story line was engrossing all the way around. I never wanted it to end. I have not read the first story and was thankful that there were no spoilers as to who did it. I am looking forward to the next book. I found the story to be seamless and the characters to be so well written that I felt like this was the 5th or 6th story in this series. They words flowed and pages flew by. I can honestly say that it has been a while since I read a book this good. I enjoyed the 2 main characters and found that they were friends and yet still getting to know each other. The one character is new to the area and this made learning this town and the people fun like through the eyes of the other newcomer. The peripheral characters were enjoyable. I had a tear in my eye at the end, I was sad for the outcome and yet the ending was so realistic.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Zondervan Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
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Jul 29, 2012 Ibjoy1953 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman

I was excited to revisit my friends in Shipshewana again in Vannetta Chapman’s second book in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery series. I really grew to love Deborah and Callie, Esther and Melinda and couldn’t wait to see what this book has in store for readers. And I can say that I love this book as much as I did the first, and was hooked from the very first pages.

When a young Amish girl is found dead in Ruben’s pond, he ends up being the only suspect, especiall...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amish-historical-romance-fiction, christian-action-adventure, christian-fiction, christian-suspense-fiction, contemporary-fiction, supense-thriller-fiction, romance-fiction

Shipshewana, Indiana is about to be involved once more in a mystery that will rock the entire town and change people's lives forever. When Deborah and Esther along with their younger children, stop just outside of the Fisher farm to pick some flowers, they find a body of a young girl floating face down in the pond. Not knowing who she is, Deborah runs to call for help. As they wait for the police to show up, Reuben Fisher and Deborah wonder just who the girl is. It seems as though she isn't from...more Shipshewana, Indiana is about to be involved once more in a mystery that will rock the entire town and change people's lives forever. When Deborah and Esther along with their younger children, stop just outside of the Fisher farm to pick some flowers, they find a body of a young girl floating face down in the pond. Not knowing who she is, Deborah runs to call for help. As they wait for the police to show up, Reuben Fisher and Deborah wonder just who the girl is. It seems as though she isn't from around here based on the details in her Amish attire.

When the county sheriff, Shane Black arrives on scene, Deborah and Esther cringe based on their previous encounters with the sheriff involving other murders involving them both. Seems like murder just follows them around. However when the sheriff begins to question Reuben, he maintains his silence and refuses to answer. Is it possible he knows more than he's willing to say and that leads Shane Black to believe that Reuben might be the murderer. When a search reveals blood inside the Fisher's family home, Shane has no other choice but to arrest Reuben.

Esther Zook believed that God finally was blessing her life with a new future until her fiance's cousin, Reuben is arrested. Just two weeks from her wedding she now feels that Tobias will put it on hold while he attempts to figure out what happened at the farm and why Reuben refuses to talk. Unless he does, he will be sentenced for murder and spend the rest of his life in jail.

Deborah believes that there is more to this story that just what the evidence is pointing to, so she begins to investigate alongside the local reporter from the Gazette, Trent McCallister to show the town that Reuben is innocent and for her best friend, Esther to finally have the happiness she truly deserves after the death of her husband, two years earlier.

I received A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman compliments of Zondervan Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. This is a different take on your standard Amish novels and deals with both the English and Amish working together to figure out just who murdered the girl in the pond and who she is. It appeals to lovers of both Amish Fiction and Crime/Mystery genres and involves a couple of different plots buried withing the pages of this book. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and it does have a great moral lesson to be gleaned by the end. (less)

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May 15, 2012 Brenda Casto rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After devouring the first book in this series I was anxious to find out where the author would take us with the next book, and I must say this Amish mystery series is second to none!

This book easily pulled me right back to Shipshewana Indiana. Deborah Yoder and her friend Esther are headed to Daisy's Quilt Shop which is run by their friend Callie Harper, and contemplating the wedding that is going to take place between Esther and Tobias in a few weeks when the find a body floating in a local pon...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Iola rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, amish, christian-fiction, kindle, netgalley

A Perfect Square brings us back to Shipshewana, to Callie and her Amish friends, and to what looks like another murder, when the Amish women find a teenage girl drowned in Reuben’s pond. Their discovery is observed by a hidden stranger, who escapes unseen and narrates his portion of the story through a series of flashbacks.

As the story unfolds, we find out that the victim is newly-wed Katie, and the reader is left to uncover the mystery that links her with the mysterious stranger, Reuben and the...more A Perfect Square brings us back to Shipshewana, to Callie and her Amish friends, and to what looks like another murder, when the Amish women find a teenage girl drowned in Reuben’s pond. Their discovery is observed by a hidden stranger, who escapes unseen and narrates his portion of the story through a series of flashbacks.

As the story unfolds, we find out that the victim is newly-wed Katie, and the reader is left to uncover the mystery that links her with the mysterious stranger, Reuben and the four women. In the middle of this, Callie receives a visit from an old man who wants her to find his daughter. The problem is that Ira Bontrager has dementia, and his son says he was an only child. This is potentially another mystery: is there a missing daughter, and how does this relate to the murdered girl?

There are aspects of Amish culture that I find strange, such as the way they answer direct questions but will not volunteer additional information even when it might be relevant. Reuben is particularly reticent. This has the potential to be misleading and could be seen as an obstruction of justice. And this time, withholding information is going to get Reuben into trouble. The rules of the mystery genre dictate that the culprit is a character we know. This gets a bit awkward, as we get to know the cast and don't want it to be any of them, not even Reuben, who is definitely hiding something.

One of the things I like most about these books is that the characters seem very real. Callie is reluctant to date either Andrew or Trent because she just feels herself pulling back. It seemed like the natural reluctance of a young widow, and I liked it. The characters are by no means perfect. Even the Amish have tempers and meltdowns and question God just like the rest of us (I say ‘even’ because so much Amish fiction romanticises the Amish to the point that they all appear to be ‘perfect Christians’). And I really liked the ending. It was beautiful, full of understanding, grace and forgiveness. But you’ll have to read it yourself to find out why.

Thanks to Zondervan and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

This review also appears on my blog, www.christianreads.blogspot.com. (less)

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Feb 12, 2012 Maureen Timerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I have just finished my second visit with these great people, the second book in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series. Felt myself traveling in the buggy with Callie and Deborah.
This book opens with the discovery of the body of a young Amish woman, floating in Tobias and Rubben's pond. How could this horrible thing have happened in this peaceful setting.
Callie is still running her late Aunt Daisy's Quilt shop, which inherited along with Max, her loveable Lab. We revisit with Esther and Deborah...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

Story Description:

There's more to the quaint northern Indiana town of Shipshewana than handcrafted quilts, Amish-made furniture, immaculate farms, and close-knit families. When a dead girl is found floating in a local pond, murder is also afoot. And Reuben Fisher is in jail as the suspect!

Reuben refuses to divulge any information, even to clear himself of a crime Deborah is certain he didn't commit. So, with her English friend Callie-fellow sleuth and owner of Daisy's Quilt Shop-Deborah sets out...more

1 like · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, amish, christian, mystery, romance

My Thoughts:
I love a murder mystery, especially if it has been taken up a notch by placing it in an Amish setting. Callie and her friends are once again trying to solve a mystery. Reuben has been locked up in jail as a suspect in the death of an Amish girl. No one in the community believes Reuben could or would have done such a thing. While Callie has her hands full with one mystery, an old Amish gentleman comes to her seeking her help. His daughter had disappeared during the 1965 Palm Sunday to...more

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May 21, 2013 Connie Ruggles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book of Chapman's that I have had the pleasure of reading. I received this book as a gift, not realizing it was the second in a series. (I prefer to read series books from the beginning to the end!) But let me say that I was only 3 chapters into the book when I stopped reading and went online to purchase the remaining two books of the series!

Vanetta Chapman writes in an Amish setting, yet portrays her characters as individuals first and Amish second. She winds characters toget...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Tam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: light-and-insightful, favorites

Easy read. Interesting characters. NOT mushy.

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Mar 25, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, amish-fiction

I really loved "A Perfect Square" by Vannetta Chapman. It is a perfect Amish mystery! There are two mysteries and once the second mystery is solved, it led to the answer for the first one. The two mysteries together form a perfect square. You will understand that better after reading the book.

I was immediately drawn to this story. The setting is Shipshewana, Indiana and I am from Indiana. Also, I love both Amish fiction and mysteries. The writing by Vanessa Chapman captured me immediately and wo...more I really loved "A Perfect Square" by Vannetta Chapman. It is a perfect Amish mystery! There are two mysteries and once the second mystery is solved, it led to the answer for the first one. The two mysteries together form a perfect square. You will understand that better after reading the book.

I was immediately drawn to this story. The setting is Shipshewana, Indiana and I am from Indiana. Also, I love both Amish fiction and mysteries. The writing by Vanessa Chapman captured me immediately and wouldn't let me go until the last page. I want more.

This is the second book in a series but there was no problem reading it as a standalone. Problem is that if you are like me, you will want to read the first book too, "Falling to Pieces" and everything else that she has written!

The characters are well developed and besides solving the mysteries, you will be interested in their personal lives. Callie is an Englischer (non-Amish) who inherited her aunt Daisy's quilt shop. She is a widow and lives with Matt, her Labrador retriever.

Her closest friends are Widow Esther Zook who will be getting married to Tobias soon, and Deborah Yoder who is married to Jonas and has five children.

At the beginning of the book, the two are going in a buggy to deliver a casserole for Tobias and his cousin Reuben who are working at Reuben's place. As they are riding, Esther notices some black eyed susans and goldenrods swaying in the wind. They stop the buggy so that Esther, her twins, Jacob and Joshua and Esther's daughter, Leah can go over and see them. But Deborah glances up and sees a dead girl floating in the water. Who is she? What happened?

Later in the book, Callie finds an elderly Amish man with dementia outside her shop and he says that he knew of her reputation for solving mysteries and he wants help in finding his daughter. She has been missing since April 11, 1965 in the Palm Sunday Tornadoes. That was a real event that devastated several Midwest states, leaving 250 dead and 1,500 injured. He knows that she has to be alive!

These two mysteries dovetail beautifully. There are several religious messages in this story but they are not presented in a preachy way but fit in very naturally. This story also has so much heart and feeling of community in it, a good sign of great Amish Literature.

I thoroughly loved the story and recommend it to everyone who loves a good mystery and fans of Amish fiction.

I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program but that in no influenced my review.

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Mar 31, 2012 Twyla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, read-in-2012

You know how most "victims" get the pass over in books? Once they are dead they are gone from the story line; or else they are treated all maudlin throughout the story. THis book is a little different. WHile you don't get to see things from the victims perspective, you get to know the victim through flashbacks. ANd in this case, it works.
The moments of simple hand touching between a couple of the main characters is as electric as the most torrid public kiss in any other book and leaves you want...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amish Mystery At Its Best!

Will Callie and Deborah solve another Amish mystery? The adventures begin once again in the small town of Shipshewana, Indiana.

Esther and Deborah are on their way to take food to Reuben and Tobias. While driving down the lane Esther spots some wildflowers growing near the pond and asked Deborah to stop the buggy so she can pick some. They are meeting Callie at Daisy’s Quilt Shop in an hour and Esther wants to take some flowers to her. As Esther nears the wildflowers she...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Cara Putman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had to buy this book after reading Falling to Pieces, the first in this series. It was fun to return to the "quiet" world of Callie and Deborah though this book starts with the mystery. A young woman is found dead in a pond. Deborah is determined to find the truth so she can help free a friend who's been accused of the murder. Yet Callie is trying to find someone who's been missing 40+ years. Add in layers of romance, spiritual truth, and the characters I already love, and this was a book I ra...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An Amish man accused of murder won't speak up for himself. How is the dead girl connected to him? Lessons in truth and honesty with a little romance thrown in.:

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Aug 27, 2012 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book brings back three major female characters from Chapman's previous book (Callie, Deborah and Ester), who find themselves in another murder mystery. While these characters are not directly involved this time, they each bring an interesting opinion and insight to the situation at hand. Once again, Chapman has given us a glimpse into two separate Amish communities which highlight customs, rules, mores and laws. I probably enjoyed this second novel of Vanetta Chapman's even more than the fi...more

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Apr 23, 2012 April Suter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Callie and her friends use their dectective skills again in the Shipshewana Amish Mystery. Esther plans to marry Tobias but now his brother is in jail. Deborah is balancing her family's needs, helping her community deal with this tragic death and is becoming much closer to her English friend Callie, who has continued her aunt's quilt shop. All this is going on and Callie wants to piece her first quilt block just like she wants to piece together her life. There are three male interests in her new...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Carolyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another wonderful story from Vannetta Chapman. I have read both Falling to Pieces and A Perfect Square, and loved both of them. I am looking forward to reading A Promise for Miriam.

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Oct 24, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers

My Review
Vannetta Chapman has done it again, folks! She manages to bring us another cozy mystery in this sequel where the Amish community must figure out another death. This time Esther (Deborah, Melinda, and Callie’s best friend) discovers the body and it’s a young girl floating face down in a pond on her fiance’s property. Before anyone can speculate about the deceased’s identity, Reuben is arrested and not speaking his side...more A Perfect Square by Vannetta Chapman
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers

My Review
Vannetta Chapman has done it again, folks! She manages to bring us another cozy mystery in this sequel where the Amish community must figure out another death. This time Esther (Deborah, Melinda, and Callie’s best friend) discovers the body and it’s a young girl floating face down in a pond on her fiance’s property. Before anyone can speculate about the deceased’s identity, Reuben is arrested and not speaking his side of the situation. Esther’s husband died two years ago and she has finally found love with Tobias, Reuben’s cousin and roommate. It’s two weeks before their wedding when this young girl is found dead and Esther is devastated that Reuben might spend a long time in jail as the only person who was involved.

Callie has a much smaller role in this book than before and most of the narration is from Deborah or Esther’s perspective. However, she does get to solve one mystery and she spends more of her time learning how to quilt in this story. I was disappointed she didn’t throw a drink on anyone’s head in this sequel, but she does manage to sew cloth to her blouse at one point while speaking in frustration over something. That’s sooo Callie! She’s the character I relate to the most being an Englischer; she’s the big kid of this group and the little sister to the three Amish friends. Her and Max are very precious to the story, but since their role was smaller I didn’t feel the same connection to the story as I did in Falling to Pieces.

I deeply enjoyed reading more about Deborah’s relationship with her husband, Esther is finally able to heal and find love with Tobias, there is also some romance for Callie in this book but it’s not with the man I was rooting for, and Max is still wearing matching bandanas to Callie’s outfit. There’s a minor character in the story that I found to be deceitful and cowardly and in the end he must make an important decision of coming clean or facing worse consequences. Despite his choices in the story, I was deeply touched that there is forgiveness from everyone who was affected in the story. Deborah and Esther are filled with worry throughout the plot, but they both learn to surrender to God’s will and trust that He’s got the best plan for Reuben’s life. Despite the characters being Amish, I realized that everyone struggles with worry no matter what their faith is. We are all growing and learning with each hardship we face; God loves us regardless, but He is most interested in our trusting Him. There are references to Louis Vuitton (someone’s purse) and CSI. Callie also gets another offer to selling the quilts in this book.

The themes of friendship, family, faith, and forgiveness are very powerful in this enjoyable mystery so that the reader isn’t just witnessing on the side, but experiencing with the characters as they go. Vannetta Chapman skillfully writes about realistic people that you are both rooting for and eagerly waiting for the end so that all answers are discovered and new friends are made along the way. I highly recommend this book for fans of the Amish genre as well as those who love a good mystery! Please visit Vannetta’s facebook page to receive updates, giveaways, prayers, and other information that she likes to post: http://www.facebook.com/#!/VannettaCh...

I want to thank Zondervan for sending me a review paperback copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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Sep 20, 2012 Mercedes Cordero rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

I read "A Perfect Square" as I normally eat a piece of delicious chocolate cake: slowly but steadily, savoring each sentence, each paragraph, enjoying author Vannetta Chapman’s use of words, descriptions, emotions and sensations. The way Mrs. Chapman tells a story is similar to how a fine quilter stitches patterns together: every detail fitting in perfectly so that in the end, what looked like a scarf at first, turns out to be a beautiful, intricate and lovely quilt. Here, what looked like nice,...more I read "A Perfect Square" as I normally eat a piece of delicious chocolate cake: slowly but steadily, savoring each sentence, each paragraph, enjoying author Vannetta Chapman’s use of words, descriptions, emotions and sensations. The way Mrs. Chapman tells a story is similar to how a fine quilter stitches patterns together: every detail fitting in perfectly so that in the end, what looked like a scarf at first, turns out to be a beautiful, intricate and lovely quilt. Here, what looked like nice, enjoyable mystery turned out to be a beautiful, intricate and lovely story of love, loyalty, friendship, honesty, mercy and grace.

Good friends Callie and Deborah are once again deeply involved in what appears to be a murder investigation, with their friend Reuben as the only suspect. The mystery, or more accurate, mysteries are so engaging and interesting that I found myself sneaking extra coffee breaks at work just to be able to keep reading. I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop reading.

This novel is a great example of how details can make or break a novel. Here, every detail, every description serves a purpose either to add a piece for the mystery puzzle or to help the reader get to know the characters better, go deeper into their personalities, what they’re thinking, how they feel. I loved the fact that we got to see more of Deborah, we got to know her and her family better. I also loved to see more of Esther, but missed Melinda. I’m guessing book 3, Material Witness, will have a whole lot more of her.

Seeing how Callie interacts with her three Amish friends, how their relationship grows and how she starts letting go of her past is a wonderful added plus to this remarkable story. I really liked how Mrs. Chapman is, slowly but surely, resolving one of the most intriguing mysteries this series has (at least for me): Which of the three guys —Trent, Shane or Andrew— will Callie choose in the end? Now, I’m not saying that I like where it seems to be headed (let it be Andrew, pleeeeeease), but I love to see Callie figure it out, figure herself out and make the decision.

Great story. Wonderful read. I cannot wait to start reading Material Witness, the last of the series.
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Jan 16, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An young Amish woman was found dead on the property of cousins Tobias and Reuben Fisher. After an investigation of the area, Reuben became the prime suspect in her murder. Reuben refused to talk to anyone about anything, which didn’t help the case against him. Deborah Yoder, a friend of Reuben, was convinced he was innocent. She set out to prove this, putting together clues that lead to the truth of the young woman’s death. Her friend, Englisher, Callie Harper also got involved.

Callie had her ow...more An young Amish woman was found dead on the property of cousins Tobias and Reuben Fisher. After an investigation of the area, Reuben became the prime suspect in her murder. Reuben refused to talk to anyone about anything, which didn’t help the case against him. Deborah Yoder, a friend of Reuben, was convinced he was innocent. She set out to prove this, putting together clues that lead to the truth of the young woman’s death. Her friend, Englisher, Callie Harper also got involved.

Callie had her own mystery to solve. One day Ira Bontrager, a confused, elderly man showed up at her quilt shop and asked her to find his daughter who went missing over 40 years ago. He knew she helped solve a police case a few months back and was sure she could help him. Callie had been through more than one loss of her own recently. She decided to help Ira even though it seemed a hopeless cause.

The whole story deals with how and why the young woman was found dead on the Fisher’s property, with the search for Ira’s daughter a sub plot. Everything begins to come together as you read each page. You will start to question several characters and their motives. Why won’t Reuben talk? Is he guilty of the murder? What clues does Deborah find? Does Callie find Ira’s daughter that his own son knows nothing about? Read A Perfect Square to find out.

I met Deborah and Callie, along with other characters in this story when I read Falling to Pieces. You can read my review of Falling to Pieces here . Deborah is a caring person that is dedicated to her friends. Callie is finally discovering the joy of friendship, maybe even a little romance, thanks to moving to Shipshewana. Deborah and Callie didn’t meet up with people and clues by accident, God was working out His will through them. This book shows how God uses people and events to piece together His perfect plan. I would recommend this book to any fan of Amish fiction.

Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series

Book 1 - Falling To Pieces
Book 2 - A Perfect Square
Book 3 - Material Witness (to be released 9/1/12)

I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley for my honest opinion. (less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Jodie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, amish-fiction, net-galley, vannetta-chapman

When a girl is found dead floating in a local Amish man's pond, the small town of Shipshewana is turned upside down. The main suspect? An Amish man, Reuben Fisher who refuses to give any information to the police, his attorney, or his friends. Deborah is certain Reuben didn't commit murder, but how can she convince everyone else when Reuben won't divulge even the smallest bit of information.

I have to say, I enjoyed this one much more than the first one. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first o...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This author is new to me. This is the second book of hers I've read. She does a wonderful job of painting pictures with her words. I also love the characters in this series and am looking forward to the next one, Material Witness. Praying there's many more in this series. I especially love the relationship between the 4 women, 3 are Amish and one is English. I also like how they respectfully and joyfully learn about each other's worlds. Blessings.

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Apr 25, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

After reading and enjoying the first book in this series, Falling to Pieces, I was looking forward to returning to Shipshewana for another Amish mystery. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. I actually think I liked this one and its conclusion better than the first one. The pieces of the puzzle were put together throughout the novel rather than dumped on the reader all at the end. This made the pacing of the story much better, in my opinion.

The author jumps right into the mystery in this story,...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Mary Ellen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a very pleasant surprise for me. I do not usually enjoy mysteries but this one was an exception. It had just the right mix of suspense, humor and Amish. I really enjoyed reading it and am anxious to read Falling to Pieces. This was my first book by this author and will not be my last.I recommend this read to anyone looking for a good book that holds your interest.

1 like · like · see review

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About Vannetta Chapman

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published over 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 for...more

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A Perfect Square (Shipshewana Amish Mystery #2)

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