Murder Simply Brewed

Title: MURDER SIMPLY BREWED

Author: Vanetta Chapman

Publisher: Zondervan

March 2014

ISBN: 978-0310326168

Genre: Amish/cozy mystery

When the coffee shop manager is murdered in Middlebury's Amish Artisan Village, two women from different walks of life must join together to solve the mystery.

Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright is optimistic about the growing profit from her collection of Amish shops---until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a solitary hole in the front window and the store manager lying next to the espresso machine, dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register.

When Amber hires a young Amish woman, Hannah Troyer, to take over the shop's duties, the two women become fast friends---as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray's death is a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren't convinced.

Clues that don't add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and a blossoming romance---all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to reveal answers to the mysteries around them.

Ms. Chapman is a stellar mystery writer, and MURDER SIMPLY BREWED is one of her best ones yet. I did enjoy her previous series set in Shipshewana, based around the quilt shop, but what could be better than one set around a coffee shop! Combining Ms. Chapman’s classic writing style, Amish, murder, mystery and a touch of romance, this first book in An Amish Village Mystery is not to be missed. I can’t wait for the next one to release. $15.99. 368 pages. 4.5 stars.