Who the Bishop Knows: The Amish Bishop Mysteries

Good Morrow!  I hope everyone had a delightful and relaxing weekend.  Alice's Secret by Lynne Francis is out today.  It is part of The Mill Valley Girls series.  Vannetta Chapman is the author of A Shipshewana Amish Mystery series, The Remnant series, Jacobs Family series, Plain and Simple Miracles series, The Amish Village Mystery series, The Pebble Creek Amish series as well as The Amish Bishop Mysteries.  

Who the Bishop Knows by Vannetta Chapman is the third story in The Amish Bishop Mysteries.  Bishop Henry Lapp is attending the Ski Hi Stampede in Monte Vista, Colorado with his fiancé, Emma Fisher.  Jeremiah Schwartz comes out of the chute to wrangle a steer and a shot rings out.   Henry, who was obtaining refreshments, runs to check on Emma and notices Jeremiah on the ground.   Unfortunately, Jeremiah does not survive the bullet wound.  Jeremiah was visiting his grandmother, Ruth Schwartz for the summer to help her with farm chores, and he competes at local rodeo’s as an amateur steer wrangler.  Who would want to harm Jeremiah? In the past, Henry has used his unique gift to draw scenes to help solve crimes.  This time, though, Henry did not witness the shooting.  Sheriff Roy Grayson will still need Henry’s help in speaking with Jeremiah’s friends and family as well as utilizing his observation skills and ability to judge a person’s character.  They soon discover that Jeremiah had secrets and one of them could have gotten him killed.  Can they catch the culprit before he harms someone else?  Henry would like the crime solved before his wedding to Emma in three weeks.  Come to Monte Vista one last time to help Bishop Henry Lapp solve Jeremiah’s murder and see the nuptials of this adorable couple.

Who the Bishop Knows is the final installment in The Amish Bishop Mysteries.  It can be read as a standalone since the author provides details on Henry’s ability, his relationship with Emma, and the mysteries from the previous two books.  I do not feel, though, that the author had to keep mentioning the prior mysteries (the details were repeated several times).  Who the Bishop Knows contains good writing and fluid transitions.  I found the pace a little slow in the first half of the book.  The story was not moving forward.  The pacing does pick up later in the book.  The mystery was interesting, but the culprit can be easily identified.  How Jeremiah was murdered was unique (modern and out-of-box).  I have not encountered it in a book previously.  I do wish there had been more action.  The investigation, for the most part, consists of questioning and speculation.   The one thing I did not like was the transcript sections (a transcript of police interviews).  They disrupt the flow of the story.  Those sections remind me of reading a script (static is the word that comes to mind).  There is a significant amount of scripture in Who the Bishop Knows.  I like how the author tied each verse into what was occurring at the time.  It was lovely to visit Monte Vista and catch up with Henry and Emma.   They are such a sweet couple.  I have enjoyed watching their relationship develop over the course of the series.  I am glad that Henry has learned to accept his gift.  The ending of Who the Bishop Knows was just lovely and heartfelt.  

The first two novels in The Amish Bishop Mysteries are What the Bishop Saw and When the Bishop Needs an Alibi.  I appreciate you visiting today.  Tomorrow I will be featuring Plum Tea Crazy by Laura Childs.  May you have a day that puts a smile on your face.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader