John A. and Marguerite E. W. (aliennightbird) reviewed on 5/21/2009 + 40 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

I read "Dark Harvest", the second book in the "Maplecreek Amish" mystery series first. However, although I liked "Dark Harvest", I enjoyed this book, the first book in the series, far better.

The characters and the situation were introduced in a better manner and not any part of the plot seemed unrealistic or forced. The descriptions are good, the characters and their conflicts are decently drawn, the pace is fairly quick, and the mystery/thriller tension is held throughout the book.

Here is my synopsis of the story without (hopefully) giving anything away:

A young defense lawyer flees the city when she draws a dangerous stallker after a trial acquits the man she defended wio turned out to be not only guilty, but to go on to murder. Accompying her is her 7-year-old niece whose mother has died and her father has abandoned.

Soon after she arrived in Amish country and took over a quilt shop for a vacationing friend, four Amish teenagers are killed in a late-at-night hit-and-run buggy-vs.-car accident after stopping at her home for ice cream. Unable to accept the Amish attitude of forgiveness and leaving all justice up to God.

Meanwhile, a young man who left the Amish community in his running-around period comes home disillusioned with the world and willing to join the Amish church at last. But, conflict about whether or not to investigate the accident as well as a growing love for the "English" lawyer living next door makes him wonder once again if he is cut out to be Amish afterall.

And what is it about the seemingly-friendly trophy wife of an entertainment mogul and her family who stopped by the store one day?

A side plot that drew me in was about an older Amish woman who not only lost her baby, but also her oldest daughter in the hit-and-run accident. She was in deep clinical derpression, but her husband would not allow her to take medication or go to therapy. the lawyer conducts her own investigation of the accident, much to the anger of the Amish community.

Overall, the book is a nice, tight mystery/thriller. I would recommend it.

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