About the book:Anna Bailey thought she left the tragedies of the past behind when she took on a new identity and moved from Pennsylvania to California. But now that her brother has vanished and his wife is crying out for help, Anna knows she has no choice but to come out of hiding, go home, and find him. Back in Lancaster County, Anna follows the high-tech trail her brother left behind, a trail that leads from the simple world of Amish farming to the cutting edge of DNA research and gene therapy.
During the course of her pursuit, Anna soon realizes that she has something others want, something worth killing for. In a world where nothing is as it seems, Anna seeks to protect herself, find her brother, and keep a rein on her heart despite the sudden reappearance of Reed Thornton, the only man she has ever loved.
My thoughts:
This book has so many great qualities that I almost don't know where to start! It's got a fast-paced storyline, a good romantic element, and a mystery that will have you guessing the "who-done-it" all the way through. Not only that, but it's a hard book to put down. I was reading it every spare minute that I could!
Lately, I've been on the Amish fiction bandwagon, so I really liked the fact that this book was set in Amish country. This was my first experience with an Amish story that was combined with a mystery, with the mystery being the main focus of the story instead of the Amish. With that said, the author does include the important things one needs to know to understand the Amish culture. So, if you've never read Amish fiction before, you'd definitely get a good knowledge of what you need to know to understand their lifestyle.
Probably the most interesting thing that I liked about this book was that the DNA testing and research that goes on in Amish communities is factual. I had no idea that there were several genetic disorders that they have to deal with, but it's understandable since they're all so tight-knit and marry within their community. The author did an incredible amount of research that shows when the DNA lingo starts to get really technical, but she writes it in a way that makes sense.
Mindy Starns Clark is definitely an author I'll be on the lookout for in the future. Make no mistake--you'll not be sorry if you read Shadows of Lancaster County. It is not a book you want to miss out on!
5 Stars
Southern? No
Sass? No
Hi Christy,
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of Amish-themed books, that's why this book has been in my TBR piles for quite awhile; however, your great review makes it sounds really interesting. I'll try to move it closer to the top of my piles. :)
Thank you!
~ Lori
Lori--
ReplyDeleteEven though it is set in Amish country, there are a thousand other incredible things going for this book (well, maybe not 1000, but you get the general idea). :o) It's been awhile since I read a book this good, and that's no joke. Anyway, when you get a chance to read it, I'll be very eager to know your opinion. :o)
Hahaha wow I've been on a serious Amish kick too! I had the chance to get this book but I didn't because it seemed like it was going to be a suspense book which aren't my faves but now I'm sad that I passed it up since you said it was really good!
ReplyDeleteI finally got this book yesterday at a half-price book store. I can't wait to read it especially after having read your review. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog, btw. :)