Blood of the Prodigal: An Amish-Country Mystery by P. L. Gaus
Summary (from Goodreads): In the wooded Amish hill country, a professor at a small college, a local pastor, and the county sheriff are the only ones among the mainstream, or “English,” who possess the instincts and skills to work the cases that impact all county residents, no matter their code of conduct or religious creed.
When an Amish boy is kidnapped, a bishop, fearful for the safety of his followers, plunges three outsiders into the traditionally closed society of the “Plain Ones.”
My Thoughts: This wasn’t the most exciting mystery I’ve read, but it was interesting. And short, totaling less than 250 pages. The reading is pretty easy, and that makes for being able to quickly read through. I found myself repeatedly wondering where this was going. Was there going to be evil amongst the Amish, or would this somehow be someone outside them. I did not see the final direction this story took at all, and it’s nice to not have a mystery all figured out at the end. That said, it didn’t wow me either. I like when the surprising occurrences make me gasp or stun me. The only thing that surprised me to that extent was that I missed the main clue that led Niell and Branden to the truth.
I don’t really know much about Amish culture, so I can’t really comment on how that part of the story works. It seems believable, and I can see why they’d have such disdain for the “English,” which seems to be their word for anyone who isn’t Amish. And I can definitely understand the mistrust. I wasn’t too annoyed by the Bishop holding back the entire truth behind why he was asking for help. But, I did find the “truths that many, especially the bishop, would prefer to leave undisturbed” (as written on the back cover) to be quite disappointing. I expected more dirt. I’m not disappointed in the story – just found that part to be somewhat anticlimactic.
Overall, it’s a decent story that was written pretty well. The characters are mostly likable, but I did find myself wondering about Niell. I’m still not sure what to make of him, although he did prove to be a “good guy” in this story.
Look for reviews of more books in this series coming soon.
My Rating: 2.5 stars
Source: Sent by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read It: Get your own copy HERE.
Challenges: Counts for Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 and 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011.
FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.
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I read and reviewed this one as well a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it. Like you, I didn’t know much about the Amish culture (other than visiting Amish country in Pennsylvania as a kid), so it was nice to read this one. I enjoyed the characters, too.