Among the Innocent

Title: Among the Innocent

Author: Mary Alford

Genre: Amish, Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Christian Fiction

Publisher: Revell

Source: Revell

My review:

Among the Innocent is the first book that I have read by Mary Alford, but it will not be my last.  

Among the Innocent grabbed my attention from the beginning. I had a hard time putting it down to get anything done.  From the opening scene, you sense something is not as it should be.

Leah is a strong female protagonist. While she is independent, she had to learn to be from her circumstances; she is not stubbornly independent, which I found refreshing. I found all the characters, except our killer, to be likable. I ached for the victims and their naivety, which stuck with me even after finishing the book. My daughter is around the same age as the victims, and while she is not Amish, I couldn't help but wonder what she would do in similar situations, because she is quite naive. 

Among the Innocent has a realism factor that is missing in many suspense novels. There is time and space between each incident and a creep factor that is prevalent today. The incidents were gruesome, and even this sensitive reader had to see what would happen next.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves nail-biting suspense, especially authors like Jaime Jo Wright, Nancy Mehl, and C.C. Warrens.

Thank you to Revell for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★★/5

Synopsis: 

When Leah Miller's entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after another Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed for her family's deaths.

As Leah and the new police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours struggling to fit the pieces together in order to catch the killer, they can't help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. But this is only the beginning. Could it be that the former police chief framed an innocent man to keep the biggest secret of all buried? And what will it mean for Leah--and Dalton--when the full truth comes to light?

USA Today bestselling author Mary Alford keeps you guessing as two determined souls plumb the dark depths of the past in order to forge a brighter future--together.