A Killer Among Us

Giveaway!

EASON, LYNETTE

A KILLER AMONG US

What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?

Kit Kenyon is a first-rate hostage negotiator. Noah Lambert is a good detective with excellent instincts. These new partners have hardly had time to get used to each other when they are thrown into a grisly murder case.

As evidence mounts up and more victims are found, Kit and Noah realize they are on the hunt for a serial killer. The problem is, he may be hunting one of them too.

My Review:

Eason is the queen of masterful suspense and this book doesn't disappoint. The case is grim -- gruesome even -- but she matches the grittiness with a touches of humour and romance and has created a breath-taking drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages so fast your head will spin! So many clues, so many red herrings, so much fun trying to figure this one out. I love the way Eason makes me feel like I'm right there -- a part of the task force trying to solve the crime.

A Killer Among Us isn't just another wickedly good suspense - it goes much deeper than that because Eason takes the time to flesh out her characters. They compliment the suspense -- draw it even tauter, in fact.

Noah is an engaging hero -- a man who isn't afraid to share his faith with troubled suspects. It's kind of funny and very endearing and adds a light touch to a heavy subject. And Kit is so intense, so driven to prove herself  that she's forgotten to keep God in the equation. They are opposites that definitely attract and their romance is a steady undercurrent that flows through the suspense. Both build to a dramatic conclusion that left me blue from holding my breath! If you like suspense, you will love A Killer Among Us.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Giveaway: If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason, leave a comment below or, if Blogger is acting up, email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. Draw will take place on Sunday June 5.

Giveaway Winners!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS WEEKS' WINNERS:

A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan

won by Carmen7351

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

won by Betsy

Betsy and Carmen, I'll email you for your mailing address but if you don't hear from me by tomorrow morning email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTcom

IMPORTANT: I have been unable to contact two winners from previous draws -- Faye who won Deep Trouble last week and Jo who won Serendipity back in April. Can you please contact me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTcom this week. If we can't connect I will have another draw for both titles next Sunday.

Books I'll be reading and giving away this week:

A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

 And on a side note: Has anyone else been having problems with blogger? I've been able to sign into my account and create new posts but haven't been able to comment on my own blog as well as many others! I keep getting bounced to the sign in page even though I'm already signed in. Very strange.

A Heart Divided

GIVEAWAY!

MORGAN, KATHLEEN

A HEART DIVIDED

When fate brings them together, they must choose between family ties and love.

The Caldwells and Wainwrights have been feuding for decades. Still, Sarah Caldwell has misgivings when her father pressures her into distracting a ranch hand while he and her brothers rob the Wainwright's place. When it becomes clear that hand is actually Cord Wainwright, heir of the Wainwright holdings, Sarah realizes things have gone too far.

As the feud boils over, Cord and Sarah make a most inconvenient discovery -- they just might be falling in love. Can they betray their families to see where this attraction leads? Or will their families betray them?

Against the beautiful and wild backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in 1878 comes this sweeping saga of romance, betrayal and forgiveness.

My Review:

I have only read Kathleen Morgan's Scottish Highlands series so what a surprise this was -- to 'hear' her distinctive style in Western drawl. LOL. A Heart Divided is definitely a sweeping saga -- an epic family drama that hopefully isn't finished yet. I'm very anxious for Nick and Noah and Shiloh to have their own stories so I hope their books will become part of the Heart of the Rockies series.

Full of intense passions and emotions this is a consuming read. I just flew through it. Morgan has a knack for creating multi-dimensional characters and she puts them through the wringer while building to a powerful climax of forgiveness and redemption. And she doesn't mind throwing in some sizzle along the way.  Blissful sigh of pure contentment. I can't wait for Book Two in the series.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".


GIVEAWAY:  If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Heart Divided, please leave a comment below. Draw will take place on Sunday, May 29.  And if, perchance you are having problems with Blogger and find you can't leave a comment (which has been happening to me all week), you can email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca  and let me know you are interested in your name being added to the draw. Good luck everyone! You really want to read this one!!!

To Win Her Heart

GIVEAWAY!

WITEMEYER, KAREN
TO WIN HER HEART

Do they have a fighting chance at love?

After completing his sentence for the unintentional crime that derailed his youthful plans for fame and fortune, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. Spencer needs a blacksmith, a trade Levi learned at his father's knee, and he needs a place where no one knows his past.

Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs in the town her father founded. When a mountain-sized stranger walks through her door and asks to borrow a book, she's reluctant to trust him. Yet as the mysteries of the town's new blacksmith unfolds, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart.

Eden believes she's finally found a man of honour and integrity. But when the truth about Levi's prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back the librarian's affections?

My Review:

Can you use pusillanimous in a sentence? Witemyer can and did it most effectively (even if I had to stop reading long enough to check a dictionary!) To Win His Heart is full of surprises -- from word choice to clever dialogue, cunning plot twists to gripping drama -- it's definitely a book that will win your heart!

It also contains one of the most moving redemption stories I've ever read. There's an incredible scene that sent goosebumps shooting out all over my body. Witemeyer grasps the delicate balance of combining gospel truths with fiction and has come up with a stunning success.

Add in some stellar romance that will curl more than just your toes and you have a CBA winner! The growing awareness  that blossoms from a tenuous friendship -- sigh, be still my heart! The way Witemeyer writes Levi and Eden's love story is both compelling and page-turning. In fact I got to a point in the book where I just couldn't put it down. Missed 5 bus stops before I looked up and realized my house was back thataway! And then, when I got off six stops too late, I meandered slowly towards home, open book in hand. Had a near collision with a lamp post and an ornery tree root, but I just couldn't stop reading!

Now that it's over I'm both immensely satisfied and somewhat bereaved. This is one that I will gladly read again.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".
 
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY: If you would like a chance to win a copy of To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer, leave a comment below, including your email address. Draw will be held on Suday, May 29.

Giveaway Winners!

  

Happy Victoria Day weekend everyone!

And our winners are...

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

won by Faye

Amish Prayers compiled by Beverly Lewis

won by Marjorie

An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

won by Bluerose

Small-town Hearts by Ruth Logan Herne

won by Linda Kish

and

Charity

Congratulations everyone. I'll be in touch to get your snail mail addresses!
Important: I am having trouble with some of the email addresses. If you don't hear from me by the end of today (Sunday) can you please email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca

Next week Giveaways:

A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan

and

To Win her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

Looking forward to June Giveaways:

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason

Chasing Sunsets : A Cedar Key Novel by Eva Marie Everson

Plus a few surprises so stay tuned!

Small-Town Hearts

GIVEAWAY!

HERNE, RUTH LOGAN
SMALL-TOWN HEARTS

Finding the sweet spot.

Securing a location for his family's chain of sweet shops is big-city businessman Danny Graham's secret mission. But Grandma Mary's Candies will mean the end of Megan Russo's little shop -- and the end of her dreams. How can Danny put a quaint small-town candy shop out of business? Especially one owned by a kind young woman who's lost too much already? Still, here he is trying to romance his sweet rival...although Megan doesn't know who he really is. Seems like Danny needs to look into his own heart and discover what matters most.

My Review:

I haven't finished reading Small-Town Hearts yet but I wanted to post this up here because it is the last Giveaway for the week. I'm nearly half-way through and loving it. Herne is a wizard of words and I'm just spellbound by how much she packs into every sentence. This is the kind of book you just can't skim because you want to measure every word and bask in the story. It also has a different tone to her other work. This one is more light-hearted (so far!!!!) though I foresee complications ahead and can't for the life of me figure out just how she's going to make everything 'right'. Can't wait for more reading hours (hopefully tonight) so I can find out! Stay tuned and I'll finish this review when I have finished the book. In the mean time:

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!  If you would like to win a copy of Small-Town Hearts by Ruth Logan Herne, leave a comment below and I will enter you in the draw. I have 2 copies to give away! So that means 2 winners! Draw will be held on Sunday May 22. Good luck!

Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona

FERRELL, MIRALEE
LOVE FINDS YOU IN TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA

Second chances aren't easy to come by in a town named Tombstone.   When Christy Grey receives an urgent summons to Tombstone, Arizona, she reluctantly leaves her new life in California for an uncertain future. The trip goes from bad to worse when masked men hold up Christy's stage. She finally arrives in Tombstone to find her mother ill and her brother trapped in a life of gambling. Desperate for money to support her family, will Christy bow to pressure from local saloon owners and return to a life she thought she'd given up for good?

Nevada King has problems of his own. He's been dodging bullets for years and wants nothing more than to settle down and get married. But he's on the run from outlaws bent on revenge, and the one woman who captures his interest recognizes him from the stagecoach holdup. Will Christy turn Nevada in to the authorities, or will the outlaws on his trail catch him first?

My Review:

The historical setting really shapes this story and Ferrell obviously did extensive research. Her notes at the end of the book are fascinating and I was surprised to find how much realism she slipped into her novel. It really provided a strong structure from which the story could unfold. The Tombstone she created within the pages of her book definitely jived with the images I've had in my mind of this legendary town. I love how Ferrell used it as a backdrop for her tale of redemption and faith.

Her characters are flawed but not without hope. Christy,s struggle to rise above the squalor she came from isn't so different from Nevada's drive to leave the past behind and start fresh. Their unorthodox arrival into Tombstone nearly dashes all their hopeful expectations. I especially felt for Christy who faces one insurmountable obstacle after another and fell for Nevada as he can't stop himself from caring and trying to help. That caring soon grows into something deeper, but Ferrell doesn't make it easy for these two find their happily ever after. That's what makes this such a rollicking read!

This is one of ACFW's book Club reads. Discussion starts on May 20th so you still have time to grab a copy of Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona and join in.

An Unlikely Suitor

Giveaway!

MOSER, NANCY
AN UNLIKELY SUITOR

Spend a season in glamorous 1895 Newport in this compelling tale of friendship, devotion, and sacrificial love.

New York dressmaker Lucy Scarpelli befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's designing her summer wardrobe. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating fashions that hide her physical injury, Rowena invited Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, encouraging the unusual friendship.

One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what Newport man would want to marry an Italian dressmaker working to support her family?

Rowena faces an arranged marriage to a wealthy heir she doesn't love, but dare a crippled girl hope for anything better?

And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, falls for a man well above her social class -- but is he willing to give up everything to marry a woman below his station?

As the lives of three young women -- and their unlikely suitors -- become entangled in a web of secrets and sacrifice, will the season end with any of them finding true happiness?

My Review:

My first Nancy Moser book -- but by no means my last!

This is the kind of historical novel you just want to settle into and savor. Moser has done her research and has crafted a stunning tale that takes place during the Gilded Age. Her vivid descriptions (especially the lush fashion details) create a genuine feel for the era.

The author takes on class boundaries which I found fascinating even though at times it appalled and enraged me. I think what struck me the most is that the wealthy who are so determined to keep the lower classes in their place are, in actual fact, no more than a generation away from being poor immigrants looking for a new start in America. You would think that they would remember their parents' struggles and would have learned from them. Instead they seemed to want to create a distance from their past and they did that by class distinction. This made An Unlikely Suitor an emotional read for me. It's a spellbinding story that follows the lives of three young women as they struggle to find their place in a changing world -- and someone to love them for who they are not what they represent. This is a definite book for your keeper shelf.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

If you would like a chance to win your own copy of An Unlikely Suitor leave a comment below. The draw will take place on Sunday May 22. Good luck everyone!

Amish Prayers

Book Giveaway!

LEWIS, BEVERLY (compiled by)
AMISH PRAYERS

A one-of-a-kind collection of inspiring prayers used by Amish and Mennonites for over 300 years!

The Amish and other Anabaptist groups have treasured the same book of prayers for centuries, turning to it for inspiration during times of peace as well as persecution. Now a selection of prayers from Die Ernsthafte Christenflicht is readily available in English. This exclusive, authentic translation from the original German -- with an introduction by bestselling author Beverly Lewis -- pairs each prayer with a scripture passage and offers insights into the rich spiritual foundations of the Plain people. Whether used for personal devotions or in a group setting, this beautifully illustrated collection will help draw you closer to God.

My review:

This lovely little book has delicate black and white sketches by Katie Polley which really help create a unique mood. Divided into sections, the prayers address such issues as comfort, repentance, purity of heart etc. I found the traditional phrasing resonated with me. It seems so reverent and humble and after all the Amish books I have read over the past year, the formal language just felt right somehow.

So -- what would you do with a little prayer book like this? Here's some ideas I came up with:

Idea # 1: Ever been asked to start a meeting with a quick devotional/spiritual thought? If you're like me you head for the computer and start googling like crazy and it takes forever to find that 'just right' thought for the occasion. Well, now the search will be infinitely easier with your copy of Amish Prayers. Lovely, short but very thought-provoking devotions page after page. How easy is that?!

Idea #2: Searching for something different for your morning devotionals? Look no further. I've been using Amish Prayers all this week and am loving how it has helped me with my focus. I have to admit to being somewhat of a flitterygibet when it comes to concentrating on scriptures and prayers so one of my goals is to listen more and talk (aka pray) less. I don't take the time to leave myself open for impressions because my mind is always wandering.

This week I started each morning by reading one of the prayers (out loud so I paid attention!) and then I read the scripture after it. Then I read the prayer again but this time pulled out the substance of it and concentrated on that while I said my own prayers. I'm amazed at how this little exercise enabled me to stay focused -- my mind still wandered but it meandered on topic and I really felt more like I'd had a two-way conversation with God instead of me just droning on and on.

Idea #3: Gifts Galore!!!!  I love giving books as gifts and I usually find a little something extra to compliment the book to add to the gift.so I started brainstorming ways to incorporate Amish Prayers into a gift. Here's what I came up with:

• For a Bridal Shower gift -- add Amish Prayers to a basket with homemade banana bread wrapped in a couple of useful tea towels. Make a card that says Food for the body; food for the soul!
• For a just-because gift -- Get an inexpensive plaque at your scripture bookstore that reads: "Prayer Changes Things" to go along with Amish Prayers.
• For a gift for someone convalescing -- pair Amish Prayers with your choice of an Amish fiction book.
• For a hostess gift -- A few cuttings from your flower garden along with this little book would bring a smile to your friend's face. OR -- Visiting friends/relatives out of town over the summer? Leave a copy of Amish Prayers on your pillow just before you leave. That way your friend will find a sweet surprise to remind her of your visit after you've left.
• For a Father's Day gift -- Though you might think Amish Prayers would be enjoyed most by women, the fact is the prayers are the meat-and-potatoes kind. Simple, heartfelt and to the point -- perfect for a Christian dad. And you could enhance the gift further by including a letter to your dad highlighting ways he has built up your faith in prayer. What dad wouldn't like that kind of personal touch?!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

If you would like to win your own copy of Amish Prayers compiled by Beverly Lewis, leave a comment below.or email me at kavluvstoread@yahoo.ca  Draw will be held on Sunday May 22.

Deep Trouble

GIVEAWAY!!!!

CONNEALY, MARY
DEEP TROUBLE

Aimless and wandering...

Gabe Lasley abandoned his ranch in Wyoming because of his strong feelings for a married woman, wanting only to be left alone. Then he finds a treasure hunter stranded in a mountaintop cave and offers to help.

Fearless and fixated...

A determined Shannon Dysart is on a quest to prove her father's research isn't the work of a madman and that he really did find treasure in the Wild West. Then she finds herself stranded, with an aimless wanderer her only way out.

Now the unlikely pair is out to find a city of gold...together...with trouble hot on their trail.

When a band of villains threatens to steal Shannon's maps, will she be able to see past the gold that colors her every decision, and will Gabe accept his surprising need to protest a woman who doesn't seem to have a lick of common sense! Or will they discover that a true treasure rooted in love and faith has been within their reach all along?

My Review:

If you don't think it's possible to cloak nail-biting action with humour, you haven't read Mary Connealy. The woman is full of surprises and she keeps getting better and better with each book release. Only Mary would open the entire book with a literal cliff hanger! Brilliant leap into action which doesn't let up until the very last page.

I loved the unique angle to the Wild West setting and Connealy did a marvelous job of painting images with her words. The scenery she pens is awe-inspiring and the historical detail about the exploration of the Grand Canyon brings an added depth to the story.

Gabe is just plain hero material a thousand times over. A little bit cranky, a whole lot of tender and completely in over his head, he doesn't stand a chance against Shannon...not that he wants one!

It's Shannon who is struggling with her priorities. What does she value most? What motivates her? Do those motivations consume her or is she strong enough to break free of them? I think of all the characters, Shannon grows the most. She's likable and funny and stubborn right from the very beginning of the book, but as the story progresses, Shannon develops a new understanding that brings her a peace and maturity which makes her stronger.

Connealy finishes Deep Trouble with just as much action and angst as the beginning of the story. A definite feel-good-laugh-out-loud-while-you-wince good read.

I'm giving away a copy of Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy this week. If you would like a chance to win leave a comment below. Please include your email address using (At instead of @ and Dot instead of .) so I can contact you if you are the winner. Draw will be held  and announced on this blog on Sunday May 22 and stay tuned for more giveaways this week!

Blogger Glitches and Giveaway Info

Hi everyone!

Since we've lost two days due to problems with Blogger and my review of Mary Connealy's Deep Trouble seems to have vanished into Cyberspace, I'm going to postpone the draw until next Sunday, May 22 when I will be drawing for:

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Amish Prayers by Beverly Lewis

An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

Small-Town Hearts by Ruth Logan Herne

So check back next week and leave a comment after the review of the book you are interested in or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca and let me know which books you are interested in.

The Silent Governess

KLASSEN, JULIE

THE SILENT GOVERNESS

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything -- his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

My Review:

Stunning! I get breathless just thinking about how good this is! I grieved when it was over.

Klassen has an exquisite command of the English language and she isn't afraid to use it. Rich descriptions paint a vivid picture and carry the reader away into an Austen-like setting. "The autumn air was crisp, the wood a colorful fresco of flaming brown and orange beechwood trees..." (p.96) Doesn't that conjure up a reaction in all your senses? I can smell the musty scent of decaying leaves, hear them rustling under the children's feet, see the brilliant colours in contrast to the blue sky...It's passages like these that elevate Klassen's writing into the sublime.

In case you haven't guessed by now -- I LOVED this book, as I have every other one this author has written. Her characters are richly developed, the plot is complex and full of surprises and the romance --- be still my heart! How can you resist a man such as this:

"She stretched her legs out before her, and Edward glimpsed a sliver of stocking and tapered ankle. He averted his gaze. He was not a man to sneak a look at a woman's leg." (p.177)

But the course to true-love is never straight and Klassen sends her hero and heroine along a very crooked, perilous road indeed! And every moment of their romance is to be savored and copious scenes to be read over for the sheer thrill of it!

Klassen's bio says that she loves "all things -- Jane -- Jane Eyre and Jane Austen" and I certainly got a feel for that and yet her own distinctive voice is not lost in similarities. Rather she has crafted a unique epic of her own that will be cherished by fans for years to come.

A Great Catch Giveaway Winner

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!



Congratulations to Merry and Carol M. who have each won a copy of  A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad.  I'll be in touch with both of you to get your address.

Check back next week for a chance to win a copy of Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy. Just leave a comment after the review when it is posted.

A Great Catch

Book Giveaway!

SEILSTAD, LORNA

A GREAT CATCH

She wants to change the world.

He wants to change her mind.

It's the beginning of a new century at Lake Manawa resort in Iowa, but some things never change.  When Emily Graham's meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it upon themselves to find her a husband among the resort guests, the spunky suffragist is determined to politely decline each and every suitor. She has neither the time nor the need for a man in her busy life.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and a pitcher for the Manawa Owls baseball team, intends to enjoy every minute of the summer before he is forced into the straitlaced business world of his father.

When their worlds collide, neither Emily nor Carter could have guessed what would come next. Will Carter strike out? Or will Emily cast her vote for a love that might cost her dreams?

My Review:

A joy to read. Honestly, Seilstad hit it out of the park with this one! LOL, I couldn't resist a little baseball lingo in honour of the second release in her Lake Manawa Summer series.

Seilstad has the ability to conjure up images with her words and every scene just lept out at me. I feel like I've spent my summers at Lake Manawa a hundred years ago. I've felt the sticky heat, heard the drone of mosquitoes, watched the sailboats out on the lake and I think I caught a glimpse of Emily and Carter out at the ball field! I love being transported into another world through the pages of a book and A Great Catch did that for me.

Set in an exciting time in history, when women were just embarking on the battle for equality, Seilstad has brought all the emotions of that fight to life -- all that passion and excitement tempered by frustration. But there's so much humour in this book too. The belly-aching, laugh-out-loud kind that startled my fellow commuters as I bussed to work the last two days. In fact, I just howled over one part  -- snorting like a hyena and totally embarrassing myself though it kept me grinning all the way to work (which is no mean feat these days.)

The romance is sublime and there's more than one toe-curling moment between the covers of this book! Love the way the romance builds -- a little bit rocky, with some reluctance, but gathering steam until a relationship hangs on the balance. When I got to that dark spot in the plot I didn't want to read anymore but I couldn't stop. Thankfully Seilstad paces well, and the rest of the book barrels along to a more than satisfying conclusion. Oh -- and watch for the unexpected intrigue and action at the end. This book just gets better and better with every turning page!

But the real strength in A Great Catch is the spiritual message that gently builds into something so simple and yet so profound that it really touched my heart. Words I needed to hear right now at this time and place in my life. God bless authors who share their love for the Lord and His wisdom in such an engaging way!


GIVEAWAY!!!! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE ONE OF TWO CHANCES TO WIN A COPY OF A GREAT CATCH!  YEP, THAT'S RIGHT, I BOUGHT TWO EXTRA AND AM EAGER TO SEND THEM OUT INTO THE WORLD SO THAT OTHERS CAN ENJOY THIS REMARKABLE STORY. DRAW WILL BE HELD THIS SUNDAY MAY 8.

Shadows of Lancaster County

CLARK, MINDY STARNS

SHADOWS OF LANCASTER COUNTY

What shadows darken the quiet valleys of Amish Country?

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 Review:

Enthralling suspense. Lots of twists and turns and Clark feeds us clues that we don't realize are clues until farther on in the book. I had a lot of Aha! moments. I really couldn't put this one down.

For those who aren't into Amish stories -- this one isn't though they do play an integral part in the suspense. In fact, they play an integral part in a secondary suspense plot as well. Clark did an amazing job of weaving both together into a nail-biting read.

Told in first person, it's Anna's perspective that carries the story; her perceptions and memories that bring all the other characters to life. It's the story of a tragedy in Anna's past as much as it is about the one in her present and Clark does a brilliant job of twining the two together into a complicated mess that left me breathless! If you like suspense you will love Shadows of Lancaster County.