Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

Leah's entire (Amish) family was murdered ten years ago, an event that altered her life. When a young Amish girl is found dead (same) circumstances as Leah's family, new Police Chief (Dalton) and Leah begin to investigate. Time is running out as more young Amish girls are killed and Leah's life is in danger. The closer they come to the truth secrets will be revealed.

The story moves at a fast pace with engaging dialog, likable characters and edge-of-your seat moments. With twists, turns, thrills, and splash of clean romance. I was hooked from the first page until the end. Overall I found Among the Innocent quite enjoyable. I recommend to all. ( )

Book Review…Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

When Leah Miller's entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. But now another Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed.

As Leah and police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours to fit the pieces together, they can't help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. Could it be that the former police chief framed an innocent man to keep the biggest secret of all buried?

Among the Innocent was an action packed and suspenseful story! This was a page turner for me! The characters are both flawed and realistic. Seeing them come together and overcoming their pasts to figure out the truth was great! The romance isn't really strong but there's enough there to understand their feelings for one another! There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing and enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages! This was a fantastic read! I will definitely be reading more books by Mary Alford! Thank you Partners in Crime Tours and Mary Alford for sharing this fantastic book with me!
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Wow.....I haven't read such a suspenseful book in a long time! Among the Innocent, by Mary Alford kept me up way past my bedtime! There are so many suspenseful moments, and so many plot twists, that it just kept me reading 'one more chapter' to find out what happened next. By the end of the book, there was resolution to the mystery of the murders of Leah's whole family, but it was a suspenseful read to get there. The main characters were well developed and strong, and the romance was well done, too. I've only read a few of Mary Alford's books, but definitely plan on checking out some more.

This novel is a great mix of suspense-filled murder and glimpses into the Amish community—a unique combination that I do not read often! The plot captured my attention from the prologue and I had a really hard time putting it down, reading late into the night on more than one occasion. I thought I had figured out the villain and then suddenly there was an unexpected twist! I also liked that the author took time to develop her characters; I liked how Leah had to face her past to grow and mature and Dalton is the perfect blend of handsome looks and sensitive compassion. The faith aspect is a little light, however, I liked the spiritual elements that were tied in and the novel is definitely clean. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward for more from this talented author! Recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ( )

“The inevitable showdown coming had been a decade in the making. When it was over, would any of them be left standing?”

This quote. It indicates the enormous level of suspense created and maintained throughout novel. I felt the need to check my blood pressure after reading Among the Innocent by Mary Alford, to make sure it was not abnormally high!! This particular novel is a little darker than most I choose to read, but it is oh, so well done!

I did identify with Leah more than I would like at some points. “She’d lost her family to a killer—probably Ellis to the same man. Now she was slowly losing Marge to a different kind of killer.” The killer that stalks Marge is all too prevalent, and so many families must deal with that threat. I loved how that thread strengthens the story.

Sigh. Dalton is swoony dreamboat who might be perfect, but for his secrets. Full of faith despite a rough past, he is protective of Leah, kind, sensitive, and quite the looker. Will he and Leah be able to work together to keep tragedy away from the Amish community, or will they become part of the region’s mounting calamities?

I received a copy of the book from RevellReads and NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ( )