Book Review and Giveaway: Among the Innocent by Mary Alford | Lone Star Book Blog Tours

AMONG THE INNOCENT

by
MARY ALFORD
Genre: Fiction / Christian / Suspense
Publisher: Revell
Date of Publication: June 7, 2022
Number of Pages: 304 pages
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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.
PRAISE FOR AMONG THE INNOCENT:
“Readers will be compelled to keep turning the pages until they uncover the truth behind a dark legacy hidden behind lies and madness. Highly recommended.” Nancy Mehl, author of the Quantico Files

“Among the Innocent is no buggy ride but a race to stop a killer.” –DiAnn Mills, bestselling and award-winning author of Trace of Doubt

Among the Innocent had me glued to the page from the start. Dishes sat in the sink and chores piled up until I finished it. I highly recommend this story!” Patricia Bradley, author of Crosshairs

“Mary Alford proves she’s a master storyteller with Among the Innocent. Expect an adrenaline rush on every page.” — Debby Giusti, author of Smugglers in Amish Country
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After her family was brutally murdered before her eyes ten years ago, Leah Miller left the Amish community. The man believed to have committed the crime is thought to be dead. So why, as the tenth anniversary of the murders approaches, are Amish girls being killed? And why is their killer apparently setting his sights on Leah? Leah, now in law enforcement, will have to work with new chief Dalton Cooper to unravel the clues and solve the crime before the killer gets up close and personal with Leah herself.

MAN, this is a heck of a read! It’s got suspense by the bucketful, as the killer continually taunts Leah and always seems to be one step ahead. The tension builds as the anniversary of her family’s murders draws nearer and as the victims are increasingly closer to Leah. Alford includes the killer’s point of view in the story, too, which helps keep the pressure on.

There’s an element of romance, too, as Leah and  Dalton develop feelings for each other. It’s a little bit of an insta-romance, but not entirely, as Dalton has a connection to the case that he’s reluctant to reveal. His personal interest gives him at least a little pause before he lets himself act on his interest in Leah. I found his personal connection fascinating, and thought it added a nice touch to the story.

Marge, Leah’s adoptive mother, is battling dementia. I thought Alford did a masterful job of portraying the difficulties Leah faced trying to help an aging parent cope, as well as the pain Marge felt in her lucid moments, realizing her grip on her memories was slipping. I wanted to reach in and hug them both, because that’s a rough thing to deal with.

As you might expect with a book where many of the characters are part of a religious community, faith in God definitely plays a role. Leah drifted away from her faith after her family was killed, and she struggles to find her way back. Dalton relies fairly heavily on his faith and has a fellow believer who he can talk to and be encouraged by. I do love a story where the faith portrayed isn’t tacked on as an afterthought, but is an integral and important part of the characters’ lives.

And lest you think I thought this book was perfect, there was one teeny-weeny thing that stuck in my craw just a little. When Leah learned of Dalton’s personal interest in the case, she took it poorly. Understandably, she felt hurt that he hadn’t trusted her with that sooner. Yet, in just a couple of pages, they’re back on good terms, with very little said about the matter. This one thing felt super rushed to me and I would think that situation would play out differently in real life. In the grand scheme, though, that was but a minor blip on my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, this was a great read. Lots of twists and turns, insight into the killer’s thoughts without overly gory descriptions of crime scenes, characters who rely on their faith and each other, and just enough romance to keep it interesting. And I learned something! I had no idea there were Amish communities in Montana. I had to go look up St. Ignatius. Beautiful country up there. I’d love to visit.

Five stars to Mary Alford for a ripping good thrill ride of a book!

Mary Alford is a USA Today bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can’t put down. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne Du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog.
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TWO WINNERS!
Copies of Among the Innocent
+ $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble.

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 6/17/2022)

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2 Responses to Book Review and Giveaway: Among the Innocent by Mary Alford | Lone Star Book Blog Tours

  1. FABULOUS review, Lisa. I must read (with my ears! it’s on audio!) this book soon. Sounds like my kinda combo for full engagement. Thanks!

  2. Deanne Patterson says:

    Excellent review, Lisa. I’ll be on the lookout for more by this author. Before I read this book I hadn’t realized there were Amish on the Indian reservation.

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