Among the Innocent by Mary Alford REVIEWED

About the Book:

When Leah Miller's entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah has left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after an 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.

What will it mean for Leah--and Dalton--when the full truth comes to light?
 

My Thoughts:

"The inevitable showdown coming had been a decade in the making.  When it was over, would any of them be left standing?" (p.140)

This is the question the reader asks the entire way through this novel!  Alford's book begins with the murder of an innocent Amish girl, and spirals first one way then another, until the reader's head is spinning and heart racing as much as the main character, Leah Miller.  Leah's head can barely focus on one harsh reality before she is forced to face another. Her life as a police officer began with a strong desire to protect those around her, and that includes the members of the Amish community in which she was raised.  To watch innocent girls lives taken brings back her own childhood trauma, but her desire to face her fears, and her obsessed killer is stronger than her fears.

Working alongside Dalton Cooper - a man with his own fears - helps Leah navigate the chaos that flows through her community as a killer rises among them and seems to stay one step ahead of them no matter how hard they work.  This story line is as fast paced as anything I've ever read, and I can honestly say I couldn't wait to pick it up and see what happened next! 

I believe this is my first time reading one of Mary Alford's books, but I guarantee it won't be the last!  I love it when I can't figure out what's going on, and the tension builds bit by bit until you barely stand it! That, to me, is a fun read!!  You  will thoroughly enjoy this novel, and you will not escape without losing few characters along the way.  The killer in this book has a voracious appetite for mayhem! Buckle up for a wild ride!!

About the Author:

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. Learn more at www.maryalford.net.