Book Review : Home by Dark by Marta Perry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

“Rachel Weaver Mason is finally going home to Deer Run, the Amish community she left behind so many years ago. Recently widowed, she wants desperately to create a haven for herself and her young daughter. But the community, including Rachel's family, is anything but welcoming. The only person happy to see her is her teenage brother, Benjamin, and he's protecting a dark secret that endangers them all.

Determined to keep Benjamin safe from a suspected killer, Rachel has no choice but to turn to the one man she wanted to get as far away from as possible. Colin McDonald was her late husband's friend, and the man who came between them. He's never forgotten her and would do anything to keep her and her family safe.

Rachel doesn't know if she can trust Colin, or her growing feelings for him. But as they hunt for the killer, the tension between them builds and soon both their lives, and their hearts, are on the line.”

Summary

Rachel Mason, recently widowed, has returned home to Deer Run with her young daughter Mandy and taken up residence in the house inherited from her mother-in-law.

Whilst a few members of the community are unhappy to see this former Amish girl back in their midst, there are those who have no qualms.

Colin McDonald, an Englischer, is one of those who is not unhappy to see her. The former best friend of her deceased husband, Colin can be quite cynical of the inhabitants of Deer Run, except when it comes to Rachel. Along with Benjamin, Rachel’s little brother and Meredith, a very good friend of Rachel’s, these three sub-characters form the backbone of this novel of suspense.

Rachel soon discovers that something is troubling young fourteen-year old Benj and he’s not telling! When his fear begins to get out of hand and he arrives on Rachel’s doorstep one evening scared out of his wits she asks herself whether perhaps his friend, Joseph Stoltz, is telling him tall tales and thereby feeding an already over-active imagination - or is there something more sinister at play!

Rachel soon realises that her fears have some basis in fact and as her and Colin fight to uncover the mystery surrounding Benj’s fear, the barriers she has erected against Colin begin to crumble.

My Thoughts

Although I am not a huge fan of Amish stories, I do read them from time to time, so it’s no wonder I chose this one for review as I am a sucker for suspense!

Even though I found the build-up of the suspense to be a bit slow, Marta Perry has managed to produce a very well written book with all the elements of romantic suspense firmly in place. Her knowledge of the Amish culture, based on her own experiences, is very good and with the two main sub-plots of family issues and romance underlying the suspense, this was an enjoyable read.

I would, of course, like to take this opportunity to thank both NetGalley and Harlequin for making the title available to me.

About the Author (Excerpt taken from Marta Perry’s website)

A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta to the books she writes now about the Amish. The Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books are longer, more complex emotional stories with Amish main characters, while the Amish Suspense series from HQN Books are more adventure-filled books set in Pennsylvania Amish country. She also continues to write for Love Inspired Books.

Marta lives with her husband in a century-old farmhouse in the Pennsylvania countryside, but spends winters at their vacation home in South Carolina. When she’s not writing, she’s active in the life of her church and enjoys traveling and spending time with her three children and six beautiful grandchildren.

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