The Judas Tree

by Dudley J. Delffs

When Leah Schroeder, fiancee of young curate Peter Abernathy, finds the body of Dr. Simon Hotstetler hanging from a legendary oak outside the Amish community of Tremont, Father Griffin Reed is called in to assist with the investigation

Genres: Fiction

319 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Dudley J. Delffs, Ph.D. is an award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction. A former publishing executive with divisions of Random House and HarperCollins, Dudley now works with top-tier authors, agents, and publishers to produce bestselling books with life-changing impact. A lifelong fan of Dolly Parton, Dudley lives in Sewanee, Tennessee with his wife and children.

Reviews

[BookMaster4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

eh...
An ok murder mystery novel. The most interesting part was when the author talked about Amish customs. The conclusion was frshadowed well, I pretty much figured it out but wasn't entirely sure how some pieces fit. The explanation could have been staged better instead of them just sitting and talking about it.
Some of the writing was iffy. Stiff dialogue, lots of telling with random showing, at times told the reader what to think/what questions to ask, transitions were a bit awkward at times. Definetly an amateur writer. The idea was there but the execution was elusive.
I won't be reading the rest of the series.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too much religion for me. The plot was good and held my interest.

[Margaret Pillay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder story with religious overtones set in an Amish community. Easy to read and a very interesting look into the Amish way of life.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot of The Judas Tree revolves around a murder investigation near an Amish settlement and a military base. Fr. Griffin Reed, a widowed Episcopal priest who knew the victim, gets involved because the detectives think that the Amish will be more comfortable and open with him. Suddenly he's acting like the main investigator and putting himself in harm's way to solve the crime. In the meantime, he has a romantic interest in a professor, his sister is dating another church's preacher, and his curate is in love with an Amish woman.

It is an engaging story with both expected and unexpected twists. There is much praying and Scripture quoting, but it's interesting to see how the people of various faiths coexist at times, isolate themselves at others, and come together in times of need.

[Jennifer B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this quick little read, and I did enjoy it. Although it's a murder mystery, it keeps it light, and at least in my case, also kept me guessing until the end. I learned a lot about the Amish lifestyle which is also something that has always piqued my curiosity, and with a sweet little ending to wrap it all up. It is written by a Christian author and has its share of prayer and Bible verses, but I think the lessons are general ones that can be interpreted as benign by practitioners of any faith, and non-believers as well. A fun, light, and fast read.