Davey's Daughter

Lancaster Burning #2

by Linda Byler

Barns are burning in the Lancaster County's Amish community, and no one knows who's doing it or why. Sarah Beiler's barn was the first to burn and it was quickly followed by two other barn fires. The entire Amish community is on edge and wrestling with how they should respond to these seemingly random crimes. Sarah thinks Ashley, whom she's learned to know at the local farmers market, knows more about the fires than she will admit. But Sarah can't convince her to share her secrets. Should the Amish consider police protection as Sarah's cousin, Melvin, insists, or should the community continue to follow their traditional peaceful approach to violence as Sarah's father, Davey, the local minister, counsels? Then another barn burns, this one more devastating than any other, and the community again rallies around the distressed family.  

     Even in the midst of this chaos, life must go on for Sarah and her family. But now it feels as if nothing is normal. The local Amish school board asks Sarah to take over teaching a school where the students are out of control. How will she handle obstinate Amish kids and their defensive parents? Matthew is asking if the Amish church is the right fit for him. Will Sarah follow him if he decides to leave the community? Sarah's mother can't stay out of it and keeps urging Sarah to pay more attention to Lee, the well behaved Amish man, who helps anyone in the community in need. How will Sarah respond to all of the forces that are pulling her in different directions? She is Davey's daughter, after all, raised to love and respect the long-held traditions of her people. But will the outside forces become so great that she gives up her parents' ways and decides to leave her community? Will her father agree to police protection for the vulnerable Amish farmers especially for those who are widowed—or continue to insist that God will provide?

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Amish Fiction, Fiction, Mystery

350 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Linda Byler grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish church today. Growing up, Linda Byler loved to read and write. In fact, she still does. She is well known within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper. Linda and her husband, their children and grandchildren live in central Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this continuation of the "Lancaster Burning" series. I thought Sarah matured quite a bit in this book, but at the end, it seems she may be regressing a bit. Hopefully the 3rd book will bring redemption to her character, as well as an answer to the ever-increasing mystery of the barn fires!

[Susan Phelan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I read through the trilogy and enjoyed the POV of someone in the Amish religion/way of life, the writing could have used some more editing. Lots of things happening , little plot, lots of telling rather than showing and a protagonist who let things happen to her more than making things happen.
If you are interested in the Amish life style and beliefs, that may pull you through the book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I need to read book 3 to see what happened and who has been setting these barns on fire! Book 2 was hard to put down. This story is a clean, wholesome story with learning about the Amish.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I have to say I would, normally, give this a 5 star rating. However, I was thrown into confusion reading the story, because of the many errors. I'm not blaming anyone, but it did mess me up trying to clear up what was right and clarify the correct things, so it had me stumbling over it, unfortunately.
BUT, I did love the story itself. The characters were all good, as well as the storyline.

Why are these fires happening? Who's behind them? Will they ever stop? Will their faith be shaken up too much for them to forgive?
Sarah is strongly opinionated for a precher's daughter. Is she too much for the family? Does she love too hard? Does she really know what she wants, or is she grasping at straws,so to speak?
I want to say I CONNECTED with both Lydia & Levi in the story.
With Lydia, I felt her despair and agony of being abused by her husband, who was suppose to love her. I went through a similar situation. Domestic violence is a horrible thing to suffer.
Now with Levi, I was really close with his character, in that our family has been BLESSED with 2 members that are mentally challenged. One verbal, who passed away last year, unfortunately, and one non-verbal. Both have been beacons of light in my upbringing, and wouldn't change anything about it at all❤️. Also, have church family that have down syndrome family that I just love to pieces & spoil, just like I do my own blood family.
This story has you sighing, laughing, crying, praising, and stuck to the pages of the book. Levi, with his wonderful quirks & his quips using names rather than mom or dad, had me laughing with tears at times!!
The LOVE, STRENGTH, FORGIVENESS, FAITH, and much more in this story just adds to its depth!!

I praise Linda Byler for this Series that she has written!!!

[Debbie Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading book 2 because I want to and because I can. I am way ahead in my reading for the year, so I decided to finish this series.

Sarah Beiler the daughter of Bishop Davy and Malinda Beiler is torn between 2 lovers and can not decide which-one she wants to pursue and marry. I, of course, know which one she should have pursue her... but she doesn't listen to me. Lol. She is teaching school, the kids are badly behaved and the parents (Amish parents) aren't dealing well with the issues. She has a parent teacher meeting and keeps working with the children. She makes a lot of progress.

The fires continue and the Amish traditionally do not contact the police or testify. There is a lot of turmoil in the Amish community over this subject. Do the Amish turn the other cheek or turn to the authorities.

Good, surprising, horrifying as fire is my biggest fear. Hard to believe people in the real world start first on purpose. This was a book that I can not put down. It is riveting story. I still don't know who is setting the fires... on to book 3.

[Alice Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This-is a great Large Print Romance. Sarah Beiler the daughter of Bishop Davy and Malinda Beiler is torn between 2 lovers and can not decide which-one she wants to pursue and marry. Davy ponders, reads his Bible and prays much about what to do about the burning of Lancaster County Amish Barns. The arsonist whoever they are knows that the Amish traditionally do not contact the police. There is a lot of turmoil in the Amish community over this subject. Do the Amish turn the other cheek or become very aggressive? Should they tell the police everything that they know.I think it is rather strange that the one person in the english community who know about the fires and I believe knew who did them ends up dead in a late night accident. Now is there any one else who can in the Amish or English Community tell what they know to the police? This was a book that I can not put down. It is riveting story.

[Samantha Lapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely riveting for me. The whole series is. I’ve started it so I have to finish it now but I swear Sarah is too much for me. She’s absolutely wishy-washy and just when you think she starting to get common sense she gets dragged into confusion again. She has zero self respect when it comes to men and that grates on me and almost makes me want to stop reading but I need to finish it more than she irritates me. I just don’t see how she can respectably dig herself out of the hole she’s in. Frankly she deserves to be “leftover blessings” in her own words, for how she treats the men in her life.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barns are being burned and Sarah's family barn is the first. She has her own problems when her boyfriend decides to leave the Amish and go to a different country. They make her the school teacher and the kids are very badly behaved. It surprised me that the Amish children would behave like they did. Nothing is resolved at the end of the book so you have to read book 3 to find out what happens.

[Lona Schuett · Rating 5 out of 5]

book two of series lancaster burning

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think Ashley’s death was an accident. I think I know who has been setting the fires. I just don’t understand why. I still want Sarah to marry Lee. Matthew is too spoiled and selfish.

[Lorraine Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book.

[Di Schlenk · Rating 3 out of 5]

a few twists and turns in the second of this series.

[KRIS BROWN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, need to read 3rd in series to find out what happened.

[Danni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

[Gwen Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It left me wondering about the next book.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy stories about the Amish, but this book wasn't that good. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot is left hanging at the end.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book

[Lynda]

Okay. I admit I am ticked. This book could have been a definite 4-star rating but it barely by the edge of its teeth gets 3. AUTHORS: YOUR READERS LIKE ENDINGS. A BOOK IN A SERIES DOES NOT MEAN WE DON'T EXPECT ENDINGS. I certainly did not read this WHOLE book to not have closure on Sarah & Matthew.

The author, Linda Byler "was raised in an Amish family and is an active member of the Amish church today." The blurb about the author does not state whether she is a member of the Old-Order Amish. The book takes place in an OOA community. I found some of the wording used to be more Emglisher than usual. But we Amish readers know that each Amish community has some differences and perhaps this OOA community is not as restricted as the one I'm familiar with.

Note that this series is about Amish barns being burned by unknown arsonists.

At the beginning of book two in the Lancaster Burning Series we have Sarah, Davey Beiler's daughter, who believes herself in love with Matthew who the writer makes sure we see as a selfish, girl-chaser, Momma's perfect little boy, etc. etc. etc. Sarah who appears to be a bright girl has definitely put Matthew into this lovely box of what she THINKS will happen when they are wed only to have Matthew date her best friend, Rose. But Rose decides the pastures are greener elsewhere & Matthew asks Sarah "out" but never truly makes it a "date". Matthew is liberal with his kisses and Sarah is thrilled. Her mother FAR less so when Sarah reveals the kissing.

Matthew with what feels like a sudden move decides he has become "born again" and heads to Haiti to save the world & wants Sarah to go with him. He never once says "we'll get married" or "I love you". But Sarah, again with rose-colored glasses decides to leave her family AND her faith and go to Haiti. Sarah has been baptized in the Amish faith so she would be shunned/banned. Note that Matthew has not.

THEN the night before Sarah is to leave she finds out that Michael has married a Haitian girl. Yep. Good old Matthew. Finally Sarah starts to see Matthew for the self-serving person he truly is.

Two other men have entered Sarah's life and one appears to be the best match in the long run. His name is Lee. The book allows Sarah to grow up a bit and she accepts a job as school teacher to an Amish school of undisciplined students.

This book has lots of interesting side stories. The problem is that near the end Sarah seems to have had amnesia. Matthew's wife and their unborn child has died and it appears he might be returning home. And now we find Sarah thinking -- no, make that PINING over Matthew again. By this time you just want to give her two or three hard "Gibb's slaps" up the side of the head. Or on her back side. I possibly could have handle an ending where Matthew does come home but her barely speaks to her. But the book ends with her having about 5 weeks until he might appear and her as sappy as all get out.

The barn burnings are not solved yet either but that mystery is expected for this series. Not having ANY closure on these two characters is just plain aggravating.

There are several errors in the book:

"Dat laughed heartily and agreed with Sarah that she was an ill-tempered cow." Yep. Sarah is an ill-tempered cow. That's EXACTLY how this reads. It is not what is meant of course.
A character Omar asks Davey if it is okay if he uses his cell phone. The problem her is Omar's family is so-o-o-o poor that there is hardly any food in the house. The family is literally wearing bad clothes, shoes, barely eating -- yet this kid has a cell phone. I don't think so. Amish children did not keep money they earned. It went into the family. ESPECIALLY if that family was a poor as his. And with the death of his father, Omar was the man of the house.
[Amish] dresses "made in a new style". An Amish girl's bedroom with "double windows dressed in purple drapes, the matching floral comforter..." Yet this is supposed to be an Old-Ordered Amish community.
An [Amish] girl asking whether she should wear the "flats" and "not the heels". What!!! I grew up in an Old-Ordered Amish community. Yes. I was an Englisher but we saw them often in stores. We shopped in their stores. I shopped in one as little as two years ago. No flats. No heels. Black shoes. Plain, simple, black shoes. Flats & heels??? And btw, this girl was NOT in her Rumspringra either.

There was an interesting recipes mentioned within the story. A Bean soup that's a modification of mine but one I want to try.
Bean soup = can of great northern beans dumped into a saucepan of browned butter with some salt, milk, and bits of torn, stale bread. Best eaten with dried apple pie or applesauce if pie wasn't available.

As I stated at the beginning of this review, Ms. Byler appears to be Amish. But the Old-Ordered Amish she writes about certainly is different than the one with which I am familiar.

[Sonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was the second in a series. I had not read the first.
There were several threads that seemed carried over from the first that weren't explained only eluded to that made some understanding difficult.

The inclusion of Pennsylvania Dutch dialect was intrusive and annoying, although perhaps was used to remind reader of their spoken language.

The musings of the characters were repetitive without growth of the character.

When the book was over, resolution was not complete, leaving a frustrated and lost feeling. I assume to keep you reading the third book.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Lancaster Burning series written by an Amish writer. Several Amish barns burn in this book too, as is predictable. But the characters and side stories are what will keep you reading. Sarah Beiler is a devout young Amish woman who is looking for love. Unfortunately, the way she handles her relationship with Matthew is enough to make you pull your hair out. But sweet Sarah is also the one who steps up when the widow's barn is burned; and again when the community needs a new teacher for their unruly students. The mystery of the barn burnings and relationships build until the end. You will want to read more - and you can when the next book in the series comes out!


I received this book through Netgalley, and the Publisher Open Road Integrated Media, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Carolyn E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story. I enjoyed it!! However, it ended with several unanswered question that I assume were intended to be resolved in the third book of the series, The Witnesses, which was scheduled to be released on March 28, 2014.

But it appears that the publisher, Good Books, in Intercourse, PA, has gone out of business. As far as I know, there has been no announcement as to when the third book will be published. This is most unfortunate, as the first two books are very good. But there may never be a third book to tie up the loose ends.

It would be nice if Linda Byler would let us know what is happening with the third book.

[Angeles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am frustrated with the lack of ending in this novel. I will feel it is incomplete until I obtain and read the next one, which is frustrating.

However, I enjoy the characters, and understand their struggles. I particularly like that Sarah is not perfect. She loves, serves, and desires. She works hard and gets frustrated with others. She believes and struggles. We are all, all of these things. As such, it is refreshing to read the struggles through someone else's eyes--even while becoming frustrated with her, we are able to are ourselves in her thought trains and decisions.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like the storyline and where it's headed, but it can be a difficult read. There should be white space when the author jumps from one event to another and there isn't, making me go back and re-read to see if I missed something. Also, the author jumps into the heads of many characters in the same chapter, again making me go back and re-read, thus taking me out of the story. It happened occasionally in the first book but is rampant in this one.

[earline harvey · Rating 1 out of 5]

For the the most part I enjoyed it, did not like the ending....

I did not like the books ending. It is a ploy to sell the next book and pay an outrageous price. It felt like I had just read the first chapter and stopped the reading. Looking back nothing of significance happened in this book. No I would not recommend to a friend. Taught me a lesson not to buy 1 book of her series.

[Stacie Harter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this story. One of the better Amish fiction books I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. This book has been recommend to my middle school patrons as well as YA. I would recommend this for someone who is curious about the Amish and especially the children and their viewpoint. Good book!!!

[Kathy]

I got this book from the local library, not paying attention that it was No. 2 in a series of 3. I was so disappointed...but absolutely loved the book. I actually just ordered the 1st and last book in the series. I thought the book was very well written, and I feel so sad that I read the middle first!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so wrapped up in this series. The family has so many different problems. The sad death of Angela. the sad death of Kelvin. and now the death of Hannah's daughter in law. The barn fires have helped the families through faithful neighbors but they have to stop.

[Jennifer Thompson-Thalasinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a month to read because I had just started it the day my husband was killed in the San Bernardino terrorist attack. It took me 3 weeks before I could concentrate long enough to read.

[Lori]

Second book of the Lancaster Burning series by Linda Byler that I've read. Love reading Amish fiction!