Thank you in advance to the author, Dana R. Lynn, for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
I’ve been reading this series going back to May 2022’s Amish Cradle Conspiracy (book #13), and I have the first 12 books on my extensive and out-of-control TBR (which I am TRYING to get under control 🫣🤪🤣).
While this is the 18th book in the Amish Country Justice series, it is the fifth (5th) and final book of the Bender siblings’ story.
The other characters connected to the Bender family were introduced in the following books. Though I don’t know how far back some of the characters go.
📘Amish Country Threats (#10) (introduces Nicole)
📘Amish Christmas Escape (#12) (introduces Jack)
📘Amish Cradle Conspiracy (#13) (introduces Steve; features Nicole & Jack)
📘Her Secret Amish Past (#14) (Joss and Steve; introduces the Bender Family)
📘Crime Scene Witness (#15) (Micah Bender; introduces Lissa)
📘Hidden Amish Target (#16) (Zeke and Molly)
📘Hunted at Christmas (#17) (Isaiah and Addison)
Another draw was that book cover! Book covers can be exciting, they can be dull. Then, there’s the reader’s preference. Some prefer people, some prefer only landscapes, others like the illustrated covers (the ones that, to me, can come off cartoonish).
I rarely get excited about covers. For the most part, I’ve liked some and not liked others. Some do tend to stand out in either good or bad ways. But, this one? As the kids today say, it’s lit 🔥🫣 I mean, it’s LIT! One can almost feel the heat coming off it. So, it draws the reader’s attention to it. Not likely to forget that cover.
As usual, it is the story between the cover that matters the most.
Returning to this story:
The Bender siblings (as featured in the books so far):
✳️ Christina/Joss (born Christina Bender; kidnapped at the age of 2)
✳️ Micah (Deputy U.S Marshal)
✳️ Zeke
✳️ Isaiah (bounty hunter)
✳️ Gideon (Christina/Joss’ twin; still with the Amish order)
Additional returning characters:
🚓 Sgt. Steve Beck (married to Joss)
👒 Edith Bender (mother to Micah, Gideon, Zeke, Joss, and Isaiah)
🪚 Nathan Bender (father to Micah, Gideon, Zeke, Joss, and Isaiah)
👒 Molly (Zeke’s second wife)
👩🏻 Lissa (Micah’s wife)
👧🏻 Shelby (Lissa’s daughter)
👩🏻 Addison Bruce-Johnson-Bender (widow, husband was an officer killed in the line of duty; re-married to Isaiah)
The author introduces:
👒 Beth Troyer
🎨 Francesca Brown (a forensic artist)
Even though books like this are clean – free from questionable language and no spicy intimacy – there are some elements that might be troublesome for certain readers. In this one; there is obviously arson, homicide by a gun, and a strong connection to drug dealing and trafficking.
With that said …
This will, through the course of the book – and, especially near the end – have spoilers about the other siblings and stories. This is why I strongly recommend reading at least the books listed above, paying close attention to books #14-#17 for the Bender siblings. Nicole (from book #10) is mentioned in this book – with a “surprise”.
Knowing this was going to be Gideon’s story, I HAD to read it. There was no “eh, looks like it might be a good one”. It was “I NEED this book!”. After all, Gideon is Christina/Joss’ twin, and his life was impacted by her disappearance. Now it’s his turn for a happily ever after.
Speaking of Gideon’s siblings, I found it quite interesting that his sister married a detective, Micah is a U.S Marshal, and Isaiah is/was a bounty hunter. Then again, Micah and Isaiah’s careers were influenced by what happened to Christina/Joss, which makes sense. It is strange that being her twin, Gideon wasn’t compelled to leave his Amish life behind for revenge or justice.
But, the disappearance of his twin isn’t the only heartbreak Gideon has suffered.
That’s where the author takes the readers – into another one of Gideon’s heartbreaks. It wasn’t Beth who caused his heartbreak – it was her older sister, Miriam.
But, Beth can’t worry about the sister who ran off and joined the Englisch community. Beth is too busy trying to stay alive. In addition to coming home and seeing her family’s barn in flames – which she can’t understand why – she also witnesses someone murder her father and injured in the exchange.
Despite the fact that Gideon basically ghosted his friend Beth after her sister dumped him, he still feels a kinship and friendship towards Beth. Even he knows he was wrong to completely forget about Beth. Despite being a pacifist, he’ll do what he can to protect her. She’s not too sure about accepting it though.
Like her, he misses their friendship, and she knows far more about Miriam’s motives than poor Gideon. But, they also know that now is not the time to revisit the past or try to patch things up, even though they’ve harbored feelings for each other with the other not knowing it.
Almost right from the beginning, the author drops readers into an intense firestorm. Peril awaits both Gideon and Beth at each turn – nowhere is safe, and certainly not their plain community. But … where can they go as the police try to put the pieces together?
Dana R. Lynn has readers on the edge of their seats with this intense and riveting read. It definitely held my attention which each turn of the page. I was immediately drawn right in, and it seemed like the chapters were shorter in this new format. I didn’t want to put this down for any length of time. Sadly, life and illness derailed me a few times. But, when I got back to it – it was just as intense as when I walked away. While it was romantic-suspense, it bordered more on suspense, with the romance being a small portion – less than about 10% of the book. Which, I didn’t mind at all. Some stories work better with 50/50; 90/10; 80/20. It is how the author presents the story that makes it work.
I absolutely enjoyed the fact that the Bender family was mixed Amish/Englisch. It leaves me wondering and how many mixed Amish/Englisch families there are in real life. I think it would be interesting to research. And, also does it differ between the Old-World Amish and New World Amish?
I am excited to read the next book set in Sutter County. And, since it is being released in August, I won’t be spoiling it by expressing my excitement that Francesca Brown, the forensic artist from this book, will be one of the main characters.
It’ll be interesting to meet a new cast of characters or rather an additional cast. I’m hoping some of the previous characters do pop up here or there.
I am eager to see if Beth’s sister will have a more prominent story down the road. I am really interested in her before and after story. I actually wanted a bit more than what was presented here as I felt there was something else going on. That could also be the nature of the genre – suspense. But, I’m going to hope the author revisits that particular story down the road.
Another conclusion I need – Daisy. Due to a temporary situation, Beth was given a service dog – Daisy. Yet, by the end – I felt so sorry for the poor dog as it seems she’d been forgotten 😳🫣
However, it was interesting in reading how the Amish viewed and treated their dogs as opposed to how the Englisch do. Their view on horses was also as interesting. The Amish see them more as a work/practical animal, where the Englisch see them as a work and sport animal.
Most suspense books don’t have an overwhelming humor element, some don’t even have a single moment – which, given the topics and genre – is understandable. There’s no right or wrong way.
I only mentioned it because of a scene in the book where Gideon and Beth are traveling with someone. Their driver mentions an aggressive driver must’ve gotten his license out of a cereal box 🤪🤣 I was in hysterics! It truly lightened the tone of the book for a moment while injecting a bit of real life. Who hasn’t asked that question or made that statement during a trip out amongst the populace? It was a delightful moment in yet another great read by the author.
If you’re like me, and have been keeping up with the Benders – you need to read this book. This is a wonderful closure to the Bender family story.
As this is distributed by the Christian line from Harlequin, and is an Amish story, there will be mentions of the faith. These are quite mild and not overwhelming.