From Publishers Weekly
In Gaus's fourth thoughtful Amish mystery (after 2001's Clouds Without Rain), a blizzard tears into northern Ohio, devastating Millersburg College and the lives of many of the students and locals. Among the casualties is fabulously wealthy business executive Juliet Favor, patron of the college, who's discovered dead in her bedroom. The next morning Mennonite student Martha Lehman curls up in a fetal position outside her psychiatrist's office. Since she was involved with Juliet's son, she becomes the prime suspect in what proves to be a murder case. Professor Michael Branden and Sheriff Bruce Robertson must find the killer no matter who it may be. The true victim, however, is Martha, whose troubled past has cost her dearly and, as a Mennonite student in a secular environment, is doubly isolated. The psychiatric element works well here-Martha's not a nut case but a young woman in almost unbearable pain. How she will reconcile her past and find a place in society is part of the puzzle to be solved. The author portrays the conflicts among the various Amish sects whose varying degrees of strictness in some instances cause them to shun each other. Eschewing any academic pedantry, Gaus manages to expertly enlighten as well as entertain. FYI: The author teaches chemistry and alternative cultures at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From
Previous Gaus mysteries have concentrated on various elements in the life of Professor Michael Branden: his job as a history professor at Millersburg College, his relationship with childhood friends Pastor Cal Troyer and Sheriff Bruce Robertson, and his interaction with the Amish in his northern Ohio community. The fourth Ohio Amish mystery is a compelling combination of these aspects of Branden's life and more. When Martha, a troubled young Mennonite girl, is implicated in the murder of wealthy Juliet Favor, Branden and his wife, Caroline, get involved. Sonny Favor, Juliet's son, is Branden's advisee and Martha's erstwhile boyfriend. Martha enjoys a close relationship with the Brandens, who helped her through a pregnancy and adoption when she was only 14. Also in the pool of murder suspects are several Millersburg professors, some of whom had affairs with Juliet. As Caroline tries to find out why a mute Martha had Juliet's blood on her apron, Branden helps Sheriff Robertson investigate his coworkers. A fascinating look into the unique and complex worlds of the Amish and academia. Jenny McLarin
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