This is a great suspense read!
A killer is targeting young Amish teen girls, by flattering and luring them into a relationship only to end their lives.
The police force is always one step behind the killer. Two of the police have personal ties to the killer they seek. The author masterfully fleshes out her characters in just the right places.
While I guessed the connections towards the end, I had trouble putting this book down.
If you like suspense, this read is a must

An interesting book that has some twists but is a good read. I enjoyed reading and reviewing this book.

Posted on Goodreads.

This is a new to me author and I wasn’t disappointed. A teenaged Leah Miller faced evil ten years ago when her family was murdered in front of her and she barely escaped with her life.. After her family’s murder she leaves the Amish way of life, and now she is an officer on the local police force. As the tenth anniversary of her family’s murder approaches, teenaged Amish girls are being murdered. Is the person who murdered her family killing again or is there another serial killer.
This is a great book and quick read. The ending felt a bit open and I’m hoping that means we might get more Leah and Dalton.

Among the Innocent by Mary Alford
What a great, page-turner, and intriguing story written by a new author I've never had the privilege on reading.

The minute I started reading "Among the Innocent" I was pulled into the story, which is something I really love in a book. I fell in love with the two main characters Leah and Dalton. They were down to earth and written where they were likeable from the very beginning. Leah was a ex Amish that survived the murder of her whole family and the attempted murder of herself. Now years later it is happening again. They realize the man that went to prison wasn't the real killer. Dalton the new police chief has his own reason for investigating the murders.

Read this book that will have you guessing about what next could happen.

I recommend this book to my family and friend.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 star's

I received this complimentary book from the publisher through Netgalley for a honest review. My thoughts and opinions are mine and my alone.

Among the Innocent is a fantastic book. Well written with a fast paced plot that pulled me into the action immediately . Romantic suspense fans will love this book.

I started this book last night but will not finish it. I don't enjoy that much description of the crime scene, especially when it involves teenagers. I'm sure it will be read by many people and we will purchase it for our library. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this title.

Full of heart stopping action and sorrow for Leah who just can't seem to escape the serial killer after her. There are many secrets in her adoptive family that will certainly surprise you. Dalton was a great support to her as they investigated and tried to catch the killer who always seems a step ahead. A thrilling ending. Lots of faith in God and a growing love rounds out this great story.

A crime novel set in the Amish community.. some years after the gruesome murder of Leah's family, a copy cat murder takes place.. Leah is now a police officer in the same community. . A new police chief with his own secrets complicates Leah's life while they both investigate the crime.
I dont know kuch about the Amish community so don't know how believable the depiction is.
I would call this a sub Nora Roberts novel, it is not as fast paced, less believable characters and plotting.

I have long been a fan of Mary's Love Inspired Suspense books, so when I heard about this new book, I was excited to read it. The story/mystery of this one is good. I also liked the mystery within the mystery about why the decade old crime that is part of the current mystery is so important to the new police chief. The story moves well, and the unveiling of the criminal and his motivations was really interesting and unique. I am hopeful for a second story with these characters as there is a cliffhanger of sorts at the end. Good read!

I received this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

I knew going in that this was going to be a challenging story to read because of the subject, but the cover and the author intrigued me. I also wondered how the Amish would handle such a tragedy. Ten years ago, main character, Leah Miller’s family was killed, she barely survived the ordeal.

Leah leaves the Amish community after this tragic event and becomes a police officer. She is fighting the good fight on her job, when a new murder case gets personal, the situation and MO are almost identical to the way her family was taken out. She was certain this was done by the same guy.

Dalton Cooper is the new police chief in the town the body is found. He was here years ago and remembers what happened to Leah Miller’s family. Was she too close to this case to be involved in tracking down this killer? Could she be objective?

The story was hard to read through no fault of the author, the subject is heavy. But it’s an engaging story that has justice served in the end. I would read other novels by this author, she is good. If you are looking for an eerie cold case type of story, where you occasionally are seeing things through the eyes of the killer as he’s plotting his next move, this story is for you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher/. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Among the Innocent is my first book by Mary Alford and I was gripped from page one.

The book tells the sad story of Leah Miller, the soul survivor of a ruthless killer who slaughtered her entire family almost ten years ago. The horror forced Leah to leave her Amish upbringing after being adopted by the local police chief and his wife. Leah herself then became a police officer. She is beyond horrified when a gruesome death suggests a copycat, or the man who destroyed her family is returned. If the latter is true, then an innocent man was blamed.

Leah teams up with the brand new police chief, Dalton Cooper, a man with secret, and the hunt for the killer is on. As the book progresses, Dalton and Leah must unravel a mystery and battle a cold-hearted sociopath. All the while, the body count grows.

Among the Innocent rackets up the tension in every chapter but even with the backdrop slaughter, Leah and Dalton draw close and a gentle relationship begins. This, plus Leah’s care for her adoptive mother and affection for her former community provide much needed relief from the brutality going on elsewhere.

Recommended for fans of mysteries, thrillers and suspense.

I received a copy from Netgalley. The opinions are my own.

Mary Alford sure knows how to write a great Amish suspense story... and Among the Innocent is certainly proof of that. In fact, I think this has been my favorite that I have read by her, so far anyway!

The action starts right from the beginning and really drew me into the story right away. Unlike some suspense novels, we as readers knew pretty early on who the killer was and got to see a bit from his perspective... but we were left to wonder just what was going to happen next anyway. Getting to see inside the killer's head really actually made it all that more interesting. There was a bit of a mystery on how everything fit together, which I must say was pretty easy to figure out based on the hints given throughout, but again didn't take away any enjoyment for me. There was a small amount of romance, but the action definitely took center stage in this one. While this involved the murder of several Amish girls, I did feel like this is one that would appeal to readers who might not typically enjoy the genre as well.

In the end, it felt like perhaps it was left open for a follow-up, though to the best of my knowledge, this isn't part of a series... but I would certainly love to read more. If you enjoy a good suspense, Amish or otherwise, this is certainly one not to miss.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to #NetGalley for my advance copy of #AmongTheInnocent by #MaryAlford
Leah’s entire family was wiped out 10 years ago by a crazed killer who went on to commit suicide but now he’s back. Did the wrong man die!
Set in the Amish community this book contains no swearing or sex scenes which I loved.
With the new police chief by her side can Leah finally find the answer to what really happened before the killer comes for her again.
I have never read this author before but I will be catching up.
Excellent suspenseful story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This mystery seemed like a clean version of a Linda Castillo mystery. While I felt the romance moved way too quickly for police officers with a serial killer loose in their Amish community and I felt the police were portrayed in unrealistic ways that appeared far too cavalier for such a situation (such as letting the primary target accompany them to every crime scene!), the book was riveting and I was glued to the page.

Among the Innocent by Mary Alford is a murder mystery set in an Amish community in Montana. Leah Miller’s entire family was murdered before her eyes when she was sixteen. Her throat was slit as was her family’s, but the killer didn’t want her dead. He wanted her to suffer the loss of her family She was taken in by the police chief and his wife and eventually became a police officer in her town.

The police chief was murdered and the man who took his place came about the time that Leah knew she was being stalked. Not sure who her stalker was, she and the new chief teamed up to try to find the person responsible.

Murders kept happening with the same MO that was used ten years ago. It had to be the same person who murdered Leah’s family. They never found the perpetrator then, so it would seem that he is back to finish what he started.

I read this book in one day because the pace of the novel was so fast-moving that I could not put the book down. I highly recommend this book. Ms. Alford does a tremendous job writing twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled until the end.

Not at all what I was expecting when I picked this book up but ended thoroughly enjoyed the story!

It’s been ten years since Leah Miller escaped the clutches of the man that murdered her entire family. Leah grew up Amish but left after the murders finding it too hard to stay. When the man they believed responsible for the murders took his own life, Leah was finally able to breathe again. She joined the police force and spent her time looking out for those in the town and Amish community. When another Amish woman is found murdered in the same way as Leah’s family, she knows the killer is still out there. Leah must work with Dalton Cooper, the new police chief in town who has his own agenda concerning this case. Together they work to find out the truth and stop the killer before any more lives are lost.

Normally a book on Amish fiction would not be one I eagerly pick up to read, but I’m happy to say Among the Innocent was so much better than I expected. Mary Alford crafted a story set within the Amish community that was engaging, suspenseful, delightful, and more. Every now and then the difference in language the Amish use made it slower to read but only slightly. Leah was a great character that even with her past and suffering she was able to still rise above it all and help others.

Dalton and Leah had great chemistry that brought the story to a higher level that I wasn’t expecting. The romance was just right letting the suspense always lead the story. The way the killer was written into the story was very engaging and had me turning the pages. I would recommend readers set aside a good amount of time to read so they can fully enjoy without distractions. This was my first Mary Alford book and can guarantee it won’t be the last. Readers that enjoy romantic fiction and Amish fiction will not want to pass this one up.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

While this was a suspenseful read that was an interesting look at the Amish through a murder mystery. The book throws several curve balls. Though, as a parent, I felt really annoyed by the apathy of the community and families when it became apparent that young Amish women were being targeted.

This is Amish fiction combined with contemporary mystery. Leah Miller is a deputy sheriff in the small town in Montana where she grew up and where her family was murdered. She feels responsible for their deaths because the young English man she was secretly seeing at the time is the one who killed them and wounded her. As a deputy, she wants to find the man who disappeared a decade ago. The new chief of police, Dalton Cooper, also wants to find the suspect, but mostly because young Amish girls are currently being murdered in like manner to Leah’s family. Sure that the cases are connected, Dalton joins forces with Leah to track down the killer before he kills again or goes after Leah. The action is fast-paced and riveting with some red herrings thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. The characters are realistic and portray their humanity in several ways, the most endearing being that they end up falling in love with each other. I enjoyed that Leah’s foster mother Marge is involved in the center of the mystery and has a secret herself that is revealed slowly and methodically. There were some parts of the book that were predictable, most notably when young Amish girls had clandestine meetings with strangers. But the predictability did not detract from the entertainment value of the book. I enjoyed the setting out west, a place that I had never associated with the Amish before and I liked the research that went into including tribal law enforcement in the quest of justice. All in all, this is a solidly entertaining and engaging book and I recommend it for those who enjoy clean romantic suspense with more than a little mystery included.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Mary Alford is a well-loved author who grabs the reader at page one and doesn’t let go until the last page. Among the Innocent, fits tightly into her wheelhouse.

The story begins in an Amish community located in Montana, when a heart-wrenching act of evil disturbs the idyllic town. Young Leah Miller witnesses the unthinkable. The brutal murders of her whole family. She managed to get away, fortunately the murderer is caught. Or was he?

Ten years later, Leah has left the Amish life and is a police officer when the murder of a young Amish girl—the same MO as her family—happens. Did they not catch the real murder? Has he returned to finish the job—take Leah’s life?

A new police chief, Dalton Cooper, who has his own secrets, begins his first day on the job with a murder. He joins the search for this disturbed man who may have already killed more young Amish girls. Dalton seems to know more about this case than he should.

There are so many twists and turns in this book, I couldn’t put the story down. Several times during the wee hours I was awoken by my kindle bopping me on the nose. But that was okay, I’d just pick up where I left off.

I always wonder about those who so accurately depict evil. What from their past or understanding gives them the ability to write such a credible story? Stories we hope will never happen, yet unfortunately know by the headlines and our own experience that evil exists.

Highly recommend this book for readers of intense thrillers, suspense, murder mysteries, some Amish “flavor,” and a leave-the-lights-on story.

Thanks to Revell for the advanced eBook through #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Among The Innocent is a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that left me guessing. The small Idaho town where Leah Miller lives was devastated by the events 10 years in the past when Leah was the sole survivor of the murder of her family. Now nearing the anniversary of the horror, young women are found killed in the same manner. Leah, now a police officer, joins forces with the new police chief, to discover if there’s a copycat or the murderer has in fact returned. The murders, while gruesome, are not depicted in an overly graphic manner by Alford, but there is blood — just an FYI for the squeamish. The case is a puzzler that had me and the characters seemingly one step behind the killer. I loved all the twists and turns. Within the small community is a group of Amish, and they are the first ones targeted, hence the title. While not an Amish novel, it was interesting to see the interplay between the Englisch and the Amish in this tough situation. Leah is a vulnerable character, yet is determined to find justice for her family. Dalton Cooper, the new police chief also is personally invested in the case. Not sure either of them would have been involved in real life, but I liked their interactions and their budding relationship. Leah lost her connection with God when she left the Amish, but Dalton expresses the importance of faith. He lives out his faith in a natural way that drew Leah in. I liked that too.

If you are looking for a romantic suspense to take along to the pool or beach (or even the back porch), I recommend Among The Innocent. It was a quick read for me that I very much enjoyed.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.