The Secrets We Keep

Tulsa detective Nate Fisher is at a professional crossroads as he deals with the guilt and uncertainty of an on-duty killing when he learns of the death of his father. Seeking both to grieve and get away, he returns home to Cedar Creek, an Amish community in Mississippi that he left 12 years before. Word spreads fast that Fisher, shunned under his community’s Bann, has returned. His former girlfriend, Rachel, seeks him out to investigate the mysterious suicide of her younger brother, as she suspects foul play at the hands of the son of a local Englisch political family. Lillard (A Lancaster Amish Christmas) meshes Amish romance with police procedural, not always seamlessly, in this new series. The mystery plotline lags at places and readers may tire of Fisher constantly dithering on whether to return to Tulsa, but the rich setting and strong characterization make this title an overall compelling read. The book closes with the revelation of another murder, which promises a sequel.