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“This book has so many great qualities that I almost don't know where to start! It's got a fast-paced storyline, a good romantic element, and a mystery that will have you guessing the "who-done-it" all the way through. Not only that, but it's a hard book to put down. I was reading it every spare minute that I could!
SouthernSassyGirl wrote this review Monday, September 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Lately, I've been on the Amish fiction bandwagon, so I really liked the fact that this book was set in Amish country. This was my first experience with an Amish story that was combined with a mystery, with the mystery being the main focus of the story instead of the Amish. With that said, the author does include the important things one needs to know to understand the Amish culture. So, if you've never read Amish fiction before, you'd definitely get a good knowledge of what you need to know to understand their lifestyle.
Probably the most interesting thing that I liked about this book was that the DNA testing and research that goes on in Amish communities is factual. I had no idea that there were several genetic disorders that they have to deal with, but it's understandable since they're all so tight-knit and marry within their community. The author did an incredible amount of research that shows when the DNA lingo starts to get really technical, but she writes it in a way that makes sense.
Mindy Starns Clark is definitely an author I'll be on the lookout for in the future. Make no mistake--you'll not be sorry if you read Shadows of Lancaster County. It is not a book you want to miss out on!”
“Great book! But then again I love all Amish books!”
K. C wrote this review Monday, August 31 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Good story. Lots of suspense. I reviewed it yesterday on my book blog-- http://annshorey.blogspot.com/
AnnShorey wrote this review Tuesday, August 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Would love to hear from other readers as to their opinion of the way the ending was crafted.”“i really enjoyed this book.”
pattie c wrote this review Wednesday, July 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark if a suspense novel chockfull of twisting plots and unexpected discoveries. Anne Bailey has created a new life for herself in California. Far away from her childhood home in Lancaster County,Pennsylvania and from the crime that destroyed her future. When her brother Bobby disappears leaving behind pregnant wife Lydia and son Isaac, Anne sets out to find him. That quest sets her on a course that will unearth secrets about DNA, long-lost gems, and the Amish. I'm a huge fan of Clark's work, and in the hands of any other author, this story would have been overburdened by all of the different plotlines and twists, but she handles them deftly, keeping readers flying through the pages. There's a lot of info about genetic testing and gene therapy that end up pulling the various story threads together. Clark's novel will appeal to readers who love the growing genre of Amish lit, as well as romantic thriller fans.”
clockstein wrote this review Friday, July 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Great supense all throughout the book. there is two mysteries going on in the book and you don't learn about both until the 3rd chapter towards the end of the book. So I was dumbfounded on the who done it most of the book. So yes I would recommend it as a great read.”
Cornbread & Grits wrote this review Sunday, June 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was an INCREDIBLE read. If you only choose to read one Mindy Starns Clark, by all means choose this one. The intertwining of Amish history and DNA research was absolutely fascinating!”
Heather wrote this review Friday, June 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“notes another 'light summer read'. I liked the 'many hooks' in this mystery. The lead character is a skip tracer with a youthful indiscretion that plagues her into her 30s. From the cover image, you can see that the Amish figure into the story as well with elements of their history back to 19th century Europe playing a role in the tale. Not a great work of literature but interesting enough that I am going to visit the author's website at www.mindystarnsclark.com to find out which elements of the tale are fictional and which are based on fact and consider reading some of her other books. Shadows of Lancaster County is published by Harvest House so there is some overt religiousity in the storyline.”
Amy P wrote this review Monday, June 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This story of forgiveness and overcoming the past is well mixed with mystery, DNA science and experimental cures carried too far, and a treasure hunt for royal jewels lost almost two centuries ago, with a bevy of bad guys from both the medical and treasure-seaker community. It is an interesting, exciting, complex thriller that held my interest throughout, but like the previous book I read by Clark, "Whispers of the Bayou", I did find a few of the story's elements a bit far-fetched. I am ordinarily not a big fan of treasure hunts and clues that are hidden in plain sight until somebody from the present time has the smarts or perhaps the desperation to put the clues together.
Marguerite E. W wrote this review Monday, April 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Still, all the elements of the story were woven together quite well woven together, the format and writing style was, for the most part, fast, readable, with decent descriptions and detail, and most of the main characters were human and fairly complex (although I felt that most of the Amish characters were described as a bit too perfect).
Several years earlier, Anna, a teenaged Christian, Laura, a teenaged Amish girl who loved Anna's brother, Bobby, and eventually married him outside her faith, and several other young friends, including Reed, who Anna secretly loves, got together for a wild party in the back fields of Laura's family farm. Things get out of hand, and part of Laura's home is burned down, killing both her parents and her just-born baby brother.
Uplifted by the forgiveness given by the Amish community, but still riddled with guilt and pursued by the media, Anna changes her name and moves to California to escape. Her new life is working well until she receives a frantic call from Laura saying Bobby (Laura's husband, her young son's father, and Anna's brother) is missing.
What follows is a frantic search for Bobby who was injured in a motorcycle accident under mysterious circumstances. Slowly, Reed (now a doctor), Anna, Laura, and her Amish family uncover a complicated mystery involving Amish DNA, experiimental gene-splicing illegal cures for a generic disease that infects many of the Amish community causing many stillbirths, and, oh yes, did I mention a jewel hunt?
And there is the worry...what is making Laura's and Bobby's young son sick? And, did the five teenaged friends really cause the deadly fire so many years ago?”
