Where Secrets Sleep

Finished February 18
Where Secrets Sleep by Marta Perry

This mystery novel begins as interior designer Allison Standish is going to the small Amish village of Laurel Ridge to see the building she has inherited from her grandmother. Allison never knew her grandmother and her father disappeared from her life without notice when she was six. Allison has a good relationship with her mother, stepfather and stepbrothers, but she has always felt a bit separate from the rest of her family.
In Laurel Ridge, she finds a community that is supportive and caring, but her inheritance comes with strings attached. As she learns about Amish life from her partner in the quilting store, she also learns more about her grandmother and her father. When things start to go wrong, and Allison is threatened, she finds that her new friends are more than protective of her. If someone is trying to scare her into going away, she is determined they won't succeed. With her new ties to the community, she is determined to get to the bottom of whoever is threatening the wellbeing of those who live there.
This story has mystery, romance, and self-discovery. As Allison learns about her family, she also learns about her own feelings about herself and her relationships, and as she begins to care about those she has come to know she wants to find how she fits into this community.

Audio Thriller

Finished March 4
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, read by Kathleen McInerney
Main character Kate Burkholder definitely has her flaws, but she has a tough history that has led to them. Now the chief of police of Painters Mill, Ohio, she grew up Amish. At the age of 14, she survived an attack that ultimately led her to withdraw from the life she knew.
When one of her officers discovers the body of a murdered woman that has signs the same as a killer that operated in the area 16 years ago, Kate is drawn back to the attack she survived. What happened to her then comes back to haunt her. As she struggles to keep her own secret, she is also walking a line between her law enforcement present and Amish past. As this case develops, Kate also struggles against prejudice and the agendas of others to find the truth.
Lots going on here, and many characters with interesting issues.