Suspenseful Small-Town Fiction -- Gathering Shadows

I had previously read a series of Mennonite fiction by Nancy Mehl and enjoyed the books, but I think she has outdone herself with this new story.  Gathering Shadows is a great start to her Finding Sanctuary series and left me anxious to read more.

Wynter, Zac, Reuben, Esther (as well as others) are well-developed characters who all make the story come alive.  Although certain elements of  the plot are pretty obvious from the beginning, there is plenty of suspense to keep the pace exciting all the way to the end of the book.  Watching the growth of the characters in their faith and in their relationships adds an enjoyable depth to the story.  The Mennonite influence is definitely a part of this story, but not necessarily the most important part.

An added bonus for me is the setting for the book.  Although Sanctuary is a fictional town, most of the other towns mentioned in the book are real locations less than an hour's drive from the small Missouri town where I live.  Relating to the places mentioned provides even more interest to a story.

If you think you would enjoy a visit to a small town filled with secrets, give Gathering Shadows a try.  A word of warning, though -- you might not want to start this book until you have time to enjoy the whole thing.  You will likely have trouble finding a good place to stop.

Thanks to Nancy and to Bethany House for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book

Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn't take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can't pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station's photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary.

Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town's handsome young mayor, Reuben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family's past hides in the shadows, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she's searching for hidden forever--even if the cost is Wynter's very life.

About the Author

Nancy Mehl is the author of eighteen books and received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com.