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Title: Blood of the Prodigal

Subtitle: An Amish-Country Mystery, Book 1

Author: P. L. Gaus

Narrator: George Newbern

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-20-11

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 205 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A compulsively readable new series that explores a fascinating culture set purposely apart.

In the wooded Amish hill country, a professor at a small college, a local pastor, and the county sheriff are the only ones among the mainstream, or "English", who possess the instincts and skills to work the cases that impact all county residents, no matter their code of conduct or religious creed.

When an Amish boy is kidnapped, a bishop, fearful for the safety of his followers, plunges three outsiders into the traditionally closed society of the "Plain Ones".

Members Reviews:

Interesting view of the Amish attitiudes

I really liked the way the author incorporated cultural bits of Amish beliefs into how the main characters went about solving the crime. The two main characters, "English", were likeable and sympathetic to the Amish points of view. The sherrif was a bit more jaded in his view than they, but he was smart enough to work in the background with his knowledge of crimes and Amish to ensure that the crime was solved. Unfortunately, the plot was not riveting for me. If you want to learn more about Amish life and views, I think you will find this story very interesting, if you are looking for an action type book, it will probably be too slow for you. I definitely liked the book enough to check if there are more to the series because the main characters seem like they be fun to observe as they evolve.

You should find George Newbern a good narrator. I enjoyed his style and was able to easily distinquish between the characters. If you aren't too picky and like Amish, give P.L. Gaus a chance.

A fascinating look at a separate culture among us

Most of us know something of the Amish - that they try to live separate from the technological world, that they are pacifists, and maintain old crafts - that there is deep faith, but also a mandated conformity to the norms of the community, that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. A child is taken by his father, who had been banned from the community for wildness, and the Bishop is reluctant to do more than verify the child is OK - but lacking the resources, he asks two outsiders who understand the community to locate the child.

This story is complex, but the twists and turns are logical and "character-driven", based on the characters as shaped by the needs of the culture. The end is satisfying,

Living separate is sometimes good.

Fascinated with mysteries peopled with Amish, I thought of the movie "Witness" with Harrison Ford as I downloaded this title. Not as suspenseful as the afore mentioned movie, it is an easy listen and introduction into an authentic Amish community separate but within an "English" community. The author appears to have done thorough research into a little understood relationship of disparate communities living parallel to each other. With the exploration into human nature that the structure of this mystery allows, the study of traditional values versus modern temptations is expanded. The mystery is well written and structured, I didn't guess the ending until the author meant me to see it. A good, nay, excellent GP mystery with equally good narration.