Broken English-P.L. Gaus

Broken English
P.L. Gaus
Plume, Oct 26 2010, $13.00
ISBN: 9780452296619

After spending twenty-five ears in the New Jersey State Prison for rape and felonious assault, Jess Sand is freed having served his full sentence. He heads west stopping in Millersburg, Ohio, a peaceful Amish town in which crime especially violent is rare. Jesse invades a house, but the young woman fought back while calling 911. He kills her as the police arrive. The victim’s daughter Amish David Hawkins, encouraged by Pastor Cal Troyer, comes to the jail to forgive Sands, who is scornful until his visitor goes for his throat.

Reporter Eric Bromfield was covering the homicide until he became part of the story when he is murdered. Moody Sheriff Bruce Robertson assumes the father of the first victim has become avenging as well as hostile and killed the journalist especially since Hawkins seems to have vanished. However, Professor Michael Brandon and Pastor Cal also investigate as they believe Hawkins’ past before the Amish welcome him to live with them returned to haunt him.

The stars (Brandon, Robertson, and Troyer) of the powerful Amish mystery Blood of the Prodigal return for a fabulous second engagement in a whodunit that tests the moral fiber of each of them. With a fully developed cast and insight into modern day Amish life, the story line remains fast-paced throughout as Sand resides in jail while the sheriff, the professor and the pastor seek the motive behind the murder of the reporter.

Harriet Klausner