Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1) [Hardcover]

P. L. Gaus (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the Old Order Amish communities of Ohio's Holmes County, it is rare for one of the self-styled "plain" people to seek aid from an outsider, one of "the English." But Bishop Eli Miller needs help and goes for it to a local academic, Michael Brandon. Years before, Miller had exiled his son Jonah for his wild ways. Now Jonah has snatched his own son, Jeremiah, who has been living with the bishop. In a note to his father, Jonah sends assurances that the boy will be returned by harvest time. Concern about Jeremiah's exposure to the outside world prompts the bishop to ask Brandon to locate the boy. And Brandon, too, is worried: Jeff HostettlerAwhose sister, Jeremiah's mother, committed suicideAhas vowed to kill Jonah on sight. When Jonah is discovered shot dead, dressed in traditional Amish garb and apparently on his way back in repentance to the bishop's home, Hostettler becomes the prime suspect. But where is Jeremiah? Gaus brings a refreshing authenticity to his unusual setting and characters. There are no wisecracking gumshoes here, but instead believable characters whose faith is explored with respect. Anyone who enjoyed the film Witness should take to this fine mystery debut. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

YA-With an unusual setting and a quiet tone, this mystery carries readers into the world of the Ohio Amish, where a bishop's grandson, Jeremiah, has disappeared. The boy had been living with the bishop and his family since his father was banished from the community 10 years earlier, just before Jeremiah's illegitimate birth to a local drug-addicted teenager. The bishop calls upon a local "English" (non-Amish) college professor to locate the boy, as he has reason to believe that Jeremiah is with his missing father for the summer. Eventually Jeremiah's father is found, shot to death, not far from the bishop's farm, but Jeremiah himself has not turned up. Thus the matter becomes public and involves the sheriff and his deputy, who work with the professor to solve the murder and find the boy. This thoughtful book contrasts the Old Order Amish way of life with that of modern America, and provides a refreshing look at a cast of small-town people who do their jobs capably as a matter of course and make their own moral choices.
Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: Ohio University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821412760
• ISBN-13: 978-0821412763
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling!, January 24, 2000

By 

KMS "consumer of books" (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

P.L. Gaus is quite a storyteller, and his first novel is a page-turner! He has a way of moving the action along and seamlessly blending in bits of local color and culture that compel the reader to stay with the book, just for the sheer pleasure of watching the story unfold. His first novel is a fascinating look at the Old Order Amish and their coexistence with die Hochen, their non-Amish or "English" neighbors.

I grew up in the area where the book takes place, and it was fun to read the very accurate descriptions of the region (particularly the weather!). Gaus paints a vivid picture of the rolling hills and farms of east central Ohio. My only request is that the next book be set during Autumn, so I can vicariously relive the cider-and-pumpkin days of my youth!

However, if I could, I'd give this book 4.5 stars rather than 5, for a couple of reasons. One is that the book suffers a bit from First Novel Syndrome, or perhaps it's just Small Press Syndrome. That is, it wants for a bit of editing. Some parts of the book just don't flow well, and I found myself having to re-read some passages to link up pronouns with their subjects. The resolution of the mystery, while satisfying enough to keep me from condemning the book altogether, was a wee bit flimsy. What I thought was a glaring error in editing turned out to be a pivotal clue in solving the mystery, and while the lead character was trying to puzzle it out, I couldn't help shaking my head and thinking that only an idiot could have missed it. There also were a few loose ends left untied at the end of the book, and a few things that I thought deserved a more thorough explanation. And the most unforgivable sin of all: Gaus presents a rather inaccurate, derogatory view of Texans. I can't just let a thing like that slide, now can I? ;)

All in all, these minor flaws take very little away from the enjoyment of this fine book. The story is captivating, the characters, with a few minor exceptions, are multi-dimensional and "real", and Gaus' flair for establishing atmosphere is top notch. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next Dr. Michael Branden mystery!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true depiction of Amish and English struggles to coexist, June 28, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Montgomery, Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

This is a great summer read of Old order Amish life set in Ohio's late 20th century "English" countryside. The separate, plain Amish life is carefully depicted with emphasis on the need for sameness, strict rule of the Bishops, and suppression of pride among those who have chosen to take their vows. The Amish life is truly different, one that people are born into and accept, or leave. For those who can't conform, the struggles of living with the English, banned and cast from the family, are foremost. The "ban", "rumschpringe" and "bundling" - events hard to believe unless you know the culture - all become familiar. The characters in the book, English or Amish, respectfully co-exist and connect when help from the English is needed. Only a skilled writer could breach that human gap between the old world and the present, depicting the struggle between the devout and the secular. The scenery is haunting - the overcast, restless water of Marblehead and quiet trout ponds, thick swamps and narrow winding roads of northern Ohio - a setting perfect for a murder.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Debut Novel, August 8, 2000

By 

Kevin C. Kropf "I ADMIT" (Albion, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

As someone who grew up just outside of Amish country it is nice to read about home. The characters are believable and I have little doubt that they will have staying power.

The story takes a very unexpected twist near the end and it was almost too much of a change for it's own good (this is my only criticism).

Gaus captures the enigma of the Amish without "selling them out." Certainly you will learn more about our technologically challenged neighbors, their culture, language and even their food and you will walk away from the book asking yourself how you would survive without email, television and cordless phones.