The Innocent - A Book Review

The Civil War is over, but Carlyn Kearney has yet to receive word from her husband.  He fought for the Union Army and she has been notified that he is "missing in action".  Two years have passed and she continues to hold out hope that her husband will return, but that hope is dwindling fast.  She has no money, she is in debt and now she is being forced from her home.  All she has is her dog Asher.

With nowhere else to turn, Carlyn seeks refuge at a nearby Shaker village.  The Shakers are a strange people.  They profess peace through simple living, but they have very strict rules and many strange beliefs that do not point towards God.  Carlyn is told right away that she cannot keep Asher so she turns to Sherriff Mitchell and he agrees to keep her dog for her.  He is clearly attracted to Carlyn, but since she may still be married and she is joining the Shaker's who believe that marriage is evil, there is no hope for a future together.

Not long after Carlyn moves to the Shaker village things become anything but peaceful.  A fire and a mysterious death puts Carlyn under the scrutiny of the elders.  The sheriff is trying to get to the bottom of the murder and Carlyn is feeling less and less like this village is where she is supposed to be.

This is the first book I have read by Ann H. Gabhart and it made me an instant fan.  I was intrigued from the very first to the very last page.  I connected with the characters and couldn't wait till I could sit down each day and get back to the story.  I am going to have to read the rest of the books by this author and if they are half as good as this one I know I won't be disappointed!

***Thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.