True crime is my favorite nonfiction trope so when I was offered this I was so excited. It was an interesting read until it wasn’t. Became kinda slow and drawn out. Still an interesting story at its base 3⭐️

This book was surprisingly enjoyable. For such a dark and twisted case, the author had me hooked on finding out the truth and seeking justice.

Gregg Olsen has a compelling ‘just trying to get to the bottom of this’ charm about him as he tells the story of a murder amongst an Amish community in Ohio and the life and times of Ida and Eli Stutzman. What he does differently than some true crime writers, is share his own feelings and emotions as he navigates the case and uncovers secrets and surprises.
This adds to the narrative style, since he creates a vivid picture and takes the reader from the scenes of the crimes to the journey to get there.

The author does go on very long tangents chock full of detail about his interviewees and side project cases he is working on, which while interesting, may have been trimmed down. It could have been about 50-75 pages less of detail, however, it seems the authors purpose was also to demonstrate the mentality and secrecy of the Amish so it did add that slow and steady wear down of detail and attempt to the overall feel of the book.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I read the first book the author wrote about this case, Abandonedd Prayers, and I did not feel like I was learning anything new about the case from this book.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this book. I felt like it dragged too much and was boring at some points.

The Amish Wife: Unraveling the Lies, Secrets, and Conspiracy That Let a Killer Go Free by Gregg Olsen is a work of nonfiction that the author wrote to tell some of the true story behind a novel he wrote. This book is probably more of a memoir because the author includes himself and his conversations frequently in the book. Ultimately, this is not a true crime tell all as I expected. There is no real conclusion, just some speculation. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This book took me way too long to get through. It did not end with a conclusion. I would not recommend this book. In the book Gregg says "I can't really know what happened that night. Not for sure." His wife replied "That doesn't make for a very satisfying story." I completely agree with his wife Claudia. This book did not and with them knowing how or who actually killed Ida.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy. Unfortunately I did not get around to reading it before publication.

I have always been a true crime reader so I jumped to the chance to read The Amish Wife. I have read most of Olsen's other books but this one fell flat. The story itself is a cold case from 1977 set in the Amish community. The story was well researched and documented but felt repetitive.

I like Gregg Olsen’s true crime books, so I requested this one without even looking to see what it was about. In hindsight, I should have at least read a little blurb about the subject matter, because then I would have figured out that this is a follow up to a book on my TBR list. Had I known, naturally, I would have read the older book first. Oh well.
It was really good; the author revisits the suspicious death of a young, married Amish woman, trying to uncover answers to questions that should have been, but weren’t previously asked.
I’m still planning to read the first book, Abandoned Prayers; hopefully, it won’t seem like a waste of time, even though I’ll obviously know how it ends.
Thanks to #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for this #arc of #theamishwife in exchange for an honest review.

A novel that delves into the heart of an Ohio Amish community, unraveling a tragic mystery that spans decades. Olsen’s meticulous research and attention to detail shine through as he uncovers the events surrounding Ida’s death. While the premise is intriguing, the pacing occasionally falters.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Olsen digs deep into a precious topic he’d already written about: Eli Stutzman and what really happened that night in 1977 to his wife Ida and later to his son Danny.
Olsen presents a clear and convincing case about lying authorities trying to hide sordid secrets.
I was appalled at what I read and the gross miscarriage of injustice for the wife and son of a sick predator.
Although Olsen does appear a tad obsessed with this story, it’s one that needed to be revealed.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Gregg Olsen is a premiere True Crime novelsit and I walways enjoy his books. The Amish Wife does not disappoint.
This is the second true crime book he has wriiten about this horrific Amish crime and it is just as good as the first. This time around we get the story about Eli's (the murderous Amish husband) murdered wife and son. A great addition to the list.

I enjoy Gregg Olsen appearances on true crime documentaries and always get excited when he puts out a new book. The Amish Wife is his telling and account of an older but still heartbreaking case of lies, betrayal, and murder in a quiet Amish community. A fascinating read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't read anything by this popular author before picking this one up. Although I'm an avid thriller reader and a true crime fan, I just hadn't had the chance. So, I was beyond thrilled to finally have the opportunity, and this book in particular sounded especially interesting to me.

It wasn't until after I started reading The Amish Wife that I realized it was a continuation of a previous book, Abandoned Prayers, which was published in 1990. And, in all honesty, I wish I had read that one first. I think it would have painted an even clearer picture.

Overall, I found The Amish Wife to be well written and informative. Including content from some of the letters written by Eli Strutzman was also a nice touch.

A solid 3.5 star read for me!

The reads almost like a documentary. The writer revisits a case he covered in 1989. It represents a chance to right a wrong. It’s full of posturing and analysis. It also stays true to the landscape where Ida and Danny lived. It’s a deep dive by a writer who needs more answers and a bit of redemption. He becomes adept at reading the stoic faces of the Amish. He travels among them hoping a revelation is within his sight. Ultimately the writer lays out for us a pathway to what little truth is left to find for Ida and Danny in this cloistered community.

This was a different style of book for me. I found it hard to keep track of the families and connections, left feeling like still so much unknown

This book was not what I expected. It was a did not finish for me. I haven’t read the other books in the series and expected a nonfiction book.

The Amish Wife by Gregg Olsen sees the author revisit a case he originally wrote about decades ago involving the suspicious death of Ida Stutzman, a young pregnant Amish woman in 1977. While her husband was not a suspect at the time subsequent events including the death of the couples child a few years later left lingering suspicions, especially among her family. Her brother reached out to the author following the discovery of a box of letters and he decided to reopen his investigation, no easy task at the best of times, especially among a tight knit community like the Amish but made even more difficult by the passage of time and the deaths of several key players in the intervening years. As the author lays out the evidence and builds a compelling case that Ida was in fact killed by her husband he uncovers a tangled nest of secrets involving those tasked with the original investigation.
This is a book that moves at a slow methodical pace as the author carefully lays out the evidence to support his theory and make a case against his prime suspect. I had not read his earlier examination of the murder but there is sufficient background here that I did not feel like I was missing out on any pertinent details. I did find that there were some rather random digressions into other famous murders that did not seem entirely relevant to the story at hand, and that was a little distracting. Obviously the author has done a tremendous amount of research in preparation for this book and that is abundantly clear in the way he tells the story but at times it did slow the pace considerably.
Overall I found myself really engaged in the tragic tale the author shared despite some qualms about the way he told it.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was a slow burn for me and the got even slower. I liked the story just wish there was more and it was faster. Overall I was pretty bored.

A captivating true tale of corruption that left several murders in its wake. The author not only shares tireless accounts of interviews and research but appears to be the only one fighting for justice and the truth. I admire his efforts and may justice for Ida, Little Boy Blue and others live on through the pages of this book.