The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard. In Mississippi Amish country, Rachel whose husband has been missing for 3yrs wakes up to her brother Albie’s apparent suicide. Ex Amish and cop Nathan returns home where he is shunned because of his father’s passing. Rachel asks him to look into Albie’s death because she knows he wouldn’t commit suicide. Old loves, a few mysteries and secrets going on makes this a very intriguing book. I’m seriously hoping that there is a second book coming soon!! I like my stories to finish when the book does do the only reason for the four stars is there was a few things left unfinished. It does leave it open for a new book. Thank you to #AmyLillard, #NetGalley and #Crooked Lane Books for this Arc. This is my honest review.

I went into this book really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it misses the mark. First off, there are so many inaccuracies about the Amish characters behaviors. I did really like Rachel. Nate however, not a fan. He spends the entire book back and forth on where he belongs. Which would be okay if the majority of his dilemma wasn't about women. Which he seems to think he is the golden gift to. I skipped a large chunk just to get to the end. Which was frustrating in itself.

I love the cover, very intriguing for a mystery book. This is an Amish mystery which I was drawn to because I live amongst the Amish here in Pennsylvania.
The book starts off with a bang, as we get right to the mystery. Fast paced this was hard to put down. A tragedy strikes an Amish family and a former Amish man who is now a policeman/detective comes back home. While there he seems a former girlfriend who the tragedy happened to. As he tries to fight romantic memories and those renewing feelings she begs him to help investigate the case because the local police aren't taking it seriously. I enjoyed the book but there are some unrealistic things here the Amish would not get involved in and also some repetitive thoughts throughout the book but it did not take away my enjoyment of the book. Fast paced and I had a hard time putting it down. Looking forward to reading more by the author soon.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Hooked from the very beginning! I loved reading "The Secrets We Keep" by Amy Lillard. The cover and title first drew me in and then the beginning jumping right into a mystery that had me hooked to find out what happened. I find the life of the Amish so interesting and this books gives you peeks into their lives when tragedy hits an Amish family and an ex-Amish policeman/detective comes back home. With a mystery and a memory of romance, I recommend this read and would love to see it continue. At times, some of the memories/thoughts/emotions of the characters were a little repetitious, but did not take away from the mystery or story. I hope to read more from Amy Lillard and these characters in the future!

A mystery that I couldn't put down. From the beginning to the end, I was captivated by the story and the characters. Friendship, love, faith, trust, death, and suspense fill the pages of this book. A great read. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Nate is a police officer who has been involved in a line of duty incident. When he hears of a death back home, he goes back home to Mississippi- to the Amish community he’s been shunned from.

He sees his old flame Rachel right off the bat and she finds him at his hotel to have him help solve her brother Albie’s suicide which she believes to be a murder.

Nate does just that, having always had a soft spot for Rachel. You learn he left home to play MLB to get money to get his sister a heart transplant, but she dies, and because he left, he was shunned, no matter the reason.

We learn Albie is gay, this is not okay with the Amish community, and because he’s both Amish and gay, the English community hazes him.

There’s also a mysterious Jay Anderson, who wanted a puppy, which was also hinted as someone who could have killed Albie, yes, over a puppy,

Also going on, Rachel’s husband is missing along with her BIL’s wife, this is never resolved. Her BIL is a creep. Rachel
Is sure her dad bashes Nate in the head, but we never find out who did, the journal is never found nor is the person who took it, We learn Albie dies because of the shame of him being gay and Amish, but by someone Amish, and Rachel and Nate don’t work it out, BECAUSE HE SOLVES THE CASE.

Also!!! He gets an air bnb for 2 days, somehow the renter wants to get with him and he has to be “only hers” after one spaghetti and one taco night but he can’t because of the girl and cat back home, and you guessed it, Rachel.

Nate goes back to OK, the cop from MS calls him to come back because another Amish murder happens, but this time to the creepy abusive bishop.

I tried so hard to get into this book and enjoy it. I couldn’t get a good rhythm, the book was pieced together and there were so many pieces and parts that never came together. At about 80% when the puppy part came into play, I just had a really hard time continuing. With 40 minutes left, I pushed through, and the conclusion was exactly what I thought it would be.

It felt like the author just had too many things going on, the slow burn never caught fire, and making Albie die because he was gay in the Amish community hurt my heart. Poor Albie. I also just couldn’t with Nate going back to beg his way back into the Amish community after the ending to go back and solve the murder of the bishop.

**Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ARC and the ability to leave an honest review.

Full disclosure, I grew up Amish so I am very critical of Amish fiction. Most is so out there and not realistic that I can't read it. This author got some of the Amish life down better than other authors, but poor writing and hanging details lead me to a rating of "needs editorial help." Some things are too unbelievable to happen in real Amish life; a lone women going to see an ex at a local motel at night, an elder staging a hanging, burying a body with little outside oversight, all a bit of a stretch about the realities of Amish life. It kept my interest due to checking for untruths more than anything!

This is an engaging mystery novel set against the unique backdrop of an Amish community in Mississippi. The story follows Detective Nathan Fisher, who returns to his conservative hometown after his father’s death, only to be drawn into investigating the suspicious death of his former love’s brother. The author skillfully weaves themes of faith, family, and hidden truths, offering readers a fresh perspective on small-town mysteries. While some of the novel is pacing slow and certain plot points are repetitive, the emotional depth and well-developed relationships more than make up for that. Overall, it’s a compelling read that delves into the complexities of returning to one’s roots and confronting past secrets.

Well that sucked. I can't even be bothered to do my usual review format. I should not have read this book. I did not realize it was going to be Christian fiction, for one thing. I also was not prepared for it to be this poorly written. So many plot holes. So much whining from main characters. So much describing gay men as effeminate. So much homophobia in general. Yet I think the author is proud of herself for her oh-so-enlightened portrayal of homosexuality. So much repeating the same information and phrases. No actual ending. Blatant fishing for a sequel even though who would possibly want to read more after this. Goodness. What was the point??? This is the first time that I have really been like, wow, I have wasted my time. I am sorry to Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon, my previous read. You look better in hindsight. Now I truly know what a one star book looks like. A curse upon NetGalley's honor for having this at the top of my librarian newsletter. I shake my fist at thee!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

The Secrets We Keep hooked me from the start. I really felt for Nate, caught between his past and the duty he’s trying to escape. Returning to his hometown brings back so many painful memories, and the tension between him and Rachel is electric. The mystery of her brother’s death kept me guessing, and I loved how the investigation unfolded, with Nate and Rachel’s complicated history adding depth to the case. The characters were well-developed, and while the pacing slowed a bit toward the middle, the emotional stakes kept me engaged. A solid four stars—gripping, heartfelt, and full of suspense.

Detective Nathan Fisher reluctantly returns to the Amish community where he grew up after he receives word that the former love of his life, Rachael Hostetler, desperately needs his help. After being banned from the close-knit community after his father’s death, he hoped that his unwelcome visit would be short.
Rachael’s younger brother Albie was found hanging in her family’s barn, and it is being ruled as a suicide. She knows that he would never kill himself, but the police and her own family are convinced it was murder. Even though she and Nate were once lovers and were planning to marry, she is confident that they can overcome their past and work together to uncover the details surrounding Albie’s death.
Convinced that the murder was not a suicide, they desperately work together to find the truth despite the resistance of the Amish community.

Didn't get too far into this story, I was hoping for more, but it didn't capture my interest in the early chapters, unfortuneately. I did learn more about Amish communities, and I appreciate that. Thank you for the ARC.

I’ve been reading Amy’s books for many years. This one veers much darker and edgier than her previous work. It deals with crime and deceit in and around an Amish community in Mississippi. Some of the limitations of Amish culture are probed pretty deeply here. Lillard has always been pragmatic in her Amish fiction but never as much as this. I’ve never been a fan of over romanticized Plain life and as a professional have seen how secrecy can allow evil to flourish. This book is a quick read and *feels like* the start of a series. I don’t know that but the ending is fairly abruptly as if there is more to come. This isn’t for anyone who only wants to see the Amish as saccharine and quaint.

I think I'll be honest here and say that I loved her other novels much more.
There were definitely many many secrets here. Enough to keep me turning the pages. That part was OK.
But the character Nate got on my nerves a little too much. He was too emotional and not sure of himself. But as we read on we soon see why.
Eventually I found myself rooting and praying for him. That's a lot to live through!
Poor Albie is the one whom I felt sorry for.
Did Albie really kill himself or was he murdered? An interesting question. His sister Rachel didn't think so.
I liked her immediately. Reaching out to help family is a plus in my book.
This is told from different pov which at times can be confusing but I soon caught on.
I am giving this book 5 stars because of the excellent guessing and writing.
I was kept on the edge of my seat anxiously turning the pages.
Who do we really feel sorry for in this story?
Nate, Albie or Rachel? Y'all will just have to read this book to find out!
I will say the mysterious cover of the book was what drew me to read it and also the author.
I will recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

This was a wonderfully done mystery novel, it had that element that I was hoping for and enjoyed the use of the Amish community. The characters were everything that I was looking for and was invested in what was happening in this. Amy Lillard wrote this well and was glad I got to read this.

This held a lot of promise to be full of intrigue and suspense but there was way too much inclusion of inner speculation by the main character. What really annoyed me though was the constant back and forth of Nate leaving, not leaving, leaving, not leaving. It was frustrating for me as a reader and made the story repetitive rather than dynamic, boring rather than compelling.

This was my first time reading a book by Amy Lillard and my first experience with Amish fiction, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Secrets We Keep pulled me in with its compelling characters, each carrying their own burdens and hidden truths. Lillard’s storytelling is rich, with well-developed relationships and an emotional depth that kept me engaged from start to finish. The blend of mystery, faith, and personal struggles made for a captivating read. I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend.

This book had potential—a murder mystery set in an Amish community with a detective forced to confront his past—but unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver. The story dragged in too many places, making it hard to stay engaged. The dual-POV should have added depth, but instead, it felt repetitive. Nate’s internal struggles were over-explained, and Rachel’s determination to prove her brother didn’t take his own life was admirable, but the pacing made it hard to stay invested. While intriguing at first, the romance felt flat, and the mystery lost its momentum with unnecessary filler.
One thing I did appreciate was how Albie’s sexuality was handled. The way his being gay was discussed in the context of the Amish community felt nuanced and added an interesting layer to the story. I just wish the rest of the book had been as compelling. I kept waiting for things to pick up, but I was more relieved than satisfied when the story reached its conclusion. If you like slow-burn mysteries, this might work for you, but for me, it was a struggle to get through.

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Lillard and it won't be the last. I enjoyed the little bits of Amish language thrown in and the customs that they hold. While I suspected the ending, I wasn't sure until the end. I am hoping that there will be more books with the characters.

The book started off slow and took a while for me to get into? I considered not finishing it. I always find the Amish life interesting especially with the secrets they keep amongst themselves. I picked the book back up and finished it in 2 days!! I loved it and wanted more. I’m hoping for a Part 2 because I need more!!