One of the charms of this book is definitely the Amish words and phrases thrown in throughout that help you feel imersed in the stroy. It's that classic story of a small town boy moving away and leaving his true love behind before returning...with an Amish twist. I felt like this was a good thriller and though I did feel I knew ultimately where the story was going, it was still interesting to read how they got there. I felt at times the story seemed to drag on and repeated things to make it longer, but other than that I felt it was a solid read. I'm curious to see what else comes from this storyline.

So many secrets in this Amish community. This story had me guessing throughout the whole story. It was a bit slow to start, but once the story picked up I was hooked.

Nate grew up Amish and left to try and save his sister. Now he has been banned and is working as a cop, but upon hearing the news of his father passing, he returns to pay his respects. His former love, Rachel, runs into him and informs him of her brother’s supposed suicide and her theories on what might have happened.

The ending of the book definitely left room for future stories within the community, so if that comes to fruition, I will be on the lookout!

An interesting book about the Amish. I must say the plot drags somewhat. The lustful longing among the main characters is overdone. Ending sets up for another book b

This book had like 300 plot points and like 2 of them got resolved. It was fine but not great. I would have liked more resolution. I also felt like the characters fell a little flat and the ending was very predictable.

Nate Fisher is on extended leave from his job as a deputy sheriff in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nate has been cleared of any charges relating to the shooting death of a young offender, which has left him traumatised. He hears from his brother that their father has died in the Amish community in Cedar Creek, Mississippi, which Nate had left ten years earlier. Although Nate has been banned from returning to the community he travels to Cedar Creek to visit his father’s grave.
Nate had been in love with an Amish woman, Rachel, who had refused to go with him when he left, aiming to earn enough money, originally trying to make it as a professional baseball player, in the hope of paying for treatment for his terminally ill sister. When he arrives back in Cedar Creek ten years later Rachel approaches him and asks him to help her prove that her brother’s death was a murder, and not suicide as has been recorded. Rachel is now married with two daughters, although her husband has disappeared.

I used memories from the Harrison Ford movie, Witness, which I’d watched again recently, to picture Amish people and their kind of country; but although Nate was a police detective like the character, John Book, the similarities to this story ended there. It was a good, solid mystery with emphasis on the main characters’ private lives, just as I like it. The Amish people, including Nate’s mother, are rigid in their condemnation of Nate for having left the community, in contrast to which Nate has gained, as an outsider, tolerance and compassion; he still cares for Rachel and agrees to look into her brother’s death.

I do hope Amy Lillard is thinking of writing another book explaining the disappearance of Rachel’s husband. I would love to read it!

Published by Crooked Lane Books

Firstly thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a review.
I’ve reviewed a few of this authors books and this is definitely one of their strongest .
Thought provoking and well written

The Secrets We Keep is a fast-paced and easy read that dives into a story bridging the past and present, exploring Amish and English cultures—a perspective that was new to me. While I appreciated the unique cultural elements, I felt some parts were repetitive, with certain aspects of the past being explained too often. The ending didn’t quite land for me, as I had hoped for something different. Still, an intriguing mystery for fans of cross-cultural storytelling

Secrets can cause so much pain when revealed. So much secrets in a small Amish community. The author threw more light on the Amish culture as Nate and Rachel uncovered painful secrets as they sought to find the truth about her brother's death. The plot twist was so unexpected. Nice story.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's a good book! I enjoyed the story line and I got to know and like the characters quite well. I hope there's a sequel or, better yet, a series!

Detective Nate Fisher has just returned to active duty after being cleared of a fatal shooting. Still struggling with the fact he took a life he receives a call from his brother that his father has died. He heads home knowing he will not be welcomed since he left the Amish faith and community twelve years ago. and is still being shunned. When he left he left behind the love of his life, Rachel. Rachel is now married even though her husband disappeared three years ago. She is the mother of two little girls. The attraction is still there under the surface for both of them. An attraction they can’t acknowledge. Rachel comes to Nate to ask for his help in proving that her brother did not commit suicide. And thus the plot begins. I was drawn into this story and anxious to see how it unfolded. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

The Secrets We Keep

Nate Fisher returns to his Mississippi hometown after his father dies. Nate was born Amish and left the fold 12 years ago. Since he has the bann on him no one in his old Amish community will have anything to do with him. Except his old girlfriend Rachael who recently buried her brother after his suicide. Suicide among the Amish is very rare and she don’t believe he actually did it. She believes something more sinister is involved and enlists the help of Nate who happens to be a police officer in his new life. But what he helps her find might be worse than she even imagined. This was an ok read for me, just a bit slow in the middle. I really liked the storyline and how the ending left you waiting for more.

Complex and fast moving mystery that doesn't let go - past and present, Amish and English, secrets and lies everywhere. Fans of Linda Castillo will devour this, and all mystery fans will get addicted. One crime resolved and more left hanging - waiting for the next one ...

I found The Secrets We Keep to be an engaging and thought-provoking read. Having never explored Amish fiction before, I was curious to give this one a try, and I’m glad I did. The premise was unique, and Amy Lillard did an excellent job weaving together mystery, emotion, and a glimpse into Amish culture.

The story follows Nate Fischer, an ex-Amish man turned police officer, who returns to his hometown after his father’s death. While back in the Amish community, Nate’s ex-girlfriend Rachel faces another tragedy—her brother’s apparent suicide, which seems completely out of character. Together, Nate and Rachel begin to unravel the truth, questioning whether it was truly suicide or something more sinister.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and rated it 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy!

The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard is my first NetGalley read so I was unsure what to expect when I started it.

I wasn’t sure if I received a copy currently in the editing process or if this was a final draft before publication. It was a little hard to get into a rhythm with reading at first due to where this copy is in its editing process and all of the “hads” thrown in, but I was finally able to find my cadence, and this turned out to be a delightful read.

I have always found the Amish community interesting, and the author did a great job establishing the setting for the central part of the story.

Nathan’s character is very relatable, as a cop stepping up to help Rachel in her desperate time of need and as a shunned member of the former community he loved. The author carefully crafted the storyline between Rachel and Nathan in such a way that I literally could not put this read down until I saw how this would end for them. 

I am a little disappointed that several lines in the story didn’t come to completion and left me hanging, like the mystery of what happened to Rachel’s husband. That question will live with me in contemplation for a while, but I am excited to see that the ending leads to the possibility of a future book with these same characters so I may get my answer in a future read. Fingers crossed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with this ARC.

TheSecretsWeKeep #NetGalley is a fabulous story that dives deep into the Amish world, where secrets and shame are kept quiet.
Nate Fisher left the Amish world a long time ago, leaving family and his true love behind, with only one thought on his mind, saving his sister.
Nate is dealing with deep issues surrounding his position as a deputy sheriff, when he receives the call that his father has died.
Returning home is painful since he's shunned by his family, but he needed to return, to help fight his own fears. He doesn't plan on seeing Rachel, the love he left behind, but when she begs him to help her find out what happened to her brother, he can't resist helping.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.