The Innocent

By Ann H. Gabhart

Description:

Carlyn Kearney has spent two lonely years not knowing whether to mourn or to hope after she receives word from the Union Army that her husband is messing. When the war ends without further word, Carlyn finds herself penniless, in debt, and force from her home. With nowhere else to go, she seeks refuge at the Shaker village of Harmony Hill. The Shaker profess peace through simple living, but to Carlyn, the Shaker life seems anything but simple. When mysterious deaths disturb the peace of the village, Carlyn falls under intense scrutiny. Can a kind sheriff help her expose the true culprit?

Book Takeaway:

The characters in this book have to learn to accept some hard changes in their lives, especially Carlyn. By walking along her spiritual path with her, readers will see that no matter what happens, the Lord is there to help. Carlyn's mother taught her that He is only a prayer away. She often told Carlyn that no matter what happened, good or bad, to pray anyway.

Why the author wrote this book:

I've written several books set in my fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill. I really hadn't planned to write another Shaker book, but my son-in-law was always encouraging me to write a Shaker mystery. When I would tell him I didn't know how I would do that, he would say just make it a story about a Shaker and sheriff. So when I decided to write a new Shaker book, that's what I decided to do. Write a book about a Shaker and a sheriff with a little mystery mixed in. And then I gave my main character a dog to add a little more interest.