Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1) Review

Blood of the Prodigal (Ohio Amish Mystery Series #1)
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P.L. Gaus is quite a storyteller, and his first novel is a page-turner! He has a way of moving the action along and seamlessly blending in bits of local color and culture that compel the reader to stay with the book, just for the sheer pleasure of watching the story unfold. His first novel is a fascinating look at the Old Order Amish and their coexistence with die Hochen, their non-Amish or "English" neighbors.
I grew up in the area where the book takes place, and it was fun to read the very accurate descriptions of the region (particularly the weather!). Gaus paints a vivid picture of the rolling hills and farms of east central Ohio. My only request is that the next book be set during Autumn, so I can vicariously relive the cider-and-pumpkin days of my youth!
However, if I could, I'd give this book 4.5 stars rather than 5, for a couple of reasons. One is that the book suffers a bit from First Novel Syndrome, or perhaps it's just Small Press Syndrome. That is, it wants for a bit of editing. Some parts of the book just don't flow well, and I found myself having to re-read some passages to link up pronouns with their subjects. The resolution of the mystery, while satisfying enough to keep me from condemning the book altogether, was a wee bit flimsy. What I thought was a glaring error in editing turned out to be a pivotal clue in solving the mystery, and while the lead character was trying to puzzle it out, I couldn't help shaking my head and thinking that only an idiot could have missed it. There also were a few loose ends left untied at the end of the book, and a few things that I thought deserved a more thorough explanation. And the most unforgivable sin of all: Gaus presents a rather inaccurate, derogatory view of Texans. I can't just let a thing like that slide, now can I? ;)
All in all, these minor flaws take very little away from the enjoyment of this fine book. The story is captivating, the characters, with a few minor exceptions, are multi-dimensional and "real", and Gaus' flair for establishing atmosphere is top notch. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next Dr. Michael Branden mystery!

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