Coincidence...or Something More Sinister? Plus, A Suspense Sisters Giveaway!

 Hello, suspense lovers! Mary Alford here.

I have a question for you today.

Do you believe in coincidences?

I'm not talking about the little everyday coincidences, like running into an old friend at the grocery store or thinking about someone moments before they call.

I'm talking about the kind that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

Imagine this…

Twelve years ago, a man was murdered along a lonely mountain road in a quiet Amish community. His killer was never found.

Now, more than a decade later, his son is discovered dead in almost the exact same location.

Authorities believe the young man took his own life.

But his sister knows better.

Two deaths. One lonely stretch of road. Twelve years of secrets.

Coincidence?

Or has someone been hiding a terrible truth all these years?

That's the mystery at the heart of my upcoming Love Inspired Suspense release, Secrets in Amish Country, coming October 27!

When Eve Lantz returns to Rachel's Crossing, Kentucky, following her brother's shocking death, she's forced to confront the painful memories that drove her away years earlier.

Eve has spent twelve years blaming herself for her father's murder. Now she's facing another devastating loss, and she's determined not to let her brother's death become another unsolved tragedy.

Fortunately, her childhood friend, Assistant Police Chief Casey Masterson, is there to help her search for answers.

But someone is watching.

Someone who knows what happened all those years ago.

And someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure Eve never uncovers the truth.

What happens when the past won’t stay buried?

One of the things I love most about writing suspense is exploring how the past can reach into the present.

Sometimes the most dangerous secrets aren't hidden in dark alleys or abandoned buildings. They're buried in the very places we consider safe.

And sometimes the people we trust most are the ones who have the most to hide.

But while I love creating mysteries that keep readers guessing, there's something even more important to me when I write Christian suspense.

I want my characters to discover that even in their darkest moments, God hasn't abandoned them.

In Secrets in Amish Country, Eve has carried the weight of guilt for twelve years. She believes her choices led to her father's death, and that burden has affected not only her life but also her relationship with God.

Now, as she searches for answers about her brother's death, Eve must confront something even harder than a killer.

She must learn to forgive herself and trust the God she's kept at a distance for so long.

One of the Scriptures that speaks to the heart of this story is Psalm 91:2 (KJV):

"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

I love that reminder.

Life doesn't always turn out the way we expect. Sometimes we face heartbreak, unanswered questions, or circumstances that leave us wondering where God is in the middle of it all.

But even when we can't see what lies ahead, we can trust the One who does.

That's the kind of hope I want readers to carry away when they finish one of my books.

And it's a message that's especially close to my heart in Secrets in Amish Country.

Of course, before Eve can find peace with her past, she'll have to survive someone determined to make sure the truth stays buried.

And that brings me to today's giveaway!

I'm giving away one print copy of Secrets in Amish Country to a reader who comments on today's post!

Here's your detective challenge:

Two members of the same family die in nearly the same location, twelve years apart. The second death is ruled a possible suicide.

If you were the detective assigned to this case, what would be your FIRST move?

A. Reopen the father's murder investigation. There has to be a connection.

B. Investigate the son's final days. What did he know that might have gotten him killed?

C. Return to the crime scene. Maybe there's something investigators overlooked.

D. Start questioning family friends and neighbors. Someone knows more than they're saying.

Tell me your answer in the comments!

I'll randomly select one commenter to receive a print copy of Secrets in Amish Country. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment.

Mary Alford