MY REVIEW:
On the surface, the small Mennonite town of Sanctuary appears to be just what its name implies but there has already been a recent kidnapping and murder within its limits. There may be another murderer living among the unsuspecting townspeople and Sophie Wittenbauer is determined to find him in order to boost her journalism career. What does it matter if she has to tell a few lies in order to bring justice to the families of the men he killed?
In “Rising Darkness” readers will find a riveting suspense that will keep those pages turning while following Sophie’s efforts to find a killer before it is too late. Unexpected twists and surprises keep the suspense settings on high but in addition to that, I really liked the realistic character development that took place. In particular, Sophie had great difficulty even returning to a Mennonite town because of her unpleasant experiences in her own hometown. Her time in Sanctuary showed her that all Mennonites were not like her parents and her heart was softened by the very genuine love and protection offered her by some of Sanctuary’s residents. Although it was hard for Sophie to believe that she was worth loving, God had other plans in store for her.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Rising Darkness” and look forward to the author’s next offering. 
This book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. Certain she’s left her past far behind her, she’s now focused on her job at a newspaper and is shocked when she stumbles upon the name of someone she knew in her old life. But when she learns the man–a prisoner–claims a suspect from a decades-old unsolved crime is hiding out in the small town of Sanctuary, Missouri, she can’t resist following the lead in hopes of furthering her career.
Almost immediately upon her arrival, Sophie’s confronted with a face from her past and fears her intention of using a false identity to investigate is doomed. But with the help of Sanctuary’s charismatic young pastor, Sophie knows she’s getting close. Will she be able to conceal the truth of her own past long enough to find the suspect before someone puts a stop–fatal or otherwise–to her investigation?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nancy Mehl is the author of twenty-one books, including the Road to Kingdom and Finding Sanctuary series. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. Visit www.nancymehl.com to learn more.
