The Baker's Wife

Dec 29, 2011 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

I really enjoyed this book, the mystery element kept me reading and what made it even more compelling was God’s guiding hand in solving the mystery. Audrey is able to feel the weight of God’s arm on her shoulders guiding her to someone in her community who is in need in some way. She uses this gift to bring bread she and her husband have baked on his day off from being a pastor. She comforts and spends time with those who need that extra bit of attention, until an act occurs that costs her husba...more I really enjoyed this book, the mystery element kept me reading and what made it even more compelling was God’s guiding hand in solving the mystery. Audrey is able to feel the weight of God’s arm on her shoulders guiding her to someone in her community who is in need in some way. She uses this gift to bring bread she and her husband have baked on his day off from being a pastor. She comforts and spends time with those who need that extra bit of attention, until an act occurs that costs her husband his job and her son his college acceptance. Then, they turn to running a bakery to earn their living. Baking bread and acting as a pastor turn out to have more parallels than one would think.

Baking bread involves taking the time to pay attention and having the patience to knead for long enough, allow it to rise for long enough, and bake for long enough. Too much or too little time in an area can ruin a loaf. So many times in life we are rushing around and not taking the time to appreciate the smaller moments, the things that seem inconsequential, but maybe all the steps involved are important for a reason and having patience would give us all a chance to see that. The lesson on bread baking comes from Estrella, a grandmother who has been working with bread for decades and has come to work with the couple because the place she worked for before wasn’t interested in the beauty of bread.

While being held hostage at the bakery, Audrey’s son Ed wonders if, “his own humiliation wasn’t divine at all, but merely a distraction from what he was supposed to be doing? What if all this, this insane ordeal, was not a consequence of his own sin but a chance for God to do something amazing, if only Ed would participate?” How much more would we all experience if we participated more? If we were less afraid to say what we think and step in when we see a situation where we could lend a hand?

While solving the mystery, I also thought about how some people would view Audrey as crazy. She believes fully that God is working through her and having her experience a part of the pain that a person is having so she knows who needs her help. She feels that it is God, but most of us would be looking for some other explanation as to why phantom pains were cropping up and looking for medical help for ourselves.

I read this book as part of a Litfuse Blog tour.
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Dec 26, 2011 Sandie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-books, contemporary-lit, christian-lit, thrillers-and-mystery

The BAKERS WIFE by Erin Healy was not at all what I was expecting. While it was a suspense/thriller it also falls into the Christian Lit genre. The fact of the matter is that the Christianity aspect is not only germane to the plot it is an integral part of it as are the subjects of pain, loneliness, guilt, and sanctimony.

All of women in this story, Miralee, Diane, Julie and Audrey have spent the better part of their lives running away from the emotional traumas of pain and guilt. Audrey, the ce...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Katherine Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Erin Healy, editor-turned-novelist, knows fiction from the inside out. She spent many years as an award-winning fiction editor working with such renowned novelists as James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, Traci DePree, L. B. Graham, Rene Gutteridge, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hunter, Randy Ingermanson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Frank Peretti, Lisa Samson…and the list goes on. (Wow.) In 2002, she began working with rock-star novelist of the supernatural, Ted Dekker, editing t...more Erin Healy, editor-turned-novelist, knows fiction from the inside out. She spent many years as an award-winning fiction editor working with such renowned novelists as James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, Traci DePree, L. B. Graham, Rene Gutteridge, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hunter, Randy Ingermanson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Frank Peretti, Lisa Samson…and the list goes on. (Wow.) In 2002, she began working with rock-star novelist of the supernatural, Ted Dekker, editing twelve (count ‘em, twelve) of his books before co-authoring with him Kiss and Flame.

Healy went on to write several novels in her own name, including The Baker’s Wife.

I loved this spellbinding novel. From the original plot and setting to the complex characters, this story earned my admiration and approval. Every beat of every scene is exquisitely fleshed out. Healy gives her readers a deeply sympathetic heroine, with a supernatural ability to feel another’s pain, as well as one of the most spine-chilling villains–a self-proclaimed Christian with twisted theology–I’ve encountered. The story provides satisfying turns in both plot and character development. On top of that, Healy possesses one of the most engaging voices I’ve found in Christian fiction.

Another aspect of The Baker’s Wife that intrigued me was the handling of the moral issues. There’s murder, premarital sex and abortion, and yet these hot-button issues are handled without judgment, with compassion and grace.

On her website, www.erinhealy.com, Healy says this about her books: “The Irish girl in me is fascinated by the concept of thin places, a Celtic name for locations in the world where the veil between physical and spiritual realities is so delicate that a person can see through it. For me, thin places are revelations about what it means to be a spiritual creation in a physical world. I write supernatural suspense novels from a Christian worldview, with eyes open to God’s mysterious side. Read with me into the thin places where God’s world intersects ours, and changes it forever.”

Love that!

In summary, I could not put this book down and I cannot wait for the next one by this talented novelist. Erin Healy, you’ve won yourself a new fan.(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

What happens when the police find a large amount of blood at the scene of a wreck but no body?

Audrey and her husband have always enjoyed baking bread and sharing it with the hurting in their town, so when they are forced out of their position as pastors of a church, they open a bakery, where they can continue to share bread. On a foggy morning, Audrey hits a scooter on the way to work. The police arrive to find a large amount of blood but no body, and Audrey becomes a suspect.

Tensions rise as t...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Michelle Randall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, mystery

I received this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program, and I am sure glad I did! I had been putting off reading it, something about it, it just kept ending up in the bottom of my too-read pile, but for some reason the other weekend, I say no more and read the book, and i am so glad i did.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but I LOVED this book.

The chief detective is the stereo-type of what so many people think of when they hear the word Christian. He thinks he knows the Bib...more I received this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program, and I am sure glad I did! I had been putting off reading it, something about it, it just kept ending up in the bottom of my too-read pile, but for some reason the other weekend, I say no more and read the book, and i am so glad i did.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but I LOVED this book.

The chief detective is the stereo-type of what so many people think of when they hear the word Christian. He thinks he knows the Bible, he knows what God wants and he is perfect, he is without blame for anything and everyone else has sinned, and no matter what he encounters throughout the book, or how many people tell him he is wrong, he can't see his own sin and mistakes. He still thinks he is perfect, even after breaking the law and taking people hostage! i loved it, and yet at the same time I felt sorry for him, but man he had so many chances to change and to admit he was wrong.

His wife, Julia is another matter. After being married to him for so long, she rejects and even hates religion. She is sure that he is wrong, and she has went to the other extreme of her husband, so much as to reject that there i any place in the world for God, and it has effected their daughter, so much so that she sets out to seduce the preachers son, just to prove that they aren't perfect like her dad claims they all are. She is bent on destroying someone just to prove her dad wrong, but along the way she ends up destroying herself. Luckily, she is young enough and is open enough to the people around her to figure things out and to save herself and form some kind of life for the future.

All the characters in the book, twist and wind around into a full circle and as that is unfolding, it is amazing to listen to and to see them each grown and understand life in their own way, and to forgive and move on and become real people. it is not a Christian book in that is preaches a lifestyle to you, if just happens to revolve around a church and one man who thinks he has all the answers. The "baker" and hi wife, and more of the main character, actually, the wife, and I haven't even mentioned them.

Since reading this, I have told a number of people about it, and I was reluctant to start this book, but it turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. In fact, if I can get this to-read pile down, I might just have to read it again!(less)

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Feb 13, 2012 Kaylea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: see-blog-for-more-info

Their ministry has ended. Life has changed dramatically for the Bofinger family.

Then an unexpected accident - and a lot of twists and turns - cause their life to change once again.

In The Baker's Wife, Erin Healy has taken her skill as a suspense writer, and crafted a novel that delves into the darker side of humanity.

Healy explores what happens when someone makes an allegation against a ministry official - and how that can change a life.

The twist in her story is that the person who made the alle...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not too long ago, the question of being gob-smacked by a book came up and I could not recall an incident that had done that to me in a very long time. Then the Baker’s Wife came along and bam, midway through the book and I was questioning what I had missed. Went back to the first chapter and there it was. I did not realize the foreshadowing until it hit me right upside the head. Usually, I am a little better than that, but this time I was caught completely off guard.

Erin Healy has a way of givin...more Not too long ago, the question of being gob-smacked by a book came up and I could not recall an incident that had done that to me in a very long time. Then the Baker’s Wife came along and bam, midway through the book and I was questioning what I had missed. Went back to the first chapter and there it was. I did not realize the foreshadowing until it hit me right upside the head. Usually, I am a little better than that, but this time I was caught completely off guard.

Erin Healy has a way of giving a little, letting it stew in your brain and then two or three chapters later explains the parts that you did not know. The interactions of people and their back-stories make you pay closer attention as the layers slowly peel away.

Audrey Bofinger, called by God to be a comfort to others has not always had an easy life, but when a story surfaces about her husband the Pastor of a small church and the questionable acts of their son’s girlfriend, Audrey and Geoff are forced to leave the sanctity of their church and open a small bakery in town.

Early one morning while driving with her son in dense fog, Audrey hits a scooter owned by Julie Mansfield, the wife of the man that ran them out of the church and the father of her son’s girlfriend, leaving nothing but the mangled ruins and blood. Where is the driver of the scooter? Julie Mansfield has a few secrets of her own and when a newly released murderer comes to town searching for forgiveness, their lives intersect with shocking force and each person will have to find forgiveness from those that they have hurt the most.

The Baker’s Wife is a Christian Fiction Suspense book with a wee bit of paranormal thrown in. The paranormal part might throw some people off since it seems to appear in strange ways, but if you can get passed the woo-woo with your dose of scripture, this is a book that will hold your attention and have you flabbergasted at the same time.

The ending does not have the spark or intensity of the first two thirds of the book, but maybe that is just me and others will love it to the end. There just seemed to be something missing, as if the author ran out of ways to surprise the reader. You will not like all the characters in this book, and you are not meant to. Some take a very twisted view with their interpretations, some lie as easily as they breath and some relish in their role as victim. However, all bring something to the table and you as the reader will take something away.
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Dec 06, 2011 Brenda Rupp rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It was very interesting and a fast read. I got an advance reader copy I believe in a box of 20 books. Audrey's husband runs a bakery, they started the bakery after he was voted out of being pastor of the local church. She comes through the fog one morning to hit a scooter left at the intersection and there is a lot of blood, but no body! The investigation begins. It also includes a girl who killed her twin sister and ends up at their bakery that morning with a telephone that b...more I loved this book! It was very interesting and a fast read. I got an advance reader copy I believe in a box of 20 books. Audrey's husband runs a bakery, they started the bakery after he was voted out of being pastor of the local church. She comes through the fog one morning to hit a scooter left at the intersection and there is a lot of blood, but no body! The investigation begins. It also includes a girl who killed her twin sister and ends up at their bakery that morning with a telephone that belonged to the missing woman who belonged to the scooter and the blood at the scene.
The book unfolds quickly the mystery is all wrapped up and tied with a bow in an ending that left me satisfied that the story was good, done and I didn't get left thinking there was more that should have been said or written. I really liked it. Read it in two days!

Below is the description from the back of the book found on Amazon:

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, so why is Audrey weakening day by day?

It's been a tough year for Audrey's family. Her husband Geoff, a pastor, lost his job after a scandal rocked their congregation.

Audrey hasn't lost faith. She's held her family together. Their attempt to resurrect a failing bakery is an effort to heal the family wounds and restore their place in the community.

Late to the bakery one dim, foggy morning, Audrey turns into the intersection in front of the shop and strikes a vehicle that she can't see even after the collision settles. Emerging from her car into the fog, she discovers she's hit a motor scooter. There's no rider in sight. There's blood, though, so much that she slips in it, injuring her wrists.

The absence of the scooter driver is a mystery, especially to Sergeant Jack Mansfield, the detective and church member who drove Geoff from his pulpit. The scooter belongs to Jack's wife, Julie, a teacher at the local high school. She has vanished like morning fog.

Though there is no evidence to support Jack's growing suspicion that Audrey and Geoff were involved in Julie's disappearance, the detective is convinced of their guilt. Jack's ability to reason slips as the leads on his wife dry up.

When Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, Audrey must find Julie and unravel the secret of her own mysterious suffering before Jack comes undone.

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Dec 04, 2011 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-netgalley

Audrey Bofinger shares herself unselfishly with others, offering kind words of support and encouragement and always with a loaf of fresh baked bread. As a baker's wife to Geoff her life centers around the baking of bread and their bakery business but it is more than a hobby to both of them. Their son Ed, a college student, helps his parents with their business. Diane Hall arrived in her hometown after a many years absence when the Bofinger's bakery beckons to her early one morning. Diane learns...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Whitney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been a Ted Dekker fan for quite some time, so when he teamed up with Erin Healy I naturally had to read their endeavors. I kept meaning to read Ms. Healy’s solo work but just had not gotten around to it until now. I am so glad that I picked this one up.

The Baker’s Wife is primarily a story about choices. In it we are reminded that all choices, good and bad, have consequences. Fortunately in some cases and unfortunately in others those consequences bleed over into other people’s lives. Th...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, mysteries

Almost every day, Audrey Bofinger feels pain—other people’s pain. This empathic ability is what leads her to Cora Jean Hall, who is dying of cancer.

“In the most physical, literal sense, Audrey was regularly guided there, directed by an unseen arm, weighty and warm, that encircled her shoulders and turned her body toward the Halls’ house every week or so. A voice audible only to her own ears would whisper, ‘Please don’t leave me alone today.’ It was no pitiful sound, and Audrey never resented it...more

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Nov 01, 2011 L_manning rated it 5 of 5 stars

Audrey was the pastor's wife, and after a scandal she is adjusting to her new life as a baker's wife. After an car accident, Audrey is left in a bizarre situation. There is tons of blood but no body. The scooter Audrey hit also happens to belong to the wife of the man who got Audrey's husband removed from the parsonage, Jack Mansfield. When Jack determines to take things in his own hands, he takes everyone in the bakery hostage until Audrey can produce his wife. Audrey will have to rely on her s...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Audrey Bofinger felt things, in fact she intensely felt things. She felt like it was God showing her the needs and pains of others, her husband referred to her as being sensitive to others. One day after leaving the house of an elderly woman who was dying, Audrey hears crying, she tries to reach out, but is rebuffed. Now she wishes she had pushed forward. Because this was the opening events of a "mess" that would forever change her life and the life of her family.

One horribly foggy morning on he...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

A malicious scandal ousts Geoff and Audrey Bofingers from the church he was pastoring, so they opened the Rise and Shine bakery, something they had been doing on a small scale from their home. A vengeful police detective and church member, Jack Mansfield, takes it to a higher lever after the pastor’s wife hits his wife’s (Julie) motor scooter. A pool of blood–Julie Mansfield’s blood–is found in abundance at the accident scene, but there’s no trace of a body! Jack is absolutely positive Audrey is...more A malicious scandal ousts Geoff and Audrey Bofingers from the church he was pastoring, so they opened the Rise and Shine bakery, something they had been doing on a small scale from their home. A vengeful police detective and church member, Jack Mansfield, takes it to a higher lever after the pastor’s wife hits his wife’s (Julie) motor scooter. A pool of blood–Julie Mansfield’s blood–is found in abundance at the accident scene, but there’s no trace of a body! Jack is absolutely positive Audrey is behind Julie’s disappearance.

Diane Hall, an ex-con, returns to her hometown of Cornucopia, CA, the day that Julie’s scooter is hit. Julie, known also as Juliet in high school, was a classmate with Diane. Geoff gives her a second chance and hires her part-time at the bakery, and she becomes an integral part of the storyline. As does Ed, Geoff and Audrey’s son.

The weather in this California area is often inundated with a heavy, dense fog that makes driving next to zero visibility. It was on a day like this that the accident occurred. Since the evidence against Audrey is only circumstantial, Detective Mansfield goes ballistic, a rage verging on insanity.

Erin Healy, in The Baker’s Wife, sets into action the multiple scenarios that keep you speculating on the accident scene; the bizarre disappearance of Julie Mansfield; Audrey’s ‘gift’ of sensing others' pain; and the meltdown of Detective Jack Mansfield. The scenes are well established and described. The intensity is off the charts, particularly the detective’s meltdown! The characters’ personalities are delicately, yet deliberately unraveled before our eyes, making them as real as we ourselves.

Steadfast love, compassion and forgiveness flows through the lives of Geoff and Audrey despite the circumstances culminating around them. Geoff’s pastor’s heart never leaves regardless of the outcome. The challenge is whether we will stand firm with the Lord through persecution, outlandish scandals, judgmental attitudes, and dangers thrown our way. It’s a story of second chances. Of God forgiveness to us many times over if we are repentant. Are you ready to trust in Him?

This book was provided by Booksneeze in exchange for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was exchanged.(less)

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Oct 28, 2011 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Erin Healy in her new book “The Baker's Wife" published by Thomas Nelson gives us a wonderful thriller.
The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowh...more Erin Healy in her new book “The Baker's Wife" published by Thomas Nelson gives us a wonderful thriller.
The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.

Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.

"The Baker's Wife" is a thriller. The director, Alfred Hitchcock defined thriller this way, put a time bomb under a table in a crowded restaurant with an hour on the clock. Two women sit at the table with their baby strollers and have lunch. The audience will be screaming at the movie screen as the clock is running down. Erin Healy has written that kind of story. Be prepared to have your nerves stretched to the breaking point as you read this book. The nice thing is it is all worth it in the end.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group.. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(less)

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Oct 27, 2011 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-action-adventure, christian-fiction, christian-suspense-fiction, supense-thriller-fiction

Before Audrey Bofinger was the baker's wife, she was the pastor's wife. Now this pastor's wife is suspected of murder. Murder of the Julie Mansfield, whose body has now gone missing immediately after Audrey's car hit her motor scooter, leaving behind a pool of Julie's blood in a thick fog early one morning. Until the fog clears, no one can seem to find the body, yet the evidence clearly shows someone has apparently been injured if not killed. So just where is the body?

The thing that complicates...more Before Audrey Bofinger was the baker's wife, she was the pastor's wife. Now this pastor's wife is suspected of murder. Murder of the Julie Mansfield, whose body has now gone missing immediately after Audrey's car hit her motor scooter, leaving behind a pool of Julie's blood in a thick fog early one morning. Until the fog clears, no one can seem to find the body, yet the evidence clearly shows someone has apparently been injured if not killed. So just where is the body?

The thing that complicates the process is that Julie is the wife of police officer, Jack Mansfield. The very same Mansfield family that was responsible for removing Audrey's husband, Geoff from being the pastor of the local church. Now they run the bakery in town and Jack is convinced that the Bofinger family is responsible for murdering his wife, if they can just locate the body. The fact that Julie is missing and hasn't shown up for work at the local high school just seems to complicate the process. If that wasn't enough, a mysterious stranger arrives in town the morning of the accident with links to the past that will further add to the mix of Julie's life.

When Jack feels that the police detectives are stalling trying to locate his wife and arrest Audrey, he takes matters into his own hands. Just what has happened to Julie? Is Audrey really responsible of a great planned murder and cover-up? Is Julie really dead or has she had enough of Jack and left town?

All these questions just add to some juicy ingredients in the latest murder suspense thriller by Erin Healy in the latest novel, The Baker's Wife. I received this novel compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and was instantly hooked from the beginning. This is one of the best mysteries I have read in quite some time and truly was stuck with the knowledge of just what is really going on. There seems to be a connection that Audrey has to people hurting in the book that manifests itself in a physical way which leads to adding some spice and flavor to this wonderful book. I am completely sold on books now by Erin Healy and can't wait to add even more to my personal library. Stellar suspense that hooks you and keeps you entertained the entire way leads me to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!(less)

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Oct 16, 2011 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked a lot of things about this book. I liked the resilience of the protagonists. When life crashes down on the Geoff, Audrey and their son, Ed, they choose to pick up the pieces and open a bakery amid the scandal. They trust in God and get up for another day.

I enjoyed the timing of the events. Little by little the pieces of the puzzle are revealed and cheating by reading the end before honestly getting to it won't work. Not that I'd try that, of course. Of course.

Surprisingly, I liked having...more I liked a lot of things about this book. I liked the resilience of the protagonists. When life crashes down on the Geoff, Audrey and their son, Ed, they choose to pick up the pieces and open a bakery amid the scandal. They trust in God and get up for another day.

I enjoyed the timing of the events. Little by little the pieces of the puzzle are revealed and cheating by reading the end before honestly getting to it won't work. Not that I'd try that, of course. Of course.

Surprisingly, I liked having the character of Jack. He is extremely unlikeable and self-righteous and believes himself like Job, quoting scripture out of context to support his stance and his actions and that's why I appreciated his part in the story. Because those are the people we need to watch for. A wolf in sheep's clothing, if you will. Dangerous, powerful, and unstable. Willing to be right at all costs rather than listening to the Spirit.

I also enjoyed the description of true hypocrisy. Contrary to popular belief, hypocrisy is not a sinner who goes to church.

The book didn't take a deep hold of me because it seemed unbelievable and I was unsatisfied with the ending. What happened to Geoff, Audrey and Ed was completely believable. It's happened many times before; jealousies tempting another to take down a pillar in the community and claiming they are the hypocrites. Totally believable. It was Jack (although I appreciated this character) who, after years of exemplary behavior goes nuts and it didn't make sense to me. I couldn't connect the dots. And, although I understood the character of Julia, her behavior didn't add up, either.

I guess it was the extremeness of all of the consequences. Yes, it happens. When someone high up is ready to fall, we all watch with baited breath. Having been on the other side, though, I no longer judge along with the media. I really do feel sorrow. But what about a 17 year old girl? That was extreme. Parents who wouldn't forgive their children, people who left home without a plan, and a detective who goes nuts because he wants to be right. Just. Didn't. Add. Up.

It's still a good book. Lots of wisdom written between the story. (less)

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Oct 10, 2011 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book opens with an intriguing mystery: Audrey has sensitivities to those feeling pain. She is drawn to these people and in her capacity as a pastor’s wife, helps them as best she can. Even when she is no longer “The Pastor’s Wife” and simply “The Baker’s Wife” she still uses her ability to help those around her.

I thought this novel started up a bit slow but once it got into the crux of the plot and reached the climax of Jack hitting his breaking point and taking the people in the bakery hos...more This book opens with an intriguing mystery: Audrey has sensitivities to those feeling pain. She is drawn to these people and in her capacity as a pastor’s wife, helps them as best she can. Even when she is no longer “The Pastor’s Wife” and simply “The Baker’s Wife” she still uses her ability to help those around her.

I thought this novel started up a bit slow but once it got into the crux of the plot and reached the climax of Jack hitting his breaking point and taking the people in the bakery hostage I couldn’t put it down. It moved very fast once the mystery of Julie’s disappearance began to unravel and clues were fit together.

I am not personally very religious and I was concerned the spiritual nature and God references might bother me but it all fit seamlessly into the story at large and everything flowed quite naturally. It was only near the end where the character began “sermonizing” and by then the story itself was so engaging with the twists and turns finally being revealed that I didn’t notice it much.

One of the main characters, Jack Mansfield, personified the reason I never became involved with religion or feel that I am missing it in my life. He was arrogant and self serving and believed he was doing God’s work when in reality he was twisting it. I think he was trying to make up for the fact his wife did not share his religious views and that his daughter shared her mother’s opinion.

The other characters were enjoyable and the only character that really bothered me was Miralee, Jack and Julie’s daughter. While I understand why her character behaved the way she did I thought her attitude toward her mother’s disappearance and her behavior towards Audrey and Diane (another character helping solve the mystery of Julie’s disappearance) continued longer than necessary. And it didn’t seem very realistic considering she was supposed to be a recent high school grad.

Overall I enjoyed Erin Healy’s storytelling and I would definitely read some of her other works. (less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I suppose when I first picked up this book I expected more action, more suspense, but I wasn't disappointed with what I found, either. The characters' stories feel so real and make them all come alive, and the ways in which they overcome their pasts was inspiring and encouraging to me. The suspense made it hard for me to put this book down! I have to add that I appreciated the lack of mushy, sappy romance in this book--it feels like way too many of the stories I've been reading lately are clutte...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

Cornicopia, CA is the setting of this new suspense thriller by Erin Healy. Audrey was a pastor's wife, and together she and her husband, Geoff, ministered together, baking bread to give to those they visited. Then, a scandal took away his church. Diane is a woman newly released from prison who wants to return home. She ends up in the bakery that Audrey and Geoff have started, and finds compassion in Geoff. Will it help her find hope and a way to find meaning to her life? As Audrey drives to the...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Baker's Wife is a story about family. After the abortion of Ed Bofinger and Marilee Mansfield's unborn child, two families are broken. The Bofinger family has lost their parish, and their trust in one another. The Mansfield family has fallen apart; they hardly speak, even when the worst happens. Two families broken by one choice. When Julie Mansfield disappears after being hit by Audrey Bofinger's car, will the two families become sworn enemies, or will their trust in God allow both families...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Hattie Norman rated it 5 of 5 stars

erinhealy Thomas Nelson

This Christian novel is filled with suspense. It's a novel about emotional and ultimately physical pain. It's about guilt, blame and forgiveness. The novel weaved in and out of my heart never allowing me a moment's peace until I finished it. Ed and Miralee have a young love experience with one another that leads to a child. How their experience is viewed and handled by their parents shapes one Christian California community into anything but a Hallmark card story with rhym...more erinhealy Thomas Nelson

This Christian novel is filled with suspense. It's a novel about emotional and ultimately physical pain. It's about guilt, blame and forgiveness. The novel weaved in and out of my heart never allowing me a moment's peace until I finished it. Ed and Miralee have a young love experience with one another that leads to a child. How their experience is viewed and handled by their parents shapes one Christian California community into anything but a Hallmark card story with rhyme and verse. The overwhelming pain of these families begins to play itself out one foggy morning. Audrey, the baker's wife, hits a scooter one morning. There is so much blood but no body. That really strained my brain. What could have happened to the person riding the scooter? Before I would learn what had happened that horrible morning a father and husband, Jack, would totally become unscrewed mentally. It's amazing the way a Christian mind can change or retrogress. It's also weirdly fascinating how people can shape Christian scriptures to fit their sick minds. At some point the ability to think clearly is just erased, gone.

The novel is very thought provoking. I pondered the questions ERIN HEALY addressed in the novel. The answers to these questions were also fascinating and honest. For example, there is the question. "What are you afraid of?" I would reply heights, sharks or no way out of a dark room, etc. Never in a million years would I have said what is written in the book. "I'm afraid of never being forgiven." Another given answer, "I'm afraid of hurting so bad that I start to lose my faith." Once I read these words especially the words about "being forgiven," I realized that was my fear too. Living and knowing someone hasn't forgiven me is too painful. I know. I am experiencing it.

I also liked how the author of THE BAKER'S WIFE used the fog throughout the book. It seemed like a foreshadowing of what would happen or a glimpse of what was happening in the present moment. I began to pay close attention to the weather in this community while the church members were all askew with rage and fear.

"The fog was thicker here than it had been in the cold alley behind the bakery, when Jack had pushed her out the rear door. The sun seemed so powerless against it."

In the end a loaf of homemade bread will begin the process of restoration in each person's soul. I couldn't imagine Miralee's emotional pain after having seen her parents lose total control of their minds and lives. Thank goodness for Audrey's kind spirit. She visits her with a loaf of bread in hand. I was remind that Jesus calls himself our Bread of Life. With renewed spirits, after all the violence, Audrey and Geoff go back to their bakery and begin baking again. The bakery kept my mind spiritually grounded throughout their whole ordeal. Do I rise again like wholesome rosemary bread after tragedy? No, but I will try harder at it after reading THE BAKER'S WIFE by ERIN HEALY.

"None of the damage made baking bread impossible. even more simply, making bread and feeding it to hungry people was what they did--what they would continue to do as a couple." (less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Susan Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had no idea that this was a book that revolved around a faith that provides joy and responsibility. None of the book's blurbs mentions that this book is really about Audrey's, the baker's wife, relationship to God and everything that happens is seen through that filter. I don't object to religious fiction but I would like to know that's what I'm going to get when I pick up the book.
The plot is interesting. Audrey's husband was a pastor when a member of his congregation gets him dismissed from...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Kendra Neal rated it 5 of 5 stars

First off I have a confession: I "Mystery" is not a Genre of books that I have ever read. I just had no interest in them and the fact that I "scare" easily, kept me from reading Mystery Genre. Well, I will be adding Mystery to my list of Genre I like to read after reading Erin Healy's book The Baker's Wife!!

I was soo "into" this book that I couldn't put it down, I read it in about 5hrs. I am a person who likes to be "in the know" so once I started reading and there was a "mystery" to solve, I ju...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Chrystal Mahan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Unbelievable!
That is really all I can say.
The book was THAT good.
It left me speechless.
Ok.
Not really.
But it was by far one of the best Christian Fiction books I have read this year.

Murder. Mystery. Lies. Betrayal.

Satan has his grip on a community member. His family has fallen apart. Sick wife, wayward daughter, the husband has nowhere to turn, and needs someone to blame. The wayward daughter told a scandalous like, leaving the pastor’s wife Audrey to become the baker’s wife. What follows is a...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Baker’s Wife is a suspenseful thriller steeped in religious overtones. What started off slowly quickly turned into a gripping mystery. I really enjoyed this novel of good verse evil.
Protagonist, Audrey Bofinger, works to heal the wounds of her family and community. With her husband, ex-pastor Geoff, they open a bakery. She is blessed with a gift, or curse, to recognize when others need her help. One foggy morning, on the way into the bakery, she hits a scooter. The scooter is destroyed and...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Title: THE BAKER’S WIFE
Author: Erin Healy
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
October 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59554-752-1
Genre: Inspirational/suspense

Audrey was the pastor’s wife. But then false accusations took away her husband’s career, and suddenly their hobby had become their life and she was now the baker’s wife.

Audrey is driving the car to the bakery when her she drives through some fog. She is slowing down, but runs through an intersection and her car hits something. The motor scooter half under her car belo...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

"You can't do everything, Mom. And not everything's that broken can be fixed."

"Does that mean we shouldn't try?"

"Yeah, I think it does. Sometimes we have to let things go. Jesus said it: "In this world you will have trouble.' That stinks. And I don't think we can avoid smelling it."

Set in the high hills of California, The Baker's Wife, published by Thomas Nelson, is a gripping and intense telling about conflict, distorted faith, and the hope for redemption and second chances.

The story centers...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Margaret Metz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Complex doesn't even begin to describe this book. I think this would be great for a discussion group because there is endless material --- from the plot twists, all the characters and their relationships to each other and reactions to their situations, and the spiritual applications of all the above ... I think the book could provide quite a lot of fodder for intelligent debate and discussion.

For the most part the character populated her world with some interesting and even mysterious characters...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kate by: NetGalley

Shelves: received-for-review

When I first started reading The Baker's Wife, I wasn't sure I would like it. Audrey Bofinger has a gift of compassion that borders on the supernatural, and I tend to have a hard time with supernatural in Christian fiction if it's too much or unbelievable. Because of that I was nervous about this book at first, but ultimately I was able to accept it as an interesting part of Audrey's character because it didn't overwhelm the story. I think it also has connections with the real world--we may not...more When I first started reading The Baker's Wife, I wasn't sure I would like it. Audrey Bofinger has a gift of compassion that borders on the supernatural, and I tend to have a hard time with supernatural in Christian fiction if it's too much or unbelievable. Because of that I was nervous about this book at first, but ultimately I was able to accept it as an interesting part of Audrey's character because it didn't overwhelm the story. I think it also has connections with the real world--we may not be able to physically feel the emotional pain of others like Audrey does, but at times many of us are hesitant to interact with people on an emotional level for the same reason Audrey was sometimes hesitant: fear of feeling their pain.

The premise of the book is that Audrey, while driving through the thick tule fog of California's Central Valley, apparently hit a scooter with her car and badly injured the rider. But the rider has disappeared, leaving a huge pool of blood behind. As the hours pass, they learn that the scooter belongs to Julie Mansfield, a high school teacher who is now missing. What happened to Julie? How could a woman who is apparently critically injured just disappear? The twist of the case is that Julie's husband, Jack, had been instrumental in having Audrey's husband fired from his job as the pastor of their local church. And Jack, being a police detective, becomes convinced that Julie's disappearance wasn't an accident but was part of a plot for revenge. Throughout the story the reader is pulled back and forth trying to ascertain where the truth lies.

There are a number of thought-provoking issues that are approached in this novel, including broken relationships, abortion, revenge, forgiveness, and legalism. Audrey and her family seem like they are being unfairly targeted at times, but even though they are sympathetic characters they are not perfect and have flaws as well. I liked that the "bad" guy of the story wasn't a satanist or an atheist (my Christian fiction pet peeve), but a professed Christian who had become fanatical in his attempts to order and control his life in legalistic ways, demanding perfection from everyone around him. I liked it because it seemed more likely - I am more likely to have problems in my personal life with Christians behaving badly than with satanists or atheists.

The Bofingers' bakery was such a great setting for much of the action. I loved that they were able to use their bakery as a mission field. They may have been forced to leave their church, but they were able to use their gifts in a new way, combined with their skills at baking. The bakery also provided an interesting point of connection with Diane, who turned out to be one of my favorite characters as she progressed from someone haunted by her past into someone who understood and experienced redemption and forgiveness.

The Baker's Wife is a fabulously thrilling novel with unexpected twists and turns and non-stop suspense. The mystery keeps you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning, especially when the investigation escalates into a standoff. I definitely recommend this highly suspenseful thriller, and I think the faith elements aren't too heavy-handed to scare off more casual readers of Christian fiction.(less)

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