Missing

by Mary Ellis

Young women are disappearing in Plum Creek, Ohio, and Lily Sellers seems to be the only one concerned. Since her parents own a grocery store in Amish country—a mecca for tourists—Lily grew up surrounded by Amish until she left for college. Armed with degrees in graphic arts and web design, Lily wants to live in the city with plenty of clients and eligible bachelors. But her father’s sudden death and Mom’s worsening disability brings her home, at least until they can find a buyer for Sellers Country Store. Other than brief visits at Christmas and Thanksgiving, FBI agent Marc Harris hasn’t been home or enjoyed a real vacation since joining the profiler unit five years ago. His agenda for the next ten days includes fishing in the river, checking out the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and falling asleep in the hammock after one of Mom’s home-cooked meals. But an impulsive stop at the country store for a gift changes his plans in a hurry. Marc enjoys getting to know the pretty shop clerk, but he doesn’t buy Lily’s theory that Amish girls are missing. The first chance she gets, Lily visits her childhood best friend, Charlotte Raber, who’s still mourning the death of her fiancé in a hunting accident last fall. Charlotte insists that the young women of her district are altogether too worldly and independent and will return after rumschpringe when they’re ready to settle down, an opinion shared by the local sheriff. Charlotte talks Lily into attending a tent service given by an Amish preacher traveling through the area. Lily finds the young preacher charismatic and mesmerizingly handsome, but his sermon doesn’t sound like the same forgiveness and grace she’d grown up with. In reality, Gideon Mast is the leader of an off-shoot cult, moving from district to district to “recruit” wives for a remote community in Montana where they’ll be forced into marriage. Marc joins Lily’s wild goose chase, if for no reason than to prove Plum Creek is still the same sweet town he remembers. But after Charlotte goes missing, Marc realizes a dangerous predator could be preying on the Amish and the only one standing in his way is Lily Sellers. Marc rallies the full resources of the Bureau, but gets no help from district members. He follows one dead-end after another until Lily starts asking questions. She discovers Gideon is the son of a former district member who left after a disagreement with Charlotte’s dad, the bishop. Together Marc and Lily track down Josiah’s father, Gideon, who still lives in the Plum Creek area. With Gideon’s help, Marc finds Charlotte and the other girls unharmed in a remote cabin. Most of the girls choose to return to their families, while Marc puts the recruitment gang put out of business, even though they refuse to press charges against Gideon. Lily decides to run her web design business in Plum Creek while helping her mom oversee the grocery and gift shop. Marc decides to leave the profiling unit and requests a transfer to the Canton Bureau of the FBI as a field agent because he’s falling in love with Lily. Mary Ellis is a USA Today best-selling author of twenty-five books, including the award-winning Secrets of the South Mysteries. She is a member of ACFW and both national and local chapters of Sisters in Crime for mystery writers. She enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming. She lives in Ohio with her husband and dog.

55 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2020

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Deborah C. Fidderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this ebook

This book was full of suspense and intrigue, I couldn't put it down. I recommend this book to everyone who likes Amish mystery.

[DONNA SWANGER · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much too short

Although I enjoyed the book. It ended far too quick. I believe MS Ellis could have expanded the story. I don't think I would recommend this as a good read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story from an author new to me. I look forward to reading more of her books.