Book Review - Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl

  One perk at having cold, snowy days is that I have more of an excuse to read.  Since my little man has been sleeping better, I've had time to read my latest selection from Bethany House, Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl.  It is actually the second book in a series, but it is a stand-alone novel.  I didn't read the first one, but I didn't feel that it was necessary to enjoy this book.

This is the most faith-centered novel I have read, and by that I mean that most of the characters are trying to live lives full of faith and bring God regularly into their conversations and daily life.  The town itself, Sanctuary Missouri, is full of conservative Christians who seem more like family than a town.  The main character, 24-year-old school teacher Sarah Miller, has found the town to be her real sanctuary after a life of trauma and heartbreak.  Now, Sarah's sister is murdered in the same fashion as her parents were 18 years ago, and Sarah has to deal with her own heartbreak as well as her young niece's, all while trying to figure out what connection exists between the two murders.

The murder mystery is solid, and I was kept wondering how it all would tie together.  Sarah herself is a likeable character, as are most of the main characters.  As she struggles with her anger, guilt, and hurt at her sister's death, she also must come to terms with her lifelong habit of comparing herself to others, particularly her older sister.  With the help of her friends and her faith, she presses forward trying to resolve the mystery while helping her niece adapt to her new life in Sanctuary.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.  I received Deadly Echoes from the publisher, Bethany House, for the purpose of writing a review, but all opinions are my own.