Finding Sanctuary 3

Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. After a rough childhood, her teenage poor choices harmed others, leaving her with no choice but to change her life. Her entry-level writing job at a newspaper puts her in the right place at the right time to overhear office gossip about a prisoner who has information on a decades-old unsolved crime. While the other reporters write off the tip as the ravings of an angry criminal, Sophie can't ignore it because she knows the name of this prisoner from her old life.

Upon learning from the man that one of the other suspects is hiding out in the Missouri town of Sanctuary, she takes on a false identity to investigate and meets the young pastor of a local church--the very man she'd loved as a troubled teenager. As she gets closer to finding the suspect, will the truth of her own past come out before she discovers the identity of the criminal--or the very person she's seeking puts a fatal stop to her investigation?

 

Published November 3rd 2015

 by Bethany House Publishers

4 Stars

Nancy Mehl brings us the third installment in her Finding Sanctuary series, Rising Darkness.  This is the first book I've read by this author and even though it's part of a series I feel that's it's a stand alone.  I had no problems following the characters or needing any further background to enjoy this book.  I will definitely be looking for the first two books in this series.  

This is a story of small town intrigue, suspense interwoven with romantic tension. I was drawn to Sophie in the first few pages as she battled against memories of her past in order to solidify her future. She grew up in the small town of Kingdom, a Mennonite community, but left under a dark cloud and vows to never return.  The past few years living in St. Louis Sophie has grown in a lot of ways and is striving to be a better person.  Working at the newspaper writing obituaries is just a stepping stone to become a full time reporter.  A memory surfaced from her past of a decades-old unsolved crime and she thinks if the crime is investigated she could write an article that would help in her career advancement.  After much research and taking vacation time she heads to Sanctuary to investigate a lead.  Sanctuary appears to be a peaceful town, but for Sophie it's anything but as she comes face to face with her past shame and regret.  
This book is a mystery and suspense interlaced with a mild romance.  The characters are detailed and perceptive. The message that I received from this story was that you can't keep holding on to the past.  There comes a time when you must let go and turn it over to God and trust that he will lead you where you need to be.   There's good pace and flow that keep the reader's attention.  I would recommend this book to anyone.  
* I received this book from the publisher   through their book review blogger program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri with her husband Norman and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored over twenty-one books and is currently at work on her newest series for Bethany House Publishing. 

All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
Nancy is represented by agent Steve Laube –http://stevelaube.com/

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