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Down to the Bone
Down to the Bone
Author: Karen Harper
After a freak accident kills Rachael Mast's husband, she is doing all she can to keep her life together one year after the tragic death. Against all Amish traditions, she is running her small farm and raising her twin boys on her own. And for the first time in a long time, Rachel is happy. — However...strange things start happening aroun...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9781551665894
ISBN-10: 1551665891
Publication Date: 7/1/2000
Pages: 408
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 53

3.9 stars, based on 53 ratings
Publisher: Mira
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Down to the Bone on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This was a quick read, and a good way to pass the time. I wouldn't say it was a fantastic book, and it's definitely not literature, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's a little bit of an insight into a part of Amish life, and a crime novel all rolled into one.
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 78 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Excellent. Couldn't put it down. I really enjoy books about the amish.
esjro avatar reviewed Down to the Bone on + 902 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Rachel Mast is a widow and mother of young twin boys. Since her husband's death in a freak accident, she has been struggling to tend the farm left by her husband. Fortunately, she lives in an Amish community full of people willing to help her with the farm chores, and her non-Amish neighbor Jennie helps care for the boys. The farm's barn is in need of repairs, and Rachel receives offers from a number of people wanting to buy the farm. In addition to turning down real estate offers, Rachel is also busy turning down Eben Yoder, the local bishop who is determined to court her. She also finds herself intrigued by Mitch Randall, one of the potential buyers for the barn.

Rachel's quiet life begins to unravel when strange things start happening - items belonging to her deceased husband start appearing around the farm, and her boys claim to have seen their dead father. She suspects that members of her Amish community may be involved, so she turns to Mitch to help her investigate. Soon Rachel and Mitch realize that her husband's death may not have been an accident.

This book is marketed as romantic suspense, but it is truly more than that. Rachel's struggles with her desire for independence versus faith and her traditional community make for an engrossing story. The mystery builds slowly, and is not the focus of the book for the first half of the book, which is spent introducing Rachel and acclimating the reader to her community and the Amish way of life. Surprisingly I found those parts of the story far more interesting than the whodunnit.

Highly recommended!
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 354 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
THIS IS ONE THAT WILL KEEP YOUR INTEREST RIGHT UP TO THE END,GREAT READ!
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book had alot of Amish info and was a very good story.
Read All 31 Book Reviews of "Down to the Bone"

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martiparty avatar reviewed Down to the Bone on + 4 more book reviews
A good fast read for those of us who are intriqued with the Amish lifestyle. The main character, Racheal, is a strong determined lady and will not give in to the males in her community, even when threatened with expulsion from the church. A good mystery evolves making the book interesting throughout.
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 6 more book reviews
Interesting story of Amish Life mixed in with a mystery tale.
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 419 more book reviews
One of my keepers. It had a geat mystery,did not figure it out till Harper let me! The Amish life was very interesting to read about also. Wonderful story.
reviewed Down to the Bone on
For me this book was a page turner. The story line is great and at the same time I got a feel for the Amish community. Recomend reading.
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 29 more book reviews
aanother great book by Karen Harper its another AMISH mystery one you wont want to put down.
Kept me up reading late into the night!!!!!!!!!
Timbuktu126 avatar reviewed Down to the Bone on + 475 more book reviews
I am surprised to see so many good reviews of this book on here. I have read a couple of Harper's other books and enjoyed them. But this one was slow and kind of dull. I liked the premise: Amish woman being spooked at her farm after her husband dies, but there wasn't enough "scary" stuff for me. There were a few little mini mysteries as well, but I just felt it got repetitive after awhile. I did read til the end, but skimmed MANY pages just so I could get there!
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 53 more book reviews
1st time author for me but I was not disappointed.
reviewed Down to the Bone on + 16 more book reviews
Deep in the Heart of a Small Amish community lies a secret someone thought was buried forever, but one woman may have just unknowingly uncovered it


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