Shattered Silence

In Perry’s mild third and final Echo Falls romantic thriller (after Sound of Fear), Rachel Hartline’s orderly life in Philadelphia is turned upside down when her ex-husband, Paul, abruptly disappears along with some potentially valuable proprietary information he’s stolen from his company. When she’s attacked a short time later, a frightened Rachel temporarily seeks refuge among her Amish family in Echo Falls, Pa. Clint Mordan, the former cop hired by Paul’s employer to find him, follows her, suspecting her of hiding Paul and his secrets. Rachel’s loving relationship with her Amish family gives the story genuine heart, and the guarded attraction between Rachel and Clint, which blooms into a chaste love, underscores Perry’s ability to create emotional depth and vulnerability in her characters. She’s less successful, however, at creating intricate plot lines or characters with convincing investigative acumen. Though the suspense isn’t all that suspenseful, the gentle romance will win readers’ hearts. Agent: Danielle Egan-Miller, Browne & Miller Literary. (July)