A strange hybrid of Amish fiction, Prohibition crime, and Sicilian mafia life, The Silent Order, at first had me confused as I wasn't sure whether it was beginning in the present day and then jumping back to the 1920's or if the entire plot was taking place in the 1920s. It became clear as the story wore on that the various plot elements were being interwoven throughout and that the book was, in fact, taking place during the prohibition era.

As I read on I became more and more engaged with the plot and the characters, and at the end was glad I had read The Silent Order; however, it is one of those books that takes a couple chapters before one gets one's bearings. ( )

Best Inspirational book I ever read. Suspense, mystery, touch of romance and the mafia. Amish girl lives with her Aunt & Uncle in amish country. There are secrets she has kept to herself. Two detectives comes and begins following the mafia into Amish country. Shots are fired. One detective is killed and one severely injured. He is brought to the Amish girl's house to recover. During his recovery he still tries to investigate crimes in Amish country. These crimes lead to the Amish girl revealing secrets about her past. WONDERFUL! ( )

Could any two worlds be different…the Mafia and the Amish? In Silent Order worlds collide and the quiet folk of Sugarcreek will soon see the corrupt world visit their doorstep. Rollin a tough detective during the Prohibition Era is out to take down the Cardino family, a powerful mafia gang who makes and deals illegal alcohol. Katie lives a quiet life with her son Henry in Amish country, she’s hiding a past though and when Rollin turns up in a community barn shot, she winds up being the one to bring him back to health. With the gangsters still searching for Rollin and Katie terrified what Rollins presence will do for her future, the two live in a state of fear. Desperate to shield her son from the world and the past Katie will have to come to terms with her past, even if it means losing the man and the boy she loves.

Dobson certainly created likable characters and gave a very different feel to most Amish story’s out there. Overall a well written, interesting mystery. ( )

I really enjoyed reading this book. The instant pull into the story is absolutely amazing. The plot line is different, though. Very different. Melanie Dobson is a seasonly talented author who truly knows what her fans will love. She took two extremely different worlds and blended them in a way that would seem unthinkably impossible. But, she did it and it was WONDERFUL!

Rollin Wells, a 1920's detective, was the depth of the story. Dobson chiseled his character into one that instantly grabs you and pulls you by his side to solve the case. The mysterious air around him really makes the story one that it's hard to put down (literally! I did NOT want to put the book down!).

From page one, Wells is working to expose and bring down a Sicilian Mafia, a crime family. In an Amish novel. I told ya it was different. Wells' true-to-life character really pulled me back in to time, to the 20s and into action with him. It felt like something you would see on a big screen, like The Godfather, or some other Little Italy crime family movie. WOW! But, what happens when Wells meets Katie Lehman? THAT'S where the mystery and secrets REALLY come in!

Katie Lehman's intriguing Amish character if full of secrets. She's unsure who to trust with them, when she knows that she really must. She hasn't been baptized yet, but she's still uncertain....who can she tell? What will happen when she does tell? She is a beautiful character full of love and she wants only whats best for her son. When she meets Rollin Wells, her past comes back to haunt her. She's finding it hard to hold onto that secret.... And she learns a powerful message from God, and Rollin, about forgiveness, grace and mercy.

This not-so-ordinary, awesomely unique novel is high on my recommendation list. It deserves the highest of 5 stars for it's ability to take the reader on twists and turns of an incredibly, two-worlds-collide, roller coaster ride. If you've never read an Amish novel before, but you LOVE suspenseful twists in a novel, then this is the PERFECT place to start....and it's sure to hook you on the love and grace of a wonderful Amish novel! Melanie Dobson gets 2 thumbs up for her fantabulous research and detail on Sicilian crime families in the 1920's and blending it with the simplicity and love of Amish. Don't miss out on this incredible novel!

*This book was provided for review by WynnWynn Media* ( )