Lancaster County is bitterly cold when snow blankets the ground and lighting is provided by oil lamps. Elizabeth Lapp has come home after seven years of city life, to her widowed mother's farm. THE AMISH WITNESS, Elizabeth, has been followed. A man confronts her and demands something a friend gave her, a friend who was recently murdered.

Thomas King arrives in time to scare off the man. He calls to help Mrs. Lapp each morning as a good neighbour should. Seeing Elizabeth again reminds him that she left him behind to explore the world. He's now a widowed father, as Mrs. Lapp later explains to her daughter. Other people didn't put their lives on hold, and farms need families. Together the brave farmers decide how to handle the threat, including telling the bishop and getting his advice, and trying to establish what the late Hannah gave Elizabeth that could be of value.

I like the way that Elizabeth's second life has made her aware of modern tech and policing methods, which the Amish don't usually require. She is not shy of photographs or giving a child a toy. At the same time, she now wants to return to her community and accept adult baptism, meaning she will have to live by strict rules. We also see an increase in serious incidents and scares for the neighbours. I enjoyed the depth of detail about people living this life. On the less credible side, someone gets shot and, pouring blood, basically tells others it's no problem. I have to think the shock alone would be severe.

Some dilemmas and past secrets are well addressed during the tale of guilt and truth, lies and scandals. By looking at a microcosm we can see how the greater world is potentially affected when those we trust, or think we should trust, turn out to be hollow at the core. I hadn't read anything by Diane Burke previously, but her Thanksgiving Amish romance would not be out of place on a shelf with thrillers, while the romance is suitable for teens as well as adults. I'll certainly be looking out for more of her works. THE AMISH WITNESS will keep you on the edge of your seat with one revelation or suspenseful scene after another.