Published January 1, 2024

When I read Gregg Olsen’s  novel The Hive, I said “I’m not sure whether Gregg Olsen is inconsistent, or I am, but it sort of seems like I don’t know what to expect when I pick up one of his books. There have been some excellent ones in the true crime genre (If You Tell) but I have found the fiction titles (mostly in series) to be uneven…often I just don’t care for the protagonist. So, it may be me that is uneven? “ Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, I had the opportunity to read and review  Olsen’s The Amish Wife in. exchange for my honest review.

The book is true crime, one of my favorite genres. Described as a sequel to 2007’s Answered Prayers, I admit I had a hard time with it. It tells the story of the death of Ida Stutzman, whose husband Eli claimed she died in a fire in the barn. Eli subsequently took their son Danny, left the faith, and moved away from the Ohio community where they. had lived. Ida’s death was ruled as from natural causes, and Eli wasn’t a suspect, but weird deaths after Ida’s seemed more than suspicious.

In Colorado, Eli had affairs with several gay men, and was a prime suspect in several deaths, including those of  two of his former lovers.  Then, his roommate was found shot dead and his son Danny’s death was “inconclusive,” despite his being found frozen to death in a field. Eli was convicted of the roommate’s murder and of abandoning Danny. Sentenced to 40 years in prison, Eli committed suicide after being paroled in 2005.

The book is filled with facts, details, and revelations about many people and incidents. I found it creepy as hell and confess it isn’t one of my favorite of Gregg Olsen’s…but sometimes his books are so good, I know I will continue to seek them out. Four stars.