by Tami Hoag
First published 2001
Elizabeth Stuart thought buying a newspaper in Still Creek, Minnesota would give her and her teenage son a new beginning after her divorce. The town sits surrounded by Amish farms and appears peaceful on the surface. Then a murdered man's body drops right at Elizabeth's feet. She can clean off the blood, but the fear stays with her. The locals already view Elizabeth and her son as unwelcome outsiders, and even the sheriff treats them with distrust. Elizabeth decides to investigate the murder herself, determined to uncover what lies beneath Still Creek's calm exterior. The town harbors secrets dark enough to drive someone to kill. Elizabeth must protect her son while hunting for the truth. The killer remains free and dangerous. Elizabeth risks her life and her son's safety to expose the murderer before the evil currents running through Still Creek destroy them both.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Still Creek, Minnesota, Amish
Period: Contemporary
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