A novel that delves into the heart of an Ohio Amish community, unraveling a tragic mystery that spans decades. Olsen’s meticulous research and attention to detail shine through as he uncovers the events surrounding Ida’s death. While the premise is intriguing, the pacing occasionally falters.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Olsen digs deep into a precious topic he’d already written about: Eli Stutzman and what really happened that night in 1977 to his wife Ida and later to his son Danny.
Olsen presents a clear and convincing case about lying authorities trying to hide sordid secrets.
I was appalled at what I read and the gross miscarriage of injustice for the wife and son of a sick predator.
Although Olsen does appear a tad obsessed with this story, it’s one that needed to be revealed.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Gregg Olsen is a premiere True Crime novelsit and I walways enjoy his books. The Amish Wife does not disappoint.
This is the second true crime book he has wriiten about this horrific Amish crime and it is just as good as the first. This time around we get the story about Eli's (the murderous Amish husband) murdered wife and son. A great addition to the list.

I enjoy Gregg Olsen appearances on true crime documentaries and always get excited when he puts out a new book. The Amish Wife is his telling and account of an older but still heartbreaking case of lies, betrayal, and murder in a quiet Amish community. A fascinating read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't read anything by this popular author before picking this one up. Although I'm an avid thriller reader and a true crime fan, I just hadn't had the chance. So, I was beyond thrilled to finally have the opportunity, and this book in particular sounded especially interesting to me.

It wasn't until after I started reading The Amish Wife that I realized it was a continuation of a previous book, Abandoned Prayers, which was published in 1990. And, in all honesty, I wish I had read that one first. I think it would have painted an even clearer picture.

Overall, I found The Amish Wife to be well written and informative. Including content from some of the letters written by Eli Strutzman was also a nice touch.

A solid 3.5 star read for me!

The reads almost like a documentary. The writer revisits a case he covered in 1989. It represents a chance to right a wrong. It’s full of posturing and analysis. It also stays true to the landscape where Ida and Danny lived. It’s a deep dive by a writer who needs more answers and a bit of redemption. He becomes adept at reading the stoic faces of the Amish. He travels among them hoping a revelation is within his sight. Ultimately the writer lays out for us a pathway to what little truth is left to find for Ida and Danny in this cloistered community.

This was a different style of book for me. I found it hard to keep track of the families and connections, left feeling like still so much unknown

This book was not what I expected. It was a did not finish for me. I haven’t read the other books in the series and expected a nonfiction book.

The Amish Wife by Gregg Olsen sees the author revisit a case he originally wrote about decades ago involving the suspicious death of Ida Stutzman, a young pregnant Amish woman in 1977. While her husband was not a suspect at the time subsequent events including the death of the couples child a few years later left lingering suspicions, especially among her family. Her brother reached out to the author following the discovery of a box of letters and he decided to reopen his investigation, no easy task at the best of times, especially among a tight knit community like the Amish but made even more difficult by the passage of time and the deaths of several key players in the intervening years. As the author lays out the evidence and builds a compelling case that Ida was in fact killed by her husband he uncovers a tangled nest of secrets involving those tasked with the original investigation.
This is a book that moves at a slow methodical pace as the author carefully lays out the evidence to support his theory and make a case against his prime suspect. I had not read his earlier examination of the murder but there is sufficient background here that I did not feel like I was missing out on any pertinent details. I did find that there were some rather random digressions into other famous murders that did not seem entirely relevant to the story at hand, and that was a little distracting. Obviously the author has done a tremendous amount of research in preparation for this book and that is abundantly clear in the way he tells the story but at times it did slow the pace considerably.
Overall I found myself really engaged in the tragic tale the author shared despite some qualms about the way he told it.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was a slow burn for me and the got even slower. I liked the story just wish there was more and it was faster. Overall I was pretty bored.

A captivating true tale of corruption that left several murders in its wake. The author not only shares tireless accounts of interviews and research but appears to be the only one fighting for justice and the truth. I admire his efforts and may justice for Ida, Little Boy Blue and others live on through the pages of this book.

I'm still not a fan of true crime. If you like this type of book than you will love this story, it just wasn't for me.

This is a very well written true crime novel. I knew nothing about the Stutzman’s, an Amish family that lived in Ohio. The author has an extensive knowledge of them, having previously written 2 other books about them. One book on the murder of their young son. Another book written about the father charged with his murder. And now this, The Amish Wife. The story of Ida Stutzman, wife and mother. Mr. Olsen presents the facts behind her death and the crime that was never solved.

I remember reading the story of Little Boy Blue, and knowing it could have been prevented had Eli been convinced of his wife's murder is unfathomable. I found this to be a very interesting and sad read, and I learned a few things about the Amish I hadn't known before. I grew up a short distance from the Amish community in Arthur, IL, not far from Chesterfield, where there is the legend of an Amish witch's grave under a tree. My curiosity and love of true crime made me really enjoy this book, although the ending is absolutely infuriating for everyone. It just goes to show how far people will go to protect their own.

Thank you to ‎Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC of Amish Wife.

I had difficulty getting into this story although the premise is fascinating. I respect the research that went into this but this book just wasn’t for me (and that’s okay!)

I live this author and have read almost all that he has written and am never disappointed. I enjoy reading true crime books and The Amish Wife was an interesting case and the author obviously cared about this storyand spent alot of time getting insights from the people who knew both the victim and the perpetrator, it is a disturbing and sad story but it needed to be told. Thank you to tge publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book

The book was too slow and took a long time to get where it needed to. It was confusing at times, especially with dialog and I had to reread several times to understand.

Gregg Olsen does some non fiction books and this is just his latest. In 1977, in an Ohio Amish community, pregnant wife and mother Ida Stutzman perished during a barn fire. The coroner’s report said it was natural causes. Ida’s husband, Eli, was never considered a suspect. Eli eventually leaves his faith and takes his son, Danny, with him. Danny ends up dying.

What really happened to Ida? The questions haunted Gregg Olsen and Ida’s brother Daniel Gingerich for decades. At Daniel’s urging, Olsen now returns to Amish Country and to Eli’s crimes first exposed in Olsen’s Abandoned Prayers, one of which has remained a mystery until now. With the help of aging witnesses and long-buried letters, Olsen finally uncovers the disturbing truth about Ida’s murder. I enjoyed this book for the most part but it was a little slow in areas.

I never heard of this case and it really was heartbreaking. It was obvious that the author was very passionate about this murder and it came through in the writing. I think the author may have put himself too much into the novel and not focused enough on Ida. I needed to get a better sense of who she was. The book dragged a bit, but the climax was done well.