3.5 Stars

Detective Nate Fisher was at a crossroads, reconsidering his career and his life. A loss in the family pulled him back into his conservative Amish hometown and into the path of his former lover, Rachel Hostetler. When she sought answers for her own personal tragedy, Nate offered his expertise. But working together brought back memories neither of them were ready to face.

I liked how Rachel took responsibility for her family and had defiant streaks beneath her quiet strength. Nate was understandably conflicted but I wished he had put in more effort in the things he pursued.

This book started with a good hook, but plot-wise, I felt it lacked direction with plenty of loose ends and repetitive information. That said, as this was my first book involving Amish culture, I found the cultural aspect of the story fascinating

"The Secrets We Keep" is a story of duty, honor, and the search for truth. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a light mystery with a hint of romance.

The premise of The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard is intriguing. However, its execution did not fully realize its potential. Expectations for a mystery filled with twists, turns, and tension were unmet, as the story lacked these characteristics. The story features several unlikeable characters. However, I liked Rachel’s spirited and curious daughter, Kate. I did not understand why Nate was shunned. He left the Amish community, but I thought you were only shunned if you were a baptized member of the community (did I miss where it said he was baptized). Of course, they do have a strict bishop (no running water in their homes—can you imagine?). The story is filled with repetitive details such as Nate stating he is leaving each day and Rachel wanting the truth regarding her brother’s death. The story moved slower than a three-toed sloth. I was hoping for a satisfying conclusion (a reader can dream), instead it was anticlimactic with several threads left unanswered. The ending has a cliffhanger, but I am not interested in reading the next book (sorry).

The concept for The Secrets We Keep, was really interesting, a cop who has been shunned from his Amish family tries to make a brief return to “drive by” to check on his mother, but he finds himself embroiled in a situation where a young member of the community appears to have died by suicide, but his sister believes it to be murder.

The story had far too many gaps and loose ends for me to rate it any higher unfortunately and I wasn’t huge fan of the narration.

This is a new to me author and I am excited to read more by her. I love the Linda Castillo Amish mysteries so this was right up my alley. Very good narrator as well! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE SECRETS WE KEEP is not the first book I’ve read by Amy Lillard and it surely won’t be the last. Cedar Creek Mississippi is a quiet and peaceful small town and it is where we find Nate, back to say goodbye. He was Amish twelve years ago, but jumped the fence to try and make it in a big way as a major league baseball player. His family needed the money to help his sister who was very sick. Of course, Nate is shunned and really can’t have any contact with his family. His father has passed away and he needs to say goodbye.

Rachel thought she knew what happiness was and what a good marriage was supposed to be like. Boy does she have a lot to learn. She always assumed she and Nate were meant to be married and that it was Gods plan for them. But then Nate left her behind and she marries someone else. But her husband Freeman has been gone for three years. She is so confused on her feelings! You wont be able to help yourself by feeling for Nate and Rachel as Rachel tries to figure out what God has in mind for her. THE SECRETS WE KEEP is a quick read filled with faith, love, mystery, and friendship.

Once I finished THE SECRETS WE KEEP I wanted more. I can’t wait to continue with this wonderful and mysterious series by Amy Lillard. Amy’s books always make me happy and leave me with a peaceful feeling, but she sure did keep me guessing. Once I started reading THE SECRETS WE KEEP I had a hard time putting it down as I had to know what was going to happen with Nate and Rachel and if Rachel would ever see what was right in front of her. Will she whenever learn the truth about what happened to her brother? Will Nate stay and try to help her? Did Albie really commit suicide? Was her brother murdered? Rachel seems to think so and needs to convince Nate! When the mystery of Rachel’s brother is finally solved, it’s truly heart breaking.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Detective Nate Fisher left his Amish family behind in Mississippi with a plan to help his sister, but when his plan fell apart, he ended up in Oklahoma working in law enforcement. He had just returned to work following a leave for using deadly force, and was still having trouble dealing with what was called “a good shoot” when his brother called to tell him his father had passed away. Torn about returning to the place where he is shunned, he decides that it may be the place to heal, and maybe start to repair his relationship with his family.

What started out as a quick trip ended up taking a turn when the woman he loved and left behind in Cedar Creek begged for his help after her brother’s death. A death that looked like it was clearly suicide. Rachel couldn’t get anyone, including her father or the police, to hear her feelings or concerns. She hopes Nate will listen and help her prove that her brother Albie was murdered.

They both know they still have feelings for each other that they must ignore as they try to focus on finding the truth about Albie’s death. They also know that when they do, Nate will be going back to Oklahoma to deal with that fatal shooting and try to get on with his life.

Ms. Lillard created characters in this story that will touch your heart. Nate is a genuine, caring man who left Cedar Creek with one mission: to use his God-given talent to raise enough money to save his sister Mattie. She needed a new heart, and the medical costs were daunting. He feels like he let his family down because he failed, and Mattie died a few years later. Because he left the Amish community shortly after joining the church, he was excommunicated and couldn’t go back. Also, his “clean shoot” was anything but clean in his eyes. His head and heart are unable to deal with going against what he was taught all his life. Rachel Hostetler is not your typical young Amish woman. Life hasn’t been easy, and she had to be strong-willed and minded to care for her daughters and her sister, Miri, who has the rare Angelman syndrome. Losing her brother Albie has shaken her to her core, and she needs justice for him. These characters, along with many others in the cast, are complex and very well written.

I was touched that one of the characters had Angelman syndrome. I had never heard of it until a little girl of a young mom I have known all her life was diagnosed with the genetic condition. This mom is a warrior when it comes to fundraising and awareness. She organizes a fundraiser each summer and is involved nationally. Her daughter just finished her kindergarten year and is a delightful ray of sunshine. Care for this syndrome is hard, but like Rachel in the story, families do make it work and do their best to give them the best lives possible. Including it in stories like this one brings awareness. Hopefully, someday there will be a cure.

The mystery of Albie’s death is complicated. Nate doesn’t have jurisdiction, and the Sheriff does everything he can to avoid dealing with the Amish. He delegates any investigations to his Chief Deputy, Shane Johnson, whom Nate had known “back in the day”. Shane acts as a go-between for the sheriff, Nate, and Rachel, but points out many times that Nate has no authority there. Every day, Nate thinks he has done all he can and makes plans to leave, but more clues and secrets are uncovered, which keep pulling him back into the case. I was surprised by some of the things brought to light and how they twisted the reasons for what happened. I knew what was coming, and my heart was breaking as all was revealed.

Ms. Lillard is an awesome storyteller. The Secrets We Keep is so much more than a mystery; it is an emotional story that will grab you and hold on tight. It is the story of Nate and his family, his brother Leroy, sister Mattie, mother, and father Karl. It is the story of Rachel and her family, her two daughters Kate and Amelie, her sister Miri, her father, and her brother Albie. It is a story of the Amish and the Englisch and their interactions. It’s a story of love and trying to understand life when it is different from what you believe. It is a story of knowing what’s right and doing the right thing.

While this appeared to be a standalone, there are still mysteries to solve in Cedar Creek, including a new homicide. I am invested in these characters and would be thrilled to see it turn into a series.

Warning – This book has a suicide theme that is graphically described in the Prologue.

The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard was a compelling mystery.
The characters in this book are great, they are incredibly believable.
This book is a real page turner and not easy to put down. I was lifted up and carried off into the story and trying to solve the mystery.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
It’s not every day that one of your favorite Amish fiction writers makes the transition to an Amish thriller writer but Amy Lillard did it seamlessly. I love Amy’s “Well’s Landing Series” and the “Paradise Valley” series. This is the opposite of those books, dealing with sensitive topics.
It starts off with Rachel finding her brother Albie hanging in the barn. She knows he would never hurt himself so she turns for help to Nate, her ex boyfriend, who happens to be shunned. I kept thinking it was going down one path and then it totally went in a new direction. The story ends in such a way that I think there’s another book coming out. Don’t make us wait too long to find out what happened to Rachel’s missing husband and sister in law!
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheSecretsWeKeep #AnyLillard #CrookedLaneBooks #AmishFiction #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInAmishCountry #AmishThriller

Amy Lillard’s The Secrets We Keep is a moody, emotionally resonant mystery that blends the slow burn of small-town secrets with the rich cultural backdrop of the Amish community. It’s a book that deftly combines suspense, heartbreak, and unresolved love, creating a story that lingers long after the final page.

At the heart of the novel is Detective Nate Fisher—a man with more baggage than a Greyhound terminal. Recently reinstated after a shooting that left his career and conscience in shambles, Nate returns to his estranged family in Cedar Creek, Mississippi, after the death of his father. It’s meant to be a short, reluctant visit, but when his former flame Rachel Hostetler begs for help investigating her brother’s suspicious death, Nate is pulled into a mystery that’s far more tangled—and personal—than he expects.

The story unfolds in dual points of view, giving readers intimate access to both Nate and Rachel’s thoughts. Lillard handles this well, offering contrasting emotional textures: Nate is hardened, haunted, and duty-bound, while Rachel is determined, grieving, and still tethered to a world Nate tried to leave behind. Their shared history adds a poignant, simmering tension that never quite eclipses the central mystery but enhances it meaningfully.

What makes The Secrets We Keep stand out in the crowded field of rural mysteries is its grounded portrayal of the Amish way of life—not overly romanticized, but treated with respect and nuance. Lillard uses the community’s rigidity and reticence as both setting and obstacle, making Nate’s investigation not just about solving a crime, but about navigating the cultural codes he once knew and now struggles to respect.

The mystery itself is well-paced, layered with red herrings and buried secrets. As Nate digs deeper into Albie’s death, what begins as a potential suicide evolves into a web of motives, lies, and unresolved trauma—both within Rachel’s family and Nate’s own fractured past.

If there’s a shortcoming, it’s that the story occasionally leans heavily on well-worn tropes: the tortured detective, the hometown he tried to escape, the love that never quite died. But Lillard brings enough emotional depth and atmospheric detail to keep these familiar elements fresh and engaging.

Perfect for fans of:
• Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series
• Romantic suspense with real emotional stakes
• Mysteries rooted in family, faith, and forgiveness

Final thoughts:
The Secrets We Keep is a quietly powerful story about the things that haunt us—regret, grief, and the truths we’d rather leave buried. With sharp emotional insight and a gripping central mystery, Amy Lillard delivers a satisfying blend of crime and character that’s as much about healing as it is about justice.

I am not a fan of Amish fiction. I had hoped this novel would bridge the gap, with an outside detective investigating a possible murder within the Amish community he left years ago. It is a slow moving novel with sporadic action. There is interesting information on the clash of the cultures. The novel is more about relationships and emotions than the murder investigation. I got to the point where if I read yet another time Nate saying he was going to leave the next day, I would want to scream. The murderer was no surprise. There were not many suspects to cloud my suspicions. And the ending did not feel right. It sets readers up for a sequel but I will not be watching for it.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Nate left the Amish as a baptized church member so was subsequently shunned by his community including his family.
When his father dies he comes back to “pay his respects” and is sucked into an investigation of a mysterious possible suicide.
His former girlfriend asks him to help her prove her brother did not kill himself.
This story drew me in right away. So much baggage is carried around by Nate and Rachel. As more and more clues are gathered it just gets more and more complicated. I felt deeply for both Nate and Rachel and suffered right along with them. What will be discovered and will it make a difference? Amy Lillard is a master at writing about the Amish and does her research throughly. I can’t wait for the next book!
I received this complimentary ebook from the author but was not required to write a review.

After a justifiable shooting, Detective Nate Fisher is still dealing with his feelings about taking another man’s life. His past life as a member of the Amish Community, makes this even more difficult to deal with. Taking time off, he is contacted by Rachel, the woman he had hoped to marry prior to leaving the Community. Her brother, Albie, has been found dead and they have ruled it a suicide. She knows that he wouldn’t have committed suicide and asks for his help. Returning to his home town will open up even more issues for him to deal with as he is banned from contacting anyone, including Rachel. She could be in trouble for even speaking to him. As he questions what happened to her brother, he will face issues with the town, his own family and the local police. When Officer Shane Johnson returns to town, Nate remembers him as a friend from his past and he offers to assist with Rachel’s request to find justice for her brother. Slowly, as they expose the many secrets being kept by Rachel’s family and the town, will they ever find out what really happened to Albie and why? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

The Secrets We Keep has a lot going for it.

When he learns of his father’s death, a son, a policeman in Tulsa, returns to the small town and the Amish community in Mississippi where he grew up. There he once again must deal with the animosity of the family—mother, brothers, and sisters who rejected him when he decided to leave. But he also is drawn back into a romantic relationship with the Amish woman he once loved. What draws him back is a plea from her to help uncover the truth about the mysterious death of her younger brother. Was it a suicide as it appeared? Or, as she believes, was there more to it? Could her brother have been murdered? Could it have been a murder committed by the gang of rich kids—from the non-Amish--or “Englisch”--population in the town--who had been bullying and otherwise tormenting her brother?

The location. The clash of cultures. The clash of rich “Englisch” who hold power in the community vs “plain” Amish who want to keep to themselves. The return of the prodigal son, who struggles with his desire to be accepted by his family, as well as his desire to rekindle the passionate love affair with the woman who seems only to be asking for his help now. Her struggles to balance the need for his help with her renewed desire for him, while also, as a single mother, seeing to the needs of her young children and the demands of her elderly father. All of this, plus the mystery that is at the center of the story, kept me turning the pages and spurred my interest in the many subsidiary characters who populate the intriguing world of this book.

As I said at the start, The Secrets We Keep has a lot going for it.

I loved this fantastic Amish mystery. I loved Nate and Rachel. I enjoyed learning the tragic secrets that were in this community. I did not want to put the book down. I laughed and cried. I received a copy of the book and I gave an honest opinion of my own free will.

Unfortunately something seems to happened with downloading this title. It was lost between my foolproof method and the reality. Sigh! 😞

Fans of Linda Castillo and Kate Burkholder will enjoy The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard. Nate Fisher is formerly from the Amish community. He feels duty bound to solve the crime with little help. Looking forward to the next Nate Fisher book.

THE SECRETS WE KEEP is an Amish mystery by Amy Liillard set in Mississippi. There’s also unrequited love that has simmered for twelve years but is still off limits for many reasons.

This is Rachel and Nate’s story. He left twelve years before and is shunned by his community and his family. She’s the love he left behind who has gotten married and now has two daughters. But her husband has left a few years before and that seems to be another mystery to be solved. When Nate returns for his father’s funeral even though he can’t attend, he learns that Rachel’s brother died by suicide and since Rachel believes he was murdered she asks for his help. They seem to take a lot of chances given that he’s now an Englischer and Rachel never likes what she hears.

While there are many stories being told there isn’t a lot of depth. Nate is conflicted throughout with whether to help Rachel get closure but seems to be doing more than the local police. And he always seems to be there another day. There is closure with the solving of the crime but it’s only Nate who realizes the truth. The ending took me by surprise and since there’s a cliffhanger it seems this is the start of a series. There were some loose ends that I hope will be tied up when we return to this small community.

The comp to Linda Castillo is what drew me to this one, and it's an accurate and welcome comparison for me. I found that this one did an interesting job looking at Nate's emotional and mental journey returning to his home community after leaving the Amish sect he grew up in, and being drawn back into the world thanks to "the one that got away". Solid, heavy mystery.

The Secrets We Keep by Amy Lillard is a slow-burn Amish mystery.

Nate Fisher left the Amish community for the best of reasons yet he cannot forget the woman he left behind, Rachel Hostetler. After learning of his father’s death, he goes to visit the grave even though he has been shunned. When Rachel approaches him to help her find out the truth about her brother Albie’s death, Nate cannot say no.

Nate is uncertain about his future in his chosen career but he believes there might be more to Albie’s death. He is frustrated by the local sheriff’s indifference to opening an investigation. Nate is surprised to learn his Englisch friend Shane Johnson is an investigator in the sheriff’s office. Unable to know if he can trust Shane to look into what happened to Albie, Nate continues searching for answers.

Rachel is dealing with a lot at home, but she is certain her brother would never take his own life. Going against her Dat’s wishes is not something she wants to do but cannot let go of her concerns. Rachel is also still drawn to Nate despite the reality there is still no future for them.

The Secrets We Keep is an intriguing mystery with plenty of drama and angst. Nate has a strong moral compass and he is at a career crossroads. Rachel is a bit pushy but her heart is in the right place. The investigation is stymied by Nate’s status with the Amish and their distrust of law enforcement. While Albie’s death is solved, Amy Lillard leaves readers hoping for another mystery starring Nate Fisher.

Thank you Netgalley & Crooked Lane Books for an eARC ♥️

Detective Nate Fisher doesn’t believe in ghosts—until he returns to Cedar Creek. The Amish community he abandoned years ago still moves with the same quiet rhythm, the same unspoken judgments, the same shadows that once suffocated him. But now, those shadows hold a body. And the woman he never stopped loving is standing in the barn doorway, begging him to see what no one else will: *This was no suicide.*
From the first page, this mystery grips like a fist around the throat—not just with its expertly woven whodunit, but with the raw, aching humanity of its characters.
Nate is a man caught between two worlds: the disciplined order of law enforcement and the simmering tension of a past he can’t escape.
.Rachel, fierce yet bound by tradition, is a revelation—a woman whose quiet strength forces Nate to confront everything he ran from. Their chemistry crackles with unfinished history, but the real magic lies in how they push each other toward the truth, even as it threatens to destroy them.
The Amish setting isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character in itself—a place where faith and secrecy collide, where the peaceful façade hides fractures deep enough to bury a body. The investigation unfolds with relentless precision, each clue a landmine under the carefully tended soil of community loyalty.
But what lingers isn’t just the mystery’s resolution—it’s the haunting question of whether some wounds can ever truly close. Nate’s search for redemption and Rachel’s fight for justice weave together into something richer than a thriller, darker than a romance, and more profound than a tale of homecoming. It’s a story about the cost of truth, the weight of silence, and the scars that love leaves behind. 💔♥️
By the final page, you’ll be left breathless—and aching for more. 💔A masterpiece of tension and tenderness, this isn’t just a mystery; it’s an elegy for the lives we leave and the ghosts we can’t outrun.