Murder In Plain Sight
Marta Perry
Harlequin HQN, Dec 1 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373774722

In Springville, Pennsylvania, the police arrest nineteen year old Amish Thomas Esch for the murder of twenty-four year old "Englischer" Cherry Wilson. Philadelphia based law firm Henderson, Dawes and Henderson sends junior associate lawyer Jessica Langdon to plea bargain for a lighter sentence for the Amish teen in Lancaster County.

After getting lost while seeking the woman who hired her firm Mrs. Geneva Morgan, she meets the woman's son Trey who tells her they changed their mind. Geneva arrives and thanks Jessica as she wants her to defend Thomas over Trey's objection. Although unfairly in trouble with her legal firm's partners over the Clements and Altmiller cases and knowing defending the teen will add to her job tsuris, Jessica decides to defend Thomas in court after meeting Mrs. Morgan, the teen and his family. Trey is irate as he wants his mother to stay out of the brutal homicide case and firmly believes Thomas murdered Cherry. Jessica diligently works the defense while studying the Amish culture. However, someone wants the case resolved with Thomas locked away and that adversary begins a dangerous assault on the Philadelphia lawyer with Tey still dealing with his dad's suicide at her side.

Murder In Plain Sight is an engaging Amish legal romantic suspense tale that readers will enjoy. The Amish background anchors the locale while the romance between the lawyer and her critic is slowly developed. Although the ending feels rushed and incomplete with an odd late motivation for the Wilson murder, Marta Perry provides a delightful thriller.

Harriet Klausner