Book Review of the Secret by Beverly Lewis

The Secret is part one of the Seasons of Grace series . It tells the story of Lettie Byler, a middle-aged woman who is wife to Judah and mother to Adam, Grace, Mandy and Joe. The family live in the small Amish community of Bird-in-Hand but all is not well. Lettie disappears one morning, leaving only a brief note of explanation to Grace.

The Storyline of The Secret

The Bylers are a hardworking family who raise sheep for a living. Each family member knows their place and work hard at their assigned duties. Lettie, however, seems to be distracted and maybe even depressed. She is reluctant to share her secret with anyone and Judah and Grace are concerned about her.

Grace wakes up the day after her birthday to discover a note from her mother saying she is leaving. She runs out the house, just in time to see her getting into a car. Days turn into weeks with no word from Lettie and Judah eventually collapses from exhaustion. The mystery continues against the backdrop of buried secrets, courtship and decisions that need to be made.

Who are the Main Characters in The Secret

The story is mostly told from Grace's point of view but the reader also glimpses the thoughts of other members of the family.

An outsider to the area, Heather Nelson is on an extended holiday to Bird-in-Hand as she processes the news she has cancer. Her story is woven into the happenings in the Byler household and she discovers that her father has bought a small plot of land in the area.

Beverly Lewis skillfully draws the story and characters together and although questions are left unanswered at the end of The Secret, there are hints of what will be revealed in the second book, The Missing.

The Amish Community and Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis was born in Pennsylvania Dutch country and has authored over eighty books. Many of these are centered around the Amish and their ways and beliefs. As she writes, she manages to impart a wealth of knowledge about life as an Amish person and what they feel about the Englischers. The Secret is no exception and the reader gains a wealth of understanding about life with no phones and electricity and the harsh demands of sheep farming.

Beverly Lewis is an accomplished writer and The Secret is a novel that draws the reader in. Skilfully posed questions compel readers to keep turning the pages to find out exactly what has lured Lettie Byler away from her family. It is a good read that needs to be followed by the second in the series.

The Secret by Beverly Lewis, Bethany House Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-0-7642-0680-1