A review by booktalkwithkarla
The Amish Wife: Unraveling the Lies, Secrets, and Conspiracy That Let a Killer Go Free by Gregg Olsen

dark emotional informative slow-paced

3.0

“It’s about the coverup. That’s what this story is about. Not the murder.”

“Some caught in the sticky threads, and probably others unknown, decided that their secrets were more important than the life of an Amish wife. And her little boy.”

“Eli married Ida to use her, not to live her.”

This is a book, in some ways a follow-up to another Gregg Olsen title, about the murder of Ida by her husband and the coverup that follows. Since the coverup is about husband Eli’s sexuality and relationships, much of the book centers on those details. This was unexpected to me and unpleasant. I like to read true crime for the psychological and legal aspects and this title dealt with that indirectly. Reading about Amish family was interesting, and confusing at times based on their names (many duplicated). The many secrets of the people involved in covering up the crime seem obvious based on Olsen’s research and yet remain unproven. Will there ever be justice for Ida? Olsen has done his best and for that I am grateful and overall glad I read The Amish Wife.