Clouds Without Rain: An Amish-Country Mystery

By P. L. Gaus

Book 3 of the Amish-Country Mysteries

A compulsively readable series that explores a fascinating culture set purposely apart.

In the wooded Amish hill country, a professor at a small college, a local pastor, and the county sheriff are the only ones among the mainstream, or "English," who possess the instincts and skills to work the cases that impact all county residents, no matter their code of conduct or religious creed.

A fatal accident involving and Amish buggy and an eighteen-wheeler sets Professor Michael Branden on a quest to uncover the links between the crash and a spate of disturbing events.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Nov 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781101477984

P. L. Gaus

P. L. Gaus is the author of seven books in the Amish-Country Mystery series. He lives in Wooster, Ohio, an area that is close to the world’s largest settlement of Amish and Mennonite people. Gaus lectures widely about the lifestyles, culture, and religion of the Amish. Visit his website at P. L. Gaus

Reviews for Clouds Without Rain

[kblinn_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gaus has written another Amish mystery. In this one, the driver of a buggy is killed when a semi-trailer rig hits the buggy as the buggy driver makes a left turn into his own driveway. The county sheriff is seriously burned in the aftermath while trying to rescue a deputy sheriff who was also killed in the accident. Professor Mike Branden sets out to unravel the events of that day while also going undercover as an Amishman to try to catch some kids who are robbing Amish buggy occupants of large sums of cash. Missing is the professor's wife, Carolina, who is off visiting relatives in Arizona. Perhaps that was why this entry in the series seemed slightly weaker than the others. Caroline is usually an important part of Mike's investigations. Nonetheless, it's still an enjoyable read, and its short length makes it a quick read if that is what is desired.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Professor Michael Branden, who works on the side with the sheriff's department, is trying to catch a couple of Amish youth who are robbing Amish buggies while wearing masks. As he is returning the borrowed buggy, he hears a call to the scene of an accident involving a truck and a buggy. The accident leaves more questions than answers, including the question of whether it could have been murder. Real estate developers have been less than honest in their dealings with many Amish and will soon foreclose on a number of Amish farms. A new bishop is concerned about the effects on his flock. All the angles of the story work together to create a satisfying read (or listen). The audio version is narrated by George Newbern who does a commendable job.

[condorena · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The title of this book comes from the Bible. It is from Jude who refers to people who are self-involved. These shepherd to feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn tree's, without food and uprooted – twice dead.

Specifically it refers to JR Weaver who has been killed in an buggy accident. He had become a very liberal member of the Amish faith and had become a real estate developer. He used electricity, telephones and fax machines but still drove a simple horse and buggy.

There has been a new more conservative Bishop elected who wanted to change back to the old ways and there was some dissention about who of the group would chose to stay. There were also rumblings about shady land deals which were costing many families their farms and Weaver was behind this. Was there more to the fatal accident?

Professor Michael Braden, Pastor Cal Troyer and Sheriff Robinson work together to find the answers. It is a difficult path that the Amish must follow as farms become too expensive to own and keeping the faith becomes increasingly difficult when these folk must pursue jobs in towns or in doing work that is tourist oriented.

This is an excellent series and I learn a bit from each book. In one scene a woman scrubs her floor with a strip of 2x2 wood covered with cloth wrapped around it so that a new area of cloth is available when an area becomes soiled. I might just try that.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In "Clouds without Rain," P. L. Gaus has again written a superb mystery wrapped around a social concern. Land is important to the Amish for farming, for food and a modest living; it is important to developers to generate money and for a profit, the bigger the better. In this mystery, the two worlds collide, and the result is disastrous. The Amish cannot believe one of their own would treat them unfairly in his lust for money. But seems to be the case, or is it? When the ownership rights to eight farms are threatened, the Amish feel they have little recourse. Add to this mix an unstable Amish man, an English woman intent on turning a huge profit on some not-quite-legal land development, and an unscrupulous businessman threatened with the loss of his business, you the makings for one fine tale.

[khiemstra631 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gaus has written another Amish mystery. In this one, the driver of a buggy is killed when a semi-trailer rig hits the buggy as the buggy driver makes a left turn into his own driveway. The county sheriff is seriously burned in the aftermath while trying to rescue a deputy sheriff who was also killed in the accident. Professor Mike Branden sets out to unravel the events of that day while also going undercover as an Amishman to try to catch some kids who are robbing Amish buggy occupants of large sums of cash. Missing is the professor's wife, Carolina, who is off visiting relatives in Arizona. Perhaps that was why this entry in the series seemed slightly weaker than the others. Caroline is usually an important part of Mike's investigations. Nonetheless, it's still an enjoyable read, and its short length makes it a quick read if that is what is desired.