The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

Book Description:  What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, so why is Audrey weakening day by day? 

It's been a tough year for Audrey's family. Her husband Geoff, a pastor, lost his job after a scandal rocked their congregation.Audrey hasn't lost faith. She's held her family together. Their attempt to resurrect a failing bakery is an effort to heal the family wounds and restore their place in the community.Late to the bakery one dim, foggy morning, Audrey turns into the intersection in front of the shop and strikes a vehicle that she can't see even after the collision settles. Emerging from her car into the fog, she discovers she's hit a motor scooter. There's no rider in sight. There's blood, though, so much that she slips in it, injuring her wrists.The absence of the scooter driver is a mystery, especially to Sergeant Jack Mansfield, the detective and church member who drove Geoff from his pulpit. The scooter belongs to Jack's wife, Julie, a teacher at the local high school. She has vanished like morning fog.Though there is no evidence to support Jack's growing suspicion that Audrey and Geoff were involved in Julie's disappearance, the detective is convinced of their guilt. Jack's ability to reason slips as the leads on his wife dry up.When Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patron’s hostage, Audrey must find Julie and unravel the secret of her own mysterious suffering before Jack comes undone.

My Review: This read intrigued me with just the title, The Baker's Wife.  And then after reading the description of the story I thought, "Wow!  A book about a preacher's wife!  I need to read this."  (well, I'm a preacher's wife too.)  

Thinking this would be a swift, to.the.point mystery I began reading this one night before bed.  BIG mistake!  I got so engrossed in the story--Geoff Bofinger has been excommunicated from his church.  The accusing member, Jack Mansfield, convinces the church board that Geoff is not fulfilling his ministry duties and should be sent away.

So, Audrey, Geoff's wife with the help of her hired woman, Estrella, take over the defunct local bakery.  Audrey and Estrella make the most sumptuous delicacies.  And the bakery begins to make a name for its self.

Then one morning as Audrey is driving to the bakery with her son, Ed, she hits a motor scooter.  She hops out to help and access the situation but there is no body, just ALOT of blood.  Audrey looks everywhere and there.is.simply.NO.body to be found!

When  Jack Mansfield learns that Audrey hit his wife's motor scooter and that the body is missing, he blames and believes that Geoff and Audrey are trying to get back at him.  He then goes ballistic and takes hostages at the bakery.  Telling Audrey that she has a couple of hours to find Julie, his wife's body or else everyone is going down.

Well.....this is where I couldn't stop reading!  What on.earth.has.happened?!

Incredible mystery!  Non-ending suspense!  Great-tastic read! 

*This ebook was provided for review by BookSneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishing*

About the Author:

The Irish girl in me has long been fascinated by the concept of thin places, a Celtic name for locations where the veil between physical and spiritual realities is so slim that a person can see through it. For me, thin places are revelations, bridges between the seen and unseen elements of our lives. Read my books and journey with me into the mysterious places where the spiritual world intersects what is familiar to us, and changes it forever.