Review – Inescapable

Nancy Mehl’s award winning writing brings another romantic suspense to life in her new debut series Road to Kingdom. With a story that starts out in Kansas City, then quickly moves to the small conservative Mennonite town of Kingdom, Kansas when Lizzie’s new life begins to unravel. In Kingdom townspeople live typical Amish lifestyles without modern conveniences like electricity, indoor bathrooms, computers, cell phones, even cars. Or at least that’s how it was when eighteen-year-old Lizzie Engel found she was pregnant and ran away from home five years before determined to never return.

However, all the best laid plans encounter detours and Lizzie couldn’t have planned for the accusation that would one day send her back to Kingdom in search of safety for herself and “Cherry Bear.” The nickname her once cuddly infant, now six-year-old daughter, Charity Lynn Engle had grown into. Lord knew that child was the only bright light in what appeared to be Lizzie’s ever-darkening future.

Even though Lizzie knew she was falsely accused she also knew a thousand dollars remained missing and realized her initials beside the withdrawals was all the evidence needed to charge her. When she added that to the mysterious stranger she noticed on the street corner every night at dusk she knew she should follow her grandmothers long-ago advice. “There isn’t anything too big for God, Lizzie girl. You gotta cast your care on Him…”

Then she found the threatening message in her mail box that read, “I’m watching you. It’s just a matter of time before I get you and your little girl. You’ll never get away from me…”

Thus begins another mysterious tale of emotional stalking, fractured relationships, romantic dilemmas and false accusations wrapped inside a web of lies and insecurities that Lizzie had run away from five years ago. Except now Lizzie had a young daughter to protect.

The escalating tensions of an estranged father, a frightened mother, a childhood friend bent on romance weave throughout this richly detailed narrative of mystery, intrigue, danger and romance. While hurtful memories, childhood wounds, fears, suspicions and distrust each add to  the puzzle that drives Lizzie into the arms of a loving Father.

Mehl’s engaging characters and complex plot keep readers involved until the last page is turned.