Review:The Bakers Wife by Erin Healy

Before Audrey was the baker's wife, she was the pastor's wife. Then a scandalous lie cost her husband a pastoral career. Now the two work side-by-side running a bakery, serving coffee, and baking fresh bread. But the hurt still pulls at Audrey. Driving early one morning to the bakery, Audrey's car strikes something--or someone--at a fog-shrouded intersection. She finds a motor scooter belonging to a local teacher. Blood is everywhere, but there's no trace of a body. Both the scooter and the blood belong to detective Jack Mansfield's wife, and he's certain that Audrey is behind Julie's disappearance. But the case dead-ends and the detective spirals into madness. When he takes her family and some patrons hostage at the bakery, Audrey is left with a soul-damaged ex-con and a cynical teen to solve the mystery. And she'll never manage that unless she taps into something she would rather leave behind--her excruciating ability to feel other's pain.This was the first time that I have read this author. I had heard some very good things about her work from fellow book enthusiasts so I took the plunge. I think that I will be reading more of her work because I found her to be an interesting writer who weaves supernatural elements into her work and develops both complex charafters and plots but also moving and suspenseful as well as spiritual threads together well. The portrayal of a family wracked by mental health issues and conflict was edge of your seat. Her portrayal of Diane and Audrey' s family was equallynpoignant and affecting. This book took me on a complex thrill ride through emotions , following God's leading, hostage taking ,identity and marital questions as well as the odd ways that people are drawn to a train wreck and also drawn to lend their support. I believe that she plots out before she writes because their were elements where you recalled her mentioning this was in the environment etc. earlier in the story. Descriptions were vivid and I could "see" the people and surroundings well.