'Without Proof' by Janet Sketchley

 

 "Asking questions could cost your life."

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy's grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy's only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don't believe her, God is not an option, and Michael's protection is starting to feel like a cage.

How will Amy find the truth?

Michael's feisty great-aunt and the dead man's university-student sister are the other key players in this Christian romantic suspense set in Nova Scotia, Canada.

MY THOUGHTS:
This is the final novel in a trilogy of riveting suspense stories which can each also be read alone. Amy Silver is the cousin of Carol in Secrets and Lies and the formidable Harry in Heaven's Prey. She was involved in a horrific light plane crash in which she was seriously injured, and her pilot fiance killed. Amy comes across with a very likeable combination of strength and frailty, especially since she needs to walk with the aid of a cane after a couple of years of intense physiotherapy.

Only now is she beginning to heal, but rumours are creeping in that sabotage may have been a factor in the plane crash. Initially tending to dismiss them, Amy is chilled by warnings from some anonymous contact to do just that. Now she's caught between the fear of what she may stir up if she asks further questions, and the strong desire to get to the bottom of her beloved Gilles' death, if there was foul play.

At the same time, the biological father who previously wanted nothing to do with her has made contact, asking to meet. Having grown up with the stigma of knowing that she was the result of a casual fling, Amy grapples with dread, curiosity and resentment. There are some really strong threads about dealing with her personal sense of lack of worth, resulting from her birth history, and forgiveness. This involves not just her father but Gilles' family, who are treating her coldly and making her wonder if there's some aspect about his death she's unaware of.

The twists and turns of the plot, and what lies hidden, really caught me by surprise, and there were several moments when my skin was prickling along with Amy's. You can't help wondering whether the loving family who have supported her back on her feet are quite as straightforward as they seem. There's Gilles' best friend Michael, the protective artist who Amy is secretly in love with, and his energetic Aunt Bay. There is also Gilles' sister, Uni student Emilie, who also has an obvious crush on Michael and wants Amy away.

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy.

4.5 stars