I read this book by Karen Harper while sitting home sick over the weekend and it ended up being a nice, cozy read. Set in an Amish community it is centered on a genetic researcher looking into a disease that is fairly unique to the Amish community. The disease is loosely based on a true disease, progeria which basically results in children aging very fast and dying at a young age. Could you find the gene that triggers this and reverse it, leading to a way to extend life? That is the question that those trying to research on the sly are trying to discover. The main character is basically a doctor, looking for an explanation and a way to help these children.
The peek into the Amish culture and their beliefs was enjoyable. It also seemed realistic in that you could see how easy it would be to exploit these people as they tend to be isolated and try to work within their own community when problems evolve. Unfortunately, with the greed and cruelty in this world, that can’t always work. A good weekend read, but not a gripping thriller.
Forestfire4's Blog 