Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl

When Sarah's sister suddenly reappears, only to disappear again--in the same manner as her parents--can Deputy Sheriff Paul Gleason help her to solve the mystery that's still haunting her?
After a youth filled with tragedy and upheaval, Sarah Miller's life is finally settled with all echoes of the past silent at last. She happily calls Sanctuary her home and spends her days teaching at the local school.
Sarah's joy at her recent reunion with her sister, Hannah, and meeting the niece she didn't know she had is too soon interrupted when Deputy Sheriff Paul Gleason informs Sarah her sister has been killed.
As she learns more about Hannah's death, the circumstances are eerily similar to their parents' murder. Sarah enlists Paul's help in digging deeper into the murders the police are dismissing as burglaries gone wrong. Paul's concern encourages Sarah's growing feelings for him, but as their investigation peels back the layers of lies almost twenty years old, they get close to uncovering the truth one person will do anything to hide--even if that means coming after the last remaining members of the Miller family.

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The little town with its colorful people seemed interesting, the Mennonite church and culture were something new to me. Sarah's faith and friendly people of Sanctuary have helped her to grow into the person she is today, despite the childhood drama she went through. And now they have to step up ten fold, since it seems that drama has come to visit Sarah's life once again.
The story was told in first person POV, by Sarah. I think that limited somewhat how the story was built, and here is why: Faith and belief in God guided Sarah's life. When suspense, action was about to get intense, Sarah would pray for peace, and the suspenseful intensity would deflate. Again and again. I guessed who the villain was, as soon as they were introduced into the scene, so that intrigue was absent as well.
There wasn't any romance, just an idea of it to come sometime in the future, after the suspenseful events were over. Sarah and Paul were attracted to each other, said as much, but decided to wait with a relationship for the drama to be over with, and after Sarah got over her self esteem problems.
Too often the story went into matters and details around the town and Sarah's life, that had nothing to do with the plot, making the story move forward in a slow matter.
At the end, this was a story of people with faith, how divine guidance in the characters lives protect, influence, and shepherd their lives, even in moments of crises and drama to this magnitude.
After I finished reading this story, I went purposefully to look and see, if anywhere would be mentioned that this is a Christian novel, where faith and beliefs play a very large part in the story. Couldn't find it. For me, personally, that was not a problem, but I find it interesting, that the author/publisher doesn't see the need to mention that at all.
As a romantic suspense story or a murder mystery, I rate it
~ Two spoons