P.L. Gaus Books In Order

Publication Order of Amish-Country Mysteries Books

P.L Gaus is known for his novels that illuminate Amish Culture and lifestyle. Born in Athens, Ohio, in 1949, Paul L.Gaus has spent a large portion of his life in Ohio. His extensive travels throughout Holmes and the surrounding rural counties in Ohio has provided him with immense knowledge with regards to the culture and lifestyle of the numerous Ohio Amish sects. It is no wonder that the mysteries he writes take their flavor from the Amish settlements of Holmes County. As an author, Paul writes on the culture and lifestyle of the Amish people. He also throws in a bit of mystery and thriller plus religion in his books.

P.L.Gaus’s interest in writing fiction began in 1996 when he was spurred by author Tony Hillerman. During that time, he began writing novels based on the Amish in Holmes County, Ohio. Paul received his education from Miami University (B.S) and Duke University (Ph.D). He was Chairperson of the Chemistry Department at The College of Wooster and has held positions as Visiting Professor of Chemistry ay Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois, The Ohio State University and University of Wisconsin(Madison). He co-authored Basic Inorganic Chemistry, a best selling senior text that was published in its third edition in 1995 by John Wiley and Sons.

Paul’s first Ohio Amish Mystery, Blood of the Prodigal was published in June 1999 by Ohio University press. With the exception of the the eighth book, The Name of Our Tears, all of his books have been published by Plume, which is a division of Penguin Group USA. In addition, Christian retailers such as Family Christian Stories, LifeWay and CBD.com have taken on the Amish Country Mysteries editions.

Paul’s first mystery was Blood of the Prodigal. This mystery which he wrote under his pen name P.L.Gaus is centered around three life-long friends; a professor, a pastor and a sheriff. In this mystery, Jonah Mills who found himself back at the Old Order Amish community that he had once rejected gets himself shot and his body dumped by his father’s farm. Thanks to his wild ways, Jonah was banned from the community by his Bishop father. The son he had come to retrieve from his Bishop father is believed to have been kidnapped or murdered. Jonah’s body is found in Amish garb and three men, all of whom are outsider English must attempt to solve the crime and save a life in the closed rural religious culture. The intervention from the three friends is a rare occurrence in the Old Order Amish communities of Ohio since the self styled ‘plain’ people almost never seek help from an outsider, the ‘English’. Nonetheless, Professor Michael Branden, Pastor Caleb Troyer and Sheriff Bruce Robertson must work together, even in their differences to solve the mystery. Why did Jonah snatch his son from his Bishop father and try to expose him to the outside world? Who shot and killed Jonah and why was he found dead and dressed in traditional Amish garb? Could his killer be Jeff Hostettler, the brother of the boy’s mother? After all, Jeff, whose sister, a local drug-addicted teenager committed suicide, did vow to kill Jonah on sight. With the matter now in the public arena, the sheriff and his deputy find themselves working hand in hand with the professor in a bid to solve Jonah’s murder and find his son, Jeremiah.

Paul’s second book, Broken English was released in 2000. Broken English is a story surrounded by deception, honor and revenge. In this mystery, one of the citizens of the peaceful town of Millersburg, Ohio is viciously murdered at the hands of an ex-convict. But David Hawkins, the victim’s father finds himself in the spotlight when a local reporter covering the story ends up dead at the time when the convict was already in jail. To further add to the Mystery, Hawkins cannot be found anywhere; even a search among the protective Amish colony that had brought him in its folds regardless of his shadowy past has yielded nothing. Once again, Professor Michael Branden, Pastor Caleb Troyer and Sheriff Bruce Robertson step into the picture to try and unveil the mystery. The three must work together and sometimes away from each other to uncover the truth. The professor and the pastor have an understanding of the Amish people while the Sheriff represents the English world, a non-Amish world with a different perspective of people and the world. The professor and pastor, who are accepted by the Amish people often find themselves having to deal with crimes that affect the Amish communities. In this thriller, Troyer knows that Hawkins couldn’t have killed the reporter since he had given up his violent past and joined the peace-loving society of the Amish people. He alongside the sheriff and the professor must look into the ex-convict’s secret and prove that Hawkins is not the killer.

Page after page of Paul’s mysteries serve as a reminder of his extensive knowledge of the culture and lifestyle of the Amish communities in Ohio. His stories showcase the community’s rich cultures while touching on the puzzles of human nature. He is onto the ninth Amish-Country Mystery and shows no desire to quit writing anytime soon! Paul’s passion is to bring Amish culture, lifestyle and religion in as honest and detailed a way as possible. He provides his insight in context to criminal investigation since he believes it provides for a great insight into the human condition. His characters are believable and he lets them act out their stories. He provides strangers to Amish community with a crisp writing that looks into the rites, culture, lifestyle, relationships and the Amish philosophy in general of this isolated people.

Paul’s stories may be fictional in nature, however, the locations are authentic so it draws readers into the actual places where the characters in the mysteries are acting out their roles.

Paul’s books can be found in a number of book stores nationwide and on a number of online platforms.