2009: Separate From the World

The Story

Separate From the World is a story of a rift between two Amish factions, one that favors the use of medicine and that participates in a college study of genetic traits particular to the Amish community, and the other that rejects any outside influence.

P. L. Gaus takes us inside a separate culture and, in a manner both gentle and grim, highlights the complex relationship of the Amish and the “English” as they live inside or outside each other’s orbits.

About the Author

Paul L. Gaus was born and raised in Ohio, and he has lived in Wooster, Ohio for the past 31 years with his wife Madonna. He retired recently as the Benjamin S. Brown Professor of Chemistry at The College of Wooster, and Chairperson of the Chemistry Department. Paul took an interest in writing fiction in 1993, and with the advice and encouragement of author Tony Hillerman, he began working in the summers to write mystery novels set in Holmes County, Ohio, among the Amish. The first of Gaus’s mysteries, Blood of the Prodigal, An Ohio Amish Mystery, Ohio University Press, was published in June of 1999, and a total of six novels have appeared in this series: Broken English, 2000, Clouds without Rain, 2001, Cast a Blue Shadow, 2003, and A Prayer for the Night, 2006. The sixth novel, Separate from the World was published in July of 2008

Read The Daily News Profile story on Paul Gaus

2011 Update

The seventh novel in Gaus’ ongoing series of Amish mysteries earned strong reviews from The New York Times, Booklist and Publishers Weekly. The latter said “Multidimensional characters on both sides of the cultural divided give depth to the narrative” and “it’s the complex interactions of these two very different cultures that make this such an enjoyable and enlightening read.”

“Harmless as Doves” will be released as a trade paperback in June and audio books of the first six Amish-Country Mysteries will soon be available from Random House Audio.

Gaus’ first book, “Blood of the Prodigal,” was the 2011 selection for Choose to Read Ohio, a state-wide reading program that highlights Ohio authors.

To read more about the author visit these sites:

Mystery Writers of America

Ohio University Press. Swallow Press

Other Works by the Author

Blood of the Prodigal, Ohio University Press, 1999
Broken English, Ohio University Press, 2000
Clouds Without Rain, Ohio University Press, 2001
Cast a Blue Shadow, Ohio University Press, 2003
A Prayer for the Night,  Ohio University Press, 2006
Murder Most Amish, Mystery Guild, 2010
Harmless as Doves, Ohio University Press, 2011
Names of our Tears, Plume, 2013
Whiskers of the Lion, Plume, 2015