Shelley Shepard Gray is The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 books, including Unforgiven and Unforgotten. Two-time winner of the HOLT Medallion and a Carol Award finalist, Gray lives in Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.
Here, Shelley talks about writing realistic stories against the many stereotypes and assumptions that surround the Amish community.
FF: What inspired you to blend elements of Amish fiction with suspense in this story of an innocent witness to a crime?
Two things! The first was the movie Witness. Like so many people, I was swept away by the thought of an Amish person witnessing a crime, but I was more intrigued by an Amish woman having to live “English” than the other way around. Secondly, I was once in a dollar store in Pinecraft, and half the people inside were Amish buying flip-flops and beach towels for their vacation. I was struck by the wide variety of people standing in line, which (for some reason) made me start imagining all sorts of things that could happen.
FF: The life of your protagonist, Stephanie Miller, changes dramatically after she witnesses a murder at a dollar store. How does this incident challenge common perceptions about the separation between Amish and English worlds?
Though things have changed a bit, when I first started writing romances featuring Amish characters, I would hear from lots of people chastising me for not following every “rule” they read about online. I would do my best to gently remind people that every Amish community is different and that most Amish are well aware of things going on in the “outside” world—they simply choose not to live that way. That said, I created Stephanie’s character to have been so traumatized by things that happened in her past that she would be open to both doing whatever she needed to survive and living “English” for a short amount of time.
FF: Can you tell us about the research that went into crafting an authentic portrayal of how an Amish woman might handle being thrust into witness protection?
I’ve been fortunate to have been able to write several books over the years that involve law enforcement professionals. I have a wide variety of notes from people I’ve interviewed in order to make this work of fiction seem possible.
FF: Hardy Anderson has to help hide Stephanie by having her dress English. How does this external transformation affect her internal journey?
I actually think that Stephanie’s internal journey affected her ability to change her outward appearance. Because she’d already lost her parents suddenly and had been forced to dramatically change her life afterward, she’s able to accept Hardy’s help. If she’d been a sheltered, happy young woman before witnessing the murder, I don’t think she would have been so willing to do whatever she needed to do in order to survive.
FF: How does the ranch setting play into both the suspense elements and potential romance between Stephanie and Hardy?
I happened to really love the ranch setting. My family had a ranch when I was growing up in Texas, so thinking about cows and horses actually makes me very happy. I also wanted Stephanie and Hardy to be fairly isolated so they would be forced to get to know and trust each other. I also enjoyed creating some strong secondary characters to help both Stephanie and Hardy on their journey.
FF: Your books have sold over 2 million copies. What do you think draws readers to stories about the Amish community?
I know readers love to learn about the Amish and become immersed in a world that is different from their own—at least on the outside. Personally, I’ve always tried to write the most gripping novel I can in which my characters just happen to be Amish.
FF: How do you balance writing about serious crime and danger while maintaining the traditional values and faith elements readers expect from Amish fiction?
I happen to think that the addition of crime and danger makes adding values and faith elements easier. I think just about everyone turns to their faith in times of pain or danger.
FF: What unique challenges did you face in writing a character who has to navigate both Amish and English worlds while under threat?
Boy, it was difficult! I rewrote several scenes over and over again in an attempt to make the scenes seem realistic yet taut, but also from a young Amish woman’s perspective. For me, it was a balancing act to keep the story fast-moving and not bogged down with tons of description while giving enough details for the reader to understand how my Amish heroine must be feeling.
FF: Can you share about the process of crafting realistic suspense in a story involving a community known for nonviolence?
I love writing novels that place characters out of their comfort zones. Those uncomfortable situations often force my characters to do unexpected things, whether they’re hoping to survive or just fall in love. Because of that, I envisioned Stephanie being the type of woman to do whatever she needed to do in order to stay alive. However, the setting was really important for Unshaken. I don’t think I could’ve written this story if it had been set in the Amish community. It was one of the reasons I placed it on a sprawling ranch.
FF: What do you hope readers take away from this story about faith, protection, and finding strength in unexpected circumstances?
I write every novel with the same goal in mind: to write a book that’s entertaining and hard to put down. It would be an honor if people are inspired by Hardy’s and Stephanie’s journeys as well.
FF: What are you working on next?
I’m so excited to share that I’m currently working on the first book in my new trilogy for Revell. The series is called The Amish Widows Club, and it features Amish, Mennonite, and English characters.
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Unshaken
Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Revell
Genres: Amish, Suspense, Romance
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Available Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
ASIN: 080074604X
ISBN-13: 978-0800746049
Book Summary:
When Stephanie Miller planned her visit to a dollar store in southern Ohio, she was expecting to pick up a few items she couldn’t find in her Amish community. She was not expecting to find herself an innocent bystander as a drug deal went horribly wrong. The sole witness to a murder, now Stephanie is targeted by the gunman.
Hardy Anderson is always ready to help his social worker sister, Bev–which now includes hiding an Amish woman until a killer can be brought to justice. Surely if they dress her in English clothing, Hardy can hide her at the sprawling ranch where he works. But the killer is desperate–and there’s no telling what lengths he will go.
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