Ruth Benziger

Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder mystery series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award, and a nomination for an “Audie Award” for best mystery audiobook. Her work has appeared on numerous bestseller lists and earned a spot on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel.

In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty, but loveable Blue Heelers.

Book Reviews for the first 3 books

Some secrets are too terrible to reveal . . .Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve . . . In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish. Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past–until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past–and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.

My Review

If you pick up this book, accept the fact that you will not want to put it down. It was nail-biting and action-packed. I could not put it down until the very last page. I read a short story collection by Kate Burkholder during Christmas and fell in love with Linda Castillo’s writing. Now, I’m glad that I went back to look at her other works.

Kate was Amish as a girl and left the church to later become a cop, a detective, until she was offered the chief of police position in Painters Mill. Being a woman and formerly Amish, it is a rare but well-deserved title. While she takes her job seriously, she and her title are threatened when a body is found by T.J., one of her officers.

The murder brings back painful memories of Kate’s past. Sixteen years previously, the slaughterhouse killer had killed four women with the same M.O. Kate has to solve this case before more women die while trying to run from her past.

John Tomasetti, a decorated detective and damn good cop, is in a downward spiral, and his superiors don’t know what to do with him. He’s grieving and struggling with a past that is eating him alive. He’s covering it with booze and pills just to get through the day. To get him out of their hair, they assign him the Painters Mill case, knowing he’ll blunder it, and they can get rid of him without backlash. What they didn’t count on was him meeting Kate and forming an attachment that not only helps him focus on the case, but learning about her secret past helps him accept his.

Kate is faced with many setbacks, lots of tumultuous moments, facing her family, who also hold her secrets, but she’s faced with the thing that will break her resolve.

Man, I did not anticipate the killer to be who he was, and the ending part of the book had me so on edge, I thought I was gonna throw up. Thankfully, John is able to save the day, but at what cost? Trauma lingers.

Looking forward to reading more on Kate, John, T.J., Glock, Pickles, Mona, and the rest of the band in Painters Mill.

The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.

State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.

When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.

My Review

Kate Burkholder, the chief of police in Painters Mill, Ohio, is on the case to solve the murder involving the Amish Plank family. Kate uses her past as a former Amish person to interview people who may have known them. While investigating the murder, she finds a diary of Mary Plank. Kate discovers that Mary worked in town at a store and was involved with an “English” boy. She never uses details and never names him, which makes it all that much harder to solve.

John Tomasetti is struggling again with his past, panic attacks, and is forced by the department to undergo mandatory counseling. While doing so, he tries to help Kate with her case while coming to terms with how he feels about her.

This case was especially heinous, and I found myself angry and disgusted at times to know that it is evil like that in the world. Kate and John have their own baggage in terms of their past and seem to have this volatile yet close connection. Neither is great at relationships, yet they seem to be drawn together like magnets. They work well together, and that seems to be their common ground. The romantic part is clumsy and awkward, and neither knows how to allow the type of intimacy that comes with being in a relationship. They find solace in each other physically and pull back. It seems to be a cycle for them.

I am more fond of characters now that I’ve read a couple of books with them. Mona is a student who seems a bit naive and a little too enthusiastic when it comes to her job. Glock is solid and dependable. I like his sense of humor. Skid is hard-headed, which will make you chuckle at the end of the book. Kate is one strong woman with nerves of steel and tends to put herself on the line, whether the outcome will be positive or not. John, I have come to like most of all. Mostly because, despite what he’s been through, he fights like hell to keep it together. He’s got a lot of baggage, but has redeemable qualities and has Kate’s back.

In terms of the killer, I will say that this is a typical person that you wouldn’t suspect right away. There are personality qualities about him that scream something is off, but you don’t look too closely. In this case, that didn’t serve Kate well, and she was blindsided in the end. I say the same thing when I read books about this kind of evil. Be careful who you trust. Pay attention and keep your guard up.

This was as fast-paced and action-packed as Castillo’s first book, Sworn to Silence. I couldn’t put it down and stayed with her until the last moment.

The very last scene of the book makes me have hope for Kate and John despite what they deal with personally.

Police Chief Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of a horrific tragedy on a peaceful Amish farm.

The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous and hardworking, with four children and a happy extended family. When the parents and an uncle are found dead in their barn, it appears to be a gruesome accident: methane gas asphyxiation caused by a poorly ventilated cesspit. But in the course of a routine autopsy, the coroner discovers that one of the victims suffered a head wound before death—clearly, foul play was involved. But who would want to make orphans of the Slabaughs’ children? And is this murder somehow related to a recent string of shocking hate crimes against the Amish?

Having grown up Amish, Kate is determined to bring the killer to justice. Because the other series of attacks are designated hate crimes, the state sends in agent John Tomasetti, with whom Kate has a long and complex relationship. Together, they search for the link between the crimes—and uncover a dark secret at work beneath the placid surface of this idyllic Amish community.

My Review

Kate Burkholder is called to investigate when a father, mother, and uncle fell into the manure pit on their Amish farm. At first glance, things look accidental, and they move around as such. Soon, after the coroner finds a head wound, Kate and the officers realize this wasn’t an accident.

While Chief Burkholder is trying to solve the case of the Slabaugh family and the children left behind, there have been a series of hate crimes against the Amish. So many that the Chief and Tomesetti, who come to aid in the case, guess that the Slabaugh family deaths could be linked.

There was so much going on with the children of the Slabaugh family while also figuring out who was abusing and committing crimes against the Amish; it was clever of Castillo to write about the circumstances and distract the reader. I had ideas while figuring out the case, but they ended up being wrong. I was surprised until the very end who was responsible for the family’s death, and even more surprised by the reasons behind it. Shocking to say the least.

John and Kate have known each other for a year since the Slaughterhouse Killer case. While they have known each other, they have formed great working relationships. Their personal one, however, is complicated at best. I will say that in this book, they seem to be coming closer and trusting each other more. They seem less awkward, but they still seem to have a lot of work to do. Both have baggage; they need to learn to work out their own stuff while trying to open up. Based on the ending, I have hope for them yet. They make a good team.