I absolutely love Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder books. This is the 4th book I've read in the series with 2 others on my TBR list. I know that I am going to get an entertaining read filled with action, suspense and another view into the life of the Amish without any explicit sex scenes. This one did not fail, again.

This one involves Kate's childhood friend, Jacob King, who she hasn't seen in 20 years. He was her first crush and he moved away when Katie was 14. When Kate discovers that Jacob has just escaped from prison, where he was serving a sentence for murdering his wife and that his children are in Painter's Mill, all sorts of memories come to mind. When ambushed by Jacob and held hostage, Kate talks with Jacob and listens to his story that "he did not kill his wife". This is further confirmed by his five year old daughter, Sadie, who says it wasn't her datt (dad) she saw standing by her parent's bed that night.

Kate is released, but not without controversy. One that puts her reputation on the line by her police cohorts, the town council and the public eye.

A book full of action, suspense and remnants of Kate's past that I found very entertaining and one that I could not put down.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Wow, this was one of the best Kate Burkholder books yet. I did not want to put it down to go to bed. Linda Castillo has the knack of writing about the Amish and Englischer divide as well as weaving them together living in the same area of Ohio. The plot in this story moved you quickly between past reminiscences and the present.

The book opens with Kate getting a call about an escaped convict that might be headed to her area. It is Joseph (Joe) King who used to be her childhood friend and first crush. Two years earlier he was charged with killing his wife Naomi and spent the last year in prison. He heads to Painter's Mill because his children are living there with his sister-in-law and her husband. As Kate is patrolling the area, she comes across an abandoned car. Following the trail, she is ambushed by Joe, has her sidearm taken and is held hostage for a period of time. Kate tries to use her personal connection with him to solve the issues without any fatalities. His request for her, is to find out who killed his wife. He insists he is innocent and that his youngest daughter, Sadie, saw an intruder in the house. He then lets her leave. Who really killed Naomi? Can the standoff end without any fatalities? Can Kate help Joe without putting herself in danger?

I love the characters in this series. Kate and Tomasetti are a great couple. The things they go through together, yet have to keep their relationship professional is amazing. I feel like I have come to know the characters in Painter's Mill. Even though the Painter's Mill police department were peripheral in this story, their short appearances were important. The kids in the story, especially Sadie, were wonderful. What they had been through in the last couple of years would cause major upset, but they seem to be handling things well with the help of their aunt and uncle. Sadie is only five, but she was so smart for her age and was able to wrap adults around her fingers. I really connected with this family and felt their pain.

With all the family drama and sadness going on, this was an exceptional mystery. Kate had her hands tied investigating something outside her jurisdiction but her guts and moral compass kept her going until she found a resolution. A great story for any mystery, suspense and/or crime/detective lover. A must read.

“Down a Dark Road” is probably the most emotionally affecting and suspenseful book in the Kate Burkholder series, and then there are the pies!

I’ve read every book in Linda Castillo’s series about Painter’s Mill police chief Kate Burkolder and enjoyed them all. They provide a revealing view of the unique challenges of small town policing combined with thrilling plots with surprising twists. What I most appreciate about the series is learning more about the Amish culture. Kate was formerly Amish and many of the residents of Painter’s Mill are Amish.

Each book in the series exposes details of Kate’s life when she was still living as Amish, but this one hits closest to home for her. Joseph King, her childhood playmate, protector, and first crush has escaped from prison where he’s been confined for murdering his wife. Kate can’t understand how the boy she liked so much could turn into a murderer and as she investigates further, her questions and doubts only increase.

“Down a Dark Road” is a dramatic and riveting story and makes for great summer time reading. Her evocative descriptions of Amish roadside stands reminded me of the delectable produce and slices of home-baked heaven I’ve devoured at those stands and gave me a real hankering for home-made bread and raspberry pie!

My review was posted on Goodreads 7/12/17.

Number nine in the Kate Burkholder Series, Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo is intriguing and insightful as ever. You are drawn into the story, caring about the children and wanting to find the truth along with Sheriff Kate Burkholder.

The pace is steady. Not action-packed but not at a snail’s pace either, as I imagine police work really is, steady until the electrifying conclusion in this case. This case is personal to Kate, giving us glimpses into Kate’s early years, making this an even more interesting read. Sadly, by the end you understand neither the Amish, the “English” or the police are made up of completely good guys. It makes for a gripping if bittersweet read.

Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo is the newest A Kate Burkholder Novel. Kate Burkholder is the chief of police in Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate receives a call from Deputy Warden Jerry Murphy at the Mansfield Correctional Institute saying that Joseph King has escaped. Joseph was convicted two years prior of murdering his wife. His five children now live with their aunt and uncle on a farm outside Painters Mill. Kate grew up with Joseph until his family moved away when she was thirteen. She remembers the crush she had on Joseph and how he changed after his father passed away. Kate does not think Joseph will return to town, but she sets up a watch on Rebecca and Daniel Beachy’s home. Around 3 a.m. Kate is checking the perimeter when she is attacked. Joseph gets the drop of Kate and forces her into the farmhouse. Joseph is holding Kate along with his five children hostage. Joseph swears to Kate that he is innocent, but he refuses to give himself up. He does not want to go back to prison and he will not let the children go. Joseph wants Kate to investigate and prove he did not murder his wife, Naomi. Kate is set free and faces the criticism of her colleagues. She remembers what Joseph was like as a young boy. Kate sets off on her quest for answers. Did Joseph kill Naomi as the evidence suggests? Kate is in for a bumpy ride in Down a Dark Road.

I look forward to reading the latest Kate Burkholder book each year and Linda Castillo did not let me down with this tome. Down a Dark Road captured and held my interest. I found the book to be well-written and have a steady pace. The mystery is complex with many twists and turns along the way. I did solve the mystery early in the story, but I enjoyed reading on to see how it would unravel. I would find dealing with the Amish very frustrating if I was a police officer (Kate is so patient). Their reluctance to talk and help the law astounds me. Kate Burkholder is a complicated person. I liked that more of her youth was revealed to us (Kate looks back remembering her time with Joseph). It is nice to see how Kate was as a girl (she grew up Amish). I also appreciated seeing a more vulnerable side of Kate. My rating for Down a Dark Road is 4.5 out of 5 stars. While Down a Dark Road is the ninth book in the series, it can be read alone. Personally, I am glad to have read the whole series, because each volume builds upon the previous. A new layer of Kate’s character is exposed and we discover a little more about Kate. The epilogue was lovely and heartwarming. I look forward to reading the tenth book in A Kate Burkholder series when it releases next year.

I have been following this series since 2009. I don’t know anymore how I found this author, but her books have pulled me back year after year. The most fascinating aspect of these novels is the premise and location. I’ve never read anything about the Amish culture before Kate Burkholder. I’m from Germany so I understand some of the Amish that is being used in these books, but sentence structure is often very different and the culture is a world apart to anything I’ve ever known.

These books, again and again, make me wonder and curious about the differences in cultures, religions and believes.

Now, don’t think that theses books are about nice little endeavors into the country. Oh no!!! Kate Burkholder is one touch sheriff, who has to be witness to some very cruel and gruesome acts. You wouldn’t think that these terrifying events could happen to such peaceful people, but even peaceful people have skeletons hidden somewhere.

Linda Castillo‘s books are CHILLING, THRILLING, CAPTIVATING, and ADDICTIVE.

I read Down a Dark Road in one sitting. There was no stopping me. At the end it was close to 1 am when I finally finished this book, with a satisfying THE END. As always Kate Burkholder was as riveting and fascinating as always. I truly adore her. Kate, was a woman in a man’s world. As a sheriff in a community with a 1/3 amish population, her background was hindering as much as helpful. She was seen as the one that left the community and faith, an ENGLISHER, excommunicated, distrusted, and a police officer to boot.

Her struggle with her past and getting answers from people that distrusted her was palpable. Kate’s thorough police work, her dedication and never-ending willingness to find the truth is what draws me to these books. The authors way of spinning an engrossing tale, chilling murder cases, authentic and genuinely like-able characters, and a fascinating Amish community makes this series a ONE-OF-KIND!!

If you are interested in THRILLERS – go and pick this one!! I can’t recommend it enough!!



review went live on july 12th 2017 links are below

Kate Burkholder's childhood friend is now an escaped criminal holding members of his wife's family and his own children hostage. He claims that he was innocent of the crime that sent him to prison. As Kate negotiates for the release of his children, she gradually comes to believe that his claims might be true. As a SWAT team moves in, Kate races to uncover the truth before the worst happens.

Full review will be published online in the end of month review package.

DOWN A DARK ROAD is a well done, solid mystery. Kate Burkholder is lapsed Amish, and chief of police for a small Ohio town. In this book, a childhood friend who had been convicted of murdering his wife escapes from prison and returns for his children. Kate has gone to the house where the children are and ends up losing her gun and being taken hostage by the man. He later releases her when she promises to investigate his claim of innocence.

There is a nice balance between story and character development. We are given glimpses into Kate’s childhood and her thoughts on those episodes. I like that Kate is psychologically healthy, not struggling with drink or pills or damaged in any way.

DOWN A DARK ROAD is the ninth book in the always intriguing “Kate Burkholder” series. This is not a fast paced book, but it moves along at a steady clip and keeps the reader’s interest throughout. The victims are well done, with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Particularly interesting is the way Castillo juxtaposes the Joseph of Kate’s youth with the adult he has become. DOWN A DARK ROAD can be read standalone with little issue.

This series has it all, and Down A Dark Road does not disappoint, except you might want to keep the tissues handy.
The author has us leading with our hearts, a childhood friend, one you spent hours lost in time with, and now he is a convicted murderer, who claims he is innocent.
I have enjoyed all the books in this series, and it is a wonder that Kate Burkholder is even alive, but she is and she shoots from her heart in this story. Will she bring justice, or find out she has been lied to, and will she survive to bring fairness to Joseph’s family, especially little Sadie.
What a path Kate finds herself on, now someone wants to kill her, why, and who is responsible. Is everything tied together in a neat ribbon, or does evil prevail here, and it will make you wonder if these things really did or do happen.
A page-turner for sure, and you won’t be disappointed!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Minotour Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Castillo's Amish series is a customer favorite. I will enjoy handselling this title.

Linda Castillo has done it again!!!!! I'm a long-time fan, and I can hardly wait for any new Kate Burkholder title. This one more than lived up to expectations! Castillo' ability to keep writing repeatedly about the same characters without any sense of repetition for the reader is truly impressive. Kate's mixed feelings about her heritage and her complicated relationships with her family and community provide an underlying them for the series that seems completely realistic. At the same time, Kate's relationships with Tomasetti and everyone in the police department make one want to know more and more about them. Learning more about some of the happy times in Kate's youth adds extra pleasure to this book. I truly look forward to Kate's next case!!

FINAL DECISION: A strong mystery made important by the personal emotional journey of Kate makes this book compelling. The force of the book comes not only from the twisty mystery but also the strength of Kate's emotional involvement. Plus some sweet time with John.

THE STORY: As this story begins, the series heroine Kate Burkholder is still the chief of police of her small town in Amish country. She receives notification that a man, Joseph King as escaped from prison. An Amish man convicted of murdering his wife, police believe there is possibility he will come for his five children who are living in Kate's jurisdiction. Kate knows Joseph King. He was her first crush when the two were children but they haven't seen one another since Kate was fourteen. When she is ambushed by King, who has taken his children hostage, she hears a tale of a man who claims he did not murder his wife but was framed. At first, Kate doesn't believe anything King says until things begin to seem strange in the supposedly straightforward story.

OPINION: This book proves what I believe about this series -- the best stories are ones where Kate is personally connected and invested in the outcome. While the mystery is good on any level, her personal connection, the struggles the investigation causes for her are what kept me reading this book.

This case tests Kate on both a personal and a professional level. Kate has so little space for innocence in her life that the corruption of one of her sweet childhood memories challenges her. Her adult cop skepticism and her belief in her childhood friend clash dramatically as she struggles to reconcile what she knows the truth is and what her intuition tells her. The complication here is that her police intuition keeps taking her in different directions.

The fascinating thing here is that this book is also a journey of innocence, loss of innocence and holding on to something pure in the past. Although the lives of all those children have become more complicated, more nuanced and less pure and innocent, something of those people still remains in the adults they have become.

I don't want to discuss any of the particulars of the mystery since that is the central part of the story, but I really enjoyed the interaction between Kate and the Amish community here as she navigates her investigation. This book relies less on the Amish customs as a hook in the story. Indeed, this book is of the Amish community without being about the community. The story could have taken place anywhere with anyone.

There is a common theme of the dark underbelly of what appears innocent and good. This series often uses this in terms of the Amish community. The same appears here, but there is another twist that I really enjoyed.

This series continues to be a compelling read for me and I highly recommend it for those who love mystery with some romance on the side.

WORTH MENTIONING: Although this book isn't classified as a romance, I'm still compelled by the romance between Kate and BCI State agent John Tomasetti continues to pull me in although there is little drama between them and thus less "screen time".

CONNECTED BOOKS: DOWN A DARK ROAD is the ninth book in the Kate Burkholder series. This is a self-contained mystery novel but, of course, there are recurring characters and relationships secondary to the mystery. This book can be read as a standalone although it is better to be immersed in the overarching personal story as well.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

This series never fails to keep me interested and intrigued. I started this at about 6 p.m. and didn't put it down until I finished (about 2 a.m.).

Linda Castillo’s newest Kate Burkholder thriller is called Down a Dark Road. Kate Burkholder is Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill, Ohio, a community made up of Amish and English. This would be book number nine in the series and it was awesome!!!! I found myself mumbling to Kate about watching her back and not asking those questions. To me that is the highlight of a fabulous mystery/thriller.

Kate Burkholder was Amish until 18 and then chose a different way of life and became a policeman. She was hired because of her ties to the community. Each book has a connection to the Amish, but this one to me felt more meaningful and indicative to her upbringing. The person who she was focused was Joseph King, a boy who she had her first true crush on. Joseph was sent to prison over the murder of his wife. Through a series of flashbacks and heated conversations, we are invited into the life of Joseph King and Kate Burkholder. Kate could not let her image of him go and followed the story like unraveling a ball of yarn.

I was enthralled with her story. I loved her impassioned belief in Joseph, despite the evidence. I was furious with the old boy’s network shutting her down and treating her with disrespect.

You know you are reading a good book when your emotions are totally involved. Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo is a really great read.

If you aren't reading the Kate Burkholder series, you are missing out on one of the most reliably wonderful mystery series out there. In Down a Dark Road, Painters Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder gets a phone call that a convicted murderer has escaped from prison and may be headed towards her town, where his children are living with relatives. Kate has a personal tie to the convict- once upon a time, he was her neighbor and first crush. When Joseph King shows up, he manages to convince Kate that his case is worth a second look.
Despite a scene towards the end I found somewhat implausible, Down a Dark Road was an excellent addition to the series. The flashback scenes to Kate's life as an Amish teenager with a crush were perhaps some of my favorite glimpses into Kate's Amish life that we've had yet. This book managed to have a really intriguing case for Kate to investigate and also really showcase the characters that Castillo has written for the Painters Mill police department. This really is a rock solid series that, despite being on the ninth book, feels like it has a lot of life left in it.

"Down A Dark Road" takes Painter's Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder to revisit childhood places, times, and emotions while trying to figure out who murdered Naomi King, an Amish mother of four young children. Naomi's husband, Joseph King was convicted of the crime. Kate knew Joseph as a child, having been neighbors and playmates. Joseph naturally insists he is innocent, and gradually Kate believes him. She sets out to find the real killer, and uncovers many secrets that threaten her career and her life.
In her masterful way, Linda Castillo hooks the reader from the very first page where we watch the killer commit his horrible crime. Castillo makes readers feel as though they are right there in the story, feeling the same emotions and seeing the same sights as the characters. In this particular installment, we are privy to more of Kate's childhood experiences, and secondary characters from her other stories are more fleshed out.
Thank you, Linda, for always delivering your best.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One thing I really like about this series is the fantastic picture it gives the reader of Amish life. Kate Burkholder, formerly part of the small Amish community, is now Chief of Police in the small mid-western Ohio community, Painters Mill, where she once lived among the Amish. In this book, we are introduced to a long-ago friend of Kate, Joseph (“Joe”) King, who has escaped prison, after having been sentenced for the killing of his wife and the mother of their five young children two years before. Kate and Joe have a long history, as they hung around together when they were youngsters in the Amish community, until Joe’s father died in a carriage accident and his family moved away. After escaping prison, Joe returns to the area, where he takes Kate and his five children hostage, while claiming that he did not kill his wife, being backed up by his now five-year old daughter, Sadie. As the murder occurred two years previously, Sadie’s story as witness to the murder was never believed because of her young age. Despite her young age, Kate believes Sadie’s story and sets out to determine whether/how Joseph was wrongly accused and imprisoned for the murder. The book jumps back and forth between the present day and the years when Kate and Joe were youngsters interacting as they hung out together and the time of the murder. There are some interesting stories about Kate’s youth with Joseph as well as about his life with his wife and children presented, shedding light on relationships and events that occurred, as well as on how things have changed. I found it fascinating to watch Kate meticulously piece through and figure out the clues in this murder mystery, while being subjected to pressures to get out/stay out of things by some of the other law enforcement personnel involved. In particular, one sheriff, with secrets of his own, from a neighborhood town, adamantly wants Kate off the investigation and will stop at almost nothing to make this happen. In addition to fining many miscarriages of justice in Joe’s story and the murder of his wife, Kate stumbles upon a sinister law enforcement plot that can bring law enforcement officers down if uncovered in its entirety.

I love this series and have read it in its entirety. This book is as fascinating as the rest have been. Kate is a strong woman, which I respect and admire, and I enjoy reading about her and her methods of operation in various law enforcement situations. In this book, we also again see her as a real person and woman, in a relationship, fraught with promise as well as pitfalls, as she and Tomassi, another law enforcement officer, work further through their up and down, growing relationship, which only brings the human side of Kate further along. This is a fascinating book that definitely brings home more aspects of the Amish life and community, and does so seamlessly and smoothly. The characters are real and fascinating to watch. The plot is well thought out and executed from start to finish. This book only leaves me wanting for more of Kate and her adventures as Police Chief in Painters Mill, Ohio. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I am a huge fan of this series so thanks NetGalley for the early copy! I have loved all her books but this one played with my emotions more so I think it is my favorite so far and look forward to more! I think they would make a great TV series

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

This is a well done, solid mystery. Kate Burkholder is lapsed Amish, chief of police for a small Ohio town. In this book, a childhood friend who had been convicted of murdering his wife escapes from prison and returns for his children. Kate has gone to the house where the children are and ends up losing her gun and being taken hostage by the man. He later releases her when she promises to investigate his claim of innocence.

There is a nice balance between story and character development. We are given glimpses into Kate’s childhood and her thoughts on those episodes. I like that Kate is psychologically healthy, not struggling with drink or pills or damaged in any way.

I have only read one other of the series, which was the first. It works well as a stand alone, I didn't have issues with not having read books 2-8.

I wouldn't call this a fast paced book. But it moved along at a steady clip and kept my interest throughout. The victims are well done, with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. I particularly liked the way Castillo juxtaposed the Joseph of Kate’s youth with the adult he became.

One key plot element doesn't bear looking at too closely as it won't hang together upon close examination.

My thanks to netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy of this book.