Here is my biggest complaint about this book; it ended too soon and I have to wait another year to read the next one.

That being said, this was another solid installment in the Kate Burkholder series. I really like Kate. She is smart, tough, vulnerable, and tenacious. I find her very believable in that she tries very hard to be professional and efficient at her job, but there is no escaping the impact of her upbringing and her past on how she does her job.

I really, really like the way Castillo takes the readers on a journey throughout this book. The investigation does not go as Kate or the reader expected, and it takes all of us on a journey that was not anticipated. I like how she brought Kate’s past into the story, but did not let it overwhelm the present day investigation. I also thought her portrayal of the victims was spot-on. She didn’t blink, and she doesn’t let her readers blink either.

I’ve been chaffing a bit on how slow things are going with Tomasetti, and she does assuage that a bit in this book. I hope she continues in the next one, and we get to see their relationship made public. What drama that will cause.! Now, my big wish for the series is that Castillo finally takes us into Kate’s family and tries to put her and her siblings back together. It’s time for Kate to ‘come home,’ and the men in the family (her brother and brother-in-law) need to get their attitudes either adjusted or sidestepped so that Kate and her sister and nieces and nephews can have a life together.

Another thoroughly enjoyable book in this series. I strongly recommend it!

I was excited to see her latest book come out since I love them all! This is the 10th book in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. And I think this is my fave one yet!! How does she do that? And as far as this being her 10th in the series, ALL of her books can be read as a stand-alone as far I am concerned so just pick one and start reading! They're all FANTASTIC. This one is 5 stars from me! Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me this book before publication for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the 10th book in the series which follows Kate as chief of police in Painters Mill, OH. This time her case is based on an Amish boy who is on Rumspringa and is found dead among the ashes of his family barn. Kate is called and is wondering who would do such an heinous crime.

I am so glad I found this author. Even though it's a recurring character her ideas are fresh considering that all her books are based on the Amish. Who would know that from a small community so much can happen just goes to show that the Amish are just like everyone else which I am assuming the author is trying to get across. The Amish settle their disputes among themselves they don't involve outsiders. I enjoyed the story and just when I thought it was at the end it continued. Even though I had my suspicion of the guilty party, I didn't figure out the whole thing and that is why I like the books.

This is an ARC from St. Martin's Press/Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

who would kill an Amish boy, who is so charming, innocent , such a hard worker and loved by all (?) Or is he ?
As Chief Kate Burkhiolder delves into the life of Daniel Gingrich she discovers Mr wonderful ,isn’t !
This book takes us to Painter Mill, an Amish community with strict rules and regulations. Kate knows these well, she is Amish shunned !
Getting to revisit painters mill and it’s people and places is such a treat! It makes me want to go visit and shop ! I want to shop the merchantille in the book

I couldn’t put this book down, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. From the first page to the last , Linda Castillo has wrapped the reader right in and makes you hold on tight through all the twists and turns. This book suprised me, just went I thought I had it figured out , I didn’t
Another fantastic Kate read! Well done !!

Solid mystery set in Amish country. A barn fire turns out to be arson/murder and police chief Kate Burkholder (who grew up Amish then separated) must navigate the sensitivity and reticence of the Amish and other locals to get to the bottom of the mystery. Characters are well-developed, the plot fiendishly circuitous, and the depth of psychology quite involving. I had only read the first book in the series before this, so could tell there was a lot of Burkholder's personal story that I had missed, but it was so well drawn into the narrative that I had no difficulty following it; it just made me want to read the previous books to find out more. I really enjoyed this one.

"Some people say murder is a senseless act. I don't agree. There's no doubt murder is a brutal act. It's a cruel act. An immoral act. It's wrong in the eyes of the law. A sin in the eyes of God. Murder is an unthinkable deed in the mind of any decent human being. But murder is rarely senseless."

FINAL DECISION: A great mystery that is deeply grounded in character and relationships rather than forensics and clues. Kate is deeply involved emotionally in this one and I really like seeing how her character has grown in the series. This one has lots of twists and turns and I couldn't put it down.

THE STORY: The burning of an Amish barn brings Chief of Police Kate Burkholder to the scene, but the arson case turns to a murder investigation when the body of an eighteen year old boy is found inside. As Kate tries to determine who would want to kill a young man who by all accounts was a hard worker and a good person, Kate begins to discover that there are secrets that no one wants to talk about which might be a motive for murder.

OPINION: This one was a page turner. The book has lots of twists and things are not what they appear. This book is deeply entrenched in the personal. The secrets that people keep and the fears and shame and guilt that surround those secrets. As the story winds its way through to its conclusion, I liked that the sense of right and wrong is challenged on all sides. People who seem sympathetic might not be. People who seem good make terrible choices and take terrible actions.

These books work best for me when Kate is deeply involved not only on a professional, but also a personal level and this book succeeds in that. Kate is fully engaged as the mystery brings out many parts of her life. The story feels personal even if Kate doesn't know the people involved.

I thought the mystery was very good and while I had glimpses of the ultimate resolution, I really didn't put it together until the end. And there were plenty of shocking surprises along the way to keep me glued to the pages.

Beyond the mystery, there were also several developments with the ongoing characters that I enjoyed. And there is a real sense of growth of these characters which I appreciated. For readers of the series, it is nice to see that events and time change these characters and they are not kept in stasis to just solve crimes.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book has some good moments between Kate and Tomasetti for those who are interested in their relationship.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A GATHERING OF SECRETS is the tenth book in the Kate Burkholder series. This is a series of separate mystery stories. There are overarching character developments, but this book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

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

Castillo grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very end! A definite “can’t put this book down”!

I’ve been a fan of this series since the first book. And once again, Linda Castillo does not disappoint.

The book grabs you from the get go. A young Amish girl commits suicide. Six months later, a young Amish man is trapped in a barn that someone sets on fire. Kate finds herself stymied as she tries to investigate the arson. The Amish aren’t known for wanting interaction with the English, especially with the police.

Castillo does a great job of explaining the Amish beliefs, especially concerning death and God’s will. In fact, one of the joys of this series is Castillo’s ability to show the dynamics of the two cultures interacting.

And we continue to see the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti develop. Kate is one of the more fully developed characters you’ll find in a mystery series.

This is a well done, timely book that I can recommend. It’s not necessary to read these in order if you’re new to the series, but it does give you much more depth to the relationship with Tomasetti.

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

This book is the 10th in the great Kate Burkholder series . A barn burns to the ground in the Amish community . A young Amish man was burned alive inside . Who did this and why ? As usual this was a deliciously intense and addictive thriller ! I've read the entire series and this one does not disappoint . A perfectly dark and gruesome plot filled with chilling secrets ! I love this talented author ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to #Netgalley and #St.Martin'sPress #MinotaurBooks for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #AGatheringOfSecrets

The 10th in the Kate Burkholder series, and the story line is still fresh and enjoyable to read!
When a barn in the local Amish community burns down, the local police chief, Kate Burkholder works tirelessly to solve the crime of who did it, and more importantly, WHY. Kate is forced to deal with the demons in front of her, but also the demons of her past.
Another great read by Linda Castillo. Great to read as part of the series, but is a good stand alone novel as well!

A book filled with tension and emotion, that is what we expect and get from Castillo’s newest. Police Chief Katie Burkholder plunges on in her quest for the truth and justice. Excellent series.

Another Kate Burkholder book that lives up to its predecessors in the series. As is usual, Castillo does an excellent job giving the reader just enough hints and foreshadowing to sense the twist at the end without giving it all away until it's time. In this story, the mystery is who murdered the seemingly well-liked and respected Amish teenage boy by burning him alive. The more Kate learns about the victim, the longer her suspect list grows...and all of the suspects are other members of the Amish community.

At first glance this one really seems straight forward, a simple crime Kate should be able to crack in no time. Instead Kate discovers quite a bit, parts of it hit a bit too close for her and Tomasetti. I reall liked that these two talked things out when they realized what was going on. It give you hope for their continues happiness.

By the time we get to the end of the book the "bad guys" are caught, but if you are like me, you wonder just how bad they are. Stuck in a system where these things happen and the people that should be there to protect them aren't. Mostly I felt bad for the bad guys and wished things could have been better for them.

I received an egalley from NetGalley and a physical ARC of #AGatheringofSecrets from @Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review of this novel. Like all the previous Kate Burkholder novels that I have read, this book is a wonderful read. Each of her novels gets better as the series goes on. This novel was exceptional with a wonderful storyline that left me wanting more. It was a definite page-turner that continues the evolution of Kate Burkholder as well as her relationships with Tomasetti and her fellow crew of officers on the Painter's Mill police force. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for her next novel in this series. #AGatheringofSecrets @LindaCastillo @MinotaurBooks

One of the best installments of this always excellent series. Castillo always maintains the perfect ratio between character development (necessary, but can slow down the action) and nice gory exciting mystery. Highly recommended!

A Gathering of Secrets can be a stand a lone story or read in the series. The character development flow well with the story as the author is able to better balance the mystery and thriller. Readers will love detail to the community and how everyone from every day person to the Amish community.
Readers will enjoy this thriller mystery.
Thank you to netgalley for the advance copy

A Gathering of Secrets is the 10th Kate Burkholder mystery by author Linda Castillo. I have read many of the books in this series and found them all to be excellent. A Gathering of Secrets is a great addition to the series. It moved things along in Kate's life as well particularly in her relationship with John Tomasetti.

The book starts off with a young Amish man dying in a barn fire. The fire has been deliberately set. Who would want to kill a charming young Amish man? It turns out quite a few people!

A Gathering of Secrets is well written and has a great plotline. I really enjoyed the tale. It pulled at Kate in ways other cases have not before. It really hits home for her.

Hard to put down! Highly recommend A Gathering of Secrets.

I so love this series! Kate has to face some demons from her past. They are brought up because of the case she is working on. Daniel, a young Amish man, is brutally killed in a fire. Everyone says what a nice young man he was, but as Kate investigates, it appears Daniel was indeed a monster. I love the other characters in the series and enjoy seeing how they are developing. Can’t wait for the next one!

Kate Burkholder was raised Amish and still speaks the language, which helps in her job as Police Chief in a town where the surrounding population is mostly Amish. When the body of a young man is found locked in the tack room of a burnt-down barn, murder is likely, and Kate is eager to find out who killed the victim. However, as her investigation continue, it becomes more and more likely that the victim was a sexual predator who preyed on young Amish women, counting on their religion and guilt to keep them silent. The incident becomes less a simple murder, and more likely an act of vigilantism.
As a victim of sexual violence in her teens, Kate is almost overwhelmed by the memories and feelings that the case raises. She had killed her perpetrator in self-defense – did that make her any better than the murderer in this case?
This series is interesting because of the Amish. Castillo describes their life style, their clothing, and their choice to remain separate from the world and how that impacts a police force that tries to help them. It is also interesting to see how Kate herself both loves and hates the religion in which she was raised.
Lastly, Castillo is good at seemingly solving a case, before a piece of evidence is discovered or reevaluated that undermines the resolution. This leads to some very surprising endings, as is the case here.
It is obvious that Castillo loves the Amish and the area in which they live. She describes the autumn nights on the water with the frogs piping and the owls softly hooting, and I can almost imagine myself there. That itself is a true talent in a mystery novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo is the 10th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I have read all the books to date and have found them all to be intriguing mysteries. The books are an interesting look at the Amish life in Painters Mill. Kate Burkholder used to belong to the Amish community but she is now the current Chief of Police. The Amish are not always trusting of the police but Kate understands this. She tries to make them feel at ease while questioning them about the arson murder of eighteen-year-old Danny Gingrich. Kate has some demons that haunt her from an experience when she was younger and the death of Danny Gingrich brings back some of those feelings from the past. What are the Amish hiding and why are they hesitant to tell her the truth? Read this book and find out all the secrets that Kate uncovers.