3.5 stars

Having not read any of the other books in the Kate Burkholder series, I didn't know what to expect about her character. But, the blurb was interesting and I loved the cover, so I was pleased to be able to give it a shot.

Gina, a tough and brash police officer working vice in Ohio, is on the run after voicing concerns about dirty cops in her unit. In the midst of a blizzard and injured, she finds refuge in an Amish community. Fearing for her life, she calls upon her old friend and academy roommate Kate Burkholder for help. Wary of trusting her estranged friend, Kate must get to the bottom of the tenuous circumstances that brought Gina to her in the middle of the night, before she puts herself and everyone else involved in danger.

The first chapter really got my attention. I loved the Amish vernacular and getting insight into what daily life is like in an Amish community. This is probably what I enjoyed most about Outsider. The prayers, the chores, the lifestyle--these parts were interesting, and I could've read about Adam and his family all day.

I also liked Gina and Kate's relationship. Estranged friendships have plenty of opportunity for conflict, character development, and growth, and Castillo did a good job of establishing the boundaries and shortcomings in their relationship. Kate and Gina are positioned as polar opposites in almost every way, but seeing their compromise and strained interactions brought great readability.

A few things fell short for me. First and foremost, the characters blended together a bit. As complex as I think they were supposed to be, everyone felt flat, staying within their tropes: good cop, bad cop, peaceful Amish man, smart, stern partner with a soft side. Because of this, I found the plot to be predictable, and I wasn't surprised by anything other than bringing the baby cow into the house (adorable, and again, highlighting Amish culture). Along the same line, character dialogue tended to blend together. Everyone uses the same slang, cadence, and speech patterns. One character will have a thought (she's not one of us and never has been) and two pages later, a different character will speak this same thought in almost the exact same way. This, at times, made the text feel repetitive and long-winded, and I found myself wanting less repetition and more insight into the characters.

As part of a series, I found this able to stand on its own. I wasn't hurting for Kate's backstory. She had plenty of flashbacks and memories, in depth conversations with Gina, and commentary on her upbringing. So, if you're like me and picking up this series for the first time, you won't be lost on references or events.

Overall, Castillo introduces an interesting angle with the Amish community, but I was left wanting more dimensional characters and deeper plot. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quiet mystery/thriller series, as violence is minimal and the majority of the conflict is internal. Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Another fabulous mystery from Linda Castillo. A title to recommend to patrons new and those familiar with her work!

I'm a fan of Linda Castillo's romantic suspense novels, but new to the Kate Burkholder series. This book didn't disappoint, as it features the multilayered characters and page-turning suspense I've come to expect from her, and I in no way felt lost jumping in mid-series. The book moved at a leisurely pace of times, but was in no way slow or dull--rather the writing itself seemed to evoke the pace of life on Adam's farm during a snowstorm. This was a thoroughly enjoyable story, and I look forward to more, as I'd love to see things progress with John and Kate. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

You always expect a twisting and turning story with Linda Castillo. This one delivers that in spades. Another great read.

This tale, set mostly in Amish country, fills in a huge chunk of Kate Burkholder’s backstory. We learn all about what prompted her to become a police officer and her early days on the Columbus police force. We also find out about her first friend Gina and their early days at the police academy and being rookies on the police force.

Gina mysteriously shows up in Painters Mill during a series of snowstorms in Ohio Amish country. She’s been shot and is on the run. She’s rescued by an Amish farmer and finds refuge in his house. Gina is hoping that Kate and John Tomasetti can help her untangle a web of police corruption. I thought this was an interesting character study into how police corruption can happen and how it can come tumbling down.

I loved the few days we spend on an Amish farm and we see how Kate has become the person she is today. This one propels the relationship between Kate and John (finally) and I’m hoping for big news in the next book! There’s a tense conclusion to this one and I love that it’s the two women who take care of business – Kate and Gina – and no man comes in to rescue them.

Another fantastic book in the series. I will continue to drop whatever other book I’m reading when I get the chance to read one of these!

*I will update my Goodreads review the week of publication

As is typical of Linda Castillo, another Kate Burkholder book that I could not put down. The series continues and is as good as every. This one kept me reading. Loved being introduced to Gina, Kate's longtime friend and hearing the story of how she got into law enforcement. Cannot wait to see what comes next for Kate! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Big city problems being a w old if trouble to painters mill! I loved the drama and the spirit and kindness shown in the face of this trouble. For fans of Castillo, this novel does not disappoint.

Once again a definite thrilling book. I love love loveLinda Castillo and after reading her latest I can't wait for the next one. Kate has to dal with all sorts of drama and still remember a long ago friendship. If I could give this book a ten star I would.

Okay, I really loved this book!!!! Linda Castillo seems to have really matured as a writer as this story is much more deep than some of her others. I really enjoyed the fact that you got to know more about Kate and how she got involved in the police department and how she choose it as her career. I also am excited to see her grow with her boyfriend and how that is playing out in her life. This is one of my favorite authors, I get so excited when I see she has a new book out!!! Can't wait for the next one.

It’s a bitter cold day with snow coming down fast and hard when police chief Kate Burkholder gets a call from one of the Amish families that they have come across a badly injured woman in a snowdrift. When Kate arrives, she recognizes fellow police officer Gina Colorosa. Gina has been shot and is one the run from her own police department, men who are out to kill her, she tells Kate, because Gina knows too much. Risking her own job and her life, Kate sets out to uncover if the stories of high level corruption in the Columbus Division of Police is as bad as Gina says. I love this series, Burkholder, the former Amish woman, now a police chief is fascinating, strong, determined and unflinching when it comes to fulfilling her duty and protecting those she loves

I love this series. I want to read more about Kate and John. All the books are set in Amish country and give you so much information on the Amish life. There is a lot of police corruption in this story and it was hard to like Gina who made a lot of bad choices in her life