Twelve years ago I won from Goodreads the first book in this series, Sworn to Silence. From NetGalley I am given the chance to read the latest which is 14th novel. The series follows Police Chief Kate Burkholder of the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio. She was raised Amish and uses her familiarity with their ways in her police work. In this case three Amish leaders from Pennsylvania come asking for her help in a case. It turns out Jonah, a friend she grew up with, is now in jail for the murder an Amish Bishop. The Bishop has been missing for 18 years and when the boyd is found Jonah’s gun is next to him.

Kate shines in this adventure has she goes on her own to investigate without any official authority. As the story unfolds you also get flashes of Kate's bitter sweet relationship with Jonah in her youth. Kate’s follows the story which leads to includes learning the dead Bishop was a harsh leader which is odd for the Amish. I enjoyed the quick pace of the investigation with the flashbacks giving me moments to reflect on why Kate left the faith and became English.

I read this easily as a stand alone. Especially as it takes place outside of her own jurisdiction and network of friends. But now I am intrigued and will need to make time for the novels and novella/short stories that make up the series. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m giving it four stars and it might have been higher if I was caught up on the series.

*3.5* This series continues to be engaging, intense, and also oddly heartwarming for all the brutal murders

The set up is Painters Mill Police Chief Kate Burkholder leaves town to investigate a murder. The prime suspect is someone she's grown up with, and has strong emotions connected to him. I missed all the usual characters in this one, but mostly Tomasetti. There is a quite strength to him that balances Kate's somewhat reckless behavior. I really need at least one romantic scene with them, there are none.

Yes, this story is a bit predictable, with Kate getting physically hurt at the end of every book, but I don't care.

What niggled at the back of my mind was the reshaping of Kate's childhood. Earlier books cover the horrors that happened to her at 14. This book attempts to show her as an almost normal, healthy teenager at 15. I can't imagine teenage Kate would have been able to recover so quickly when lomgtime readers know how her childhood abuse clung to every part of her adult life.

As a standalone, it was pretty good, but as part of the series, it didn't make sense. Other than that, I love these characters, and will continue to read the series until Kate and Tomasetti are in the old folks home, sitting in rocking chairs, hands clasped.

Big thanks to St. Martin's press, Linda Castillo and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Chief Kate Burkholder is called out of her hamlet of Painters Mill, Ohio to a community in Pennsylvania that has heard of her persistence in solving crimes, hot or cold, in this newest offering from Castillo.

When three Amish men from Pennsylvania come to Ohio asking for Kate's help and mention who specifically they need help for, Kate feels she has no choice but to go. A boy she grew up with, a boy she might have loved in a different lifetime, has been jailed for a murder that happened 18 years ago. Kate goes, to prove Jonas did do it or to prove he didn't. Either way, she is most concerned with seeing justice done for the bones of Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus that were unearthed 18 years after he disappeared. So Chief Burkholder travels to Pennsylvania’s Kishacoquillas Valley as a citizen, not as a police officer, to see what she can discover about the mysterious death of Stoltzfus. The case is so cold, she has no jurisdiction, and the local force is stonewalling her so Kate isn't sure she will be able to find out anything that isn't already known. But she's stubborn and determined, especially when someone makes it very clear she isn't wanted in town and her questions aren't welcome either. Her persistence in picking at seemingly loose threads that have nothing to do with the case begins to pay off and suddenly it becomes clear that the disappearance of Stoltzfus has so much more to do with his reputation as a strict Bishop. In fact, perhaps whoever made him disappear for good thought they were doing the world a favor.

Castillo pulls through once again with a fast-paced, interesting Kate Burkholder title. It seems like Castillo is having Burkholder travel outside of her jurisdiction a little more often, perhaps because the community of Painters Mill knows they won't get away with anything as long as Kate is Chief! In this title, Castillo also provides some more backstory for Kate as a person, relevant to the other characters in this title. Getting a clearer picture of Kate as an Amish person who left that life to become English continues to fascinate me. I really liked the hide and seek component of this title but the hidden part of Ananias Stoltzfus felt just a wee bit unfinished to me. Castillo definitely provides enough detail to make sure the reader is picking up what she's laying down but perhaps one or two flashbacks featuring Stoltzfus or his family would have made that part feel more complete. Or maybe I was just being greedy in wanting more. :) Regardless, I loved it. I gobbled it up in one sitting and now I am kicking myself for not taking more time with it because here I am, a lady-in-waiting for the next title when this one hasn't even officially hit the bookshelves yet!

I'm a longtime fan of Castillo and the Kate Burkholder series, and I think this might be my favorite book in the series. I read it in less than a day, and am already wishing I had the next book. While I love the normal supporting cast of Tomasetti, Glock, Pickles, and Mona etc., this book really lets Kate shine. She doesn't have her usual back-up or her resources and so she uses her detective skills and stubborn determination to set things right.

The backstory of her and Jonas was perfectly bittersweet. They were two pure-hearted teenagers who were torn apart by circumstances beyond their control, and it was wonderful to see them alternately connecting, tip-toeing around each other, and blending their pasts with their presents. Jonas and his family were such great characters that I would love to see more of them in the future.

What I particularly liked about The Hidden One is that while Kate takes risks and does things that she shouldn't, she isn't rash and stupid about it. She takes her gun and her phone. She calls 911, and tells people where she's going. She respects that she means a lot to people and owes it to them to come home safe at the end of the case. We still get the drama and the excitement without feeling like she's being stupid.

I also thought the twist at the end was perfect. Just when you think the case is solved, you find out it isn't, and Castillo does a good job of revealing the twist, keeping it understated and therefore more realistic and impactful. I liked that Kate didn't see it coming, and that while I wasn't surprised, I wasn't expecting it, either.

In the past, I have felt like Castillo's presentation of the Amish was a bit too defensive. She writes about how Amish people are just like others; they do bad things including sexual assault, adultery, and murder, but then has spent a lot of time - too much time - explaining why the Amish and their ways are really good and should be looked up to. It always felt like she was straddling a fence and it was irritating. I noticed that it was getting worse in the last couple of books. There is none of that here, and the book is better for it. We are presented with these characters, in this setting, and we are talking about them, not the Amish as a whole. I really hope she continues with this approach in the future.

I have one complaint. I wanted an epilogue about the truth about the bishop and his wife. Not giving us that information felt like a cop-out. There didn't need to be a lot of specifics, but a bit more than what we got would have been nice.

In sum, The Hidden One is a wonderful addition to the series, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Linda Castillo is hands down one of my favorite authors, I absolutely love the Kate Burkholder series and can't put the latest book down when its released. This book I struggled with a bit - I missed Painters Mill, Mona, Pickles and Glock who are prominent side characters in the series. In this book Kate travels to Ohio to help an old friend who is accused of murder and while the story line was okay this one just felt off. It was hard to keep some of the characters straight and the story felt like it was dragging on at parts. I did appreciate the "twist" at the end as it was unexpected and the way that the story wrapped up was original and did not feel forced.

A special thank you to Linda Castillo, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I have been a big fan of all Linda Castillo’s Amish novels featuring Kate Burkholder who is Chief of Police in an Amish community. This stands out as one of the best. Kate goes back to her childhood town to help out an old friend and first love Jonas who is being charged with murder. After an argument between Jonas and the Community’s Bishop, the Bishop disappears and the case has gone cold for 18 years. A discovery leads to Jonas, but the clues are just not adding up. I really enjoyed going back in time and learning about Kate’s early life. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading this fantastic series, you can start here. This series just gets better and better. Thank You to NetGalley, the Author Linda Castillo and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this fantastic story for my honest review. Don’t Miss this one!

This is one of my favorite series and a must read!
In this book we learn a little more about Kate and her life as Amish. The story also is about a cold case that involves someone she cared about growing up.
It’s full of some twists and is pretty fast paced. It’s a page turner! I loved it!
Since starting this series I’ve learned so much about the Amish.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Good murder mystery. Interesting characters and old connections bring along the story with background information as to why Kate even goes to help her friend. Raised Amish, and now the police chief of her home town, Kate is a complicated woman with a stubborn independent streak that serves her well in her police work. When the Bishop of an Amish town and his two associates come to ask for her help to prove a man innocent, she finds it difficult to turn down the request because the accused man is her first love. Lots of questionab.e characters, as well as simple good people provide a good mystery. Received an ARC for an honest opinion.

I have read many of the 14 books in this series, but this book is at the top of my favorite list. For the first time, Kate Burkholder is asked to investigate a case across state lines where she does not have access to many of the tools of a police officer. She is totally on her own.

Over a decade ago, a respected bishop of an Amish community in central Pennsylvania was murdered and the leading suspect at that time was Jonas Bowman. Before she left the Amish community, Jonas had been the boy a young teenaged Kate Burkholder saw herself marrying. But now new evidence has turns up that further incriminates Jonas. Because of that her to Jonas, the elders of the community come to Kate and ask her to look into the case. What follows is Kate at her best, solving the cold case crime while at the same time coming to terms with her own past and the young Amish girl she had once been.

Since a significant secondary theme of the book surrounds the trauma a young Kate had felt and her decision to leave the Amish community, this book would fit nicely if read immediately after the first book, SWORN TO SILENCE. Nevertheless, this book—like all books in the series could easily-be read as a standalone book.

What constantly impresses me about the author is her smooth and engrossing prose that seems to take you inside a culture as foreign to me as many faraway societies, yet which are as understandable as our own home and family. Her description of life inside an Amish family and community seems authentic and real

As Kate digs deeper into the case against Jonas Bowman, her life grows increasingly in danger. But of course, the Amish are sworn to a life of pacifism. The question is: who doesn’t want Kate to solve this mystery. But Kate is determined to see it through, no matter what. And that makes for great suspenseful reading!

I heartily enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. I thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.

I live reading about the Amish and this author does a great job. She keeps it real. I love mystery novels too and this book provided the best of both worlds.

It also provides a touch of romance which is always a plus.

All in all it was a great read and I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Well…

Every single time this author blows me away. What an absolutely fantastic glimpse into The Chief’s background.

I loved this book. I love how the author continues to grow this character. I love the depth of her strength along with how smart she is. Chief Kate Burkholder is such a great character. This was fast paced with so much heart. The glimpses we get of her past are heartbreaking and bitter sweet. Especially everything she has been through. As always I’m yearning for more and have a whole year to wait.

PS Tomasetti is the best. How he lets her be her is so cool.

Great read!

3.5 stars, a clean mystery with good values, rounded up to 4
Though this is the 14th book in the Detective Kate Burkholder series, it is the first Castillo mystery for me. I enjoyed both listening to and reading an Arc of this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator’s voice was pleasant and easy to understand. I enjoyed the Amish Deitsch dialog, (always translated), as it is very close to German.

I felt the characters developed nicely with many interesting pieces of Amish culture added. The mystery is easy to follow with solid descriptions of places and people. Occasionally things were a bit overstated. “I stare at the photo and the dirty claw that had been scraping at my brain gains access. A boil being lanced. A release of pus. The stench of something vile.” The plot, while not slow, picks up pace in the last quarter. Castillo artfully weaves Kate’s Amish past and current ‘English’ presence together. Just when I thought the plot was winding down, there was one more exciting dilemma to escape from.

I found I wanted to get to know Tomasetti, Kate’s partner, better after a brief teaser early in the book. With over a dozen previous books in the Kate Burkholder series, I have the chance to do that.

It was so good to be back in the world of Kate Burkholder! Each time, I wonder how Castillo is going to spin a new, untold mystery. She continues to deliver classic, easy to fall into, crime novels in the Amish countryside.

I did feel a little conflicted here…I love Painter’s Mill, so I was a little disappointed this story took Kate out of Painter’s Mill & into Pennsylvania. On the other hand, how realistic is it for Painter’s Mill to have this many murders/large crimes with it being such a small community? It makes sense to pull Kate into another Amish community that she has ties to in order to tell a story that’s new and fresh. The downside of this is that there is little space for Mona, Glock, Pickles, and Tomasetti. This is the only reason I give this a 4.5 star instead of 5 star rating. I wanted more of our favorite Painter’s Mill townies. Tomasetti was incorporated as well and as much as he could be, especially at the end. I love how their story line gradually progresses in each novel. But also, can they get married already? We’re 14 books in. 😂

I loved this one because it was good, solid, and just enjoyable. Did Kate get herself in a bind? Yes. It wouldn’t be a Kate Burkholder novel if she didn’t find herself in a precarious situation. I loved the twists, turns, and suspects. It was enough to keep the story moving without becoming confusing. I finished this one completely satisfied.

Kate Burkholder was raised in the Amish community, but left that life and became a police chief in a small town in Ohio. When skeletal remains were found in her hometown and her old friend is accused of the murder, the Amish elders requested that she come to help to assist in the case. The book is 14th in the series, but can be read as a standalone. Overall, it's a compelling mystery that kept me wondering who the murderer was. Very well-written and I would highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Sometimes a book grabs your attention and doesn’t let go, this one is it!! I have read several books by this author, and they all have been 5 stars.
I had a hard time putting this one down, I can’t really explain why, but I loved the writing style, the storyline was completely believable, and the beginning grabbed you at hello… I truly enjoyed my time with Kate Burkholder. I highly recommend as a well-developed murder mystery story.
I personally thank the publisher for the privilege to be offered this ARC from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with high 5 stars.

As a teenager, Amish-raised Kate Burkholder rebelled against the order, the rules, and just about everything else. This rebellion included a relationship with a boy, her first love, Jonas Bowman. Now as Police Chief in Painters Mill, Ohio, she learns of the discovery of the skeletal remains of Pennsylvania Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus, who had gone missing over a decade earlier. Worse, Jonas is arrested for the killing. Kate is compelled to investigate, to determine if the boy she loved was capable of such an act. The rules of the community she finds are even more strict than those she had long ago escaped, and in Pennsylvania, she had no jurisdiction. As she digs into the case, she uncovers a dark conspiracy surrounding the deceased bishop. As the list of possible suspects grows, a list that could easily include Jonas, there are those who wish to keep the past buried and will do whatever is necessary to protect their secrets, even if it means killing Kate. Another great addition to this compelling series.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series

Kate Burkholder lives among the "English" or non-Amish though she was raised in the Amish community of Painter's Mill. Now, as Chief of Police of Painter's Mill, she must go from one language and group to another to solve crimes. When she's asked by the elders of an Amish community in another state to help one of their own charged with murder, Kate learns the accused was a childhood friend.

The reader learns about the life and values and fierce sense of family within the Amish. Thank you, Linda Castillo, for translating the Amish (German? Dutch?) phrases used in the story. The action flows fast and faster as Kate gathers information on the cold case crime and why her friend is accused of killing the leader of the community.

Fabulous characters, twisty plotting, and a highly satisfying conclusion make this my new favorite in the series.
Thank you, St. Martin Press and NetGalley, for an advance reader copy of this book. @NetGalley #BookWorm #Reader #Bibliophile #AmReading #suspense @LindaCastillo11 #womensleuths #NetGalley

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another solid installment in Castillo's Kate Burkholder series. Kate's former flame, Jonas, from when she was young (and still Amish) has been arrested for a murder that happened 18 years ago. Katie is asked by the Amish elders in Belleville, PA, where Jonas moved with his family 20 years ago, to look into it because they don't believe Jonas is the killer.

This was different from other books in the series because it doesn't take place in Painters Mills, but it's still a great story, I really enjoyed the State College, PA connection as well!

It’s always great to be able to read a new installment in the Kate Burkholder detective series! I’ve read every single one (of the 14 books) in the series. The author has a way of making these stories fresh each time. I especially like the storyline in this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy of this book. I also listened to the audio version of this book and enjoyed it, too.

Once again we’re treated to another day in the life of Painters Mill, Sheriff Kate Burkholder. And as we would expect, she’s charging into the frontline of danger…solo! Some things never change! But that’s why we love her! Headstrong, fearless, she is one tough cookie!

After receiving a visit from the elders of an Amish community in Pennsylvania, Kate's memories are jogged of her life before leaving the Amish life behind. More importantly, it took her back to her first love, Jonas Bowman.

And presently, Jonas is in a teensy bit of trouble. He’s been charged with the murder of his former Bishop. (Now that’s bad Karma!) A man that had been missing for years until his body was recently discovered. The elders are hoping that given Kate's police background and knowledge of Amish life, she can aid in helping to free Jonas. I suppose it doesn’t hurt that the two have a history!😉

Does Katie find herself in trouble in her attempt to free Jonas? Well of course she does! We’d expect nothing less from her!

This is book fourteen of my hands-down favorite series! It would easily work as a stand-alone, but you’d be missing so much! I highly recommend starting at the beginning!

Already looking forward to next years’ release!

A buddy read with Susanne! That we both enjoyed!