I have read all of the books in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series. And have enjoyed most of them. The Hidden One is one of the better ones later on in the series. I really enjoyed the deeper dive into Kate's Amish upbringing with the description of her relationship with Jonas during her teenage years. I found the "mystery" not too tough to solve and had it mostly figured out before it was all revealed. But the book was still engaging to read despite that. The only downside I found to the book is that I felt like Kate should have/would have had more contact with Tomasetti while she was out of town. Kate can be non-commital when it comes to him, but I would think she would have called and talked to him after she got run off the road. LOL! At any rate, this was a good one in the series to bring a little more depth to Kate's character.

The Hidden One is #14 in the Kate Burkholder series. I might have read one or two books in this series a long time ago, but I didn't have any trouble following this book even though I haven't read the whole series. Chief Burkholder has been asked to help a friend from her past that has been accused of murder. She cannot see how the boy she once knew could be capable of murder and so she heads to Pennsylvania to see if she can help. The murder victim seems to have some secrets that someone wants to keep buried and Kate finds herself more determined to find out what really happened to Bishop Stoltzfus 18 years ago.

This can be read as a standalone or in addition to the rest of the Kate Burkholder Series. It was a quick, fast paced read and I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys crime fiction. I liked looking back into Kate's past and seeing her relationship to the accused. Great read.

Really loved this book. It was definitely a page-turner given the mystery as well as the relationships that the characters develop. I also enjoyed the aspect of the Amish (of whom I know a lot). She made them out to be real people instead of caricatures. I would read another by this author for sure!

I somehow missed that this was the 14th book in the Kate Burkholder series until after I started reading it. That said, I think it worked quite well as a standalone. I liked Kate Burkholder as a protagonist and felt like the author gave me enough of her background with respect to the Amish community that I felt like I knew her pretty well. I thought the mystery in this book was very compelling and I also thought the author did a wonderful job of balancing the plot surrounding the murder vs. more personal elements involving Kate and her relationship with the community she left so long ago. I don't know that I'll go back and read all 13 of the books I skipped over, but I could easily see myself picking up at least a few more of the books in this entertaining, well written series.

I am a huge fan of the Kate Burkholder series so I was super excited to read this. It did not disappoint and I loved it! The Amish setting is one of my faves. I highly recommend this one be if you love suspense/crime solving/thrillers.

I do love a good mystery series, and normally I like to start from the beginning, even if reviews etc say they can be read as standalones. But this Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo has been recommended to me multiples times so when I had the opportunity to jump into it (at book #14!) I threw caution to the wind. I'm glad I did - I think - because now I want to go back to the beginning and read the previous 13 - more books to add to my TBR pile!
The mystery here takes Burkholder away from her small Ohio hometown when she's asked to look into a cold case from 10 years prior in an Amish community in Pennsylvania. Her help is requested because she has a connection to the man who's been accused of the murder. It's an interesting case and while I suspected the motive, I didn't guess who the murderer was until it was revealed. Kate's an interesting character, and knowing so little about her it was nice to get a look at her teen years in flashbacks. And I can tell I'll enjoy the cast of quirky characters that seem to surround her when she's in her home territory, as well as more insights into Amish life. I listened to the audio version and that was nice when the Deitsch dialogue came in - my German and Dutch, always shaky, is very old and rusty these days and pronunciations would've been butchered even in my head.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I received a complimentary copy of The Hidden One from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This novel disappeared from my device before to got a chance to read it. What a shame. :(

I have read every book in this series and I think its getting a bit repetitive as its 14th book in the series. Linda Castillo has found out what has worked with her readers and she applies the same formula with every one. Here are some cliches:

- Kate mentioning she is a cop
- There is a point in any investigation
- Few near misses/ attempt to kill Kate before the climax
- Kate not waiting for back up and putting herself in dangerous situations

I wish John Tomasetti has more roles in these books. He is described as a strong character in every book, but almost does nothing to the investigation part other than being Kate's useless boyfriend.

I used to love this series for the Amish culture part, but I think I am growing out of it. Unless Linda Castillo tries anything different, I think I am done with this series.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery itself and the fact Kate is helping an old friend in another Amish community, a lot of what I love about this series was missing. Since the story takes place in PA, we get very little of the side characters of Painters Mill and barely any Tomasetti.

Kate runs off to PA when an old flame is accused of murder. The murder happened 18 years earlier. Kate is a lone wolf investigating this murder and once again finds herself beat up and bruised. Honestly, it's a little crazy how abused she is in each book. I admit I kind of saw where the mystery was headed, but still a good read getting there,

I do enjoy this series and look forward to more! Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo is the fourteenth novel in the Kate Burkholder series. The novel begins with the discovery of the remains of an Amish Bishop, missing for eighteen year. The evidence quickly pointed to foul play, and the mystery of the death of Bishop Ananias Stoltzfus only becomes more sinister. Jonas Bowman has been accused of the murder, ironically he is Kate’s first love, but the elders from the Amish community approach Kate, who happens to be a Police Chief in a different state, for her help in proving Jonas’ innocence. As Kate starts asking questions, someone is not happy she is involved. She is not only threatened, but she is physically assaulted which only proves to Kate she is getting closer to the secret life of the Bishop and his wife. It is clear the elders knew exactly to ask for unearthing secrets of almost two decades and find out what really happened to Ananias Stoltzfus.

Kate Burkholder is an Amish exile, and doesn’t know quite where she fits in. Her appointment to Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill Ohio seems to be perfect for her, and very different from her Amish upbringing. Although this is the 14th installment in the series, you can read this as a standalone, Linda Castillo does a fabulous job to give just enough history to understand exactly where Kate is now and where she came from. I have only read the first book in this series, but I plan on going back and reading the remainder, yes…they are really that good. Kate is such a great character. She is tough, smart, level headed, and a true inspiration to women everywhere, it is no wonder she would never be able to fit in with the Amish culture. Her Amish background is a great help in this mystery, and the history of Jonas and Kate is a nice addition. This novel is so well written, the characters are well developed, and the twist at the end will definitely shock you.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Mintauer Books (St Martin’s Press), and Linda Castillo for an advanced reader edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. A well done addition to the Kate Burkholder series, please keep them coming!

I haven't read any of this series before but it worked fine as a stand-alone book - really enjoyed it though and will look to start at Book One after this! Kate Burkholder is an interesting character and I'd like to find out more about her past with the Amish community.

I received a complimentary ARC of this excellent police procedural from Netgalley via St. Martin's Press and the author, Linda Castillo. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Hidden One of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am grateful for the introduction to the works of Linda Castillo. She writes a fine tale with personable characters and a well-toned mystery. This is the 14th book of the Kate Burkholder series, though stand-alone. It does, however, get me starting on the other end of the series ASAP!.

Kate is the Chief of Police of the small Amish town of Painter's Mill, placed square in the middle of Amish country, which circles out over the intersection of four states, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Kate's high school love, Jonas, has been arrested on a charge of murder in the nearby town of Lewistown. Kate feels she must do what she can to assist Jonas and his family, and with the assistance of her current fella, she must do what can to clear Jonas. People change, but the boy she knew could never murder-a murder perpetrated two decades ago against the Amish Bishop Ananias Stoltzfus who forced Jonah Bowman's entire family to leave town or be banned, and if they stayed there would be charges filed against 19-year-old Jonas based on his relationship with 15-year-old Kate. The body has just come to light in a newly plowed field sitting right next to an old black-powder blunderbuss rifle which was identified by Jonas as that passed down to him from his grandfather. Jonas doesn't remember when he last saw it, but it has certainly been years. And it was responsible for one of the holes that killed the Bishop, as the ball was found with the remains. Bishop Ananias; wife Mia had committed suicide and the community assumed that he had left town in an effort to accept her death.

That sounds very convoluted, but Linda Castillo brings it all together nicely. This is a series I will have to add to my To-Be-Read file. I think you will enjoy it, as well.

I've been reading the Kate Burkholder series since the first book came out in 2009. The Hidden One is book 14 and I still eagerly await each new book in this series! Kate Burkholder grew up Amish. Though she has left the faith, the Amish still touch her life as she is the Chief of Police in Painters Mill where she grew up.

In this newest story, Kate gets pulled into a case involving a Bishop who disappeared a decade before. She travels to another town to investigate. But someone doesn't want her to find out the truth. Someone wants the past buried and kept hidden. As she gets closer and closer to finding out what happened, the danger to her life grows.

Because this is a mystery story and spoilers ruin it for readers, I'm not going to comment on direct plot points or the ending, etc. But I will say that I love the characters, settings and plots in this series. Linda Castillo never disappoints! I look forward to every book, novella and short story in this series....and will continue to read every word!

This story can be read as a standalone in this series. So if you haven't read any of the books but want to try out this series, jump right in and try this new one -- or start at book 1 -- you will enjoy it either way!

I started reading an ebook arc of this newest Kate Burkholder novel, but then switched to the audiobook. The audio book is just over 9 hours long and is narrated by Kathleen McInerney. McInerney always does a superb job of narrating. Her voice is pleasant. She does a good job of voice acting and reads at an even, steady pace. I always enjoy her narration!

Another great book in this series! Can't wait for more!

**I voluntarily read an ebook arc from St Martins Press and an audio book from Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. I apologize to my readers and the publishers for the lateness of this review. I just made a 1500-mile move from NC to CO to take a new job,and it put me behind on writing/blogging/reviewing. Things are normalizing now and reviews will return to being always timely.**

Starting a book series at book 14 sounds crazy. I have found so many authors who are able to bring readers in at book one or book 14. Linda Castillo created a stand alone book in a series that readers who want to try something new will be able to enjoy. Readers who have stuck with Linda Castillo will be beyond happy they picked up The Hidden One!

Readers will enjoy Kate Burkholder and her ability to show the local police how to do their job. Readers will bite their nails from the actions and suspense that will keep readers up late into the night needing answers to all the questions Linda Castillo created in her world of Kate Burkholder.



Thank you Netgalley for a Copy of The Hidden One by Linda Castillo

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo is the 14th book in the Kate Burkholder series, and a book I really enjoyed.

Kate has been asked by the Amish hierarchy from another state to assist in a cold case against one of their members. The story steps outside of Painter's Mill, and the familiar characters, we've come to love and introduces new ones. Since Kate has no police jurisdiction she has to function as a civilian investigator hoping for the support of the local team. This case is very personal to Kate and brings back childhood memories and her relationship with Jonas.

After a farmer unearths bones and an old shotgun while working his field, Jonas is charged with the murder of an Amish Bishop, that happened 18 years earlier. As the story unfolds it turns out that others in the community also disliked the Bishop, and could have been involved in his death. Not wanting to give away any hints, I'll just say I've never read a Kate Burkholder book where Kate gets hurt so many times (like a cat with nine lives) and still solves the case.

The story is written more as a police procedural, than in previous books in my opinion, but has a very emotional side as well. In the end, there is resolution, growth, friendship and a good person to come home to.

I wish to thank the author and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced readers' copy. The views expressed are mine alone.

The book was published July 05, 2022, and is provided in all formats.

For me, this was a 4 out of 5 star read.

THE HIDDEN ONE is, in a word, thrilling! Kate long ago left her Amish life - for reasons that fans will know - but her ties to them still bind.

Reviewed for Fresh Fiction by Annetta Sweetko

Full Review: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=78819

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This was the first Kate Burkholder novel that I read and, even though it is #14, I had no trouble following the characters or the story.

The skeleton of an Amish Bishop is found many years after he disappeared. With the skeleton is a rifle belonging to a local Amish cabinetmaker. He is quickly arrested.

The elders of the community approach Chief of Police Kate Burkholder to ask for her help. Kate agrees to travel from Ohio to Pennsylvania to try to solve the mystery. She finds that the accused is someone from her past.

In addition to an interesting mystery, the reader learns a lot about the Amish community in Pennsylvania and their practices. I look forward to other Kate Burkholder adventures.

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo was the first book that I have read in this series. It read well as a stand-alone book but I will definitely seek out her previous books in this series. I found The Hidden One to be well paced with a gripping plot that was chock full of surprising twists. The characters were well developed and even though I had no prior background about them I found them easy to relate to and follow. I enjoyed the descriptions and unique customs that Linda Castillo wove within the context of the plot about the Amish people and their lives. It was fast paced and kept my attention from the first page to the last. The chapters alternated between past and present to allow an understanding of the history that evolved prior to present day.

Kate Burkholder grew up in Painters Mill, Ohio in an Amish family. She realized early on that she struggled with many of the rules and ways of life of the Amish. Kate chose to leave the fold and live her life under her own terms. She became the Chief of Police of Painters Mill. On an ordinary day off, Kate was out doing errands when she got a phone call from the precinct with the most unusual request. Elders from an Amish community in Pennsylvania had come to seek out her help in an investigation of one of theirs’. Someone in their Amish community was being charged with murder. It was someone Kate had known for practically her whole life. Jonas, the boy she had known since she was six years old and her first love, was being charged with the murder of Ananias Stolzfus, the Bishop of the Amish community where Jonas now lived. Kate had not seen or thought about Jonas in a very long time. She did not know what type of man he had become but she couldn’t imagine that the Jonas she knew would be capable of committing murder. Kate agreed to travel to Pennsylvania to try and help prove that Jonas did not commit the crime he was being investigated for. Upon her arrival in Pennsylvania, Kate was met with obstacle after obstacle. The local police were determined to offer her as little information as possible about the case. Kate was met with an excessive lack of cooperation from the local police. She soon discovered that someone was targeting her. Someone was afraid that Kate was getting too close to discovering the truth about a long kept secret and wanted her to go back from where she came from. Kate was physically attacked, her car was vandalized and she was almost killed when her car was forced off the road and over a dangerous cliff. Despite all the close and dangerous situations Kate faced she was adamant about not giving up. Knowing the ways and language of the Amish helped Kate gain information that might not have been shared with outsiders. Would Kate be able to discover whether Jonas was guilty of the crime he was suspected of committing? How would Kate react to seeing Jonas again after his abrupt departure all those years ago? How would Janas’ family feel about her and how would Kate feel about them? I recommend you read The Hidden One to discover the answers to all these questions. I recommend this book very highly.

Thank you to Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read The Hidden One by Linda Castillo through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 STARS

I am a huge fan of this series and was thrilled to have been awarded an advanced review copy. This was my first attempt at "reading" as all my previous experiences have all been via audio. Overall, this was a decent installment but it does not rank as series favorite/stand out. I appreciate Castillo's attempt to change pace, but I sorely missed all the secondary characters/settings that makes this series so beloved. Kate was largely on her own; I liked getting her past but longed for more Tomasetti moments.

This is one of the cases in which I highly recommend audio over reading. To me, Kathleen McInerney is Kate Burkholder, and I admit to struggling at times with reading this one over listening.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. This is book#14 in the Kate Burkholder series and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading every one of them! I love Amish settings and to add a little mystery to each story is one of my favorites! As always the author creates a very interesting story with very likable characters in an Amish setting. I would recommend this series to everyone!