There is no one better at keeping you up all night to finish a book than Linda Castillo. Even chapter makes you want to read just one more.

As someone unfamiliar with the rest of the series, this book was great. Murder mysteries are my favorite genre, and this one was so great. Haunting, suspenseful and chilling. I can’t wait to re-read this one.

Being a fan of the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo, I was very excited to have the opportunity to read her most recent book. Set in an Amish community in Ohio, Chief of Police Burkholder has the mystery of the death of an Amish man to solve. Kate digs in to learn about the victim is hopes of learning who might have enough animosity towards him to have killed him, especially since all she asks have nothing but praise for him.

Kate was raised in the Amish community in the small Ohio town where she now serves as Chief of Police. Her sister and brother and their families are still there, and still a part of the Amish community. As one that chose to not remain Amish, her relationship with many in that community is strained. As the Chief of Police, she not only navigates the task of solving a crime, but also that of being respectful of a community that she is not a part of, although understands intimately. While I am not able to tell how accurately the Amish community is portrayed, Castillo does give the reader a glimpse into a culture that I knew very little about.

I don't think is the best book in the Kate Burkholder series, but it was entertaining and captivating none the less. If you are a reader of Linda Castillo, you will want to pick this up once it is published.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review

4 stars for a fast paced police procedural. This is book 15 in the series. It can be read as a stand alone although there are ongoing developments in Kate's personal life covered in previous books. This book starts off with a brutal murder. There are also descriptions of gang rapes. I don't recommend this book or the series to cozy mystery fans. Kate does solve the mystery and the gang rapes. The book is set in Painter's Mill, a fictional town in Ohio, US. I read this book in 3 days. Both my wife and I enjoy this series.
One quote: "The early stages of a homicide investigation are a frenetic mix of interviewing witnesses, false starts, hardcstops, and sleep deprivation."
Thanks to Allison Ziegler at Minotaur Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

5 star
Once again Linda Castillo has written a really good murder mystery. This is a continuing series but can be enjoyed as a stand alone.
The main character is Kate Burkholder, chief of police in a small town in Ohio. About 25% of the population is Amish. Kate used to be Amish but left at 18. Joined law enforcement and has returned. All of the stories involve a crime within the Amish community and is handled respectfully by Kate. Their ways are very interestingly intertwined with the mystery.
The story will grab and surprise you from the very beginning. The investigation, of course, is the whole story. I love that Chief Burkholder is completely incharge of her staff and none of the usual infighting among the troops regarding a female boss. They all respect her and follow her orders. You are introduced to some pretty disgusting characters. You will find some hiding deep dark secrets.
The action scenes will leave you breathless.
In the end all comes together to answer all the mysteries. A very fulfilling mystery.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An Evil Heart begins with Kate Burkholder--finally!--planning a wedding, and a young, respected Amish man being brutally murdered on his way to work. The man, Aden, is known to be friendly and loyal and has a good name around Painter's Mill.

However, Aden is also on rumspringa--the time in young Amish people's lives where they are free from the bounds of their Amish faith. As she investigates, Kate discovers that Aden, like many an Amish person, was enjoying his freedom: smoking, drinking, and driving cars. Aden, it turns out, also had a fondness for "English" women, despite having a devoted fiancee. Now Kate is forced to look at a whole new aspect of both her victim's character as well as the pool of people who may have wanted him dead.

When a second body is found, Kate struggles to make a connection between the two, but knows the unlikelihood of a town like Painter's Mill having two murderers at large at the same time. She starts questioning her own judgment, and flails as she goes down that dark path.

Can Kate find out who Aden really was, before his murder goes unpunished? And before she loses all faith in herself?

I have to say that, while I found the premise of this novel--victim as someone who has perhaps not led the cleanest life, despite appearances--fascinating, the follow-through left something to be desired. The crimes wrapped up too neatly, while the ramifications that were built up during the telling just kind of get left at the end, when Kate finally has her wedding. Actually, the interpersonal relationships in Kate's complicated family life are by far the best aspect of this book. Definitely a must-read for fans of the series, but not the most compelling mystery.

An Evil Heart begins with a shocking murder scene. It left me with my pulse pounding and my mouth hanging open! Linda Castillo started the book strong and never let up. This was equal parts gripping, shocking, thought provoking and intense.

Kate Burkholder responds to the scene where an Amish man has been murdered. Who would want to kill twenty-year-old Aden Karn? He comes from a good home, people in the community had nice things to say about him. It appears that he was respected and liked by those in his life, and yet, someone wanted him dead!

Kate has a murder to solve and her wedding to Tomasetti is drawing near. She doesn't let her upcoming nuptials get in her way when she has a case to solve. As she delves deeper, she learns that there are those with secrets - dark and dangerous secrets. When a young Amish teen/woman comes forward with what happened to her, everything changes on a dime.

Whew! This was such a fantastic book. I loved doing my own super sleuthing along with Kate. There are a few suspects in this book and Castillo had me re-evaluating and changing my suspect list as the book went along.

There was never a dull moment in this book. I had a hard time putting this book down as I was fully invested in the plot. This was another well written, engrossing, riveting and intense book by Castillo and a brilliant addition to the Kate Burkholder series. Another plus, is that I do believe this book would work well as a stand-alone.

I saved reading this book until I had an uninterrupted weekend because I know from experience that the latest Linda Castillo book would be a terrific book to read. And it was! In this 15th book in her series featuring former Amish chief of police Kate Burkholder all the regular components are present. Strong pacing, dialogue, sense of place and wonderful insight into the Amish way of life. These are strongly character driven novels that usually include a fairly brutal murder but somehow don’t feel gory. Although this book can be read as a stand alone I highly recommend starting at the beginning.

Another wild ride with Kate Burkholder!

A young Amish man is found dead by the side of the road. At first glance it looked like it was an accident - car vs bicycle. But further investigation proves this young man was murdered.

Likable Aden had no enemies. His Amish Fiancée Emily is deeply in love with him and can speak no ill about him. His parents raised a strong young man. But as Kate discovers, not all is what it may seem with young Aden.

I love this series and I look forward every year for the newest release from Linda Castillo. This one is another mystery filled with twisty turns, just like the road in Painter's Mill.

I can't say enough about this series, if you haven't read these books before, start at the beginning and enjoy the ride.

As Kate is preparing for her wedding to Tomasetti, her preparations get interrupted by a murder in Painters Mill, Ohio. A young Amish man is found murdered on the side of the road. It is Kate's job to find the killer. As the investigation proceeds, ugly secrets are revealed.

This book is #15 in the Kate Burkholder series. I look forward to a new installment every year. Linda Castillo is a great writer. She seamlessly blends the crime investigation and Kate's personal life. To be fully appreciated, this series must be started with book #1.

Thank you, Minotaur Books and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I am anxiously awaiting book #16.

Another outstanding book from LInda Castillo. She's been one of my favorite authors since I read Sworn to Silence. The storyline kept me guessing all the way to very last chapters. Her characters are well developed and the storyline flows so easily that once you start this book, you don't realize how long you've been reading until it's 2am!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was an awesome read! I relate so much to the main character in this story. I grew up near the Amish and the representation of their community is very well done. I am going to be reading the rest of this series NOW. Highly recommend

Kate Burkholder is the Chief of Police of an Amish community in Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate’s wedding dress fitting is interrupted when she is called to a crime scene. The crumpled body of Aden Karn, a young Amish man, is found on a dirt road next to his bicycle and has apparently been killed. Who is his killer, and what is the reason for his death? Kate intends to find out. While Kate no longer lives the Amish life, she understands the Amish community and is able to unravel the mystery of this case.

AN EVIL HEART, the fifteenth book in the Kate Burkholder series, is a good read. Since I am a first-time reader of the series, I can attest that the book works as a stand-alone. I am enticed to read the stories that precede this one and to read future Kate Burkholder books. Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review AN EVIL HEART.

An Evil Heart is the latest in the Kate Burkholder series but the first I have read. I had seen good reviews for this series before and after reading this book I understand why. Kate Burkholder grew up Amish but left the church after a troubled childhood. She is currently the Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill where her Amish roots run deep in the community. When a young Amish man is found dead on the side of the road, Kate knows who he is and who is parents are. She begins a troubling, twisted case where the victim is not what he appears to be and the suspects seem to multiply the deeper she digs into his life. The background story involves Kate’s impending nuptials and even though this is my first book in the series I found Kate’s life to be an open book and easy to follow along with. The whodunnit blindsided me a little bit for a fast paced, page turning thriller. The characters are strong, unique, and splendid while the mystery is well written and compelling. This is definitely a series that I will start at the beginning and read. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I have read all the other books in this series, so the characters were familiar. The story itself was fine (although I did figure out who did it a bit earlier than I usually do in these sorts of books.) I enjoy the setting. I did find that the excessive use of the "ten" codes that the police use, which then led to explaining what they mean, a bit distracting. Some use of that would be ok, but I don't think it needed to be as often as in this one. And I will say that I missed reading more about the rest of the characters. I think this one focused almost too much on Kate. But I liked the ending (finally!) and the integration with Kate's family. Will probably continue on with the series if it continues.
I received a free ARC e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure how this happened, but I had never read any of Linda Castillo's books until this one. Looks like I've been missing out, because I really enjoyed this one. I liked the Kate Burkholder character and think I will dive into some of the earlier books in this series.

The Description:
On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...

But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.

My Thoughts:
I like that Kate Burkholder is compassionate and thoughtful as she goes about her duties. Also, that she takes her cases seriously and looks for alternative scenarios, not always accepting an initial reaction as truth. The setting in a mostly Amish community was picturesque. It was intriguing to follow Kate's attempts to mesh her life now that she is no longer Amish with her family who are Amish. The murder investigation was tense and exciting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 11, 2023.

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo is a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story follows Kate Burkholder, a police chief in the small Amish town of Painters Mill, Ohio, as she investigates a series of brutal murders that have shocked the community.

What I loved about this book was the way that Castillo weaves together multiple plotlines to create a complex and engaging story. The characters are well-developed and realistic, and the tension and suspense are expertly crafted. I found myself completely invested in the outcome of the investigation, and I couldn't wait to see how everything would play out.

One of the things that I appreciated most about this book was the way that Castillo explores the relationship between the Amish and the English (non-Amish) residents of Painters Mill. As someone who is not familiar with Amish culture, I found it fascinating to learn about their way of life and how it intersects with the modern world. Castillo treats the Amish with respect and sensitivity, and I felt like I came away from the book with a deeper understanding of their beliefs and traditions.

Overall, I would highly recommend An Evil Heart to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. It's well-written, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. I can't wait to read more of Linda Castillo's work!

Thank you to Linda Castillo, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All opinions are voluntary and my own.

I am used to twist and turns when it come to this series. But even I was shocked by the turn this book took. It was not disappointing. Linda Castillo once again keeps the thrill coming with her newest novel in her well-known series.

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder came home to Painter's Mill to serve her community. She left her Amish family years ago but is still affected when she finds a young Amish man killed by a crossbow. As the case progresses, she finds many dark sides to the case.
Also woven in is her upcoming wedding to Tomasetti her lawman fiance. Nerves are on edge as the story progresses and the wedding traditions that come even though Kate has left the fold. Good story with interesting background. Another winner!!

I haven't read the other books in this series, but An Evil Heart left me intrigued enough to go back and do so! Kate Burkholder is a compelling protagonist, and the story was told with the perfect amount of detail and suspense.

The context of an Amish town with a formerly Amish police chief lends a tension to the story that prevents it from being just another crime story. Castillo's way of describing the Amish community is genuine. It felt authentic, largely due to Castillo's writing style.

The plot had twists and turns that kept me reading and kept me interested all the way through. I loved the ending and the resolution.

This is one I'd definitely recommend.