It’s been far too long since I got sucked into a book. And this one was a roller coaster. I guessed the final twists, but there are so many I didn’t see coming. This was my first book by this author, so I obviously haven’t read any of the other books in the series. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t lost.

The writing is clear and descriptive. I had three problems here—literally the only reasons I didn’t give the book 5 stars. First the author uses the word grimace at least 20 times. By the end I pictured everyone with a constant grimace. I wouldn’t take any stars off for this though. Second, the author seems to have forgotten some details. Multiple times throughout this book information was changed or missing. For instance, a girl can leave one boyfriend for another, but later in the book the author states she had only had one boyfriend ever. Other examples would have spoilers. Third, the dialogue between Kate and her fiancé is mostly spoken in cliches.

What did I love about the book? The rest of the writing is amazing. I felt all of the emotions. I also hated exactly who I was suppose to. She gives us all sorts of different characters with different stories. None of them are confusing, and I was able to remember everyone I was suppose to. Reading the book in just a few days helps.

All in all, not only would I recommend this book, I would and probably will buy it for friends as a gift. I may recommend it for our book club.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC for my honest opinion.

Great entry in the Kate Burkholder series. Kate is days away from her wedding, but a gruesome murder takes priority over wedding preparations. The investigation reveals secrets that are completely unheard of for the Amish community of Painter's Mill. Each new detail makes you wonder how any of this happened without someone trying to put a stop to it. You can feel the agony the victims are expressing. You empathize with everyone affected by the cruel acts we learn about in "An Evil Heart."
I loved this book. I stayed up to finish it. I loved the way the community came together to assist with Kate's wedding. I am ready for the next book. I am ready to see what the future has in store for Kate.

Thanks to NetGalley and for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it!!! This is one of my favorite series. With the amount of crime/murders that occurs in Painters Mill and the surrounding area, Kate Burkholder definitely has job security. Who could have killed Aden so violently? Death by crossbow wasn't pain free, especially when the bolt was pulled through. The killing was deliberate and the murderer wanted Aden to pay his actions. Everyone who knew Aden had such kind words and couldn't imagine who could have done this. Some people keep there evil well hidden and are wolves in sheep clothing. Nothing good happened at the gas station. I never suspected who was behind Aden's death. There were so many possible killers. Pretty much any one who hung out at the gas station and any woman he "dated." This was one of my favorite books in the series and kept me guessing until the end. There were so many twists and turns. Kate is definitely a cat with nine lives with how much se gets injured on the job. I was hoping she wouldn't have any bruises or black eyes for her upcoming nuptials. It finally looked like John and Kate's wedding was actually going to happen. I couldn't wait to read about the celebration and then the book ends. Seriously!!!! Hopefully the next book picks up there (probably not). Loved seeing the interaction between Kate and her family. The wedding was even more special because they were part of it.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I can't wait to find out what's next in store for Kate and John. Maybe babies???? Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An Evil Heart is a great installment in the Kate Burkholder Amish series. The action starts right away with a brutal murder and the pacing never slows. I realize it is a murder mystery, but it does seem to be a little darker than some of the previous books in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

Again I read a book that's in a series without having any experience with the previous works. But in this case there is some(probably)repeating of information for the new readers to help us along with the storyline. I found this work engaging and making me search for previous entries in the series. Check out this book and author - you won't be disappointed!

I loved it! Great mystery. Kate is very skilled at interpreting what is actually underneath the layers that people outwardly display whether it's talking to her family, coworkers, or anyone she encounters during an investigation. She's smart and sympathetic. Excellent author.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The cover looks great, though the title isn’t anything eye-catching. I feel like the character build was lacking in areas, but the story line was exciting.

3.5 stars. A solid, if sometimes repetitive, small-town police procedural about the murder of a young Amish man who is not what he seems. Burkholder's tough-but-tender romance with her fiance offers a wholesome relief from the sordid details of her investigation, reminiscent of Frances McDormand's character in "Fargo". Her liminal relationship to the Amish community of her Ohio hometown gives her a sympathetic but not naive perspective on the contradictions hiding beneath their strict lifestyle. I felt sometimes there was too much blow-by-blow of the investigation, with scenes that didn't reveal any details that were new to the reader. And I wasn't entirely sure why the killer felt that a brutal and hard-to-conceal murder was the only path to his goal. Still, I would be interested to check out earlier books in the series.

Castillo does an excellent job of combining Amish and English cultures while remaining respectful of the Amish. In addition she always writes an exciting and puzzling crime. And, no spoiler since it is mentioned in the first chapters, does all this in the run up to her wedding. Kate Burkholder is like superwoman.

Linda Castillo never disappoints with her books and I look forward to reading anything she puts out. This book is just another example of her wonderful writing. This is the 15th book in the series and I love how she give some background so that you are not completely lost (if you haven't read the series yet) but doesn't go into great depth so that you feel like you are trying to catch up other readers.

This book is suspenseful and engaging from the start. There is an Amish guy that is killed in a very graphic way and it is up to the Chief of Police, Kate, to find out who the killer is and stop them before they kill again. The twists and turns that take place go at a breath taking speed that keep you wanting to turn the pages and find out what is going to happen next.

If you have no read any of Linda Castillo's books, especially this series, you need to stop what you are doing and start right away. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was my first by Linda Castillo and won't be my last. It was quite a page turner!!
If you enjoy a good mystery, this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St .Martin's Press for my ARC!

Some people spend the time leading up to their wedding taking care of last minute details. Kate, however, is not some people and neither is her fiancé Tomasetti.
In Book 15,An Evil Heart, it looks like their wedding might actually happen(Fingers crossed). But the murder of Aden Karn leaves Kate scrambling to find his sadistic killer. Everything points to him being a promising and respectful young man, but sometimes the truth is hidden underneath many layers. When another body is found, Katie is sure the deaths are related, but the who is still an enigma as much as the why.
There are some serious topics explored, and the more I learned, the more I loathed some of the characters. As always, though, the mystery was good, and Kate has her hands full even more than usual. She does have a wedding to attend soon( her own).
Did I figure out the killers identity? Yes, and no. Not until almost the author reveal, so for the most part, my guesses were absolutely incorrect.🤔
Until we meet again, Kate, I hope things are quiet for a change in Painters Mill. I am definitely a fan of this series. 4.5 stars.

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo. Published by st Martins Press-Minatour books. This book had me engrossed page after page. It starts with the brutal murder of. young Amish man Aden Karn. He is the picture of her good, caring and hardworking young man whose life was brutally taken one early morning on a desolate road. The Amish community is rightfully shook up at the murder of one of their own. Definitely was a page turner that kept me yearning for more and a simple reminder that sometimes things are not as they seem. I did not see that coming! A first for me from Linda Castillo but now I’ll be looking for more.
Kate Burkholder # 15 in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone mystery novel.so I’d you are looking for a good book to keep you interested this one is for you. Linda Castillo did not disappoint. Publication Date July 25,2023!!

I read this as a stand-alone. I never read the other in the series. I really liked it. I liked that they shed light to SA victims. Please look up trigger warnings. The plot twist was great

"The things we learn in our formative years stay with us. Right or wrong, the lessons of our youth shape our adult view of the world. Having been raised Amish, I was taught to believe the best about people. Most of the time that philosophy serves me well. I still believe that the majority of people are fundamentally good. As a cop, though, I’m keenly aware that many are not"

This was my first time reading a book by this author and now I want to go back and read more immediately! This was #15 in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder, however I had 0 issues reading it as as stand alone! I loved the perfect combination of crime and thriller genres. The author takes you through the case very clinically and to the point, there is so much detail that I felt like I was right there alongside Kate as she worked the case. It gives the reader's a chance to try and put together the mystery themselves at the same time the characters are. The addition of Kate being from the Amish community while investigating a crime with Amish victims was very unique and provided some extra background and context, she is a strong female lead who gives amazing insight into her job, I especially enjoyed hearing her inner struggles when it came to the moralities of the Amish community and of the crimes she was investigating.

Linda Castillo's books never fail to thrill and excite the reader! I couldn't put this book down (well, it's an e-book but you know what I mean!). Meeting Kate Burkholder and her colleagues in this latest installment of this Amish mystery series was incredibly satisfying. A fast-paced plot and intriguing solution (I was left guessing until the end!) are what I've come to expect from Castillo's books (and why I have read them all so far!). A great read.

When an author writes a long standing series, such as the Kate Burkholder series, it’s so impressive to me when that author can make you love each book that’s comes out over and over. Castillo did just that with her newest book, An Evil Heart. I have always loved the characters of Kate, her police officers, and her soon to be husband but in this book I loved it even more. I enjoyed not only the way Kate solved this particularly horrible crime, but also her own sensitive side with her relationship with her sister and brothers and getting ready for her upcoming nuptials. Even if you have never read any of this series I highly recommend this book.

The 15th novel in the Kate Burkholder series did not disappoint!

This was hard to read at times due to the subject matter, but it gives a voice to the victims and the reasons behind why some women do not report SA. I was taken by surprise by the murderer as I had expected it to be another character. This novel adds to the character development seen throughout the series. Relationships are built up further, and Kate finally seems to have a true family again. The pacing of this book is perfect and keeps the reader's attention.

I want to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an ARC.

This story is full of twists and turns that’s you’ll never see coming. I don’t know how she does it after so many books in this series but every time is a new adventure into Amish Country. I always look forward to anything from this amazing author.

It starts off from the first chapter and never lets go.

Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti are planing there wedding when she’s called to the scene of a DB.

Criminals keep terrible hours. They work nights. Weekends. Holidays. You name it and they’re out there, wreaking havoc.

“If you want to see action, schedule your ride-along for the graveyard shift,” he’d said. “That’s when the zombies come out. That’s when you find out what really goes on after the sun goes down. That’s when you’ll know if you have what it takes.”

Nothing is what it seems in this action packed 15th installment of this series. With a shocking revelation and a ending that’s a long time coming.

“Tomasetti, if I didn’t know better, I might just think you were smitten with the chief of police.”

This is my first ever review. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read An Evil Heart before its publication date.. I love all Linda Castillo books and this one did not disappoint.