The Burning by Linda Castillo is a gripping entry in the Kate Burkholder series, blending a chilling murder mystery with the tense dynamics of the Amish community. The story follows Kate, a former Amish woman turned police chief, as she investigates a brutal killing that unravels long-held secrets and hidden resentments. Castillo’s writing is atmospheric, effectively capturing the stark contrast between the close-knit Amish world and the darker elements lurking beneath its surface. While the central mystery is compelling, the plot feels somewhat predictable at times, and some secondary characters lack depth. Still, Kate’s strong character and the setting make it a solid choice for fans of crime fiction with a unique cultural twist.

I absolutely love all of Linda Castillo books and this one was no different. Someone is out to get people and they are killing them in the most gruesome way. Police Chief Kate Burkholder was raised Amish and so she know all the taboos and what people will talk about and what they won't but she also knows that everyone in the group will know something about the murder and death of Milan Swanz.
What she is not prepared for is how his life impacted to many people in their group and why he was killed in the manner he was. How had he been so evil and yet he worked for so many people and did so much damage before he was killed. And who, obviously not an Amish person, could have killed him in such a way as to send such a message to those around him.
Kate and her husband also a law officer must work together but not too closely as to make sure people still respect her as the chief and don't see her being too weak. Things really start to fall apart when her brother is implicated in the process of finding evidence and other agencies feel that she is too close to the case and want to take over. Kate knows that the Amish will close ranks and not talk to them so she will not be able to completely find out just what is going on in her district.
Get ready for a wild ride, learning more about how different sects in the group work and how tough Kate is and how she is just right for her job.

Unique Amish crime fiction series continues with an unusual plot.

Could someone be killing the bad Amish people? That's the premise of this latest installment in the Kate Burkholder series when she is called to the crime scene where a man has been burned at the stake. The dead man was a troubled person and mean as a snake.

I've always liked the series because of the Amish connection as I've learned a lot about their religion and way of life. Now Kate has finally married Tomasetti and has sort of settled into her new life with him. Although no longer Amish herself, she still has a very strong connection to her past and especially to her older brother who now lives on their parents' farm. When he's targeted by the Painters Mill law enforcement as a suspect in the murder of the burnt man, Milan Swanz, Katie is told to step aside from the investigation.

Does she do that? Of course not, and that's where the narrative went off course for me. Her stupid decisions and maverick attitude once again bring her near death -- but miraculously she's hardly hurt at all despite the battles that ensue and the beatings she takes. How she survives defies believability. Anyway, I ended up disappointed with how this story played out and there were still quite a few unanswered questions due to how the bad guys ended up. I definitely would have liked to hear a lot more about this shady, secretive group of avengers.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator was OK but did not do a very good job at all with the male voices. This is my first audio in the series, so I don't know if they continue to use the same person for reading but I won't likely do another audiobook.

Linda Castillo is a master storyteller. Each book is filled with suspense at every page turn. The Burning lives up to a long legacy in a wonderful series.

I love the Kate Burkholder Series and this one did not disappoint! Kate has to figure out what happened to a member of the Amish community and that never goes well. Then her brother is implicated which makes things even more difficult. Things get stressful for Kate and it's an intense ride!

Another great installment in this favorite series. When Kate's latest case hits close to home she is taken off it, but it does not stop her from her own investigation. A secret among the Amish lends itself to this story. Looking forward to what Kate and Tomasetti's future holds.

Five Happy Dance Stars 💃💃💃💃💃

Newlywed Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent midnight call summoning her to a suspicious fire in the woods. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers a charred body. According to the coroner, the deceased, an Amish man named Milan Swanz, was chained to a stake and burned alive. It is an appalling and eerily symbolic crime against an upstanding husband and father.

Kate knows all too well that the Amish prefer to handle their problems without interference from the outside world, and no one will speak about the murdered man. From what she’s able to piece together, Swanz led a deeply troubled life and had recently been excommunicated. But if that’s the case, why are the Amish so reluctant to talk about him? Are they protecting the memory of one of their own? Or are they afraid of something they dare not share?

When her own brother is implicated in the case, Kate finds herself not only at odds with the Amish, the world of which she was once a part, but also the English community and her counterparts in law enforcement. The investigation takes a violent turn when Kate’s life is threatened by a mysterious stranger.

To uncover the truth about the death of Milan Swanz, Kate must dive deep into the Anabaptist culture, peering into all the dark corners of its history, only to uncover a secret legacy that shatters everything she thought she knew about the Amish themselves―and her own roots.

This is an Amish thriller mystery series. It is one of my favorite series. I have read every book in this series unloved every one of them. You don't need to read them in order but once you read one of them you most likely will want to read all of them. Her books are very dark.

The murder in this book was so gruesome and this book made my heart pound. It was such an intense read. The murder is a little graphic. It is a fast-paced read. It is action packed straight from the beginning to the very end. It is horrific and a nightmare.

Before you open up this book make sure you don't have any plans. Because all you will want to do is read this book. Lock your doors and turn off your phone.

I love all the characters in this series. They are all well done This book gave me a book hangover because I couldn't put it down and it kept me reading it into the morning hours.

I want to thank Netgalley, St Martin's Press for the copy of this book and exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely not what I expected! This book was so good and I read it in a few days I feel like sometimes when the amish community is written about its not well researched but in this book t was. You could feel the tension between charatcers

I have been an avid reader and fan of the Kate Burkholder series since the first book came out in 2009. The Burning is the 16th book in this series, and I enjoyed just as much as I did all the prior books. Some long-standing series lose steam by the time they get past a certain number of books, but the Kate Burkholder series still has strong characters and plots each time. Linda Castillo never disappoints!

This time, Kate is called to the scene of a mysterious fire, only to discover it's also the scene of a horrific murder as well. Why would someone chain an Amish man to a stake and then burn him alive? Kate soon faces opposition from all sides due to the grisly nature of the crime, reluctance of the Amish to open up to outsiders, and a suspect who is very close to her.

I enjoyed this book immensely from start to finish. The suspense and plot kept me totally engrossed in the story. The story moved along at a perfect pace with plenty of investigation and possible suspects. Kate really shines as a strong main character in this newest book. It was a rough investigation. Made for a very twisty, suspenseful story!

I backtracked about half way through the book and started over again with the audio book version. I love having suspense stories read to me...so it was worth starting over to enjoy the audio. Kathleen McInerney always does a great job narrating this series. The audio is about 10 hours long. I enjoyed every minute!

A great addition to this series! I can't wait for the next book in this series -- always a wonderful read!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book and audio book from St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Newlywed chief of police Kate Burkholder is called in the night about a suspicious murder in the forest.
This is not a straightforward murder. And Kate, a form Amish, has to combine her police skills with her Amish heritage to find the answer to this puzzle.
When Kate's brother is implicated, she has to burrow into an Anabaptist culture to find the true killer.

This series is getting tired. It's pretty much all the same all the time.

I enjoyed the first 5 or so with the inclusion of Amish customs. But it wears thin.

A thrilling mystery that follows Kate Burkholder, as she investigates her Amish roots to solve the brutal murder of Milan Swanz. As an Amish man with a sordid past, to solve this mystery, Kate must delve into the innermost parts and secret past of the Amish community.

In this 16th in Castillo's Amish mystery series, Painters Mill chief of police Kate Burkholder has recently married John Tomasetti, with whom she's shared many cases over the years. He's now an agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

This episode opens on a horrific killing - Amish Milan Swanz was tied to a post and burned alive. When it turns out Kate's brother had a problem with the victim, he comes under suspicion.

Kate finds cold cases that seem related, leading herself and Tomasetti into extreme danger in a close encounter with a backhoe and with fanatical religious zealots.

One of my favorite mystery series!

Police Chief Kate Burkholder is called to a gruesome scene off a backroad in Painters Mill. A man is found having been tied to a pole and set on fire. And so begins the 16th installment of Linda Castillo’s
Burkholder series.

As Kate, her team, and Tomassetti begin to work the case they find the victim is known for his temper and taking vengeance against those he feels deserve it. Kate hits a wall of silence from the Amish victims including her brother. That is until rumors about an Anabaptist vigilantly group surface.

Castillo’s continues to create characters that pop off the pages. Kate and Tomassetti are newly married and we get a glimpse of a new romance between two of Kate’s officers.

I really enjoyed this book. It could be read as a stand alone. But, if you are new to this series I would encourage you to start at the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was very good and wanting to know who done it. The main character was formally Amish and a murder takes place in her hometown of a formerly Amish person as well. She has a hidden insight other officers don’t have.

Thank you for the ARC of the burning

I always enjoy Linda Castillos books. This was a good story.

I really love Linda Castillo's Kate Burholder series. I was fortunate enough to be able to read an ARC of this book (thanks Net Galley) and it was just as good as I hoped. Who knew the Amish community was such a hotbed of murder? I highly recommend this book and series and do suggest that you read them in order to really immerse into the story and characters as they develop. 5 stars

Another winner by Linda Castillo. I love the characters she creates and each novel tells us something about the Amish lifestyle and history.

I love reading series, especially mystery series (blame it on Nancy Drew!) - and I'm usually a stickler for reading any series in order. But somehow I ended up starting this series somewhere in the middle. Lucky for me, Linda Castillo is good about giving just enough backstory at times when it's needed so that I never feel totally lost, yet leaves me wanting to go back and read the books I've missed. That was the case again with this book - this is a dark and gritty book about some appalling sins and horrifying retribution. I find myself liking the fact that while Kate Burkholder is a smart and capable cop, she isn't above letting her emotions (and pride) get the better of her at times and not always making the best decisions. Kind of like us mere mortals, rather than a supercop. We feel her frustration as she not only has to battle with an unknown perpetrator, but with her (male) superiors in law enforcement. As always, it left me wanting to read more about Kate and her journey.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing copies for an unbiased review.

Every time I get to read another Chief Burkholder installment, I’m never disappointed. Each book in the series gets better and better. Book number 16 is another superb addition in this incredible series.

Chief Burkholder is now a newlywed and her personal life is always an underlying interesting part of the series. Late at night she's called to a remote area where two of her deputies have found a man tied to a post that is on fire burning in the woods.

This leads Burkholder and her new husband, Tomasetti on the hunt for the person or people responsible. Chief Burkholder must untangle this case of deadly revenge as she discovers ties to the history of the Amish culture.

This is a fast paced thriller/ police procedural that is well written and plotted out.

I am loving this series and can’t wait to see what the author has planned for book #17!

Thank you the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Stunning and an excellent addition to the series. The novel delivers gripping suspense and masterful storytelling. The mystery is chilling and the plot twists will keep the reader guessing until the end.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.