Linda Castillo didn’t disappoint with her newest Katie Burkholder book.

This book was hard to put down and caught my attention from the start. This is one of my favorites series to read and the newest didn’t disappoint.
If you’ve liked Linda Castillo’s previous books. You’ll enjoy this one as well!

This book was not for me. It’s one of the dangers
of ebooks- you can’t make the same judgements as you can with a book in hand.
If you are already a fan of this author, you will likely enjoy this one. For me, the frequent mentions of the differences of Amish life, as well as the frequent reminders that our protagonist grew up Amish, so she’s In The Know, distracted from the story in this book.

I was so excited to read Linda Castillo’s latest Chief Kate Burkholder book.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down.

Who knew life in Amish country could be so exciting or so dangerous. The homicide in this book concerns the burning at the stake of an Amish man that was most likely a sociopath and whose history of evil deeds followed him through his life.

Kate gets removed from the investigation when her brother, Jacob, becomes a suspect and is arrested for the murder. Kate doesn’t stop investigating on her own and drags her husband John Tomasetti into the investigation.

When it comes down to the end of the book, Kate and John have never been in more serious trouble and more danger before.

If you read and like this book, you will no doubt have to go back and read the 15 that came before in the series!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

I have truly fallen in love with this series. Yes, I only started reading from the previous book to this one but boy howdy! This series just keeps getting better and better. From word one, these stories are woven together with a type of tapestry that keeps building and building until the very end. You can feel Kate's frustration with wanting to solve this case, especially once it gets so personal. (A tiny bit of a spoiler alert there.)

Her character feels so real, like she's really only a phone call away. I love her love story with Tomasetti. He never tries to change who she is. Yes, you can tell when something wears on him, but he never says anything about it unless the situation is extreme. They are such a great match. So much pain binds them both together but also so much hope and love as well. I think it's one of the things that makes them such a great couple.

I love how all her deputies back her up continuously, even if they don't always agree with how she does things. Can she be pushy at times? Of course, but in the best way possible. You can really feel all of her emotions and how she wants to just make sure her community is safe. And I love the Amish aspect. It's not something that I have been exposed to a lot in my life but it sure is interesting.

The mystery is fantastic. You feel like you should KNOW who it is yet, it's so far away from what you think in the end. I started to feel like I knew possibly in the end, but I was only half right. The other part surprised the heck out of me. I loved it. Wow, just wow. I loved this book. I completely whole heartedly recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Linda Castilla for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and are completely honest.

Thank you netgalley for an advance reader copy...

This book can be read as a standalone but it is highly recommended to read the other books first.

In this story Kate is on the outs and must do whatever is needed to find out who is burning people alive!

Very fun and thrilling story. Highly recommend

Linda Castillo’s, Kate Burkholder series is one of the best out there. This is the 16th installment and like those before it, the story is strong, engaging, intense, and the characters solid. The suspense builds, the tension you can feel, and each character, especially,Kate, are multi-dimensional.

Castillo, knows how to create a world where the reader feels and is captured by the Amish way of life and what transpires with the ‘English.’ This story centers around Milan Swanz, excommunicated from the Amish, who is found tied to a post, burning! Swanz, is not a very nice person, violent, with a temper, who exacts revenge on those whom he thinks have done him wrong. To say the least, not many in Painter’s Mill, are upset bout his death.

In comes our newlywed, Kate Burkholder, who must investigate, and uncovers a sinister group of Amish, called Anabaptist, the story moves from there, with perilous plotting, intense interactions, and elevated suspense.

This series is stellar. Though, you can read each, including this one as a stand alone, my advice would be to read them in order, as the character development and evolution of Painter’s Mill, and history of the Amish is better absorbed, and enjoyed from book one.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

On a scale of 1 to 5, a strong 10! This series just keeps getting better, with tense and addictive plot and strong cast. The crossing of Amish and English adds a huge dimension, and the development of characters over time hits the mark. Can't wait for the next one!

It's hard to believe that this is the sixteenth book in this series and it's as interesting as the first one! Kate Burkholder is now a newlywed of a few months, late one night she's called to a remote area where two of her police have found fire burning in the woods. Tied to a post is a young man, still alive they think, they try to get him out of the fire but it's too hot. Milan Swanz is the young man, a resident of Painters Mill and an excommunicated Amish, he's also divorced with 4 kids. Kate soon finds out that Milan is not a very nice guy, he has a temper, doesn't like when he feels someone has done him wrong, he takes revenge if he feels that way and he has taken revenge on an ex employer (burned his business), his ex wife (assaulted), kids (broke the arm of one) and the Bishop and his wife (also assault but took pieces of their hair as well). So not a lot of people are unhappy he's no longer around. One of the people that also had a run in with Milan was Kate's brother Jacob and he soon becomes the prime suspect with some outside agents thinking Kate is covering for him, things get to a point where she is removed from the case, though that doesn't stop her from investigating. She eventually uncovers a type of shadow Amish group, Anabaptist, they are Amish but in name only, they do bad deeds whether or not they are asked to. Kate and Tomasett, of course, continue to investigate which leads them into a very perilous situation, edge of your seat type of situation. This book could be read as a stand a lone, but I would recommend reading all of the ones in the series as they are all very good. Highly recommend, thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaurbooks for the ARC.

Another great installment in the Kate Burkholder series.

A primal scream leads two Painter’s Mill officers to a horrific scene. The investigation reveals many people had motive to want the victim dead, including a member of Kate’s family.

This is one of my favorite series. The author never disappoints and the dynamic between Kate and the Amish is always interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley, Linda Castillo and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkhokder mysteries are some of the best! They catch my attention from the first page and keep it till the end! Great writing and character development! Kate is a former Amish working as police chief on part English / part Amish community. A body found burned at the stake is the start of a twisty murder mystery you won't to miss!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy to read and review.

Another fabulous installment of the Kate Berkholder series. This author has a way with suspenseful situations and always keeps me guessing until the end.

While this is a series book it is also good as a standalone read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.

Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series is a perpetual favorite and THE BURNING does not disappoint! Fast paced and action filled, the suspense is at a breakneck pace through the entire story - with a nail-biting finish. Excited to read the next chapter of Kate’s adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review THE BURNING.

Every year I look forward to my visit with Chief Burkholder, and every year I’m never disappointed. In fact, each visit gets better and better. Book #16 is another stunner in this incredible series. Make sure to check for trigger warnings before starting this one.

Kate Burkholder is the police chief in the small town of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. She is former Amish and uniquely qualified for this position. This story begins when Kate is called to a brutal crime scene. She has no leads and not a lot to go on. And as is always the case in the crimes she investigates, there are a lot of secrets.

Chief Burkholder is relentless in this one. She follows every lead, and never takes silence as the end of any detail she deems important. Her supporting cast of characters are all here as well. The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how people continue to underestimate her - that’s always a big mistake. The mystery/story here is top notch, and I was fascinated by the history that was brought in. Linda Castillo’s books in this series are always a 5-star read for me, and this is no exception. This series is solid. As always, I can’t wait for the next case.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this one early. It releases in July. If you are new to this series, start at the beginning. Kate’s background and journey will keep you riveted and turning the pages faster than you can imagine. Another amazing addition to this series. I highly recommend it!

Linda Castillo’s upcoming novel, The Burning, is the newest in the Kate Burkholder series, due out on July 9th 2024. I love this series and never miss an opportunity to tune-in for the latest adventure and murder investigation by Katie, the lapsed-Amish heroine and Chief of Police in Painters Mill, Ohio.

Things are just heating up between two of our favorite Painters Mill officers, when a blood curdling scream pierces the air, interrupting a clearly inappropriate liaison. The Officers probably would have had to do some explaining later on, if it wasn’t for the grisly nature of the murder they were calling in. The victim, as it turns out was, Milan Swantz (ML), a miscreant by all accounts, who may or may not have deserved his gruesome demise (the reader will decide).

Not surprisingly, for Burkholder’s greatest fans, ML turns out to be Amish, although recently excommunicated by Bishop Troyer. His ex-Wife, Bertha had plenty of motive, as did her lover, nearly all of his previous employers, and many of his neighbors. But, as everyone knows, violence, let alone murder, is not the Amish way….or is it?

The reader is treated to an interesting chapter in Anabaptist history. It turns out that not all Anabaptists remained true to doctrine, and there is a shtoahri (bubba meisa/fairy tale) that there was a period in history where a secret society of Anabaptist vigilantes reigned terror on the morally corrupted of the faith. The preferred method of punishment was burning at the stake for depraved men. Depraved women had a rope tied around their neck with a heavy rock attached to other end, before pitching them into a deep pool of water with their hands bound from behind. Was there more to the legend than meets the eye? Could the descendants of this sect still be operating even today?

Kate interviews all those Anabaptists who had reason to be angered by ML – Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterite…, . Even her brother Jacob had a bone or two to pick with ML

The devoted reader is slowly being led to learn that Kate’s brother Jacob has more than a few secrets to hide. When he is arrested, there is a clear conflict of interest and Kate is put on administrative leave. Kate knows Jacob would never be capable of such an atrocity, and it is up to Kate and her husband, the steamy Tomasetti, to carry through with the investigation. They do so at their great peril in a heart-pounding and suspenseful finale. We trust that Castillo will not kill off her heroine, but is the same true of Tomasetti?

This series just gets better and better!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, who answered my prayers and sent me an ARC for my honest review. I honest to goodness LOVED it. Oooof! Now I will have to wait another year before the next installment.

Another great read from Linda Castillo! I swear each Kate Burkholder series book I read gets better and better. This is another book that you will not be able to put down until the very end.

Kate has found herself investigating a terrible murder of someone burned at the stake, literally. Kate gets to work with her new husband, Tomasetti, to try and figure out who would murder someone in such a violent way. As usual Kate is thrown into the middle of things with the Amish community as she tried to unravel the crime and keep her family safe. It was found that the victim was a horrible person, but they too deserve justice. Problem is he was a horrible person to a LOT of people in the Amish community and no one is really sad to see him gone. Tie that into the facts that Kate uncovers as she is investigating the murder and you get one twisted and turbulent ride to the finish.

This is a MUST read by Linda Castillo and I cannot thank the author, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC in return for an honest review.

The 16th book in a series is crazy! I don’t know how a story and its characters could keep my attention but it seems to be easy for Linda Castillo! I am loving everything about Kate Burkeholder and this story was no different!

This is the 16th book in the series, and Kate Burkholder is now Chief of Police !

The story begins with an urgent call to a forest fire. When Kate arrives, she instead discovers the body of an Amish man who was burned alive It is a gruesome scene and she is forced to call on her contacts in the small Amish community. As she speaks to the taciturn Amish, she learns that Milan was excommunicated and there was more to his story than appears. When her own brother's name comes up in the investigation, Kate finds herself stuck between her old Amish world and her law enforcement colleagues.
Brilliant plot and very fun read!
.#stmartings #lindacastillo #theburning

Love this series. Castillo continues the story of Chief Burkholder in her home country. A gruesome murder takes all the strength Kate can muster to find the clues that will solve this crime. Who among the Amish community would burn a man alive and why? As she investigates, some of the info gathered takes her to a place that could hurt her family. But she doesn't stop, she presses on to find the truth. Another great entry in the series. It is dark, it is troubling at time, but I couldn't stop reading. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

I can’t wait every year for Linda Castillo to release a new book in her Amish mystery series, and it was so worth the wait when I finally got to read her latest in the series. Kate is once again trying to solve a murder when the investigation turns up several suspects, she is shocked to find out her brother is a person of interest. She is removed from the case but that doesn’t stop her from trying to solve the case and prove her brother’s innocence. I loved this book and all the characters, who you feel you know after reading all her books in this series and if you haven’t read them all I recommend that you do, you won’t be sorry. Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc, it was a joy to read.

I’m always eager to jump back into the world of Police Chief Kate Burkholder in Linda Casstillo’s series set in Ohio’s Amish country. The Burning is a violent, sometimes graphic novel that pits Burkholder against the Amish as well as her colleagues in law enforcement. And, it sends Kate’s investigation into the past history of the Anabaptists.

When two members of the Painters Mill police force hear screams in the woods, they find a body still on fire. Milan Swanz, an Amish man who had been excommunicated, was burned at the stake. While the method of execution reminds Burkholder of the Anabaptist martyrs of the past, she has a hard time getting a grasp on the case. Although Swanz’ behavior was bad enough that he was excommunicated, no one will talk about it. Kate is frustrated because the Amish never reported his crimes, and even her own brother won’t talk to her about the victim.

Although Burkholder is the only police officer who effectively communicates with the Amish, this time her close connection causes problems for her. When her brother becomes a murder suspect, she finds herself shut out of the investigation with allegations that she’s protecting the Amish. That doesn’t mean she won’t continue to probe and ask questions. However, Kate’s research into the past makes someone uneasy, and it isn’t long before Burkholder herself becomes a target.

The Burning was another fascinating book in this complex series that deals with Kate Burkholder’s own history and emotional growth as well as brutal crimes set in Amish country. Burkholder’s research dug up fascinating history that led to the solution of the crime. However, while I appreciated the story and the support Burkholder received from her own officers and her husband, I felt slightly dissatisfied at the conclusion. I felt as if there were a few threads left hanging. These aren’t threads to be picked up in a future book, but ones such as the identity of one of the killers.

There’s no doubt I’ll be waiting for the forthcoming novella and then next year’s book in the series. I just was a little frustrated with the end of The Burning.