A killer is preying on sacred ground….In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, … a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.
Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.
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This is the first of the Kate Burkholder books. I recommend the whole series! The books are rich with drama, fully-developed characters who grow over time, and excellent bad guys. Just read all of them. 🙂
Linda Castillo is now one of my favorite authors. She spins a wonderful story that is intriguing, bright and well executed.
Good mystery book kept me reading till 2am, couldn’t wait to see what was next.
I loved this story and the strong, flawed protagonist, Chief Kate Burkholder. This police procedural was a wonderful, frightening story. I couldn’t stop listening. I’m very interested in knowing more about John Tomasetti. The setting and time of year were their own characters in this book. So many times I could feel the cold and put myself in the scene. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading or listening too the series.
Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder, #1) by Linda Castillo
I really liked it!
Kate Burkholder is the Chief of Police in the small town of Painter’s Mill, a community that is both Amish and English. Kate is not your ordinary cop. As a child, she was raised in Painter’s Mill, in the Amish community, but left the faith under the bann. Her parents are deceased, but her brother and sister both remain part of the community, they alone know her secret and why she fled the community, sixteen years earlier.
Fast forward to present day, a deputy finds a girl murdered in a nearby pasture. The autopsy reveals the grisly details that are beyond horrific. For Kate, these details are even more disturbing as the rumors begin to stir about the return of the Slaughterhouse Killer. Kate knows that it can’t be….and she knows this because she killed him when she was fourteen. Or did she?
loved this book. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
Wow. Just wow. I couldn’t put it down! My stomach was in knots. My hand constantly flying to my mouth like I was watching the scenes unfold. I’ll need at least a week to get over this one! Seriously, I was up until 3am cuz I just had to know whodunit.
A must read for sure!
One to book 2…