Review - The Burning

Title:  The Burning

Author:  Linda Castillo

Series:   Kate Burkholder #

Publisher:  Minotaur

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   320

Date of Publication:  

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a gruesome murder that reveals a little-known chapter of early Amish history in this new installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

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.

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MY THOUGHTS:

Chief of police Kate Burkholder is certainly no novice when it comes to murder, yet the newest case she will be working on presents a very gruesome scene. The dead body is that of an Amish man named Milan Swanz. Kate wants to solve this case as soon as possible, but runs into resistance when dealing with the Amish community. As Kate is former Amish, she has not been very welcome during her different investigations, and this case is no different.

This time things are hitting too close to home as her brother is connected, which creates even more tension between the siblings. This investigation runs deep and Kate finds herself facing difficulties in both the Amish and English communities. 

This is one of the more intricate stories in the series, as the history of the Anabaptist culture is explored, and it was not always pretty. Kate has faced danger before, and this time is no different, with her life threatened more than once. 

It is hard to believe that this is the 16th book in the series by Linda Castillo. The full-length novels, as well as all of the novellas, display utter intensity that flies through with its excellent pacing.

Many thanks to Minotaur and to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and internationally bestselling Kate Burkholder mystery series, set in the world of the Amish.  The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder.

Critically acclaimed as “the master of the genre” (People magazine), Castillo is the recipient of numerous awards including an Edgar Award, the Sue Grafton Memorial Award, a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for an Audie Award for best mystery audiobook, and an appearance on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel.  Her books have sold over four million copies worldwide and been translated into fourteen languages.

In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty but loveable Blue Heelers.   She loves hearing from readers.  Contact her at books@lindacastillo.com.

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