I must admit this mystery in this book was really good and kept me on my turning the pages guessing what was going to happen. I thought the characters were great and loved them. The overall pace and flow of this book was so well done I didn't feel like I was ever confused while reading it. I haven't read the others in this series, but now I definitely want to.

4.5 stars, actually

I was introduced to this wonderful series just last year, although it's been around for a while (this is the 14th book). In part because I live not too far from Ohio's largest population of Amish and the second largest concentration in the world - Holmes County - and even closer to the fourth largest population in the world, Geauga County - I love learning all I can about the people and their traditions. Throw in a good murder or two, and I'm hooked.

The central character in this series is Kate Burkholder, police chief in Painters Mill, Ohio (Holmes County); she was born Amish and left the order when she turned 18, but she still maintains strong ties. She lives with her significant other John Tomasetti, an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent. She gets a visit from three Amish elders from Lancaster, Pennsylvania - another Amish stronghold - who ask for her help. Some 18 years earlier, the local bishop suddenly went missing; quite recently, his skull turned up in a farmer's field. But that's not the reason they need help; as it turns out, the person arrested for what has now been deemed a murder is Jonas Bowman. Kate and Jonas once were an "item"; their romance, deemed illicit by Holmes County religious leaders mostly because of their age difference, was the reason Jonas and his family moved from Ohio to Pennsylvania, leaving Kate devastated.

Although she hasn't seen him since, Kate feels she must do what she can to help; in her heart of hearts, she's certain Jonas could not possibly be a killer. Their first meeting, at the jail, is emotional - but he confirms what she already believes: that he's an innocent man. The local police, however, have a different perspective; they're convinced they've got their man. And they're not all that happy that a cop from another department - especially one with strong ties to the suspect - is sticking her nose in where they think it doesn't belong.

It doesn't take long, however, for Kate to learn that the dead bishop was respected in title only; by many accounts, he was a tyrant whose behavior more than once overstepped the boundaries of the Amish tenet of nonviolence. But it was long ago, and finding anyone still alive, much less willing to talk about days long gone by, isn't easy. On top of that, it soon becomes clear that someone isn't happy that she's trying to dredge up old secrets. Maybe, just maybe, the real killer is still out there and is setting his or her sights on Kate.

The whole thing was highly entertaining and kept me turning pages all the way to the exciting and satisfying end. There's a little too much repetition (mostly reminders of various Amish traditions) here and there, but that's balanced on the plus side by the liberal sprinkling of words and phrases from the Amish dialect. This has quickly become a favorite series for me; I highly recommend it (and this book) and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Author continues to provide insight into the Amish way of life and write another wonderful book for her fans. With this book Sheriff Kate Burkholder has been asked to look into the death of a Bishop. A Bishop that has been dead for eighteen years, but who’s body had just recently been found and the accused murderer is someone Kate knew at one time very, very well. I received an ARC of this good book from Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press
The comments and review are my honest opinion.

The Murder of a Respected Amish Biship with a Darker Side

Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill, Ohio, is surprised to receive a visit from two of the elders from the Amish community in the town of Belleville, the town where Kate grew up. Kate grew up Amish, but she left the community long ago and wonders why the elders are looking to her for help.

Ananias Stoltzfus, a respected bishop, disappeared over a decade ago. Now his skeleton has been recovered along with a rifle that points to Jonas Bowman as the killer. Jonas blamed Ananias for the shunning that he believes caused his father’s heart attack. That Jonas has been accused of the murder complicates the investigation for Kate. When she was a teenager in the Amish community, he was her first love.

This is another excellent Kate Burkholder mystery. It’s the fourteenth book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. I think Kate is a great character. She’s tenacious and unafraid of danger. In fact, when someone breaks into her room, instead of being intimidated, it encourages her to pursue the case. I also liked Jonas. He seemed like such an upright person. I was glad Kate chose to help him.

I enjoyed the background of the Amish community. The enclosed nature of the community and the fact that secrets are kept for years made a perfect background for the long ago murder. The fact that Kate had once been Amish and left the community added to the interesting details of life in the sect.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

I accidentally requested this both as an audiobook and digital version. I actually LOVED this story. I listened, so I was momentarily thrown thinking it was in the past, in the Mormon community as the main character. But was pleasantly surprised that it was from a modern point of view with the insider look within the community. I definitely would recommend!

In this book, Kate is visited by Elders from Pennsylvania regarding her first love, Jonas, when she was a teenager, before she left Amish life, which was a tumultuous time already (you'll have to read all the books if you don't know about it.) He's been arrested for murder and they think she can help, even though Jonas didn't want them to ask her. As the story unfolds, you learn more about Kate's history (which we thought we knew already, but were wrong), and a bit of history of the murder victim, the bishop of the Kish valley. Surprisingly or not, local law enforcement does not roll out the red carpet for Kate which makes things difficult since she's out of her jurisdiction and just has to make the best of it. She makes enemies along the way as she tends to do. It's a great mystery that unwinds perfectly. My only complaint regards Tomasetti, as he is barely mentioned in this book. I've said it before, and I know the book is about the mystery and I love that, but Kate needs to come across as a human and a lot of times doesn't. There are workaholics (which is necessary for the series) and then there's Kate. She has a relationship with a detective from the BCI who has helped in some books, but you need some interaction with each other even if she's out of town. Maybe there are couples that don't talk for several days while their partner is out-of-town (& has a dangerous job), but I don't know anyone like that, not to mention she was attacked more than one time and it was basically ignored and magically Tomasetti didn't find out about any of it. Now, toward the end they did interact a bit more and Kate did sound human finally and I loved the ending, but please make it realistic as far as relationships go, that is the only bit missing sometimes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur for giving me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Another bestseller in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series. Kate helps to uncover the truth behind a decade old murder that places her old friend in jail. As she fights to find the answers, her life is threatened by strangers who want the truth to stay hidden.
Another good read and recommended for anyone following the series or as a stand alone novel.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books in exchange for my honest review

When a beloved, missing Amish bishop’s remains are found, Kate Burkholder is asked to investigate. Making the situation more complicated, Kate’s first love, Jonas Bowman is accused of the murder.

Yet another Burkholder book that I loved. This one gives us a glimpse into Kate’s young life through flashbacks which leads to an even deeper understanding of the character we have grown to love. There are already so many facets of the Amish community to learn about and the mystery in this one brings some new ones to light. The mystery behind this one is profound.

Kathleen McInerney is Kate’s voice. So much so that when I heard her narrate another book, I was like “Why is Kate Burkholder here?!” 🤣 Another brilliant narration!

I can’t wait until Kate’s next adventure in Painter’s Mill!

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo has Kate Burkholder leaving her usual jurisdiction to help solve a murder. Someone from her past is accused of the murder. A completely riveting read that dives into more of Kate’s past. I loved the flashbacks and glimpses into Kate’s Amish life before she left to become a police officer. She is one of the most fascinating main characters I ever had the pleasure to read in a mystery.

The plot is engaging but not easy to solve. Kate is there to help solve the murder n which a teenage love has been accused. However, her help is not wanted by the local law enforcement and it seems others too. Even though she was asked to come to this town. So much going on that it is hard to put down until you know who committed the foul play.

Another winner in the Kate Burkholder series. The Hidden One may be number fourteen in the series not counting short novellas but it is still just as compelling of a read. Maybe more so since Kate feels like a more of a friend than a character in a book if you have been following the series like me. If you are new to the series it reads well on its own too.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this series, and I love the writing style of Linda Castillo, so I am a happy girl when her annual Kate Burkholder novel arrives. I am very lucky when NetGalley allows me to read the ARC early. In this 14th book in the series, Kate leaves Ohio and heads to Pennsylvania to help an old Amish friend who is facing murder charges. It is fascinating to see how new people, Amish and English alike, react to Kate's unique situation of being an ex-Amish police chief. The mystery is strong and fascinating, and one that I could not solve. The storyline moves from the past to the present and back again seamlessly and with little confusion. The characters are believable and interesting. This is another winning Kate Burkholder story! Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for providing an ARC.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I do enjoyed this book and the twists all the way to the end. I have read a few of the books in the series and now I want to devour them all. I really couldn't put this book down. I love reading about the Amish and so enjoyed reading a thriller about them.

Kate Burkholder has been asked for help by the elders of another town because a man of their town has been accused of a long ago murder. Of course Kate will help, the man is her first love, someone she hasn't seen or spoken to since she was fifteen years old. Kate's nosing around into a crime in a town that isn't in her jurisdiction doesn't go over well with the local law enforcement of that town but details like that never stop Kate. A

Jonas Bowman, Kate's first love, has been accused of Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus's murder . Stoltzfus disappeared years ago and only now have his bones been found. On the surface, Stoltzfus was well respected but when digging deeper, Kate finds he had a very dark side and that he'd made enemies over the years. Too bad Jonas aired his grievances with Stoltzfus in public so it's very easy to pin the murder on him. Never fear, nothing stops Kate Burkholder, when she's on the trail of justice.

Although this is the 14th in a series, it could have been a stand alone. I really enjoyed this story. I'm looking forward to going back to the beginning and reading the first book.

I'm not entirely sure how I always end up requesting novels that are double-digits into a series I've never read before but here I am! I've been on a bit of a mystery/suspense/thriller kick lately and this was a solid read! I breezed through it and enjoyed myself, and might eventually pick up the previous Kate Burkholder novels when I need a break from emotional damage. Solid 3 stars, thanks for the ARC Netgalley!

This is an Amish Mystery Suspense/Thriller, and this is the 14th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I have read and reviewed all the other books in this series before reading this book. Even though I enjoyed the other books in this series I do feel you can read this book as a standalone, but you will be missing the character development that happens in other books. This book is all about Kate helping an Amish man that was her first love, and we get flashbacks of when she was Amish throughout this book. I really loved this book. I loved getting more of Kate's backstory. The mystery in this book was really good and kept me on my toes guessing what was going to happen. I loved the characters in this book. Kate's character has done so much growing and changing throughout this series, and I love her character how she is now. I think this book is my favorite Kate Burkholder book so far. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Minotaur Books) or author (Linda Castillo) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I can always depend on a Castillo mystery to make me drop everything and read it in one sitting. The Hidden One was no exception. I devoured it. Kate is a fierce police chief who stops at nothing to solve her homicide cases. I highly recommend setting aside time to solve Kate's current case.

Read this if…you like police procedurals and are interested in the Amish culture.

Kate Burkholder is Chief of Police in Painters Mill, Ohio. She is asked by a group of Amish church leaders to assist on a case in Pennsylvania involving the discovery of the remains of an Amish bishop who went missing almost two decades ago. Kate grew up Amish and the man who has been arrested for the crime is the first boy she ever loved. Kate cannot believe the boy she knew would be capable of such a cold-blooded crime and so she agrees to help out however she can. Can she find the real culprit and get an innocent man out of jail?

I have read every book in this series including the short stories. I still love it as much as I did when I binged the first three back in 2011. Each year, I look forward to July when Kate’s latest adventure will be released. The Hidden One is a solid addition to the series. I really liked how the mystery unfolded and the final twists were surprising. I wish there had been a bit more Tomasetti in this one, but I’m enjoying the way their relationship continues to grow with each book. If you enjoy suspense novels with a bit of romance, you should definitely try this series out! While this one can be read as a stand-alone just fine, you’ll appreciate it a whole lot more if you’ve read the rest of the series!

A huge thanks to Minotaur books, the author, and Netgalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Welcome back to Painters MIll for another adventure with Kate Burkholder and friends. One of my most favourite series and this was very good. Strong characters, fast moving detailed plat that kept me page turning till the end.

This was another good chapter in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. It was quick and suspenseful read. Whether you are already a fan or looking for a new mystery/suspense series, I definitely recommend The Hidden One and the Kate Burkholder series. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

BOOK REVIEW: The Hidden One by Linda Castillo
Series: Kate Burkholder | Book 14
2022 Publication Date: July 5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️

T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Thriller
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2022

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
The years teach a lot of lessons the days never know... Linda Castillo | "The Hidden One"

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW: One of the wonderful bonuses of discovering an amazing series is the deep dive and total immersion you experience into the world of the story.

In writing the series, the author is so well-versed on the details of the characters and location this deep dive has the scuba swim wonder of diving into waters that turn the reading “color saturation dial” from 1 to 10. It is a complete delight and a perfect “escape” reading experience.

More best book series authors who have mastered the “scuba reading swim” are William Kent Krueger, Louise Penny and — new to the scene — Joanna Schauffhaussen… And I now add Linda Castillo to that list too!

This is only my 2nd Castillo book to read and both books have swept me away from page 1.

Also... A great thriller earns a spot on my T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read list when the story is both thrilling and insightful. The Hidden One accomplishes both with a beautiful sub-theme of living with the memories of a first love. Simply stunning undercurrent to this already thrilling story.

Perfect for readers looking for a best thriller book pick that feels right at home on the literary fiction book shelf as well.

BONUS: Although the Kate Burkholder Series is a cumulative series (with 14 books to date!), you can jump in at any point and be “in the flow” of the story easefully. The author has a real talent for both introducing her characters to new readers while still giving previous readers the feeling that you are reuniting with a good friend…✨😎✨

Pages: 320
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Detective Thriller
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Kishacoquillas Valley, Pennsylvania

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Fallen by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder Series | Book 13)
T.I.M.E. TIP: Although it is a cumulative series, you can read this book series as standalone books… As for me, I started with Book 13 but, after finding Books 13 and 14 landing on my T.I.M.E. Favorite Books list, I intend to circle back from Book 1 in order... I can hardly wait!... ✨😎✨
Movie: Witness

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Book 14 in the Kate Burkholder Series, but can be read as a stand-alone. This time Kate is taken from her small community in Ohio to Pennsylvania to help an old friend accused of murder in a cold case. Kate has no problem sticking her nose in, even though she is out of her jurisdiction. I enjoy the Dutch phrases, followed with the English meaning. The Amish are simple folk, but there are a lot of layers we aren’t aware of. I missed her usual cast of characters, but look forward to see what the next books holds for Kate. We learn more of Kate’s past in this book.

Thanks to Ms. Castillo, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC opinion is mine alone.