This is one of my fave series and this particular installment is one that I’ve wanted to read for a looonnnggg time😊 The book summary lays out the premise for the primary storyline: the investigation of a brutal murder of a seemingly nice Amish man, Aden Karn. Well…..anyone who is familiar with Linda Castillo’s Painters Mill knows that in this Amish community, the crime per capita is shockingly high!

Most of the story revolves around the investigation of Aden’s death. While many in the community sing his praise, a couple of the people in his life don’t share the same positive feelings about Aden. It’s revealed pretty early in the story that some know that Aden, who was on Rumspringa, was not the sweet Amish man that everyone else is making him out to be. Yeah, that whole Rumspringa thing can be a set-up for chaos. It’s basically a free pass for Amish teens to cut loose and go crazy.

It is around the halfway point that not only is another dead body discovered, but Kate also receives a report of Aden raping a 16yr old Amish girl. Yeah, that’s not really a shocker. Once again, for those of us who have been invested in this series from the get-go, we all know that some Amish (male & female) are not the upstanding, law-abiding, religious, God-fearing, morally bound people that everyone seems to think they are. They can be just as criminally minded as the general public. This whole premise has allowed Castillo to produce some REALLY great stories over the years! 😊

Anyway, the investigation begins to go in a different direction that leads to some pretty intense and life endangering incidents for Kate and her team along with Tomasetti. The end of the investigation comes pretty quick after that. The ending was one that this devoted Kate Burkholder fan had been waiting for a looonnnggg time, and actually brought tears to my eyes!!! 😊

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #AnEvilHeart

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Aden Karn was looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near. But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places. This is the 15th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I have read all the others and suggest you do too as that's the best way to get a feel for the series. Although it can be read as a standalone as enough background is given in each book. There are great plot twists which make you switch to other characters while reading the book. The ending is a complete surprise which I didn't see coming. I'm now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like twists with your mysteries then you will love this book.

United States Publication: July 11, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Aden Karn is found dead on the side of the road early one morning. At first, it looks like a hit and run but upon closer examination, it is discovered he was not just killed but brutally killed. Chief Burkholder gets called out to the investigation in the middle of her wedding dress fitting. She and Tomasetti's wedding day is just a few days away. But before Kate can really focus on marrying the love of her life, she's got to solve this crime and it's proving to be elusive. The more she learns about Karn, the more she sees that more than one person possibly wanted him dead and that narrowing down the list of suspects might be much more difficult than she originally thought.

Castillo is really good at delving into the human condition. She explores, using the Amish culture, the idea that subscribing to a religion doesn't always automatically make a person good or behave correctly. I'm really interested to see what Kate and Tomasetti's future holds as they take the next step in their relationship. And just when I wonder what new storylines Castillo could possibly come up with, she goes and writes another good one.

Another great book in the Kate Burkholder series. As Kate Burkholder balances planning her upcoming wedding and solving another murder, she once again is thrown back 8into her Amish past. Another great read in the series but reads well as a stand-alone novel too!

* 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

An Evil Heart is the latest in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. Kate is the police chief in Painters Mill. One third of the town is Amish. Kate was raised Amish but has left the religion. She is set to marry her long time partner, Tomasetti. The investigation into the murder of a young Amish man, Aden Karn takes up the days preceding the weeding. Aden seems to be a typical Amish man. According to everyone Kate speaks with, he is a calm presence, has no enemies, is liked by everyone. But as Kate digs deeper, she finds Aden wasn’t everything he seemed to be. Kate walks a line between her up bringing and her adult life. An Evil Heart blends the English and the Amish lifestyles. The characters are well defined. The story wraps up without loose ends. I give this a solid five stars.

"I can't abide you doing what you're doing," says the killer as he finishes off his victim, a young Amish man named Aden Karn. When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder begins investigating the homicide, she is stuck by how everyone who knew Aden seems to sing his praises. Who'd want to kill him? But she knows that some people excel at hiding the evil that lurks in their heart.

This is a great addition to this long running series. Besides the intriguing crime investigation, there's an interesting look into the lives and habits of the Amish community in Ohio. They apparently have a 'code of silence' just like the mafia, haha. On the personal side, Kate and Tomasetti's relationship is poised to take a big leap forward. If she can survive that long...

I received an arc of this exciting new thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I love this series! I am a librarian at a public library, and I have told many people about this series and now there is a waiting list every time a new book comes out!

This book is about a young man who is killed riding his bike to work one day. Everyone seems to love him and have nothing but good to say, until another dead body is found. It kept me guessing who did it until he end!

This is an entertaining police procedural. Katie Burkholder is the police chief in a small mostly Amish community. With a murder on the loose, Kate is attempting to solve the crime before her wedding. The plot is filled with many twists and turns as the investigation proceeds. There are multiple people who are suspected to be the killer, but readers will be surprised by the real culprit.

Another excellent read from this author. I got caught up in the story immediately and could not put the book down. The investigation into the death of a young Amish man by a cross bow was a horrific way to die. Kate has several suspects but none seem viable. She immerses herself in the investigation even with her wedding just days away. The steady way she works through the problems and the hidden secrets that come out make for a great read. So very, very good!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Linda Castillo is a great author and I have loved all her books. Her latest in the Amish community is a great read. When a twenty year old boy is found shot to death with an arrow and left on the side of the road Kate is called in to try to piece together what happened and get justice for him. Aden whose body was discarded like trash was loved by his family and especially his fiancé that he was to marry soon. As Kate investigates she learns that Aden had a dark side that no one knew about and things may not be as they seem.

Linda Castillo is one of my all-time favorite authors, and Kate Burkholder is one of my favorite characters. I actually finished this book last week in two days, but I could not decide what I wanted to say. I loved this book so much! As usual, Linda Castillo keeps us on the edge of our seats. I love how she tells the language used with this area's Amish community, and then she will tell what it means in English. I loved seeing Kate and Tomasetti getting married! It has been such a joy to see their growth in their relationship, on all levels, and see their love blossom. It is not a romance book though, do let that fool you. This is a crime book for sure, and is one that can be rather graphic. However, I LOVED this book and I cannot wait to recommend it with all my family and friends.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started out super strong, and kept that same energy up throughout the rest of it. I was literally on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down.

The Kate Burkholder books are an auto buy for me. Without hesitation, every year, I jump on it to read. This year I saved the ARC I received from Minotaur Books via NetGalley for my annual beach vacation and it was a great beach read!

Kate and John Tomasetti's wedding is quickly approaching when an unexpected murder of a seemingly innocent young Amish man throws her attention to something else entirely.

One of my favorite things with this series is that the author doesn't hesitate to get into some nitty gritty, unpleasant aspects of human life and this one was no different. I certainly won't spoil anything but there was more than one moment I felt sheer grief for one or more characters in the book.

This was just over a 24 hour read for me and I will continue to jump on any Linda Castillo books!

Every summer I eagerly await the newest Castillo book. Here’s what I know will be in it. First, Kate is going to give her case her all. Second, someone in the Amish community or close to it is going to die.
I can find no new words to gush over this series that I haven’t said in all my previous reviews.
I adore this series and hope it never CK es to an end’
This book does have a very special ending.

This fifteenth book in the Kate Burkholder series is remarkable. I've enjoyed all of Linda Castillo's books about the former-Amish police chief. She doesn't disappoint.
This time Kate is investigating the murder of a young Amish man, Aden Karn. He was brutally killed on a country road. I must say this book contained two murders that were horribly brutal, and that was the only drawback I'd cite. It was difficult to read about them. The town of Painters Mill is abuzz with talk about Karn's murder. At first, it seems that his death makes absolutely no sense. He was from a fine, upstanding Amish family with many friends. But, as Kate digs more deeply into his demise, she begins to realize that all is not as it appears.
At the same time, she is preparing for her marriage to Tomasetti, her lover of several years. Will the Amish community and her family attend the wedding?
As always, Castillo weaves the plot and subplot throughout the novel, and the pace never flags. Her characters never disappoint, and the Amish country around Painters Mill seems like a place we'd like to come back to again and again.

An Evil Heart is the 15th book in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. Don't let the 15th scare you away, I found this easy to enjoy as a standalone mystery and I have not read the previous books (yet).

This is one of those books that grabs you from hte start and leaves you guessing until the very end. There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat and I found this fascinating!

The characters were interesting and well developed. I look forward to reading the other books in the series so I can learn more about them. Kate Burkholder was fascinating and I need to get to know her better!

If you're looking for a mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat, look no further! You will love An Evil Heart!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Always a solid and remains so at #15 in the series. Lots of emotions in this one. Thanks to Netgalley in exchange for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes July 11

This is apparently book 15 in a series, but did work as a standalone as I'd never read and of Linda Castillo's books before. However, reading the previous books would have built the characters up better for me.

An Evil Heart is a solid crime thriller. At times it had me anxious in anticipation and at other times almost crying with how emotional it made me.

We follow the formerly Amish Chief of Police, Kate Burkholder, as she faces not one, but two murders all while preparing for her wedding day.

I had no clue where Linda Castillo was leading us and I went willingly. Wow. Kate Burkholder has a busy little town and I am so glad I do not live in it.

I was surprised by where the mystery led and I love when that happens. I will warn readers that this is a dark story with darker twists. Castillo writes about a number of issues that women and cops deal with in the world and still makes the mystery a nail-biter.

Sometimes it’s hard to write a review about a mystery without giving anything away because I don’t want to spoil any reveals, but this is another great turnout from Castillo and Burkholder. I love the supporting cast. I will give one little spoiler: we do get to see the Tomasetti and Burkholder happy ending it took 15 books to get to.

This is the newest book in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo, and it doesn’t disappoint. Castillo weaves a web of intrigue that Kat must navigate while finalizing her wedding plans to long time significant other John Tomasetti.
A young Amish man, Aden Karn is brutally murdered. Kate, the Painter Ridge police chief and former member of the Amish community finds herself hitting brick wall after brick wall in this investigation. She knows something is off, that she’s not getting the whole truth, but until people start cooperating fully she and her staff will be getting no time off.
I have been a fan of Linda Castillo since reading the first book, Sworn to Silence. This installment is riveting as Castillo pulls back the layers until the final scene.
I throughly enjoyed this book! Castillo is one of my automatic buys and look forward to each new release. It is part of a series and I am one of those people who needs to start from the very beginning. But, I encourage every one to read this book! It’s fantastic!!
Full disclosure, I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.