This is an Amish Mystery/Thriller, and this is the 15th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I have read and reviewed most of the other books in this series before picking up this book, but I do feel you can read this book as a standalone without any problems. I really love this series and the characters in this series. This book kept me on the edge of my seat because there was just so much going on. You get Tomasetti and Kate's planning their wedding throughout this book, and while they are planning their wedding Kate is trying to figured out what is going on and Tomasetti is fighting his own issues. This book is action packed, fast paced, suspenseful, and gripping. I loved all the action mixed with the family drama going on. Great Read. I enjoyed the narrator of this book's audiobook. I was kindly provided an e-copy and e-audiobook 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 have come to expect thrilling and sometimes dark police procedural action in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series. An Evil Heart did not disappoint. I loved all the twists in the plot as Kate got closer and closer to solving the mystery of who killed Aden Karn and what the motive was for killing him. As in all her books in this series, I enjoyed learning about the Amish way of life. I enjoy that she always includes the Amish dialect and gave explanation for the Amish language. As always, Linda Castillo did an excellent job developing the characters both Amish and English. I was surprised by the ending but felt that it was satisfying and made sense. Now, l look forward to the next installment in this addictive series. I highly recommend An Evil Heart to all that enjoy a good mystery/thriller with a touch of Amish.

One day I was searching for a new audiobook and stumbled across this series. I fell in love instantly and was lucky that there were already 7 books released. Now I have to wait with everyone else every year for the next installment. This book was another exceptional Kate Burkholder mystery. There was a lot to unwind in this case, but Kate and her team are always up tot he task. Kathleen McInerney IS Kate Burkholder, so much that when I hear her narrating another book/character, it always make me think of Kate. Fantastic narration!

Kate Burkholder is a detective I enjoy solving mysteries with.
When young Aden is found murdered in the side of the road no one can believe it. Such a nice young boy. How can it be?
Despite her fast approaching wedding, Kate gives her all to solving this mystery as usual. The thrill of Rumspringa, the devastated fiancée, and the shy young girl with dark secrets create an incredible cast of both suspects and reasons for this murder.
Planning a wedding and solving a murder is an awful lot for anyone, but Burkholder does it with tenacity and integrity.

I always look forward to the new books in the Kate Burkholder series. This book was good, but not as good as the previous one in the series.

I wanted to love this book, but it was a DNF for me. I made it 30% through the audiobook and couldn't listen to any more. The voice sounded very robotic, especially when sped up higher than x1.0, which I typically like to do. Also, I could not get past all of the acronyms and feeling the need to use them and turn around and describe them.

I didn’t particularly enjoy this as an audiobook. The narrators voice and intonation made it hard to stay engaged. Maybe times she was monotone or took odd pauses that weren’t natural dialogue. What I did enjoy about the narrator was the authentic Amish language being spoken. I’d never heard it before and it was so cool. I did enjoy the story. It’s a typical police procedural story but the setting of the Amish community made it interesting. I was shocked by the ending and totally see why people love this series so much. It’s my first but definitely won’t be my last!

Sometimes I read the premise of a novel and I leap to request it and at times it backfires on me. This is one of those times. I am a purist when it comes to a series. I can't just jump in! However, with Linda Castillo, unbeknownst to me, I did with An Evil Heart.

Despite that not being my jam, I felt like I could easily jump in 15 books in and understand everything that was happening. Linda Castillo does a wonderful job making the books readable a standalone and able to be enjoyed as a series.


Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is back at it and she's got a doozy of a crime on her hands. An Amish man has been violently killed. He was just a kid at barely 20. Kate delves into to solve the crime. I enjoyed quite a few things about this novel. It wasn't fantastical, it was a true police procedural. Kate is attentive, cautious, and rational. Her approach is well-thought out and her execution limits risk. I also appreciated her personal connection and respect for the Amish community. She took a different path in life, but held respect for where she came from in a way I found admirable.

For avid readers of the series, Kate does quite a bit of planning for her wedding in the book and I think had I read other installments I would have been more geeked about this bit!

Thank you very much Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this title for review! I enjoyed the narrator for the audiobook and the pacing!

Kate Burkholder is a former Amish woman and chief of police in Painter’s Mill. 15 books into the series and I’m sure some other stuff has happened at this point, but I haven’t read the other ones, so I couldn’t tell you! But I read this one. A young Amish man is gruesomely murdered with a crossbow and Kate is on the case. She soon discovers her victim may not have been as pure of heart as he is initially portrayed by friends and family, and secrets kept hidden by shame have to come to the surface before the killer is revealed.

This wasn’t half bad! I know I was reading a book which is well into a series, but I didn’t feel that my experience was diminished much by not having read the first 14. The only thing I would say is that I cared less about Kate’s personal life, fiancé, and Amish family because I had little context for them. When the story would briefly dwell on these things, I found myself wishing we could move on and get back to the good stuff. That is my own complaint, but one I’ll note for anyone looking to jump in as a newbie also.

The book was not really knuckle biting or super suspenseful, but it was interesting to see the mystery unfold and follow Kate’s procedure. I found it hard to keep track of all of the icky dudes she had to deal with throughout the investigation, which made the reveals about them slightly less shocking to me. When it all came together, it made sense and I wasn’t mad about a twist being totally out of left field…but it also wasn’t shocking or pulse pounding.

One thing I appreciated is that Kate isn’t an idiot. She doesn’t rush into situations half-cocked or arrest people without cause. She doesn’t put herself in dangerous situations without backup. If she’s usually this sensible, I’d be interested to read more in the series.

I listened to the audiobook An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo. The story opens with a murder in Amish country. This is my first book featuring Chief Kate Burkholder. I am now a fan of the series and will go back and read the previous 14 books. The story is tense, unpredictable and engrossing. The characters and plot worked to keep me caring and guessing until the last moment. I highly recommend this book.

I received an audio copy of this book from NetGalley for my unbiased review.

Kate Burkholder is back! And there are wedding bells in her future. I loved witnessing the community of Painter's Mill help with wedding preparations, even if it did stress me out that Kate was fighting criminals the entire time.

I enjoy this series, but sometimes they are a little graphic for me. I'm pleased to report that in spite of a violent opening scene, I found this one to be much more palatable than some of the others in the series. If you've liked any of the past Burkholder novels, you should give this one a try.

Note: I read most of this one, but listened to the last few chapters on audio. Kathleen McInerney does a fantastic job.

AN EVIL HEART is the 15th book in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series, and it's another gripping crime thriller. Chief of Police for Painters Mill, Kate Burkholder, is called to the scene of what they think is an accident. When she arrives, she finds a murder scene, where an Amish man on his rumspringa has been brutally murdered and left along the side of the highway. The victim is Aden Karn a young Amish man with a stellar reputation and recently engaged. His death by crossbow shocks the community and leaves Kate and her team scratching their heads. No one has an unkind thing to say about him, but eventually Kate finds someone who has a secrets about Aden. This opens the door and gives them direction to what is going on in his life, and he is not what everyone thinks.

I love the character of Kate Burkholder. Growing up Plain, she left the Amish community to go to college and become a police officer. She still had family in the community and she can also speak Pennsylvania Dutch, so the Amish people will speak to her about what they know before talking to others. There are some brutal and difficult scenes in this book, but they are all necessary to the story. Linda Castillo writes gripping police procedural/crime thrillers and An Evil Heart is no exception. I was kept guessing and I have to say, I was angry with some of the things she finds out in her investigation. Not only was there a murder to solve, but as the story unfolded, there were other crimes as well. The main plotline in this story was similar to one in a previous book, so that is the only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars. There are twists, red herrings, several suspects and motives that made it difficult to solve until just before the reveal. There is also a personal storyline with Kate and Tomasetti's wedding coming up. She is getting married at her sister's home and it is going to be an Amish reception, but will this case derail that. Another wonderful addition to this series, but I am hoping the next book will have a more original storyline. I am enjoying listening to this series that is wonderfully narrated by Kathleen McInerney. I will continue to listen to this series, but I recommend this one in whatever format you prefer.

There is no acceptable reason for me not to have reviewed the audiobook right away. Because I devoured the book as I always do with any Kate Burkholder book I read..

Once a year I dive into the sometimes very chilling stories set in the Amish countryside in Pennsylvania by Linda Costello, and they always leave me very satisfied and ready for the next one.

Besides the fantastic murder story, I love that there is a continuous growth between Kate and her Amish family. I love seeing her getting more and more respected by the Amish community. And of course her relationship with her now husband. A little bit of daily life on the farm, a little bit of romance goes a long way in an otherwise sometimes dark plot.

As always I was glued to my phone, listening to the audiobook in record time, and enjoying my time in rural Pennsylvania to the fullest.

A must read for everyone who loves thrillers, American mysteries and police procedurals.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Narration was great and I feel the story was equally well built out. This is a part of a much larger series of books but I didn’t feel like I needed any background knowledge coming into it. This story can stand alone.

Kate Burkholder investigates the murder of Aden and learns about his life. Is he as pure and innocent as the community believes him to be? As the story unfolds, we find that Aden may not have been such an upstanding Amish “citizen.” Women come forward with stories about their experiences and Kate begins to unravel the evil hidden in dark places.

The characters in this audiobook were well rounded and the story was interesting. I didn’t expect the twist! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

After reading 15 volumes of this mystery thriller series, I am still enthralled by Kate Burkholder's small town police team.

This series definitely falls into patterns and tropes, yet I can't stop reading it. At this point I am very attached to the characters. This novel has a heavy focus on relationship development (which is normally not my thing) but I'll admit I got pretty emotional over how far these characters have grown.

As for the mystery, it was a standard but interesting one. I like that this series walks the line between being cozy while still dealing into some very dark subject matter.

At this point I will read for as long as Linda Castillo writes. I would absolutely recommend this mystery series for anyone looking to get lost in a long running, character driven story.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Book Title: An Evil Heart
Author: Linda Castillo
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Day: July 11, 2023
Format: Audio Book
Rating: Storyline 4⭐️ , Narration 4⭐️

Synopsis: Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal death of a young Amish man in An Evil Heart, the latest installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo

On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and 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? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.

My Thoughts: I didn't realize this was book 15 in a series until after I looked it up! This can definitely be read as a stand-alone, and it was such a gripping storyline.

This was paced beautifully and kept me intrigued throughout the entire story. I did not see the plot twists coming. I will say the narration at times almost sound robotic and took away from my listening pleasure. However, the writing style, descriptiveness, and overall plot have me hooked to read more from this author! I highly recommend any fan of Lisa Gardner and the Frankin Elkin series!

I just finished listening to An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo. I love the Kate Burkholder series, and this is no exception.

The most charismatic individual can hide unspeakable evil behind a charming facade. Aden Karn is brutally murdered on his way to work. Both his fiance, Emily Bieler, and his roommate, Wayne Graber, swear that Aden was very close to perfect.

Kate also discovers that Aden recently had a disagreement with another young Amish man. When another body turns up, Kate begins to wonder if she got it all wrong.

I highly recommend this title to all Kate Burkholder fans, and to anyone who loves Amish fiction

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital audio copy of this book from Net Galley.

#AnEvilHeart#LindaCastillo#NetGalley

In "An Evil Heart" by Linda Castillo, listeners are immersed in a chilling tale of mystery and deception. The novel takes them on a journey through a tight-knit community, where secrets lurk beneath the surface. Castillo's writing is atmospheric and skillfully keeps the audience guessing until the shocking conclusion. The audiobook's captivating narration adds depth to the characters, making it a compelling listen for lovers of crime fiction.

An Evil Heart is the 15th Kate Burkholder procedural thriller by Linda Castillo. Released 11th July 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is a very well written murder mystery and although it's number 15 in the series, it works well as a standalone. All the background character and setting information is provided in the book itself. There is an ongoing, multi-book, partnership between formerly-Amish small-town police chief Kate and her significant other, a retired cop as well as an ensemble cast of colleagues. I do recommend reading the previous books, they're all solid; but it's not necessary to understand what's going on here. The series is well plotted and full of believable characters and inter-agency police stories. Refreshingly, in this case, the interagency interactions are generally cooperative and professional.

The sense of place is palpable. There are a number of Amish characters (the small town where Chief of Police Kate Burkholder works is a rural agricultural area whose population is roughly 1/3 Amish). The author's descriptions are nuanced and believable. I found some of the dialogue jarring because it's liberally sprinkled with Pennsylvania Dutch, but the author is adept at translating, and most of it is understandable from context.

The characters are impressively nuanced. It takes a quite a lot of technical expertise to write characters who do bad things but aren't necessarily bad people and subtlety to allow readers to arrive at their own conclusions as well as the converse (bad people who are charming and well regarded). The denouement and resolution were well written and satisfying and although I had guessed the overall theme of the crimes and motivations underlying, there were some surprising twists at the end.

For sensitive readers, this book contains quite graphic descriptions of violence, body horror (a crossbow murder at the beginning), sexual assault (including non-consensual assault of a minor), trauma, and oppressive religious fundamentalism and closed societies. Language is "R" rated.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours and 25 minutes and is narrated capably and well by series narrator Kathleen McInerney. She has a warm and rich clear alto voice and does a good job delineating the widely varied accents of a range of characters of all ages and both sexes including elderly and young voices. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

Four and a half stars. This series/author will likely already be on public library acquisitions lists and available from local libraries. It's a consistently high quality procedural series and would make a great choice for a long binge/buddy read. It would also be a good choice as a mystery book club selection; lots of content for good and enthusiastic discussion (modern sexism, religion, sexual assault in rural areas, women in positions of respect in those areas, etc).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I had fun yelling out clues while listening to this audio book. Although this was the 15th book in the series It csn be enjoyed on its own. Now I want to read the entire series. Great book!