Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo, narrated by Kathleen McInerny.
This is the second Kate Burkholder mystery and again it did not disappoint. Linda Castillo creates suspense that keeps the reader guessing until the end. The narrator, Kathleen McInerny is perfect for the story. Her tone and knowledge of Amish accents create a perfect combination.

This was my first book in the well established Katie Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. An Evil Heart takes place in a small Ohio town which is 1/3 Amish. Police Chief Katie Burkholder is an ex-Amish woman who has to solve two violent crimes that occur in a matter of days. An Evil Heart is the story of the brutal murder (by cross bow!) of a young Amish man who is viewed as the "boy next door" and the mystery that unfolds in solving the crime. Everything isn't as it seems in Painter's Mill.

I listened to and advance audiobook copy courtesy of the publisher on Netgalley. The book was was read, It was compelling and made me realize I wanted to go back to the earlier books in the series. Highly recommend.

Reviews submitted to goodreads and Amazon

I have read (and often listened to) all of Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder books. Even though this is #15 in the series, it is one of the best in my opinion. The narrator does an excellent job in telling this story. I hope to return to Painter’s Mill soon!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read a copy i n exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Kate Burkholder and the 15th in the series but I can say that it didn't feel at all like it was that far into the series. You can totally read this without any having read any of the others and not be lost.

I loved the town of Painter's Mill and most of the people in it. The mystery was well written and even though it was extremely dark it still managed to feel kind of cozy.

Kathleen McInerney is a really good narrator.

I received a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The story line of Kate Burkholder and the murder she is investigating is interesting. While the story line is good the relationship between Burkholder and Thomasetti (sp?) was odd at times. It was almost like they were hiding their relationship but were getting married in just a few short days. The audiobook was a good listen for the most part however it was difficult to listen do with the narrator, the tone of the narrator was like an old gumshoe novel. Overall 4/5 stars.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to, An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo. I particularly enjoyed this since we used to live within 100 miles of an Amish community in PA.

It was very compelling but at times I wanted to shout out clues to Kate about the murder victim. I guessed the culprit in the beginning but then some red herrings made me question myself.

nice thriller for beginners, but I thought it was a little predictable and slow. You might like it if you need something quick and easy to follow

Just finished listening to this ans it was a great thriller/mystery/police procedural listen. I liked the intertwining of the Amish and the non-Amish and how it presented some interesting interactions and limitations. I liked that the main character was also once Amish and had an inside understanding as to why they were the way they were. I look forward to more from the author.

This was my first book from this series. I really enjoyed the writing and the characters; I have since started back at the beginning. I like the way she incorporates the Amish details throughout the story.

I haven't read any of the previous novels in this series by Linda Castillo but I really enjoyed this installment, An Evil Heart. I liked it that you don't have to read all the previous books in order to understand what is going on. I listened to the audio book and it was really good! The narrator, Kathleen McInerney, was very fitting for the characters.

For some reason I really enjoy thriller books about Amish community - there is something so different about that way of living that makes all the thrillers I've read so far so thoroughly enjoyable! This book really made me interested in reading the previous parts as well and I'm looking forward to that!

LOVED THIS BOOK! I hadn't read any of the prior 14 novel in this series but I devoured this novel! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book. The audio narration was wonderful too, I was completely engrossed until the final chapter! From start to finish, An Evil Heart, is a gripping police procedural that kicks off with the grisly murder of a young amish man. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and how there was a parallel between the horrors of the case and of the humanity of the police officer's own life.

I haven't read all the books in this series (yet) but I've enjoyed the ones I have read. This newest installment in the series is an excellent addition to the series, and happily we're given just enough info to feel like we aren't totally lost if we're reading out of order. This one starts out with a disturbingly brutal murder of a young Amish man, who on the surface seems like a highly unlikely candidate for murder. But clues begin to mount that it wasn't an accident and that he was apparently the intended target. The question becomes "Why?", and clues begin to surface as to the possible motive. It isn't a pretty story, but again it's interesting to watch Kate Burkholder's dogged determination to get to the truth. Castillo is excellent at setting her scenes, filling her books with a wonderful sense of place and interesting characters. Kathleen McInerney's narration adds to the enjoyment. Can't wait to read more!
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

3.5 Stars.

An Evil Heart is book 15 in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. This was my first book by this author, and I was very excited to listen to a mystery thriller audiobook.

An Evil Heart stars Kate Burkholder, Chef of Police, for a small town that is predominantly Amish. You are immediately introduced to Aden Karen, who is murdered by a crossbow and left for dead on a country road. Aden is from the Amish community and was engaged to a young Amish girl. He was known as a gentle caring man. Kate responds to the scene and uses her background with the Amish to dive deeply into his death. Is Aden the man everyone believes he is, or is he hiding a darker side?

This book had me going back and forth on whodunit. Linda Castillo did a great job of giving us just enough information to keep us guessing as the storyline progressed. I enjoyed Chef Burkholder’s character and her connection to the Amish community. While this book could be read as a standalone, I am really interested in the other books in the series.

While the narration was good, there were aspects I did not enjoy. There were a lot of pauses during the conversations that were a little offputting and distracting from the story, but it did not stop me from listening. Kathleen has a pleasant voice, and it was very fitting for Kate Burkholder.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed this series from its beginning and this was another good installment. I feel like as the series goes, the focus is more on Kate and less of the other supporting characters. That was one of my favorite parts early on. I really liked their relationships and camaradiere with each other. The story for this one will keep you guessing as there are a lot of characters, but that's a good thing. The narrator brings Kate Burkholder to life.

Published: 07/11/23
Narrator: Kathleen McInerney

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to read and review An Evil Heart (#15).

Well done Linda Castillo on #15 in your series, and my first book of yours. This is a good standalone read. Throughout the story I did sense a familiarity between characters. My thought was everything would tie up in the end. I'm satisfied that I enjoyed the ending and enjoyed the main characters. Castillo wrote so well I noticed there was something between the lines, but not enough to take away from the story itself. For the gaps to close I need to read the previous 14 books. As it stands that is not feasible, however, placing #16 on my list of books to look for and read is already done.

Searching for other works of narrator Kathleen McInerney is how I found out this was a series. Personally, I found McInerney perfect. Her translation of what I believe is Amish German to English was spot-on. Kudos to Castillo for only using quick-short phrases. McInerney moving rapidly to English was well done audibly.

The story has a serious subject matter, rape. I believe it was well done. There is no graphic overkill or horror for the sake of a word count. It is cruel, cold, and calculating. I found the adult storyline was written for a teen to entertain without harshness. There are quite a few conversations that could be had between caregivers and teens.

I did not like and am so disappointed in the swearing. Seriously? There are so many ways a good author can say F--- without taking this from being a family oriented reading (car ride to Amish country?) or just a general audible book. This really touched my core.

3.5 stars, and I'm not rounding up -- the profanity really is inexcusable.

Thanks Netgalley for the advance audio of this book. This is my favorite series and I am always very anxious to get the next one! As always , it didn't disappoint! I would LOVE for this series to be made into a tv show. Who do I need to contact for that?

An Evil Heart
Kate Burkholder #15
Linda Castillo
Chief of Police in Painters Mille, Ohio, Kate Burkholder has a wedding to plan as she looks forward to marrying Tomasetti. But her job always comes first. A woman comes upon a body abandoned on a dirt road. She contacts the police and Kate begins her investigation into the murder of Aden Karn. He was a nice young man, only twenty-five-years old. He English and Amish communities both liked him. No one had anything bad to say about him. However, someone was so filled with hate that they shot him twice with a cross bow, once in the back and once in the mouth. Who would do something so brutal. The cruelty of the murder was shocking.
Rumors begin to circulate causing some to question Aden’s good reputation. Could Aden have dark secrets? Could someone be spreading false tales against him in an effort to place blame on Aden. Aden was on Rumspringa, a time when the Amish teens experience English life if they so choose; at the end of Rumspringa they must decide to rejoin the Amish community or leave it forever.
This is the first book in the Kate Burkholder series I have read. I enjoyed getting some background information on Kate. She is not only the Chief of Police but also an emergency medical technician. Tomasetti, works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Author Linda Castillo successfully intertwines Kate’s life with the investigation. We learn about the wedding plans, her relationship with her family and friends. There are a lot of characters in this story but the author does an excellent job of giving each character a unique personality.
This tale moves along at a nice pace and held my attention to the end. If you enjoy police procedurals you will enjoy An Evil Heart.

I love the Kate Burkholder series and this latest installment did not disappoint! I was so excited that I was given an ARC that even though the book isn't being released until July 1 dove right into reading it! I am so glad I did, I loved it! Linda Castillo does a fabulous job with this series and this book is the best yet. I can't wait to read the next one!

I was only able to listen to a little bit of this before it archived. From what i listened to i really enjoyed. I plan on reading it and will update my review at that time.

This is my first Linda Castillo book and I received it as an ARC for an honest review.
Overall I enjoyed this story. Kate grew up in an Amish household but left the life and has become the chief of police for the area she grew up. After a body is found the story leads us through some twists to unearth who the killer is and just what the man was killed for. Along the way there is a lot Kate finds and none of it makes the victim look like an innocent person.
Having never read a Linda Castillo book - I did enjoy the writing and the narrative. I would pick up another of her books!