4.5 tension-filled thriller

Linda Castillo has a winning formula featuring Kate Burkholder (a formerly Amish) police chief who fights crime in her town of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. Kate has recently married Tomasetti, who’s also in law enforcement. They work together on most cases! I’m not sure how appropriate this is, but it makes for good reading!

This time, Kate is called to the scene of a brutal and gruesome murder. The reader gets a first-hand account of what the victim has gone through in the early pages. These scenes are not for the faint of heart!

As the whole team digs into who the victim is, we learn more about an Amish group called the Anabaptists and connections to similar crimes in the past. The victim, Milan, was disliked by many, so there is no shortage of suspects in the case. Although violence is not the usual Amish way of things.

The Amish can be very closed-mouthed to outsiders, so Kate has the best shot of solving the case, but will everyone around her make it through unscathed? Suspicions fall on her brother, and Kate worries that he’s somehow involved. As the case intensifies, so does the danger that Kate frequently finds herself in. She seems to be a superhero because she escapes the most fraught situations.

This one has a thrilling conclusion, and I wondered just how strong Kate’s superhero powers were and if they would extend to Tomasetti.
And will her vehicle need to be replaced again? The police force must have an unlimited budget in Painter’s Mill!

This was my first Linda Castillo book!! I didn’t realize this was part of a series so I feel like I just couldn’t connect as well with the characters. I will definitely be going back and starting at the beginning!

Right out of the gate we meet Milan who is horrifically murdered. I was a little shocked at how gruesome it was but it really set the tone for the rest of the story. I learned a lot about the Amish community and that was super interesting to me. As Kate works this case, she learns that Milan is not well liked and has had a lot of issues in the community which caused him to be excommunicated. It all kind of goes downhill for him and there are a LOT of people who have had run ins and disagreements with him. Kate is put through the wringer but bounces back SO fast. She seemed like the energizer bunny even after a couple near death experiences. I just wanted to tell her to go sleep 😅

Once her brother is arrested for the murder, Kate isn’t allowed to work the case but she can’t give up so we see her continue on and gets into some seriously scary situations. I was on edge for her!! Overall, this was a solid thriller with a plot very unlike anything I have ever read. I can’t wait to read more from Linda Castillo so I can get to know these characters better!

Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the ARC 🫶🏻

4.25 Stars
This is one of the best books in the Chief Kate Burkholder series. As is usual in this series, there is a murder near the small town where Kate is the Chief of Police. The murder victim was an excommunicated Amish man, but the nearby Amish community is very tight lipped with regards to his excommunication and any reason for his murder. Kate herself grew up in the Amish community, and is beginning to learn more about this man, when she is pulled off the case due to "a conflict of interest'. As Kate predicts, the Amish are even less forthcoming with the other investigators, so Kate continues to research on her own. She comes up against a secret Anabaptist group and just the act of looking into this group, puts her in grave danger.

This is a must read for fans of this series!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another amazing story by Linda Castillo! This is part of her Kate Burkholder series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone book. I really enjoy reading books that teach you a little something as you read them and that is what Linda Castillo books do.
This books main character, Kate Burkholder, was raised in an Amish community and left as an adult, but still lives nearby. She is now a police chief and married to a fellow law enforcement agent. This story is about an excommunicated Anabaptist member who has been murdered. When Kate starts to investigate, she has to step away when her brother is implicated. This one is a real nail-bitter, and the ending was not what I thought it would be.
This will make a great read for anyone who enjoys general fiction or mystery. I love how the story gets into the Amish background and helps explain something that is interesting, but not something people talk about.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC and to NetGalley for providing it. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC!
Linda Castillo does it again. This book will grab you from the beginning and will not let go until the end.
You can always count on a good thriller/mystery when it comes to Kate Burkholder.
Will recommend!

The Burning
by Linda Castillo
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have enjoyed reading this continuing series over the years and it quite popular at our library.
Kate's new case is horrific-- Milan has been burned alive. He's Amish, but has recently been excommunicated, and the more Kate learns about him, the more she understands that he was a pretty terrible person. (TW: domestic violence, sexual assault) Kate's brother has had a disagreement with the victim, but so have quite a few others since Milan had a terrible temper. When her brother is charged with murder, Kate knows that she has to continue investigating even though it is evident that the murderer will do everything in his power to stop her.
I recommend this book if you have read other Castillo books. This one will not disappoint.

Absolutely love Linda Castillos books! This one was no exception, it kept me wanting to read and find out who burnt the victim and why. I had a hard time putting this down! Thank you to the writer and tge publisher and to Netgalley. I am waiting to see what Burkholder and Tomasetti get up to in the next book!

A man is found burned alive in the middle of the night in the woods of the Amish Country of Painters Mill, Ohio. Chief Kate Burkholder and her officers are joined by agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and The Holmes County Sheriff's Office in the investigation of this suspected homicide. Kate has been married two months to BCI agent John Tomasetti, and this case finds them working closely once again.

The victim of the burning is an excommunicated Amish man who had more than his share of enemies. As the investigation continues, Kate finds herself too closely involved and is ultimately forced to take a less active role. Is this the case that will break Chief Kate Burkholder? The danger intensifies as the investigation continues. It is a tightly wound , nail biter of a novel that is hard to put down. Linda Castillo has another hit in number 16 of this riveting series- it just might be her best yet!

Here is an action packed story between the covers! Of course, my first read by Linda Castillo happens to be book 16 in her popular series. The Burning by Linda Castillo is a suspenseful detective novel full of action and pushing boundaries. The motive for murder lies somewhere in the pages and Chief Burkholder will do what she has to in order to solve this case. I will recommend to others who love detective and mystery. It will be a good read even for those who love suspense and thrillers.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It's a solid 4 stars for me!

This newest installment about Chief of Police Kate Burkholder will have you on the edge of your seat. Milan Swanz, banned, that is, excommunicated from the Amish community in which he grew up, is murdered by being chained to a stake, and burned, while alive. The private community of the Amish prefer to keep their problems to themselves but this one requires outside investigation, whether the Amish like it or not. Kate is met with stony silence in her attempts to investigate and even called on the carpet when it's revealed that her brother knew, and did not like, the dead man.

When the resistance becomes even more obvious and Kate is threatened, her new husband John Tomasetti becomes involved as well. Because his first wife and children were killed in a fire, it's a difficult case for them both. Kate Burkholder is sure she is the only one who can get to the bottom of the case because of her own Amish roots. She is given hints and clues and must learn more about the hidden history of the Amish people, her forbears, to get to bottom of it all. She and Tomasetti are nearly killed through their efforts but, as usual, they persevere.

You won't want to miss this one when it comes out in July. Recommended for those who are already fans of the author and also those who enjoy a good mystery. Even if you have not read previous books in this series, you'll enjoy this one, and, of course, you'll want to go back and read the rest.

Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley.

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself shut out of a murder investigation in Painters Mill when a family member is implicated. Castillo is on her game with this one.
My thanks to NetGalley for an advance digital edition.

A brutal murder, Amish secrets, and a great protagonist makes this book yet another winner. I thought the idea behind the murders was interesting, especially when I understood it more. And I really like seeing Kate and Tomasetti work together (and I love her crew of officers and front desk staff).

I really like the Kate Burkholder series, and I'd guess this one would work fine as a stand alone, but I wouldn't know, since I've read them all. It IS fun to see the characters and relationships progress. And the ending was sure exciting!

Love this series, the setting, the characters. This murder that Kate will investigate is not only particular grisly, but one of the suspects hits close to home. Learned a bit about the Anabaptists, which I knew nothing about, though I have met many Amish and Mennonites. Although their beliefs are different, as a community they have many of the same problems we do. This series makes that clear. Also, sometimes justice does prevail.

One thing that bugged me is that Kate, who is a supposedly smart sheriff, so often does things that don't make sense. Puts herself, needlessly imo, into dangerous situations that some patience and foresight could have prevented. Though is course, this is also what makes it a more thrilling story. Conundrum!

I didn’t realize this book was #16 in a series.
I’m happy I didn’t tho because I wouldn’t have read it and I’m so glad I did. You can definitely read this a stand alone book. But you will want to read the others just cause I know I want to.
I’m sure if I had read the others I might understand a bit more between relationships but it didn’t matter too much I don’t feel.
I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed learning about the Amish culture a little bit.
If you like a good cop drama I definitely recommend grabbing this book. It holds you
From the start and keeps you wanting to read.
I will definitely look for more of the series
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Linda Castillo knocks it out of the park again with the next installment of the Kate Burkeholder series. This thriller case involves murder (of course), the Amish, Kates new husband, the small Amish town of Painters Falls, and Kate being her best self, juggling it all. Thank you for the advance copy!

This was an interesting book about a detective working to solve a murder of an Amish man in a small community. The author weaves some historical information about the Amish into the storyline that I’d never heard of before. There were several good twists and turns and I was kept guessing through to the end. If you enjoy detective stories and have an interest in Amish folklore you will enjoy this book. #TheBurning #netgalley

This is only the second Kate Burkholder mystery I’ve read to date, but it certainly won’t be my last. Right out of the gate, I was drawn into this story’s gruesome start, and from there on out, I was hard-pressed to put it down! Set against the backdrop of the Amish world, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself embroiled in a case quite like no other. It’s a dark and twisted journey that takes Kate down an evil and dangerous path, placing both her life and career in jeopardy, as she tries to clear her brother’s name of the murder she knows he didn’t commit. It’s a fast-paced, gripping whodunit that can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.

I have read several of Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder books and find them fascinating, and this one especially. Chief Burkholder is called to the scene of an especially gruesome murder. It seems a man was burned at the stake. The man, Milan Swanz, was an excommunicated Amish man. As Kate herself is formerly Amish, she still has ties in that community and knew the victim and his family. Why would someone kill in such a ritualistic fashion when there are easier ways? As she digs deeper into the investigation, she finds a notebook that Milan kept with five names including her brother’s as well as the Bishop and she hears whispers about a local vigilante group and an Anabaptist group and other things that go against everything the Amish believe. The ending blew me away. So never expected it. I think this was the best book yet. Even though this is part of a series, there is no problem reading it as a stand-alone, although then you will want to go back and read the previous books. I highly recommend this book and this series.
Thank you to Netgalley for access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I will definitely be reviewing it on Amazon when it is time.

Another installment in the Kate Burkholder series. Holds true to the police procedurals that preceded. Full of graphic descriptions so may be a turnoff for some. Thanks for the chance to read!

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this early read of the next Kate Burkholder book by Linda Castillo.

I have been reading this series in order for the last year and was excited to be able to read this one early. Tiny bit disappointed there was only one sentence in the book about her wedding. I realize this is a series about the chief of police but I’m so invested in her and Tomasetti, I was hoping for a full chapter that described her wedding.

This book had your typical whodunit and it turned out to be the last person I expected. It also had great detail about the anabaptists, which was super interesting for me.

Not sure if I can wait for her next book!