I read every Kate Burkholder to date, and was super excited at the opportunity to read this newest release early. It did not disappoint. The story line was intriguing, the novel was paced well, and it held my attention throughout. *Spoiler alert* I would have liked the ending resolution to be flushed out a little more, perhaps with the questioning of Raber, how did he get involved? when? how did they target Milan? How extensive or wide spread is this "cult", etc. I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions, but perhaps that works well with the type of group that was at the heart of the novel.

Decent police procedural. The crime that drives the plot is horrible but the victim is one of the worst human beings ever. There's some plot holes and coincidences that are necessary to keep everything moving, which it does at a quick pace. Taking place in two worlds - Ohio Amish and English (ie I guess American citizens of this Ohio county)- is an interesting device (but the fact that the chief could be in both ways overplayed and overstated quite a bit). A mystery that even when resolved isn't really resolved.

I requested this book as it takes place in Pennsylvania Amish country and sounded interesting. It did not disappoint. The author does a very good job of weaving Amish beliefs into the solving of the crime. She also provides some historical background to a splinter group of the Amish that started in Europe in the 1500s. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

This is a great series that I look forward to with each new entry. This one doesn't disappoint. It's exciting, hard to put down. There is significant character building here and a suspenseful plot that puts Kat in jeopardy once again while she continues to balance her life as Chief of Police with her Amish background.

This entry starts with Kate finding a body that leads her directly back to the Amish community and her family. Once you start, you'll be hooked.

Highly recommend.

I always look forward to the newest Kate Burkholder Novel, but this one fell a little flat for me. While I still believe it’s a solid book, the different layers of Amish lifestyle & history had me confused of where I was and who was who. While I usually finish her books in 1-2 days I found myself struggling and finished this in about two weeks. For fans of the series, absolutely read, but I wouldnt start your Linda Castillo journey here- overall not my favorite.

This is number 16 of the Kate Burkholder books, but it was the first I had read and it worked well for a first time reader of the series. This time an Amish man is burned at a stake, and there is a possibility her Amish brother is involved. Community members and state police move her off the case because they fear she would be too involved. She is stubborn enough to privately pursue leads. This is good mystery, and a good introduction to Amish culture. I liked the story and the characters enough that I have purchased the first book so I can see what I have missed. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc, and for no pressure for a positive review.

Grab This One Now!!

It’s no surprise to me that after sixteen plus books in this series she hit it out of the ballpark with this one.

A brutal murder has Kate Burkholder and her husband John Tomasetti on a bizarre case that takes them into a dark side of the Amish that nightmares are made of. This story was non stop suspense.

Every year I look forward to a new book from this amazing author and she never disappoints me.

I have to say I was a little nervous when I got this book for review because it is book 16 in a series. I was really hoping that would not impact getting to know the characters, especially if it was going to be a continuation series.

Thankfully, this did read easily as a standalone. I love the lead officer as a female married to another agency investigator. They worked off each other perfectly, and I love their energy together. Note to self: Read the back books to get their love connection!!

This book is pretty wild with the horrific crime committed and the investigation into a very tight lipped community. The author goes into a lot of detail and makes it clear that they do not like to share information. This makes the investigation extremely difficult.

The author beautifully ties in old-world beliefs into the story which made it a tough one to put down. It was fast paced, interesting, and engaging. Plus I have to say the main character is one tough chick. Loads of action and a little raw at times.

This book delivers everything that we’re looking for in terms of cop fiction. Evil shows it’s face but the good wins again!

The Burning is a unique story with amazing detail, imagination, and twists that keep you on your toes. I will definitely be reading this author again.

I have been a fan of Linda Castillo since her first Kate Burkholder book.
I was excited to read this latest #16 which starts with a bang when a man is found burned to death. 🔥
Kate investigates the murder and uncovers the dark under belly of the Amish community. Kate is never far from danger and this book kept me turning the pages.
Linda Castillo has created characters that are easy love and care about. I will always look for Linda Castillos books and will continue to recommend her work to others, especially if you enjoy learning about the Amish.
Huge thanks to NetGalley, Linda Castillo, and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Set to publish 7/9/24

I've read the entire series of Kate Burkholder books, and I enjoy them, but some are pretty dark. "The Burning" began with Police Chief Kate called out in the middle of the night to a fire in the forest. It turned out to be an Amish man who has been burned alive. I found this opening pretty difficult to read. I'm far more interested in the characters, their relationships, and the Amish culture. I know a murder mystery has to have a murder--duh--but this one was awfully gruesome.

Once past that, it was a joy to once again watch Kate and her new husband, Tomasetti, I wondered how Castillo would handle the fact that they were now married, but since they've been together for a long time, it seemed like business as usual. When Kate's brother, Jakob, becomes involved as a suspect with a motive, Kate really has a reason to dig deeper. How could he be involved in something this awful? As they investigate, they discover the victim was an Amish man named Milan Swanz. Was he a good man? Or did he have a past? Why would someone do such a horrible thing to him? Kate interviews people who knew him, and a picture of the deceased begins to form. Suddenly, however, the investigators become the hunted.

I enjoyed this book, as always, with the characters of Linda Castillo. She does a great job of immersing us in the culture, values, and everyday life of the Amish. Her investigative descriptions are accurate, and her plot is a rollercoaster ride. The scenes in the forest remind me of the movie, "The Last of the Mohicans." Every time you entered the dark forest, nothing good would happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this and write an honest review.

I normally listen to these books, but when I read this one, That could have contributed to why It didn't catch me like the others did. The beginning was good, but when Kate kept not accepting the "Amish Mafia" as the killers, it seemed forced. the ending was good but rushed.

This is the 16th in the Kate Burkholder series. Kate, formerly Amish, is police chief in her small hometown in Ohio in the middle of Amish country. When an excommunicated Amish man is found burned at the stake, Kate must unwind his history by interviewing the normally reticent members of that community. When suspicion falls on her brother, Kate is told to stand down in the case. Of course, she persists in pursuing the murder, knowing that the powers that be are pursuing the wrong line of inquiry. Along the way, some early history of the Anabaptists is revealed to possibly be a key to the crime and Kate and her new husband’s lives are put in danger.

Although I have only read three installments, I really like this series. Well written, with good character development and a solid plot, it is an engrossing, thrilling read. Kate is a strong, well adjusted female protagonist who does seem to get herself into dangerous predicaments. If you are new to this series and expect a cozy mystery, be forewarned that there are a few brutal scenes in it.

Where else can you find a police procedural, mystery, a thriller, and insight into the Amish culture? I do recommend this series and look forward to the next book. This book would work as a standalone.

The next book in this popular series once again finds Police Chief Kate Burkholder dealing with a mysterious murder in the Amish community in Ohio. Kate is now (finally) married to Agent Tommisetti on Ohio BCI and life seems to be very good for the newlyweds. Unfortunately, 2 of Kate’s officers stumble upon a grisly murder scene…some burnt at the stake. The deceased is identified as Milan Swanz, a recently excommunicated Amish man and long time ne’er do well. In trying to solve the murder, Kate encounters a group of Amish vigilantes with origins in the 15th and 16th century persecution of European Anabaptists. While trying to solve the crime an obnoxious and overzealous Ohio State Police Agent zeros in on Kate’s brother Jakob as the killer and is convinced that Kate and Tomisetti must recuse themselves from the case because of a conflict of interest. While Kate is fighting on 2 fronts, the killer seems to have their sights on Kate too.

I have been a huge fan of Linda Castillo from her first Kate Burkholder book. I was so excited to read her latest Amish murder mystery, The Burning. We meet back up with Kate in her home town after a man is found burned to death. Kate once again investigates the murder and uncovers the dark side of the Amish community. Kate is never far from danger and this book is no different.
Like the Kate Burkholder book and enjoy reading about Kate's life. Linda Castillo has created a character we all love and care about. This book is no different from the others. I will always look for the newest Linda Castillo book and will always recommend her work to others, especially if you like learning about the Amish community.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Linda Castillo, and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me.

Oh my gosh how is this my first Kate Burkholder book?! I have a LOT to catch up on because she is now one of my favorite cop characters! Great book and very suspenseful!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I've read several of the books in this series and always enjoyed them. Kate Burkholder is a strong character and I always find the Amish/English aspect interesting. I did find the beginning of the book with the gruesome murder of Milan Swanz a difficult read and don't mind admitting I had to skip several pages because it was so graphically presented. Once I got past that I mostly found it a good read as Kate's brother is implicated in the murder and a dark secret in the Amish community is revealed as the story unfolds. The amount of violence in the book makes me wary of reading further installments but hopefully the next will be less so.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur @Minotaur_Books and Netgalley @Netgalley for this arc. All thoughts are my own.


Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awoken in the middle of the night by being called to a crime scene of an Amish man who’s been murdered. The Amish aren’t quick to talk so Chief Kate has her work cut out for her.

When her own brother is implicated in the case, Kate finds herself in a bind. Then things take another turn when Kate’s own life is threatened.

In order to figure things out, Chief Kate but uncover secrets and dig deep.


I fell in love with Chief of Police Kate Burkholder in installment 14 of the series and have really enjoyed reading about her ever since. While this is a series, it can be read as a standalone and it will still make sense. The downside of jumping in is there isn’t a lot of character backstory given in each book, this has never really bothered me as I like to think of these books as more of plot-based novels. The character development has happened, it’s just not foremost in the books. I’ve enjoyed learning more about the Amish culture and this book was no different. This book delves into Amish history a little and that was fun. This is one of those books that the title makes sense right from the start, and oh was it a little uncomfortable. I do think that this one dragged a little in the middle, but fans aren’t going to be too deterred.

Once again, in The Burning, the 16th book in Linda Castillo's excellent Kate Burkholder mystery series, it all starts with an unthinkably brutal murder, and we spend the rest of the book learning about the murder victim and the numerous characters who had reason to hate him enough to kill him.

Milan Swanz was Amish before he was excommunicated because of continued bad behavior. He has four children but is divorced from his wife, and he's been fired from his regular job, picking up handyman gigs wherever he can. He drinks too much and has a volatile temper. But did he deserve to die in this horrific way? Kate, the police chief for Painters Mill, Ohio hasn't been a part of the Amish community for years, but she is respected by them and can often get them to provide information that no one else outside the community can. When one of her brothers becomes a person of interest in the murder and Kate is relegated temporarily to a desk job to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest, she can't help getting more involved than she should. Her new husband, an agent with the state's bureau of criminal investigation, who is also called in on the case, fears for her safety because he knows Kate's commitment to finding the truth often puts her in harm's way.

The author has put together a compelling and propulsive story, in which we learn more about Amish culture and history, and where action scenes are explosive and harrowing. Linda Castillo is a master in this genre, and she has created a protagonist that has grown and evolved throughout the series. I hope there are more series entries to come.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author. Very enjoyable and I highly recommend this book. Linda Castillo can always be counted on to have a great book to keep you up late.

This was my first Kate Burkholder mystery and will not be my last! I really enjoy a strong female lead in a crime/mystery setting and Linda Castillo obviously does this well. I particularly appreciated the setting and learned a little about Amish way of life and the tensions with the English. I liked the pace of the book overall but found it dragged a little half way through. This is a great read! Thank you for the opportunity to review it.