WOW! The Burning started at 100 mph and I feel like it never really stopped! I was hooked from the first page and devoured this as quickly as a mother of 3 can!

This is my first Kate Burkholder story and, although I’ve discovered that quite an extensive series precedes this, I do not feel like it was necessary to go back and read the others first. (I will because this was sooo good I want more from the author!)

Linda Castillo is a phenomenal writer! She has this amazing ability to really draw you into a book and make you feel like you’re a part of it. I found the Amish community aspect fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed the author’s use of Deutsch language mixed in with English.

This book is definitely not for the faint of heart as it has brutal imagery at times. The story itself though was interesting and original and kept my interest from start to finish.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this ARC before it’s expected release date of July 9, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the privilege of reading this book.

The Amish culture has always intrigued me. Most of the books portray a culture with harmony a little to no crime or disputes. Everything is peaceful and tranquil. The Amish do not speak of crime or tensions among there people.

Linda Castillo dives into the crimes that are unspoken amongst the Amish people. The crime in this book is so horrible. An Amish man is literally burned at the stake.

The Amush are closed mouth and hesitate to speak ill of anyone on their community which makes it difficult to uncover the facts, discover what happened, and find the criminal.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat and readingbway part your bedtime.

Block out time for this one. It's a page turner.

This is the 16th volume in the Kate Burkholder series, one of my favorite series written by one of my favorite authors. Kate and Tomasetti are settling into married life, after returning from their honeymoon, which was covered in the recent short story DARK STORM RISING. In the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, a deputy discovers a man burning at the stake. Kate's investigation pulls her into the history of the Amish and the Anabaptists, going back to the 1600s. This history is new to the series and was new to me and led me to some investigation of my own. Because of that, and because I love the way Ms. Castillo writes, this is my favorite book so far in the series. The author can skillfully create a scene so beautifully that I feel like I am right there with Kate. The author chooses unique adjectives and nouns to bring her story to life. I highly recommend this book and the entire series! Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Natalie Sun for providing an ARC.

Kate used to be Amish and now she must use all her connections to solve a terrible mystery. But how do you explain the terrible things that your victim knows or what might have happened when no one will talk. The story is well paced but it is a little gory if you don’t like the police procedurals. Clearly part of a series and definitely doesn’t disappoint.

It’s that time of year again!
What time you ask? The release of the latest book from Linda Castillo, of course! Yet another excellent addition to my favorite series!

In Book 16, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the gruesome murder of an Amish man. He was found tied to a post and burned alive. Who would kill a God-fearing man in such a brutal way? What possible motive was there? Is there more to this murder than meets the eye?

If you can get through that jolting beginning you’re in for a treat!

Once again, Kate needs to channel her Amish upbringing to pry open the doors of the tight-knit community that does its best to keep the common people out.

I just adore Kate’s character. A driven, tough as nails police chief but also the newly married, loving wife of Tomasetti. They make an amazing team and I can’t wait to see them grow as a couple.

This is one series that has remained as strong as ever. And now the wait begin. Tik-tok, tik-tok…

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

The Burning (Kate Burkholder #16) by Linda Castillo in my opinion is edgiest, and most gruesome of
all of the books in the series and I loved it from the first page to the end of the story!

If you are a series reader than you know most of the characters so there aren't any surprises there. The
new characters (Bertha Swanz, Milan Swantz, Clarence Raber, Isaiah Hofer) introduced in the book bring
added intrigue and dimension to the story.

The story does have possible triggers for some readers [ rape & child abuse (hide spoiler)], but they are
alluded to and not described in detail. There are many accusations spread around in the story, some
against Kate that hamper her investigation into Milan Swantz's death. There is also what I would call a
"boys club" of law enforcement officers that stand between Kate and her successful investigation.

What I didn't like [ was the number of times Kate is attacked & hurt, yet even with what seems like severe
injuries she is able to push on, a bit too super-human for me. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I found the book to be well written with a mystery that held my attention, and very enjoyable.

I would like to thank the author, 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.

The book will be published in all formats with an expected publication date of July 9 2024.

For me this was a four out of five star read.

Witchcraft? That’s what some folks in and around Painters Mill, Ohio, are saying after an Amish man, Milan Swanz, was found burned to death “at the stake”. His death is ruled a homicide and presents a challenge for police chief Kate Burkholder in Linda Castillo’s popular series with her 16th book titled The Burning.

As the former Amish woman, Chief Burkholder, begins her investigation, she meets resistance from members of the Amish community. While they admit that Swanz had been excommunicated, they are reluctant to speak ill of the dead. Even his estranged wife is reticent to give much information. Kate returns time and again to nudge, prod, and push the woman for information. There are other sources: former co-workers, the bishop, and his wife, and even her own brother.

What everyone - her law enforcement colleagues, her husband John Tomasetti, who is an investigator with the Ohio Bureau of investigation, Amish community, including her family - all know that she will doggedly pursue any and all leads until she gets to the truth. When her brother’s name comes up as a witness, Kate is suspected of covering up for him and is asked to step aside while the investigation continues. This does not sit well with her. Those who have read previous books in the series can imagine what happens next.

In The Burning, Linda Castillo presents some dark aspects of certain Anabaptist groups, which are a far cry from the pacifism practiced by most Amish people. Without the help of her husband and support of her team, Kate knows she would be in big trouble. Has she met her match this time?

Except for the must-do things at home, I had a hard time putting this book down! It may be one of the darkest Burkholder books yet, but I found it quite engaging.

I received a digital copy of The Burning in return for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Linda Castillo.

5 stars

Wow, this was the first Linda Castillo book that I had read, and I will certainly look (and read) more of her titles. As a mystery lover, I was not disappointed. Her added Amish slant is also of interest to me having recently been to the Driftless region of Wisconsin which has a large Amish community. I appreciated that she writes about the Amish with respect and understanding.

I read this book in one sitting, I was so engrossed by the characters, the plots, and the expected (it is a mystery) but unexpected twists.

I'm not even sure where to begin. Linda Castillo has a mind and an imagination that is a gift. The Burning is the latest in the Kate Burkholder series. The title pretty much sums up the plot. A body is found burned and it's up to Kate to figure out what happened. But this one hits a little close to home. While the Amish have always played a vital part in Castillo books with Kate Burkholder, this particular book involves her family directly. To make the plot even better, Kate has to try and solve the crime without her official title of police chief. If you are a Linda Castillo fan, I don't need to convince you to read this book. If you are not, you are truly missing out! The burning can be read stand alone, but I would recommend going back and reading the entire series. I voluntary received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

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.