Terrific book, but, if you are a little jarred by horrific scenes, you may want to skip the first couple of chapters...

Wow! This one really starts off with a bang, as the name of the book suggests.
When one of their own is 'burned at the stake' in the middle of the night, Kate Burkholder, chief of police is called to the scene. But, she cannot believe what she is actually seeing.

As she and her small police force delve into the crime at hand, they seem to come up empty handed. Is it because it is the Amish Community and no one will speak to them? Or is there something else going on?

The more she digs, the deeper into a hole she seems to be digging herself...
And then come the warnings...that she should stay away. Stop digging. Or else...

Along the way, her brother becomes a prime suspect and she is blown away. She knows he could not have ever done this. But how can she prove it? And how long will she be kept on the case when it is hitting so close to home??

Very harrowing story.
Very gripping details.
Glimpses into the lives of the Amish, and how they protect their own...
Also, some disturbing scenes of what may have actually occurred beforehand to bring this on...

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. **** This was released yesterday, 7/9/24, so it should be on shelves already. ****

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me, rounded up to 5.
This one will have you biting your nails, sitting at the edge of your seat, as well as holding your breath...multiple times!

#TheBurning by #LindaCastillo and narrated wonderfully by #KathleenMcInerney.

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I really enjoyed this audio!

Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio for my ALC!

I honestly had never heard of this series, but now I want to go back and read the others! Especially knowing this is book #16 😱- the next time I’m in the mood for a police procedural /crime thriller, I will absolutely look back for one of these. Luckily, it could be read as a standalone.

We get first person POV of the lead female detective in a gruesome murder in an Amish community.

The narration was great, and I finished the story in just a few hours! A great read that I will definitely recommend.

#MacAudio2024

Another fantastic book in the Kate Burkholder series! This is one of my all time favorite series and this book was one of my most anticipated 2024 reads. It did not disappoint. I was hooked from start to finish. I loved being back in Painters Mill. I love all the characters, the town/setting, the mystery, the crime solving, the suspense, and the romance (I love Kate and Tomasetti and their part of every story). This is such a great book if you’re looking for a detective mystery.

The narrator did a great job at bringing Kate and this story to life. She does such a great job with the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish dialogue. I definitely recommend the audiobook.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest in the wonderful Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo, narrated by another favorite, Kathleen McInerney. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Police Chief Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent call about a suspicious fire in the woods. When she arrives, she finds a charred body, apparently burned at the stake. While investigating, Kate learns that the dead man, Milan Swanz, was banned from the Amish and appeared troubled. No one is talking and then her brother is implicated in the murder. To uncover the truth, Kate dives deep into the Anabaptist culture and history, putting her and her new husband in danger's path.

This is one of my favorite series and I look forward to the new release each summer. Following along from the beginning, it feels like falling back with old friends. This is a series best read from the beginning, although Castillo gives enough information that it could easily be read as a stand alone. This installment is a bit darker, both the crime and the history, and poor Kate takes yet another beating! I found myself going back and forth between the digital and audio versions, because I was too engrossed with the story to stop. Kathleen McInerney does a fabulous job narrating these books and I always look forward to listening her voice Kate. Highly recommended this whole series!

I haven't read the Burkholder series in a while, and this was great re-entry to the series. Kate and Tomasetti are much as I remember them, great characters who are now successfully navigating any professional issues that may come with their recent marriage. I like that this was a fact but not a focus of the story. The book begins with the grisly and horrifying death of an ex-communicated Amish man and tension soon builds from multiple sources in both the Amish and English worlds that will threaten not only Kate's career but her life. The inclusion of the Anabaptist movement in the storyline provided a unique twist to the book, and I found it an interesting element in the story. Ms. Castillo does an excellent job of providing sufficient detail without bogging the reader down in minutiae. Keep in mind that this is no cozy mystery. The murder and aftermath are relatively graphic as are some other violent scenes. However, this was a good read for me, and I will watch for the next book in the series.

Kathleen McInerney does an excellent job voicing the characters.

This is the 16th book in the Kate Burkholder series and while I haven’t read the earlier books I still was able to follow everything and enjoy this one quite a bit. There is something fascinating for me for books like this that include involvement with Amish culture. Kate is the local police chief and as she was raised Amish the Amish locals trust her more than most of the English. When a body is found charred on top of a pile of pallets with the scent of diesel in the air it appears the person was burned at the stake. I liked the mystery, even if it wasn’t quite as twisty as I would have liked. The only problem I had with the book was that Kate put herself in dumb situations that she seems to incompetently handle. I liked her and her relationship with her new husband. Overall I think it’s an interesting world and I would like to revisit it again. I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was good, but sometimes the pacing of the reading was a little off for me.

I love listening to mystery or thriller audiobooks as I go to sleep or when I'm on longer commutes, and this was a strong one to listen to. I'm always a little disappointed in the endings, but what I appreciated about this one was its inclusion of Amish folklore and the ways in which that can infuse belief systems and approaches to psychological behavior.

NYT bestselling author Linda Castillo returns following An Evil Heart with her popular Amish series, Kate Burkholder #16, with her latest, THE BURNING.

A riveting, brutal murder mystery, a heinous crime with an Amish man burned alive. Kate Burkholder investigates a gruesome murder that reveals a little-known chapter of early Amish history. This gripping installment will keep you on the edge of your seat with an intense, complex criminal investigation with dark secrets in a tight-knit community of Amish that puts Kate and her family in harm's way.

About...

Kate Burkholder (age 36) is the Chief of Police in Painters Mill, Ohio. She grew up Amish, and though she left that life behind (age 18), many cases bring her into daily contact with this community. She is newly married to John Tomasetti, who is also in the business, an agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and a former detective with the Cleveland Division of Police.

Set in the Ohio Amish country of Painter's Mill, Kate is awakened in the early morning and called to a fire in the woods with two of her deputies who heard screams as they discover a shocking scene. A charred body was chained to a stake and burned alive. No witnesses, and no one reported missing.

The dead man is Milan Swanz, a local Amish husband and father.

Things have been difficult for Swanz; he chose to get drunk and walk home the wrong night. Someone offers him a ride, which turns deadly, and he is burned at the stake. Swanz had a record of drunk driving, disturbing the peace, and a temper; an abuser, a child predator, an evil man, and more that they will soon find out. A man, devoid of a moral compass, a lack of self-control, and sociopathic tendencies. There is more than one compelled to do away with Swanz.

Kate leads the murder investigation, and as usual, the Amish community likes to keep things close to the belt, making it challenging to attain answers—a tight-knit community, they do not talk to cops or outsiders if there is anything involving domestic violence or anything personally related. They make great neighbors. They are hardworking, family-oriented, quiet, and helpful, but they are not always forthcoming. Certain subjects are taboo, particularly concerning their brethren, and they will not speak of it to the English if it means lying to the police.

However, her office knows that she has a good working relationship with the community and the local Amish, which makes her valuable to the investigation. There is a wall of silence between Amish and English, and incidents are less likely to draw the attention of law enforcement. The victims are far more likely to suffer in silence without recourse.

There appear to be problems between Swanz and the Amish community, being recently excommunicated from the church and other offenses.

Did the killer stage the scene to conceal evidence? Was this some kind of bizarre pseudo-symbolic execution? He was burned at the stake. Appears the killer wanted the body to be found. To what end? Prove a point, send a warning, or what?

Swanz's ex-wife, Bertha (married for 14 years, divorced for 5 months), employer, friends, and the Amish bishop are of little assistance. Kate becomes engrossed in the investigation, putting her and her husband's life in danger as she delves deep into the history of the Anabaptist culture.

The Anabaptist movement began in the 16th-century Europe during the Reformation. They believed in things like nonresistance or pacifism, separate from the rest of the world, and adult baptism. They were considered heretics and persecuted for their beliefs. Hundreds were tortured and executed, including being hanged, drowned, or burned at the stake.

The Anabaptists comprise three core groups: the Amish, the Mennonites, and the Hutterites.

Kate discovers a Hutterite community. A quarry and sixteen people live there. Who are the Schwertler Anabaptists? Kate is warned that if you cross them, they will devour you. A tale, a folklore, a dark history, do they exist?

Kate does her research about the secret police force called the Anabaptist Hunters who were charged with finding and arresting heretics. She struggles to find a parallel between Schwertlers and the case. What is the connection?

Now, the mayor does not want her on the case because they think she is protecting the Amish and her brother. But she is determined to find the person who murdered Swanz.

Could Swanz's killer be non-Amish? A psychopath looking for fame? Who had a motive for murder? Does the murder have to do with a mysterious vigilante group and Amish history? (Martyrs Mirror - an old book written in the 17th century with stories about the persecution of the early Anabaptists.)

Kate and John are working together on this case. She knows that every homicide investigation has a common theme: URGENCY. The stakes are high, and there is no room for error or wasted time.

She turns to her brother Jacob (Amish) to see if he can shed light on Swanz's background since he worked for him briefly. However, things get complicated as it later is brought to her attention that a witness claims her brother had some kind of altercation with Swanz four days before he was killed.

How can this be? Will Jacob be charged with the murder? Her brother? The plot thickens. Kate is beside herself, knowing her brother is not a killer, and John, being the brother-in-law, may be cut from the case too. She must help her brother and find the real killer.

Things heat up. Has Kate become an unexpected problem for the killer? Had they underestimated her?

The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program cases in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, are reviewed to see if they can find a hit related to the homicides in the Amish Painters Mill and review of cases with a crime podcaster, AmishWorldUSA. Time is running out. They must find the killer, another case killed in the same manner that would give them a clue.

To solve this crime, Burkholder is in the eye of the storm as she delves into the dark corners of the history of the Anabaptist culture and those who want her to go away.

My thoughts...

THE BURNING is an utterly captivating series! The scene at the quarry had my heart pounding. It is high adrenaline and action-packed.

In this compelling 16th edition of the Kate Burkholder series, THE BURNING delves into the fascinating, little-known history of the Amish and Anabaptist culture, which will have you googling to read more. I learned so much and something new about the Beachy Amish (a progressive subgroup known to use electronics, gas-powered tractors, and even motorized vehicles for transportation).

I love this series! Kate is fearless, intelligent, sharp, driven, and tenacious. I love her relationship with John, the community, and her department, especially this one in particular, where she and John are both working on the same case in the heat of the action and danger. Even though Kate is no longer Amish, they respect her but may not always be forthcoming with answers.

With all the dangers of the job, we find Kate reflective of her role as wife, woman, and cop, and at 36, the biological clock ticking loudly, the thoughts of motherhood and family.

Meticulously researched, the series is high-stakes, full of mystery, intrigue, and suspense. Fans will enjoy catching up with their favorite cast of characters. The author hooks you from the first page, making this an exciting addition to the series with its twists, turns, mystery, and well-developed characters.

It is unnecessary to read the previous books in the series; however, I highly recommend reading them in order to learn more about Kate and her journey.

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading the book and listening to the accompanying audiobook, narrated by the masterful Kathleen McInerney, one of my favorite narrators! It would not be the same if someone else narrated, as, in my mind, she is Kate. Kathleen and Linda make a perfect 'partner in crime' duo. She has been narrating the series since the beginning and knows the series and the characters, delivering an outstanding and engaging performance for all voices with perfect pacing.

Recs...

I highly recommend the Kate Burkholder series and the audiobook to those who enjoy police procedurals, smartly written crime thrillers, and captivating suspense murder mysteries.

As mentioned in my previous reviews, I love Kate and John as a duo! They remind me of Karen Slaughter's Will Trent/Sarah Linton and Lisa Gardner's DD Warren/Alex. John is strong and has had to overcome tragedy like Kate.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, #MacAudio2024 and NetGalley for an advanced reading and listening copy for an honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
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The Burning by Linda Castillo
Kate Burkholder series #16. Cop procedural thriller, mystery. Can be read as a stand-alone but characters lives and situations flow in a continual fashion throughout the series.
Newlywed Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent midnight call about a suspicious fire in the woods. An Amish man has been burned at the stake and Kate does the bulk of the investigation because of her ties to that community. When her brother becomes a suspect by other officials, they order Kate off the investigation. But too late, as the killers already have Kate in the sights and know she needs to be stopped before she finds too many answers. Kate is not one to give up. She’s going to protect and serve with her last breath if it comes to that. And it just might.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook copy of this story. The audiobook is performed by Kathleen McInerney. The performance is done well with distinct voices for the main characters. Since it’s Kate’s POV alone, the majority is her investigating and taking the reader along for the ride. At one point, Kate herself is attacked and held at gunpoint. That scene alone is why audiobooks are so popular. The reader is in the exact same position of frustration, and anger and fear of that gun going off.

This is an audiobook you will need to keep at 1.25 speed at the fastest. Anything higher, makes the voices sound digital and not alive. The narrator uses a lot of pauses and subtle variations in the performance that are lost at higher speeds. Especially during the autopsy analysis with doctor Coblentz and the department assistant, as well as passages of Kate describing scenes or giving background information. I tried several different speeds and feel the best performance is at 1.25.
For a veteran and lover of audiobooks, if you prefer a higher speed for playback, I suggest reading, rather than listening to this one.

Suspenseful, history filled and pulse-pounding.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

This was my first Kate Burkholder book, and I didn’t know until I’d finished it that it is actually the 16th! She was a fascinating character with her Amish childhood, leaving the faith, and becoming chief of police. The crime in this book, the burning of someone at the stake, hooked you in right away. There were times it felt like the characters were spinning their wheels a bit too much and I wanted the story to hurry up. Overall I did like the story and think I will pick up the 1st Kate Burkholder novel sometime down the line.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC Audiobook!

Before reading, I didn’t know this book was a part of a large detective series. I wouldn’t say you’d need to read this in order, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt! I was interested enough with the character that I would go back and start with 1 and use the books as fillers since 16 books is a little intimidating.

The detective main character, Chief Kate, is former Amish and is brought back to her hometown when a man is burned at the stake. Milan Swanz had a lot of enemies and basically no friends. Recently divorced and excommunicated from the Amish community, narrowing down who would’ve done this proves to be more difficult than expected.

The mystery of who committed this heinous crime takes Kate back to her family farm, face her own past traumas, and trying to stay focused enough to solve the crime and stay out of danger herself.

I did enjoy the read, but feel like my star level is lower due to me not being totally in love with the character without the 15 book background and I found myself wanting to be done and move on.
So, my recommendation would definitely be to start at 1 and build that background of the town and characters to really appreciate the work !

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A man is kidnapped. We don’t know who he is nor why. The abductors seem sadistic and set upon their task of death by fire. When they tie him to a stake in the woods and ignite enveloping flames all I could think was WHY? Who are these vicious murderers?

In a small Ohio town Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is in the very same woods and hears something concerning. Then she smells the smoke. Arriving at the scene of the crime, Kate finds a charred body and knows the murder has just happened. She identifies the victim an Milan Swanz, an Amish man with a sketchy history who has been excommunicated by the Amish church for multiple sins. But, when it comes to getting information from the Amish community, Kate finds that lips close to outsiders. Kate, who was born Amish, has left the fold. She is considered English and must build trust to gain insight into this horrific killing in order to solve the crime.

A wild ride ensues with various people having reason to be considered suspects in Milan’s killing. I learned a lot about the Amish as well as Anabaptists. Castillo does an excellent job of setting the scene and creating a whodunnit with twists, turns and a good deal of suspense. I listened to the audio version of this book on a long car ride. The reader was great and my interest never flagged. I had never read any of the books in this series and although this was #16, I was able to follow the storyline and character development without a glitch. I recommend it as a our gleaming star stand alone even if you’ve not read those books that precede this one. My thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for selecting me to receive a complimentary audio version of The Burning in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is July 9 2024. If you enjoy thrillers/ police procedurals you’re going to like this one.

The Burning by Linda Castillo was my first book from this author and this series. I didn’t realize there were other books, but this can be read as a standalone.

Narration was decent. I really enjoyed the history of the anabaptists and the Amish. The mystery wasn’t quite so mysterious, but the police procedural parts were good.

I have good news and bad news. Good news first: I have finally caught up to the most current release in this series. Bad news: now I have to wait until 2025 to read another chapter in the Kate Burkholder series. This was an action-packed read. An evil victim was burned at the stake by a couple of unknown assailants. Pretty dangerous to be out looking for them. Will they retaliate to keep their secret? Linda Castillo continues to appropriately advance the character development. Kate and Tomasetti are more and more in tune as domestic and work partners. My appreciation for their relationship grows with each installment. Perhaps we might have a little Tomasetti coming in the next book or two. There also seems to be a hint of romance on Kate's staff. Those chickens will come home to roost in a later book. And Kathleen McInerney continues to do an excellent job on narration.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest reivew.

Great new novel in the Kate Burkholder series. I love that these books work so well as stand alone novels but also are a joy to read for fans of the series. In this new read, Kate rushes to uncover the motive and murder when an Amish man, Milan, is found burned at the steak. As she starts to uncover Milan’s dark past, she realizes how close to home this crime may be.
Great read! Loved the narration for the audiobook. This was my first Kate Burkholder series to read as an audiobook and I loved it!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review

The Burning is Linda Castillo’s 16th installment in the Kate Burkholder series but my first of these fast moving, high impact detective novels. Whether you’re a loyal reader of the series or it’s your first foray, you won’t be disappointed with The Burning. Castillo provides enough context for new readers to dive right in too.
Police Captain Kate Burkholder has a gruesome case to solve. An excommunicated Amish man, Milan Swanz was burnt at the stake. Captain Burkholder’s top notch police work leads her to uncover how Amish folklore and her own extended family play a role in solving this crime. She won’t give up her pursuit even when her own life and those of her loved ones is at risk.

I recommend this book to detective novel enthusiasts and it’s suitable for a young adult audience too.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian for the chance to listen to the 16th installment of the Kate Burkholder series. As usual Linda Castillo has done an amazing job. The Burning was fast paced and kept me guessing right til the end. I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Kate Burkholder is One of the Best Female Characters in a Series

SUMMARY
In the middle of the night, two Painters Mill police officers parked on a rural road hear a scream and see a fire in the woods. They rush toward the fire and are shocked to see a man fully engulfed and tied to a pole. When police chief Kate Burkholder arrives at the scene, she identifies the dead man as Milan Swanz, an Amish husband and father.

As Burkholder and her team begin investigating, they learn that there has been no love lost between Swanz and the Amish community. He had recently been excommunicated from the church and his list of offenses was numerous. Burkholder knows that the Amish prefer to handle their problems without outside help. Swanz’s ex-wife, employer, friends, and the Amish bishop are of little help in the investigation. To solve this crime, Burkholder puts her and her new husband’s life on the line as she delves into the dark corners of the history of the Anabaptist culture.

REVIEW
THE BURNING is an engaging but ghastly murder mystery that you cannot put down. Bestselling author Linda Castillo’s writing about murder in the Ohio Amish country is always intense and impeccably well-researched.

Kate Burkholder is an emotionally strong, intelligent, and courageous woman. If you want a unique crime series with a strong female character, this is it. My favorite scene is when Kate goes toe-to-toe in a meeting with the mayor, the county sheriff, and the FBI about her handling of the Swanz case. She leans in and handles herself and the confrontation beautifully. Kate is fearless but is not afraid to ask for help. Her vulnerabilities help make the story and her character seem real. She is undoubtedly one of the best female characters in a series.

I listened to the audiobook of THE BURNING. Katherine McInerney has been narrating Linda Castillo's books for many years. She knows the characters well and voices them expertly with just the right pacing, tone, and accent. I highly recommend the Kate Burkholder series and this skillfully written and intense audiobook.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this audiobook. All opinions in this review are my own.

Publisher Macmillian Audio and Minotaur Books
Published July 9, 2024
Narrator. Kathleen McInerney
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

I love this series. Kate Burkholder is a fascinating character, and is the perfect one to carry this series along.
Kate herself has left the Amish community but is still working as a police detective. This is a very dark crime scene, one of an excommunicated man (one who has been told to leave the Amish comminuty) burned at the stake.
She is well respected by the Amish people, and knows people well enough to be able to find out what has happened. This series is fantastic and always manages to teach me more about the Amish lifestyle and theit history.
I always try and listen to the audiobooks, and to me, Kathleen McInerney the narrator is Kate Burkholder. She is superb, and portrays the story wonderfully.
Highly recommend this series.

Excellent addition to the series. Really enjoy learning about more things in the Amish culture. Good regular characters add to the depth of the storyline. Great narrator.