Rage is the 17th installment of the Painters Mill series featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Three Amish children come upon a dismembered body, which turns out to be 21-year-old Samuel Eicher. The local Amish man owned a landscaping business, so what possible motive would someone have to kill him? The investigation gets even more complicated when a second body is found, crammed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The connection of the deceased to Samuel makes Kate immediately suspicious of everyone and everything. As the investigation continues down a dark and sordid path, will Kate put herself in danger?

I hovered between three and four stars, but gave the bump to four because the story was well crafted. There really isn't much by way of character development, as this was the 17th book in the series. I would have liked to see Kate learn from her impulsiveness to go off on her own by now. This was, and continues to be, the one part of the series that felt forced.

That being said, I really like police procedural thrillers and this book series is a bit unique with the Amish aspect. I look forward to reading more and would recommend the series to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Two Amish men are found murdered in rather gruesome ways and it's up to Chief of Police Kate Burkholder to solve their murders. However, her investigation unwittingly leads to an additional murder. Burkholder uses her Amish background to investigate within the Amish community, even though those inquiries place her life in danger. There are lots of twists in the story but I felt that Kate and Tomasetti were a bit slow on the uptake in figuring out the what, if not the who. A good police-procedural thriller!

The seventeenth Kate Burkholder mystery begins with the discovery of the dismembered body of a twenty-one-year-old Amish man. He owned a successful landscaping business. And the investigation is no sooner begun than a second man's body is found stuffed in a barrel.

The two men were friends but no one in the close-mouthed Amish society is willing to say much about either man leaving Kate with a bunch of dead ends. She did find a picture in the first man's home of a young woman and spends quite a bit of time trying to locate her.

Kate's investigations take her to a local brewery, a local strip joint, and the prestigious country club patronized by visitors to the area. And somewhere along the way, Kate finds herself attracting the interest of bad guys who want to encourage her to stop investigating.

Kate's investigation leads to a number of villains in a rather large conspiracy. I enjoyed this mystery. I thought it was fast-paced and exciting.

This book is just too good. Multi layered and dark I was completely immersed. Kate Burkholder, the ex Amish chief of police is one of the best characters in crime fiction. Walking a fine line between both worlds, she has a depth of understanding about human nature. This book is fast paced and highly suspenseful and was impossible to quit listening to. These books can be read as stand alones, but I highly recommend starting at the beginning of the series. I can’t recommend this book and series enough- I’m telling you it will be your favorite thriller series!

Readers will find a book that is hard to put down in Rage by Linda Castillo. This mystery is complex and it takes all of Katie Burkholder's team and Tomasetti to figure out what's going on in the Amish community.

This suspenseful and action packed drama blew past my expectations completely. It's been a few years since I read a book by Linda Castillo and I have only read a few of this Amish\Kate series. Honestly, I couldn't remember why I stopped following her books and why she fell from my must read pile. After this book, she has more than earned a top spot and I will be searching out the rest of this series. With that said, I haven't read all the books in this story but that did not stop me from enjoying this one.
Early on, I remember Kate struggling to straddle the line between her Amish past and her current life. In this book, she is more settled and being a past member of the Amish world helps her make connections. The author did a nice job of keeping the community secular while allowing Kate and by extension her team to work in that world because she understood and respected the lifestyle. This case settles around young people on the edge of a choice after rumspringa. It is a choice Kate knows and understands and it is in that understanding that she is able to connect with some of those youth. You also get a sense of a tight community with Kate knowing many of the families or at least knowing of the families of the victims. Her world where English and Amish coexist is well established and well presented.
The mystery starts off right out of the gate with a horrific murder and that murder sets the tone for a story of youth being swept into the wrong life because of their innocence. There are so many threads to pull and like Kate, it is tough to see how it all falls together but come together it does in a shocking tale of corruption and violence. The pages flew by as I refused to put the book down promising my self just one more chapter but each chapter brought something new from the next murder to the strip club to the attack on Kate to the violent hit and run. The book kept me on my toes with my mind spinning trying to pull together the pieces along with Kate and company. I know I have glossed over Kate's team, relagating them to bit players but that is not the case. Her team is strong, works well together and clearly cares for one another. Kate could not solve this case without the others including her husband. From the first book where Kate was struggling to this one she has grown so much in her role as chief and she owes that to her team.
I would recommend any book with Linda Castillo's name on it, from this series or her older romantic suspese. This books was a page turner and well worth returning to Kate's world.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Rage
Linda Castillo
July 08, 2025

We are back in Painter’s Mill, Ohio. Local children are out playing hide and seek in the woods near their parents farm. One stumbles upon a hand resting in the muddy dirt. He screams to the older brother. The younger one goes near to a place with a phone. Chief Kate Burkholder is alerted. The squad is summoned. Calls to the necessary departments, land sectioned off… What was found is a nightmare. Body parts buried then uncovered by coyotes. Thus begins book 17 in the Kate Burkholder series.
Rage will be published by Minotaur Books of St. Martin’s Publishing Group on July 08, 2025. Castillo’s latest novel was available for me to read and review via NetGalley. How fortunate am was to read this latest suspense saga. Once again Burkholder puts herself among the team to establish facts and evidence. Her husband, John Tomasetti works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Often he is called in for assistance. Once again her novel is a true page-turner. Each year I look forward to her latest Kate Burkholder narrative. Consequently,u I have read them all. Furthermore fans wait for the latest publication as well. For the most part each one has read each and every book in the series. Do pick up this one. This particular selection is chilling and shocking. Enjoy!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #Rage by #LindaCastillo. I love this series and book and cannot wait for the next book. Kate Burkholder is back at it again with yet another murder in the Amish Community. Not soon after, another murder is committed. As she delves into this investigation, she is also targeted as they go after her. Can she solve these murders before she herself is the next victim?

Police Chief Kate Burkholder is called in when three Amish children find a dismembered body. While looking for information about the victim they discover his best friend is missing, did he kill Samuel or is he dead too? When another body is found stuffed in a barrel they have their answer. Kate and her team search for the why and who in this enthralling novel. I do like her books and have read all of them. This story was almost a thriller, I had a good idea of who was behind the killings, but not if Kate was going to survive solving the crime.
The only thing I wish was different was a little more between Kate and her husband John Tomasetti. Overall, a great addition to the series.

The 17th Kate Burkholder book is equally as thrilling as the rest of the series. This is a series you can jump in at the middle or start at the beginning. Former Amish police chief Burkholder has to solve a murder and while doing so it puts her in danger. The author writes this series in a very similar way. The book opens with the murder but we don’t know who or why. That’s Kate and her teams job.

This book is a little different than other in the series in that it spends more time outside the Amish community. I loved reading this book but hope the next one returns more to the Amish community because her relationship with them is unique and makes for very interesting books!

Another great Kate Burkholder mystery! Linda Castillo constantly writes wonderful mysteries with fast-paced plots and characters that you get attached to. You never know who the Killer is and even though the twists are realistic (her stories are very realistic in terms of this could actually happen in real life) they are still unpredictable. I still love the focus on the Amish community and I can't wait for the next one!

Rage is another installment in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series, and it doesn’t disappoint. The story kicks off with a shocking murder in Amish country, and as Kate digs deeper, things get darker fast.

Follow along as Kate and her team rush to solve this murder before someone else dies. It’s intense and the storyline moves fast.

If you’re into crime thrillers with heart and atmosphere, Rage is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Ah, Kate Burkholder. After 16 books, she is like a family friend. I’m always interested to see what she has been up to and how things are going with John Tomasetti. This book lived up to all my expectations and kept me turning the pages. This series is still going strong and I’m already anxiously waiting for the next book.

Kate Burkholder is back! The ex-Amish cop we all know and love returns in another gripping installment—and once again, her passion and dedication to protect her people shine through.

Linda Castillo delivers yet another strong addition to the series. The mystery surrounding the brutal murder of Amish boy Samuel Eicher is intense, and Kate gives it everything she’s got to find the truth. The story flows so well, with the perfect mix of emotion and suspense.

I also love Kate’s team—though I always find myself wishing for more Tomasetti scenes (he’s definitely my book boyfriend in this series!).

A solid, page-turning mystery that keeps the series going strong. Can’t wait for the next one!

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This was another great Kate Burkholder mystery, and Linda Castillo kept the crimes and elements fresh - impressive for the 17th book! I'm not going to describe the plot, because I worry about spoilers. I will say that I love the setting of Painter's Mill, and I love Kate's team of officers. It is also really interesting to see the glimpses into Amish life. I'm sure I'll always be picking up these books as long as the author keeps writing them!

I had the opportunity to read Rage: A Novel by Linda Castillo, the latest installment in the Kate Burkholder series. This is the second book I’ve read in the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Castillo once again delivers a layered and compelling mystery that explores the complexities of life on the fringes of the Amish community.

One of the things I really appreciate about this series is how accessible each book is—you don’t need to have read the others to understand or enjoy the story. The author weaves in just enough background to keep new readers informed without slowing down the plot. The character of Kate continues to evolve in meaningful ways, and the plot was filled with unexpected twists that kept me turning pages.

Castillo’s attention to cultural detail and emotional nuance really elevate the story. This was a strong, engaging read and a great example of why I keep coming back to this series. I’m looking forward to picking up more of these books in the future.

It is time for our annual trip back to Painter's Mill, Ohio, and this time Kate Burkholder and her minions are deep in it with the first body found which was in pieces and then the second found in a barrel and when the third was found and appeared as if the young woman was running away from her pursuer. I do have to say this series gets better and better and each could be read as a standalone.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted listeners edition of this one! And NetGalley for e-copy.

I read The Burning last year and absolutely loved it. So, when I saw a new installment of the Kate Burkholder series was coming out, I jumped on requesting it!

It did not let me down. It starts out with a bang, when Chief Kate Burkholder is called to a scene only to find the dismembered body of a local Amish man. As the summer carries on, more bodies are found with Kate herself being a target. Just what secrets has she unearthed?

I’ve always been a little obsessed with the ways of the Amish so I was thoroughly invested in this story. I’ve only read one other book in this series, but those characters make a come back, including Tomasetti (Kate’s husband and from the Ohio FBI). I love the balance between work and personal life here.

Of course, Kate gets herself into some sticky situations, she can’t help it! lol. And Tomasetti to the rescue!

This was highly entertaining, and I just may go back and read all 15 previous books 🤣

Rage is another great installment of Kate Burkholder and her life as Sheriff in the Amish Community of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. When a young Amish man is murdered, Kate steps in to investigate a mystery that blows open this small town. The tale moves fast, and from the start you will not be able to put this story to rest. I read this straight through, which was not an easy feat while sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time. The subject of human trafficking might be hard to comprehend, but it’s out there and we all need to be aware and educate our love ones, neighbors and community. The Amish way of life is very interesting and Linda Castillo gives us an insight of how their faith is strong and noble.

Thank You to NetGalley, The Author Linda Castillo and the Publisher St, Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me the honor of reading this novel for my honest review. Well Done Ms. Castillo!

4.25 Stars

Kate Burkholder is the sheriff in a rural Ohio county where a large portion of the population are Amish. In fact, Kate herself was raised there in an Amish family. She has first hand knowledge of the culture and why some people leave the faith as adults. This is the latest book in Linda Castillo's series featuring Kate, and begins with the discovery of a body by Amish children playing on their farm. The victim is a young Amish man that had gone away from the faith but was recently returning to it. Shortly after this discovery two more young victims are discovered, and time is of the essence to find the killer or killers and prevent more deaths. This series is one that I will always be excited to read, and this newest book did not disappoint!

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