New York Times bestselling author
LINDA CASTILLO
BIO KATE BURKHOLDER
MYSTERY SERIES
NEWS AND
 EVENTS
PHOTO
 GALLERY
ROMANTIC
SUSPENSE
AN AMISH
MURDER MOVIE
CONTACT


PRINTABLE BOOK LIST

"A series of literary weight, Castillo’s work appeals to connoisseurs of crime fiction who expect powerful purpose as well as serious storytelling." –Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star 

 
Read an Excerpt
An Evil Heart

AN EVIL HEART has been nominated for the 2024 Sue Grafton Memorial Award!

"Skillful storytelling... An Evil Heart proves this is a series that continues to soar."—Oline Cogdill, Shelf Awarness, starred review

“Characters you care about and a cleareyed look at their unique culture make this series the best of the Amish bunch.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Castillo’s punchy prose and well-developed characters keep the pages turning... Series fans will be eager for the next entry."—Publishers Weekly


On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a disturbing call. An Amish man has been killed with a crossbow and abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was only twenty years old. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

From an upstanding Amish family, Karn was well liked and looking forward to getting married. But as Kate delves into his past, she hears whispers about a darker side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach, Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance. All the while, her own wedding to Tomasetti draws near…

The case spirals out of control when an Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the truth is uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the wrong places.
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Hallowed Ground 

HALLOWED GROUND has been nominated for the 2024 Edgar Award for Best Short Story!

 

A troubling discovery leads Chief of Police Kate Burkholder on a strange investigation ending at a long-abandoned Amish farm in this short mystery from bestselling author Linda Castillo.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere ebooks are sold.

When a family dog brings home a human bone, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself on a desperate search for answers. Where did the bone come from? Who does it belong to? And perhaps most importantly, are the bones a result of foul play? The unsettling questions garner uneasiness, macabre theories, and ghost stories among the residents of Painters Mill. Determined to solve the mystery, Kate and Tomasetti embark on an investigation that takes them to an abandoned Amish farm—and secrets buried on hallowed ground.

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“With great suspense, well-drawn characters and a totally unexpected ending, The Hidden One is a standout installment in a rightfully beloved series.” –Bookpage (starred)

“From the start of this superb series, Castillo has mastered the fundamentals of fiction—plot, characters and setting—that combine for emotional and intellectual power. She does so again in The Hidden One as she addresses the pull of the past, the strain of the present and the gift of the future.” –Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star


Over a decade ago, beloved Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus vanished. The mystery has haunted his small Pennsylvania community for years. When skeletal remains are unearthed, his disappearance becomes even more sinister.

Unhappy with the local investigation, Amish elders ask chief of police Kate Burkholder for help. Kate quickly realizes she has a very personal connection to the crime. The Amish man who stands accused of murder was Kate’s first love. Forced to confront a painful episode from her past, Kate travels to Pennsylvania’s KishacoquillaValley, an isolated area where the Amish culture differs dramatically from the traditions to which she was born. Stoltzfus was charismatic and respected, but Kate soon hears he had a dark side, too.

Someone doesn’t want her asking questions, but Kate refuses to back down. Is she too close to the case—and to Jonas—to see clearly? There’s a killer in the Valley who will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Will they get to Kate before she can expose the truth? Or will the bishop's secrets remain hidden forever?
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“While readers wait for the 14th book in Linda Castillo’s series about a small Holmes County town, Blood Moon, an e-story, will satisfy.”—Barbara McIntyre, Akron Beacon Journal

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder confronts a mysterious beast terrorizing the residents of Painters Mill in this new original short mystery.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere e-books are sold.

On a foggy spring night, an Amish man crashes his buggy after a large, unidentified animal spooks his horse. Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the man shaken and bleeding, claiming he was attacked by a large beast. But his description of the creature sounds like something straight out of the Amish folklore from Kate’s childhood. Throughout the night, more incidents of an aggressive animal on the loose are reported, putting the citizens of Painters Mill on edge. There’s a monster menacing the countryside, and Kate must follow its tracks into the dark woods along Painters Creek before violence tips over into tragedy.

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Read an ExcerptFallen
"Exhilarating...Castillo adds surprising twists to the gripping plot and touches upon police brutality and Amish discrimination. This sterling entry
can be easily read as a standalone.” –Publishers Weekly (starred)

“An absolute cracker of a book.” –Booklist (starred)


When a young woman is found murdered in a Painters Mill motel, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is shocked to discover she once knew the
victim. Rachael Schwartz was a charming but troubled Amish girl who left the fold years ago and fled Painters Mill. Why did she come back?
And who killed her so brutally?

As a child, Rachael was a rulebreaker whose decision to leave devastated her parents and best friend. As an adult, she was charismatic and
beautiful, a rabble-rouser with a keen eye for opportunity no matter who got in her way. Her no-holds-barred lifestyle earned her a lot of love and
enemies aplenty—both English and Amish.  

As the case heats to a fever pitch and long-buried secrets resurface, a killer haunts Painters Mill. Someone doesn’t want Rachael’s past—or the
mysteries she took with her to the grave—coming to light. As Kate digs deeper, violence strikes again, this time hitting close to home. Will Kate
uncover the truth and bring a murderer to justice? Or will a killer bent on protecting a terrible past stop her once and for all—and let the fallen be
forgotten? 
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A short mystery in which formerly Amish Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must race against the clock to find a missing toddler before tragedy
strikes.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere e-books are sold.

"Narrator Kathleen McInerney quickly pulls listeners into the frightening mystery...Her emotionally balanced portrayal of Burkholder is believable
and makes listeners feel like they are solving the mystery right alongside her." -- AudioFile Magazine


As a violent thunderstorm rages in Painters Mill, Kate Burkholder receives a call from a frantic young Amish woman: her two-year-old son is
missing. Kate and her officers brave the downpour to search for the toddler, fearing he may have been swept away in the rising creek waters.
But an explosive family secret leads Kate to believe this disappearance may be more complicated than anyone is letting on. Can she find the
boy and uncover the truth before darkness falls?
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A Simple Murder

A collection of six Kate Burkholder short mysteries in print for the first time.  These stories were originally available only in e-book format. 

While on vacation with her partner John Tomasetti in LONG LOST, Kate discovers that the old house where they're staying is haunted by a
girl who disappeared decades before...

An abandoned baby is discovered on the Amish bishop's front porch in A HIDDEN SECRET, and Kate is called in to investigate.

SEEDS OF DECEPTION unearths the secrets of Kate Burkholder's own Amish past—and lays the groundwork for her future career in law
enforcement.

In the midst of a power outage in Painters Mill, a teenage girl is attacked at an Amish party in ONLY THE LUCKY.

IN DARK COMPANY is the story of an injured woman with amnesia who seeks Kate's help in trying to remember her attacker’s identity...and
her own.

IN PLAIN SIGHT leads Kate to what she believes is a straightforward hit-and-run accident—but she soon uncovers a story of teenage passion
that may have led to attempted murder.
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Read an ExcerptOutsider 

“Bestseller Castillo’s suspenseful 12th Kate Burkholder mystery…Castillo presents a loving, realistic portrait of Amish life. Readers will hope
Kate has a long career.” —Publishers Weekly

"A pulse-pounding Amish thriller (really!) that’s all too relevant to our time.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“[A] fast-paced, suspense-building ride, showing the character development and sensitivity to the Amish culture that mark Castillo’s masterful
crime fiction.” –Booklist (starred)


Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s past comes back to haunt her when a former friend shows up in Painters Mill in the middle of a blizzard,
desperate for help. Ten years ago, Kate and Gina were best friends at the police academy, rookie cops together—but time has changed them
both. Now Gina is in serious trouble and on the run for her life, and the only person she trusts is Kate. But can Kate trust her?

With whisperings of corruption and the threat of rogue cops seeking revenge, Kate and Gina hunker down at an Amish farm. But as a blizzard
bears down, a killer lies in wait. When violence strikes, Kate must confront a reality that changes everything she thought she knew not only
about friendship, but the institution to which she's devoted her life.
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The Pact

 

A short mystery in which a terrifying disappearance in Amish country reveals the power of friendship.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere
e-books are sold.

“The story is as intense as any involving missing children, compounded by the blizzard and the possibility of foul play.”—Barbara McIntyre,
the Beacon Journal

 

Three days before Thanksgiving, two boys disappear without a trace. Eleven-year-old Aaron Kuhns is Amish. Kevin Dennison is twelve and
“English.” They’re adventurers, explorers, and inseparable best friends. When they don’t return home from what was supposed to be a fun
afternoon of fishing, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must find the missing boys before the first winter storm of the season bears down on
Painters Mill.
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Read an ExcerptShamed

“The intelligent, insightful Kate continues to be an appealing character, and Castillo delivers new sides to her persona with each outing. “Shamed”
is an outstanding addition to this solid series.—Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Electrifying...a morally complex tale.” ―Publishers Weekly

"...readers looking for a fierce-female-fronted procedural should check out Castillo’s best-selling series, from the get-go.” ―Booklist

 

An Amish grandmother is murdered on an abandoned farm, her seven year old granddaughter abducted. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder plunges
headlong into a case that quickly becomes a race against time. The family of the missing girl is well thought of, but Kate soon learns they're
keeping secrets...

The investigation takes Kate to an isolated Old Order Amish settlement in southern Ohio. At first, the community seems upstanding. But when
Kate starts asking questions, they stonewall her--and the situation turns dangerous. What are they hiding and why?

After an attempt on her life, Kate unearths a haunting secret that changes everything she thought she knew about the family for whom she is
fighting and the Amish community as a whole. Will she reach the girl in time to save her life?

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In Plain Sight

 

 

A short mystery about star-crossed love--and murder--in Amish country.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere e-books are sold.

Seventeen year old Amish boy, Noah Kline, is struck by a car as he walks alongside a dark country road late one night in Painters
Mill.   Seriously injured, he lapses into a coma.  Initially, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder believes it's a straightforward hit and run, a
driver that panicked and fled.  But evidence soon emerges that the incident wasn't accidental at all--and Kate uncovers a story of
teenage passion and jealousy that may have led to attempted murder.
   
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Read an ExcerptA Gathering of Secrets

Audie Award Finalist

“An atmospheric thriller about fear, revenge, and the dark side of Amish life, A Gathering of Secrets is the latest reminder that Linda Castillo is
a true master of suspenseful police procedurals.”--Bustle

"Magnetic."--People magazine


When a histstoric barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like
an accident, but when the body of eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside--burned alive--Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Kate doubles down only to discover a plethora of secrets and a chilling series of crimes that shatters everything she thought she knew about her Amish roots--and herself.

As Kate wades through a sea of suspects, she's confronted by her own violent past and an unthinkable possibility.

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In Dark Company

 

A short mystery about an injured young woman with amnesia who seeks Chief of Police Kate Burkholder's help to remember her identity--and
her attacker.  On sale now for $1.99 everywhere e-books are sold.

It's the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered
and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can't remember her name or where she's from, but she knows one thing: someone
was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that "Jane Doe" remembers more than she's letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate's watch,
Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane's memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover
what Jane was running from--and who is still pursuing her.

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Read an ExcerptDown a Dark Road

An instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller!

"Castillo weaves the particularities of the Amish mindset into a complex mystery that will leave you crying with pity or seething with rage.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

 

Two years ago, Joseph King was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to life in prison. He was a "fallen" Amish man and, according to local
law enforcement, a known drug user with a violent temper. Now, King has escaped, and he's headed to Painters Mill.

News of a murderer on the loose travels like wildfire, putting Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her team of officers on edge. A nightmare scenario becomes reality when King shows up with a gun and takes his five children hostage at their Amish uncle's farm.

Fearing for the safety of the children, Kate leaps into action, but her frantic search for a killer leads her into an ambush. When King releases her
unharmed, asking her to prove his innocence, she begins to wonder whether the police are hiding something, and she embarks on her own investigation to discover the truth.

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Only the Lucky

 

Bucolic Painters Mill is plunged into darkness in this Kate Burkholder short mystery available for $1.99 everywhere e-books are sold.

It's Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and rumors of an Amish "rager"--a huge outdoor party rife with underage drinking--puts Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her small department on edge. To make matters worse, Painters Mill is in the midst of a county-wide power outage. At the height of the rager, a teenage Amish girl is attacked with a hammer and left for dead. Kate is called to the scene--an abandoned farm teeming with loud music and rowdy behavior--to find the girl unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. With the girl in a coma and an unknown attacker on the loose, Kate must discover who would want to hurt her, and why, before it's too late.

 

 

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Read an ExcerptAmong the Wicked

"Castillo builds suspense brilliantly, using both the snowbound setting and the difficulty of working as an undercover Amish woman to great advantage."--Booklist

“Razor-sharp. . .compelling. . .exquisite.”—Criminal Element


Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by local law enforcement in rural, upstate New York to assist on a developing situation that involves a reclusive Amish settlement and the death of a young girl. Unable to penetrate the wall of silence between the Amish and "English" communities, the sheriff asks Kate to travel to New York, pose as an Amish woman, and infiltrate the community.

Kate's longtime love interest, State Agent John Tomasetti, is dead set against her taking on such an unorthodox assignment, knowing she'll have limited communication—and even less in the way of backup. But Kate can't turn her back, especially when the rumor mill boils with disturbing accounts of children in danger. She travels to New York where she's briefed and assumes her new identity as a lone widow seeking a new life.

Kate infiltrates the community and goes deep undercover. In the coming days, she unearths a world built on secrets, a series of shocking crimes, and finds herself alone . . . and trapped in a fight for her life.

 
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Seeds of Deception


Kate Burkholder short mystery available for .99 cents everywhere ebooks are sold.

It's autumn in Painter's Mill, and fourteen year old Katie Burkholder has been tasked with picking apples in Zimmerman’s Orchard with her brother. It’s just another day filled with chores—until her best friend Mattie arrives to help. Somehow, boredom transforms into fun and games whenever the girls are together. The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and his gang of friends interrupts. Katie is no prude, but she knows better than to associate with the older English boys, especially since they’re known troublemakers. Mattie has no such compunction. Thumbing her nose at the Ordnung and all of the Amish rules, she disappears into the old barn with Billy.

Moments later, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects Billy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation—and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?

 
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Read an ExcerptAfter the Storm
"Series fans as well as first-time readers will be enthralled by this compelling and atmospheric mystery set in the heart of Amish country."--Library Journal

“Remarkable. . . hidden family secrets and unlikely murderers turn the serene landscape into fertile ground for this chilling tale.”—Publishers Weekly


When a tornado tears through Painters Mill and unearths human remains, Kate Burkholder finds herself tasked with the responsibility of identifying the bones. Evidence quickly emerges that the death was no accident and Kate finds herself plunged into a thirty year old case that takes her deep into the Amish community to which she once belonged.

Meanwhile, turmoil of an emotional and personal nature strikes at the very heart of Kate’s budding relationship with state agent John Tomasetti. A reality that strains their fragile new love to the breaking point and threatens the refuge they’ve built for themselves—and their future.

Under siege from an unknown assailant—and her own personal demons—Kate digs deep into the case only to discover proof of an unimaginable atrocity, a plethora of family secrets and the lengths to which people will go to protect their own.
 
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A Hidden Secret

 

 

Kate Burkholder short mystery available for .99 cents everywhere ebooks are sold.

When a baby-only hours old-is discovered on the Amish bishop's front porch in Painter's Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish.

The little girl seems healthy and whole; but who would abandon her and why? Though the quilt and rattle could be purchased, Kate suspects the mother is Amish, possibly young and unmarried, both of which would be powerful motives for such a desperate act. With the rattle and the baby quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and "English" communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.
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Read an ExcerptThe Dead Will Tell

A Boston Globe Best Books of 2014

“Murder in Amish country has a certain added frisson, and Castillo’s the master of the genre.”--People


Everyone in Painters Mill knows the old Hochstetler farm is haunted. Ghost stories abound, but no one knows what really happened that terrible night thirty-five years ago when an Amish father and his four children perished--and his young wife disappeared.

When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of an apparent suicide--a man found hanging from the rafters in his barn--evidence quickly points to murder, and she finds herself following an elusive trail that points back to the tragedy of that long-ago incident. Meanwhile, Kate has moved in with state agent John Tomasetti and for the first time in a long time, she's happy. Their newfound bliss is shattered when one of the men responsible for the murders of Tomasetti's family four years ago is found not guilty and walks away a free man.

When a second man turns up dead, Kate discovers a link that sends the investgation in a direction no one could imagine and uncovers a horrifying truth that reaches deep into the past and strikes at the very heart of Painters Mill.  As Kate draws a bead on a stone cold killer, a murderer vows to right old wrongs and kill anyone who stands in the way.
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Long Lost


Kate Burkholder short story available for .99 cents everywhere ebooks are sold.

It’s autumn in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti are taking a much-needed vacation at a small bed and breakfast an hour outside of town. After closing a difficult case, they’re looking forward to some down time, but their relaxation is cut short by rumors that the old house where they’re staying is haunted by a girl who disappeared twenty years earlier, leaving nothing behind but some bloody clothes by the river and rumors of a volatile relationship. Swept up in the girl’s story, and a need for justice, Kate and John begin looking into the mysterious disappearance of Angela Blaine. They discover long-buried secrets—and unravel a mystery with an unexpected outcome.
 
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Her Last Breath

“A stunner . . . Castillo once again displayes her mastery of edge-of-your-seat suspense.”—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

"This compelling mystery combines increasing nuance and complexity with heart-stopping action.”--Booklist (starred review)


A rainy night, an Amish father returning home with his three children, a speeding car hurtling toward them out of nowhere . . .

What at first appears to be a tragic, but routine accident becomes personal for Chief of Police Kate Burkholder when she discovers that the victims are the husband and children of her childhood friend, Mattie. As Kate delves into the case, she comes face to face with her Amish past and memories of growing up with Mattie. The investigation takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash was accidental.

Desperate for answers, Kate begins to suspect she's not looking for a reckless drunk who fled the scene of a brutal hit and run, but instead she finds herself on the trail of a stone cold killer living amid the residents of Painters Mill. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born.
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Read an ExcerptGone Missing
“Exciting . . . Castillo ratchets up the tension nicely before the disconcerting ending.”—Publisher’s Weekly

"...fast-paced thrill ride through the always fascinating Amish country of Ohio..."--Library Journal


Rumspringa is the time when Amish teens are allowed to experience life without the rules. It’s an exciting time of personal discovery and growth before committing to the church. But when a young teen disappears without a trace, the carefree fun comes to an abrupt and sinister end, and fear spreads through the community like a contagion.

A missing child is a nightmare to all parents, and never more so than in the Amish community, where family ties run deep. When the search for a presumed runaway turns up a dead body, the case quickly becomes a murder investigation. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder knows that in order to solve this case she will have to call upon everything she has to give not only as a cop, but as a woman whose own Amish roots run deep.

Kate and state agent, John Tomasetti, delve into the lives of the missing teens and discover links to cold cases that go back years.Will Kate piece together all the parts of this sinister puzzle in time to save the missing teen from a devastating fate?
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Read an ExcerptBreaking Silence
“Exceptionally well-drawn characters and a gripping plot that takes some shocking turns to a heart-pounding conclusion . . . Another winner.”—Booklist (starred review)

“…a stupendous series . . . Written at a thrilling pace, with haunting images, Breaking Silence is a novel worth staying up all night to reach the end.” —New York Journal of Books



The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous and hardworking, with four children and a happy extended family. When the parents and an uncle are found dead in their barn, it appears to be a gruesome accident: methane gas asphyxiation caused by a poorly ventilated cesspit. But in the course of a routine autopsy, the coroner discovers that one of the victims suffered a head wound before death, indicating foul play. But who would want to make orphans of the Slabaugh’s children? And is this murder somehow related to a recent string of shocking hate crimes against the Amish?

Having grown up Amish, Kate is determined to bring the killer to justice. Because the other series of attacks are designated hate crimes, the state sends in agent John Tomasetti, with whom Kate has a long and complex relationship. Together, they search for the link between the crimes—and uncover a dark secret at work beneath the placid surface of this idyllic Amish community.
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Read an ExcerptPray for Silence

 
“Shades of In Cold Blood . . . Another chilling thriller.”—People magazine

"Violent and earthy, and completely impossible to put down."--BookPage

 

The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.

When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.
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Read an ExcerptSworn to Silence
“Lovers of suspense will find no better novel to read this summer than Sworn to Silence, a teeth-chattering debut thriller…”—USA Today

“Sworn to Silence is the opening salvo in what promises to be a gripping series.”--People magazine


Sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community of Painters Mill, Ohio. A young Amish girl, Katie Burkholder, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence, and for Katie, the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.

Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate Burkholder is back. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate for Chief of Police. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past—until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to name him, she would betray both her family and her Amish past—and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.
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