I had ten glorious days in Galveston with my son and his wife and two grown children. Got back on Thursday, only to find one of my cats seriously ill. After several days of hospitalization and treatment, I had to make the tough decision to help her go over the Rainbow Bridge. Always such a tough thing, so needless to say I’m pretty bummed. No fun vacation recap today, which is what I had planned. Instead, I offer this book review. Maybe vacation pictures will come later.
Rage
Book 17 in the Kate Burkholder Series
By Linda Castillo
Police Procedural Mystery
ASIN : B0D4TCD6KM
Publisher : Minotaur Books (July 8, 2025)
Print length : 304 pages
In this gripping installment of the Edgar Award winning series, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a brutal double murder that takes her into the dark underbelly of society and exposes the dangers of Amish lives gone wrong.
*** Ready for Preorder Now ***
It’s always fun to join Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder on another challenging investigation deep in Amish country in Ohio. Kate and her team investigate the murders of two Amish men. The first is the dismembered body of young Samuel Eicher who had recently returned to the Amish ways and owned a successful landscaping business. When his best friend, Aaron Shetler is found dead, his body in a barrel that was dumped in a ravine, the investigation becomes more complicated.
As efforts to solve the “who” and “why” of the murders, information isn’t forthcoming from the Amish community, leading to frustration on the part of the officers. Kate has a strong suspicion that people are covering up important facts, and she uses her skills as an interviewer, as well as her understanding of the Amish ways, to slowly gain trust and discover the horrible truth..
There’s plenty of suspense and drama as Kate makes the connection between the two murders, and the ties the men had to criminals who deal in human trafficking. It’s a dangerous arena to step into, and Kate is well aware of that, but she is compelled to see this through. Her doggedness and determination are hallmarks of her character that stays consistent through the series, and she’s a person one would want on their side in times of need. Her kindness and compassion come through in this story as well as she deals with the grieving families, making her more than just a stereotypical tough cop.
The ongoing relationship with Tomasetti, who works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handled with tenderness and comes across as real, adding an interesting subplot, and scenes that are about love and not simply sex. Something I always appreciate in a mystery that has a thread of romance.
The book releases in July, just in time to be a perfect summer read.
Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder mystery series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Critically acclaimed as “the master of the genre” (People magazine), Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards including an Edgar Award, the Sue Grafton Memorial Award, a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for an Audie Award for best mystery audiobook, and an appearance on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel. Her books have sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide.
In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives in Texas with her husband and a menagerie of animals, and is currently at work on her next book.
