Sworn to Silence & Pray for Silence - Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder #1)(Goodreads) - In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.

 

Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. 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 do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past—and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.

 

MY REVIEW - I really love the writing in this book. It's incredibly fast paced, interesting, and a bit scary. The subject matter is absolutely fantastic.

 

Kate Burkholder is The Police Chief in a town called Painters Mills in Ohio. The town is mostly made up of The Amish and English. Kate grew up Amish, but gave it up after an incident happened to her when she was a teenager. She left the town, but eventually she came back and is now the Police Chief. I was concerned because she seems to be a rather young and inexperienced in the chief department. I can see how it could be possible since the town is so small and the worse that usually happens is some cows get out and get in the road. However Kate ability is about to be tested in a way that she never thought would happen.

 

I have to agree with the town council when they claimed that Kate was mishandling the case. She was mishandling it and in a way I think she screwed up big time. She was so desperate to keep a secret buried that she chose to not have any outside agencies help with the murder case.

 

This is one character who could defiantly learn from her past mistakes. This huge character flaw is what I think makes the book and lets it play out so perfectly.

 

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Pray for Silence (Kate Burkholder #2) ( Goodreads ) - New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo delivers an electrifying thriller in which Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must confront a dark evil to solve the mysterious murders of an entire Amish family.

 

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.

 

State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.

 

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? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? 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.

 

Topping her own bestselling debut, Linda Castillo once again immerses us in the world of the Amish with a chilling story that is both a fast-paced thriller and intriguing psychological puzzle

 

MY REVIEW - In the back of the book is a photograph of the author, Linda Castillo. She is such a beautiful lady that I find it hard to believe that her mind is what created this book..lol. When they say looks can be deceiving they were not kidding.

 

Once again Painters Mills is the scene of another gristly murder. I'm not sure if I would call this just a murder. It seemed to be more of a very gruesome slaughter of an entire Amish Family. Even I cringed when the scene was described. Kate Burkholder, the chief of police here, is once again hip deep in mystery that brings up the terrible incident she suffered in her childhood. She begins to draw parallels between herself as a teen and one of the murder victims.

 

Kate is once again carrying way too much baggage to be as useful as she should be. It's a good thing she has the help she is getting or else I believe this woman would thoroughly screw up her police career.

 

Kate's character flaws is why I gave the first book 5 stars. It was a way to start introducing the character into the series. Usually when we make a mistake and let down people we try and learn from our mistakes and not to repeat them. If you can't grow as a person then you become dull and just annoying. Kate does not seem to be working on her flaws in this book. In fact she seems to be making worse mistakes. At this rate the woman will be dead by book three.

 

I am looking forward to the 3rd book which I hold in my hands right now. I am hoping to see her grow and learn in this next book or else book three will just be redundant

 

 

Done