My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
OUTSIDER (Kate Burkholder Book #12) by Linda Castillo is another gripping and intricately plotted suspense/mystery police procedural featuring small town Chief of Police Kate Burkholder in Painters Mill, Ohio. I love curling up on the couch with each book in the series because I know I will get a great smalltown police procedural while also learning something new and interesting about the Anabaptist Amish life in Ohio.
Widower Adam Lengacher is out on a sleigh ride with his children on a snowy afternoon. They discover a pickup truck stuck in a snow drift off the road. When Adam looks inside for anyone who is hurt, the cab is empty, but there is blood on the seat. Further down the road they find a women curled up and almost frozen. Adam calls Katie and tells her what he has found and asks for her help.
Katie is shocked when she arrives at Adam’s farm to find Gina Colorosa, who befriended her when she moved to Columbus after leaving Painters Mill. Katie has fond memories of Gina, but also bad. When they became police officers together everything was fun and exciting, but Gina soon began to work with other officers and detectives on the vice squad that there are serious rumors being whispered about. Now she is in Adam’s home with a gunshot wound, a story of running for her life from corrupt fellow cops in Columbus, and a blizzard raging outside. Kate wants to believe her, but she knows Gina is not telling her everything.
With Tomasetti’s help, Kate attempts to find the truth as she and Gina stay with Adam and his children on their farm, but two determined detectives want to make sure Gina can never talk.
Ms. Castillo’s storytelling completely engaged me in the personal conflict between what Kate feels she owes her old friend, what she knows Gina did wrong in her past, and what she can believe of what Gina is telling her now. Besides all this personal tension in the story, you have Kate worrying if Gina is bringing danger to Adam and his children. While Tomasetti does the investigating away from the farm, there are still surprises and twists brought into the story just with their conversations trading information. When the dirty cops arrive, it is edge-of-your-seat action time and the surprises that happen very close together have Kate reevaluating her life and relationships.
I highly recommend this addition to the series! I am never disappointed when I pull out a Kate Burkholder book to read.
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About the Author
Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder 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. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award, and an appearance on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel. In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next book.
Social Media Links
Website: https://www.lindacastillo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindacastilloauthor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/outsider-by-linda-castillo
