"My name is Kate Burkholder and I'm the chief of police of Painters Mill, Ohio, a township of just over 5,300 souls, half of whom are Amish, including my own family. I left the fold when I was eighteen, not an easy feat when all I'd ever known was the plain life..."
In this latest Linda Castillo mystery, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder has been asked to help out on a case in upstate New York investigating the suspicious death of Rachel Esh, a 15-year-old Amish girl. But in order to do so, Kate must go undercover and join this isolated Amish community as a newly widowed Amish woman. Roaring Springs is a community that's led by Bishop Eli Schrock, a strict believer in rules and order and in keeping separate from the outside world. He also likes to keep a tight rein on the members of his community, which makes it that much more challenging for Kate to fit in there, not to mention being able to sort out the truth from all the rumors and secrets swirling about Rachel's death...and around Eli Schrock himself. It makes it a lot more dangerous for her, too.
Part of the appeal of this series for me is that it's set in Amish country, and every mystery revolves around the Amish in some way. They have such an interesting culture; I like novels that explore their way of life. I also like Kate Burkholder. She's a strong female character, with intelligence and heart, who tends to get a bit headstrong and stubborn when it comes to solving a case. And the mystery in Among the Wicked, which goes deeper than anyone suspects, pushes Kate to her limits. And it has an ending that I never came close to guessing. I found it unputdownable. It's nice to read a book as well-written and good as this one. I guess that's why this mystery series is one of my favorites.
Happy Reading!
Sounds intriguing. I like learning about different cultures and ways of life.
ReplyDeleteIt was the Amish connection that made me try this series in the first place. :)
DeleteI read one of the earlier books in this series. It's wonderful to hear that Castillo manages to keep you guessing, even after several books!
ReplyDeleteShe certainly did that with this one; I had several guesses about what was really going on, and I was very wrong. :)
DeleteI've seen several reviews of her books, but if its unputdownable, I'm interested! :)
ReplyDeleteI read this book in two days. Kate gets herself in such a tense situation that I just couldn't leave her there, so I had to keep reading. Plus, there was nothing on T.V. but election coverage and I was very sick of watching that! :)
DeleteThis sounds very interesting, with the mystery and the different culture and all. I'm glad you enjoyed this and of course it piques my curiosity of finding more about this book. :)
ReplyDeleteCastillo is a good author; and I really like her characters!
DeleteLove the Amish connection. Im not familiar with the author, but it sounds terrific.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed her mysteries, though they sometimes get a little dark.
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