Among the Wicked: A Kate Burkholder Novel… | BooksForTroops library | TinyCat |

2024-04-29 3:25 am

Among the Wicked: A Kate Burkholder Novel (Kate Burkholder, 8)

by Linda Castillo

2017

Status

Available

Series

Kate Burkholder (8)

Genres

Collection

Standard Shelves

Publication

Minotaur Books (2017), 352 pages

Description

"Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the sheriff's department 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 long time 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 under cover. In the coming days, she unearths a world built on secrets, a series of shocking crimes, and herself, alone... trapped in a fight for her life"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member bookappeal

Just when you might think Linda Castillo would run out of ideas for creating trouble within the Amish community, she delivers a stunning situation with Chief Kate Burkholder right in the center. The death of a teenage girl gives new weight to the whispered rumors about an Amish community under the

leadership of a very strict bishop. Though it's out of her jurisdiction, Kate is the only cop who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch well enough to go undercover. Despite lover Tomasetti's objections, Burkholder agrees to pose as a plain widow and starts poking around for information. She stirs up more trouble (and memories) than expected and the pervasive cold and snow of an upstate New York winter aren't making the job any easier. A page-turning, atmospheric thriller and one of the best entries in the series.

LibraryThing member peggy.s

Kate Burkholder is the chief of police of a small city department in Ohio and is asked to go undercover in an Amish community in New York where a young girl has been murdered. She accepts the assignment because of her past (she was raised Amish) and because she cares about the fate of the children

in that community. When she arrives at the community, she soon finds out that there are more things to be investigated than just the death of the one girl. It seems that many of the residents are being abused by someone who has secrets to keep.
Although this book is the eighth in the Kate Burkholder series, it can be read as a standalone. It is the first one of the series that I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it; I will read the others in the series. I won the book through the GoodReads Giveaway program - which explains why I started with the eighth of a series!

LibraryThing member Beamis12

I have loved this series from the beginning, but in the last few years have been able to identify more personally. My son having moved into the heart of the Amish, in Goshen, Indiana. They have Amish neighbors on both sides of their houses, even have an Amish telephone booth on their property. Made

the acquaintance of these wonderful people, have tasted their food and their delicious homemade ice cream.

In this one Chief Katie Burkholder may have gotten over her head, when she is asked to go undercover in upstate New York, after a young Amish girl is found dead. Unable to get any information from the Amish community there, with their natural suspicion of the English, Kate poses as what she once was, an Amish woman. There she finds a Bishop who his people seem to admire and fear. Things are not as clear cut as they appear, as she soon finds out.

Suspenseful, many twists and turns, secrets, betrayals. Castillo has once again written a fantastic addition to this series, and looking. forward to many more to come.

ARC from NetGalley.

LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson

Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo is the eighth book A Kate Burkholder Novel series. Kate Burkholder is the chief of police in Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate lives with her significant other, John Tomasetti who is also a state agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations. John has two people

who would like to meet with Kate. Investigator Frank Betancourt and Deputy Superintendent Lawrence Bates from the BCI Division of the New York State Police. They need someone with Kate’s background and experience (in other words they want Kate) to help them with a case. There is a problem in an Amish community in Roaring Springs, New York. The problems started with the new bishop, Eli Schrock. A young Amish girl was found dead, but no one in the community will talk with the officers. The officers suspect children are also being harmed, but they cannot get anyone to talk or get evidence. They would like Kate to undercover into the community. Kate grew up Amish (knows how to dress, the routines, etc.) and speaks the language. She can join the community and find the answers they need. John does not want Kate to take the assignment since she will be alone (without backup). Kate cannot ignore people in danger and immediately starts making plans. Kate joins the Amish community as a widow who needs a change and a less progressive Amish group. Kate slowly makes friends and gathers information on what is happening in the Amish community of Roaring Springs. But what happens when Kate tries to get solid evidence? Will Kate make it back to Painters Mill and John alive? You will have to read Among the Wicked to find out!

Among the Wicked is the best book in A Kate Burkholder Novel series (in my opinion). There were so many twists and surprises as Kate delved deeper into the community. There were a couple of slow places, but I was hooked (and stayed up late to finish the book). I give Among the Wicked 4.5 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I thought Among the Wicked was well-written and easy to read. The reader is drawn into the story and hooked. Kate can be very determined and stubborn, but that is what makes her a good police officer. There is some extreme violence in the book (just a little warning). While Among the Wicked is the eighth book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. The author does a good job of letting the reader know the details about the characters (what has happened in the past novels). I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of Among the Wicked from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel. The opinions and comments expressed are strictly my own.

LibraryThing member DPLyle

Another great Kate Burkholder story. This time Kate must go under deep cover in an Amish splinter group that has deep, dark, and deadly secrets. The writing is, as usual, spot on, the story complex and page-turning, and the climax explosive and then some. One of the best in this outstanding

series.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly, Samantha Cody, and Dub Walker thriller series

LibraryThing member JJbooklvr

I have finally read a book in this series! I say that because for years now I have handed them out to library patrons who rave about them. I kept meaning to try one, but for some reason never seemed to get around to it. Well, I finally read one and now am mad at myself for waiting so long!

I was

worried about jumping in to the series so late, but was happy to find that the author threw in enough background so I did not feel lost. I was also happy that even with Amish people figuring in so strongly this was not a cozy or inspirational book. This is a full on murder thriller. Kate is a great character--flawed and vulnerable but also very strong. Good side characters along with plenty of twists and turns makes this a solid beach read. Now I have to make the difficult decision if I go back and read the rest of the series from the beginning.

A quick side note. Yesterday I got to meet the author and hear her talk at my library system. She is a great speaker! If she is ever in your area making an appearance it is well worth the effort to see her.

LibraryThing member bookswoman

I love the Kate Burkholder books, Kate is a smart and determined woman who throws herself into her job with all her head and heart. When asked to go undercover in upstate New York to find out what is happening in an Amish community, Kate agrees and puts herself back into the life she left when she

was 15, that of a female Amish, devoted to that lifestyle.

All the twists and turns of this story result in a couple of very close calls for Kate but she manages to break the case open and free true Amish from the people who are controlling them with fear.

Highly recommended.

LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag

In this book, Kate goes undercover in an new york state Amish community. She is investigating rumors of misconduct and crimes including the death of a young girl. It does not take long for her to realize that all is not well in the community. Could the bishop be using authority to browbeat his

flock into covering up crimes?

I really like this series. In this book the change of location was nice. And although I love Tomasetti, Kate's lover, it was nice not to see quite so much of him in this book. Change is good. I really love Kate, but she can be stubborn and take a lot of chances. Still can't help it, I love her. In this book she revisits her Amish roots and it gives her and the reader a bit more insight into her. I enjoyed that. Now another year to wait.

LibraryThing member Sharn

Another good book in the Burkholder series. In this book, Kate goes undercover as an Amish woman to find out what's going on in the Amish community of Roaring Springs, NY now that it's under suspicion after 15 yr old, Rachel Esh, is found frozen to death. Rumors are circling heavily and no one will

speak because everyone is afraid or paranoid. Kate originally goes undercover to make sure the children are safe but what she finds is way worse... of course it is. I highly recommend.

LibraryThing member CandyH

Another excellent Kate Burkolder mystery by Linda Castillo. I've read all of this series and Castillo does not disappoint the mystery lover.

LibraryThing member Harley0326

The author has done it again. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in one day. It was a powerful, intriguing, heart pounding non stop adrenaline rush. Kate Burkholder is a tough as nails Chief of Police. She gets a call to go undercover by the sheriff's department in a rural community in

New York. There is something strange going on in an Amish community and Kate is perfect for the undercover work. Her Amish upbringing will help her fit in nicely.

I loved Kate and her drive to find the truth. She is determined to find out why a young girl was found dead in the woods . The author does a great job of having Kate blend in to the community as a widow. I must say her living quarters were funny. Imagine an old trailer with pink as the main color, rickety floors, dated furniture and there you have Kate's new home as she lives in the new community. I immediately disliked The Bishop. His character was scary, forceful and very controlling. The author really played his character up as he becomes more sinister as the story unfolds. I would not like to run into him in a dark alley. His presence is overpowering and he seems to have a hold on the community much like a cult leader would.

Kate's boyfriend Agent John Tomasetti makes it clear that he is not happy that Kate is going undercover. I liked his protectiveness of Kate and was pleasantly surprised when he didn't make to much of a fuss when she decides to go undercover. The town Kate goes to is a typical Amish town but it seems that the town is lacking tourists. I did like the women who welcomed Kate to their sewing circle. They were very sweet and made Kate feel at ease. But Kate wonders why there are so many businesses closed? What has caused some of the community to fear The Bishop?

Get ready for a thriller that has lots of action, some violence and lots of surprises. This is one book that will keep you up late into the night as you furiously turn pages to read . It is a top notch edge of your seat mystery that will keep you guessing till the end. Can Kate trust anyone in the town? Will her life be in danger as she unravels the secrets buried deep within the community?

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

LibraryThing member Virginia51

I love this one as always. There were many twists and turns. This one was a little different from her other books in this series. I loved that she goes undercover as an Amish. I always look forward to reading more of these books.

LibraryThing member ReadingGrrl

I am a sucker for these books. I love every second of them. I have a fascination with the Amish culture and love Kate's mixed feelings about leaving the fold. This is a great book that shows how easy it is for devoted people to fall prey to charismatic leaders who may take advantage of them. This

is a story of how a bad apple can definitely spoil the bunch.

Fast paced, fun read.

LibraryThing member Olivermagnus

In the eighth book of the series, Police Chief Kate Burkholder is facing a challenging assignment. She's contacted by a sheriff from a rural, mostly Amish town of Roaring Springs, New York, after they discover the body of a fifteen year old girl, frozen and full of Oxycontin. Since Kate is the only

law enforcement officer who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch, she decides to go undercover as a recent widow in search of a new home. She's been away from her Amish childhood for many years but it doesn't take her too long to return to a past that holds a lot of memories for her.

Before long Kate has been welcomed by several of the local Amish women and meets the charismatic bishop, Eli Schrock, who runs a very strict church filled with harsh rules. She soon discovers that some of the bishop's flock are not what they seem to be. There's plenty of secrets and before long she finds herself in terrible trouble.

I really enjoyed this book and it's probably my favorite of the series. Kate is a tough woman and in this particular book, she makes friends with an Amish ladies quilting group. She's not much of a quilter and this added a lot of humor and charm to a tension filled mystery. She is alone a lot of the time and it was so fascinating to hear the story from her perspective. I think this was a great advance in the

LibraryThing member Twink

Among the Wicked is the eighth book in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series.

Kate is the Chief of Police in the town of Painters Mill, Ohio. The area also has a large Amish population. Kate was born into the Amish community, but chose to leave and live as an "Englischer" in her teens. She has an

understanding of both communities and it serves her invaluably in her work.

And it is that combination of skills and knowledge that has a police department from New York State asking for Kate's assistance. A young Amish girl has been found dead, the community isn't providing any answers and in fact seem quite frightened. Rumours abound about the new Bishop who seems to rule with a heavy hand. They want Kate to go in undercover - and she agrees.

It was interesting to see the Amish community through Kate's eyes this time as she lives among them, rather than outside of the community looking in. Castillo use lots of detail to bring the Amish settings, culture and language to life.

I really like Kate as a character - she's tough, loyal, kind and devoted to justice. But Castillo's latest plot will test Kate to the limits, physically and mentally. There's some really horrible stuff going on in the Roaring Springs community. The 'bad' guys immediately elicit strong feelings from the reader. Castillo's plot is on the dark side this time 'round - definitely in wicked territory. She ramps up the tension as the story unfolds, with Kate alone and in danger. And still, Kate won't give up......

Procedural details aren't overly employed, instead Castillo moves things along with deductions and action. I do wonder if these types of crimes happen in the Amish community? A quote from Kate: "The Amish have all the same weaknesses as the rest of us. Including the human capacity for violence."

Kate's personal life is a continuing storyline across the books. Her relationship with State Agent John Tomasetti is solid, but not without bumps. The interaction between the two comes across as real and believable.

Castillo's premise and use of the Amish community and their way of life in her books is interesting and different enough to separate it from other series. Among the Wicked was another engaging read from Castillo.

LibraryThing member Maydacat

When an Amish girl is found frozen to death in unusual circumstances, Kate Burkholder is sought out to pose as a young Amish widow wanting to join the old Amish order. Strange things are happening in this closed-off Amish community, along with some very unAmish-like activities. The Amish aren’t

talking, but disturbing things are being noticed. Persuading Kate to infiltrate the community puts her at risk, but it is one she feels compelled to take. Living alone in a trailer allows her to report her findings to her colleagues, but it also makes her a target. Secrets run deep, and even Kate has trouble believing what she is uncovering. But even as Kate ingrains herself into the community to root out the trouble, she finds herself being drawn back into the Amish life she left. Author Linda Castillo has done a masterful job of creating a thriller of a page-turner with a villain beyond belief who has corrupted others. A great plot peopled with the characters we’ve come to know and love, this is perhaps the best novel in a series that just keeps getting better and better.

LibraryThing member Cherylk

This is book eight in this series. I have yet to find a book in this series that I have been disappointed about. I really like the Amish aspect of this series. Then there is Kate. She is a strong female lead. She always bring something good to the table. I feel like I get to see another layer of

just who Kate is every time that she visits the Amish community. Although this is just part of the reason why I like these books. The other reason is because the storyline is complex. In the beginning I may not always have a clear picture of who is the prime suspect but when I do find out it is not again always in the middle of the story either. So I am glad to have this mystery kept for a while. Always a good ending. Just like the other books, this one is a quick read. I can not wait to read the next one.

LibraryThing member Carol420

Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo
Kate Burkholder series Book #8
4.5★'s

From The Book:
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the sheriff's department 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 long time 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 under cover. In the coming days, she unearths a world built on secrets, a series of shocking crimes, and herself, alone... trapped in a fight for her life.

My Thoughts:
The clues were staring us in the face the whole time and I didn't see them and start putting 2 and 2 together until the last 20 pages. Linda Castillo is a fantastic writer and presents Kate Burkholder as a capable, dedicated Chief of Police in the small Ohio hamlet of Painters Mill,...loyal to her small staff of officers but haunted at times by her strict religious past. In this book we again get to intermingle with the Amish and see what happens when the worlds of the "plain people" and the "Englishers" collide. The entire series is more than worth anyone's reading time and all the others have received a 5 star rating. The only reason that this one didn't was I wasn't especially happy with the ending that gave the reader no real explanation for the actions of the perpetrato

LibraryThing member lrobe190

Kate Burkholder is the chief of police of a small city department in Ohio and is asked to go undercover in an Amish community in New York where a young girl has been murdered. She accepts the assignment because of her past (she was raised Amish) and because she cares about the fate of the children

in that community. When she arrives at the community, she soon finds out that there are more things to be investigated than just the death of the one girl. It seems that many of the residents are being abused by someone who has secrets to keep. (Summary by peggy.s | Feb 13, 2017).

This is the 8th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I enjoy the series partly because I live in Ohio and enjoy the references to a part of the state. Kate Burkholder is a unique character because she was raised in the Amish Community and is now the police chief in that community. Very well-written characters, setting and plot lines.

LibraryThing member seitherin

A gritty cozy mystery involving the Amish in upstate New York.

LibraryThing member maggie1961

I’ve been on a bit of a Linda Castillo run this year and have enjoyed every minute of it. This is the 8th in the Kate Burkholder series that finds Kate going back to her roots and going undercover in an Amish community. One wouldn’t think that’d be a dangerous assignment but one would be

wrong. At times I did question Kate’s sanity as she found herself in some precarious situations, I think she must have used up most of her nine lives by now.
This series has the right amount for me; right amount of mystery, right amount of romance. I love reading of her and John’s relationship of two damaged souls finding each other and there still are enough surprises in this series to keep me guessing.
A 4 1/2 for me!

LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian

I love the Kate Burkholder series. Linda Castillo pens a thriller that is hard to put down. With a strong, smart, gutsy female lead, this book leads you on an investigation involving the Amish Community. Kate is the police chief in the little town of Painters Mill, Ohio. She was raised in an Amish

community but left the community to go to college and become a police officer. She speaks Pennsylvania Dutch so is able to speak and understand the Amish when they are involved in an investigation. She is out of her element in this story as she is asked to go undercover in an amish community in upstate New York. A young amish girl was found frozen to death, and the state police do not think it was an accident. She heads off and quickly begins to make inroads in the community. Someone notices her asking a lot of questions and they don't like it. Can she figure out what is going on with the Bishop before her cover is blown?

This mystery builds slowly until it hits its crescendo then moves quickly to the end. Kate puts herself in danger once again to solve the crime and take down the villian. She insists she is a cop and will be able to protect herself. When she realizes that there are other people involved in the cover up, she is worried that this might be her last investigation. Tomasetti (her live-in boyfriend) does not play much of a role in this book, but he is there to be her sounding board and for her to call when she needs contact with her real life. I never imagined the twists this story was going to take. Another great addition to the Kate Burkholder series. If you enjoy a good crime/mystery/thriller, pick this one up, although you may want to start at the beginning if you have not read any in this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via netgalley.

LibraryThing member caslater83

Surprisingly good!!

Linda Castillo is a new-to-me author. I came across this novel and was intrigued by the synopsis enough to read the book. So glad I read it!! Kate sounds like a good woman with a great background in Amish culture. I think it would be hard to leave the "old ways" and immerse

yourself in the English ways. But after reading this, I think returning to Amish life undercover must be even harder. The interaction between characters is well done and I never felt bored with it. I was pleasantly surprised to see who was involved besides Shrock. I hope to read more books by this author in the near future.

LibraryThing member kykim

Couldn’t put this down until finished, as Kate Burkholder went undercover. Fast paced action.

LibraryThing member cassie.peters1

Kate is great

I really enjoyed this book and like this entire series of books. Kate is a great character to follow along with in the series.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2016-07-12

Physical description

6.91 inches

ISBN

1250130247 / 9781250130242

Barcode

1603252

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