In Paint Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder's biggest worry is loose cattle causing highway accidents. That changes in the blink of an eye when a series of brutal murders occurs. They are identical to the killings that rocked the small community 16 years ago. Kate performs a balancing act as she seeks the killer while attempting to hide her own damning secret involving the murders those many years ago. Kate breaks her silence and confers with her Amish brother about the events that took place that horrendous summer. The episode precipitated Kate leaving the Amish community.
The city council demands fast results and, behind Kate's back, calls in aid from a sheriff in an adjoining county and a man from the state criminal division, John Tomasetti. As the killer escalates in brutality, creating havoc in the small town, Kate stumbles and John learns her deepest secret. Carrying his own baggage, John is prepared to let Kate reveal the truth. Unfortunately, events spiral out of control leaving Kate exposed to the killer.
Linda Castillo gives a bone-chilling portrait of a sadistic serial killer. Her strong character development of the ex-Amish cop and a burnt-out law officer battling his own demons combined with the cold, windswept winter setting adds to the tension and is an omen of forthcoming conflicts. It is an excellent beginning for the new Kate Burkholder series.
Some secrets are too terrible to reveal . . .
Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve . . .
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.
No excerpt available.
© 2003-2026