The death of a 15-year-old Amish girl and rumors of abuse in
an isolated Amish settlement near Roaring Springs, in rural,
upstate New York, have been brought to the attention of the
BCI and New York State Police. Needing an undercover officer
who knows the culture, religion and language to infiltrate
the settlement, they approach Painter's Mill, Ohio, Chief of
Police Kate Burkholder, the only cop who meets all the
criteria. Born Amish, but having left the life at 18, Kate
knows her religious roots make her the best person to gain
acceptance in the remote community. Of course, her lover,
State Agent John Tomasetti, strongly objects to this unusual
assignment, which has the potential to be very dangerous.
Nevertheless, Kate is determined to do what she can to
protect the innocents.
Freezing cold in the dead of winter, Kate presents herself
as a widow with no family seeking a new life, taking up
residence in Roaring Springs with the local sheriff as her
only backup. As she slides back into the Amish ways, Kate
realizes the past she left behind years ago is still a part
of her life. It does not take long for Kate to meet several
local women and come to the attention of the charismatic,
manipulative, self-ordained Bishop Eli Schrock, who rules
with a set of strict edicts for his followers. Her
clandestine investigation reveals the bishop's excessive
level of control through intimidation, assault, abuse,
alcohol and drugs. The situation is much worse than
authorities imagined when the undercover plan was
formulated. Even after things take a bad turn, Kate is
determined to finish the assignment. However, she
underestimates the enemy and finds herself fighting for her
life.
AMONG THE WICKED is the eighth installment in Linda
Castillo's remarkable Kate Burkholder thriller series,
one of the best I have ever read. I am always anxiously
anticipating the next exciting release. Castillo has
established a unique leading character with a complicated
background, given her a dangerous job in an unusual setting
among an Amish community, then cleverly devised a variety of
adrenaline-charged plots, while also providing
thought-provoking insights into the Amish culture. Need I
say more? Okay, I will! I love this thriller series by the
brilliantly talented Linda Castillo, and I recommend
it to everyone who loves reading first provoking insights
into the Amish culture along with lots of twists and turns.
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the s
sheriff's department in rural, upstate New York to assist o
on a developing situation that involves a reclusive Amish s
settlement and the death of a young girl. Unable to p
penetrate the wall of silence between the Amish a
and "English" communities, the sheriff asks Kate to travel t
to New York, pose as an Amish woman, and infiltrate the c
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 ev
even less in the way of backup. But Kate can't turn her ba
back, especially when the rumor mill boils with disturbing ac
accounts of children in danger. She travels to New York wh
where she's briefed and assumes her new identity as a lone wi
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.