Wednesday, July 12, 2023

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo

 An Evil Heart
Book Summary

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal death of a young Amish man in An Evil Heart, the latest installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...
But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.
My Thoughts

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo takes us back to Painter’s Mill, Ohio days before the wedding of Kate Burkholder and her fiancé, John Tomasetti.  An Evil Heart is the fifteenth A Kate Burkholder Novel.  While it can be read as a standalone, I do recommend reading the series in order.  It allows readers to get to know Kate and see how her relationship with John came about.  Each book in the series builds upon the previous one. I thought An Evil Heart was well-written with realistic, developed characters.  Kate Burkholder is a strong, smart woman.  Her background (being raised Amish but she is now Englisch) helps her when it comes to cases she handles.  John Tomasetti works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.  He is a good partner for Kate.  He understands her long hours and her devotion to her job.  The pair work well together when John joins Kate on a case.   

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s latest case is a gruesome one.  Amishman Aden Karn was killed on his way to meet his ride to work.  Kate delves into the case.  Kate questions Karn’s family, friends, girlfriend, roommate, and coworkers.  She wants to get to know the victim and discover what could have led to the victim’s demise.  Kate works to piece together the clues and then narrows in on the guilty party.  Kate is methodical in her investigation.  She is a hard worker.  Kate has a good team to assist her.  The mystery can be solved early in the story.  The why takes longer to uncover.  The reveal scene was action packed and full of suspense which had me quickly flipping the pages.  There are graphic details that could disturb some readers and trigger others.  The story also contains foul language.  Kate and John’s wedding day is special.  

The planning is emotional for Kate.  She grew up Amish and dreamed of an Amish wedding.  But now she is English.  Kate wants to find a way to merge the two cultures.  Kate is also working on her relationship with her family.  The wedding can, hopefully, bring the Burkholder clan closer.   The author beautifully blends the whodunit and Kate’s life into one engaging story.  I especially enjoyed the ending.  An Evil Heart is a suspenseful story with a macabre murder, wedding worries, dubious acquaintances, an unusual weapon, a curious clue, and a cruel killer.  

An Evil Heart is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Kate Burkholder Novels here.  If you follow Linda Castillo on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return tomorrow with A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert.  It is the first A Hunter and Clewe Mystery.  On July 17, Pine Creek Matchmaker by Amity Hope comes out.  It is the third Pine Creek Amish series. I hope that you have an energizing day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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