AN EVIL HEART

5 stars out of 5

Holmes County, Ohio, has highest concentration of Amish in the world, and the largest in the Buckeye State, according to several reputable sources. Heading northeast a bit, Geauga County boasts Ohio's second largest settlement. By way of more than a nodding acquaintance in proximity to both, I was attracted to this series, which is set in Holmes County. But that was just at the outset; it's the stories that keep bringing me back for more (this is the 15th installment). For those who care about such things, I'll say that it's more graphic than the others I've read, but to me, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Kate Burkholder, who grew up Amish but officially left the fold nearly two decades ago, is the police chief in Painters Mill in Holmes County. As this story begins, she's about to be married to the guy she's been living with for a couple of years, FBI agent John Tomesetti, with the wedding held at her brother and sister-in-law's home in mostly Amish fashion. But not long before that happens, a 20-year-old Amish man is found dead along a rural roadside - shot twice with a crossbow. There's no acceptable version of murder, of course, but this was a particularly gruesome way to go. 

The death of Aden Karn is even more surprising in that he had a steady girlfriend everyone (including her) thought he'd marry, a job and an almost stellar reputation as one of the good guys. Why, then, would anyone want to kill him? Is this just a random act by a madman (or woman) who's out for no reason other than wanting to kill someone? It's a puzzlement, or at least until the investigation starts getting legs of its own; Aden, it seems, may not have been the quintessential Amish lad. Gradually, new facts emerge - some of them quite disturbing - to reveal a far more sinister side that may have sparked a motive. But getting to the whole truth also may have sparked a killer's desperate need to bring the investigation to a halt, thereby putting Kate in mortal danger.

All told, it's another intriguing and entertaining adventure that's well worth reading. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo (Minotaur Books, July 2023); 320 pp.