Chief of Police Kate
Burkholder is looking forward to a quiet evening at home with her boyfriend,
Agent John Tomasetti of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The first
snow of the season for Painters Mill, Ohio, is falling so she well knows what
the morning will bring. But, for now, she is unusually anxious for her
shift
to be over so she can go home and relax. Unfortunately, that is not be.
Summoned back to the
station she finds Tomasetti as well as Deputy Superintendent Lawrence Bakes of
the BCI and Frank Betancourt, senior investigator with the BCI division of the
New York State Police waiting for her. Betancourt is the real reason everyone
has come to Painters Mill. They need Kate’s help because of her extensive
background growing up in the Amish community.
An Amish girl was
recently found dead up in St. Lawrence County in New York State. The deceased
was just a few miles from her home and died of hypothermia caused by exposure. The
fact that Rachel Esh was fifteen at the time of her death, had recently been
pregnant, and had traces of OxyContin in her system all raise very disturbing
questions. The local Amish already were not being very welcoming to outsiders
and had isolated themselves even more than normal. There have been some rumors
of “bad things” going on out there in the Amish community, but no specifics.
Bishop Schrock seems to have a very tight control over everyone and everything.
Isolated for whatever reason, the local Amish absolutely refuse to cooperate in
any way with the local police.
With over forty kids in
the area, one dead, and another that clearly suffered possible physical abuse,
as well as other issues, Betancourt and Bates want Kate Burkholder to go
undercover and infiltrate the Amish
community. They figure the undercover
operation will take a few days to a week or two and she should have some
answers. Her ability to speak Pennsylvania Dutch and her other skills having
been raised Amish are definite assets to the investigation.
To go undercover far
from home means that not only will she have to vanish from her current life in
Painters Mill, she will have to revert to Amish way of life as a child and
young teen and thereby revisiting some positive as well as painful memories.
She also will be at a considerable disadvantage due to the living conditions as
well as the fact that any backup will be at distance and quite possibly
unavailable. Kate agrees and soon is deep into a case that puts her at her
limits in every way possible.
Among The Wicked: A Kate Burkholder
Novel is the eighth novel
in the series that began with Sworn
To Silence and is another good read. Long time readers expecting
once again to spend time with the very familiar people of Painter’s Mill could
be very disappointed by this read. Often reflective on her past, Kate spends
the vast majority of the book undercover in upstate New York far from home. That
means the series regulars are not at all present for the vast majority of the
book. It may also bother some readers that, considering her own history as well
as her background in law enforcement, it takes Kate far too long to realize
what is going on is basic cult like behavior.
Despite those issues Among
the Wicked is a good read. The power of memory and tradition is a theme
throughout the novel as well as tolerance of others in their faith. Those
themes are expected in this series and are present once again in this read. The
mystery is complicated through certain aspects will be easy to figure out
for seasoned mystery readers and those that pay attention to the media beyond
political stunts and sound bites.
Among the Wicked: A Kate Burkholder Novel might not be the best
in the series to date, but it is still solidly good. With so much background
covered in this one regarding Kate’s Amish past, if you have interest in
reading the earlier books in the series it would be best to do so before
tackling this one.
Among The Wicked: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Linda Castillo
Minotaur
Books (St. Martin’s Press)
July 2016
ISBN#
978-1-250-06157-7
Hardback
(available in eBook and audio formats)
320 Pages
$26.99
The very
special Lesa Holstine graciously sent me her ARC copy so I could read and
review the book. Make sure you check out Lesa’s
review.
Kevin R.
Tipple ©2016
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