Review: The Hidden One: A Novel of Suspense by Linda Castillo

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is enjoying a quiet Saturday in Painters Mill as The Hidden One: A Novel of Suspense by Linda Castillo begins. Off duty and out of uniform, she is in town to pick up a birdhouse for her significant other, John Tomasetti. His birthday is next week and she plans to give the handcrafted birdhouse to him as a gift.

She soon is requested by dispatch to come to the office as three men are there and want to see her as soon as possible. The Amish men have come from Pennsylvania and have serious business. So much for getting the bird house picked up now.

Chief Burkholder goes to the office and meets with Bishop Nelson Yoder, Deacon Nathan Kempf, and a minster by the name of Mahlon Barkman. They are the elected officials of the church district in “The Kish Valley” in Central Pennsylvania. They bring word that Jonas Bowman has been arrested for the murder of Bishop Ananias Stolfzfus.

Eighteen years ago, Bishop Stolzfus vanished without a trace. Two months ago, while one of the members of the church was cutting hay pm his land, he found human remains. What was left of the person allowed the police to determine that it was Bishop Stolzfus. Found nearby was a muzzleloader that belonged to Jonas Bowman.

The local police believe that Jonas shot him and then buried the body and the gun. Jonas and the Bishop were clashing a lot over various issues in those days and young Jonas was known for his temper. The cops think it was an open and shut murder. Since Jonas admitted it was his gun and has no explanation for anything, including the identity of who might have taken it, the police have locked him up and pretty much quit investigating the case.

Long ago when she was a young teen, Chief Burkholder knew Jonas. They were friends and then a lot more. He as an important part of her life for several years. Then he and his family moved and she lost touch as she was going through her own tough times.

While the Bishop and Jonas had a nasty history, and Jonas hated the deceased for good reason, he swears he did not do it. The church elders have come to Chief Burkholder on his behalf as he has a wife and kids. They are sure Jonas did not do it. Since he won’t ask for help, they are asking on his behalf. They want her to come to Pennsylvania where she has no jurisdiction and investigate. 

As has happened before in this long running series, the past is going to play a major role in Burkholder’s action in the here and now. The arrest of Jonas Bowman stirs up a lot within her and she does not want to have to deal with it. However, she will, and goes to Pennsylvania and investigates because the past and the current murder charge has to be dealt with for all involved. Put simply, her motivation to go and see what she can do to clear him is that she owes him for what she did, and they did, so very long ago.

The Hidden One: A Novel of Suspense is another good one in the series. This reader likes it much better when she is working at home in Ohio and thus all the secondary characters are present and engaged. Instead, this time she is far from home and working an increasingly difficult and dangerous case without the people readers know and love involved.

Still, despite that fact, The Hidden One: A Novel of Suspense is a solidly good read and well worth your time.

 

My reading copy came by way of a digital ARC via NetGalley. The book is currently scheduled to be released on July 5^th.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2022