Review: The Burning: A Novel by Linda Castillo

I usually do not run reviews on Sunday. But recent health issues including, several falls over the last couple of weeks, as well as a just diagnosed left ear infection of both the drum as well as the ear canal, threw me off. I can assure everyone that the planet’s gravity still works, nothing broke as I just have assorted bumps and bruises, and I am on both a pill antibiotic and drops in the ear deal so one hopes one is on the mend. I am also back doing news posts for SMFS so the fat man is playing catchup as best as he can. This came out back on Tuesday so I am a few days late with my spoiler free review.

 

The latest in the series, The Burning: A Novel by Linda Castillo, finds Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti two months into their marriage. The newlyweds are blissfully happy. Especially Kate Burkholder as life is pretty good these days.

 

It wasn’t for Milan Swanz. Especially his last few minutes as he was, basically, burned alive at the stake. It is a 2:47 am wakeup call for Painters Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder like no other and a horrific crime scene. A scene that gets into your mind and body in more ways than one.

 

As her and her team dig for answers, it is clear that Milan Swanz was a deeply flawed human being. One that the Amish tried to handle internally. He was disciplined repeatedly and finally recently excommunicated. His situation may have been permanently solved as somebody seems to be a following a book from long ago in the Ana Baptist culture.

 

What follows is a complicated and twisted novel that puts Kate pretty much against everybody else in her search for the truth. Along the way, we find out a little more about Kate’s history and just how important family is to her.

 

Strongly recommended, as is the entire series.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3S5nN2j

 

Make sure you read Lesa Holstine’s recent review at Lesa’s Book Critiques. Lesa also sent me an ARC for the book a few weeks ago before I was approved for it by NetGalley so that was how I read this book.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024