Publication Day Review: Rage: A Novel by Linda Castillo

 

Rage: A Novel by Linda Castillo is the latest in the long running Kate Burkholder series. A series that, while still very good, is becoming increasingly graphicly detailed in terms of the violent murders and the aftermath. In this case, the aftermath of what was done to the first victim.

 

Painters Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and Officer Chuck “Skid” Skidmore are out at Painters Mill Elementary School as the books begins. Chief Burkholder loves doing the annual presentation for the kids. Officer Skidmore is not enjoying himself as he is cooking alive in the costume he must wear to play the role of “Kip the Cow.” It is late August, the first week of school, and unbelievably hot.

 

During their presentation, Chief Burkholder gets a call from dispatch regarding the fact that some kids have found something very disturbing. They think they have found pieces of a body. Before long, Burkholder and Skidmore are on their way to the scene.

 

Upon arrival at Sweet Potato Ridge Road, an area known to flood, Burkholder is still hoping it isn’t what the kids, and now their dad, thinks it is alongside the creek. That hope is quickly dashed by Officer Rupert “Glock” Maddox who has confirmed the presence of body parts.

 

The kids were playing down in one area next to Painters Mill creek when one of them found things that no child should have ever see. The kid found a severed hand and a foot. Soon, more parts are discovered and it becomes abundantly clear this was no accidental drowning and somehow the body just fell apart.

 

It won’t be the last killing either.

 

The latest read in the series is another good one with a lot going on throughout the book. It also goes into incredibly graphic detail about the murders as well as the disposal of the bodies. Those who were disturbed by that in The Burning are sure to be bothered here. This reviewer, who did not have that much of a reaction to that stuff in that read, was considerably bothered here. Especially in terms of the depiction here of the recovery and later autopsy of the various body parts of the first victim.

 

With that caveat in mind, Rage: A Novel by Linda Castillo, is a good one and well worth your time. I have been a fan of this series since the very beginning with Sworn to Silence. Still am. But, I just don’t really need things to be as graphic as they are here with the first body. Even though I read a ton of mystery and crime fiction each year, in this case, it was a bit much.

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3G8EV4k

 

 

My digital ARC came by way of the publisher, Minotaur Books, through NetGalley, and with no expectation of a review. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025