Review: An Evil Heart

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Some trigger warnings---drugs, physical violence, rape, gang rape, and of course, murder.

Finally, after all the ups and downs, Kate and  Tomasetti are going to make it to the altar...or are they?

Just days before their wedding, a horrible and unusual murder occurs. One of the town's young Amish men, someone who is beyond reproach, is murdered in the most grisly way. I was actually struck dumb by this murder. Naturally, this falls into Kate's jurisdiction, and she rushes headlong into it, wedding or no wedding!

Meanwhile,  Tomasetti has his own horrible case to take care of—a double kidnapping.

I can't believe that I read most of this book believing that I had outsmarted the author and I knew exactly who did it and why. *smacks self in head* Nope, I should have never been so cocky to think that I could beat the Queen of this genre!

After 15 books, you would think that this author would be running out of steam or that the series would be going stale. Ms. Castillo I nowhere close to going stale or losing her steam. This series is actually getting better and better with each book published. Time for me to do a series re-read!

I can hardly believe that I was one of Ms. Castillos first fans. I had just read her first book and was excitedly talking about it to a friend at a book convention. Ms. Castillo happened to be standing behind me in line as I was speaking and heard me. She introduced herself and graciously (and somewhat breathlessly) thanked me for my kind words. I'll never forget that.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all.

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SYNOPSIS: "Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal death of a young Amish man in An Evil Heart, the latest installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...

But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.