What do you think?
Rate this book
Kate Burkholder #2
La lunga notte
Ecco a voi i Plank, una delle famiglie della comunità Amish di Painters Mill, Ohio. Ecco a voi madre, padre, cinque la loro vita è una litania di giorni tutti uguali, il lavoro nei campi, i riti che ne sostanziano la fede, le tradizioni della confraternita cui appartengono da sempre. Poi, nel corso di una notte, il loro piccolo paradiso va in frantumi. Qualcuno penetra all'interno della fattoria ed è un massacro, uccisi i genitori, lungamente torturate e uccise le ragazze, Mary e Annie, uccisi i bambini. Solo il buio chiude il sipario sui passi silenziosi dell' alle sue spalle, un lago di sangue. Kate Burkholder, capo della polizia della contea, viene chiamata a dirigere le indagini. Ma non ci sono indiziati, nessuna traccia, nessun movente che indichi una il colpevole sembra venuto dal nulla, come un artiglio invisibile e crudele. Kate in passato è stata una Amish, sa che non possono esserci ombre nella vita delle eppure, nella vita di Mary Plank, qualcosa di oscuro iniziaa emergere, il peso di un segreto che a poco a poco si tinge di orrore...
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2010
2744 people are currently reading
9560 people want to read
About the author
Linda Castillo
94 books6,592 followersLinda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder mystery series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award, and a nomination for an “Audie Award” for best mystery audiobook. Her work has appeared on numerous bestseller lists and earned a spot on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel.
In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty, but loveable Blue Heelers.
She loves hearing from readers. Contact her at books@lindacastillo.com.
In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty, but loveable Blue Heelers.
She loves hearing from readers. Contact her at books@lindacastillo.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,631 reviews
October 6, 2023
Pray for Silence (Kate Burkholder #2) by Linda Castillo (Author), Kathleen McInerney (Narrator)
Less than a year after the events of the first book, Chief of Police of Painters Mill Kate Burkholder, and her small team, must deal with the murders of seven members of an Amish family. The murders were especially cruel, with the tortures and slow deaths of two of the family members. Kate is already trying to handle all the emotions and memories that were dredged up months ago and this crime pushes her closer to her breaking point.
State agent John Tomasseti is back, as both friend, lover, and a behind the scenes resource for Kate. John has his own demons to deal with and this case allows those demons to smack him right in the face. Now he's gotten too close to Kate, allowed her in, and he can't handle another horrendous loss in his life. It doesn't help that his own job is on the line and he's being watched by those who can take that job away from him.
The series is already up to book number fourteen and it's hard to imagine Kate lasts that long with what she goes through in the first two books. I enjoy John's presence in Kate's life and have to laugh because of how often I think something and then hear John say what I was thinking. Off to the next book in the series, knowing that life isn't going to go easy on Kate and John.
Published June 22nd 2010
Less than a year after the events of the first book, Chief of Police of Painters Mill Kate Burkholder, and her small team, must deal with the murders of seven members of an Amish family. The murders were especially cruel, with the tortures and slow deaths of two of the family members. Kate is already trying to handle all the emotions and memories that were dredged up months ago and this crime pushes her closer to her breaking point.
State agent John Tomasseti is back, as both friend, lover, and a behind the scenes resource for Kate. John has his own demons to deal with and this case allows those demons to smack him right in the face. Now he's gotten too close to Kate, allowed her in, and he can't handle another horrendous loss in his life. It doesn't help that his own job is on the line and he's being watched by those who can take that job away from him.
The series is already up to book number fourteen and it's hard to imagine Kate lasts that long with what she goes through in the first two books. I enjoy John's presence in Kate's life and have to laugh because of how often I think something and then hear John say what I was thinking. Off to the next book in the series, knowing that life isn't going to go easy on Kate and John.
Published June 22nd 2010
June 13, 2018
4.5 stars
I started reading this series when I won Among the Wicked in a Goodreads giveaway. It was book 8 in the series and I liked it so much that I decided to read all the books in the series. This is book 2 in the series and I recommend that you read them in order, as the characters develop and reveal past secrets as the series progresses. This book opens with a family of seven Amish people murdered on their farm. Two of the people murdered are teenage girls, who are tortured before they died. This is definitely not a cozy mystery, but both my wife and I enjoy this series.
I read it in 2 days, because it is a riveting mystery. Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painters Mill, a small town in Ohio of 1/2 Amish and 1/2 "Englishers" as the Amish call the outside people.
Kate and her small police force do solve the murders, but not until the end was I sure of the who and why.
Two quotes:
Initial discovery of murder scene: "The house was as silent and dark as a 1920s noir film."
BCI(Bureau of Criminal Investigation) agent John Tomasetti at a disciplinary hearing; "She looked at him over the bifocals perched on her nose and smiled in a way that reminded him of a coral snake, right before it sank it's fangs into you."
This was a library book.
I started reading this series when I won Among the Wicked in a Goodreads giveaway. It was book 8 in the series and I liked it so much that I decided to read all the books in the series. This is book 2 in the series and I recommend that you read them in order, as the characters develop and reveal past secrets as the series progresses. This book opens with a family of seven Amish people murdered on their farm. Two of the people murdered are teenage girls, who are tortured before they died. This is definitely not a cozy mystery, but both my wife and I enjoy this series.
I read it in 2 days, because it is a riveting mystery. Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painters Mill, a small town in Ohio of 1/2 Amish and 1/2 "Englishers" as the Amish call the outside people.
Kate and her small police force do solve the murders, but not until the end was I sure of the who and why.
Two quotes:
Initial discovery of murder scene: "The house was as silent and dark as a 1920s noir film."
BCI(Bureau of Criminal Investigation) agent John Tomasetti at a disciplinary hearing; "She looked at him over the bifocals perched on her nose and smiled in a way that reminded him of a coral snake, right before it sank it's fangs into you."
This was a library book.
September 6, 2016
“There are monsters living among us. People who look no different than you and me. But they lack a fundamental component of the human species: a conscience.”
An Amish family of seven is annihilated at twilight in the tiny farming community of Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police, has her hands full trying to cover as much ground in the crucial first forty-eight hours of the homicide. Because of the cruelty and brutality inflicted on the victims, Burkholder immediately calls in for help. What follows is a dangerous venture into the dark, seedy underbelly of pornography, and the loss of innocence.
After reviewing my highlights and notes, I realized that this book didn’t quite measure up to the initial book in the series for two main reasons: repetition and repetition. See? It’s annoying. I’d have hoped that most mystery writers would take a cue from the Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and Nancy Drews series. It’s not necessary to rehash the plot of the previous book until the reader is bored out of their mind. Carolyn Keene’s books usually had a sentence that read something like: “Nancy, Bess and George had a close run-in with a ring of dangerous jewel thieves in an earlier adventure.” Done and done!
Apart from that, I just grew tired of Castillo’s same use of descriptive words, especially the word “sage.” Has anyone ever given you a “sage” look? What does that even encompass? Or her reference to Kate’s past and how it kept coming up in this investigation to haunt her. I get it.
Don’t get me wrong. This is a thrilling page turner. Could it have been better? Yes. Am I giving up on the series? Definitely not. I’ve already purchased the third book, although I’ll probably wait a minute or two before reading it.
An Amish family of seven is annihilated at twilight in the tiny farming community of Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police, has her hands full trying to cover as much ground in the crucial first forty-eight hours of the homicide. Because of the cruelty and brutality inflicted on the victims, Burkholder immediately calls in for help. What follows is a dangerous venture into the dark, seedy underbelly of pornography, and the loss of innocence.
After reviewing my highlights and notes, I realized that this book didn’t quite measure up to the initial book in the series for two main reasons: repetition and repetition. See? It’s annoying. I’d have hoped that most mystery writers would take a cue from the Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and Nancy Drews series. It’s not necessary to rehash the plot of the previous book until the reader is bored out of their mind. Carolyn Keene’s books usually had a sentence that read something like: “Nancy, Bess and George had a close run-in with a ring of dangerous jewel thieves in an earlier adventure.” Done and done!
Apart from that, I just grew tired of Castillo’s same use of descriptive words, especially the word “sage.” Has anyone ever given you a “sage” look? What does that even encompass? Or her reference to Kate’s past and how it kept coming up in this investigation to haunt her. I get it.
Don’t get me wrong. This is a thrilling page turner. Could it have been better? Yes. Am I giving up on the series? Definitely not. I’ve already purchased the third book, although I’ll probably wait a minute or two before reading it.
August 21, 2019
This should have been exactly what I enjoy but somehow it did not quite work out for me. Just little things did not gel and left me feeling in the three star bracket only.
The story was interesting especially the Amish aspect of it. Occasionally though I felt the author was trying too hard to shock the reader and I must admit the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti did not work for me at all.
Currently I am not sure about continuing the series although maybe in the future 🙂
The story was interesting especially the Amish aspect of it. Occasionally though I felt the author was trying too hard to shock the reader and I must admit the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti did not work for me at all.
Currently I am not sure about continuing the series although maybe in the future 🙂
July 7, 2017
This book is not for the faint of heart. It starts with the gruesome murder of an Amish family of seven and goes from there. I really like Kate Burkholder, the formerly Amish police chief. This crime really hits home for her, reminding her of her youth. She's troubled to begin with and this crime doesn't do anything to bring her peace.
Well written and fast paced. This was one of those books I kept trying to squeeze in just one more chapter. I had read the first book in the series a while ago, just got an advance copy of the latest and decided to go back and read the ones between. If this is any indication, I'm going to enjoy books 3-8.
Well written and fast paced. This was one of those books I kept trying to squeeze in just one more chapter. I had read the first book in the series a while ago, just got an advance copy of the latest and decided to go back and read the ones between. If this is any indication, I'm going to enjoy books 3-8.
February 18, 2017
Good thriller and great as audio book. May be a bit graphic for some audience.
February 20, 2021
While on the graveyard shift, Skid heard the scream of terror coming from a nearby farm. As he headed to the Plank farm, the discovery would leave hardened police shocked and angry. For Chief Kate Burkholder, the murders would cut too close to the bone. Seven members of the one family, slaughtered and brutalized – how could anyone do something so evil, so cruel?
The Amish were gentle folk, and it was hard to imagine how such a thing could happen to them. But murderers of all types were out there; Kate knew that. With her team by her side, and including Agent John Tomasetti, they searched for clues, for the evidence they needed. They interviewed many but were frustrated with how little they had to go on. But Kate discovered something that would move them forward – slowly but surely. Would they get the psychopathic killer who did this terrible thing? Kate knew she would give it her everything…
Pray for Silence is the 2nd in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo and my second read of it. I love this series; this one is well written, captivating, filled with intrigue, twists, angst, and gritty determination. There’s humour as well, plus the seething pasts of both Tomasetti and Kate help set the scene. Highly recommended.
The Amish were gentle folk, and it was hard to imagine how such a thing could happen to them. But murderers of all types were out there; Kate knew that. With her team by her side, and including Agent John Tomasetti, they searched for clues, for the evidence they needed. They interviewed many but were frustrated with how little they had to go on. But Kate discovered something that would move them forward – slowly but surely. Would they get the psychopathic killer who did this terrible thing? Kate knew she would give it her everything…
Pray for Silence is the 2nd in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo and my second read of it. I love this series; this one is well written, captivating, filled with intrigue, twists, angst, and gritty determination. There’s humour as well, plus the seething pasts of both Tomasetti and Kate help set the scene. Highly recommended.
July 22, 2021
EXCERPT: A massive barn and silo stood in silhouette against the pre-dawn sky. The postcard-perfect farm was the last place Skid expected any trouble. He'd lived in Painters Mill going on four years now. Aside from a few minor infractions - like that time two teenage boys got caught racing their buggies down Main Street - the Amish were damn near perfect citizens. But Skid had been a cop long enough to know there was always an exception to the rule.
He parked behind a buggy, his headlights reflecting off the slow-moving-vehicle sign mounted at the rear. To his right, the house stood in shadows; it didn't look like anyone was up yet. Turning, he made eye contact with Zimmerman. 'How did you get in?'
'The back door is unlocked,'the Amish man said.
Grabbing his Maglite, Skid left the cruiser. He slid his. 38 from its sheath as he started down the sidewalk. Stepping onto the stoop, he banged on the door with his flashlight. 'This is the Police,' he called out. 'Open up.'
That was when he noticed the dark smear on the jamb. He shifted the flashlight beam and squinted. It looked like blood. A handprint. Skin shone the light down on the concrete porch. More blood. Black droplets glittering in the moonlight.
ABOUT 'PRAY FOR SILENCE': The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.
State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.
When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.
MY THOUGHTS: Pray for Silence may be the most shocking, but it is not the strongest, nor the best book in the series. I loved Sworn to Silence, the first book in this series, and I have read many of the later books, and loved them. But with Pray for Silence, it almost felt like the Castillo was trying too hard, trying to shock rather than entertain. Not what I have come to expect from this author. I finished this read feeling somewhat unsettled, and 'grubby'.
I didn't particularly like what was happening in the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti either, with both in self-destruction and point-scoring modes. Kate rushes into things blindly, putting herself in danger to prove a point to Tomasetti. We learn very little more about the constant characters, there's almost zero character development.
The bones of the story are good. Now, this is going to sound strange coming from me - the Queen of 'dark and gritty', but this is one story that could have benefited from a slightly gentler touch.
I am pleased that I didn't read this immediately after 'Sworn to Silence'. I might not have continued reading what is an otherwise excellent series. Instead I am going to put this down to the second book' phenomenon and advise other readers not to be put off by it. There is better to come.
I did a read & listen of Pray for Silence. Narrator Kathleen McInerney was, as always, wonderful.
⭐⭐.8
#PrayForSilence #KateBurkholderSeries
@lindacastilloauthor
@LindaCastillo11
@MacmillanAudio
#amishfiction #contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Linda Castillo is a New York Times bestselling author. In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses, particularly her appaloosa George. She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next novel.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo, published by Macmillan. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
He parked behind a buggy, his headlights reflecting off the slow-moving-vehicle sign mounted at the rear. To his right, the house stood in shadows; it didn't look like anyone was up yet. Turning, he made eye contact with Zimmerman. 'How did you get in?'
'The back door is unlocked,'the Amish man said.
Grabbing his Maglite, Skid left the cruiser. He slid his. 38 from its sheath as he started down the sidewalk. Stepping onto the stoop, he banged on the door with his flashlight. 'This is the Police,' he called out. 'Open up.'
That was when he noticed the dark smear on the jamb. He shifted the flashlight beam and squinted. It looked like blood. A handprint. Skin shone the light down on the concrete porch. More blood. Black droplets glittering in the moonlight.
ABOUT 'PRAY FOR SILENCE': The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.
State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.
When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.
MY THOUGHTS: Pray for Silence may be the most shocking, but it is not the strongest, nor the best book in the series. I loved Sworn to Silence, the first book in this series, and I have read many of the later books, and loved them. But with Pray for Silence, it almost felt like the Castillo was trying too hard, trying to shock rather than entertain. Not what I have come to expect from this author. I finished this read feeling somewhat unsettled, and 'grubby'.
I didn't particularly like what was happening in the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti either, with both in self-destruction and point-scoring modes. Kate rushes into things blindly, putting herself in danger to prove a point to Tomasetti. We learn very little more about the constant characters, there's almost zero character development.
The bones of the story are good. Now, this is going to sound strange coming from me - the Queen of 'dark and gritty', but this is one story that could have benefited from a slightly gentler touch.
I am pleased that I didn't read this immediately after 'Sworn to Silence'. I might not have continued reading what is an otherwise excellent series. Instead I am going to put this down to the second book' phenomenon and advise other readers not to be put off by it. There is better to come.
I did a read & listen of Pray for Silence. Narrator Kathleen McInerney was, as always, wonderful.
⭐⭐.8
#PrayForSilence #KateBurkholderSeries
@lindacastilloauthor
@LindaCastillo11
@MacmillanAudio
#amishfiction #contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Linda Castillo is a New York Times bestselling author. In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses, particularly her appaloosa George. She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next novel.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo, published by Macmillan. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 12, 2024
3.5
Although the second novel in this mystery series, set in a fictitious Amish town, wasn’t as compelling as the first book, I’m still enjoying the volatile Police Chief Kate and her colleagues.
The crime is much darker but the depth of characterizations is shallower than the first book. I didn’t learn more about any of the “players” (I really loved the politics of small town life in the first— ratcheting up the chaos and conflict associated with the crime). Instead the gruesome details of the scenes (trigger warning— rape and violent deaths) will stick with me longer than anything else.
I continue to enjoy the references to my home state and remain a fan of the series, but the strength in this series is the town and conflicted fascination (and economic reliance— via tourism) on the plain folk. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next installment takes us.
I know the next book(s) are already written, but I’m hopeful that Kate will be able to move beyond the past... literally and figuratively. How Castillo does that may determine my ongoing interest in this series.
PS- Gotta admit to a repeated geographical phrase that makes no sense to me. From Holmes County, you don’t come down from Columbus... you come up from Columbus. Okay, I feel so much better pointing that out. Type A much, you ask? 🤓
(Reviewed 2/23/21)
Although the second novel in this mystery series, set in a fictitious Amish town, wasn’t as compelling as the first book, I’m still enjoying the volatile Police Chief Kate and her colleagues.
The crime is much darker but the depth of characterizations is shallower than the first book. I didn’t learn more about any of the “players” (I really loved the politics of small town life in the first— ratcheting up the chaos and conflict associated with the crime). Instead the gruesome details of the scenes (trigger warning— rape and violent deaths) will stick with me longer than anything else.
I continue to enjoy the references to my home state and remain a fan of the series, but the strength in this series is the town and conflicted fascination (and economic reliance— via tourism) on the plain folk. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next installment takes us.
I know the next book(s) are already written, but I’m hopeful that Kate will be able to move beyond the past... literally and figuratively. How Castillo does that may determine my ongoing interest in this series.
PS- Gotta admit to a repeated geographical phrase that makes no sense to me. From Holmes County, you don’t come down from Columbus... you come up from Columbus. Okay, I feel so much better pointing that out. Type A much, you ask? 🤓
(Reviewed 2/23/21)
July 25, 2018
Für mich leider schwächer als Band 1. ich hatte hier das Gefühl, dass die Spannung doch sehr unterschiedlich verteilt war. Am Anfang hätte ich mir früher die Ermittlungsarbeiten gewünscht und dafür hätte man sich bei der Auflösung etwas mehr Zeit lassen können.
Auch das Motiv fand ich am Ende doch etwas unglaubwürdig. Alles in allem aber trotzdem ein guter Thriller.
Auch das Motiv fand ich am Ende doch etwas unglaubwürdig. Alles in allem aber trotzdem ein guter Thriller.
May 9, 2020
3.75 stars
When Chief Kate Burkholder discovers that an Amish Family of 7 (seven) is murdered, it’s up to her small department to figure out why.
Though she is no longer Amish, Kate Burkholder’s concern for the Amish community runs deep. The crimes are heinous and nonsensical and yet there must be a reason and Kate will do whatever it takes to find justice.
“Pray for Silence” is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series and it filled me with angst and trepidation. While I had faith in Kate and her team, I was desperate for answers. Kate and Tomasetti’s relationship continued to intrigue me and I am interested to see where it goes.
I again listened to the audiobook and loved the narration. I am so glad that I decided to go back and listen to this series and am really enjoying it.
Thanks to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook.
Published on Goodreads on 5.9.20.
When Chief Kate Burkholder discovers that an Amish Family of 7 (seven) is murdered, it’s up to her small department to figure out why.
Though she is no longer Amish, Kate Burkholder’s concern for the Amish community runs deep. The crimes are heinous and nonsensical and yet there must be a reason and Kate will do whatever it takes to find justice.
“Pray for Silence” is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series and it filled me with angst and trepidation. While I had faith in Kate and her team, I was desperate for answers. Kate and Tomasetti’s relationship continued to intrigue me and I am interested to see where it goes.
I again listened to the audiobook and loved the narration. I am so glad that I decided to go back and listen to this series and am really enjoying it.
Thanks to my local library for loaning me a copy of the audiobook.
Published on Goodreads on 5.9.20.
January 6, 2012
This is the problem I have with series. The repetition of what happens in the first or previous book, the replay of each character's personality. It becomes annoying after a while. Why does all the information have to be repeated all over again? If someone wants to start with the second, third, etc book, then that's the risk that person runs of not having a full understanding of the storyline. However, for those of us who choose to start series from the beginning, I don't want to have to have it explained to me all over again in the second book what happened in the first. This made it very hard for me to focus on this story line and enjoy it all on its own. Instead, I found myself picking it apart. My mind began to drift and think that if I actually met the main character in real life, I probably wouldn't particularly like her too much. This in turn made me start feeling like the author was trying to make the reader admire what a strong woman Kate Burkholder was, how vehemently she felt for the victims, how human she was... It started becoming more of a chore to finish reading this book. The plot seemed too way-out for me to actually buy into. Snuff films/Amish girls. Come on. The love story between Kate and Tomasetti never really plays out and never really explains where it has gone between book one and two or where it's going to go. I don't know if that's to play it out into the next book, but it never really makes me believe what bond these two have besides the fact that both have gone through some horrific pasts. I don't think I will be reading the third book in the series.
November 27, 2025
I flew through this novel.
I mostly listened to the audio version, and the narrator was phenomenal.
Once again, we’re back in the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio, where the Amish and the “English” coexist—though not always in harmony.
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to investigate the horrific slaughter of the Plank family: parents and all the children, including a tiny baby.
Who could commit such an evil act?
Kate and her small department won’t rest until they find the answer. She’s joined again by state agent John Tomasetti. Their relationship began in the first book, but neither is any good at talking about feelings or what they actually want from each other.
Fair warning: this installment is very descriptive about the murders. If graphic details bother you, you might want to skip it—though the series is so good that I’d hate for you to miss out.
I’m completely invested in Kate. I love that she’s flawed and makes mistakes. John Tomasetti is another beautifully damaged, highly likable character. I really hope he stays for the long haul.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I mostly listened to the audio version, and the narrator was phenomenal.
Once again, we’re back in the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio, where the Amish and the “English” coexist—though not always in harmony.
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to investigate the horrific slaughter of the Plank family: parents and all the children, including a tiny baby.
Who could commit such an evil act?
Kate and her small department won’t rest until they find the answer. She’s joined again by state agent John Tomasetti. Their relationship began in the first book, but neither is any good at talking about feelings or what they actually want from each other.
Fair warning: this installment is very descriptive about the murders. If graphic details bother you, you might want to skip it—though the series is so good that I’d hate for you to miss out.
I’m completely invested in Kate. I love that she’s flawed and makes mistakes. John Tomasetti is another beautifully damaged, highly likable character. I really hope he stays for the long haul.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
May 23, 2015
Kate Burkholder and her detectives are severely challenged when an entire Amish family of seven is discovered brutally murdered on their farm. One was an infant and the two daughters were horrifically assaulted. They begin the investigation to determine who would have a motive and capability of committing such a heinous act and discover one of the daughters had been living a secret life.
The crime was horrific and the details aren't spared so be prepared. However, all that occurs in the beginning and the rest of the story focuses on solving the crime and the mystery. There are distasteful revelations, though, that are heartbreaking. John Tomasetti makes another appearance as he and Kate continue to figure out just what kind of relationship they have and he has his own set of concerns to worry about. There's an exciting climax, though one could question Kate's judgment to some degree.
I'm continuing to enjoy this series and its interesting cast of characters, especially Kate. The narrator again turns in a terrific performance, pacing the story perfectly, effectively adding tension and excitement and providing distinction to the character voices. For those for which narrative matters, the story is told in a combination of first person (Kate) and third person narratives (all other characters). In my opinion, it feels like the best of both worlds as you get the insights and emotions of the main character but don't lose the perspectives from others. I'm really looking forward to the next book
The crime was horrific and the details aren't spared so be prepared. However, all that occurs in the beginning and the rest of the story focuses on solving the crime and the mystery. There are distasteful revelations, though, that are heartbreaking. John Tomasetti makes another appearance as he and Kate continue to figure out just what kind of relationship they have and he has his own set of concerns to worry about. There's an exciting climax, though one could question Kate's judgment to some degree.
I'm continuing to enjoy this series and its interesting cast of characters, especially Kate. The narrator again turns in a terrific performance, pacing the story perfectly, effectively adding tension and excitement and providing distinction to the character voices. For those for which narrative matters, the story is told in a combination of first person (Kate) and third person narratives (all other characters). In my opinion, it feels like the best of both worlds as you get the insights and emotions of the main character but don't lose the perspectives from others. I'm really looking forward to the next book
March 7, 2024
This is an Amish Thriller, and this is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series. I have read the first book in this series. I am really enjoying this series. This book as some dark moments, but the twist where not super big. I enjoyed the suspense that built up in this book. I really enjoy the Kate character, and the other characters in this book I am really enjoying getting to know. This is well written, and a great series. I cannot wait to read the third book in this series.
May 26, 2019
Kate Burkholder grew up Amish. A horrible event when she was 16 made her leave her faith and Painters Mill, PA behind. She returned as an adult to take the job as local police chief. She understands the community, the Amish, speaks Pennsylvania Dutch, and loves the community. But it presents special problems at times. She is shunned by the Amish because she left her faith. There is such a cultural difference between the English and Amish in the small community. But, Kate Burkholder loves her job, even when it's difficult.
In this second book in the Kate Burkholder series, an Amish family is horrifically murdered at their rural farmhouse. Seven people dead...even the children. It all seems to relate to the 15-year old daughter, Mary and her secret relationship with a non-Amish boy from town. Kate has to find out who Mary was involved with....and why it may have led to the deaths of her entire family.
I love this series! Kate is a strong, driven and intelligent woman. She does her job 100%, even when it slams her with memories of her past. She works through the strained relationship with her former Amish community members the best she can, always reminded of the life she left behind. The contrast of the modern world and the Amish plain life is so marked. And when the two clash, as often happens in the major crimes Burkholder and her department investigate, it is never a pretty picture.
There are 10 books in the series, with the 11th book coming out in July. I previously read the first four books in the series several years ago and then somehow lost track of this awesome series....probably while waiting for a new book to come out. My huge TBR can be distracting...and those were years before I started using Goodreads and a blog to keep track of my reading. When I got an egalley of the newest book, Shamed, for review, I decided to re-read the series from the beginning before jumping into the new book. I am so glad I'm revisiting this series....and reading all the books I missed.
I enjoyed this second book in the series. The crime is quite gruesome and all of the characters have a really rough time reconciling why anybody would brutally murder and torture an entire Amish family. Quite suspenseful! A very enjoyable book!
Moving on to book 3, Breaking Silence. I have the book downloaded from my local library already! And book 4 is also waiting in the wings! I love this series!
In this second book in the Kate Burkholder series, an Amish family is horrifically murdered at their rural farmhouse. Seven people dead...even the children. It all seems to relate to the 15-year old daughter, Mary and her secret relationship with a non-Amish boy from town. Kate has to find out who Mary was involved with....and why it may have led to the deaths of her entire family.
I love this series! Kate is a strong, driven and intelligent woman. She does her job 100%, even when it slams her with memories of her past. She works through the strained relationship with her former Amish community members the best she can, always reminded of the life she left behind. The contrast of the modern world and the Amish plain life is so marked. And when the two clash, as often happens in the major crimes Burkholder and her department investigate, it is never a pretty picture.
There are 10 books in the series, with the 11th book coming out in July. I previously read the first four books in the series several years ago and then somehow lost track of this awesome series....probably while waiting for a new book to come out. My huge TBR can be distracting...and those were years before I started using Goodreads and a blog to keep track of my reading. When I got an egalley of the newest book, Shamed, for review, I decided to re-read the series from the beginning before jumping into the new book. I am so glad I'm revisiting this series....and reading all the books I missed.
I enjoyed this second book in the series. The crime is quite gruesome and all of the characters have a really rough time reconciling why anybody would brutally murder and torture an entire Amish family. Quite suspenseful! A very enjoyable book!
Moving on to book 3, Breaking Silence. I have the book downloaded from my local library already! And book 4 is also waiting in the wings! I love this series!
October 16, 2014
Another great read from Linda Castillo and the second Kate Burkholder books.
One family. One horrific murder. An entire town under suspicion…
The Planks moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to the small Amish community of Painters Mill, hoping to resume the comforts of the Plain Life in Ohio. Less than one year later, the family of seven is found dead—slaughtered on their own farm.
This isn't just any brutal murder, either- a family of seven, Amish, bound and slaughtered. Sound pretty gruesome? It is. Kate Burkholder is the chief of police in the small town of Painters Mill. Formerly Amish, Burkholder finds the crime shocking and is immediately thrust into the center of a tornado of questions. Trying to find answers, Burkholder must confront her own past and penetrate the tightly-knit Amish community who distrust the 'English', as they call outsiders in a town uneasily divided along the lines of faith and culture.
Castillo does a great job with her characterization. She really breathes life into her supporting cast, and you start to get to know Kate and all team better as well as Tomasetti.
I really do like Linda Castillo's writing style, and the brutal crimes in "Pray for Silence" will make even the most avid genre reader flinch while reading. This is definately not a book for the squeamish as Castillo visits some pretty nasty corners of Painters Mill.
While I don't think "Pray for Silence" was as nailbiting as "Sworn..." it's still a great read, and Cheif Burkholder is one of the best new characters to hit crime fiction in years. If you haven't discovered this series...do yourself a favour and pick up both Burkholder books.
Just have another five to read, and as Linda Castillo says herself, her new book looks like being a best book, it's out in 2015.
One family. One horrific murder. An entire town under suspicion…
The Planks moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to the small Amish community of Painters Mill, hoping to resume the comforts of the Plain Life in Ohio. Less than one year later, the family of seven is found dead—slaughtered on their own farm.
This isn't just any brutal murder, either- a family of seven, Amish, bound and slaughtered. Sound pretty gruesome? It is. Kate Burkholder is the chief of police in the small town of Painters Mill. Formerly Amish, Burkholder finds the crime shocking and is immediately thrust into the center of a tornado of questions. Trying to find answers, Burkholder must confront her own past and penetrate the tightly-knit Amish community who distrust the 'English', as they call outsiders in a town uneasily divided along the lines of faith and culture.
Castillo does a great job with her characterization. She really breathes life into her supporting cast, and you start to get to know Kate and all team better as well as Tomasetti.
I really do like Linda Castillo's writing style, and the brutal crimes in "Pray for Silence" will make even the most avid genre reader flinch while reading. This is definately not a book for the squeamish as Castillo visits some pretty nasty corners of Painters Mill.
While I don't think "Pray for Silence" was as nailbiting as "Sworn..." it's still a great read, and Cheif Burkholder is one of the best new characters to hit crime fiction in years. If you haven't discovered this series...do yourself a favour and pick up both Burkholder books.
Just have another five to read, and as Linda Castillo says herself, her new book looks like being a best book, it's out in 2015.
March 12, 2021
Kate is back in action when another Amish family, new to Painter's Mill is found brutally slain.
The Plank family is discovered dead on arrival and Kate's job is to discover who did it in this small, seemingly safe town of Painters Mill, OH. Of course everything is never as it seems as the plot gets darker and more twisted. I did appreciate in this second book, it wasn't quite as graphic and therefore much more palatable than her first.
I really enjoy the banter between Kate & Tomasetti, might be my favorite pairing next to Cormoran & Robin. I just wish sometimes Kate would hold back instead of constantly putting herself in situations with guns blazing (literally). Looking forward to the next one in the series.
The Plank family is discovered dead on arrival and Kate's job is to discover who did it in this small, seemingly safe town of Painters Mill, OH. Of course everything is never as it seems as the plot gets darker and more twisted. I did appreciate in this second book, it wasn't quite as graphic and therefore much more palatable than her first.
I really enjoy the banter between Kate & Tomasetti, might be my favorite pairing next to Cormoran & Robin. I just wish sometimes Kate would hold back instead of constantly putting herself in situations with guns blazing (literally). Looking forward to the next one in the series.
November 6, 2015
This series centres arount Kate Burkholder, who's Chief of Police in the small Ohio town of Painters Mill. Kate grew up in an Amish family but left the community as a teenager. Still, her past helps her deal with cases involving any members of the large Amish community in the area, as they have a tendency to mistrust the "English" police.
In this, the second book in the series, Kate must investigate the shockingly brutal murder of an entire Amish family. Initial enquiries indicate that the Planks were upstanding members of the community and had no enemies. Why would anyone kill them, and with such vicious violence and cruelty that motives like robbery make no sense? But Kate soon discovers that, like everyone else, members of the Plank family had secrets. And with the help of John Tomasetti, her on-and-off lover, currently on leave from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Kate must get to the bottom of them.
I think I'm done with this series. Kate Burkholder is a bad cop: bad in the sense of her investigations being illogical and downright dumb, and bad in the sense of her being utterly contemptuous of suspects' civil rights. I might read a book with such a main character if they're a sort of anti-hero protagonist, but as far as the narration is concerned, Kate is a great cop and all her actions are justified (and none of what are clearly lapses in judgment have any negative consequences).
So, a family has been massacred, no indication of drugs whatsoever, and yet Kate's first instinct is to go harass the locals who she suspects (knows, as far as she's concerned) make meth. Why? Just because they are bad people and she judges they deserve to be harassed, even when there's nothing to indicate they've done anything wrong. Obvious lines of enquiry (e.g. which men were frequent visitors to the store where young Mary Plank worked?) must wait till much later.Then she decides she'll go harass someone because he once assaulted an Amish man, and there are indications that was a hate crime. The guy goads her (pretty mildly, to be honest), and she responds by assaulting him with her baton. And when the guy complains, both Tomasetti and her deputy, who were in the room, say they didn't see anything. Classic. It takes some doing to make me sympathise with scum like these guys, but Castillo manages it. In both those interactions, I was on the side of the suspects, not Kate's, and it really shouldn't have been that way. There were a couple of instances which were along the same lines in the previous book, too, so it's not a problem that's likely to get better.
Additionally, both the first and second books in the series have young women tortured horribly and graphically, in ways that feel exploitative and titillating. If I'd felt more positively about Kate I might have given this series another shot and hoped this trend didn't continue. As it is, I'm done. Shame, because Castillo's previous books were just as dark but in a much more imaginative, original way, and with much better characters.
MY GRADE: A D.
AUDIOBOOK NOTES: The narrator is the same as in book 1, Kathleen McInerney. I liked her in that book, but she started to get on my nerves in this one. The voice she does for Tomasetti really isn't great (she does it raspy, but to me, in a way that crosses the line into creepy). Also, there was a particular scene where Kate is interrogating a young man with learning disabilities, and the way McInerney did her questions, exageratedly as if she was talking to a young child, disturbed me (well, Kate does describe him as "mentally retarded", which is a whole 'nother problem, and which McInerney might have taken as a clue as to what her attitude might be!).
In this, the second book in the series, Kate must investigate the shockingly brutal murder of an entire Amish family. Initial enquiries indicate that the Planks were upstanding members of the community and had no enemies. Why would anyone kill them, and with such vicious violence and cruelty that motives like robbery make no sense? But Kate soon discovers that, like everyone else, members of the Plank family had secrets. And with the help of John Tomasetti, her on-and-off lover, currently on leave from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Kate must get to the bottom of them.
I think I'm done with this series. Kate Burkholder is a bad cop: bad in the sense of her investigations being illogical and downright dumb, and bad in the sense of her being utterly contemptuous of suspects' civil rights. I might read a book with such a main character if they're a sort of anti-hero protagonist, but as far as the narration is concerned, Kate is a great cop and all her actions are justified (and none of what are clearly lapses in judgment have any negative consequences).
So, a family has been massacred, no indication of drugs whatsoever, and yet Kate's first instinct is to go harass the locals who she suspects (knows, as far as she's concerned) make meth. Why? Just because they are bad people and she judges they deserve to be harassed, even when there's nothing to indicate they've done anything wrong. Obvious lines of enquiry (e.g. which men were frequent visitors to the store where young Mary Plank worked?) must wait till much later.Then she decides she'll go harass someone because he once assaulted an Amish man, and there are indications that was a hate crime. The guy goads her (pretty mildly, to be honest), and she responds by assaulting him with her baton. And when the guy complains, both Tomasetti and her deputy, who were in the room, say they didn't see anything. Classic. It takes some doing to make me sympathise with scum like these guys, but Castillo manages it. In both those interactions, I was on the side of the suspects, not Kate's, and it really shouldn't have been that way. There were a couple of instances which were along the same lines in the previous book, too, so it's not a problem that's likely to get better.
Additionally, both the first and second books in the series have young women tortured horribly and graphically, in ways that feel exploitative and titillating. If I'd felt more positively about Kate I might have given this series another shot and hoped this trend didn't continue. As it is, I'm done. Shame, because Castillo's previous books were just as dark but in a much more imaginative, original way, and with much better characters.
MY GRADE: A D.
AUDIOBOOK NOTES: The narrator is the same as in book 1, Kathleen McInerney. I liked her in that book, but she started to get on my nerves in this one. The voice she does for Tomasetti really isn't great (she does it raspy, but to me, in a way that crosses the line into creepy). Also, there was a particular scene where Kate is interrogating a young man with learning disabilities, and the way McInerney did her questions, exageratedly as if she was talking to a young child, disturbed me (well, Kate does describe him as "mentally retarded", which is a whole 'nother problem, and which McInerney might have taken as a clue as to what her attitude might be!).
March 27, 2018
“There are monsters living among us. People who look no different than you and me. But they lack a fundamental component of the human species: a conscience.”
This is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series and it is a thriller. Officer Chuck "Skid" Skidmore is working the graveyard shift. After one too many cups of coffee at the diner where he was checking out the young waitress he pulled his cruiser over in a farmers field to answer natures call. That was when he heard the screaming. The screaming was coming from one of the farm workers. Investigating Skid finds the bodies of the owner of the farm and his sons. Kate is called in and upon further investigation it is discovered that the entire family, seven in all, have been brutally murdered. The Plank's had moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to Painters Mill, Ohio less than one year ago. They were respected and seemed the model of the Plain Life in the Amish community.
Everything is not what it appears though. The Amish are a close-knit society and have their secrets. Kate finds a journal belonging to one of the daughters indicating that she had very dark secrets. Formerly Amish herself, Kate finds that she identifies with this daughter. For Kate this hits close to home, she is out raged, and she is determined to learn the truth about what happened that night.
She calls State agent John Tomasetti who she met during the Slaughterhouse killings (Sworn to Silence). Kate and Tomasetti developed a complex relationship. Tomasetti has his own issues and is on administrative leave from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Apprehension but that does not stop him from coming to Painters Mill ... and Kate. This case forces them both to face their troubled past.
There is a lot of repetition and references to the first novel, Sworn to Silence, but I don't think it is to the point where it ruins the story. Linda Castillo does a wonderful job of bringing Kate Burkholder and her team to life. The setting is a terrific alternative to anyone seeking a change from the typical urban setting.
This is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series and it is a thriller. Officer Chuck "Skid" Skidmore is working the graveyard shift. After one too many cups of coffee at the diner where he was checking out the young waitress he pulled his cruiser over in a farmers field to answer natures call. That was when he heard the screaming. The screaming was coming from one of the farm workers. Investigating Skid finds the bodies of the owner of the farm and his sons. Kate is called in and upon further investigation it is discovered that the entire family, seven in all, have been brutally murdered. The Plank's had moved from Lancaster County Pennsylvania to Painters Mill, Ohio less than one year ago. They were respected and seemed the model of the Plain Life in the Amish community.
Everything is not what it appears though. The Amish are a close-knit society and have their secrets. Kate finds a journal belonging to one of the daughters indicating that she had very dark secrets. Formerly Amish herself, Kate finds that she identifies with this daughter. For Kate this hits close to home, she is out raged, and she is determined to learn the truth about what happened that night.
She calls State agent John Tomasetti who she met during the Slaughterhouse killings (Sworn to Silence). Kate and Tomasetti developed a complex relationship. Tomasetti has his own issues and is on administrative leave from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Apprehension but that does not stop him from coming to Painters Mill ... and Kate. This case forces them both to face their troubled past.
There is a lot of repetition and references to the first novel, Sworn to Silence, but I don't think it is to the point where it ruins the story. Linda Castillo does a wonderful job of bringing Kate Burkholder and her team to life. The setting is a terrific alternative to anyone seeking a change from the typical urban setting.
May 11, 2024
Painter's Mill, OH is a relatively idyllic farm town in Amish country. So, when an Amish family of seven is brutally tortured and slain in their own home in what appears to be a home invasion, everyone is justifiably unsettled. Thus sets the stage for Linda Castillio's novel "Pray for Silence", the second thriller to feature Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her Columbus P.D. homicide detective partner/lover John Tomasetti. As she demonstrated in her previous novel "Sworn to Silence", Castillo tells a taut, suspenseful murder mystery. Plus, it's fun reading about places which are familiar to me. (Parts of the story take place in downtown Columbus and real cities like Millersburg and Wooster, all of which I've visited.) A word of warning, though: Castillo does not restrain herself during some of the murder scenes. If you're not into extremely graphic depictions of blood and guts, this book may not be for you.
July 30, 2017
Excellent thriller by Linda Castillo, as police chief Kate Burkholder tries to solve the horrific murder of a family in Amish farm country. I never saw the killer until all was revealed at the very end. A good addition to this excellent series.
April 5, 2015
Police chief Kate Burkholder, receives a call in the middle of the night of a shooting at an Amish farm. The moment she steps inside the darkened house, her senses first smell the stench of blood, before the beam of her flashlight reveals the carnage within. Desperately searching for any survivors, she follows a trail of blood, finding more victims until she reaches the barn, but nothing can prepare her for the horror that she discovers inside.
With no clues, no evidence, Kate is baffled has to why someone would want to murder an entire family who were pacifists, until the autopsy of one of the young girls reveals something startling, causing Kate to conduct her own thorough search of the farmhouse, where she uncovers a journal hidden beneath the floor boards in the girls room, it was written by the youngest girl Mary.
Upon reading the journal, Kate discovers Mary had a secret, and the further she digs, the more she uncovers, soon forming a bond with Mary through her journal, and in her quest to find the perpetrator, she treads the fine line between justice and revenge.
Despite this book being the second in the Kate Burkholder series, I feel it could also be a stand alone book, and one I highly recommend. I look forward to reading more books by Linda Castillo.
With no clues, no evidence, Kate is baffled has to why someone would want to murder an entire family who were pacifists, until the autopsy of one of the young girls reveals something startling, causing Kate to conduct her own thorough search of the farmhouse, where she uncovers a journal hidden beneath the floor boards in the girls room, it was written by the youngest girl Mary.
Upon reading the journal, Kate discovers Mary had a secret, and the further she digs, the more she uncovers, soon forming a bond with Mary through her journal, and in her quest to find the perpetrator, she treads the fine line between justice and revenge.
Despite this book being the second in the Kate Burkholder series, I feel it could also be a stand alone book, and one I highly recommend. I look forward to reading more books by Linda Castillo.
October 25, 2023
Für mich alles, was ein Thriller braucht: Bedrückendes Setting, Ermittler:innen mit Ecken und Kanten , ein Mordfall (in diesem Fall wurde eine komplette Familie umgebracht) , rasende Spannung und ein fulminantes Finale.
Ich bin echt atemlos nach dem Beenden. Konnte das Buch nur sehr schwer aus der Hand legen und wollte immer wissen, wie es weiter geht und wie ein 7-facher Mord aufgeklärt wird.
Vor allen Dingen wollte ich aber Gerechtigkeit.
Ein absolut gut geschriebener Thriller.
Ich bin echt atemlos nach dem Beenden. Konnte das Buch nur sehr schwer aus der Hand legen und wollte immer wissen, wie es weiter geht und wie ein 7-facher Mord aufgeklärt wird.
Vor allen Dingen wollte ich aber Gerechtigkeit.
Ein absolut gut geschriebener Thriller.
June 22, 2018
Prey for silence by Linda Castillo is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series this is another great book with plenty of bloody gore for a crime scene.
Kate Burkholder is one tough lady who lets no criminal or crime get the better of her.
Real edge of your seat crime thriller with pages turning so fast that you have finished the book in no time, really enjoyable with just the right amount of who done it.
Kate Burkholder is one tough lady who lets no criminal or crime get the better of her.
Real edge of your seat crime thriller with pages turning so fast that you have finished the book in no time, really enjoyable with just the right amount of who done it.
June 15, 2018
Was this good? Objectivly, no.
Did I still listen to it for funsies because I'm so overworked that I found the author's complete lack of knowledge re: the criminal justice system amusing? Sadly, I did.
Did I still listen to it for funsies because I'm so overworked that I found the author's complete lack of knowledge re: the criminal justice system amusing? Sadly, I did.
March 22, 2014
Excellent Crime Thriller - 4 Stars
Me and Kate Burkholder are not quite seeing eye to eye. Her and her friends need to have their mouths washed out with some soap. We get it already, you are not God-fearing, pacifist Amish. If the penchant for drinking away pain and the intimidation of witnesses didn't give us this impression, the frequent f-bombs certainly clue us in. Although I really do enjoy the wonderful writing and meticulous plots, I going to have to put the series aside. The excessive use of adult language has been a turn off.
Plot summary
The normally quite town of Painter's Mill is left paralyzed by fear when in the early morning hours a family of 6 (or maybe 7)is found shot and murdered with no trace of a killer left behind. Amongst the family members killed by gunshot wounds, the two teenaged daughters appear to have been tortured while one of the girls was found to have been mutilated. It is the story of this savaged girl that leads the investigation. While investigation these brutal crimes, Kate Burkholder finds herself emotionally drawn into the investigation and she faces what she has lost and what could have been.
The Good
Death and Destruction Brought to you by Thomas Kincade
This series by Linda Castillo features one of the best setting for any crimes novels I have read. The peaceful and rolling countryside dominated by the insular Amish society provide a stark contrast for death and destruction. It is almost profane to imagine such dark crimes taking place in this pastoral setting. The author does a wonderful job of blending the beauty of the setting with the brutal and brooding darkness of the human mind.
The Bad
Plug your Ears Grandma
As I complained above, I felt the adult language was again excessive. As I chose to listen to the audio version of this book, the language really stood out. Linda Castillo continues to paint a story with stark contrasts. While the language may be used to contrast with the surroundings, I was put off by the constant swearing.
Give the Woman a Tissue
I always enjoy strong female characters. Without a doubt, Kate Burkholder is a strong woman...well, mostly. Unlike the first book, we found Kate, somewhat stereotypically, teary and close to losing control of her emotions. Granted, she does more than cry. Kate has a hard time with impulse control. Throughout the story she finds herself in bed with a person she is trying to avoid, drunk on several occasions when it was not appropriate, attacking a potential witness, finding herself unable to say no to the strong male character and in one major move, taking action that could conceivable cause her to lose her badge. While a broken character is believable, Kate felt like more a caricature that in the first novel.
I expect the first novel of a crime series to involve a case that is personal to the protagonist. I thought we did that in the first novel. Apparently, it can get more personal. If I ever read the third novel, I hope it is less personal as that ground is now well tread.
Final Thoughts
The language aside, I really did enjoy the book. While I had issues with the development of Kate Burkholder, Linda Castillo is an amazing author with a wonderful sense of plot and setting. If you are not bother by adult language and you like dark crime novels, you will enjoy this series.
Audiobook Notes
If I do continue the series at a later point, it will not be in the audio format. I found myself tired of the narrator after this second book. She seemed to play up the frail emotions in her narration and added to the feeling of a stereotypical female lead. While her narration is fairly good, I don't enjoy her in this series.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 4
There is sexual tension between characters and one non graphic description of an implied sexual encounter. There is some non graphic descriptions of a victims consensual sexual encounters. The rating was raised because there was a major theme of rape and sexual encounters where the victim could not give consent (through the use of drugs). Though the investigation, there is much discussion of forms of pornography where there is non consenting participants. While the description are at most, moderately graphic, it is a major theme and persistent.
Language - 4
While there may have been a small reduction in adult language from the first novel, I was still pervasive. I felt the use of mild obscenities and the f-word were excessive and unnecessary.
Violence - 4
Violence is a major theme. It covers the gambit from execution style murder, suicide, torture and rape. The crimes are dark the perpetrators are unrepentant. While the violence is persistent, the author avoids gore and manages to be respectful despite the high violence level.
Me and Kate Burkholder are not quite seeing eye to eye. Her and her friends need to have their mouths washed out with some soap. We get it already, you are not God-fearing, pacifist Amish. If the penchant for drinking away pain and the intimidation of witnesses didn't give us this impression, the frequent f-bombs certainly clue us in. Although I really do enjoy the wonderful writing and meticulous plots, I going to have to put the series aside. The excessive use of adult language has been a turn off.
Plot summary
The normally quite town of Painter's Mill is left paralyzed by fear when in the early morning hours a family of 6 (or maybe 7)is found shot and murdered with no trace of a killer left behind. Amongst the family members killed by gunshot wounds, the two teenaged daughters appear to have been tortured while one of the girls was found to have been mutilated. It is the story of this savaged girl that leads the investigation. While investigation these brutal crimes, Kate Burkholder finds herself emotionally drawn into the investigation and she faces what she has lost and what could have been.
The Good
Death and Destruction Brought to you by Thomas Kincade
This series by Linda Castillo features one of the best setting for any crimes novels I have read. The peaceful and rolling countryside dominated by the insular Amish society provide a stark contrast for death and destruction. It is almost profane to imagine such dark crimes taking place in this pastoral setting. The author does a wonderful job of blending the beauty of the setting with the brutal and brooding darkness of the human mind.
The Bad
Plug your Ears Grandma
As I complained above, I felt the adult language was again excessive. As I chose to listen to the audio version of this book, the language really stood out. Linda Castillo continues to paint a story with stark contrasts. While the language may be used to contrast with the surroundings, I was put off by the constant swearing.
Give the Woman a Tissue
I always enjoy strong female characters. Without a doubt, Kate Burkholder is a strong woman...well, mostly. Unlike the first book, we found Kate, somewhat stereotypically, teary and close to losing control of her emotions. Granted, she does more than cry. Kate has a hard time with impulse control. Throughout the story she finds herself in bed with a person she is trying to avoid, drunk on several occasions when it was not appropriate, attacking a potential witness, finding herself unable to say no to the strong male character and in one major move, taking action that could conceivable cause her to lose her badge. While a broken character is believable, Kate felt like more a caricature that in the first novel.
I expect the first novel of a crime series to involve a case that is personal to the protagonist. I thought we did that in the first novel. Apparently, it can get more personal. If I ever read the third novel, I hope it is less personal as that ground is now well tread.
Final Thoughts
The language aside, I really did enjoy the book. While I had issues with the development of Kate Burkholder, Linda Castillo is an amazing author with a wonderful sense of plot and setting. If you are not bother by adult language and you like dark crime novels, you will enjoy this series.
Audiobook Notes
If I do continue the series at a later point, it will not be in the audio format. I found myself tired of the narrator after this second book. She seemed to play up the frail emotions in her narration and added to the feeling of a stereotypical female lead. While her narration is fairly good, I don't enjoy her in this series.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 4
There is sexual tension between characters and one non graphic description of an implied sexual encounter. There is some non graphic descriptions of a victims consensual sexual encounters. The rating was raised because there was a major theme of rape and sexual encounters where the victim could not give consent (through the use of drugs). Though the investigation, there is much discussion of forms of pornography where there is non consenting participants. While the description are at most, moderately graphic, it is a major theme and persistent.
Language - 4
While there may have been a small reduction in adult language from the first novel, I was still pervasive. I felt the use of mild obscenities and the f-word were excessive and unnecessary.
Violence - 4
Violence is a major theme. It covers the gambit from execution style murder, suicide, torture and rape. The crimes are dark the perpetrators are unrepentant. While the violence is persistent, the author avoids gore and manages to be respectful despite the high violence level.
September 1, 2013
Skid was totally over the graveyard shift! The only thing which made it slightly more bearable was the diner where he (Officer Chuck Skidmore) would venture each night, so he could chat up the waitress. Chatting to Mona back at the station to alleviate the boredom was another past-time; but when he heard screaming, like a wild animal in pain, he reported in to Mona, telling her he would take a look at the Plank farm, which was where the sound seemed to come from.
The Plank family were Amish and had moved approximately a year before from Pennsylvania to the small and peaceful town of Painters Mill. But that night in October when Skid called into their farm, lives changed, for murder had visited the family. When Skid made the gruesome discovery in the kitchen of the farmhouse, he called in Chief of Police Kate Burkholder; the horrors which drew in the small Painters Mill police force knew no bounds when they discovered the whole family brutally murdered, seven members of the one family.
Kate called State Agent John Tomasetti to assist as he had helped her with the Slaughterhouse killings almost a year ago. Kate and John had a volatile relationship, but now was not the time to be reluctant – she needed his expertise. As their investigation progressed and time passed, much too quickly, their chances of finding the killer lessened as each hour passed. Their frustrations were immense as every lead, small though they were, seemed to hit a brick wall. Was this vicious killer going to escape, able to kill again?
But there appeared to be deep, dark secrets within the Plank family – the evil which emanated from everything the police discovered, the twisted relationship which wasn’t allowed within the Amish community – what was going on? The dangers were escalating, Tomasetti was off the radar, Kate was getting in deeper and deeper, the anguish digging into her soul. Would they find the killer?
What a brilliant instalment in the Kate Burkholder series! I absolutely loved it – thrills and chills, totally unputdownable with amazing twists and turns in the plot, I can’t wait to read the next one. Linda Castillo is a thriller author not to be missed! Highly recommendable.
The Plank family were Amish and had moved approximately a year before from Pennsylvania to the small and peaceful town of Painters Mill. But that night in October when Skid called into their farm, lives changed, for murder had visited the family. When Skid made the gruesome discovery in the kitchen of the farmhouse, he called in Chief of Police Kate Burkholder; the horrors which drew in the small Painters Mill police force knew no bounds when they discovered the whole family brutally murdered, seven members of the one family.
Kate called State Agent John Tomasetti to assist as he had helped her with the Slaughterhouse killings almost a year ago. Kate and John had a volatile relationship, but now was not the time to be reluctant – she needed his expertise. As their investigation progressed and time passed, much too quickly, their chances of finding the killer lessened as each hour passed. Their frustrations were immense as every lead, small though they were, seemed to hit a brick wall. Was this vicious killer going to escape, able to kill again?
But there appeared to be deep, dark secrets within the Plank family – the evil which emanated from everything the police discovered, the twisted relationship which wasn’t allowed within the Amish community – what was going on? The dangers were escalating, Tomasetti was off the radar, Kate was getting in deeper and deeper, the anguish digging into her soul. Would they find the killer?
What a brilliant instalment in the Kate Burkholder series! I absolutely loved it – thrills and chills, totally unputdownable with amazing twists and turns in the plot, I can’t wait to read the next one. Linda Castillo is a thriller author not to be missed! Highly recommendable.
April 17, 2020
An entire family murdered. Now an entire town is under suspicion.
Pray for Silence is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series. Wow! Dark, graphic, disturbing, and intense! A fast-paced thriller starting with the wicked first few pages. Painters Mill Police Chief Kate Burkholder, along with BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) Agent John Tomasetti, pair back up to investigate when an entire Amish family of seven are massacred on a quiet family farm. The men were shot and the young women brutally tortured and then killed.
I really enjoyed this book. The connection with the police officers, as well as Amish people, made them feel real. The plot had just enough twists and suspects to keep things interesting to the end.
Linda Castillo doesn't hold back during some of the murder scenes so if you're not into graphic descriptions of blood and torture, this may not be for you. A solid thriller and great addition to the series by Castillo.
Pray for Silence is the second book in the Kate Burkholder series. Wow! Dark, graphic, disturbing, and intense! A fast-paced thriller starting with the wicked first few pages. Painters Mill Police Chief Kate Burkholder, along with BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) Agent John Tomasetti, pair back up to investigate when an entire Amish family of seven are massacred on a quiet family farm. The men were shot and the young women brutally tortured and then killed.
I really enjoyed this book. The connection with the police officers, as well as Amish people, made them feel real. The plot had just enough twists and suspects to keep things interesting to the end.
Linda Castillo doesn't hold back during some of the murder scenes so if you're not into graphic descriptions of blood and torture, this may not be for you. A solid thriller and great addition to the series by Castillo.
July 28, 2018
Audiobook
I really liked the first book in the series; not so with this one
Cons: At the beginning, all the police officers, including Burkeholder, constantly used unfettered
profanity. I don't think that is normal behavior for police officers dealing with the public.
Sort of like shooting yourself in the foot.
I got really tired of her retelling her personal "Amish" story from book one. At least 25% of
this story.
All her male characters were deformed thru her feminine lens or her misunderstanding of the
American male. i.e. her love interest was unlikeable and unbelievable.
I recommend this to readers who disagree with my cons, and like 'the world should be like this" stories. This wasn't written for me so no more Castillo.
I really liked the first book in the series; not so with this one
Cons: At the beginning, all the police officers, including Burkeholder, constantly used unfettered
profanity. I don't think that is normal behavior for police officers dealing with the public.
Sort of like shooting yourself in the foot.
I got really tired of her retelling her personal "Amish" story from book one. At least 25% of
this story.
All her male characters were deformed thru her feminine lens or her misunderstanding of the
American male. i.e. her love interest was unlikeable and unbelievable.
I recommend this to readers who disagree with my cons, and like 'the world should be like this" stories. This wasn't written for me so no more Castillo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,631 reviews