Minotaur Books

“I used to subscribe to the belief that a person’s loved ones are the people who know them best. It wasn’t until I had some life experience under my belt that I learned the premise couldn’t be farther from the truth. Sometimes a person’s loved ones are the last to know—or the last to acknowledge—a fault or weakness. That’s especially true when you’re Amish.”
― Linda Castillo, An Evil Heart

“The things we learn in our formative years stay with us. Right or wrong, the lessons of our youth shape our adult view of the world. Having been raised Amish, I was taught to believe the best about people. Most of the time that philosophy serves me well. I still believe that the majority of people are fundamentally good. As a cop, though, I’m keenly aware that many are not.”
― Linda Castillo, An Evil Heart

“Roland “Pickles” Shumaker is my only part-time officer, having semi-retired a few years ago. He’s north of eighty years old now and spends most of his time working the school crosswalk—and occasionally confiscating cigarettes from students who think they’re going to cop a smoke on his watch. The people who know him—and those of us who work with him—do not underestimate Pickles. He may be in his golden years; he may be moving a little more slowly; he may lie about his age. But beneath the grizzled exterior is fifty years of law enforcement experience, a commendation for undercover narcotics work, and the instincts of a man who’ll lay down his life to save your ass.”
― Linda Castillo, An Evil Heart

“Criminals keep terrible hours. They work nights. Weekends. Holidays. You name it and they’re out there, wreaking havoc. Shortly before I began my law enforcement career, I did a ride-along with a veteran officer in Columbus, and I’ll never forget what he told me. “If you want to see action, schedule your ride-along for the graveyard shift,” he’d said. “That’s when the zombies come out. That’s when you find out what really goes on after the sun goes down. That’s when you’ll know if you have what it takes.”
― Linda Castillo, An Evil Heart