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A killer is preying on sacred ground....
In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.
Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past—until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past—and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.
"A gun-toting, cursing, former Amish female chief of police" stars in this excellent first in a new suspense series from romance veteran Castillo (Fade to Red). When a serial killer strikes bucolic Painters Mill, Ohio, the killer's signature-Roman numerals ritualistically carved into each victim's abdomen-matches the MO of four unsolved murders from 16 years earlier. Police chief Kate Burkholder, who's reluctant to dredge up the past, must keep secret that she knows why the old murders stopped. Not satisfied with the case's progress, local politicos set up a multijurisdictional task force to assist, including a law-enforcement agent battling his own demons. The added scrutiny and the rising body count threaten to push the chief over the edge. Adept at creating characters with depth and nuance, Castillo smoothly integrates their backstories into a well-paced plot that illuminates the divide between the Amish and "English" worlds. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This debut mystery introduces Police Chief Kate Burkholder of Painters Mill, OH. Kate grew up in that Amish community but abandoned her heritage after a traumatic event in her teen years. Now she's back, using her Amish background to navigate between the two factions in the community. Her hard-won equanimity is shaken when the body of a young woman is found. The murder appears to be nearly identical to a series of killings from 16 years ago, though Kate knows that it can't be the same person. As successive murders follow, she is forced to walk a tightrope between running a good investigation and protecting herself and her family. Sworn marks Castillo's move from romantic suspense to straight mystery, and judging by this novel, the move is a good one. Though the ending feels a bit rushed and serial killers abound in crime fiction today, this is very well done. The small-town setting, complicated relationships among the inhabitants, and the strong but battle-scarred protagonist bring Julia Spencer-Fleming's series to mind. Highly recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ2/1/09.]
—Jane Jorgenson
The cruiser’s strobes cast red and blue light onto winter dead trees. Officer T.J. Banks pulled the car onto the shoulder and flipped on the spotlight, running the beam along the edge of the field where corn stalks shivered in the cold. Twenty yards away, six Jersey cows stood in the bar ditch, chewing their cud.
"Stupid fuckin’ cows," he muttered. Besides chickens, they had to be the dumbest animals on earth.
He hit the radio. "Dispatch, this is forty- seven."
"What’s up, T.J.?" asked Mona, the night dispatcher.
"I got a 10- 54. Stutz’s damn cows are out again."
"That’s the second time in a week."
"Always on my shift, too."
"So what are you going to do? He ain’t got no phone out there."
A glance at the clock on the dash told him it was nearly two a.m."Well, I’m not going to stand out here in the frickin’ cold and round up these stupid shits."
"Maybe you ought to just shoot ’em."
"Don’t tempt me." Looking around, he sighed. Livestock on the road at this hour was an accident waiting to happen. If someone came around the curve too fast it could be bad. He thought of all the paperwork an accident would entail and shook his head. "I’ll set up some flares then go drag his Amish ass out of bed."
"Let me know if you need backup." She snickered.
Yanking the zipper of his coat up to his chin, he slid his flashlight from its nest beside the seat and got out of the cruiser. It was so cold he could feel his nose hairs freezing. His boots crunched through snow as he made his way to the bar ditch, his breaths puffing out in front of him. He hated the graveyard shift almost as much as he hated winter.
He ran the flashlight beam along the fence line. Sure enough, twenty feet away two strands of barbed wire had come loose from a gnarled locust- wood post. Hoofprints told him several head had discovered the opening and ventured onto the shoulder for some illicit grazing.
"Stupid fuckin’ cows."
T.J. went back to the cruiser and popped the trunk. Removing two flares, he set them up on the centerline to warn traffic. He was on his way back to the cruiser when he spotted something in the snow on the opposite side of the road. Curious, he crossed to it. A solitary woman’s shoe lay on the shoulder. Judging from its condition and lack of snow cover, it hadn’t been there long. Teenagers, probably. This deserted stretch of road was a favorite place to smoke dope and have sex. They were almost as stupid as cows.
Frowning, T.J. nudged the shoe with his foot. That was when he noticed the drag marks, as if something heavy had been hauled through the snow. He traced the path with the flashlight beam, tracking it to the fence and into the field beyond. The hairs at the back of his neck prickled when he spotted blood. A lot of it.
"What the hell?"
He followed the trail into the ditch where yellow grass poked up through the snow. He climbed the fence and found more blood on the other side, stark and black against pristine white. It was enough to give a guy the willies.
The path took him to a stand of bare- branched hedge apple trees at the edge of a cornfield. He could hear himself breathing hard, the dead corn stalks whispering all around. T.J. set his hand on his revolver and swept the beam in a 360- degree circle. That was when he noticed the object in the snow.
At first he thought an animal had been hit and dragged itself there to die. But as he neared, the beam revealed something else. Pale flesh. A shock of darkish hair. A bare foot sticking out of the snow. Adrenaline kicked hard in his gut. "Holy shit."
For an instant he couldn’t move. He couldn’t stop looking at the dark circle of blood and colorless flesh. Giving himself a hard mental shake, T.J. dropped to his knees beside the body. His first thought was that she might still be alive. Brushing at the snow, he set his hand against a bare shoulder. Her skin was ice cold, but he rolled her over anyway. He saw more blood and pasty flesh and glazed eyes that seemed to stare right at him.
Shaken, he scrambled back. His hand trembled as he grappled for his lapel mike. "Dispatch! This is forty- seven!"
"What now, T.J? One of them cows chase you up a tree?"
"I got a fuckin’ body here at Stutz’s place."
"What?"
They used the ten- code system in Painters Mill, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember the number for a dead body. He’d never had to use it. "I said I got a dead body."
"I heard you the first time." But the words were followed by a stunned pause as realization hit her. "What’s your twenty?"
"Dog Leg Road, just south of the covered bridge."
A beat of silence. "Who is it?"
Everyone knew everyone in Paint ers Mill, but he’d never seen this woman before. "I don’t know. A woman. Naked as the day she came into this world and deader than Elvis."
"A wreck or what?"
"This was no accident." Setting his hand on the butt of his .38, T.J. scanned the shadows within the trees. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest. "You’d better call the chief, Mona. I think we got us a murder."
Excerpted from Sworn To Silence by Linda Castillo.
Copyright © 2009 by Linda Castillo
Published by St. Martin’s Press.
All rights reserved. This work is protected under copyright laws and reproduction is strictly prohibited. Permission to reproduce the material in any manner or medium must be secured from the Publisher.
Revpa
Posted December 8, 2009
Linda Castillo is an excellent writer - her plot and characters are excellent. This book should not be listed un "Christian Fiction Amish"
Having an Amish theme does not make the book Christian. Ms Castillo's used of curse and swear words through out the book, and her rather vivid description of sexual scenes - do not read like any truly Christian literature I've ever read.
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Painters Mill, Ohio is a quiet serene small-town until a serial killer begins carving Roman numbers into each victim's abdomen. The case is identical to what drove the current Police Chief Kate Burkholder from her Amish background as a teen; four people died sixteen years ago in an identical ritual.
Kate knows why the homicides abruptly ended back then and that the current copy cat killer cannot be the same psychopath. Meanwhile the politicians are nervous that they will be punished by the public for being soft on crime due to the lack of progress by the cops as more victims die. They set up a multi-jurisdictional task force to allegedly assist Kate, but consisting of mostly sycophant moles who report to the politicos and not the chief; she in turn finds them a nuisance examining her every move rather than that of the killer.
Although there are enough serial killers in literature to wipe out Ohio, readers will enjoy SWORN TO SILENCE; a strong police procedural refreshed by the Amish connection that enables the audience to compare how the two prime groups react to the murders then and now. Kate is a wonderful protagonist struggling emotionally with déjà vu homicides, politicians who ironically some object to Darwinism yet are the classic example of survival, and walking the thin blood line between her Amish childhood and her English job. Fans will enjoy Linda Castillo's brisk take on how two distinct groups behave with a deadly predator in their midst.
Harriet Klausner
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SHARON39
Posted December 8, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Whew! What a storyline! Chief of Police, Katie Burkholder in Painters Mill, Amish country; who would have guessed? Sworn to Silence is chock full of chills, suspense and flawed, interesting characters! I love a strong female lead and a wonderful beginning that won't let me put the book down!! Suspense with a dash of romance...PERFECT! Compelling! Intense! Gripping page-turner! Fast-paced! Loved it!!!! I'm buying Linda Castillo's next one, for sure!!! ...
A couple of other wonderful, thrilling books I'd like to offer readers are EXPLOSION IN PARIS, by Pirrung...EXPLOSION IN PARIS ..and THE NEIGHBOR, by Lisa Gardner.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 3, 2009
While the mystery was unique because it was set in Amish country, the plot was so-so, the writing pedestrian...maybe she should stick with writing romance novels.
4 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sworn to Silence was a fun book to listen to on Audio Book. For one thing, there was no way I could skip ahead to the end to find out whodunit. The narrator did a great job of keeping with the "edge of your seat" writing. Speaking of which, Linda Castillo did a FABULOUS job.
Sworn to Silence is a twisted story with horrific murders set in the heart of Amish country. The writing is superb. The characters are realistic and enjoyable. The story is one that will give you nightmares. Exactly what I have come to love about mystery novels. If you are a fan of Karin Slaughter, you will enjoy this book. It is not a story I would recommend to the squeamish, but if you can handle it, you will love it! I promise!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When I had seen this book offered on Library Thing Early Reviewers I was very interested in the book. I didn't win the book but a fellow LTER finished with it and offered it to others. I am thrilled to have requested the book and to have had the privilege of reading Sworn To Silence.
The main character of Sworn to Silence is Kate Burkholder who grew up Amish and decided to leave the Amish way of life. She is now the Chief of Police in Painters Mill, Ohio, her former hometown. She has a secret that makes Sworn to Silence a thriller.
The plot of Sworn to Silence is that a serial murdered is back after sixteen years. After the first body is discovered questions arise as to, why such a long hiatus between these murders? Does Kate know who the murderer is?
You will be trying to figure out who the murderer is and if Kate really is hiding the identity of the murderer. You are in for a jolt of surprises and mutilation in the murders. If you can handle reading about torture and sex crimes then grab yourself a copy of Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo.
I was utterly thrilled by this book and look forward to reading more books by Linda Castillo.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Loralee3
Posted March 26, 2011
This was the 2nd book I have read from Linda Castillo. I read Pray For Silence first. I thought they were both really good reads. If you like a good mystery...then this is a goodie. Warning...pretty graphic details!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.1louise1
Posted April 29, 2010
I Also Recommend:
A good Amish mystery that turned out to be a heart-pounding suspense. ENJOYED!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 25, 2009
I absolutely LOVED this book! It is the best book I've read in a long time. It kept me in suspence and my chest tight at times. The ending was thrilling and unexpected. I found myself trying to guess throughout the entire book of who the killer was and I was confused until the end. I definitely recommend this book as a GREAT thriller!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 3, 2009
Kate was Amish. She still lives in her mostly Amish community, but she is no longer a part of the religion. She is a police chief.
A serial killer is back. Kate is holding back a secret that may blow the case open. Will she open up old wounds that could bring her family and the Amish community into a bad situation? Will she cover for them and herself and let the killing continue?
Because of politics, she is fired. Was it just politics? Several people are hiding key facts. Kate keeps working on the case, though she is fired. This is about to get her killed.
Who killed these girls?
I love the Amish/Mennonite genre. I believe that Castillo has single-handedly created a new sub-genre-Amish suspense. This is brilliant. However, this is not a feel-good Amish book. There is suspense, some gore, and foul language. This is a page-turner that must be added to the top of your reading list.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.What a great read! I am excited for this book to come out so I can talk about it with my friends. It is a trilling book. Also the main character has quite a past. One that some may not be familiar with. The author blends the storyline and characters so well that I found it hard to put down. Something original that I really enjoyed! Thank you and Bravo!! I hate to give too much away so I try to keep the infomation and plot very brief so too much is not given away. So if you are like me/ please stop reading. The police chief is a lady who has grown up in this small town. Her family has not been involved in her life for religious reasons. She is an excellent cop but with a few personal problems. Suddenly a murder happenens in this small docile town and then another and the past is going to haunt everyone again. Is it the same serial murderer? And why would he come back??? Hope you enjoy!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 1, 2011
Refreshing read. Kept me up late at night. Sorry it had to end. Now what am I going to read?!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 25, 2011
This is the first Linda Castillo book I have read, and it will not be the last! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a mystery with a twist.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 6, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will look for more in this series. The novel was well-paced and kept your interest by having multiple story lines going on--finding out and catching the serial killer, delving into Kate's family issues, John's personal issues, etc. I also liked how the author interwove both first- and third-person narratives to tell the story. My only complaint was that I would have liked to get more into the mind of the killer. Except for the "profile" that John provided, we didn't get to learn anything about the killer's mindset and how or if his impending divorce had anything to do with his wife putting two and two together.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 3, 2009
This book is written in the first person. I wish the reviews would state when this is the case.. I dont enjoy books in the first person. I was very disappointed with this. I was able to make it to page 6 then had to put it down
1 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I've read many of Linda Castillo's books, but this one is my very favorite so far!
In Sworn to Silence, Linda Castillo creates a strong, vivid characters within a suspenseful, heart-thumping thrill-ride of a story.
Kate Burkholder,the lead protagonist, is refreshingly unique and possesses a depth that makes a reader want to know more about her, and why she abandoned the Amish life, yet came home to serve and protect the community she left behind. Kate's counterpart, John Tomasetti, fighting demons of his own, is more than a match for her, with an intriguing multi-layered character of his own that magnetizes our attention to the page. Each struggles to come to terms with their past, while focusing on a very real evil haunting Painters Mill.
If those two weren't enough, Sworn to Silence boasts a community of players that add rich texture and flavor to the novel.
I look forward to reading more about Kate and Tomasetti, and more intrigue in Painters Mill.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 8, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Just when you think you have has your fill of serial killer novels this one steps out as something different and well crafted and will catch your attention in a couple chapters
The characters are intriguing and you will find they are as easy to read about as the thriller of a story of murders in an Amish community.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 7, 2012
Love this author!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 4, 2012
This is the first in a sequential series of three books; you will surely end up with all three books. You will never guess the outcome!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 17, 2012
Read it straight through! GREAT read!!!
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Overview
A killer is preying on sacred ground....
In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.
Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been...