Crime Thriller
Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder) Books in Order
by Linda Castillo
Former Amish woman Kate Burkholder polices the small Ohio town of Painters Mill, where her dual cultural identity gives her unique insight into crimes touching the Amish community. Dark plots, beautifully rendered landscape.
About the series
Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series is set in Painters Mill, Ohio, a small town with a large Amish community. Kate Burkholder, the town's chief of police, grew up Amish before leaving the faith — a background that gives her a rare dual perspective when crimes touch both worlds. The series is notable for its respectful, nuanced portrayal of Amish life alongside genuinely dark crime plots. Castillo publishes roughly one novel and one e-novella per year, giving the series a steady, reliable rhythm that fans appreciate.
Recommended reading order
Start with Sworn to Silence (2009), which introduces Kate, Painters Mill, and her complicated relationship with her Amish past. The novels are largely self-contained mysteries, but Kate's personal backstory and her relationship with BCI agent John Tomasetti develop across the series and reward reading in order.
Reading order
17 books · Ongoing