Outsider by Linda Castillo / fantastic thriller series set in Amish country

Outsider by Linda Castillo

Thanks to Goodreads I know exactly when I read my first Kate Burkholder novel – August 18, 2012. I’ve been faithfully following the character’s journey and this amazing series for 8 years. And it never gets old.

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SYNOPSIS

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s past comes back to haunt her when she receives a call from Amish widower Adam Lengacher. While enjoying a sleigh ride with his children, he discovered a car stuck in a snowdrift and an unconscious woman inside. Kate arrives at his farm and is shocked to discover the driver is a woman she hasn’t seen in ten years: fellow cop Gina Colorosa.

Ten years ago, Kate and Gina were best friends at the police academy, graduating together as rookies with the Columbus Division of Police. But the reunion takes an ominous turn when Kate learns Gina is wanted for killing an undercover officer. Gina claims she’s innocent, that she was framed by corrupt officers who want her gone because she was about to turn them in for wrongdoing.

Kate calls upon state agent John Tomasetti for help and with a blizzard bearing down, they delve into the incident. But no one wants to talk about what happened the night Gina allegedly gunned down a fellow cop. Even Tomasetti is stonewalled, his superior telling him in no uncertain terms to back off.

With whisperings of corruption and the threat of rogue cops seeking revenge, Kate and Gina hunker down at Adam Lengacher’s farm. As Kate gets closer to the truth, a killer lies in wait. When violence strikes, Kate must confront a reality that changes everything she thought she knew not only about friendship, but the institution to which she’s devoted her life.

Outsider by Linda Castillo

MY THOUGHTS

For anyone who hasn’t read or heard about this series yet, and if you love mysteries and thrillers, you should really check it out – because it’s UNIQUE!!!!

What drew me in from the very beginning was the idea of the main character growing up Amish. But after being shunned/expelled she came back to the Amish/English community to serve as their police chief.

I think I came across this author after I listened to an interview with her, and was immediately drawn into the original plot. A plot which was set in a community and area I’ve always wanted to visit. Interestingly enough, I actually can understand some of the Pennsylvania Dutch, since its origin is German/Swiss. But hearing the different pronunciation always fascinates me, a reason why I choose to listen to the audiobook.

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About the series:

From the very beginning I loved the character of Kate Burkholder. She is strong, has a can-do attitude, knows how to safe herself in sticky situations, and is not afraid to do what needs to be done. She has a small but great team as her police force, people she can rely on. And she even found a love interest in John Tomasetti, an agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Over the years their relationship has strengthened and grown, but overall it remains a very small part of the books.

Each story focuses on a murder case, with police procedural elements. Some books are more emotional than others, but they are always unique in their settings.

I started the series on audiobook, and I usually stay with the same format as I go along. Although I’ve read one or two books the regular way, I still prefer the audiobook. Just to hear the familiar voice of the narrator, and the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect.

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About the book:

Outsider (the 12th book of this series) delivered as expected. This time the story focused on a female officer, a former colleague of Kate’s and the repercussions of getting into bed with corrupt and dirty cops.

The story was as always captivating. Even nail biting at times. And it was over way too quickly.

So, if you haven’t picked up this series yet, give it a try. Because I don’t think you’ll regret it. The series gets actually better with each book, AND just a little bonus, the first book was turned into a Lifetime movie.

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Outsider by Linda Castillo