Review of "Breaking Silence: A Police Chief Kate Burkholder Mystery" by Linda Castillo

In this 3rd book in the 'Kate Burkholder' series, the Police Chief has to deal with a series of hate crimes as well as multiple deaths. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters is a bonus.

*****



Police Chief Kate Burkholder of Painter's Mill, Ohio was raised Amish, but left the fold after a traumatic incident in her teens. Nevertheless, Kate understands and empathizes with the local Amish community, an insular group that avoids interaction with the 'English.'

Like many minorities, the Painter's Mill Amish are sometimes subject to prejudice and abuse, and - as the story opens - a couple of thugs sneak into an Amish farm and slaughter four sheep.....just for fun. This is followed by other hate crimes such as: a Molotov cocktail being hurled into an Amish buggy; an Amish farmer being beaten, tied, and left out in the freezing cold; an Amish teen being brutalized and slashed with a buggy whip; a deliberately set barn fire that results in a death; and so on.



In the midst of these incidents an Amish family experiences an unthinkable tragedy. Solly Slabaugh, his wife Rachel, and his brother Abel are found dead in the Slabaugh farm's manure pit, where the decomposing hog poop gives off deadly methane gas.



The tragedy leaves four orphans - Mose (17), Salome (15), Samuel (12), and Ike (10) - whose custody becomes a contentious issue. An excommunicated uncle wants to care for the kids, but he's strongly opposed by Amish Bishop Troyer and his congregants.



The Slabaugh disaster seems like an accident at first, but turns out to be murder. Kate and her team investigate with the help of John Tomasetti from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who's also Kate's (secret) boyfriend.




The cops have to figure out whether the Slabaugh deaths are part of the string of hate crimes - or something else - before they can identify and catch the perpetrator. This isn't easy, especially since the persecuted Amish refuse to cooperate with the authorities and won't say what they saw, who attacked them, etc.

The case takes a heavy toll on Kate, who - try as she might - can't avoid getting emotionally involved with the investigation. As a result Kate broods a lot, drinks too much, and has some blind spots in relation to the crimes. Tomasetti, who's very protective, does his best to keep Kate grounded.

The developing romance between Kate and Tomasetti is low-key since they both have distressing histories and problems with commitment. However, Kate does tend to go on a bit about how attractive and sexy Tomasetti is.....so if you like that kind of thing, there you have it! 😍 (LOL)

There are some surprises in the story as well as scenes where Kate is attacked and placed in jeopardy - so there's plenty of excitement. Kate's a very tough cookie, though, who can take care of herself.

I enjoy the 'Kate Burkholder' books, which are well-plotted, well-written, and provide interesting glimpses into Amish life. In this book the author emphasizes how important family is to the Amish, how much they value their children, and how kind they are to other people. It's touching to see Amish friends and neighbors rally around after the Slabaughs are killed - to take care of the children; look after the farm; and see to the livestock.



This is a good book that I'd recommend to readers who enjoy mysteries, especially Kate Burkholder fans.

Though it's best to read the series from the beginning to know the backstories of the main characters, I've found that each book can be read as a standalone without any problems.

Rating: 3.5 stars