Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder) Paperback – March 15, 2011

This is a pretty good book. I bought it because it is set in Amish country, very near where I grew up, and I liked the way the author described the setting and the Amish community. The plot was nicely paced, and it kept me turning pages.I liked it, but I can’t give it a rave review for a couple of reasons:One star off: writing. First, I find the present-tense narration to be an annoying affectation, especially when the author does not know the difference between LIE and LAY. You really need to understand the distinction if you’re going to write that way. Second, there is a jarring time-line issue with the discovery of one of the murders. And finally, one of the dispatchers, Mona, supposedly works the graveyard shift, but toward the end of the book she seems to be on duty 24/7.These could be first-thriller issues. I don’t plan to find out, however, because…second star off: it’s torture porn. Not my cup of tea.

The book is well written - and the mystery is good - but the violence is appalling. I read women authors because often their books rely on great plot twists without graphic violence. Not so here. I did want to know who the killer was, so I finally skipped to the end, found out who dunnit - and that was enough of this book for me. Thank you very much!

This looks promising at first – small town mystery, Amish setting, gutsy female police chief. Most reviews on Amazon were very positive, although some cautioned the “squeamish.” Well, call me squeamish, I had to skip many pages. If you enjoy reading about multiple horrific murders, extreme torture, sexual deviancy, child rape and human disembowelment, all wrapped up in an unbelievable plot, then this is the book for you. I usually like "ethnic" mysteries but there was precious little insight into the Amish way of life. The writing isn't bad and some characters are of interest, but even the “good” guys commit gruesome crimes. I forced myself to finish it because it’s the selection for my mystery book group – the recommender is going to get an earful at the next meeting!

This is the first book in a series featuring Kate Burkholder, the chief of police in the quiet town of Painter's Mill. A serial killer has reappeared after 16 years. Is it someone Kate knows from her past or a copycat?What I liked: Loved the character of Kate. She has an interesting background including being Amish but left her community at 18. I liked the other characters in the book including John and Glock.What I didn't like: I read mysteries all the time but this onewas quite graphic with the descriptions of the violence. Not my favorite part.The mystery was great (I didn't figure it out until Kate did). I want to continue reading this series.

I really like this series set in Amish country of Ohio. I read the latest book and went back to the first. Let me say that the writing and plotting get better. As much as I like the characters and setting of this book, it was frustrating for a couple reasons. The very smart and respected main character totally failed to question her assumptions about a key event in her past. I could say that she was exhausted, hungry, and harried most of the time, but it was still a bad writer’s gimmick obvious to the reader. Also, the killer was obvious to me about a third of the way through when the profile was disclosed. The killer immediately came to mind as fitting the profile, so it was hard to believe that all these seasoned cops missed it. I kept with the book for other reasons, but it was tempting to skip half and just confirm I was right about the killer (I was).

Got as far as chapter 3 and deleted it from my kindle. Object to first-person voice and the mediocre writing mostly. Also too much graphic description of torture.

I picked this book because I wanted to know the relationship between Anne and the police FBI agent John I want to see how she met him and I found the book rather gruesome very much detail and I don't think it needed all of that and I think it needed a different ending I'm glad I read tthe earlier books because I don't think I'll pick up her latest because I'm sure cop is the one that does the killing in that book 2 I'd like to see someone different maybe I'll try to pick up something that's out of the Amish Country maybe she can get away from the cops being the killers I think there's a lot of bad cops out there my gosh I hate to read books that talk about how bad and how many there are I can see it happening in one book but in every book that's a little much

This is a new author for me to read and I did like this book. It is the first in a series of 9 books about Police Chief Kate Burkholder in an Amish community. I liked how the author explained the ways of the Amish, I found this very interesting and how she explained/incorporated their way of life to mingle with the Englishers and how Kate's own life changed when she walked away from the Amish life. This story is well written with many twists and turns that you just want to keep reading to get to the end as I did. It is, however, very gruesome with multiple murders, extreme torture graphic violence and all of this well explained so you do get the picture of what happened to the victims. This books was well written. I'll continue to read her books about Kate Burkholder.

Having read “Her last breath” which is the 5th in the Kate Burkholder series I just had to get the rest! This book didn’t disappoint either. Such a good writer and storyteller. Set in the Amish countryside which the stories revolve around. Linda Castillo brings together two lost souls Kate and another deceive Tomasetti and I really felt their sorrow. She brings all the characters to life. The stories are fast paced, sad, horrifying, tense, everything a good book should be. I had to force myself to put the book down of a night. I have just started the next in the series which is just as good. Why these books don’t appear when searching for thrillers I do not understand It was only because I was searching another site that I came across this series and I am so glad I did.

Not for the first time I find myself wishing there were a 3.5* option; but I'll settle for 4* largely due to the unusual setting (for a British reader) amongst the Amish community. There is a genre of crime fiction where inevitably the female police officer / pathologist, with the will they / won't they relationship, walks blindly into a perilous situation that the reader has been warning her against for several chapters. "Don't go into the deserted, isolated house alone after dark during the biggest thunderstorm in living memory" we cry, but to no avail. Nothing will dissuade our heroine. As I've said, the setting held my attention, and getting to know a new protagonist, especially one with a well sketched back story, made this an enjoyable read; I've just finished the sequel, so that says something, I guess. I eventually tired of Tempe Brennan (apologies to Ms Reichs) because she simply wouldn't listen when I warned her of impending danger. I hope Kate Burkholder will be more attentive.

Enjoyed this book. Think it got better as it got further into it. Kate Burkholder is Chief of Police in the rural town of Painters Mill in Ohio. She was brought up as Amish but left the Amish community at the age of 18, not an easy thing to do and was therefore put under a bann. (It gave a bit of an insight into the way the Amish people live.) Something terrible happened prior to her departure which left her with her own demons to fight. 16,years after a serial killer appeared to have stopped his killing spree, the murders suddenly begin again. Kate is out of her depth and things are not helped by the politics in the town. The Council are gunning for her. John Tomasetti, along with his own demons, arrives on the scene to help. There are some very graphic scenes - not for the squeamish. The ending is quite exciting, I think.One thing I don't care for is the use of the present tense throughout the book, apart from secondary characters' viewpoints.I would recommend it, nevertheless, and may consider downloading further books by Linda Castillo.

I read this book many years ago but I don't remember any of it except a feeling that it wasn't great and haven't read any more of Ms Castillo's work. I recently bought the trilogy (Murder In Amish Country) as it was on special and thought I would give it another go. It must have been my mood last time round as I found Sworn To Silence gripping. There isn't anything particularly new in the plot - female lead detective with a secret hunting a vicious serial killer, the twist being is that she was brought up Amish. I liked the plot as it is straightforward, linear and logical, the characterisation is sufficient to keep up with the plot and the only thing I didn't like was the first person narrative. I think it would have been much better in the third person as I don't feel Kate's character was strong enough to carry the 1st person convincingly. This is a good plot driven novel, nothing spectacular but enough to keep me turning the pages.

I generally prefer British to American crime stories but this is one author who has won me over. Kate Burkholder is the Chief of Police when a murder in Painters Mill is discovered. The MO is similar to those committed when she was a young teenager while still a member of the Amish community. Since those days a long held secret has led to her estrangement from her family and the Amish community as she chose a different path to their way of life.Kate Burkholder is a strong character, the murders are gory and the local politics ruthless. Kate sets up the investigation into the horrific crimes that are scaring the locals. The plot is good and well paced with short chapters which only serve to ramp up the tension until the perfect climax to the story.Linda Castillo is well worth a read. I look forward to the developments of the characters in the next three books, starting with  Pray for Silence (Kate Burkholder 2)Pray for Silence (Kate Burkholder 2)