Linda Castillo (Among the Wicked; Breaking Silence) opens a window on an Amish community in Ohio, centering on Painters Mill's chief of police Kate Burkholder, making her 15th appearance in the perfectly plotted An Evil Heart, and shows how their simple ways don't shield them from deceit, crime, or violence. Kate's case involves the murder of 21-year-old Aden Karn, killed by a crossbow on a deserted road. At first, Aden seems an unlikely murder victim--raised in a respected Amish family, engaged to a lovely young woman, and seemingly well-liked by his friends, co-workers, and boss, who praised his work ethic. But another side emerges. Aden was on rumspringa, a rite of passage during which younger Amish have free rein before their baptism, going "from living a godly life to hanging with the devil." Aden became a nasty drunk and a sexual predator, associating with thugs. Another death has Kate and her team further investigating Aden, who eventually appears more reprehensible than his killer.
Castillo's skillful storytelling further delves into the fascinating Kate, who was raised Amish but left the community 18 years before, though she still has respect for its members. Her singular perspective serves her and her community, despite "an incongruity inherent in being a cop and formerly Amish. Those two worlds are incompatible and clash in a fundamental and profound way." Kate is also planning her wedding, surprised at the emotions it stirs. An Evil Heart proves this is a series that continues to soar. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer