Gone Missing

May 7, 2012
Kate Burkholder’s Amish heritage plays a huge role in bestseller Castillo’s exciting fourth thriller featuring the Painters Mill, Ohio, police chief (after 2011’s Breaking Silence). John Tomasetti of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, with whom Kate became intimate while working together on a previous case, asks her to consult on a statewide case involving missing Amish teens because of her knowledge of Amish language and customs. Soon after Kate hits the road, Tomasetti calls to alert her that 15-year-old Annie King of Buck Creek never returned home from a trip to the local vegetable stand. Kate joins investigators as they retrace Annie’s route and find evidence of a crime scene. Kate starts to interview Amish families, while the National Crime Information Center and Violent Criminal Apprehension Program provide links to more possible cases. As relations between Kate and Tomasetti heat up, the investigation takes some bizarre turns. Castillo ratchets up the tension nicely before the disconcerting ending. Author tour. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

October 1, 2012

In Castillo's fifth entry in her "Amish Country" series featuring police chief Kate Burkholder, Kate investigates the disappearance of several young Amish women, all of whom are going through rumspringa, a time when youth may enjoy experiences outside the strict rules of Amish life prior to baptism. The trail leads to an Ohio farm possessing a terrible secret, which will put Kate in danger and her life on the line. She relies on her skills as an investigator and background as an Amish woman who abandoned that existence to solve the case. The thrilling story holds the listener's interest while offering a glimpse into the closed world of the Plain People. Reader Kathleen McInerney does an excellent job in presenting this gripping tale. VERDICT This mystery is recommended for Castillo's fans and those interested in similar stories in this setting. ["This fast-paced thrill ride through the always fascinating Amish country of Ohio should appeal to readers of Karin Slaughter, Betty Webb, and Lisa Jackson. Devotees of this series won't want to miss it," read the review of the New York Times best-selling Minotaur: St. Martin's hc, LJ Xpress Reviews, 6/22/12.--Ed.]--Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Parkersburg Lib.

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