Sworn to Silence

Sworn to Silence is the first in Linda Castillo's New York Times bestselling Kate Burkholder series.A KILLER IS PREYING ON SACRED GROUND....In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish.

“Romance novelist Castillo, who grew up near Amish country, convincingly switches gears with this debut thriller, balancing chilling suspense and a nuanced portrait of the English-Amish divide. Starring a tough, complicated cop who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch as smoothly as she downs a vodka, Silence is the opening salvo in what promises to be a gripping series.” ―People magazine (3 ½ out of 4 stars)

“Lovers of suspense will find no better novel to read this summer than Sworn to Silence, a teeth-chattering debut thriller from romance writer Linda Castillo. . . . This first in a series will delight fans of Chelsea Cain and Thomas Harris . . . compelling characters, excellent plotting and a hair-raising finale.” ―USA Today

“Absolutely stunning. . . . A perfectly crafted thriller.” ―Lisa Scottoline

“[Castillo] combines the protagonist's Amish background with her tough cop persona so skillfully and with such finesse, that both aspects of her character are totally believable. She also makes police procedure anything but tedious.” ―Sandra Brown

“Complicated, haunted protagonists, shocking murders, psychological twists and bizarre crime scenes. . . . Sworn to Silence is a nail-biting series debut.” ―Chelsea Cain

“Castillo's backdrop of Amish Country is so alive and crawling with atmosphere that you'll swear you can hear the snow crunching underfoot. Sworn to Silence packs a healthy dose of twists but it's Kate's memorable voice that will leave you wanting to hear more.” ―Alex Kava

“Kate Burkholder is the real deal and Sworn to Silence is a vivid, intense, and brutal page-turner of a novel.” ―C.J. Box

“With an utterly compelling protagonist, sharp twists and a setting so real you feel it, Castillo doesn't just hit the ball out of the park, she knocks the skin off the ball.” ―John Hart