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sleepytimebooks's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
bookhoarder76's review
4.0
I was given an advance copy via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely love this series by Linda Castillo and look forward to the new release every year. I will say that I enjoyed this one more than last years but unfortunately for the author I think it might be bad timing for the subject matter. Bad Cops. I won't hold that against her of course as these books are written well in advance of us getting the. I'm giving it 4 stars because at times I felt the story was a little drawn out and not enough twists or anything thrown in. All in all it was still a good read and I look forward to number 13 next year!
I absolutely love this series by Linda Castillo and look forward to the new release every year. I will say that I enjoyed this one more than last years but unfortunately for the author I think it might be bad timing for the subject matter. Bad Cops. I won't hold that against her of course as these books are written well in advance of us getting the. I'm giving it 4 stars because at times I felt the story was a little drawn out and not enough twists or anything thrown in. All in all it was still a good read and I look forward to number 13 next year!
bsmith27's review
5.0
I love this series. Another good one from Castillo. This time it isn't a murder mystery but an old friend comes back into town. She is on the run from the law because they say she is a dirty cop. She is but is trying to take down the whole ring.
writings_of_a_reader's review against another edition
4.0
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder’s past comes back to haunt her when she receives a call from Amish widower Adam Lengacher. While enjoying a sleigh ride with his children, he discovered a car stuck in a snowdrift and an unconscious woman inside. Kate arrives at his farm and is shocked to discover the driver is a woman she hasn’t seen in ten years: fellow cop Gina Colorosa.
Ten years ago, Kate and Gina were best friends at the police academy, graduating together as rookies with the Columbus Division of Police. But the reunion takes an ominous turn when Kate learns Gina is wanted for killing an undercover officer. Gina claims she’s innocent, that she was framed by corrupt officers who want her gone because she was about to turn them in for wrongdoing.
Kate calls upon state agent John Tomasetti for help and with a blizzard bearing down, they delve into the incident. But no one wants to talk about what happened the night Gina allegedly gunned down a fellow cop. Even Tomasetti is stonewalled, his superior telling him in no uncertain terms to back off.
With whisperings of corruption and the threat of rogue cops seeking revenge, Kate and Gina hunker down at Adam Lengacher’s farm. As Kate gets closer to the truth, a killer lies in wait. When violence strikes, Kate must confront a reality that changes everything she thought she knew not only about friendship, but the institution to which she's devoted her life.
This series has been a mixture of 3 and 4 star ratings for me. After a rocky start, I've grown pretty attached to these characters. Over time, the stories have mellowed out a bit, meaning that the characters are less abrasive and reckless. They've settled into who they are, and are comfortable with each other. There is also less cursing in the books. I like it so much better this way!
Unlike most of the books in the series, the mystery in this one doesn't directly involve any of the Amish. There is just the Amish family that ends up finding the woman in trouble and letting her stay in their home. I liked that this book was a departure from that same old formula. One thing that I enjoy about this series are the flashbacks we get to Kate's earlier life. This time around it was to the time period after she left home to after she joined the police force in Columbus. As the mystery unfolds, Kate goes down memory lane back to when she met her friend Gina, who is the woman in trouble, and through all the ups and downs of their friendship, until it finally ultimately ended. Kate comes to a life changing decision along the way, and I was glad that she finally did.
I liked the way Tomasetti was supportive in this book. He wasn't overbearing, and he didn't keep telling Kate that she needed to stop putting herself in danger. I thought maybe he went a little too far in the other direction this time, but it was better than the angry, worried Tomasetti. And Kate mostly played it smarter than in some of the previous books. I think they have both grown and changed for the better. That being said, there was one part that didn't feel very realistic to me. I thought they wouldn't have stayed at the farmhouse after the car was spotted in the middle of the night. They blew it off too easily for the situation they were in, and Tomasetti, who in the past has been so worried about Kate, didn't come across as worried enough about that.
My only other problem with the book is the cover. It's a nice cover, but it has absolutely nothing to do with anything that happens in the book. Other than a couple of brief encounters with two Amish women, there is no Amish lady featured in the book, so I'm not sure why they decided on this cover. But I do know that authors really don't have much input on the cover that is chosen for their books, so that's on the publisher.
Overall, this series is still going strong and I still enjoy the time I spend in Painter's Mill each year with these characters, so I will definitely keep reading.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
Ten years ago, Kate and Gina were best friends at the police academy, graduating together as rookies with the Columbus Division of Police. But the reunion takes an ominous turn when Kate learns Gina is wanted for killing an undercover officer. Gina claims she’s innocent, that she was framed by corrupt officers who want her gone because she was about to turn them in for wrongdoing.
Kate calls upon state agent John Tomasetti for help and with a blizzard bearing down, they delve into the incident. But no one wants to talk about what happened the night Gina allegedly gunned down a fellow cop. Even Tomasetti is stonewalled, his superior telling him in no uncertain terms to back off.
With whisperings of corruption and the threat of rogue cops seeking revenge, Kate and Gina hunker down at Adam Lengacher’s farm. As Kate gets closer to the truth, a killer lies in wait. When violence strikes, Kate must confront a reality that changes everything she thought she knew not only about friendship, but the institution to which she's devoted her life.
This series has been a mixture of 3 and 4 star ratings for me. After a rocky start, I've grown pretty attached to these characters. Over time, the stories have mellowed out a bit, meaning that the characters are less abrasive and reckless. They've settled into who they are, and are comfortable with each other. There is also less cursing in the books. I like it so much better this way!
Unlike most of the books in the series, the mystery in this one doesn't directly involve any of the Amish. There is just the Amish family that ends up finding the woman in trouble and letting her stay in their home. I liked that this book was a departure from that same old formula. One thing that I enjoy about this series are the flashbacks we get to Kate's earlier life. This time around it was to the time period after she left home to after she joined the police force in Columbus. As the mystery unfolds, Kate goes down memory lane back to when she met her friend Gina, who is the woman in trouble, and through all the ups and downs of their friendship, until it finally ultimately ended. Kate comes to a life changing decision along the way, and I was glad that she finally did.
I liked the way Tomasetti was supportive in this book. He wasn't overbearing, and he didn't keep telling Kate that she needed to stop putting herself in danger. I thought maybe he went a little too far in the other direction this time, but it was better than the angry, worried Tomasetti. And Kate mostly played it smarter than in some of the previous books. I think they have both grown and changed for the better. That being said, there was one part that didn't feel very realistic to me. I thought they wouldn't have stayed at the farmhouse after the car was spotted in the middle of the night. They blew it off too easily for the situation they were in, and Tomasetti, who in the past has been so worried about Kate, didn't come across as worried enough about that.
My only other problem with the book is the cover. It's a nice cover, but it has absolutely nothing to do with anything that happens in the book. Other than a couple of brief encounters with two Amish women, there is no Amish lady featured in the book, so I'm not sure why they decided on this cover. But I do know that authors really don't have much input on the cover that is chosen for their books, so that's on the publisher.
Overall, this series is still going strong and I still enjoy the time I spend in Painter's Mill each year with these characters, so I will definitely keep reading.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
marnella's review
4.0
Audiobook- my guilty pleasure reads, this one was really good and it was nice to not follow the normal routine.
victorianvickie's review
4.0
This series is amazing!!! Kate's old friend comes to town with loads of trouble following her. A huge snowstorm has them housebound in an Amish families home while Kate tries to keep her friend alive.
I just love this series!
I just love this series!
desertlover's review
4.0
I have spent the last six months devouring this series, and this was another engaging installment. It was fascinating getting a view of the daily life of an Amish family. The Lengacher family, especially Samuel melted my heart. I am sad to be caught up with the series but look forward to the next installment.
seeraphinaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
brooklynnludlow's review
3.0
This was a fairly good book, a quick little paperback. Gina, a cop, gets caught up in police corruption and in a runaway accident, she is taken in by an Amish man. The book follows the unraveling of this corruption as Gina’s friend, also a cop, in a neighboring town tries to aid her. Everyone gets away fine. Fairly good book.