Years ago, I read the first three books in the Kate Burkholder series and really enjoyed them—so much so that I was genuinely disappointed when there were only three. Fast-forward several years and hundreds of other books later, and I’d basically forgotten about the series. Until recently, that is, when I was squirreling around thriftbooks.com (as one does) and spotted Shamed. The title rang a bell. I remembered Sworn to Silence and how much I loved it, so I hit “buy” faster than a small-town cop chasing a lead.
It showed up two days ago. I set it on the couch, which—as any bookworm knows—is the universal sign for “you’re up next.” I started reading… and forgot to eat breakfast. (Priorities.)
This book hooked me from the beginning. It opens with a grandmother gathering black walnuts on a cool November day with her grandkids—sounds wholesome, right? Nope. BAM! Murder. Brutal murder. Then a kidnapping. Then trauma. Page-turning chaos, and I was in.
Kate Burkholder is still every bit the capable, intuitive Chief of Police I remembered, but it seems she gets a lot less resistance from the Amish than in earlier books. Either she’s earned their trust over the years, or I missed a whole chunk of growth while I was off reading other series. Either way, I need to backtrack and fill in the gaps. (There are seventeen books now. Seventeen! Happy dance.)
The Amish setting still adds an extra layer of complexity, especially for those of us who grew up in strict religious settings. I’m familiar with being “under bann”—the Amish equivalent of being kicked out of the cool kids’ table for eternity—and the idea that cooperation with law enforcement might conflict with religious values. Castillo gets those nuances right.
Oh, and one twist in particular floored me—Cohen’s Syndrome is real. Given the insularity of some religious communities, it makes sense genetically, but it still made me pause and Google. (I love when fiction nudges me into a mini research rabbit hole.)
The pacing? I blinked and it was lunchtime. Somewhere in Kentucky. I don’t even live near Kentucky.
Shamed is an absolute must-read. It had me flipping pages like a caffeine-fueled detective, and yes, I would re-read it. I’m even recommending it to the same person who first told me about Sworn to Silence. Full circle.
