The Kate Burkholder Series in Order

About the Kate Burkholder series

Series Premise

Kate Burkholder is the chief of police in Painters Mill, a small town in Holmes County, Ohio, with a large Amish population. Born and raised Amish, Kate left the faith at 18 after a traumatic family incident and became a police officer, eventually returning to Painters Mill as chief. Her unique position—English (non-Amish) but fluent in Pennsylvania Dutch, intimately familiar with Amish customs and mindset—makes her the ideal investigator for crimes involving the Amish community. Each book features a standalone mystery: a murder, disappearance, assault, or suspicious death that often occurs within or directly impacts the Amish community. Cases frequently involve: - Tensions between Amish tradition and modern law - Crimes hidden behind the Amish practice of separation from the world - Family secrets, domestic abuse, religious extremism, or land disputes - The reluctance of Amish victims/witnesses to cooperate with “English” police due to cultural distrust and the Ordnung (church rules) Kate investigates with her small department and occasional help from the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, navigating language barriers, cultural sensitivities, and the Amish tendency to handle matters internally. The mysteries are clever and grounded—motives are human and believable (jealousy, greed, revenge, fear of shunning)—and Kate’s insider knowledge often provides the key to unraveling the truth. Overarching arcs follow Kate’s personal life: her complex relationship with her Amish roots, her romance with Tomasetti, her lingering guilt over her past, and her commitment to justice even when it conflicts with the community she once belonged to.

Main Characters

Kate Burkholder (Chief of Police): Protagonist—late 30s/early 40s, former Amish, now English. Smart, tough, compassionate, and deeply conflicted about her past. Left the Amish after a traumatic family incident at 18; became a police officer to protect others. Excellent investigator with insider knowledge of Amish life; struggles with guilt, identity, and the pull of her roots. Narrator in most books; her voice is candid, introspective, and dryly humorous.
- John Tomasetti — Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) agent, Kate’s love interest (later partner). Dark, haunted, brilliant, and deeply damaged (past trauma, alcoholism). Their relationship is slow-burn, intense, and complicated—both are committed to justice but wary of vulnerability.
- Ricky “Skid” Skidmore — Kate’s deputy. Loyal, capable, and occasionally comic relief.
- T.J. Banks — Another deputy—young, eager, and reliable.
- Mona — Dispatcher—sharp, sassy, and efficient.
- Supporting/recurring:
- Glock (officer) — Tough, dependable.
- Doc Coblentz — Amish-friendly coroner.
- Bishop Fisher and other Amish leaders — Represent the community’s values and resistance to outside interference.
- Various Amish families — Often central to cases; provide insight into Amish culture and suspects.

Setting

The series is set in Painters Mill, a fictional small town in Holmes County, Ohio, the heart of Amish country in the United States. Painters Mill is a microcosm of Amish and “English” (non-Amish) coexistence: a quaint downtown with a police station, diner, hardware store, and Amish buggy traffic; surrounding farmland, Amish farms, and rural roads; and the ever-present Amish community with their buggies, one-room schools, barns, and fields. The landscape is classic rural Ohio—rolling fields, white clapboard houses, silos, windmills, and the changing seasons (harsh winters, humid summers, golden autumns, blooming springs).

The setting is integral: Amish culture (plain dress, Pennsylvania Dutch language, Ordnung rules, shunning, barn-raisings) contrasts with modern American life (cell phones, cars, the internet), creating tension and mystery. Crimes often exploit this divide—Amish reluctance to involve police, insular family structures, and the difficulty of investigating in a community that values silence and separation.

Tone & Themes

Gritty yet compassionate, suspenseful yet grounded—modern police procedural with a strong emotional and cultural core. Linda Castillo’s tone is realistic and respectful: violence and crime are depicted unflinchingly (murders, abuse, assaults) but never sensationalized; investigations are methodical and detailed; and the Amish are portrayed with authenticity and empathy rather than stereotype or exoticism. Humor is subtle and situational—dry wit, small-town quirks, and Kate’s wry observations—while emotional depth comes from Kate’s internal struggles, the pain of victims, and the quiet dignity of Amish life. The series is ultimately hopeful and humane: justice is pursued relentlessly, but compassion and understanding are never abandoned. It is gripping and thought-provoking without being bleak—perfect for readers who want intelligent, character-driven mysteries with heart, cultural insight, and a strong sense of place.

The Kate Burkholder series is a standout in modern crime fiction—15+ books of intelligent, atmospheric mysteries that blend gripping police work with a profound, respectful portrayal of Amish life. Through Kate Burkholder’s unique perspective as both insider and outsider, Linda Castillo crafts compelling, character-driven stories that explore justice, community, identity, and the cost of leaving (and returning to) a closed society. With its authentic Ohio setting, realistic investigations, and Kate’s quiet strength and moral compass, the series delivers suspense, emotional depth, and satisfying resolutions without ever resorting to sensationalism or stereotypes. For readers who want smart, compassionate procedurals with heart and cultural insight, Kate Burkholder is essential reading—a modern classic that continues to shine with every new case in the heart of Amish country.