Reviews

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

4.0

The Hidden One by Linda Castillo is the fourteenth novel in the Kate Burkholder series. It can be read as a standalone as the author provides Kate’s background information for new readers. You will be missing out though if you do not read this series from the beginning. Kate travels from Painter’s Mill, Ohio to Belleville, Pennsylvania where elders from an Amish community paid her a visit. Kate’s first love, Jonas Bowman has been arrested for murder. Ananias Stoltzfus, the bishop of the community, disappeared eighteen years ago. His remains were found two months ago in a farmer’s field along with a gun. The gun belongs to Jonas. Jonas and Ananias had been at odds at the time of the bishop’s disappearance. Kate travels to Pennsylvania to see if she can prove Jonas’ innocence. I thought The Hidden One was well-written with realistic, developed characters. I like that we get to learn more about Kate’s past. I did miss Painter’s Mill and Kate’s significant other, John Tomasetti. I like how the author portrays the Amish people. We see them as they are (not sugarcoated). There are explanations for the way they live and how they do things. The mystery was intriguing (I love solving the mystery before the reveal) and well-plotted. It is a cold case which makes it more of a challenge. I liked all the action in the story. Someone did not want Kate to find out the truth. You can tell that they do not know Kate (she is tenacious). There are clues to help readers solve the crime (if you pay close attention). People were judging Jonas for his past actions and not the man he is now. There was one piece of the puzzle that gave me the answer to this clever mystery. I enjoyed the suspenseful reveal. The books ending was sweet. I enjoyed reading The Hidden One. This is one of my favorite books in the series. I am looking forward to Kate’s next adventure. The Hidden One is a revealing suspense novel with a confusing cold case, an old love in jail, a beau’s birthday, meaningful memories, perilous incidents, and one curious Kate.

ekofficer's review

3.0

This book started at five stars because it’s part of an Amish murder mystery series, so it’s automatically a standout. But I had to deduct two stars because, as one might imagine, after solving 14 extreme crimes within various local Amish communities, ex-Amish Police Chief Kate Burkholder is becoming quite predictable. My lifelong Amish fascination will keep me reading, but I think Kate should do something unpredictable soon, like get married and retire, so that Linda Castillo can begin a new twisted Amish series. If I remember correctly, I think #14 is the one about a corrupt “Amish bishop”, by the way.

linnaboobooks's review against another edition

4.0

For me, despite this being the fourteenth book in a series, it was an easy transition into this setting. There was little to no confusion on my part as the story opened up and brought along mentions of Kate's current life or her past, it was all well explained and hardly relied on the need for reading the previous books.

This is the first Amish mystery novel I've read, however, my childhood had been spent reading quite a few Amish romances, and I quite liked the set up of Kate being formerly Amish and still working on cases related to her background. In this case, involving a man from her past, and believing he would never do what he's accused of while searching out evidence to prove it, leaving it a bit messy to whether or not she could handle the truth if it were to come out he was the murderer.

I love Kate as a main character, and anticipate future installments and have plans to read the past books in this series to see more of her and her life.

Thank you to Netgalley for this e-arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

j_h_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Always enjoy Linda Castillo and her stories set in the Amish community. 

dixie1090's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

stephshoff88's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

ladycranstonkc's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

rachellandrigan's review

hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

rmarcin's review

5.0

This may be one of my favorite Kate Burkholder books because it gives the reader more insight into her character and her teen years. When a bishop in PA is found dead, a childhood friend of Kate's, Jonas Bowman, is arrested. Elders from the community come to OH to speak with Kate about the murder, and she leaves OH to see if she can understand the circumstances around the murder.
What Kate uncovers is a long held secret that the Amish family has held under wraps for years, but when someone could no longer stomach the secret, others took matters in their own hands. Kate is able to discover this - but is put in danger. She wants to clear her childhood friend's name, but at what cost.
I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked the motive and the shame behind it. I liked the Amish coming together to help. I just really enjoy the Kate Burkholder series.
I also had the opportunity to listen to the audio of this book - and did not like the way the narrator made so many characters sound like children. (e.g. Jonas's wife)

devonsbooknook's review

4.0

Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police from Painters Mills, gets a visit from three elders of an Amish community in Pennsylvania’s Kish Valley. The body of former Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus was discovered (he went missing over a decade earlier), and the man accused of his murder is none other than Kate’s first love, Jonas Bowman. Jonas is an Amish man whose family had to leave Painters Mill, leaving Kate heartbroken in his wake. Kate journeys to the Kish Valley to do some civilian investigating to try to clear Jonas’s name. But is he the same man she remembers from her youth? Is he worth saving?

I enjoyed this one too. It’s always a solid read—a Linda Castillo book.
I like that this one dove into more of Kate’s Amish roots and her first love. It’s always best when we see more of her past, and this one was fun too, because Kate had to investigate as a civilian which is a lot harder.