Shamed: A Kate Burkholder Novel

In this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo, a devastating murder exposes an Amish family's tortured past.

The peaceful town of Painters Mill is shattered when an Amish grandmother is brutally murdered on an abandoned farm. When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on the scene, she learns that the woman's seven-year-old granddaughter is gone, abducted in plain sight. Kate knows time is against her―the longer the girl is missing, the less likely her safe return becomes. The girl's family is a pillar of the Amish community, well-respected by all. But Kate soon realizes they're keeping secrets―and the sins of their past may be coming back to haunt them. What are they hiding and why?

Kate's investigation brings her to an isolated Old Order Amish settlement along the river, a community where family is everything and tradition is upheld with an iron fist. But the killer is close behind, drawing more victims into a twisted game of revenge. Left behind at each new crime scene are cryptic notes that lead Kate to a haunting and tragic secret. What she uncovers threatens to change everything she thought she knew about the family she's fighting for, the Amish community as a whole―and her own beliefs.

As time to find the missing girl runs out, Kate faces a harrowing choice that will test her convictions and leave one family forever changed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The instant New York Times bestseller

Praise for Shamed:

"The tension mounts... a gripping conclusion... Castillo's latest, following A Gathering of Secrets, is another violent, fascinating story." ―Library Journal

"Castillo captures Kate's empathic understanding of Amish culture and Deitsch, and adds atmosphere with falling-down, peeling-paint, rural settings. If they haven't already, readers looking for a fierce-female-fronted procedural should check out Castillo's best-selling series, from the get-go." ―Booklist

"Electrifying...more than one twist propels the plot to its dramatic conclusion...a morally complex tale." ―Publishers Weekly

Praise for A Gathering of Secrets:

"Exquisitely plotted...a standout in a stellar series." ―Associated Press

"Magnetic." ―People magazine

"An atmospheric thriller about fear, revenge, and the dark side of Amish life...Linda Castillo is a true master of suspenseful police procedurals." ―Bustle

"A captivating story by a gifted storyteller." ―The Washington Book Review

"Riveting." ―Publishers Weekly

"Another rewarding crime novel that looks beyond the idealized image of the Amish."―Kirkus Reviews