The Amish community in Painter's Mill, Ohio, has been experiencing a rash of hate crimes lately, but the Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is having a problem getting a handle on these crimes. A large part of the issue is that the Amish don't report the crimes, wanting to have nothing to do with the English. Although Kate is frustrated by this, she understands the mindset, having been raised Amish.

But things take a turn when she receives a call from dispatch in the middle of the night sending her to the Slabaugh farm. There, she finds three people dead -- a father, mother, and the father's brother, leaving four children suddenly orphaned. At first glance, it appears that the adults slipped into the manure pit in the barn, but the investigation reveals that the they were actually murdered. Have the hate crimes escalated into murder?

The county sheriff calls in state agent John Tomasetti to help with the hate crimes investigation, since the sheriff knows that he and Kate have worked well together in the past, and he knows that Kate has a connection with the Amish community. However, Kate and John have to decide whether to keep the hate crimes investigation and the homicide investigation separate or combine them.

Meanwhile, events surrounding this case are bringing up memories for Kate related to her own past. Is she too close to this case to be able to work it effectively? Can she keep a professional distance and solve this in time to prevent more deaths?

This book was riveting from the very first page. The author's ability to draw the reader in and keep the reader's attention was absolutely right on target. The balance between the action and investigation in the book and the relationship between Kate and John was absolutely perfect, too.

As someone who has some passing familiarity with the Amish communities, I really appreciated the author's commitment to getting the details about the Amish religion and lifestyle correct, without sensationalizing or exoticising the community. This book was a fantastic read, even without having read the other books in the series.

Book Summary

When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a farm in the Amish community of Painter's Mill, Ohio, nothing could prepare her for the horror and tragedy she encounters. Solly and Rachel Slabaugh, and his brother Abel, have drowned in the manure pit leaving the four children as orphans. As the investigation progresses, it seems that the Slabaugh deaths were not an accident, and the case suddenly becomes a murder enquiry.

Agent John Tomasetti and Kate have worked together before, and now he is called back to Painter's Mill to help seek out the perpetrators of what appear to be serious hate crimes against the Amish. Whether these crimes and the Slabaugh murders are linked is hard to establish because the Amish are very proud and private people who do not enjoy involvement from outside.

As the case deepens, Kate develops a bond with the children, particularly the 15-year-old daughter, Salome. Maybe she is reminded of herself at that age, and maybe there's something about this case which stirs up memories for her.

The events surrounding the deaths puzzle her - something doesn't feel right. As more information comes to light, a tragic incident turns into something much more shocking.