Product description Now the subject of the Lifetime original movie, An Amish Murder A killer is preying on sacred ground.... In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and "English" residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish. Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She's certain she's come to terms with her past―until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past―and expose a dark secret that could destroy her. Review “McInerney moves smoothly from the present to the past and back again as Kate battles her demons while trying to stop a grisly serial killer. An engrossing story...” ―AudioFile “As it turns out Kathleen McInerney is the perfect voice for Kate. She also fully voices the many other characters and keeps the pace moving breathlessly along for the intervening narration.” ―SoundCommentary.com on the audiobook “Romance novelist Castillo, who grew up near Amish country, convincingly switches gears with this debut thriller, balancing chilling suspense and a nuanced portrait of the English-Amish divide. Starring a tough, complicated cop who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch as smoothly as she downs a vodka, Silence is the opening salvo in what promises to be a gripping series.” ―People magazine (3 ½ out of 4 stars) “Lovers of suspense will find no better novel to read this summer than Sworn to Silence, a teeth-chattering debut thriller from romance writer Linda Castillo. . . . This first in a series will delight fans of Chelsea Cain and Thomas Harris . . . compelling characters, excellent plotting and a hair-raising finale.” ―USA Today “Absolutely stunning. . . . A perfectly crafted thriller.” ―Lisa Scottoline “[Castillo] combines the protagonist's Amish background with her tough cop persona so skillfully and with such finesse, that both aspects of her character are totally believable. She also makes police procedure anything but tedious.” ―Sandra Brown “Complicated, haunted protagonists, shocking murders, psychological twists and bizarre crime scenes. . . . Sworn to Silence is a nail-biting series debut.” ―Chelsea Cain “Castillo's backdrop of Amish Country is so alive and crawling with atmosphere that you'll swear you can hear the snow crunching underfoot. Sworn to Silence packs a healthy dose of twists but it's Kate's memorable voice that will leave you wanting to hear more.” ―Alex Kava “Kate Burkholder is the real deal and Sworn to Silence is a vivid, intense, and brutal page-turner of a novel.” ―C.J. Box “With an utterly compelling protagonist, sharp twists and a setting so real you feel it, Castillo doesn't just hit the ball out of the park, she knocks the skin off the ball.” ―John Hart “This book will keep you up late and follow you into your dreams.” ―Brian Freeman “A gun-toting, cursing, former Amish female chief of police' stars in this excellent first in a new suspense series . . . Adept at creating characters with depth and nuance, Castillo smoothly integrates their backstories into a well-paced plot that illuminates the divide between the Amish and 'English' worlds.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Sworn marks Castillo's move from romantic suspense to straight mystery, and judging by this novel, the move is a good one . . . this is very well done. The small-town setting, complicated relationships among the inhabitants, and the strong but battle-scarred pro