Linda Castillo is an American mystery and romantic-suspense author best known for the Kate Burkholder series. The books follow Kate, a formerly Amish woman who returns to Painters Mill, Ohio, as its chief of police.
Castillo’s bibliography has several clear continuity boundaries. Kate Burkholder is one long-running mystery sequence, while High Country Heroes and Operation: Midnight are separate romantic-suspense series. Her remaining romances and thrillers do not connect to Painters Mill.
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
For Kate Burkholder, publication order is also the best reading order. The individual investigations usually conclude within one book, but Kate’s relationships, family history, and changing place within the Amish community develop continuously.
Start Here
- Best first Linda Castillo book: Sworn to Silence.
- Best Kate Burkholder order: Read the full-length novels in publication order.
Are the short stories required? No. They are part of the same continuity but remain optional additions.
Do the romantic-suspense books connect to Kate Burkholder? No. They belong to separate series or standalone stories.
Kate Burkholder Novels in Publication Order
1. Sworn to Silence
Sworn to Silence (2009): A murdered woman in a snowy field suggests that a serial killer from Kate Burkholder’s Amish childhood has returned, forcing the new police chief to investigate without exposing her own connection to the original crimes.
This is the essential starting point. It establishes Painters Mill, Kate’s break from the Amish faith, her family tensions, and her first professional encounters with state investigator John Tomasetti.
2. Pray for Silence
Pray for Silence (2010): The slaughter of an entire Amish family draws Kate into a household filled with private ambitions, concealed relationships, and evidence that complicates the image of a peaceful rural life.
The case stands alone, but Kate’s relationship with Tomasetti and her struggle to balance Amish and English worlds continue directly from the first novel.
3. Breaking Silence
Breaking Silence (2011): A fatal farm incident and a wave of attacks against Amish residents expose deep hostility around Painters Mill while Kate investigates whether an apparent accident was deliberately engineered.
The third novel broadens the series beyond serial murder and shows how community prejudice can shape both a crime and its investigation.
4. Gone Missing
Gone Missing (2012): Several Amish teenagers have disappeared across Ohio, and Kate joins a multi-agency investigation that becomes personal when the pattern begins pointing toward a hidden predator.
This is one of the first books to take Kate substantially beyond Painters Mill. It also advances her connection with Tomasetti and revisits the vulnerability of young Amish people caught between two cultures.
5. Her Last Breath
Her Last Breath (2013): A buggy collision kills an Amish father and two of his children, leaving Kate to determine whether the crash was an accident while supporting a childhood friend whose family has been destroyed.
The case reaches into Kate’s personal history and makes the emotional consequences of her work harder to keep separate from her private life.
6. The Dead Will Tell
The Dead Will Tell (2014): An apparent suicide leads Kate back to the unsolved deaths of an Amish family, while a development in Tomasetti’s own past threatens the stability they have begun to build.
This installment gives the long-running relationship storyline greater weight. Reading it out of order risks revealing major changes in Kate and Tomasetti’s lives.
7. After the Storm
After the Storm (2015): A tornado tears through Painters Mill and exposes human remains beneath a collapsed structure, reopening an old disappearance that several people would prefer to leave buried.
The natural disaster expands the investigation across the community while placing Kate’s evolving personal commitments under additional pressure.
8. Among the Wicked
Among the Wicked (2016): Kate travels to an isolated Amish settlement in upstate New York and goes undercover after the suspicious death of a young girl meets a wall of silence.
The unfamiliar community makes Kate’s Amish background central to the investigation. It can function as a contained case, but it occurs after important changes in her personal life.
9. Down a Dark Road
Down a Dark Road (2017): A convicted murderer escapes custody, takes his children hostage, and asks Kate to prove that he was wrongly accused, leaving her caught between official evidence and the doubts raised by the fugitive himself.
The novel tests Kate’s willingness to challenge other law-enforcement officers when a case appears too neatly resolved.
10. A Gathering of Secrets
A Gathering of Secrets (2018): An Amish teenager dies in a deliberately set barn fire, and the victim’s apparently spotless reputation begins to fracture as Kate uncovers resentment, fear, and hidden relationships.
The closed nature of the community complicates the investigation because nearly everyone appears to know more than they will admit.
11. Shamed
Shamed (2019): An Amish grandmother is murdered and her young granddaughter abducted, sending Kate into a time-sensitive search that uncovers secrets within a respected family.
The kidnapping gives this installment unusual urgency. The personal continuity remains important, even though the central crime is resolved within the novel.
12. Outsider
Outsider (2020): A former police-academy friend arrives in Painters Mill during a blizzard, wounded and pursued, forcing Kate to decide whether she is protecting an innocent whistleblower or helping a corrupt officer escape justice.
The case reaches into Kate’s earlier law-enforcement career and tests the limits of loyalty, trust, and professional responsibility.
13. Fallen
Fallen (2021): A woman Kate knew during her Amish youth is found murdered in a Painters Mill motel, drawing Kate into the victim’s complicated past and the enemies she made after leaving the community.
The book examines another path away from Amish life and gives Kate a painful comparison with someone whose departure unfolded very differently from her own.
14. The Hidden One
The Hidden One (2022): Amish elders summon Kate to Pennsylvania after the remains of a missing bishop are found and the man accused of killing him turns out to be Kate’s first love.
The investigation takes place largely outside Painters Mill. Kate’s personal history is central, so the book carries more weight after readers understand her earlier life and present relationship.
15. An Evil Heart
An Evil Heart (2023): A young Amish man is found shot with a crossbow shortly before Kate’s wedding, and the investigation reveals that the well-liked victim may have concealed a disturbing private life.
The murder case runs alongside a major relationship milestone. Readers should not begin here if they want to preserve the progression of Kate and Tomasetti’s story.
16. The Burning
The Burning (2024): A man is found chained inside a burning barn, and Kate’s investigation becomes entangled with a sectarian history that places her brother Jacob under suspicion.
The case draws Kate’s family into the center of the inquiry. Her responsibilities as police chief collide directly with her loyalty to the people she grew up with.
17. Rage
Rage (2025): The dismembered body of a young Amish businessman leads Kate into an investigation shaped by anger, retaliation, and a carefully maintained public reputation.
This is the seventeenth full-length Kate Burkholder novel. It continues the post-wedding phase of Kate and Tomasetti’s lives and should be read after The Burning.
Do the Kate Burkholder Books Need to Be Read in Order?
Yes, particularly for the character story.
Each book normally provides a new murder, disappearance, or suspicious death, and most of those cases can be followed without detailed knowledge of earlier investigations. The larger series is still cumulative.
Kate’s relationship with Tomasetti changes gradually from professional cooperation to a deeply personal partnership. Her contact with her Amish family also evolves, and later books assume readers understand why those relationships are difficult.
Starting in the middle may not make the current mystery confusing, but it can reveal the outcomes of earlier emotional storylines.
Kate Burkholder Short Stories and Novellas in Order
The short mysteries fit between the novels according to publication. They provide additional investigations without functioning as essential bridges between the main books.
Long Lost
Long Lost (2013): A quiet trip with Tomasetti is disrupted by the story of a woman who vanished from an old inn, drawing Kate toward a decades-old mystery with an unsettling local history.
Placement: Read after Gone Missing and before Her Last Breath.
A Hidden Secret
A Hidden Secret (2015): An Amish teenager is critically injured in an apparent hit-and-run, but Kate soon finds evidence that the driver may have targeted him deliberately.
Placement: Read after The Dead Will Tell and before After the Storm.
Seeds of Deception
Seeds of Deception (2016): A suspicious incident from Kate’s early days as police chief becomes a compact investigation into violence, buried motives, and the difficulty of earning trust in Painters Mill.
Placement: Read after After the Storm and before Among the Wicked.
Only the Lucky
Only the Lucky (2017): A county-wide blackout and an illegal teenage party leave an Amish girl gravely injured, forcing Kate to investigate in darkness while rumors and fear spread through the town.
Placement: Read after Among the Wicked and before Down a Dark Road.
In Dark Company
In Dark Company (2018): A battered woman with no memory seeks shelter at an Amish farm, and Kate must identify both the victim and the person still trying to kill her.
Placement: Read after Down a Dark Road and before A Gathering of Secrets.
In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight (2019): A routine call develops into a dangerous case in which an overlooked detail places Kate close to a threat hidden within familiar surroundings.
Placement: Read after A Gathering of Secrets and before Shamed.
The Pact
The Pact (2020): Two boys, one Amish and one English, disappear during a fishing trip as a winter storm approaches Painters Mill.
Placement: Read after Shamed and before Outsider.
The friendship between the boys reflects the wider relationship between the town’s Amish and non-Amish communities.
Disappeared
Disappeared (2021): A toddler vanishes during a violent thunderstorm, leaving Kate to determine whether the child was swept into floodwater or taken by someone.
Placement: Read after Outsider and before Fallen.
Blood Moon
Blood Moon (2022): Reports of a large animal attacking people and frightening horses send Kate into the woods to separate folklore from a real and escalating danger.
Placement: Read after Fallen and before The Hidden One.
Hallowed Ground
Hallowed Ground (2023): A dog returns home carrying a human bone, leading Kate and Tomasetti to an abandoned Amish farm and a mystery hidden beneath years of ghost stories.
Placement: Read after The Hidden One and before An Evil Heart.
Dark Storm Rising
Dark Storm Rising (2024): During their honeymoon, Kate and Tomasetti search through a blizzard for an elderly Amish woman whose disappearance may be connected to threats against her property.
Placement: Read after An Evil Heart and before The Burning.
Because Kate and Tomasetti are newly married, the story contains a clear continuity spoiler for readers who have not reached An Evil Heart.
A Dark Path
A Dark Path (2026): An Amish couple disappears after receiving threats, and Kate’s search takes an unexpected turn when a dog causes her to crash near their shattered buggy.
Placement: Read after Rage.
This story first appeared in the 2026 collection A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories.
Complete Kate Burkholder Reading Order
This sequence combines the novels with the optional shorter cases:
- Sworn to Silence (2009): Kate investigates a murder linked to the serial-killer case that drove her away from Amish life.
- Pray for Silence (2010): The killing of an Amish family reveals secrets behind an apparently orderly household.
- Breaking Silence (2011): Farm deaths and anti-Amish attacks expose escalating conflict around Painters Mill.
- Gone Missing (2012): Kate joins the search for several missing Amish teenagers.
- Long Lost (2013): A trip away from town draws Kate into an old disappearance.
- Her Last Breath (2013): A fatal buggy crash devastates the family of Kate’s childhood friend.
- The Dead Will Tell (2014): A barn death points back to the unsolved murder of an Amish family.
- A Hidden Secret (2015): An apparent hit-and-run begins to look like attempted murder.
- After the Storm (2015): Tornado damage exposes remains connected to an old disappearance.
- Seeds of Deception (2016): A case from Kate’s early police career tests her authority and judgment.
- Among the Wicked (2016): Kate infiltrates a closed Amish settlement after a girl’s death.
- Only the Lucky (2017): A blackout and teenage party lead to a brutal assault.
- Down a Dark Road (2017): An escaped prisoner asks Kate to prove his innocence.
- In Dark Company (2018): An amnesiac woman arrives in Painters Mill with a killer pursuing her.
- A Gathering of Secrets (2018): An Amish teenager’s death in a barn fire exposes a hidden private life.
- In Plain Sight (2019): A compact investigation reveals danger concealed within ordinary surroundings.
- Shamed (2019): Kate searches for an abducted Amish child after her grandmother is murdered.
- The Pact (2020): Two missing boys must be found before a winter storm reaches town.
- Outsider (2020): Kate protects a former colleague while questioning whether the woman can be trusted.
- Disappeared (2021): A toddler vanishes amid dangerous flooding.
- Fallen (2021): The murder of a woman from Kate’s youth brings a troubled past back to Painters Mill.
- Blood Moon (2022): Kate investigates reports of a creature terrorizing the countryside.
- The Hidden One (2022): A bishop’s remains connect Kate to her first love and an old Pennsylvania mystery.
- Hallowed Ground (2023): A human bone leads Kate to an abandoned Amish farm.
- An Evil Heart (2023): A crossbow murder complicates the final days before Kate’s wedding.
- Dark Storm Rising (2024): Kate and Tomasetti search for a missing woman during their honeymoon.
- The Burning (2024): A barn killing places Kate’s brother within the scope of the investigation.
- Rage (2025): A dismemberment case exposes violent resentment behind a respectable public image.
- A Dark Path (2026): Kate searches for a threatened Amish couple after finding their wrecked buggy.
Are the Kate Burkholder Short Stories Necessary?
The shorter works are included in the continuity but optional for the main plot.
They add cases, settings, and moments between Kate and Tomasetti. Most do not introduce a development that must be understood before the next full-length novel.
Readers focused on the main sequence can read the 17 novels without interruption. Readers who want every Kate Burkholder investigation should use the combined order above.
Kate Burkholder Collections and Omnibus Editions
These editions collect previously published books or stories. They should not be counted as additional installments unless they contain new material.
Murder in Amish Country
Murder in Amish Country (2013): An omnibus edition that packages existing early Kate Burkholder novels rather than presenting a new investigation.
Status: Collected material.
The Kate Burkholder Series, Books 1-3
The Kate Burkholder Series, Books 1-3 (2015): A digital set containing Sworn to Silence, Pray for Silence, and Breaking Silence.
Status: Collected material.
Kate Burkholder: Three Novellas
Kate Burkholder: Three Novellas (2016): A collection containing Long Lost, A Hidden Secret, and Seeds of Deception.
Status: Collected material with no additional story.
A Simple Murder
A Simple Murder (2021): A six-story collection containing Long Lost, A Hidden Secret, Seeds of Deception, Only the Lucky, In Dark Company, and In Plain Sight.
Status: Collected material with no new full-length novel.
A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories
A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories (2026): A print collection containing The Pact, Disappeared, Blood Moon, Hallowed Ground, Dark Storm Rising, and the previously unpublished title story.
Status: Five reprinted stories and one new story, A Dark Path.
Readers who already own the individual stories only need this collection for the new title story or for the convenience of having the later short fiction in one volume.
Kate Burkholder Chronological Order
A separate chronological order is not necessary.
The novels and short stories move forward in essentially the same sequence in which they were published. Publication order therefore follows both Kate’s personal timeline and the intended release of information.
Moving later stories earlier would expose relationship developments before the novels that establish them. Dark Storm Rising, for example, should not be read before An Evil Heart because its honeymoon setting reveals the outcome of the wedding storyline.
High Country Heroes Books in Order
High Country Heroes is a three-book romantic-suspense series from Castillo’s earlier career. It does not share characters or continuity with Kate Burkholder.
1. A Hero to Hold
A Hero to Hold (2001): A woman in danger must rely on a disciplined law-enforcement officer whose initial doubts about her give way to a fight to keep her alive.
The book establishes the series’ combination of criminal pursuit, protective heroes, and central romantic relationships.
2. Just a Little Bit Dangerous
Just a Little Bit Dangerous (2002): An officer transporting a female prisoner begins to suspect that she is not the hardened criminal he expected, placing duty and growing trust in direct conflict.
The romantic leads change, but the book belongs to the same connected High Country Heroes line.
3. A Cry in the Night
A Cry in the Night (2002): A dangerous search reunites former partners whose unresolved history complicates an urgent rescue.
This concludes the trilogy and is best read after the first two books, even though its main romance is self-contained.
Should High Country Heroes Be Read in Order?
Publication order is recommended:
- A Hero to Hold
- Just a Little Bit Dangerous
- A Cry in the Night
Each book centers on a different couple and can be followed independently. Reading them in order preserves the shared background and avoids encountering returning characters without their introductions.
Continuity status: Separate from Kate Burkholder.
Operation: Midnight Books in Order
Operation: Midnight is a five-book romantic-suspense sequence involving covert agents, dangerous assignments, and connected operations.
Some editions add “Operation:” to the titles. Those are alternate titles, not additional books.
1. Midnight Tango
Midnight Tango (2005): An undercover operative enters a brutal prison to investigate suspicious inmate deaths, placing his mission and the woman drawn into it under constant threat.
It may also be published as Operation: Midnight Tango.
2. Midnight Escape
Midnight Escape (2005): A dangerous extraction turns into a fight for survival as an operative and the woman in his protection attempt to outrun the people hunting them.
It may also be published as Operation: Midnight Escape.
3. Midnight Guardian
Midnight Guardian (2006): A covert agent becomes the last line of defense for a woman whose connection to a deadly operation makes her a target.
It may also be published as Operation: Midnight Guardian.
4. Operation: Midnight Rendezvous
Operation: Midnight Rendezvous (2006): A high-risk meeting draws two people into a conspiracy where professional orders, concealed identities, and personal trust can no longer be kept separate.
This is the fourth Operation: Midnight story and should not be confused with the unrelated novel Midnight Run.
5. Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy (2007): The final mission pairs a covert operative with a woman caught in a dangerous pursuit, bringing the connected operation to its concluding romantic-suspense case.
It may also be published as Operation: Midnight Cowboy.
Should Operation: Midnight Be Read in Order?
Yes. Use this sequence:
- Midnight Tango
- Midnight Escape
- Midnight Guardian
- Operation: Midnight Rendezvous
- Midnight Cowboy
The central couples change, but the covert organization and operational background connect the books. Publication order gives the clearest progression.
Continuity status: Separate from Kate Burkholder and High Country Heroes.
Linda Castillo Standalone Novels in Publication Order
These novels do not form one continuing sequence. They can be read in any order.
Lay Down the Law
Lay Down the Law (2001): A law-enforcement investigation places a woman and the officer drawn to protect her inside a dangerous case where personal feelings complicate professional judgment.
This book was also published as Cops and…Lovers? Both titles refer to the same story.
The Perfect Victim
The Perfect Victim (2002): A woman searching for her birth family learns that someone is systematically eliminating her bloodline, leaving a private investigator as her best chance of survival.
The mystery combines hidden parentage with a present-day murder threat.
The Shadow Side
The Shadow Side (2003): A detective links a series of violent deaths to a new antidepressant, forcing the scientist behind the drug to confront the possibility that her work has lethal consequences.
The novel is also sometimes listed simply as Shadow Side.
Midnight Run
Midnight Run (2003): A dangerous pursuit forces its central couple into close proximity while criminal pressure and unresolved distrust narrow their options.
Despite its title, this novel is generally cataloged separately from the five-book Operation: Midnight sequence.
Fade to Red
Fade to Red (2004): A woman travels to Seattle after receiving a desperate message from her estranged sister, then joins a troubled former police officer in uncovering the missing woman’s secret life.
The search leads into a violent underground world and a case the local authorities have not treated as urgent.
Depth Perception
Depth Perception (2005): A survivor returns to the Louisiana town where her family was murdered after hearing messages that seem connected to the crime, joining a wrongly convicted man who has also lost nearly everything.
The novel includes paranormal elements within its romantic-suspense investigation.
Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning (2005): A woman becomes entangled in a lethal investigation that forces her to rely on a man carrying his own professional and personal burdens.
This is a standalone romantic thriller rather than part of Operation: Midnight.
A Whisper in the Dark
A Whisper in the Dark (2006): A threatening presence from the shadows turns a woman’s private fears into an active danger, while the man helping her must determine which warnings are real.
The story uses psychological tension and romantic suspense without connecting to Castillo’s other series.
Overkill
Overkill (2007): A violent threat escalates beyond the original crime, placing its central characters inside an investigation where the person pursuing them is willing to eliminate every obstacle.
This is an independent romantic-suspense novel.
In the Dead of Night
In the Dead of Night (2007): Two people with a difficult shared history are drawn together by a nighttime threat that gives them little room to separate personal mistrust from immediate survival.
Some retail editions have grouped or marketed this title alongside other suspense lines, but it is commonly listed as a standalone Linda Castillo novel.
Linda Castillo’s Multi-Author Series Contributions
These books were written for publisher-created series containing works by several authors. Their numbering may look unusual because books by other writers occupy the surrounding positions.
Remember the Night
Remember the Night (2000): A pregnancy-centered romantic-suspense story in which past choices and renewed danger shape the relationship at the center of the book.
It was published as part of the multi-author Expectantly Yours line.
Continuity status: Separate multi-author series.
Uncharted Waters
Uncharted Waters (2003): A dangerous situation involving hidden family information brings the protagonists into a larger web of secrets and personal risk.
It was published within the multi-author Family Secrets line.
Continuity status: Separate multi-author series.
The Secret Encounter
The Secret Encounter (2003): A concealed identity and a dangerous reunion force the central characters to question what they know about each other and the family secrets surrounding them.
The book has also appeared under the title The Phoenix Encounter. These are alternate editions of the same story.
Continuity status: Family Secrets contribution.
Safe Before Dawn
Safe Before Dawn (2007): A woman facing danger before the birth of her child must rely on a protector while a broader emergency places time and trust under pressure.
The book was also published as A Baby Before Dawn and belongs to the multi-author Lights Out line.
Continuity status: Separate from Operation: Midnight despite the similar suspense branding.
Linda Castillo Books in Overall Publication Order
Readers exploring Castillo’s complete career can use this broad sequence. Alternate-title editions and collections should only be counted once.
- Remember the Night (2000): A romantic-suspense contribution to the Expectantly Yours line.
- A Hero to Hold (2001): A threatened woman depends on a law-enforcement hero who questions her innocence.
- Lay Down the Law (2001): A dangerous investigation blurs the boundary between policing and romance.
- Just a Little Bit Dangerous (2002): A prisoner transport forces an officer to reconsider the woman in his custody.
- A Cry in the Night (2002): Former partners reunite during an urgent search.
- The Perfect Victim (2002): A woman searching for her birth family becomes the last target in a murdered bloodline.
- The Shadow Side (2003): A detective and scientist investigate whether a new drug is causing violent deaths.
- Midnight Run (2003): A dangerous pursuit places trust and attraction under pressure.
- Uncharted Waters (2003): Family secrets turn a romantic relationship into a hazardous investigation.
- The Secret Encounter (2003): Hidden identities and family history drive a dangerous reunion.
- Fade to Red (2004): A woman and a former police officer search for her missing sister.
- Depth Perception (2005): A massacre survivor returns home after receiving mysterious pleas for help.
- Dead Reckoning (2005): A lethal case forces two damaged people into an uneasy alliance.
- Midnight Tango (2005): An undercover agent investigates deaths inside a prison.
- Midnight Escape (2005): A covert extraction becomes a fight to stay alive.
- Midnight Guardian (2006): An operative protects a woman connected to a deadly mission.
- Operation: Midnight Rendezvous (2006): A secret meeting exposes a wider conspiracy.
- A Whisper in the Dark (2006): A hidden threat turns private fear into immediate danger.
- Midnight Cowboy (2007): The final Operation: Midnight mission closes the connected sequence.
- Overkill (2007): A violent pursuer escalates an already dangerous case.
- In the Dead of Night (2007): A nighttime threat reunites two people divided by mistrust.
- Safe Before Dawn (2007): A pregnant woman must reach safety before a growing emergency closes in.
- Sworn to Silence (2009): Kate Burkholder confronts a murder linked to her Amish childhood.
- Pray for Silence (2010): An Amish family’s murder reveals concealed lives and motives.
- Breaking Silence (2011): Farm deaths and anti-Amish violence unsettle Painters Mill.
- Gone Missing (2012): Kate joins a statewide search for missing Amish teenagers.
- Long Lost (2013): An old disappearance interrupts Kate and Tomasetti’s trip.
- Her Last Breath (2013): A buggy crash devastates the family of Kate’s childhood friend.
- The Dead Will Tell (2014): A barn death reopens an old family massacre.
- A Hidden Secret (2015): A hit-and-run investigation points toward deliberate violence.
- After the Storm (2015): A tornado uncovers human remains and a forgotten disappearance.
- Seeds of Deception (2016): An early case tests Kate’s authority as chief.
- Among the Wicked (2016): Kate goes undercover in an isolated Amish settlement.
- Only the Lucky (2017): A blackout and secret party end in a teenage assault.
- Down a Dark Road (2017): An escaped prisoner asks Kate to prove he was framed.
- In Dark Company (2018): An amnesiac woman arrives with an attacker close behind.
- A Gathering of Secrets (2018): An Amish teenager dies in a deliberately set barn fire.
- In Plain Sight (2019): A familiar setting conceals a dangerous threat.
- Shamed (2019): A murdered grandmother and abducted child begin a race against time.
- The Pact (2020): Two boys disappear as winter weather closes in.
- Outsider (2020): A former colleague asks Kate for protection from pursuing officers.
- Disappeared (2021): A toddler vanishes during a severe storm.
- Fallen (2021): A woman from Kate’s Amish youth is murdered in a motel.
- Blood Moon (2022): Reports of a violent creature lead Kate into the countryside.
- The Hidden One (2022): A bishop’s remains connect Kate to her first love.
- Hallowed Ground (2023): A human bone leads to an abandoned Amish property.
- An Evil Heart (2023): A crossbow killing disrupts the days before Kate’s wedding.
- Dark Storm Rising (2024): A honeymoon blizzard becomes a search for a missing woman.
- The Burning (2024): A barn murder brings suspicion close to Kate’s family.
- Rage (2025): A dismembered businessman’s death exposes hidden anger and retaliation.
- A Dark Path (2026): A wrecked buggy and missing Amish couple lead Kate into a new search.
Collections and omnibus editions are excluded from this count because they mostly reproduce previously published material.
Why Linda Castillo Book Counts Differ
Different catalogs produce different totals because they do not all count the same kinds of publication.
Some count only full-length novels. Others include every digital short story, boxed set, omnibus, and collection.
Alternate titles also create apparent duplicates:
- Lay Down the Law and Cops and…Lovers? are the same book.
- The Secret Encounter and The Phoenix Encounter are the same book.
- Safe Before Dawn and A Baby Before Dawn are the same book.
- Several Operation: Midnight books appear both with and without the “Operation:” prefix.
Collections create another complication. A Simple Murder contains six previously published Kate Burkholder stories, while A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories contains five reprints and one new story.
For a reading-order count, each distinct story should be counted once.
Latest Linda Castillo Book
The latest Linda Castillo publication as of July 19, 2026, is A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories, released July 14, 2026.
The collection includes:
- The Pact: Two boys disappear before a winter storm.
- Disappeared: A toddler vanishes during dangerous flooding.
- Blood Moon: Reports of a mysterious animal spread through Painters Mill.
- Hallowed Ground: A human bone leads to an abandoned Amish farm.
- Dark Storm Rising: Kate searches for a missing elderly woman in a blizzard.
- A Dark Path: A new story involving a missing Amish couple and a shattered buggy.
The latest full-length Kate Burkholder novel is Rage, published in 2025.
A title and firm publication date for Kate Burkholder novel 18 had not been reliably announced by the article’s update date. Placeholder listings should not be treated as confirmed releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first Kate Burkholder book?
Sworn to Silence is the first Kate Burkholder novel.
It introduces Kate as the police chief of Painters Mill and links a new murder to the serial killings that shaped her Amish childhood.
How many full-length Kate Burkholder novels are there?
There are 17 full-length novels through Rage.
The short stories and collections increase the number of Kate Burkholder publications but are not additional numbered novels.
What is the best Linda Castillo reading order?
Begin with Sworn to Silence and read the Kate Burkholder novels in publication order.
Add the short stories between the surrounding novels for a complete series read, or leave them until later if you prefer to focus on the main books.
Can Kate Burkholder books be read as standalones?
The crime in each book is generally self-contained, but the character continuity is not.
Later installments reveal changes in Kate’s family relationships, professional life, and partnership with Tomasetti.
Is A Dark Path the eighteenth Kate Burkholder novel?
No.
A Dark Path: And Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories is a collection containing five previously published stories and one new short story. It is not a full-length numbered novel.
Is A Simple Murder a new Kate Burkholder story?
No.
It is a collection of six short mysteries that had already been published individually.
When should Dark Storm Rising be read?
Read Dark Storm Rising after An Evil Heart.
Its honeymoon setting reveals a major relationship development from the preceding novel.
Do High Country Heroes and Operation: Midnight connect?
They are separate Linda Castillo romantic-suspense series.
Neither sequence connects to Kate Burkholder.
Are Linda Castillo’s standalone novels connected?
No continuing shared continuity has been established among the standalone novels.
They can be read in any order.
What was Linda Castillo’s first published book?
Remember the Night was published in 2000 as part of the multi-author Expectantly Yours line.
Was Sworn to Silence adapted for television?
Yes. It was adapted as the Lifetime film An Amish Murder, with Neve Campbell playing Kate Burkholder.
The film is an adaptation rather than an additional part of the book continuity.
Final Recommendation
The most reliable route through Linda Castillo’s work begins with Sworn to Silence. Continue through the Kate Burkholder novels in publication order because that sequence preserves the development of Kate’s family ties, police career, and relationship with Tomasetti.
The short mysteries are optional but belong within the same timeline. Insert them at their publication points for the fullest experience, particularly once relationship milestones become important.
High Country Heroes and Operation: Midnight should each be read in their own publication order. Castillo’s standalone romantic-suspense novels and multi-author contributions belong to separate continuities and can be explored independently.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.