Kate Burkholder books in order

The Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo follows an ex-Amish police chief investigating violent crimes in rural Ohio, starting with Sworn to Silence (2009).

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Sworn to Silence 2009 Kate Burkholder Buy
2 Pray for Silence 2010 Kate Burkholder Buy
3 Breaking Silence 2011 Kate Burkholder Buy
4 Gone Missing 2011 Kate Burkholder Buy
5 Her Last Breath 2013 Kate Burkholder Buy
6 The Dead Will Tell 2014 Kate Burkholder Buy
7 After the Storm 2015 Kate Burkholder Buy
8 Among the Wicked 2016 Kate Burkholder Buy
9 Down a Dark Road 2017 Kate Burkholder Buy
10 A Gathering of Secrets 2018 Kate Burkholder Buy
11 Shamed 2019 Kate Burkholder Buy
12 Outsider 2020 Kate Burkholder Buy
13 Fallen 2021 Kate Burkholder Buy
14 The Hidden One 2022 Kate Burkholder Buy
15 An Evil Heart 2023 Kate Burkholder Buy
16 The Burning 2024 Kate Burkholder Buy
17 Rage 2025 Kate Burkholder Buy

The Kate Burkholder series begins with Sworn to Silence (2009), which introduces Kate as the chief of police in Painters Mill, Ohio. When a serial killer who terrorized the community years earlier appears to return, Kate must confront both the new crimes and the secrets she has kept since childhood. The novel was adapted into the Lifetime movie An Amish Murder.

The series now spans seventeen novels through Rage (2025). Each book pits Kate against a new case while exploring the culture clash between her Amish upbringing and her role in law enforcement. Linda Castillo has been nominated for the International Thriller Writers Award and the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award for the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Kate Burkholder series?

There are seventeen books in the Kate Burkholder series, published between 2009 and 2025.

What is the first book in the Kate Burkholder series?

The first book in the Kate Burkholder series is Sworn to Silence, published in 2009.

What makes the Kate Burkholder series distinctive?

The series stands out for its setting in Ohio’s Amish country, where Chief of Police Kate Burkholder uses her understanding of both the Amish and English worlds to solve violent crimes. Her personal history within the community adds tension and depth to each investigation.

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