Well, my worst fears were realized. Not only was the second book in this series very violent and graphic, but it was also extremely well-written, the plot was well-thought out, the characters are growing on me by leaps and bounds, and the research into the Amish culture and language was meticulous. I'm nott too sure where I stand now!
The Planks are an Amish family that had recently located to Painter Mill from Lancaster, PA. Early one morning a neighbor, over to help with the milking, discovers a horrible scene at the Plank farm: Father Amos and his two sons have been shot inside the house. It appears that Amos murdered his sons and then took his own life, but appearances can be deceiving. Formerly Amish police chief Kate Burkholder and her team discover evidence that belies their initial murder/suicide assumption. They also discover the bodies of Amos' wife and toddler son in the yard and his two daughters in the barn. The teenage girls appear to have been tortured before being ritualistically murdered in the barn. Finding the killer and the motive for the slayings before anyone else is killed is Kate's goal.
As the story unfolds we discover that there exists an Amish porn industry (not run by the Amish, but featuring Amish girls) and that 15-year-old Mary Plank, one of the murder victims, is in love with an English (non-Amish man) and had become pregnant with his child. According to her journal she had confessed all to her family, so Kate believes that the father of her unborn child must be connected with the crime. John Tomasetti, Kate's lover, has been put on leave from his job at CBI to deal with his post traumati drug and alcohol abuse, so he is available to help out on the sly.
I found this novel both disturbing and compelling. I couldn't put it down, but the storyline was so disturbing that I didn't want to pick it up, either. Overall, I would recommend Linda Catillo, especially to anyone who is interested in the Amish. Just be sure that you have a strong stomach!
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