-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
Some secrets are too terrible to reveal . . .
Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve . . .
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.
"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 protagonist bring Julia Spencer-Fleming's series to mind." - Library Journal
"Starred Review. 'A gun-toting, cursing, former Amish female chief of police' stars in this excellent first in a new suspense series from romance veteran Castillo." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. [A] crackling good series opener, recommended for fans of T. Jefferson Parker and Robert Ellis." - Booklist
"Kate Burkholder is the real deal and Sworn to Silence is a vivid, intense, and brutal page-turner of a novel." - C.J. Box
"Absolutely stunning. ... A perfectly crafted thriller." - Lisa Scottoline
This information about Sworn to Silence was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Pic: Author website
Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer—and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen. She is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Heart, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita.
Her debut thriller, Sworn to Silence, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Booklist—and hit the New York Times bestseller list for four consecutive weeks.
In her spare time Linda enjoys riding horses, especially trail riding, and dabbles in barrel racing. She resides in Texas with her husband, three dogs, a barn cat, and two Appaloosa horses.
If you liked Sworn to Silence, try these:
by Mischa Berlinski
Published 2026
An exuberant, darkly humorous novel by the National Book Award–nominated author of Fieldwork.
by Larissa Pham
Published 2026
A taut, electrifying debut about a woman forced to confront unsettling truths about herself, her past, and the life she rebuilt following a ruinous affair with her former mentor, from a "lit world phenom" (Harper's Bazaar)
by Catherine Lacey
Published 2024
From one of our fiercest stylists, a roaring epic chronicling the life, times, and secrets of a notorious artist.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
