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Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Audiobook9 hours

Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel

Written by Linda Castillo

Narrated by Kathleen McInerney

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous femme fatale, is the central figure in Linda Castillo's Her Last Breath, a story that reveals a dark side of Painters Mill and its seemingly perfect Amish world.

A rainy night, an Amish father returning home with his three children, a speeding car hurtling toward them out of nowhere.

What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental. But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate. He may be the only one who knows what happened that night. Desperate to find out who killed her best friend's husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer amid the residents of Painter's Mill. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 18, 2013
ISBN9781427231031
Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel
Author

Linda Castillo

LINDA CASTILLO is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards. In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next book.

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Reviews for Her Last Breath

Rating: 3.993749946666667 out of 5 stars
4/5

240 ratings32 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well written, Castillo never leads the plot, and if there is a surprise it's not broadcast ahead of time. The characters are fascinating and the culture clashes brought to the front between such different life-styles and the Amish and the "Englischers" is enlightening ad interesting. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder gets more complex with every book in the series, and you like here better for it as you read. All the characters are well-drawn and the writing moves smoothly and sometimes nail-bitingly to the climax and finish. Good read, every word.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Linda Castillo does it again. Love her and love this series!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    An Amish father and his three children--traveling home in their buggy--are struck one evening in a terrible accident. The vehicle leaves the scene and in the aftermath, Paul Borntrager and two of his small children are dead. Chief Kate Burkholder (no stranger to awful crime scenes) is horrified by the scene.

    This is the fifth book in the Kate Burkholder series, and honestly, if I knew Kate, I feel like maybe I would move out of Painter's Mill, as it seems well on its way to becoming the "Cabot Cove" of the Amish community. How many more terribly things can happen to this poor Amish community?

    Anyway, I still love Kate, even if she's still wishy washy about her relationship with reliable Tomasetti. At some point, I just want to shake her. So I keep reading, even if at some point, I feel like there may be no Amish left in Painter's Mill to keep off.

    Overall, this is a disturbing book and it was a bit hard for me to read, since it dealt with such a brutal death of two little kids. The plot is interesting, however, and as a I mentioned, I do enjoy Kate, even if I also find her frustrating. I'm amazed at how Castillo can keep things interesting - when I had my "aha" moment in this one and realized what had happened, I was impressed. A good read and I'll no doubt keep going through the series, though I really hope Kate gives Tomasetti a break. (And maybe the poor Amish of Painter's Mill can catch a break, too.)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another good book in the series. The crime was interesting, with some I guessed and others I didn't see coming. The case brings back memories of old memories and something comes back to haunt Kate from her past as she works on the murders.

    There was some character development and I can't wait to see in the next book, if somethings come back to haunt Kate.

    I also can't wait to see what happens next in her relationship with Tomasetti. It's coming to a point where she needs to make a choice on how serious things are.

    I liked the ending and it showed how much of a fighter Kate is. The end also showed Kate's sweet side, when dealing with Amish kids.

    Overall I was pleased with the book and I'm moving onto the next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The fifth volume by Kate Burkholder was also convincing.At night an Amish buggy is rammed by a car so that the buggy breaks apart in all its parts. Of the four passengers, only the youngest son survives, while the father, the older son and the daughter still die on the scene of the accident. There is no trace of the person who caused the accident. It is not easy for Kate to investigate, since the deceased's mother and wife are her old schoolmates. Kate treats her former friend very sensitively and for a long time does not notice where the danger comes from.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An Amish buggy with a father and his three kids is hurrying to return home as nightfall is approaching. Suddenly, a speeding truck is upon them, breaking buggy and people, and then it careens off into the night, leaving the dying in its wake. Kate must now investigate this hit and run accident of her former best friend’s family. But as she investigates, Kate soon discovers an undercurrent of deception, and she believes the family was targeted, but she doesn’t know why. Author Linda Castillo takes her readers on a merry and somewhat convoluted chase, with an ending that is a bit hard to swallow. Still, it is an intriguing story, and readers will be compelled to keep flipping those pages. And just when you think you’ve heard it all, the tale does an about turn in the opposite direction. And just maybe your preconceived notions about the Amish are about to be shattered.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was my introduction to Kate Burkholder, a former member of the Amish community and now chief of police in the small Ohio town in which she grew up. The story is captivating with unexpected twists and revelations that, nonetheless, work. The secondary story--Burkholder's personal life--is equally interesting. You really get a feeling for her struggles in making decisions, commitments. The third piece of this book is the insight it provides into life in an Amish community and the interactions between members of that community and their English neighbors. Thoroughly enjoyable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Her Last Breath
    4 Stars

    When an apparent hit-and-run accident involving an Amish buggy is revealed to be a more sinister and deliberate act of violence, Painter’s Mill police chief, Kate Burkholder, finds herself on the trail of a cold-blooded and devious killer who will stop at nothing to satisfy their darker desires.

    Although the story is not as fast moving and lacks the grittier details of the first few installments, it is nonetheless an intriguing mystery about the lengths to which a person will go in order to get what they want. While the overall motive for the crime is obvious from the start, the identity of the culprit is a somewhat of a surprise. Moreover, the climax is one of the more gripping and intense in the series and there are several moments where the outcome and Kate’s fate are not certain at all.

    The developments in Kate’s personal life are another highlight as the secrets of her past come to light and she faces some difficult choices with regard to the future of her relationship with John Tomasetti.

    Kathleen McInnerny’s narration is incredible as always and it is impossible imagine the characters with anyone else’s voice.

    Looking forward to the next one.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The first book I read by this author was her new one called Dawn A Dark Road. I gave it 4 stars and I loved it. So when I won this one (which is an earlier book in the series) I couldn't wait to read it. I was so disappointed. She was very descriptive. As an example she wrote a paragraph describing an Amish woman hanging up her laundry. I found myself skipping over so much. The basic story was interesting and that's what kept me reading to the end.If you want to read a book in this series I would recommend her newest one.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Overall a good entry in the series, but I was vaguely unsatisfied with the resolution; I didn't find it believable. Also I can't believe Kate and John still haven't defined their relationship. I thought the question still left hanging at the end of this story had been resolved at the end of the last book, but I guess I was wrong. The relationship between Kate and John isn't the primary draw of this series, I understand. But it's distracting that Kate keep resisting any sort of commitment. Given her Amish upbringing, this extreme resistance surprises me and feels wrong.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kate Burkholder's life is getting complicated, the bones of the man who assaulted her are found, Tomasetti has bought a house and would like her to move in with him (and honestly he's pushing too hard, she needs breathing space) plus her former best friend's family is destroyed by a hit-and-run. Kate has to investigate the tragic accident and a lot of the information isn't adding up.Almost too much in one story, still interesting, though I didn't see the twist coming.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well written, Castillo never leads the plot, and if there is a surprise it's not broadcast ahead of time. The characters are fascinating and the culture clashes brought to the front between such different life-styles and the Amish and the "Englischers" is enlightening ad interesting. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder gets more complex with every book in the series, and you like here better for it as you read. All the characters are well-drawn and the writing moves smoothly and sometimes nail-bitingly to the climax and finish. Good read, every word.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kate Burkholder is chief of police in Painters Mill, in Amish country in Ohio. She left the Amish life fifteen years earlier, but she still deals with crimes against the Amish. Even so, it comes as a shock to see the results of a hit-and-run accident, an accident that killed Paul Bourntreager and two of his three children. The surviving child, David, is in serious condition when Kate arrives at the accident site. She's shocked to learn that her best friend from childhood, Mattie, is married to Paul and the mother of these three children.

    As the investigation proceeds, Kate uncovers evidence that the wreck was not an accident, but intentional. Who could possibly want to hurt this humble Amish family? It soon becomes apparent Kate is dealing with a devious murderer, but what is the motive? While investigating this case, Kate must also deal with the discovery of skeletal remains of a man found in an abandoned grain mill. After seventeen years, will secrets from the past emerge to destroy Kate's peace of mind? Also at stake is Kate's shaky relationship with John Tomasetti, an agent with the Ohio BCI.

    I really enjoy this series and this book was my favorite of the ones I've read so far. This is a great mystery and it's very interesting to learn about 1Cthe plain life 1D. The characters are well formed, and even though I find Kate annoying much of the time, I'm still hooked. I've listened to all of them in audio, narrated by Kathleen McInerney who does an extremely good job. I plan to finish the last two book in the series sometime this month.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A severe hit and run accident kills an Amish father and 2 out of the 3 of his children that are with him in his buggy while they are on their way home from the Doctor's office. Things are very suspicious with this "Accident" it seems more like it was an intentional "Homicide" Kate is trying to hard to figure things out when her past comes back to haunt her. In another great addition to this series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Her Last Breath by Linda CastilloMinotaur BooksJune 18.2014ISBN-10: 0312658575ISBN-13: 978-0312658571320 pages. . . murder and mayhem among the peaceful world of the Amish . . .Painters Mill’s police chief Kate Burkholder is back in this wonderful tale of murder and mayhem among the peaceful world of the Amish. Kate, raised in this world, long ago left for the secular world of law enforcement, and is now confronted with a murder of diabolical proportions. The story opens with a horrible accident. An Amish father and his children, returning home in their horse-drawn buggy, are demolished by a speeding car that flees into the night. A scene that is so harrowingly rendered it’s as if the reader is an eyewitness.But was it an accident? Or was it a murder of horrific proportions? If so, why? What’s the payoff for annihilating these innocents? Nothing is apparent and as Kate digs deeper into the family and the community, a community that still resents her departure from the fold, she uncovers dark deeds and motives that defy understanding.Kate’s continuing and growing relationship with FBI agent John Tomasetti only complicates her life and skews her choices. Choices that could end her career. John’s too.This is an excellent series and Her Last Breath is one of the best.DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Samantha Cody and Dub Walker thriller series
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sheriff Kate Burkholder's latest case hits close to home. A buggy carrying an Amish man and his three children is involved in a hit-and-run accident that leaves all but one child dead. Kate's called the scene only to discover that the victims are the husband and children of her childhood best friend. Dealing with an important person from her past gives us a chance to learn more about Kate's formative years; we get to learn more about who Kate was before a personal tragedy forced Kate out of her Amish community. In the last book, there was plenty of movement in Kate's relationship with Tomasetti. This time out, we're doing little more than marking time. But, I'm already looking forward to finding out what happens next.If you haven't read any of the others in the series, you should be able to pick this book up and have a good idea about what's going on. Castillo does a nice job of providing expository narrative to bring you quickly up to speed on prior key developments.I love that Linda Castillo teaches me something new about Amish people or culture in every book. This book is now exception - now I know a bit about non-farming options and the genetic issues of their closed cultures. And because I used to be a medical librarian, I did a little follow up research and discovered there's even an Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterite Genetic Disorders Database. Who knew?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was my first novel by this author, and I wasn't sure I was going to like it. It started out sounding like one of those "sweet" Amish books that I don't enjoy. However, it turned into a very good mystery involving a hit and run accident with an Amish buggy. I had my suspicions as to the culprit, but Castillo did a good job of misdirecting me so that I was surprised at the ending.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The ongoing characters in this series are well-drawn but, in this installment, Castillo stumbles a bit in building a believable story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    “Her Last Breath” by Linda CastilloSpeaking of breath, I held mine while reading this latest novel by Castillo. As typical of this author’s quality of work, “Her Last Breath” is another shocking story centering on the lives of the Amish.An Amish family of five is reduced to two when a senseless slaying occurs. Coming back from a weekly visit with the doctor at dusk, Paul Borntrager slowly leads his horse and buggy and his three special needs children cautiously through an intersection only to be hit by speeding vehicle. Two of the three children and Paul die. Mattie, the mother is crushed and grieves when she hears of their deaths. She nurtures her sole remaining child David back to health. But that’s not the end, not even close. Discovering that it was not just an accident and unsure if Mattie or Paul was the target of someone’s rage, Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police in Painter’s Mill leads up the investigation and tries to protect Mattie and David from further happenstance.But Kate is working through personal issues of her own involving a lover—whether or not she should take a chance and commit—and her sordid past that is coming back to haunt her. Kate feels the sting from the loss of the Borntrager family because she is not only ex-Amish but also because Mattie was her best friend while growing up. Devastation after hardship spins Kate through a spiraling tunnel, only to end up being the killer’s target when she gets too close to the truth of the murder of the Borntragers. When I read who was behind the deaths and the calamity surrounding it, I was astounded. I wasn’t right about one person I suspected.Castillo has always been able to—and probably will always do so—flabbergast me. Another fantastic story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Book 5 in the Chief of Police Kate Burkholder series is another excellent fast paced mystery set in Ohio Amish country. Kate arrives at a gruesome hit and run buggy accident and discovers the victims, an Amish deacon and two of his children, are the husband and children of her childhood best friend, Mattie, who remained Amish. Of course, the accident is more than just a “hit skip”. As Kate investigates, her relationship with Mattie becomes deeply emotional as Kate remembers their life together as young Amish girls. Kate’s past haunts her in more ways than one as a horrific event that happened to her at age 14 threatens her career (from previous books in the series). Love interest John Tomesetti seems to be accepting of his past demons, but Kate still fears and struggles with her tortured past. “Some fears are so ingrained they can’t be overcome by logic or reason.” Kate is wonderfully flawed, but she’s also a good tough cop with a good heart. The ending is action packed with a shocking twist. A very thrilling, dramatic and emotional ending. Excellent narration by Kathleen McInerney. I especially enjoy hearing the Pennsylvania Dutch. Looking forward to book 6!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    There is so much to like about this series. A good cop with some serious history, a small town with a lot of Amish influence, a budding relationship that seems to go up and down every book and a very good mystery.Kate is the chief of police, Tomasetti is a state cop and when a local Amish man and two of his three children are killed in an automobile/buggy accident Kate mobilizes as many resources as she can possibly pull. The victim and his children are the husband and children of Kate's best friend while growing up. The third child is hurt but survives the accident.With a few very serious twists and turns Kate discovers a lot of things about this family that she isn't happy discovering. There is also a side story that harks back to Kate's own past.Wonderful story, wonderful series. I can't wait to read more.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Her Last Breath is another excellent book by Linda Castillo. This book continues the story of Kate Burkholder and her career in law enforcement in her hometown. The author has an excellent way of bringing the reader up to speed with references to past writings. This is such a good mystery. I highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kate is a unique characters, she was raised Amish but left the church because there were tenants of their religion she could not agree with. She is now the police chief of the town where she was raised.In this novel, her personal life is at a crossroads and something from her past rears its ugly head.She is investigating the hit and run accident of a man, driving in his buggy with his three children, only one survivor. This accident also has a personal connection to Kate.Kate is a fighter and an interesting character. As an added bonus in this series I learn quite a bit about the Amish and their ways. Good story-lines, plenty of action and a bit of history.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Linda Castillo knows how to write. In this latest book, he weaves a Tale of intrigue and mystery as, Kate Burkholder, Police Chief in Painter’s Mill woks to unravel the mystery and answer the questions surrounding the death of an Amish Deacon and his two children. To add to the story, Kat, who left the Amish community years before, was once the closest friend of the grieving widow. Kate soon discovers that there is some sort of mystery surrounding the “accidental” death and probes deeper and deeper until she comes upon the real reasons for the death. Along with this is the ever growing love between her and John Tomasetti, two damaged souls seeking answers and fulfillment in their lives. This book is a great mystery as well as providing another good insight into the daily life of the Amish community. The characters, as usual, are well developed and the story flows easily. I never would have imagined my fascination with a series that combines a religious background with the lives of a small town police chief and her coterie of associates and friends (not my thing), but this series has definitely captured my interest. After reading one book, I quickly read through all the other books in the series, and will continue to do so. If you want a great book, that tells a story but is not filled with all the police mumbo jumbo so many others are and one that will warm your heart, this is a great choice.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As always, this is an exciting outing with Police Chief Kate Burkholder. An Amish man and two of his three children are killed in a hit and run buggy accident. As the case progresses it is discovered that the killings were premeditated. The victim's wife is a childhood friend of Kate's. An unrelated grisly discovery has far reaching ramifications for Kate and her on again off again boyfriend, John Tomasetti.The overall mystery of this book didn't really interest me, especially after the riveting fourth book in the series. However, Kate is a great narrator and the book is fast paced and exciting. The story delves into Kate's Amish past and her tumultuous relationship with fellow cop Tomasetti.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Awesome! Ohio Amish mystery. Chief Kate Burkholder Investigates a car accident which killed a father and 2 of his children. I could not stop reading! Loved the book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When an Amish man and two of his children are killed in a hit and run, it seems like a terrible accident. But as evidence is gathered it becomes clear that this was a premeditated act. Everyone is asking the same question, why would anyone want to kill an Amish family? Kate Burkholder is really close to this one because this is the family of her best childhood friend, Mattie. At the same time, her lover and best friend, Tomasetti is increasing pressure to move their relationship further and a ghost from the past will come to haunt her.Wow, this might be the best one yet. I had the killer picked out but there is a really nice twist I did not see coming. I like that Tomasetti and Kate are growing and getting past some of their demons. As always the information about Amish society is interesting. There is plenty of action. It is not as graphically violent as some of the other books in the series. A real winner.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Awful. Every now and then -- every other chapter -- the boyfriend shows up so they can have a passionate encounter. His big speech at the end includes the heartfelt admission "I want you in my life." What as? What as? (This is where you say, "It's almost Thanksgiving. You could come as the turkey.")
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    First Line: The clip-clop of the standardbred's shod hooves against asphalt echoed within the canopy of the trees. In moments, an Amish family's lives are shattered by a hit-and-run driver. Kate Burkholder races to the scene and finds it very difficult to maintain any sort of composure. This man... this father... and his three children are the family of Kate's very best childhood friend. That friend, the breathtakingly beautiful Mattie, may never recover from this horrendous loss. And it gets worse. As the evidence begins to be pieced together, what at first seemed to be an accident is now seen to be deliberate. Who on earth would want to kill an Amish father and his children? Burkholder wants answers, and she wants them now. What she doesn't want is for old history-- in the form of old bones-- to be uncovered at the site of an old grain elevator.The first part of this book concerning the hit-and-run and its aftermath had my heart in my throat and tears in my eyes. Having grown up close to an Amish community, I was there as those pages turned. The world could've come to an end, and I would not have been able to stop reading Linda Castillo's words. If the book had been able to maintain that pace, I wouldn't be able to recommend this book highly enough. But it did taper off a bit.Kate's relationship with John Tomasetti is evolving at a faster rate than she'd like, but she worries too much and is too afraid, so I like seeing her shaken out of her comfort zone. Characters who grow and change are the best characters of all. However, I wish the one element from Kate's past that hasn't been resolved will be soon because her knee-jerk reactions are growing a bit old. Kate, tell 'em the truth, and face the music. If you're thrown out of the police chief's job, set up as a private investigator with Tomasetti. (Those of you who've read the previous books in the series will know to what I'm referring.)As to the identity of the killer... I hate to say that I wasn't surprised about that either. I'm inherently suspicious of particular situations and certain people. It's just the way I'm wired. Another way that I'm wired is to enjoy a good read. This book had an absolutely fantastic beginning, and even though I deduced what happened and was somewhat disappointed that Kate's past was rearing its ugly head again, I still found a great deal to enjoy-- and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "Her Last Breath" is the fifth book in Linda Castillo's fabulous Kate Burkholder series. Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painter's Mill. Kate is formerly Amish, which gives her perspective but also presents challenges when dealing with the Amish community.The series really should be read in order. There is a crime in Kate's background that is progressively disclosed and dealt with, and that storyline continues in this book. There is also a romance that waxes/wanes throughout the series.This is one of my favorite series, but Her Last Breath is my least favorite of the series. I'd say it's a 4.5 star book in a 5 star series. But I tore through this book just as fast as the previous ones. And I will grab up the next Kate Burkholder the minute it's in print!