“Hallowed Ground” is one of Kate Castillo’s Kate Burkholder short stories. It’s only available on Kindle, unfortunately. It’s set just before the events of An Evil Heart, the latest novel. That book will be published on July 11. For those of you who are fans of the series, but don’t read on Kindle, don’t worry. There’s nothing in “Hallowed Ground” that you will miss when you read the new book.
An Amish farmer is harvesting pumpkins before the weekend Pumpkin Festival when his dog shows up with a jawbone. Eddie Chupp only recognizes it as human because there are fillings in the teeth. He calls the police, and Police Chief Kate Burkholder shows up with her fiance, Tomasetti, from Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Kate’s investigation takes her several places in Painters Mill, but it’s the local sheriff that tells her bones have been dug up in a cemetery an hour and a half from Painters Mill, and rumors are there’s a cult involved.
But, it’s a small Amish cemetery that holds the answer to the mystery of the bones in Painters Mill.
I’ve read several of Castillo’s short stories. and this is one of my favorites. It’s set in the fall in northern Ohio, a time and atmosphere I know well. Several of Burkholder’s team, along with Tomasetti, are included. Best of all, I like the ending of “Hallowed Ground”. It’s an enjoyable treat before An Evil Heart is released. Don’t worry, though. As I said, you don’t have to have read it before reading the new mystery.
Linda Castillo’s website is https://www.lindacastillo.com/
“Hallowed Ground” by Linda Castillo. St. Martin’s Press, 2023.
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought a copy of the story.
Thanks. I read the collection of her Burkholder short stories (A SIMPLE MURDER), and since there are already three or four more out there, I’m guessing that in time we will get a second collection. I’m sure I will read this, either now or later. Of course, I am looking forward to the new book. (Jackie is several books behind on the series.)
Are she and Tomasetti ever going to actually get married, I wonder.
I know the answer to that, Jeff!
Ah, my library seems to be picking up the individual e-book short stories, so I was able to reserve this and the previous story (“Blood Moon”).
Read this short story yesterday and enjoyed it.
Good, wasn’t it?
Indeed.
I finally got my review written and it will run this Wednesday.
Thank you Lesa! It’s always tough to know how the short stories will be received by readers. There’s simply not a lot of room to develop characters or the mystery. But this one was fun and I’m so pleased you enjoyed it.
I liked the ending, Linda. Thank you!