BOOK REVIEW:  Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo 

Mystery murders are not my preferred genre.  Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo is a book club pick, so I needed to break out of my reading bars, again.  This is the third in the Silence series.  My first from this particular group of Amish murder mysteries.  

Kate Burkholder is the sheriff in an Amish community.  Peace in this community has been shattered by the death of family members: Ma, Dat and an uncle. The sheriff is called to the Slabaugh farm as is the case when a death occurs. The deaths were ruled accidental  from methane gas asphyxiation by falling into a cesspit, until the coroner does his work. 

The twists and turns in this tale are surprising and shocking, even by Kate Burkholder’s standards.  Kate grew up Amish, but was excommunicated for reasons that are revealed in this plot-driven mystery.  

Silence is sacred to the Amish, such is the case in this work of fiction.  They do not want any help from outsiders, referred to in Castillo’s work as The English. There are several cases of harassment and violence targeting this peace-loving community in which the police intend to see that this violence ends. The  Amish response to anything dealing with society is SILENCE.  This lack of communication is vital to the solution of this mystery.  Pay attention to what is left unsaid or SILENT.  

Trigger: Language (As I used to tell my kiddos I taught when they ran across “bad words”; it is authentic to the story… let it go in one ear and out the other if it bothers you.)