Three Dieners, church elders, come to Kate and ask her to investigate as they are positive that Jonas is innocent.
As always, I enjoy the way Castillo reveals Amish customs and culture and I enjoy the way Amish beliefs influence the plots. When I finished The Hidden One, I felt like this was one of my favorite books in the series.
The next morning, however, I had some questions... something that was not resolved. Doesn't change my overall opinion about the book because I was completely engaged throughout, but I am really curious about a couple of things that were not explained. Spoiler: Who called Kate and said, "They were all there!"? Were the Dieners there? Did I miss something?
I checked the reviews on Goodreads, and no one mentions the thing that is bugging me.
NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Mystery. July 5, 2022. Print length: 320 pages.
Claudia Linn works for Veracity, a company that verifies profile information if a client finds something that doesn't ring true or that worries them. When a client ends up dead, Claudia gets involved.
There were several elements that evoked my interest about online dating profiles. I mean, we've become accustomed to the jokes about "I enjoy sunsets and walks on the beach" kind of thing. I was curious about the kinds of questions matchmaking sites actually asked to try for a match. Do these sites try to match only similar interests (if people are even honest in their interests)? Do they ever match "opposites," I wonder. What algorithms?
On a more serious level, how do companies go about checking for out-and-out dishonesty about professions, locations, financial situations, etc. in a client's profile? The match-making sites are part of our lives since the advent of the internet, but I have never really thought about them in a way that doesn't include the use of online-dating in a mystery novel or thriller.
Unfortunately, this book was not a match for me--the characters felt artificial, the promised humor was hit or miss, I didn't learn much about what I was curious about, and the plot itself didn't really engage me. Note: I'm in the minority about this according to GR reviews.
NetGalley/Knopf/Doubleday
LGBQT Mystery. February, 2022. Print length: 368 pages
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Note about earlier review of The Silence. In America: An 1893 court ruling increased pressure to keep Indian children in Boarding schools. It was not until 1978 with the passing of the Indian Child Welfare Act that Native American parents gained the legal right to deny their children's placement in off-reservation schools.
Also, Cathy mentioned the film The Rabbit-Proof Fence in her comment , and I want to see it. I may just read the book, but Kenneth Branagh is in the film, and he is always worth watching.
I'm curious about Linda Castillo's books as I've heard nothing but raves about them.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but I'm always skeptical about online dating. Well, although they're couples who find true love via this channel, there are still some black sheep around who give online dating a bad name.
I love those memes, especially the last one about doublebooking. :D
One of my favorite things about fiction, even genre fiction like mysteries, is that a good author can make you aware of different cultures, historical events, even current events in a new and personal way. Castillo does an excellent job with the setting and characters in Amish country.
DeleteI can't imagine the process of online dating, really. Matchmakers have always existed, so in a way I guess having matchmaking on line is an evolutionary technological step, but I am curious about the questions and the algorithms. I'm also interested in why so many people aren't meeting people in real life. Are our lives changing so much that finding a compatible partner requires outside help?
The Verifiers sounds like it had a good idea for a plot. I have never heard of a job like that. I'm sorry it was disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI agree and that is what caught my attention. In a sense, The Verifiers are only made me more curious about the idea of matchmaking in general and the internet version. It is an interesting sociological concept, historically and with all the modern technology.
DeleteI doublebook all the time! :D And I loved that Reading Goals cartoon. So relatable! I'm also looking forward to reading The Hidden One when it comes out; I love Linda Castillo's books.
ReplyDelete:) so do I! Starting one, two (or more) books at a time is like picking chocolates in a box of chocolates. That cartoon is relatable, isn't it?
DeleteI triplebook all the time. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI intend to read The Verifiers, so it will certainly be interesting to see my reaction to it.
I think Castillo's series is excellent, but for some reason, I just dip my toe in once in a while and have felt no need to read the entire series. Castillo is a lot of fun. I once went to lunch with her and four other authors. (A definite highlight on my life's film reel.)
Of course, you do! So many books, so little time. I'll be interested in your opinion of The Verifiers, Cathy.
DeleteI haven't read the whole Burkholder series by Castillo, but I have enjoyed the books I've read. Lucky you, to have had lunch with Castillo and other authors!
That Castillo book sounds like a good read. I thought I had read one of her books years ago but can't find any record of it so maybe not. I'm probably confusing her with someone else. But I will definitely check out this Amish series.
ReplyDeleteMost books that feature Amish covers are in the romance genre, but the Castillo books are mystery/thriller with Kate Burkholder the Chief of Police of Painter's Mill in Ohio.
DeleteI remember the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. I was shocked at the time. We don't realize how recently things were so much worse.
ReplyDeleteNot so ancient history, really. No matter how we might want to ignore it.
DeleteI doublebook, sometimes even triplebook, all the time. There are just too many good books that I want to read right now and never enough time to get to them. :D
ReplyDeleteI haven't read many Amish books, but that Linda Castillo series sounds really good. I'll have to look into it. :)
I can start a bunch of books before finding the one I'm going to stick with, and I always have a fiction on the go when I'm reading nonfiction. I also sometimes have a patio book, a table book, a reading chair book, etc. :)
DeleteYou've got me curious as well on the Castillo book!
ReplyDeleteCastillo's Kate Burkholder series features Kate, who grew up Amish, but left when she was 18. She's now the Police Chief of Painter's Mill and because she knows the culture and can speak Pennsylvania Dutch, a form of German, Kate can work with the Amish better than most. It's an interesting series!
DeleteI love your two quotes, both applicable. I frequently double-book and also triple-book. I don't read more than 2 at a time though. There is always one that is put back on the "shelf" until I finish the other two. Book triage maybe?
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of Linda Castillo (read every title of hers) and am excited to see a new book out! I only skimmed the review in case of spoilers but it seems you enjoyed it.
:) Love the term "book triage!" Very apt description. I don't read two fiction books at a time, I may start several, but I end up following through with one. I do read one fiction, one nonfiction at a time, but I keep a poetry anthology by my reading chair and often have a book of essays that I dip into at times.
DeleteI do enjoy Castillo's books and am always pleased when a new one comes out!