REVIEW: A Hidden Secret

A Hidden Secret
Author: Linda Castillo

In this Kate Burkholder short story, a newborn infant is left on the doorstep of the local Amish Bishop. As police chief, Kate finds herself searching for the mother of the baby. It isn't really a criminal case as the mother waited at the bishop's home until he and his wife were awake, knocked, and then carefully snuck away. She didn't leave the infant in any danger. But it's important to discover who the parents are, make sure the mother receives medical care, and determine what legally needs to be done with the baby. It turns out to be a very emotional case.

I really enjoy this series. Kate is an intelligent woman and a very skilled police officer. She was Amish but left the faith as a teenager after a traumatic event. This particular story is more about love, family, and loss than police investigation. It adds some character development for Kate, and her love interest John Tomasetti. I like it when authors release short stories in between novels in a series. It's nice to have a "visit'' with favorite characters while waiting for a new book...or just a short easy read before jumping into the next book.

I listened to the audio version of this story. As usual, it's narrated by Kathleen McInerney. Her voice is pleasant and she reads at a nice, even pace. She always gives a top notch performance. At just under 2 hours long, the audio is an easy, quick listen. Very enjoyable!

It's best to read the Kate Burkholder series in order. Some of the books and short stories have spoilers for prior plots if read out of order. This story works in between books 6 and 7. There are currently 10 books in the series with a new book, Shamed, coming out in July 2019.