Linda Castillo returns with ‘An Evil Heart’ | Book Talk

Linda Castillo begins “An Evil Heart” by making sure the victim is likable and relatable. Aden Karn, a young Amish man, rides his bicycle to work through the glorious Ohio countryside. He looks at the grazing sheep and thinks about God’s bounty. Then someone shoots him with a crossbow.

The book is 15th in an exciting series about Kate Burkholder, a police chief in a small Holmes County town with a large Amish population. Kate, who left the Amish faith 20 years earlier, is uniquely qualified to be the intercessor between the local Amish and “English” folks. She’s treading that delicate line as she works the case just days before she is to marry her longtime love, John Tomasetti, Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent.

Kate interviews Aden’s family and co-workers as well as a group of good-for-nothings who hang out at a rundown garage. There are several plausible suspects in Aden’s murder but none at all for a second victim whose body is found in a ditch. It proves to be that of a Massillon woman who had had a couple of convictions for prostitution. Nothing about her death has any similarity between that of Aden’s, but Kate is sure they are connected.

Aden was on Rumspringa, the time when a young Amish person is free to live independently before deciding to join the church permanently. Many go to movies, learn to drive and dress in “English” clothes. While most decide on baptism, a small percentage takes the new freedom to an extreme. Some of these people might be murderers.

The previous book, “The Hidden One,” took Kate to Pennsylvania to solve a cold case. Series readers will be pleased at the reappearance of Kate’s valued team.

“An Evil Heart” (320 pages, hardcover) costs $28 from Minotaur. Castillo grew up in Darke County and lives in Texas.

She will sign “An Evil Heart” from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Parma-Powers branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library; register at cuyahogalibrary.org. Castillo will also appear from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Reeves Mansion, 525 E. Iron Ave., Dover; register at doverlibrary.org. From 2 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Castillo and Jess Montgomery, author of the Kinship Series, about a real-life female sheriff in 1920s Appalachia, will visit the Lake Community branch of Stark County Public Library, 565 Market Ave SW, Hartville, and 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Perry Sippo branch, 5710 12th St, NW, Perry Township. Register at starklibrary.org.

‘True Tales from the Campaign Trail’

Is there no end to Jerry Austin’s reservoir of insightful political stories? He has just produced the third volume in his “True Tales from the Campaign Trail: Stories Only Political Consultants Can Tell” series, filled with contributions from reporters, lobbyists, strategists and the politicians themselves.

The first woman to become commissioner of Tuscarawas County reveals a ploy she used to get a newspaper article about her. A former pollster was consulted by a potential candidate who fears that his previous employment as a Chippendale dancer may derail his campaign. A former small-town Iowa radio newsman reports on which presidential candidates visited — and which refused. Other contributors played roles in exposing or suppressing scandals. Views on gay rights and abortion are as polarizing then as now.

The bite-sized anecdotes are inspiring, illuminative and run from one to five pages in this small-format book.

“True Tales from the Campaign Trail Vol. III” (294 pages, softcover) costs $19.99 from University of Akron Press. Austin earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Akron and served as director of the university’s Bliss Institute of Applied Politics International Fellows Program.

Events

Cuyahoga County Public Library: Gloria Dickie discusses “Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future” in a virtual event from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Massillon Library (208 Lincoln Way E.): Richard Haldi, author of “Cornelius Aultman, Ohio’s Great Civil War-Era Industrialist,” presents “The Shakespeare Conspiracy,” 6 to 7 p.m. Monday. From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Deborah Edmisten (“A Nose Apart” series) signs her children’s books and historical fiction. Register at massillonlibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Orange branch, 31975 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Park): Thao Thai talks about her novel “Banyan Moon,” 7 to 8 p.m. Monday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Mayfield branch, 500 SOM Center Road, Mayfield Village): Laura DeMarco talks about “Cleveland Then and Now,” 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Stark County Public Library (Lake Community branch, 565 Market Ave. SW, Hartville): Sports columnist Terry Pluto talks about his many books, including “Vintage Browns: A Warm Look Back at the Cleveland Browns of the 1970s, ‘80s, ‘90s and More,”, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Register at starklibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (North Royalton branch, 5071 Wallings Road): Jessica Mary Best signs her novel “Stars, Hold Your Fires,” 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Andrew Pegman talks about “Outdoor Tales of Northeast Ohio.” Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): Katharine Beutner signs her historical novel “Killingly,” featured in Book Talk on June 4, 7 p.m. Wednesday. At 7 p.m. Thursday, C.W. Goodyear signs “President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier.”

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Beachwood branch, 25501 Shaker Blvd.): Claire McMillan launches “Alchemy of a Blackbird,” 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Macedonia City Hall (9691 Valley Road): Janice and Mike Olszewski, authors of “From Captain Penny to Superhost” and “Smoky, Sweaty, Rowdy, and Loud,” give a multimedia presentation about their books as a fundraiser for Longwood Manor, 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Admission is $5.

Cuyahoga Falls Public Library (2015 Third St.): Lindsay Ward, author of “Don’t Forget Dexter!,” hosts children in Grades K-5 for reading and drawing, 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Register at fallslibrary.org.

Cleveland Public Library (Union branch, 3463 E. 93rd St.): Dominique Kizer reads from “Kinky Hair, Don’t Care,” for children to age 11, 1 to 1:45 p.m. Thursday.

Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Amy Matuza will sign “Food for Thought: Twenty-Minute Life Recipes from Mom,” featured in the July 2 Book Talk, 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Mentor Public Library: Charles Soule, author of “The Oracle Year” and many comic book stories, including the Shrouded College series, talks about “The Endless Vessel” in a virtual event from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Register at mentorpl.org.

Advance notice for an event sure to sell out: James McBride, author of the National Book Award-winning “The Good Lord Bird” about John Brown, will visit the Parma-Powers branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library with his new book “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store”) on Aug. 29. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to BeaconBookTalk@gmail.com and bjnews@thebeaconjournal.com. Barbara McIntyre tweets at @BarbaraMcI.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Linda Castillo returns with ‘An Evil Heart’