Outsider by Linda Castillo @LindaCastillo11 #KathleenMcInerney @MacmillanAudio

the setup…

Amish widower Adam Lengacher is out for a sleigh ride in the middle of a snowstorm with his three young children (Sammy, Annie and Lizzie) when he comes across a car in a ditch covered in snow. He finds the driver nearby, a woman with some kind of serious injury and close to being frozen to death. He carries her to the sleigh and takes her home. Before she lapses into unconsciousness, the woman asks him to contact Police Chief Kate Burkholder. When Kate arrives at Adam’s house, she stunned to learn that the woman is someone she hasn’t seen in years, Detective Gina Colorosa.

the heart of the story…

I’ve always wondered how Kate became a police officer as that’s never been explained until now. Gina Colorosa, a Columbus Police Department vice detective, provides that missing piece as she and Kate joined the academy and began their career in law enforcement together in Columbus. Now, she’s on the run from her own department, one she claims is rife with corruption stemming from leadership down to the lower ranks. But, her hands aren’t clean, either. To say this woman is complicated is quite the understatement, which creates loads of trouble for Kate as she tries to sift through the truths and lies. But an unexpected aspect of the story was the glimpse of what Kate’s childhood may have been like through Adam and his children’s world. He was one of her childhood friends and is raising his three much like theirs had been. I finally have a better understanding of why Kate is still conflicted about leaving the Amish life. Adam’s children are delightful, finding joy in the simple things and each other, reminding Kate of the happy times of her youth.

the narration…

I’ve always enjoyed McInerney’s narration of this series but never more than with this story. Her voice for those adorable children slayed me. And, the voice she gave Gina seemed to fit her perfectly, helping to define a “colorful” character who’s quite an enigma.

the bottom line…

This was an exciting story as the tension began with the prologue and continued to build while Gina was holed up at Adam’s home with Kate, waiting out the snowstorm and watching for the danger you knew was coming. I came away with a more complete understanding of Kate who I already thought I knew well. Her relationship with Gina is loaded with mixed emotions and, by the end of the story, I shared those same feelings. There’s lots of tension, suspense and danger but what really made me love the story was how it helped round out Kate. And, little Sammy stole the show💜

Book Info

• Release Date: July 2, 2020
• Series: Kate Burkholder #12
• Narrator: Kathleen McInerney
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 37 minutes

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