Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo is the fifth book in the “Kate Burkholder” thriller series. Publisher: Minotaur Books, June 2013

An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous femme fatale, is the central figure in a story that reveals a dark side of Painters Mill and its seemingly perfect Amish world

A rainy night, an Amish father returning home with his three children, a speeding car hurtling toward them out of nowhere.

What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental. But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate. He may be the only one who knows what happened that night. Desperate to find out who killed her best friend’s husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer amid the residents of Painter’s Mill. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born.

Strong, vulnerable and determined Kate is called to a devastating scene. Someone from the past; a best friend and turmoil enters their lives when Kate has to tell her the news, her husband and two children are dead. Meanwhile bones have been found and the past keeps haunting Kate as she hunts for a devious killer.

All I can say is “wow” at the emotions that was rolling throughout this killer of a thriller. This well-written drama captured my attention immediately as it quickly became a page-turner that was hard to put down. This was a non-stop and action-filled mystery which ratcheted the suspenseful nature to the hilt as I followed the clues along with Kate. The author did a good job in keeping me busy with all the clues and suspect with a few surprises, one of which I did not see coming and boy did it intensify when it was all played out. This is the best book in a series that gets better and better each year and I can’t wait to see what adventure awaits Kate and Tomasetti.