By Ande Jacobson

The seventeenth (and final to date) Kate Burkholder mystery by Linda Castillo is Rage. Castillo takes readers on a very dark journey this time showing them just how dangerous falling in with the wrong crowd can be. Throughout the series, she’s given readers some insight into the Amish way of life including some of the things that young people get into during their rumspringa (or “running around” period). That’s the time when teens are allowed to disregard the strict rules governing the Amish way of life and experience the outside world for a time before they choose whether to commit the rest of the lives to the plain life or leave the community for the outside world. It happens before they are baptized, and it can last for a few years in their mid-to-late teens. The normal extravagances are things like shedding the traditional clothing, partaking of drink and perhaps tobacco, and using language that is frowned upon in Amish culture. Some of the more rambunctious kids take even greater liberties not only ignoring the Amish rules, but also skirting some of the laws governing the outside (or English) world. When things go even further afield, some of these kids can fall in with dangerous crowds or more sophisticated criminals looking to take advantage of their naiveté. When this happens, the results can be life threatening. This is one such story involving multiple innocents who stray way too far from the lives they knew with tragic consequences. Continue reading →