'A Dark Path' is new short story in Linda Castillo collection

While waiting for the next book in Linda Castillo's exciting series about a police chief in a small Holmes County town ( "Rage," 17th in the series, was released in July 2025) fans can enjoy "A Dark Path: and Other Kate Burkholder Short Stories," which includes five stories previously available only as e-books.

The new story is "A Dark Path," which begins on a lonely road during a nasty thunderstorm. An Amish farmer, his wife and their granddaughter are heading home from a family visit when they see a vehicle heading right toward them. The road is dangerous even in the best of conditions, with steep shoulders and flimsy guardrails.

The couple's worried daughter and son-in-law come to the police station and Kate offers to go to the farm, but she swerves to avoid an animal and ends up in a ditch. She finds the horse but no buggy and no people. With the aid of her husband, who is an Ohio Bureau of Investigation agent, and another unlikely helper, Kate looks for the missing family.

Though the short stories are satisfying, they don't give Castillo the opportunity to develop her regular supporting characters, but she's able to exercise her aptitude for portraying the unpredictable and sometimes violent nature of Ohio weather. Several books and stories take place during blizzards; there's a crushing heat wave and fog blankets the county. In 2015's "After the Storm" a tornado has swept through Painters Mill. Rain washes away clues.

In 2024, "Hallowed Ground" won an Edgar Award for Best Short Story and "An Evil Heart" for the G.P. Putnam's Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award, both from the Mystery Writers of America.

"A Dark Path" (336 pages, softcover) costs $19 from Minotaur. Linda Castillo grew up in Ithaca, Ohio, a village in Darke County. The next book in the series, "The Betrayed," will be released in 2027.

Linda Castillo will talk about "A Dark Path" at 6 p.m. July 17 at Dover Public Library, 525 N. Walnut St.; register at doverlibrary.org . She also will appear from 2 to 3 p.m. July 18 at the Middleburg Heights branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, 16699 Bagley Road; register at cuyahogalibrary.org ; and at 2 p.m. July 19 at Barnes & Noble, 4015 Medina Road.

'A Place Where Things Collect' by Marvin Brown

"A Place Where Things Collect" is a collection of masterful horror stories by Akron author Marvin Brown.

Seven of the stories previously appeared in anthologies. One of the three new ones, "One Less Thing to Cry About," is a weird, short tale of a woman alone in a house she doesn't recognize. "Ascension" is a dreamy, sorrowful story of a man who only wants to convince his wife that she is loved. "Night Tongue" tells of a teacher whose extracurricular activities lead to terror. Some stories are sexually explicit; some unspeakably violent. Some are both.

"A Place Where Things Collect" (156 pages, softcover) costs $18.99 from online retailers. Brown also is the author of the impressive 2002 debut novella "Covet" and the 2012 suspense novel "Jigsaw Man."

Events

Sage & Honey Book Café(10 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls): Austintown author Nancy Christie signs "Transforming Tessa" and other books in her Midlife Moxie series, 12 to 2 p.m. July 12.

Learned Owl Book Shop(204 N. Main St., Hudson): Raj Javalgi signs "Overcoming Life's Battles," 1 to 3 p.m. July 12. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 18, Jack Ricchiuto signs "The Hidden Life of Words: The Surprising Power of Language in Everyday Life."

Medina Public Square:The second annual Folk & Flora Fest from noon to 5 p.m. July 12 features vendors, food trucks and author Brad Ryan and his 96-year-old grandmother, subject of "Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing One National Park at a Time," featured in June 14's Book Talk.

Fireside Book Shop(29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Zach Florio signs his historical fantasy "Empires End," 1 to 3 p.m. July 12.

Lakewood Public Library(15425 Detroit Ave.): Shrabani Basu visits virtually from London to talk about "Victoria & Abdul: The Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant," 2 p.m. July 12. At 7 p.m. July 15, Alexi Panehal appears in person to discuss "The Island in Winter: Living Year Round on Kelleys Island." Register at lakewoodpubliclibrary.org .

Cuyahoga County Public Library(Berea branch, 7 Berea Commons): Annie Zaleski talks about "Stevie Nicks in 50 Songs," 7 to 8 p.m. July 13. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org .

Cuyahoga County Public Library(Brooklyn branch, 7619 Memphis Ave.): Jo Piazza talks about "The Parisian Heist," 7 to 8 p.m. July 13. Free, but $30 tickets include signing line priority and a copy of the book. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org .

Cuyahoga County Public Library(Brecksville branch, 9089 Brecksville Road): Mazey Eddings talks about her romance "You Won't Forget Me," 7 to 8 p.m. July 13. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org .

Marvin Memorial Library(29 W. Whitney Ave., Shelby): David Meyers talks about his Ohio true crime books, including "A Murder in Amish Ohio: The Martyrdom of Paul Coblentz," 3 to 4 p.m. July 14.

Wadsworth Public Library(132 Broad St.): Mark Dawidziak, author of "The Columbo Phile: A Casebook," talks about the 1970s detective show and signs the updated 30th anniversary of his book, as well as "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in The Twilight Zone," "The Shawshank Redemption Revealed" and the Edgar-nominated "A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe." 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 14. Register at wadsworthlibrary.com .

Cuyahoga Falls Public Library: Crime novelist Karin Slaughter, author of the Will Trent books and "The Secrets We Hide," second in the North Falls thriller series, joins the Virtual Author Chat series with "Small Towns and Big Secrets," 7 to 8 p.m. July 14. From 2 to 3 p.m. July 16, Reyna Grande talks about her memoir "Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can't Forget." Register at fallslibrary.org .

Tuscarawas County Public Library(121 Fair Ave. NW, New Philadelphia): Carrie Ruegsegger talks about "Chin Up, Beautiful: I've Got You," about her experiences as an adoptee, 6 to 7 p.m. July 15. Register at tusclibrary.org .

Cuyahoga County Public Library(Parma-Snow branch, 2121 Snow Road): Daniel Silva talks to news correspondent Jamie Gangel about Silva's "Ransom," 26th book in the Gabriel Allon mystery series about an art restorer and retired spy, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 15. The $30 admission includes a copy of the book. This event has been rescheduled. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org .

Books a Go Go(220 W. Main St., Ravenna): Andrea Metzler signs her debut picture book "Sebastian's Big Brave Ride," 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 18.

Wayne County Public Library(Dalton branch, 127 S. Church St.): Shelley Shepard Gray ("D is for Daisy") and Mindy Steele ("A Heart on Consignment") talk about their Amish fiction, 5 to 6 p.m. July 17. Register at wcpl.info .

Wandering Lantern(15729 Madison Ave., Lakewood): Katrina Brown reads from her children's book "Dancing with Kayden," 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 18.

Mac's Backs(1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights): Jean Burgess reads from "Navigating Her Next Chapter: A Retro Novel," 5 p.m. July 18.

Email information about books of local interest and event notices at least two weeks in advance to beaconbooktalk@gmail.com. I tweet at @BarbaraMcI.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'A Dark Path' is new short story in Linda Castillo collection