Fallen by Linda Castillo

 Fallen

Book Summary

In New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo’s new thriller Fallen, a rebellious Amish woman leaves the Plain life, but the secrets she takes with her will lead Chief of Police Kate Burkholder down a dark path to danger and death.

When a young woman is found murdered in a Painters Mill motel, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is shocked to discover she once knew the victim. Rachael Schwartz was a charming but troubled Amish girl who left the fold years ago and fled Painters Mill. Why was she back in town? And who would kill her so brutally?

Kate remembers Rachael as the only girl who was as bad at being Amish as Kate was—and those parallels dog her. But the more Kate learns about Rachael's life, the more she's convinced that her dubious reputation was deserved. As a child, Rachael was a rowdy rulebreaker whose decision to leave devastated her parents and best friend. As an adult, she was charismatic and beautiful, a rabble-rouser with a keen eye for opportunity no matter who got in her way. Her no-holds-barred lifestyle earned her a lot of love and enemies aplenty—both English and Amish.

As the case heats to a fever pitch and long-buried secrets resurface, a killer haunts Painters Mill. Someone doesn’t want Rachael’s past—or the mysteries she took with her to the grave—coming to light. As Kate digs deeper, violence strikes again, this time hitting close to home. Will Kate uncover the truth and bring a murderer to justice? Or will a killer bent on protecting a terrible past stop her once and for all—and let the fallen be forgotten?

My Thoughts

Fallen by Linda Castillo starts off with a bang courtesy of a horrific, bloody murder.  Even seasoned Police Chief Kate Burkholder has a hard time with the crime scene at the local motel.  The victim turns out to be Rachael Schwartz whom Kate babysat as a child.  Rachael left the community and became Englisch when she was seventeen.   Rachael is the type of person who did not pull any punches.  She pulled pranks, got into mischief, and managed to annoy most of the people she encountered.  Rachael still did not deserve to die in that manner.  Kate with help from John Tomasetti sets out to find Rachael’s killer.  The characters in this series are complex, developed, and realistic.  I especially enjoy Kate and John’s relationship.  They are cute together and John understands Kate.  I like the mix of Englisch and Amish.  The mystery was well-done.  It was well-plotted and a delight to solve.  I enjoyed following Kate as she followed the clues, questioned suspects, and consulted with Tomasetti.  There are subtle clues that can aid readers in identifying the guilty party.   I did find the amount of violence (this one was a little extreme) and foul language to be a turn off (not enough to stop reading though).  Fallen is the thirteenth A Kate Burkholder Novel.  For those who are new to this series, Fallen can be read as a standalone.  Personally, I have found it beneficial to read the series in order.  Fallen is a complex whodunit with a motel murder, a rowdy rulebreaker, disappointed parents, severe violence, a cruel killer, and a committed chief of police.  

Fallen publishes Tuesday, July 6 and can be obtained from Amazon*.  The other A Kate Burkholder Novels can be found here.  Follow Linda Castillo on Amazon to get updates on her latest releases.  Thank you for stopping by today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I am featuring Danielle Steel's latest release Nine Lives.  I hope that all of you have a carefree day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.