FINAL DECISION: An enjoyable suspense/mystery story. The circumstances are really sad but I love Kate and John getting the opportunity to do some work together. The story kept me guessing and I was surprised by the ending. This series is fantastic and always a great summer read.

THE STORY: Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a motel where a young woman has been brutally murdered. She is surprised to realize that she knows the woman who was killed. She was raised Amish and then left the Amish faith and Painters Mill. No one seems to know why she returned and who wanted to kill her. Kate's investigation brings out many secrets and threatens someone who wants those secrets buried.

OPINION: This is a great read to take to the beach. Murder, suspense, and the great character of Kate Burkholder. The story is well-crafted and while not as personal for Kate, I enjoyed watching her do her job. I was surprised by the ending and felt that the story was topical and yet did not feel forced.

The crime here was violent and the story was graphic at times, but I felt that was completely appropriate in this case. The horror of the crimes committed here is important for understanding the gravity of the acts and builds surprise as to the final resolution.

The book made me turn the pages as it started with a shocking crime that drives the story through to the end. As is often these cases, things don't turn out as expected, but everything works with the explanation. Reading these books again often surprises me how things are planted throughout the book which provides clues to the solution.

Another winner in this series although a tiny complaint is that I still prefer the more personal stories to the professional cop ones, but no complaints on the actual story and execution.

WORTH MENTIONING: I love the interaction between Kate and John and this book has some really good moments between them that raised the level of this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: FALLEN is the thirteenth book in the Kate Burkholder series. Each of the books is a self-contained mystery so this book can be read as a standalone. However, there are continuing personal stories that make this series better to read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Love this series and this was a really great book. I always love to back to Painters MIll and catch up with Kate Burkholder and everybody there. This book has great characters and really wonderful fast moving plot. I was drawn in from the first page and was totally surprised by the story line. A most excellent read.

THE FALLEN by Linda Castillo is a great suspense novel that focuses mainly on the Amish community! I LOVED it! Thanks so much to @minotaur for my physical copy to read and review! This one publishes tomorrow- Tuesday July 6!

TW: brutal murder, rape of a young girl, being shunned from your family, police corruption, suicide, gun use/violence

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I loved it all! I used to read a lot of books set in the Amish communities, but they all focused on romance and family. Don’t get me wrong, this one did too, but it wasn’t the main storyline.

This book gets right to the disturbing part-the brutal murder of Rachael. Just as a warning so you are prepared!

I loved how this book focussed on what happens when you have been excommunicated from the Amish Faith, and your family. Then you want to come back, and it’s really hard. Some walks of life are just not for everyone, including the Amish.

This book even has some subtle reverse gender norms in it! Normally it is the young men who “stray from the path” and leave the Amish faith/community. Not women. This book has TWO women who left the faith because they were too “wild and thrill seeking” and knew they would never be happy if they stayed.

And let’s not forget the police world, as that is the main story- trying to figure out who murdered Rachael. By the end of the book, we see just how corrupt a police officer can be in the line of duty. Kate struggles a bit with that knowledge.

There are some surprises near the end that I didn’t see coming, that just added to the overall enjoyment of reading this book for me. I highly recommend picking this one up!

So very sorry, I requested this title by mistake. It was a different book that I was looking for.

Thank you for your consideration

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Goodreads for gifting me an ARC of the latest in the amazing Amish suspense series by Linda Castillo - 5 stars. This series is my favorite and keeps getting better!

In Amish Country, Ohio, Chief Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of a motel where a young woman has been savagely beaten to death. Kate is shocked to see that she knows the woman from her childhood. Kate always felt a draw to the victim, Rachael Schwartz, because Kate too knows the pain of being outcast from the Amish fold. But investigating this murder has a killer on the loose and puts Kate squarely in harm's way.

I love everything about this series - the author continues to keep each book suspenseful and current and I can't put them down until I finish - then I'm anxiously awaiting the next book. Returning to this series is like falling back with old friends - if you started from the beginning, you know all the back stories of the characters and understand them. If you haven't, the author gives plenty enough information to read each one as a stand alone. Castillo is so good and respectful at explaining Amish beliefs and translating language phrases. This one had lots of twists and turns - don't miss this book or series!

Another great addition to the Kate Burkholder mystery series. This shocking murder hits close to home for Kate, when a former Amish woman is murdered. The reveal at the end was very surprising and I did not see it coming.

A brutal killing of a young woman in the local motel leads Katie on a search for a murderer. The woman, fallen from the Amish community, left behind a number of people who may have wanted to see her dead. Compelling strong that leads you on the search for the real killer. A great read that you cannot put down!

While this series has never really disappointed me, I must say that this latest installment was particularly good. The denouement was a complete surprise to me!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

Rachael Schwartz returns to Painters Mill, Ohio after leaving her hometown and her Amish family and way of life behind twelve years ago. Rachael intends to right a wrong, but never gets the chance. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of a brutal murder in a motel room and the victim is identified as Rachael. Kate also used to be Amish and was acquainted with Rachael before she left town. Kate calls for assistance from the bureau of investigation and the agent assigned is Kate’s boyfriend John Tomasetti. Both Kate and John are determined to get justice for the victim whose life has been cut way too short.

Fallen is the thirteenth book in the Kate Burkholder series. It is a gritty, suspenseful crime novel that will keep your interest from start to finish. I’ve read a couple of the prior novels and short stories that are in this series, but this book reads as a standalone. Kate is an excellent investigator and even though she has left the Amish faith, her background helps her to understand those still in that community even if many of them don’t accept her because of the choices she made. All the stories I’ve read in this series are well-written and give what seems to be a true look at what life is like for the Amish. Kate really identifies with Rachael, another young woman like her, who didn’t fit in with the Amish community, and this makes the investigation even more difficult. Although Kate and John are both working on the case, most of their work is done separately with them coming together to share information. This seems realistic, but I would have liked them to work together more.

Rachael enjoyed stirring up trouble, so Kate is able to uncover several viable suspects, some of whom are really despicable characters. I had seen one of the revelations at the end of the book which was supposed to be a bombshell from the first time the character was introduced and it’s hard to believe Kate didn’t, too. However, other twists that occur did take me by surprise. The biggest of all is the identity of the murderer. I appreciate being surprised in a mystery or suspense novel, but in this case I couldn’t reconcile the killer with the murder. Without spoiling anything, I find this part of the story hard to believe and that influenced my opinion of the book overall. It is still a good book and there are some truly terrifying scenes toward the end during which I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough, but it isn’t my favorite by this author. I would rate it 3.5 stars.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Minotaur Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Loved it!!! This is one of my favorite series. With the amount of crime/murders that occurs in Painters Mill and the surrounding area, Kate Burkholder definitely has job security. With 13 books, the series keeps getting better and better. The opening scene was brutal and vicious. What would be the reason behind such a violent attack on Rachael? Rachael was no angel and thrived on causing problems with other people. I thought there could be a little more with Amos Gingerich and the Killbuck Amish. I'm pretty sure there's another story there. Kate must be a cat with nine lives, I hope they don't run out soon with all the crazies she keeps meeting who ultimately want to harm her. I couldn't wait to find out who was behind Rachael's death. When the truth was finally revealed- I was SHOCKED!!! I never expected who was behind it. I'm guessing Kate will have her hands full with Frannie down the line.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I can't wait to find out what's next in store for Kate. I'm hoping a wedding will be soon. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series continues to be so good with this thirteenth tale. It's genuinely impressive how the author has written so many uniquely interesting stories in this series and made the level of crime in this small community seem reasonable. This one let Kate reflect quite a bit on her history with the Amish, as the victim is a fellow former Amish woman who Kate knew in her youth, but took quite a different path. I did not see the ending coming, and I look forward to more in this series.

Fallen is the 13th book of the series featuring Chief Kate Burkholder. This book is easily a stand alone but after reading it I would like to start at the beginning of the series. There is discussions about the past but don't appear to be relevant to this particular story.

The story begins with a brutal attack of a woman found in a motel of lower standards. Chief Burkholder is contacted and arrives only to discover the murder victim is a woman that she used to babysit for when she was younger. Kate, having been raised Amish but left the community herself, will reach out to the families to notify and quietly investigate what brought Rachael (raised Amish but also left) back to town only to be murdered. There are many twists and secrets that are revealed that will take you by surprise. The writing was wonderful and the characters are well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Linda Castillo
Fallen (2)
July 6, 2021

Painter Mill, Ohio was and still is a predominantly Amish community. Rachael Schwartz lived nearbyin the village of Wooster where the religion was strict. She is the child of Rhoda and Dan Schwartz. Her brother is now married and helping out on the dairy farm. Rhoda returned to teaching school at the two room schoolhouse. In her teen years Rachael worked a part time job at the local gas station, earned enough money to buy a cheap car, keep her in cigarettes, and hang out with other teens going through rumspringa. She however, was not allowed the freedom that other teens were given. Her parents felt that she would never return to the church once she was baptised. Rachael decided she would take this time for herself despite her parent’s anger. As she continued to get in more trouble, the church became involved. It was decided that at 18 she would be Shunned. She would be required to leave home and never return to the Amish community. There were times that she called or did a quick visit with her mother and best friend Lorretta in a nearby town’s cafe but this was a rare occasion. She was bound to live life the way she wanted with no rules, uncaring what anyone thought.
Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police in Painters Mill was also ‘fallen’ from the church when she graduated high school but only because she could not agree with the strict religious ways, not because she was Shunned. She knew Rachel Schwartz while in school. She could understand her disobedience of the rules but did not participate in the wild ways and unacceptable traits that Rachael continued to take advantage of. When the early morning phone call from the dispatcher woke her she had no idea the homicide she was about to investigate would reach far into her past. This 13th in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo book, Fallen, will be published by Minotaur Books on July 6, 2021. I appreciate Minotaur allowing me to read the ARC of Fallen via NetGalley. Once again Castillos, overwhelming suspense captivated me. She is such a talented, creative writer. Her works are spellbinding. Her fans have been waiting for the arrival of this latest in the Kate Burkholder series. Do enjoy this one!

Rachel Schwartz comes back to Painters Mill which she left at age 17. She is staying at the Willowdell Motel. She is back to try to rectify a wrong, bad decision. At 2am she hears a knock on the door. However, she was not prepared for the vicious attacker with a baseball bat who finally managed to kill her with great anger. When Kate Burkholder, the Chief of Police, arrives at the Motel the next morning, she is surprised that she recognizes Rachel as the young woman who had been as bad at being Amish as she had, although she was 7 years younger than Kate.

As Kate continues to try to find what happened, many hidden secrets come out. One of them was that back in 2008, Rachel had been stopped by a policeman when she was speeding while driving home one night. He had raped her before finally letting her go. She had told her best friend, Loretta. When Kate learned this, the policeman became the primary suspect for her murder. She had been blackmailing him, and they had met the night Rachel came to town. When Kate went to talk with him, he told her he had raped several women, and had met with her that night, but he hadn't killed Rachel. She had told him that she had gotten pregnant and had a baby. Then he shot himself in the mouth.

As Kate keeps digging, even after the suicide, she gets herself into a very dangerous situation. During the last few chapters, you can't put the book down!

This is the 13th book in the Kate Burkholder series. I thoroughly enjoyed it even though I haven't read any of the other books in the series. This is a fast paced thriller, with well developed characters, and surprising twists. Strongly recommended

One of my favorites of the series. Kudos to Castillo for bringing it hard 13 books in. More Kate and crew, please! Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Up front- I look forward to installments in this series and I'm never disappointed. Know, though, that each one is perfectly and completely enjoyable as a standalone. Painters Mill Police Chief Kate Burkholder opted out of being Amish and so did Rachel Schwarz, who has just been brutally murdered in a motel room in town. Who did it and why? Kate works her way through Rachel's family and friends to find her killer and along the way learns things about several people that she never would have expected. No spoilers from me. I thought I knew the answer to this but there's a twist along the way that made me say huh. It's a well done and twisty mystery with interesting characters and a terrific setting. Castillo has mad storytelling skills. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.

This is another wonderful installment in the Kate Burkholder series. As usual, Kate finds herself deep in muddy waters surrounding a death. This time, a formerly Amish woman, is found beaten to death in a local hotel. As Kate untangles the woman's turbulent past, she also tries to understand who this woman had become.

A couple of things I didn't care for; Castillo comments again and again how peaceful and good the Amish are, while at the same time showing how they are not in many ways. Her comments, via Kate's thoughts, sound like the typical sterotype painted of Amish people and they seem forced, as if Castillo is trying to cover all her bases so she's not accused of making the Amish look bad.

The other thing was the twist at the end and the ultimate killer. The twist came too late and felt like it had just been stuck in there. The reveal of the killer also felt rushed and was not believable. So, I read through the bulk of the mostly good book and felt let down by the end.

One positive, is that I like how Kate's relationship with John is growing. It is realistic and enjoyable to watch them navigate putting together their lives. We see Kate's reluctance to take the next step starting to waiver, and as a fan of the series, I am looking forward to that next step.

This story reminds me why this series is on my must read list! Kate faces her most gruesome murder yet and it leaves her reeling. Together with Tomeseti, they must discover the killer and how much the past has to do with now. The author seamlessly blends then and now chapters to create a gripping mystery you can't put down. There are several shocks and I completely guessed wrong on the who and why. Fans will also love the further development of the relationships of the characters. I can't wait to see what happens next. This series is always fresh.

There is always a twist. When you think you have it all figured out, and you may have early on, Linda Castillo will hit you with one final part that knocks the breath out of you. This book branches off when the author talks of inherited psychological traits, which I don’t know are real or just a plotline, but used in a fascinating way to bring cohesion to the story.

Fallen has just enough rabbit holes and side stories to keep the reader engaged, and while the same cast of Painters Mill Police Department makes their appearance, there is a new depth when it comes to how they look out for each other.

Be warned, there are a few triggers in this book, and those who are sensitive to storylines involving assault or gory beatings should be aware.