Fallen (signed & dated)

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 13th 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.