Reviews

Fallen by Linda Castillo

suehc's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

4.0

j_h_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Another Linda Castillo book set in the Amish community of Painter's Mill. Very enjoyable 

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

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4.0

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.

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

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4.0

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.

readwkatie's review against another edition

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4.0

Kate Burkholder used to be a member of the local Amish community but left and became Chief of Police in a nearby town. When a woman turns up murdered, Kate recognizes her as Rachel, a little girl she used to babysit way back when. As Kate tries to uncover who could have done this and why, it becomes clear that Rachel had a major secret that someone is willing to kill for.

I really loved this read - especially the Amish aspects of it. I loved that we got to hear the traditional Amish vs. regular English language and the ways the society differs. To me, that was one of the most interesting parts about this read. I was pretty invested in the story line, but towards the end it felt a little bit dragged out for me. There was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming, which was a nice way to tie up the story. Overall, this was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

anovelobsession's review against another edition

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3.0

Another Kate Burkholder Amish mystery. I’ve read the whole series so far and I am invested in the main character - Police Chief of Painters Mill, Ohio, Kate Burkholder. Kate grew up Amish but left the fold when she was eighteen but her past helps her relate to the community which is predominately Amish. I have read so many of these that I literally knew why the victim was killed while I read the prologue

dixie1090's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

ehamlett's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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jacobra5's review against another edition

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3.0

I appreciate that this book can be read as a standalone, despite being so far into a series. The minimization of explicit romance was refreshing, while showing more of the emotional connection between Kate (main character) and her SO.

The plot itself was perhaps not as believable as I would have expected. There are a few unanswered questions for me.

stephshoff88's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25