Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti have become like old friends that I enjoy visiting with every year. That being said, I don't think my expectations for these books are ever real high. Some of the books in the series have been better than others. There have definitely been times I wanted to give up on this series, but at this point I've made peace with it, and I feel like the characters have grown and I like them.

This time around I thought the story was compelling but there were some implausibilities that were hard for me to ignore, thus the 3 star rating. The implausibilities were mainly surrounding the murder. It was a vicious murder that was very personal and full of rage, and after reading about these characters and their backgrounds and motives, I just felt like it wasn't likely this person would have killed the way they did. There was a good enough reason for wanting to kill someone, I guess, but it didn't feel believable for this person or for the amount of rage that was involved.

Despite the implausibilities, I still enjoyed reading this book and look forward to visiting Painter's Mill again next year. I think the thing I like best about these books is the way the author paints the Amish people in the stories, and how Kate can relate to them still, even though she is no longer Amish. I also like that we get to go down memory lane with Kate in most of the books as she relates something to her past.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This is the thirteenth in the Kate Burkholder series: it is the first I have read. Despite her being a prolific writer, this is my first Castillo novel. How have I missed her? I had no difficulty with this as a standalone, however, there were some events alluded to in Kate’s background about which I wish I knew more.

With an engrossing storyline and well drawn characters, this was a fast read. I had a little difficulty with the “who done it” and it was a bit predictable, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Kate is a strong, well adjusted female protagonist who does seem to get herself into dangerous predicaments. Good thing she has a strong support system behind her. If you are new to this series and expect a light mystery, be forewarned that there are a few brutal scenes in it.

Having grown up near Pennsylvania Dutch country (the book takes place in Ohio), I enjoyed Castillo’s take on the Amish and English cultures as well as the translated Deitsch phrases.

I really enjoyed this book! It was great to be back in Painters Mill with Kate, John, and all the fellow cops. This entry in the series involved another formerly Amish woman who was killed in a motel in PM. It was a very bloody scene, so if you're gore sensitive, be warned because there is some. Normally in a mystery what you see is what you get, and the cops follow Occams Razor...not the case in this book. I was satisfied with the mystery but was sad that the other cops on Kate's team didn't get much screen time. 4 stars.

I look forward to the new Kate Burkholder mystery each year. Kate is Chief of Police in the rural, largely Amish town of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. It’s easy to think of the Painter’s Mill police force as family: Mona, formerly the dispatcher, is now the rookie cop; and Pickles, the octogenarian, is still on the team. And of course, watching Kate’s relationship with Detective Tomasetti develop over the series provides additional interest.

This time, an excommunicated young woman, Rachael Schwartz, is found murdered in a Painter’s Mill low budget motel. There are a number of people both within and without the Amish community who would want to silence the “fallen” woman. She wrote a tell-all book about her experience growing up Amish. She had questionable friends and a lot of debt. Kate had babysat Rachael as a teen and admired the free-spirited, rebellious girl. Now she must discover who killed her and why.

I especially appreciate Castillo’s treatment of Amish society: she neither idolizes, nor demonizes it. The author portrays the close family ties and strong work ethic of this tight knit group, while also exploring the downside of intolerance and strictly defined gender roles. “Fallen” is no exception.

3.5/rounded up to 4

Solid writing and story line in this #13 of the Kate Burkholder series. But, if you haven’t read any previous books, these can easily be read as stand-alone.

This book was a little more graphic than previous books, but seemed to follow thru with the complete storyline. Kate is investigating the brutal murder of an ex-Amish girl she knew years ago. As she digs deeper, Rachel’s true self comes into light..leading you to believe there is a line of suspects. Just when you think you know the whole story, more comes into play. I can’t say this was a total surprise, but with the graphic nature it did make me wonder!

Thanks to Ms. Castillo, St.Martin’s Press/Montour Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Fallen is the thirteenth entry in Ms. Castillo’s long running series of mysteries that take place among the Amish in Painters Mill, Ohio. This case feels personal to Inspector Kate Burkholder as she once babysat for the victim. As is true for Kate, Rachel left the Amish community to live her life differently. What brought her back to her childhood community? Who murdered her? Why? Was it because of some of her unsavory activities or something else? Readers will eagerly turn the page to find out.

Those who already know this series will excitedly fall on this latest entry in which the detective straddles two worlds. New readers may also read this one as their first novel by this author. They may then want to work their ways through the other twelve entries!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Kate Burkholder has an awful case to deal with this time. She is brought to a motel and finds a woman beaten to death and the worse part is she recognizes her as someone she knew when they were both young. Who has done this terrible murder and why. Linda Castillo has put her main character into an awful case that will bring up old feelings of leaving the Amish community once again and how she was shunned for being a free thinking woman. I really like her stories and this one was a good one. The Amish culture of Painters Mill once again show how they will shun those who do not follow the ways of the church but also will care for those that will accept the help when given. Those that refuse become the fallen.

I listened to Fallen as an audiobook and read along with it. I couldn’t keep this book out of my hands. Linda Castillo’s has done it again. The latest and hopefully not final book of the series, Painter’s Mill, Ohio police chief Katie Burkholder,
This is one of my favorite series so I jumped at the chance to red/listen to Fallen for an honest review and all I can say is Linda has done it again. Katie Burkholder formally Amish is now the Police chief of the same community and grew up in until she left the fold. Knowing Amish language and the community helps her be the best police chief on a daily basis but the murder of a woman hits way to close to home. Follow Katie and her crew at the Police station as they figure out how and why this brutal murder occurred. 5 stars.

Another fabulous Kate Burkholder book by Linda Castillo. I thoroughly enjoy reading the Kate Burkholder series. Anyone who enjoys reading Castillo's books will not be disappointed. I love how Castillo intertwines the Amish and Englishler stories. I always learn interesting facts about the Amish ways of life. I can't wait for the next Kate Burkholder to come out!!!

I am a big fan of this series, featuring a lapsed Amish policewoman who is caught in between her "English" world and the mostly-Amish community that she serves. This book is another challenge and as the bodies pile up the clues are hard to find, and we learn more about the practice and limitations of the community and how it tries to mold the modern world into its own. This time around we are introduced to another "fallen" former Amish resident (who turns out to the murder victim that we see early on, so I am not giving away any plot points) and how they grew up together as teens. Meanwhile, the cast of characters is equally entertaining -- even if this is your first time with Castillo, you will be motivated to go back and read the earlier works. Highly recommended.

When Rachel Schwartz, a formerly Amish woman who wrote a sensational tell-all book about them is found murdered in a Painters Mill motel room, Kate Burkholder investigates, recalling Rachel’s rebellious childhood ways so similar to her own.

Another strong entry in the series.

I requested to read and review St. Martin Publishing Company. Linda Castillo did an amazing job writing this book. This book has drama, romance, thrill, mystery and humor. Kate and Tomasetti each have major moments in their lives that brought them where they are today. And the rest of the gang from Painters Mill P.D is very much present for what needs to be done. Who can you really trust? Is true forgiveness possible. Can a mistake from the past be fixed? Does love keep you sane or insane. Does one bad person in a community taint the whole community? This book can be read anywhere. I would recommend a mature reader.

A great addition to this series! Kate is investigating the brutal beating death of someone she knew from her childhood. Rachael had many secrets and did not make the best choices. Following the trail to her killer, along with her boyfriend Tomasetti, takes her down many paths and some with stunning reveals.

I love this series and these novels are so well written with a peek into the Amish language and culture. A couple of thoughts about this book though - some parts of the story reminded me a lot of the first book in the series. The ending is pretty graphic and frankly after 13 books, I can’t figure out how Kate survives some of the stuff she does, but hey this is fiction and I’m happy she does!

I received a copy of this book to voluntarily read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
I love this series and this book did not disappoint. A brutal murder and who done it mystery. Great story.

This is another great novel by Castillo, with a grizzly murder for the Sheriff to solve. Past choices come back to haunt Rachael Schwartz, but trying to right a wrong brings about her murder. What, or who, was she involved with? And who held such hatred for her ?

Another great book in the Kate Burkholder series! Kate, the formerly Amish chief of police in her hometown, investigates the murder of a former Amish girl a few years younger than her.

I love this series. Seeing into the Amish community, their language, habits, makes the book that much more interesting. Kate has to balance being non-Amish, while investigating crimes that usually involve the Amish community. The best part of this book for me is when I thought the case was solved but realized there was 25% left in the book. I have read every book in this series and already can’t wait for the next one.

Every time I pick up a Katie Burkholder book I am sucked in immediately. This book was no different! Lucky for me I had Jury Duty and was able to sit and read the whole thing while waiting. Fallen, which is the absolute perfect title for this book, grabbed my attention from the first sentence. Katie is called to the scene of a brutal murder in a hotel room in her sweet little town. The victim is found to be Rachel Schwartz, another former Amish, that Katie knew as a girl. It quickly becomes apparent that there are no short of people that could have wanted Rachel dead and Katie and the rest of her team are reaching dead ends everywhere. Until another Amish woman is assaulted... and things begin to fall into place. As usual, Katie Burkholder won’t stop until she’s sure justice has been served. And this time things aren’t always what they seem. The Katie Burkholder series is one of my favorite book series out there. I just hate that the books always come to an end.

These Amish mysteries are fresh and interesting even though this is the 13th installment for Kate Burkholder. I love the mix of Amish culture, Pennsylvania Dutch, and police procedural in every book. At first, I thought I knew who the killer was, but it was a brilliant misdirect/red herring, and with how many mysteries I read, this is not often the case. The fact that this author can still keep me guessing and enjoying these books is a testament to how important to the genre they are.

The Kate Burkholder series is one I recommend to my friends who enjoy mysteries, so of course I was so excited to get to read the latest installment a couple of weeks early - thanks netgalley!

In this story, a woman is brutally murdered in a Painter's Mill motel, and Kate realizes she was acquainted with the victim, who also used to be Amish. There are lots of plausible suspects, since the victim was not the nicest person. I enjoyed the glimpses of Amish life, not only in the present, but also the flashbacks telling the story of a couple of the characters.

This book could be read as a standalone, but I'd certainly recommend reading the entire series, including this one :)

I have read the Kate Burkholder series from the beginning and enjoyed all of them. I love learning about the Amish and their ways. Fallen started off with a bang with the death of Rachael Schwartz within the first few pages. All the characters were perfect for this story. Kate and her deputies seemed closer in their relationship more like a family. The buildup of the story kept the reader not able to put the book down. with all the suspense to the end. The relationship between Kate and Tomasetti seemed more in the open. I was hoping that with all that Kate went through in this story that she would accept his many proposals of marriage. Maybe in the next of the series. Linda Castillo is one of my favorite authors and I always look forward to her next book with great anticipation.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur books and St. Martin's Publishing Group for this ARC.