I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Fallen (Kate Burkholder, #13) by Linda Castillo Series: Kate Burkholder #13
Published by Minotaur Books on July 6, 2021
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 320
Goodreads
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.