Linda Castillo proves once again that the calmest places can hide the darkest crimes.
I just finished Fallen by Linda Castillo, and this one reminded me exactly why I keep coming back to the Kate Burkholder series.
The book wastes no time: It opens with murder, and from that first page, you’re pulled straight in. What makes it especially compelling is the setting. Castillo has a real gift for contrast, and here she uses it beautifully: the quiet, orderly Amish world set against sudden violence and chaos. The peace of the surroundings doesn’t soften the crime. It makes it more disturbing.
There’s something deeply unsettling about murder intruding into a community built on simplicity, faith, and nonviolence. Every act of mayhem feels amplified because it doesn’t belong there. The barns, fields, and close-knit families create a calm backdrop that only sharpens the brutality of what’s happening.
Kate Burkholder, as always, is the perfect guide through that tension. Her understanding of both Amish and “English” worlds adds depth to the investigation and keeps the story grounded. The crimes feel personal, not just to Kate, but to the entire community they disrupt.
Books like Fallen are why the Kate Burkholder series never gets old for me. The blend of community, culture, and crime keeps the stakes high and the stories memorable, proof that peace and violence make a chilling combination.
