A review by cjeanne99
The Fallen by David Baldacci

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Decker and Jamison travel to Baronville, PA for vacation. Their intention is to have a quiet visit with Jamison’s sister and family, celebrate her niece’s sixth birthday and relax. The first day they are there - Amos discovers two dead men in what appears to be an abandoned house. The police are called, and, Decker of course can not help but get involved - especially after the local ME misses some clues that Decker claims were very obvious about the death of the two men - who turn out to be undercover DEA agents. Now the DEA, local police and Decker/Jamison are cooperating - and when Jamison’s brother-in-law is found dead at the local “distribution center” (for an unnamed organization) - Decker kicks his investigation into high gear.  Four people have been found dead - all with ties to the grandson of the town’s founder - John Baron - and drugs. The story moves along - with all clues leading towards Baron as being a murderer - except Decker just doesn’t believe it. Baron has no need to deal with people selling fentanyl - the connection seems too circumstantial. Decker discovers a hidden room at the distribution center, implicating manager Ted Ross in the fentanyl trafficking.
In the end - the DEA and FBI find the bad guys, justice wins, and John Baron goes from being an eccentric recluse living on the family manor to being the town’s benefactor.
One of the side plots, Amos develops a rapport with Zoe - so well described in this review by Heather Fink https://jathanandheather.com/2020/06/10/the-fallen/

Regardless of what any of us have lost, I think all of us desire to be understood and comforted when we’re grieving, and this is just the sort of tenderness Amos offers.