Book Review: A Grave Coffin

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

A Grave Coffin     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gwendoline Butler
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: John Coffin
Dunne, Aug 2000, $22.95, 256 pp.

The mutilated corpse of a peer shakes up the entire London’s Second City police force. Detective Harry Seton was allegedly working on the illegal manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, but apparently was actually investigating police corruption. His superiors order Chief Commander John Coffin to serendipitously continue Seton’s inquiries into law enforcement official’s dishonesty.

While struggling with that distasteful inquest, John works an even more repugnant case. Someone is viciously murdering schoolboys whose link is each one has a parent connected to the police. Unlike the former case that requires him to go at it alone, John uses his full staff of experts as well as his actress-wife to search for a deadly killer.

The twentieth John Coffin tale retains all the freshness of one of the best English police procedural series on the market today. The story line contains two sub-plots that stretch the hero beyond his personal endurance limit. Long time fans will relish John’s inquiries into corruption as well as welcome old friends working to stop a brutal killing machine. New readers will gain insight into the series not only from this well written tale, but also from Gwendolyn Butler’s insightful brief notes that provide background material.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner