There is fear in the historic city of Chester. Teenage drug dealers are turning up dead, their bodies twisted and mangled by a ruthless killer who then puts them on display. Detective Inspector Emma Christie is put in charge of the investigation, and the Powers That Be want a result, and they want it Now.
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Since I am a long-time fan of M.J. Lee's Jayne Sinclair genealogical mysteries, I thought I'd give this new series a try. After all, I don't remember reading a mystery set in Chester, England before. I'm glad I picked up The Coffin in the Wall. It's a promising start to a new series that I will be keeping an eye on.
The City of Chester could be considered a character in the book, but the focus is on DI Emma Christie, the daughter of a legendary police officer who had a 100% success rate. Unfortunately, her father now has dementia and doesn't want to go into a nursing home. As a result, Emma has to deal with an elaborate caregiving schedule that leaves her precious little sleep at the best of times-- and this isn't one of those times.
Emma doesn't feel like she measures up to her father, and her boss's behavior doesn't help. (I wish there would be a few more caring superior officers in police procedurals. It would make a nice change.) She goes everywhere with a ledger in which she writes detailed notes of everything she sees and hears. Emma likes "bureaucratic work... It also meant she was across every inch of the investigation in case anyone asked." This detailed as-you-go narrative aids in her investigation several times, and it also saves her from some of the shark bites from the Powers That Be.
There are flashes of much-needed humor throughout The Coffin in the Wall, and I liked the characters surrounding Emma: John Simpson the civilian researcher, DC Harry Fairweather, and the pesky journalist who always seems to be underfoot. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, and here's hoping Emma will be able to get a bit more sleep.
The Coffin in the Wall by M.J. Lee
ASIN: B0CVFKXSP8
Durrow Publishing © 2024
eBook, 379 pages
Police Procedural, #1 Emma Christie
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Amazon.
The setup for this one is really interesting, Cathy, and I do like the setting. Unfortunately, it's all too realistic, too, that a lot of adults are caring for parents or other relatives who have dementia. I don't like the serial killer trop - it's much overdone, in my opinion - but the book does sound interesting and I'm glad you found things to like about it.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, the serial killer was the least interesting part of the book.
DeleteSounds like a good one. I love when there are such fun side characters. And what a great cover and title! :D
ReplyDeleteSide characters can really make a book.
DeleteCoffin in the Wall sounded interesting to me. I looked it up on Amazon and it said I already purchased it. I found it on my Kindle and moved it up so it would be more visible to me. Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Lynn!
DeleteYou know I love procedurals, so if you thought this was already on my radar, you were right. ;) So I'm glad to see a good review for it, and am off to see if my library is getting it.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is. :-)
DeleteUh,oh, that photo reminds me of the Telltale Heart pounding iin the wall at the local YMCA at Halloween. And you could see a big heart moving and thumping. I am still afraid of anything bumping out of walls like that.
ReplyDeleteWow! You got a lot more out of that cover than I did!
DeleteInteresting side characters add depth to a story
ReplyDeleteYes, they do.
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