The Reluctant Coroner, Paul Austin Ardoin
The Reluctant Coroner, Paul Austin Ardoin
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The Reluctant Coroner
A Hardboiled Mystery of Family, Power, and Murder

Author: Paul Austin Ardoin

Narrator: Alexis Pinkney

Unabridged: 9 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Pax Ardsen

Published: 08/18/2021


Synopsis

Blood is thicker than oil—until murder threatens everything.Fenway Stevenson swore she'd never go back to Estancia.But after losing her mother and her job in one devastating week, she's left with no options and forced to ask her estranged father for help. That means returning to the coastal California town where he wields near-absolute power as the head of the region's largest oil company—and where Fenway is viewed as an outsider at best, and a political pawn at worst.Then the county coroner is murdered.Suddenly, Fenway is thrust into a spotlight she never wanted. Appointed as interim coroner—a move that reeks of backroom deals and her father's influence—she's immediately faced with a murder case that hits far too close to home. The evidence points in one direction: her father's oil company. And in Estancia, money has always had a way of silencing the truth.As she follows a trail of secrets, sabotage, and cover-ups, Fenway must untangle a decades-old web of power and corruption, all while balancing her own fragile loyalties. If she can't find the killer before they strike again, her first case might be her last.Smart, layered, and full of sharp twists, The Reluctant Coroner is the explosive first entry in the Fenway Stevenson Mysteries. For readers who love hardboiled crime fiction with a modern edge, this series delivers high-stakes investigations, rich character drama, and a protagonist who refuses to back down--even when the town wants her gone.-----------"Think Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich, but with darker twists and more biting social commentary. A five-star thriller!"—John Ling, USA Today Bestselling Author

Reviews

Goodreads review by Patrick on July 24, 2020

Another beautiful genius. An unemployed nurse practitioner becomes a coroner and solves complex crimes while making the inept sheriff fall in lust of her and winning over the crusty police officer assigned to work with her and her staff. The plot takes in a women on her staff whose cheating husband......more

Goodreads review by Debbie on April 26, 2018

I really enjoyed “The Reluctant Coroner.” I must admit it took me 20-30 pages to warm up to the characters, but once I did I found myself up way past my bedtime to keep reading. Highlights: - The storyline was complicated just enough to keep me focused on the mystery. - Interesting details helped......more

Goodreads review by Jess on December 11, 2018

THE RELUCTANT CORONER is a book I liked enough to make a long twitter thread about, which is frankly high praise coming from me. Here’s an edited version of that thread: I don’t read mysteries much, so I was surprised by how much I liked THE RELUCTANT CORONER. In a lot of ways, it fits the standard m......more

Goodreads review by Dj on May 29, 2022

An interesting take on the Murder Mystery genre. Not always really deep or difficult but an enjoyable and quick romp. Certainly a nice break from the groups of books I normally read.......more

Goodreads review by Janice on August 08, 2020

This was one of the best books I've read this year. Normally I waddle through a read, sometimes taking weeks to finish a book. But this one was different. It was hard to put down. The protagonist is one of the reasons, she is feisty, vulnerable and endearing. The mystery wasn't simple, it grew with......more