This past week I read The Coroner by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush and I’m here to tell you, it’s a great book. Jennifer is the daughter of a medical examiner whose office was in their home. She investigated her first death, an airplane crash when she was eight.
Here’s the back cover copy of The Coroner. My thoughts afterward:
Summoned from her promising surgical career first to her estranged father’s bedside, and then his post as medical examiner when his small town needs urgent help with a suspicious death, Emily Hartford discovers home is where the bodies are in this pitch perfect mystery debut.
Recently engaged and deeply ensconced in her third year of surgical residency in Chicago, Emily Hartford gets a shock when she’s called home to Freeport, MI, the small town she fled a decade ago after the death of her mother. Her estranged father, the local medical examiner, has had a massive heart attack and Emily is needed urgently to help with his recovery.
Not sure what to expect, Emily races home, blowing the only stoplight at the center of town and getting pulled over by her former high school love, now Sheriff, Nick Larson. At the hospital, she finds her father in near total denial of the seriousness of his condition. He insists that the best thing Emily can do to help him is to take on the autopsy of a Senator’s teen daughter whose sudden, unexplained death has just rocked the sleepy town.
Reluctantly agreeing to help her father and Nick, Emily gets down to work, only to discover that the girl was murdered. The autopsy reminds her of her many hours in the morgue with her father when she was a young teen—a time which inspired her love of medicine. Before she knows it, she’s pulled deeper into the case and closer to her father and to Nick—much to the dismay of her big city fiancé. When a threat is made to Emily herself, she must race to catch the killer before he strikes again in The Coroner, expertly written and sharply plotted, perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell and Julia Spencer Fleming.
My take:
I want to warn you. Once you start reading The Coroner you will not want to put it down! I even let my writing slide as well as my housework to see how it ended. Dornbush’s characters from Nick and Emily to her father and his new wife are well-drawn. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. Dornbush is so knowledgeable when it comes to investigations and she writes with authority. Besides the mystery, there are relationships that have to be sorted out, and not just the love interest. If you enjoy a good mystery and suspense along with romance thrown in, you’ll enjoy The Coroner.
You can purchase the Coroner at Amazon and B&N
And the winner of Susy Parrish’s Flowers From Afghanistan is…Janet Estridge!
And the winner of the August drawing is…Betti!
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Once you start reading The Coroner you will not want to put it down! Read my review, leave a comment and be entered in the September drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card.[/tweet_box]Leave a comment about whether you have ever let everything slide to finish a book and I’ll enter you in the September drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card!
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Comments 58
So interesting! As a medical professional, I tend to shy away from most medicine-related fiction but this one sounds intriguing. Thanks for the review!
Author
I think you’ll really enjoy this one, Mindy. Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds like an interesting story. I’m putting it on my “to be read” list. Yes, I’ve let things slide in order to finish a book. I’ve even started up well past my bed time in order to finish.
Author
I know how you feel, Linda…I’ve even gone to bed early just to read. lol Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve stayed up late way too many times to finish a good book! This one is going on my TBR pile!
Author
I think you’ll really like it, Jeanna! I certainly did. Thanks for stopping by.
I enjoy medical related books and this one sounds so good. Thank you for sharing about it.
Author
Anne, Jennifer writes with great authority in this book. I can’t wait for her next one! Thanks for stopping by.
I definitely have. This sounds like one that would put me in that mode. Thanks for the review Patricia.
Author
I surely stayed up too late reading this one, Lisa! I think you’ll really enjoy The Coroner. Thanks for stopping by.
Fab review, and I enjoy small town settings. Doesn’t it just irk you (don’t ya love it) when a good book keeps you from doing things you “should” be doing?
Author
Yes! Priscilla…never let chores get in the way of reading a good book. lol Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve stayed up a little too late a few times because I didn’t want to stop reading. Thanks for introducing us to a new author!
Author
I expect great things from Jennifer, Mary. Can’t wait until her next book comes out. Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds like my kind of book.
Yes, I’m notorious for letting things slide when there is a book to becread and reviewed before a certain date. But hubby is the cook, I’m retired so sewing and crafting and cleaning projects just patiently wait their turn! Hey, I did read a book on my kindle while I finished drying the dishes! And I turned on the rather wooden, built in audio of one book as I ironed! I just discovered that feature on certain books. It is free, just not professionally narrated.
Thanks for the review, I’ll be adding this one to my gargantuan pile!
Author
Paula, I think a bomb could go off beside me when I’m reading and I wouldn’t hear it. So a pile of dirty clothes is not going to stop me from finding out what happened or who dunnit. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Now that book sounds like a must read. I must track it down. Thx. for the great report.
Author
It is, Delores. You will love it! Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds great! Will definitely look for it! I’m always letting things slide to read. When I was young it was sleep. Now that I’m retired and past 70, it’s housework — which I never mind leaving. You don’t want to know how long I’ve had un-ironed clothes in piles waiting to be ironed!
Author
What’s ironing? lol. Yes, one of the perks of getting older is saying no to housework, Christine! Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome review. Really makes me want to read this book. And yes if I get involved in a mystery I let everything go until I finish it.
Author
Stella, I’m so glad I made you want to read this great book! Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Author
It is, Lucy! Thanks for stopping by.
This book sounds great and of course your wording causes one to want to go and purchase it right now!
Author
Thank you, Judy. I’m glad I made you want to read it! Thanks for stopping by.
Oh this one sounds like a must read! I really enjoy medical fiction, as my choice for a career was in medicine until I injured my wrist so badly that it was no longer and option. But my interest has never decreased. I will be looking for this one – thanks for sharing 🙂
Author
So glad you enjoyed it, Betti! I emailed you a list of books to choose from since Random dot org picked your name for the August winner!
I do let things go too often to finish a book. I knit quite a bit and have even found that with a pattern that I have worked a lot, I can even read on my Kindle while knitting. I will have to check out The Coroner. Sounds like a good one.
Author
I’ll have to try knitting and reading, Gloria! But it would probably have to be an audio book! Thanks for stopping by.
This sounds like a book I will love, but I will keep it away until AFTER my deadline! LOL! Thanks for the recommendation!
Author
How well I know that feeling, Regina! And I’m starting Carolina Mercy next!
I have not heard of this author before. Thanks for sharing this review. It sounds like an exciting book.
Author
I think you’ll really enjoy it, Edward. Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds like a great book! Oh yes, I have put things aside many times to finish a book!
Author
So glad I’m not alone, Jackie! I have even read when I was supposed to be writing. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Congratulations to the winners!! OMG this book sounds so thrilling!! Definitely going on my TBR list!!
Author
It is thrilling, Jessica! You will totally enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh I SO love suspense with a medical twist (think Ricard Mabry or Harry Kraus)!! This one sounds intriguing! If it can take you away from your writing and daily routine, I know it’s a good one I’d enjoy as well. I have to check if my library has a copy because I NEED to read!
Thanks for sharing a new-to-me author and book, Patricia!
Author
I think we’ll be hearing great things from Jennifer, Trixi! Thanks for stopping by.
I love reading a good mystery every once in a while and this book sounds like a book I want to explore further. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
Author
Hi, Stepanie! It is a great book that I believe you will enjoy. Thanks for stopping by.
I enjoy reading books that you can’t put down. If a book doesn’t grab me, I will read at least 10 chapters to give it a chance. After that it’s bye bye book and onto another one.
Author
Janet, you are much more generous than I am! I only give about 10 pages and if it doesn’t hold my interest, I’m out of there. lol. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Pat, Thank you for sharing The Coroner with us! It sounds intriguing.
Author
You are so welcome, Caryl. It’s fun sharing what I’m reading with y’all! Thanks for stopping by.
I am ordering this book right now! Yes, I constantly let things slide to read, most of all my sleep!
Author
Linda, I stayed up until 1 this morning, finishing a book! Thanks for stopping by.
You have piqued my interest; I’m going to order it today!
Author
Great, Suzanne! I think you’ll really enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know!
Sounds like a great book. I will definitely have to see about getting a copy maybe one of these days.
Author
I think you will enjoy the book, Patricia. Thanks for stopping by.
Ummm….yep….more than once I’ve let everything “slide” to read a book! I’m putting this one on my “to be read” & book request list for my local Bookmobile! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Author
Great, MS Barb! I think you’ll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by.
Suspense AND medicine? Count me in! This book sounds fantastic. I am adding it to my “to be read” list.
Author
Good, Diane. I think you will enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by!
My family knows that sometimes reading is just what I need to do!!! If I cannot read at least 2 pages before I close my eyes, I just can’t fall asleep. And this book will definitely go on my to read list. And I do love your books!!!!
Author
Thank you, Judy! You’ve made my day. And I think you’ll really enjoy the Coroner! Thanks for stopping by.