Coffin Trail, The - Rambling Readers

Paperback, 288 pages

Published Jan. 13, 2005 by Allison & Busby Limited.

ISBN:: 978-0-7490-8291-8

(1 review)

Oxford historian Daniel Kind and his partner Miranda both want to escape to a new life. On impulse they buy a cottage in Brackdale, an idyllic valley in the Lake District. But though they hope to live the dream, the past soon catches up with them. Tarn Cottage was once home to Barrie Gilpin, suspected of a savage murder. A young woman's body was found on the Sacrifice Stone, an ancient pagan site up on the fell, but Barrie died before he could be arrested. Daniel has personal reasons for becoming fascinated by the case and for believing in Barrie's innocence. When the police launch a cold case review, Brackdale's skeletons begin to rattle and the lives of Daniel and DCI Hannah Scarlett become strangely entwined. Daniel and Hannah each find themselves risking their lives as they search for a ruthless murderer who is prepared to kill again to hide …

Oxford historian Daniel Kind and his partner Miranda both want to escape to a new life. On impulse they buy a cottage in Brackdale, an idyllic valley in the Lake District. But though they hope to live the dream, the past soon catches up with them. Tarn Cottage was once home to Barrie Gilpin, suspected of a savage murder. A young woman's body was found on the Sacrifice Stone, an ancient pagan site up on the fell, but Barrie died before he could be arrested. Daniel has personal reasons for becoming fascinated by the case and for believing in Barrie's innocence. When the police launch a cold case review, Brackdale's skeletons begin to rattle and the lives of Daniel and DCI Hannah Scarlett become strangely entwined. Daniel and Hannah each find themselves risking their lives as they search for a ruthless murderer who is prepared to kill again to hide a shocking secret.

3 editions

kevinrutherford reviewed Coffin Trail, The by Martin Edwards

Rough around the edges

3 stars

If this had been Edwards' first novel I would be saying it's not bad for a new novelist starting out. But for an author who had been writing for a decade by this time, I thought most aspects of this novel -- plotting, characters, dailogue, use of language -- were clumsy. And this applies particularly to the moment of inspiration in which the lead suddenly understands the identity of the murderer.

I'm put off reading the rest of the series now, which is perhaps a shame.

In a word: amateurish.