The Reluctant Coroner
By Paul Austin Ardoin

- Release Date: 2018-08-20
- Genre: Hard-Boiled Mysteries
Description
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.
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The Reluctant Coroner is the first novel in the acclaimed hard-boiled Fenway Stevenson Mystery series, ideal for hardboiled mystery fans of LJ Ross, Anne Shilolo, Willow Rose, and Blake Banner.
"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
The Reluctant Coroner
5By ed 3.1624Loved it!So so so good
5By lgac123i never leave reviews for books but i loved it so much!Disappointing
3By CustomdesignerJust ok, but nicely complicated plot. Villain pretty identifiable early on. Reads like a soap opera. Main character dumber than realistic some of the time both professionally and in personal life.Really Good
4By MaieshasFigured out who it was very early onReluctant Coroner
5By besch004Exciting and a good ending. Had to stay up late to finish.A New Fan
5By EBCeeFirst time reading this author & he has a new fan. This book had everything. Characters you would like to know, a good mystery, & just enough detail. An easy, enjoyable read. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.My Opinion
5By JVC#00The Reluctant Coroner was a very good start off point to the series yet to come for me to read. It definitely felt like a roller coaster. From start to finished it had me glued to every page, trying to know the mysteries of who and why everything happened. Can’t wait to read the series of Fenway Stevenson.The Reluctant Coroner
5By whitedog7Wonderful! Read it straight thru until 4am. So entertaining I could not put it down. Lots of good characterizations, well fleshed out. I can’t wait to read the next one.The Reluctant Coroner
5By cg342I really enjoyed this book. It was action packed and a page-turner.Fun Read
4By NeedingReading7564The situation the author created perked my interest. I enjoyed the book.Crime thriller/murder mystery
5By jdt_sThis one is rather complicated by difficult familial patterns of abandonment of a child by a philandering father who also refused to participate in funding any childcare expenses though he was wealthy. It never got better after that. She had trained as a nurse practitioner and assumes a temporary job in the County Coroners office where her interest in forensic science it paramount. This is the first book of what I think will be a promising series.The Reluctant Coroner
5By kathywamsleyWhat a wonderful read. I couldn’t put the book down. I would of course tell others about this author! Thanks k