Blood is thicker than oil—until murder is involved.

Fenway Stevenson doesn’t want to return to the coastal town where her estranged father is practically king. But the death of her mother draws her back home—and the murder of the county coroner draws her into a deepening conspiracy. As the body count rises and all signs seem to point toward her father’s oil company, will Fenway uncover the truth before family bonds become deadly?

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Reluctant Coroner is the first in a series following Fenway Stevenson. Following the death of her mother, and nothing to keep her where she is, Fenway heads back to California. Estranged for the better part of twenty years from her father, he arranges a job as the fill-in coroner following the murder of the previous incumbent.

Continuing my recent streak of reading some fantastic books, The Reluctant Coroner is right up there. It’s got everything you’d want from a series opener. Mystery, intrigue, deception and frustration. The characters are wonderful. Fenway Stevenson has to work to prove she’s not in her father’s pocket, not there to make him look good. She also has to prove herself to her team, coming in with a background as a nurse and an incomplete degree in forensics as experience for the role.

The story twists and turns in all manner of directions in a delicious narrative. Just as you think you’ve got a handle on the culprit, a new piece of the puzzle falls into place and upsets everything. And for that, I loved it. Fenway, along with the supporting cast of characters make for a fantastic, fun read. I’ll be looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

My rating: