The
Coffin Maker is a mystery that follows the MC, Angelus, in an investigation of
a mysterious murder he stumbles across accidentally. It intrigues his mind, and
he is motivated to follow the case even without compensation, especially when
he finds a string of similar murders over the years, all unsolved.
Although
the plot continues to move, the pace feels slow, especially in the beginning
and middle of the book. Imo, there are too many detail fillers that can be cut
because they make the flow clunky, distracting, and have no impact on the
overall plot. Below is one of the examples. The whole section that contains
this paragraph can be compacted into a sentence or two.
Angelus
left Stroudsburg just after dawn, steering east on I-80 as rain streaked the
windshield in steady threads. He drove south of the New York line, winding
through the back roads of northern New Jersey and across a sliver of eastern
Pennsylvania, before merging north on I-87 through the Hudson Valley. The hills
were draped in fog, and by the time he crossed into western Massachusetts, the
road narrowed between dense stretches of pine. He stopped for coffee near
Pittsfield and called Joe for an update on the current cases. Then he pressed
on, turning east onto Route 7, and finally crossed into Vermont near
Bennington.
There
is also a feeling of detachment from the main character. Instead of getting
into his head, it feels like he is just narrating the event.
Fortunately,
the ending is decent, with good visuals and action, as the characters become
more sympathetic and personable when the stakes are higher. To be honest,
everyone around the MC is better than the MC, in terms of skills and their
distinguishable traits. The mystery itself is interesting. The clues and
developments throughout are well-woven, though the start is slower. It picks up
from the middle of the book.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
