The Coffin Trail

Title: The Coffin Trail

Author: Martin Edwards

Published in: 2004

Date read: 17th December 2024

Score: 4/5

Genre: Crime, Detective, Mystery

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Coffin Trail," published in 2006, is the first novel in Martin Edwards's acclaimed Lake District Mysteries series. It introduces two memorable detectives and a cold case that is as dark and complex as the rugged landscape in which it is set.

The story centres on Detective Inspector Hannah Scarlett, the head of Cumbria's Cold Case Review Team. Her career has been built on her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to revisit crimes long forgotten. Her professional life is intertwined with her personal one, particularly her complicated relationship with Detective Chief Inspector Ben Kind.

The central mystery is the unsolved disappearance of a young woman named Louise Kind, who vanished a decade earlier while on a hike in the desolate and beautiful Lake District. The case has haunted the local police for years and is a personal tragedy for Ben Kind, as Louise was his sister. The pressure is on Hannah to finally solve the case that has consumed his life.

As Hannah re-examines the original investigation, she uncovers a web of lies, secrets, and a sinister local legend. The Coffin Trail is the name of a historical route where coffins were carried from the fells to the nearest church for burial, and the area is steeped in both natural beauty and a history of tragic death.

Hannah's investigation takes her back into the lives of the people who knew Louise, all of whom have their own hidden agendas and buried pasts. The suspects include a charismatic local guide, a quiet, introverted artist, and Louise's emotionally distant parents. The novel masterfully weaves together the past and the present, revealing new clues and disturbing details about the case as Hannah gets closer to the truth.

The atmosphere of the book is defined by the Lake District itself—the moody weather, the isolated communities, and the sense that the land holds its own dark secrets. Hannah must use her sharp intellect and her understanding of human nature to navigate the treacherous relationships within the community and find the answers that have eluded everyone for ten years.

The climax is a tense and dramatic revelation that not only solves the cold case but also uncovers a series of betrayals and long-held secrets that put Hannah herself in danger. "The Coffin Trail" is a compelling and atmospheric mystery that sets the stage for a rich and complex series.

Comments:
This is a very enjoyable book which has forced me to add this series into my "read when you have time" list. This is essentially a cold case murder mystery story and although there are many of these about, this one caught me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it came highly recommended by a person who has enjoyed lots of the same thriller/mystery books as I have, and he like the fact that it was set in the Lake District near to him. Secondly, the character development in excellent in this book, in fact, if there was a formula of parts in a novel (introduction, characters, history, main plot, hunt for the killer etc) then the percentages of these parts in this book are all different to usual which makes it different...and in a good way. I am looking forward to seeing how these characters develop in the second book, even though I have no idea when I will finally get around to reading it.

Books that we've read by Martin Edwards (1):
The Coffin Trail (2004)