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Pascha #4
Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter!
Pascha, the snarky ghost of a deceased twenty-five-year-old, finds himself stuck between this world and the next with no one to talk to aside from Martin, a coroner with the dubious gift of being able to hear the dead. Since Martin prefers his girlfriend’s company to Pascha’s, Pascha is stuck haunting hospital rooms and accident sites hoping to meet a spirit who will stay a while and keep him company. He gets more than he bargained for when four small children are gravely injured in a car accident and put into induced comas, letting their anxious little spirits out to roam. What’s more, the young teacher who had been driving the totaled van seems to have disappeared into thin air. Pascha suddenly becomes not only a reluctant babysitter but an unlikely detective in this quirky, engrossing murder mystery from celebrated German author Jutta Profijt.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
38 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Jutta Profijt
46 books45 followersJutta Profijt is a crime novelist and translator.
Author photo (c)Doris Seffern, used with permission.
Author photo (c)Doris Seffern, used with permission.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
August 12, 2020
Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter! (Pascha #4) by Jutta Profijt takes the reader along as Pascha meets four kids ghost! Now he is the first to tell you he doesn't do well with kids! The problem is these kids aren't dead! The mystery gets deeper...The driver of their car was kidnapped too. Why was their car crashed into and the drive taken? Why are the kids ghosts?
Great adventure! Loads of fun! I really like Pascha and this series!
Great adventure! Loads of fun! I really like Pascha and this series!
June 17, 2023
Lol pascha having to babysit a bunch of kid spirits is pure disaster. A foul mouth, petulant, self centered, car thief having to show an ounce of empathy towards others, especially kids, while trying to solve the mystery of their accident and their teachers kidnapping maybe more than a ghost can take. On top of that, Martin is distracted and spends his time trying to make Bridgit happy, not the living arrangement Pascha is happy with. Pascha takes more center stage in this investigation with four kid spirits as his helpers.
June 21, 2016
Another fun outing for Germany's oddest crime solving duo. The plot in this book was a bit heavier dealing with drugs and the Turkish immigrant experience but there was still plenty of humor mainly provided by Pascha's first person narration and his interactions with Martin. Listened to the audio which was narrated by MacLeod Andrews.
November 29, 2014
Full disclosure: I was chosen a First Reads winner, and received a paperback copy of Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter by Jutta Profijt and translated into English by Erik J. Macki in the mail. That in no way influenced the review that follows.
This is the fourth of Jutta Profijt's Morgue Drawer books, but I didn't know that when I began reading it. Although I haven't read the other three books, I had no trouble at all following the storyline. It works well as a stand-alone novel. Erik Macki's translation is excellent, and manages to retain the novel's German flavor (it is set in Cologne) and its Turkish overtones (several of the characters are Turkish).
This is an irreverent book whose main character and first-person narrator is Pasha, the snarky ghost of a deceased 25-year-old. As the story begins, the only living person who can "hear" Pasha's thoughts is Martin, who happens to be a coroner. In this particular book, four children (in induced comas while they heal from an auto accident) can also hear and communicate with Pasha, and that sets the stage for a quirky murder mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed this rude and funny tale which surprised me and even kept me guessing. I love it when a mystery can do that. My thanks to the author, translator, and the publisher, Amazon Crossing, for the opportunity to read this novel.
This is the fourth of Jutta Profijt's Morgue Drawer books, but I didn't know that when I began reading it. Although I haven't read the other three books, I had no trouble at all following the storyline. It works well as a stand-alone novel. Erik Macki's translation is excellent, and manages to retain the novel's German flavor (it is set in Cologne) and its Turkish overtones (several of the characters are Turkish).
This is an irreverent book whose main character and first-person narrator is Pasha, the snarky ghost of a deceased 25-year-old. As the story begins, the only living person who can "hear" Pasha's thoughts is Martin, who happens to be a coroner. In this particular book, four children (in induced comas while they heal from an auto accident) can also hear and communicate with Pasha, and that sets the stage for a quirky murder mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed this rude and funny tale which surprised me and even kept me guessing. I love it when a mystery can do that. My thanks to the author, translator, and the publisher, Amazon Crossing, for the opportunity to read this novel.
November 11, 2014
Countrylibrarian
I really enjoy this series and anxiously await the next one. I was a little disappointed that she didn't have Pascha using the computer to communicate with others than Martin like she did before but still worth reading. could be a stand alone book but better if you've read the other 3 first.
I really enjoy this series and anxiously await the next one. I was a little disappointed that she didn't have Pascha using the computer to communicate with others than Martin like she did before but still worth reading. could be a stand alone book but better if you've read the other 3 first.
July 23, 2018
I've been enjoying this series. The voice of Pascha has been alternately hilarious, touching, and exasperating-- and the attempts of Martin to tune him out can be funny as well. I feel for both these men; I understand Pascha's loneliness, and I can certainly understand Martin's frustration at being the only person who can hear this restless ghost-- especially since they are polar opposites in temperament.
As the series progresses, Pascha has found that his boundaries have changed a bit, and he takes advantage of that in an attempt to keep boredom at bay. He's found that he enjoys the "company" of a police detective named Gregor since he likes helping out during investigations, but Gregor can't hear him, and Pascha has found it increasingly difficult to get Martin to cooperate.
Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter! deals with the very real problems with the drug trade as well as within immigrant communities and the mystery is a strong element in the book, as it has been in all the others in the series. However, the tone has changed, and at first I found it extremely annoying. It wasn't the fact that one of the children's spirits was a racist (although it didn't help). What bothered me was how Pascha had changed. It was almost as if that one child's behavior had set him free to express other, nastier, parts of his personality. Pascha's attitude is much darker in this book, and when it dawned on me why, I smiled. Profijt really thought through the progression of Pascha's character.
If the only person you could talk to was someone who couldn't stand you and went through all sorts of machinations to avoid you, wouldn't that get to you after a while? If you couldn't do the things you really love in life-- like go out with pretty girls or drive fast cars-- wouldn't you find your attitude changing for the worse? That's what's happening here, and it sets up the last book of the series beautifully. I'm looking forward to reading it.
As the series progresses, Pascha has found that his boundaries have changed a bit, and he takes advantage of that in an attempt to keep boredom at bay. He's found that he enjoys the "company" of a police detective named Gregor since he likes helping out during investigations, but Gregor can't hear him, and Pascha has found it increasingly difficult to get Martin to cooperate.
Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter! deals with the very real problems with the drug trade as well as within immigrant communities and the mystery is a strong element in the book, as it has been in all the others in the series. However, the tone has changed, and at first I found it extremely annoying. It wasn't the fact that one of the children's spirits was a racist (although it didn't help). What bothered me was how Pascha had changed. It was almost as if that one child's behavior had set him free to express other, nastier, parts of his personality. Pascha's attitude is much darker in this book, and when it dawned on me why, I smiled. Profijt really thought through the progression of Pascha's character.
If the only person you could talk to was someone who couldn't stand you and went through all sorts of machinations to avoid you, wouldn't that get to you after a while? If you couldn't do the things you really love in life-- like go out with pretty girls or drive fast cars-- wouldn't you find your attitude changing for the worse? That's what's happening here, and it sets up the last book of the series beautifully. I'm looking forward to reading it.
August 11, 2021
Kind but lonely ghost Pascha finds himself stuck with Martin, the only person on earth who seems to be able hear the dead. He finds a newer and more meaningful purpose to his existence when he chances upon four children brutally killed in a speeding accident. Eager to help their souls, he vows to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of their murderer. The fourth of Jutta Profijt's Morgue Drawer books, Do Not Enter works well as a stand-alone tale, and I was able to follow it with no hassle whatsoever. The book makes for a superb pacy mystery and the setting and premise are very enjoyable. My thanks to Profijt, Amazon Publishing, and NetGalley for gifting me with a copy of this book.
January 15, 2019
This is darker than the previous ones in the series. Whilst I still love the premise of a ghost helping a coroner I think it is running its course as the dialogue seems to be weakening.
The translation from German is not as good either, there are more Americanisms, words are missing and some bits are hard work to get the meaning.
I am tempted to stop reading at this one rather than read the last one in case I am really disappointed. The first one I loved and it is hard to follow a great book.
The translation from German is not as good either, there are more Americanisms, words are missing and some bits are hard work to get the meaning.
I am tempted to stop reading at this one rather than read the last one in case I am really disappointed. The first one I loved and it is hard to follow a great book.
April 3, 2020
Loved this book! The addition of the four children - ghosts but not dead, after an accident - makes life for Pascha frustrating and for the reader, interesting. As they search for their missing teacher and a murderer, they slowly become a team. The writing is great, and the funny parts made me laugh out loud at times. Great series! (Starting with the first book will help with getting to know the characters, but I guess not totally necessary.)
June 27, 2017
I love the main character, a car thief who was murdered in the first installment. In this story he was joined by four small children in induced comas. The mystery of who forced the car accident that so severely injured the students, and what became of their teacher driving the van was a little convoluted.
December 30, 2019
A Thrill in Germany
This was almost like a two in one. Murder, kidnapping, 4 children in tow with Pascha. This was quite the adventure in a German city I am familiar with ( added bonus ). The crescendo is electric and though Pascha would like some peace ... he finds he needs the children to deploy to various sites to help extend his investigation. Join us for the ride!!
This was almost like a two in one. Murder, kidnapping, 4 children in tow with Pascha. This was quite the adventure in a German city I am familiar with ( added bonus ). The crescendo is electric and though Pascha would like some peace ... he finds he needs the children to deploy to various sites to help extend his investigation. Join us for the ride!!
June 23, 2024
Funniest book I've read for a while. The totally un PC main character, if you can call a ghost a character, had me laughing out loud. Loved his interaction with the kids, and how they were driving him crazy.
June 26, 2018
The first four books were excellent!
Now I have to get book number five. I wish there were fifty more books to read by Jutta Profijt! I can't get enough of her talented writing.
Now I have to get book number five. I wish there were fifty more books to read by Jutta Profijt! I can't get enough of her talented writing.
June 4, 2019
Not as good as the first two books.
July 29, 2024
Zwischen drei und vier Sterne. Mir ist der Sprachstil ziemlich auf den Nerv gegangen, vielleicht bin ich aber nicht Zielgruppe. Ansonsten sehr dynamisch, interessant witzige Story, mal was anderes.
June 4, 2018
Entertaining.
October 26, 2014
“Being Murdered is Quite Special, You See.”
MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER
Pascha, a young, ghostly former car thief, is on a new investigation. He explains, “My 25th birthday was a couple of months ago, but I was already dead then.” But this time, Pascha has to deal with four kids, not quit dead, but in an induced coma after an auto accident. The driver of their van is missing, which is mystery #1. A dead woman is found soon after, which is mystery #2. How are the two cases related?
Of course, the “bonsais,” as “Pascha calls the four comatose kids, are confused, disoriented, and not particularly cooperative. Pascha embarks on an investigation to see what happened to the driver, and why another young lady murdered.
To solve the crime, Pascha teams up with Martin Gansewein, M.D., the coroner, who is the only one who can communicate with Pascha. They developed a special relationship ever since Martin sliced Pascha open during his own autopsy: “Since then we’ve sort of been friends.” Nevertheless, Pascha often has to berate the sluggish Martin, who is sometimes more obsessed with drinking his expensive tea then investigating crime.
MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER is full of clever, gritty humor—all from the mouth of Pascha. He explains how these four kids ruined his day: “Instead of sending me a hot babe or cool dude, the good lord or fate had tacked four whiny, snot nosed brats to my ass.“
Some of Pascha's expressions are priceless. Speaking of Angelina Jolie, “Pascha mentions how he would like to kiss someone like her except someone with a smaller mouth: “I could never kiss Jolie; I'd be terrified of being devoured whole.”
All in all MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER is a fun read, with lots of comic witticisms to keep things light. This book, with the spirits/ghosts reminds me of the famous “Odd Thomas” books by John Grisham. At times, however, the action is a bit slow, but overall this latest MORGUE installment is a fun read.
MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER
Pascha, a young, ghostly former car thief, is on a new investigation. He explains, “My 25th birthday was a couple of months ago, but I was already dead then.” But this time, Pascha has to deal with four kids, not quit dead, but in an induced coma after an auto accident. The driver of their van is missing, which is mystery #1. A dead woman is found soon after, which is mystery #2. How are the two cases related?
Of course, the “bonsais,” as “Pascha calls the four comatose kids, are confused, disoriented, and not particularly cooperative. Pascha embarks on an investigation to see what happened to the driver, and why another young lady murdered.
To solve the crime, Pascha teams up with Martin Gansewein, M.D., the coroner, who is the only one who can communicate with Pascha. They developed a special relationship ever since Martin sliced Pascha open during his own autopsy: “Since then we’ve sort of been friends.” Nevertheless, Pascha often has to berate the sluggish Martin, who is sometimes more obsessed with drinking his expensive tea then investigating crime.
MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER is full of clever, gritty humor—all from the mouth of Pascha. He explains how these four kids ruined his day: “Instead of sending me a hot babe or cool dude, the good lord or fate had tacked four whiny, snot nosed brats to my ass.“
Some of Pascha's expressions are priceless. Speaking of Angelina Jolie, “Pascha mentions how he would like to kiss someone like her except someone with a smaller mouth: “I could never kiss Jolie; I'd be terrified of being devoured whole.”
All in all MORGUE DRAWER: DO NOT ENTER is a fun read, with lots of comic witticisms to keep things light. This book, with the spirits/ghosts reminds me of the famous “Odd Thomas” books by John Grisham. At times, however, the action is a bit slow, but overall this latest MORGUE installment is a fun read.
August 7, 2020
Im 4. Buch muss die Seele des verstorbenen Autodiebs Pascha das Raetsel um eine verschwundene tuerkische Lehrerin loesen, die von der Szene eines Autounfalls verschwand bei welchem vier ihrer Schueler als Insassen schwer verletzt zurueckblieben.Waehrend diese Kinder sich in einem medizinisch induziertem Koma befinden, treffen sie Pascha und helfen ihm, natuerlich mit Hilfe von Gerichtsmediziner Martin, einen Fall zu loesen, der umfangreicher ist als er anfangs erscheint. Waehrend die Geschichte ein wenig tiefer geht als die anderen, gab es trotzdem Humor zur Genuege und ich musste oftmals laut auflachen.
In the 4th installment the soul of car thief Pascha has to solve the mystery of a missing Turkish teacher who has disappeared from the scene of an auto accident that left four of her students, who were riding with her, severely injured. As those children are in a medically induced coma, their souls meet Pascha and together and of course with the help of coroner Martin, they solve a crime that is bigger than it initially appears. While this story is quite a bit deeper than the other ones, there is still plenty of humor that made me laugh out loud.
In the 4th installment the soul of car thief Pascha has to solve the mystery of a missing Turkish teacher who has disappeared from the scene of an auto accident that left four of her students, who were riding with her, severely injured. As those children are in a medically induced coma, their souls meet Pascha and together and of course with the help of coroner Martin, they solve a crime that is bigger than it initially appears. While this story is quite a bit deeper than the other ones, there is still plenty of humor that made me laugh out loud.
November 6, 2014
I have read all four of the books in this series and I like them all, including the latest "Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter!". In the latest book, Pascha is joined by the souls of four preteen kids who each have their own personalities and agendas. Pascha is off to his mystery solving but has to keep the kids on his radar so that he can help them get back into their bodies.
As with the other books, Pascha is a bit rough around the corners but in the end, is a much nicer guy than you originally think. His earthly tie, Martin, is involved in the story but less so than in previous books. There are new characters added that I think will become part of future stories. The ending was well done and the whodunnit was satisfying. A pretty good mystery to read but I think it is best to read the books in order. I think the author did an adequate job of tying the book in but for a new reader, you might want to know just a tad bit more about Pascha and Martin's history.
I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As with the other books, Pascha is a bit rough around the corners but in the end, is a much nicer guy than you originally think. His earthly tie, Martin, is involved in the story but less so than in previous books. There are new characters added that I think will become part of future stories. The ending was well done and the whodunnit was satisfying. A pretty good mystery to read but I think it is best to read the books in order. I think the author did an adequate job of tying the book in but for a new reader, you might want to know just a tad bit more about Pascha and Martin's history.
I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2014
I saw that everyone had really good reviews on this book which now really surprises me. I noticed this was a book in a series but that didn't seem to matter at all because the whole book had its own storyline and if there was something from an old book this book would tell you the basic facts you needed to know. Despite that I really disliked this book. The beginning was good but then character after character was introduced so I got confused between who people were and what was going on. I also felt a lot of the story didn't even matter and that nothing even happened. It was a lot of the ghosts flying around and watching the detectives get no where, and when they found out who the killer was the main ghost guy thing just said, oh. It's this guy. Of course. And I didn't even really have any idea who the guy was because it was hard to keep characters and their storylines straight. There wasn't any way to try and figure it out yourself. The ending was also kind of dumb. I didn't like it very much at all but it wasn't terrible.
May 19, 2015
I received a copy of Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a funny snarky book, maybe too snarky here and there. However, I liked it. It is from Pascha’s point of view and he is a ghost of a 25 year old car thief. He is dealing with four kids who are in an induced coma following an auto accident. Then he finds himself being a detective as well.
I found this to be a fun read. It made me laugh and kept me entertained throughout. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had not been translated but I guess that is to be expected. Only the author can write like the author.
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This is a funny snarky book, maybe too snarky here and there. However, I liked it. It is from Pascha’s point of view and he is a ghost of a 25 year old car thief. He is dealing with four kids who are in an induced coma following an auto accident. Then he finds himself being a detective as well.
I found this to be a fun read. It made me laugh and kept me entertained throughout. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had not been translated but I guess that is to be expected. Only the author can write like the author.
This review, or links to this review, may also be found on my profile pages as follows:
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A3RJ...
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/A...
Pintrest http://www.pinterest.com/baltimore333/
Twitter https://twitter.com/chb548s
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/107592987...
September 21, 2016
Another hit
I really love this German author. No it's not written in German. Great sense of humor and the characters are really likeable. If you're looking for a book that has some mystery, humor and a crime to solve then you will like the Morgue series.
I really love this German author. No it's not written in German. Great sense of humor and the characters are really likeable. If you're looking for a book that has some mystery, humor and a crime to solve then you will like the Morgue series.
February 2, 2015
I received a free kindle copy of Morgue Drawer, Do Not Enter by Jutta Profit, Translated by Erik J. Macki, published by Amazon Crossing English from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I found parts of this entertaining but believe it lost some of the humorous edge because it was translated from German. It was a fast moving, cleverly written story based on the premise that Pascha, a ghost of a murdered twenty five year old, who could only communicate with Martin, a forensic pathologist. In this stand alone book of a series, he became baby sitter for four immature ghosts of children who were merely in a coma, not dead.
There were some twists & turns in the plot, but comfortably & predictably the mystery reached a satisfying conclusion. I gave it four stars & will read the other books in this series.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Morgue-Drawer-N...
I found parts of this entertaining but believe it lost some of the humorous edge because it was translated from German. It was a fast moving, cleverly written story based on the premise that Pascha, a ghost of a murdered twenty five year old, who could only communicate with Martin, a forensic pathologist. In this stand alone book of a series, he became baby sitter for four immature ghosts of children who were merely in a coma, not dead.
There were some twists & turns in the plot, but comfortably & predictably the mystery reached a satisfying conclusion. I gave it four stars & will read the other books in this series.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Morgue-Drawer-N...
October 31, 2014
So far, this is my favorite Morgue Drawer book! The idea of Pascha babysitting was hilarious, but he really pulls it off, and he does it in true Pascha style! I love that even though these books seem like fluff mystery novels, the characters all grow as people in every one. Martin and his girlfriend Brigit find out they are expecting a baby, and of course, Pascha is terrified. The case they are involved in is more complicated than initially expected. A wrecked car with 4 unconscious kids and a missing teacher turns out to relate to a murdered Turkish girl. Is it an honor killing? A hit-and-run? A kidnapping gone wrong? They must all work together to solve the puzzle.
January 31, 2016
This was a light, fast read, continuing in the story of a ghost who's caught here on earth with only one person, a coroner who can hear him.
This time he's after someone who may have kidnapped a teacher and caused an accident, which put four children into a coma--which gives four whiny, annoying children the chance to interact with Pasha as he tries to solve the multiple mysteries around this event, with very little help from his friend Martin, who has other things on his mind.
I didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous ones, as the children were rather annoying a great deal of the time and the interaction with Martin wasn't there as much. More like 2 1/2 stars.
This time he's after someone who may have kidnapped a teacher and caused an accident, which put four children into a coma--which gives four whiny, annoying children the chance to interact with Pasha as he tries to solve the multiple mysteries around this event, with very little help from his friend Martin, who has other things on his mind.
I didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous ones, as the children were rather annoying a great deal of the time and the interaction with Martin wasn't there as much. More like 2 1/2 stars.
November 11, 2014
I really like this series -- car thief ghost teams up with reluctant straight-laced coroner and solves crimes. The first 3 in the series were very good; this one paled a bit in comparison to them. I thought the plot was a bit cluttered, and there wasn't enough interaction between the 2 main characters, which is the heart of the story / series. Still, all told a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next one.
February 17, 2015
Any outing with Pascha is a fun time for me. The mystery was weak. I enjoyed the introduction of some additional what I hope will be recurring characters. However, in this particular stand alone, there were some plot holes that I couldn't get past. We know that Gregor knows of Pascha yet Pascha doesn't try to communicate with him again like he did in the first novel.
Minor quibbles are forgiven in beach reads and overall, I enjoy this series.
Minor quibbles are forgiven in beach reads and overall, I enjoy this series.
March 5, 2015
I loved this book! Pascha has to deal with a bunch of kids this time. Much of the focus is on Gregor and his actions to solve the murder. Now, if you were starting with this book, and hadn't read the others, you might get a little confused with the number of characters. I think the author does a great job of reintroducing familiar chaacters without boring regular readers. I listened to the audiobook and recommend it!
March 29, 2015
Odd things are happening at the morgue
This is written like an old Sam Spade movie. The main character is a ghost, speaking in the background of the action. You almost expect an old black and white picture from the pages, with Bogart grumbling the lines in weary world fashion. It's a fun read easily read in one sitting.
This is written like an old Sam Spade movie. The main character is a ghost, speaking in the background of the action. You almost expect an old black and white picture from the pages, with Bogart grumbling the lines in weary world fashion. It's a fun read easily read in one sitting.
August 28, 2015
I received this as a first read. This was an interesting book with a very cool concept. I have not read any of the other books in the series but was able to picked right up with the story. It was definitely funny and some great laugh out loud moments. A very fun read. Will check out the others in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews