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Bitter Fall
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 26Summer’s last breath meets autumn’s first kill in Greenville, Maine.
“...high-speed and dripping with suspense.” —Library Journal
On a moonless stretch of backcountry road, Detective Brock Justice stares down at a crime scene that refuses to play by the rules. A woman lies dead, the apparent victim of a lethal roadside crash—until a stab wound is found hidden beneath her clothing. Two causes of death. Zero easy answers.
Reunited with his partner, Detective Chloe Wright, Justice begins pulling at threads too many people want left alone. The victim had secrets—the kind worth killing for. And each suspect carries enough baggage to sink a body in Moosehead Lake. An ex-boyfriend with a violent past. A married fitness trainer with too much to lose. A combat veteran living off the grid, haunted by ghosts of his own.
As golden leaves turn blood-red against pewter skies, Justice is fighting more than just a killer. The fallout from testifying against a fellow trooper clings to him like a bad debt, and someone inside the department is making sure he pays for it.
Then a game warden’s trail camera captures something deep in the woods. But it isn’t just a clue—it’s a warning.
Fans of Craig Johnson's Longmire and C.J. Box's Joe Pickett will find themselves right at home in this dark corner of Maine.
_________________________
Praise for the Detective Justice
“…reads like the real deal—a tale of trial and redemption…” —Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries
“Coffin’s experience…lends the book’s procedural elements a ring of truth, and he paints cops and suspects alike with a fine brush.” —Publishers Weekly
“A superior, Connelly-esque procedural that ratchets up the tension page by page.” —Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Blind to Midnight
“Smooth as buttah in the telling, Coffin’s layered characters almost leap off the page to sit in your lap.” —Tracy Clark, award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series and the Det. Harriet Foster series
“The pace is break-neck swift, the writing crisp, and the tension nearly unbearable…” —Baron Birtcher, award-winning and bestselling author of Knife River
“Brock Justice is a protagonist worth following.” —Paul Doiron, author of Dead by Dawn
“...suspenseful and extremely entertaining.” —Chris Miller, Best Thriller Books
“One of the most mesmerizing crime fiction series starters I’ve read in years…” —LynDee Walker, bestselling author of the Faith McClellan series
“...gritty authenticity and razor-sharp detail.” —Brian Shea, author of the Boston Crime Thriller series
“…a superb police procedural, gripping and tight.
“...high-speed and dripping with suspense.” —Library Journal
On a moonless stretch of backcountry road, Detective Brock Justice stares down at a crime scene that refuses to play by the rules. A woman lies dead, the apparent victim of a lethal roadside crash—until a stab wound is found hidden beneath her clothing. Two causes of death. Zero easy answers.
Reunited with his partner, Detective Chloe Wright, Justice begins pulling at threads too many people want left alone. The victim had secrets—the kind worth killing for. And each suspect carries enough baggage to sink a body in Moosehead Lake. An ex-boyfriend with a violent past. A married fitness trainer with too much to lose. A combat veteran living off the grid, haunted by ghosts of his own.
As golden leaves turn blood-red against pewter skies, Justice is fighting more than just a killer. The fallout from testifying against a fellow trooper clings to him like a bad debt, and someone inside the department is making sure he pays for it.
Then a game warden’s trail camera captures something deep in the woods. But it isn’t just a clue—it’s a warning.
Fans of Craig Johnson's Longmire and C.J. Box's Joe Pickett will find themselves right at home in this dark corner of Maine.
_________________________
Praise for the Detective Justice
“…reads like the real deal—a tale of trial and redemption…” —Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries
“Coffin’s experience…lends the book’s procedural elements a ring of truth, and he paints cops and suspects alike with a fine brush.” —Publishers Weekly
“A superior, Connelly-esque procedural that ratchets up the tension page by page.” —Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Blind to Midnight
“Smooth as buttah in the telling, Coffin’s layered characters almost leap off the page to sit in your lap.” —Tracy Clark, award-winning author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series and the Det. Harriet Foster series
“The pace is break-neck swift, the writing crisp, and the tension nearly unbearable…” —Baron Birtcher, award-winning and bestselling author of Knife River
“Brock Justice is a protagonist worth following.” —Paul Doiron, author of Dead by Dawn
“...suspenseful and extremely entertaining.” —Chris Miller, Best Thriller Books
“One of the most mesmerizing crime fiction series starters I’ve read in years…” —LynDee Walker, bestselling author of the Faith McClellan series
“...gritty authenticity and razor-sharp detail.” —Brian Shea, author of the Boston Crime Thriller series
“…a superb police procedural, gripping and tight.
- GenresMystery
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 13, 2026
1365 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Robert Coffin
22 books257 followersBruce Robert Coffin is the award-winning author of the Detective Byron Mysteries. A former detective sergeant, he supervised all homicide and violent crime investigations for Maine's largest city. Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, Bruce spent 4 years investigating counter-terrorism cases for the FBI, earning the Director's Award, the highest award a non-agent can receive.
His short fiction appears in a number of anthologies, including Best American Mystery Stories 2016.
www.brucerobertcoffin.com
His short fiction appears in a number of anthologies, including Best American Mystery Stories 2016.
www.brucerobertcoffin.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 18, 2025
Detective Justice is back with a new strange case in the northern part of Maine. Bitter Fall by Bruce Robert Coffin is even better than the first book in this series, sadly it was so fast paced that it soon was finished. I can't wait to see what's in store for the third one. I only hope that Brock will start trusting Chloe more than he has so far. I love the setting that I first came to know through Paul Doirons great work, I wonder if Brock Justice will join forces with Mike Bowditch sometime in the future. That would be neat. I also love the characters and their nicknames. The dialogue is also another thing that makes me smile when reading these books. If you haven't tried this author before it's about time you get a copy and enjoy them. I must thank Edelweiss and Severn River Publishing for giving me this great advance copy to read enjoy and review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This is another good police procedure featuring a good lead in Detective Justice. He is a bit of a renegade, often going his own way, much to the dismay of his superiors. I like the strength of the setting with a little history of the area and good descriptions.
This complicated murder takes quite a bit of untangling. There is a nice twist at the end as well as some good suspense involving Brock's partner, Chloe. Brock is still being hounded by his testifying against another police official. That nemesis is close by here. We hope Brock will finally come out in the end the good guy he is.
This is a rewarding police procedure. While it is the second in a series, it reads well on its own. To understand Brock's obsession with nailing the police officer from the previous experiences, the first novel in the series should be read.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
This complicated murder takes quite a bit of untangling. There is a nice twist at the end as well as some good suspense involving Brock's partner, Chloe. Brock is still being hounded by his testifying against another police official. That nemesis is close by here. We hope Brock will finally come out in the end the good guy he is.
This is a rewarding police procedure. While it is the second in a series, it reads well on its own. To understand Brock's obsession with nailing the police officer from the previous experiences, the first novel in the series should be read.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Brock Justice is definitely the detective you want working your case!
Brock's certainly not having an easy time of it, I guess it's true what they say, no good deed (in this case it's telling the truth) goes unpunished. The man has integrity oozing from his pores and honestly, I waited the entire book for the final pages. Bravo!
The jury, for me, is still out on his new partner Chloe Wright...I don't find her to be very likeable right now so I'll be anxious to see how the author grows her character in the next release. However, I can truly say I'm really enjoying some of the other side characters, they add depth and nuance to what could be just another police procedural.
I'm invested in the series and will certainly be back for more!
Brock's certainly not having an easy time of it, I guess it's true what they say, no good deed (in this case it's telling the truth) goes unpunished. The man has integrity oozing from his pores and honestly, I waited the entire book for the final pages. Bravo!
The jury, for me, is still out on his new partner Chloe Wright...I don't find her to be very likeable right now so I'll be anxious to see how the author grows her character in the next release. However, I can truly say I'm really enjoying some of the other side characters, they add depth and nuance to what could be just another police procedural.
I'm invested in the series and will certainly be back for more!
December 9, 2025
Detective Brock Justice and his partner Chloe Wright are called to a lethal roadside crash, not as simple as a roadside accident when a stab wound is found. The victim is a well-known and well liked nurse at the local hospital. Enough suspects, and to put a twist in the story Evan Mathers (Brock’s old partner, and reason for being in Northern Main) is current working at the local sheriff department.
Page turner from the beginning, and what an ending!!!
Looking forward to more!
Page turner from the beginning, and what an ending!!!
Looking forward to more!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Another great story from Mr. Coffin, filled with plot twists that have you leaning one way then you are headed in another direction. While many police procedurals are filled with stereotypes, Mr. Coffin's stories have a more natural feel to them. Best of all, he doesn't provide solutions out of thin air, but he included just enough detail along the way to have you finish the book thinking, I could have figured it out!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Bitter Fall is a realistic police procedural which is very well paced as we are drawn into the search by Detectives Wright and Justice for the killer of a well-liked college senior - murdered while out on an evening run. The ending was absolutely perfect! I received an ARC from Severn River Publishing and the opinions expressed are my own.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews