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The Coffin Trader
When a bellhop at a New York hotel is found murdered in a young teacher’s tiny office at a backwoods Connecticut college, she can’t offer the police any connection between her and the dead man. A week later, she finds a canvas bag in the staff room fridge. Inside it are two scraps of brittle paper and a gold bar stamped with an eagle and swastika cross – Hitler’s logo. If the crest is real, then the ownership of the gold bar is a crime. She decides to see a friend at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, who can help determine whether the bar is authentic. Much to her surprise he focuses on the scraps of paper and then warns her that secrets tattooed into patches of human skin, far more than the gold bar, are deadly—considering who had opted to hide his secrets in such manner. Forty-eight hours later, her friend is dead and the only man she can turn to for help is the one who betrayed her ten years ago.
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First published July 5, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 28, 2021
This Cozy Mystery takes place in Northeastern USA from New York to Connecticut. This was a book that you need to be on your toes for, there are many characters in it, some of the characters are imposters of the real ones, which can be confusing at times.
A very sad story of a reclusive young lady who never got over the death of her mother gets wrapped up in a murder that takes place in her office.
Of coarse, the police are involved, will, kind of, and she takes it upon herself to try to solve the murder mystery that took place in her office. The major issue is that the people around her start disappearing and or dying!
You get much history concerning Hitler and his pilferage of treasure from Germany and elsewhere! You get to meet many characters that tell the story of their horrible experiences of WWII and beyond.
I’m not sure why this book was titled ‘The Coffin Trader’, I never really figured that out, in my humble opinion it should’ve been called ‘The Siberian Oracle’..... but I’m certainly not the author.
I obtained this Kindle E-Book from Amazon for FREE, and other’s need to read this cozy mystery to give this book some much deserved 4 star ratings.
This book will be put under the Diamond in the Rough at the GR group Snag A Read For Free, come check it out along with other books that deserved to be read.
A very sad story of a reclusive young lady who never got over the death of her mother gets wrapped up in a murder that takes place in her office.
Of coarse, the police are involved, will, kind of, and she takes it upon herself to try to solve the murder mystery that took place in her office. The major issue is that the people around her start disappearing and or dying!
You get much history concerning Hitler and his pilferage of treasure from Germany and elsewhere! You get to meet many characters that tell the story of their horrible experiences of WWII and beyond.
I’m not sure why this book was titled ‘The Coffin Trader’, I never really figured that out, in my humble opinion it should’ve been called ‘The Siberian Oracle’..... but I’m certainly not the author.
I obtained this Kindle E-Book from Amazon for FREE, and other’s need to read this cozy mystery to give this book some much deserved 4 star ratings.
This book will be put under the Diamond in the Rough at the GR group Snag A Read For Free, come check it out along with other books that deserved to be read.
August 14, 2015
Hitler’s bullion minted and stamped with Fuhrer’s coronation crest in anticipation of becoming the ruler of the world has never been recovered. Only tales hint at its existence.
When a Cuban bellhop at the New York’s Carlyle Hotel is found murdered in a young teacher’s tiny office at a backwoods Connecticut college, she can’t offer the police any connection between her and the dead man. A week later, she finds a gold bullion bar and two scraps of brittle paper stashed in a canvas bag at the staff room fridge. The bullion is stamped with an eagle and swastika cross--Hitler’s logo. If the gold bar is authentic, then its ownership is a crime. Before surrendering the find to the police, she decides to see a friend at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, who can help determine whether the bar is authentic. Once the museum expert examines the articles he refuses to say whether these are genuine, warning that secrets tattooed into patches of human skin that accompany the bullion are deadly--considering who had opted to hide his secrets in such manner. Forty-eight hours later, when the museum expert dies in a traffic accident, she realizes that someone else than the police wants to recover the articles and she too might have only hours to live.
When a Cuban bellhop at the New York’s Carlyle Hotel is found murdered in a young teacher’s tiny office at a backwoods Connecticut college, she can’t offer the police any connection between her and the dead man. A week later, she finds a gold bullion bar and two scraps of brittle paper stashed in a canvas bag at the staff room fridge. The bullion is stamped with an eagle and swastika cross--Hitler’s logo. If the gold bar is authentic, then its ownership is a crime. Before surrendering the find to the police, she decides to see a friend at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, who can help determine whether the bar is authentic. Once the museum expert examines the articles he refuses to say whether these are genuine, warning that secrets tattooed into patches of human skin that accompany the bullion are deadly--considering who had opted to hide his secrets in such manner. Forty-eight hours later, when the museum expert dies in a traffic accident, she realizes that someone else than the police wants to recover the articles and she too might have only hours to live.
November 3, 2017
Excellent writing and a keep you guessing plot. I will order more of her books!
August 18, 2019
Huh
For having a master's this lady is really dumb! She has the chance and reason to tell someone an d your read e rd aren't as dumb as she is!
For having a master's this lady is really dumb! She has the chance and reason to tell someone an d your read e rd aren't as dumb as she is!
July 7, 2021
When a dead body is found in a PhD students office, her life is turned upside down.
Parts were really good, but others just weren’t very believable.
Parts were really good, but others just weren’t very believable.
December 11, 2016
I’ve really enjoyed every book I’ve read from this Author, and I knew this was going to be a great story after reading the blurb, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I always enjoy a book when I can’t guess the ending. Also the plot is great, and I especially like that it touched on a bit of history. Lauren certainly wasn’t expecting to come into work and find the place surrounded by police. Even more startling is when they inform her that theirs a dead man in her office. For someone that teaches students about mineral specimen’s, she can’t think of any reason someone would bother being in her office, let alone someone killing them. 23 year-old Oswald Gomez is the man who has been murdered, and he has left something in her office that the police didn’t manage to find. Lauren knows her boss has it in for her, and she certainly doesn’t trust him. Even more so after speaking to her colleague Matt who lets her know her boss hates Jews, and would like nothing more than to have an excuse to get rid of her. If she hadn’t already put 5 years into her thesis, and was trying to get her PHD, then she would certainly leave. Now she is going to do her own investigation and try to keep the police out of it for the time being. Lauren doesn’t know who she can trust, and she certainly doesn’t trust her boss, after he was the one that just happened to find the body, when he hardly ever came to her office. Oswald worked as a bellhop at the Caryle, and he has obviously stolen something from one of the wealthy customers. Now that person wants their property back, and they aren’t afraid to have people killed. Plus they must be rich and powerful enough to have people impersonate the police and journalists. This is a great story, and would certainly recommend it.
November 1, 2015
The Coffin Trader by Edita Petrick is an interesting mystery that kept me interested and anxious to learn more.
Perhaps one of the most positive comments I can make is that I became more and more paranoid as I read. The sense that the protagonist couldn't trust anyone carried over for me and I had to remind myself when I was not reading that I was not, in fact, in a life and death situation and no one was trying to trick me or kill me (well, that I know of). The main thing that kept it from being a 5-star (if Goodreads had half stars I would give 4.5) for me was the wrap-up. I thought the twists that resulted in the resolution were phenomenal but they were laid out as a story told to the protagonist rather than revealed gradually to her (and us). I have to admit I am not sure how that would have been handled in this case but it was a little disappointing. That said, it is as much a personal preference of mine than an actual flaw in the book.
I would recommend this for readers of suspense and thrillers as well as those who enjoy stories of dishonesty and conspiracy behind powerful people.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
Perhaps one of the most positive comments I can make is that I became more and more paranoid as I read. The sense that the protagonist couldn't trust anyone carried over for me and I had to remind myself when I was not reading that I was not, in fact, in a life and death situation and no one was trying to trick me or kill me (well, that I know of). The main thing that kept it from being a 5-star (if Goodreads had half stars I would give 4.5) for me was the wrap-up. I thought the twists that resulted in the resolution were phenomenal but they were laid out as a story told to the protagonist rather than revealed gradually to her (and us). I have to admit I am not sure how that would have been handled in this case but it was a little disappointing. That said, it is as much a personal preference of mine than an actual flaw in the book.
I would recommend this for readers of suspense and thrillers as well as those who enjoy stories of dishonesty and conspiracy behind powerful people.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
August 11, 2015
This story grabbed me from the very first page. Not only is this novel exciting, it is also easy to relate to and chock full of humor. The dialogue is wonderful and intriguing and draws the reader into the story. It is an interesting mix of the historical and the contemporary so the reader leaves the story feeling a bit more culturally enriched. The emotions are well-described and the sarcasm runs high from her main character as she takes us through the story and makes the us a part of the fear and uncertainty of being a person stuck in the middle of a violent crime. A gripping tale from Petrick that demonstrates a strong handling of words, diction, and pacing that will rock your socks off and leave you panting for the next novel.
August 12, 2015
A thrilling murder mystery!
I loved this book from the beginning. It had two of my favorite genres in one, a murder mystery and humor. Usually the two are hard to put together but this author knew just how to combine the two and make a excellent story. I love that the main character was your typical everyday girl just going to work and then just ends up trying to figure out why there was a dead body in her office. It was full of many twist along the way that kept my interest the whole time. I didn't want to put it down!!
I loved this book from the beginning. It had two of my favorite genres in one, a murder mystery and humor. Usually the two are hard to put together but this author knew just how to combine the two and make a excellent story. I love that the main character was your typical everyday girl just going to work and then just ends up trying to figure out why there was a dead body in her office. It was full of many twist along the way that kept my interest the whole time. I didn't want to put it down!!
October 23, 2015
Marvelous book, absolutely marvelous! I nearly read this in one sitting, but I started it late one night and the next thing I new it was seven in the morning! I've never read a book by Petrick before, but I guarantee I'll be watching out for her books in the future. Great plot, great characters and great writing.
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
September 5, 2018
Plenty of twists and turns in this who done it. No I will not spoil it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews