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Jenny Cooper #1
The Coroner
Now a major television series on All4 and CBC, The Coroner is the first gripping installment in Matthew Hall's twice CWA Gold Dagger nominated Coroner Jenny Cooper series. Death is her living . . . When lawyer Jenny Cooper is appointed Severn Vale District Coroner, she’s hoping for a quiet life and space to recover from a traumatic divorce, but the office she inherits from the recently deceased Harry Marshall contains neglected files hiding dark secrets and a trail of buried evidence. Could the tragic death in custody of a young boy be linked to the apparent suicide of a teenage prostitute and the fate of Marshall himself? Jenny’s curiosity is aroused. Why was Marshall behaving so strangely before he died? What injustice was he planning to uncover? And what caused his abrupt change of heart? In the face of powerful and sinister forces determined to keep both the truth hidden and the troublesome coroner in check, Jenny embarks on a lonely and dangerous one-woman crusade for justice which threatens not only her career but also her sanity. The Coroner is followed by the second book in the Coroner Jenny Cooper series, The Disappeared. The Jenny Cooper novels have been adapted into a hit TV series, Coroner, made for All4, CBC, and NBC Universal starring Serinda Swan and Roger Cross.
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First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
M.R. Hall
23 books196 followersM R Hall, otherwise known as Matthew Hall, lives and works in the Welsh borders near Monmouth. Born in London in 1967, he was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and Worcester College, Oxford, where he graduated in law.
After several years as a criminal barrister in London, Matthew started writing TV drama, beginning with epsiodes of ITV's Kavanagh QC. He was nominated for a BAFTA for his first original series, Wing and a Prayer. He has since written over 60 hours of prime time drama including the recent BBC hit series, Keeping Faith.
His debut novel, The Coroner (2009) was shortlisted for the CWA's Gold Dagger, as was his fourth, The Flight. The Jenny Cooper coroner series has now been adapted for television. 'Coroner' is made in Toronto for CBC and distributed internationally by Cineflix.
Series:
* Jenny Cooper
After several years as a criminal barrister in London, Matthew started writing TV drama, beginning with epsiodes of ITV's Kavanagh QC. He was nominated for a BAFTA for his first original series, Wing and a Prayer. He has since written over 60 hours of prime time drama including the recent BBC hit series, Keeping Faith.
His debut novel, The Coroner (2009) was shortlisted for the CWA's Gold Dagger, as was his fourth, The Flight. The Jenny Cooper coroner series has now been adapted for television. 'Coroner' is made in Toronto for CBC and distributed internationally by Cineflix.
Series:
* Jenny Cooper
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
December 4, 2020
The Coroner by M.R. Hall is the first book in British author Hall's Jenny Cooper mystery series, set in the Severn Vale. I first discovered the series from a Canadian TV version based on the books. The TV series is set in Toronto, Canada, but seems to respect the basic premise of the book. Jenny Cooper, trying to move away from a nasty divorce and to deal with psychological issues, has just taken over the job as the Severn Vale Coroner, basically Bristol England.
Jenny hits the ground running, rubbing people the wrong way, reopening two cases involving the deaths of a young man (apparent suicide while being held in custody at a made-for-profit juvenile detention center) and a young woman (previous resident of the same institution). While trying to deal with her issues, which involve panic attacks, settle into her residence on the Welsh side of the border, and trying to grapple with her new position, Jenny investigates the two deaths. She is suspicious of the previous coroner's investigation (or lack thereof) and feels there is an effort underway to hide the murders under the carpet and also to discredit anyone trying to conduct an investigation.
Jenny is a frustrating character but also appealing, if that makes sense. She has issues, definitely, living of of temazapam (*sp*) to try and control her feelings of panic. She has an initially fractious relationship with her assistant Alison who resents her rehashing the previous coroner's (who died) cases and maybe discrediting his reputation. In fact, Jenny rubs many people the wrong way as she tries to establish herself and this will affect her position.
The story develops slowly but is a very interesting concept. I had some exposure to the concept of the Coroner from a Canadian TV series, Da Vinci's Inquest which dealt with the Vancouver coroner and a British TV series about a coroner in Cornwall, but I think this is the first written series I've tried. It's an interesting variation as the coroner isn't the police but still conducts investigations involving suspicious deaths and can recommend criminal charges and other sorts of recommendations.
Jenny is definitely an interesting character. I liked Alison as she tries to adjust to Jenny's ways and also tries to defend her old boss. There are other interesting characters; Steve, her new 'handsome' neighbor and also the Welsh policeman, Mr Williams, who assists her investigation. The cases were interesting, the corporate corruption well crafted and the introduction to Jenny was excellent. Tense and well-written, the story is an excellent introduction to this series. (4.5 stars)
Jenny hits the ground running, rubbing people the wrong way, reopening two cases involving the deaths of a young man (apparent suicide while being held in custody at a made-for-profit juvenile detention center) and a young woman (previous resident of the same institution). While trying to deal with her issues, which involve panic attacks, settle into her residence on the Welsh side of the border, and trying to grapple with her new position, Jenny investigates the two deaths. She is suspicious of the previous coroner's investigation (or lack thereof) and feels there is an effort underway to hide the murders under the carpet and also to discredit anyone trying to conduct an investigation.
Jenny is a frustrating character but also appealing, if that makes sense. She has issues, definitely, living of of temazapam (*sp*) to try and control her feelings of panic. She has an initially fractious relationship with her assistant Alison who resents her rehashing the previous coroner's (who died) cases and maybe discrediting his reputation. In fact, Jenny rubs many people the wrong way as she tries to establish herself and this will affect her position.
The story develops slowly but is a very interesting concept. I had some exposure to the concept of the Coroner from a Canadian TV series, Da Vinci's Inquest which dealt with the Vancouver coroner and a British TV series about a coroner in Cornwall, but I think this is the first written series I've tried. It's an interesting variation as the coroner isn't the police but still conducts investigations involving suspicious deaths and can recommend criminal charges and other sorts of recommendations.
Jenny is definitely an interesting character. I liked Alison as she tries to adjust to Jenny's ways and also tries to defend her old boss. There are other interesting characters; Steve, her new 'handsome' neighbor and also the Welsh policeman, Mr Williams, who assists her investigation. The cases were interesting, the corporate corruption well crafted and the introduction to Jenny was excellent. Tense and well-written, the story is an excellent introduction to this series. (4.5 stars)
July 10, 2011
This was a fairly bland procedural crime novel... I assume the author is setting up storylines for further novels, but it would have been nice to tie up some of the loose ends. There was just too much whinging and dragging, boring stories in this book to be good. If it had stuck with the coronial part, and cut out the pill popping lead character it might have been a little more tolerable than it was. The characters were one dimensional and I didn't really care what happened to any of them. Don't know if I'd stick with the author if they were to write any other books.
April 20, 2014
This is first book about Jenny Cooper a newly appointed Coroner in Bristol, SW England. It introduces us to a struggling 42 woman who has endured a recent marriage break-up, with her teenage son chosing to stay with his Dad, a new remote home and a serious drug addiction following a nervous breakdown. Having lied on her application about her current medical issues she throws herself into her new job.
Unfortunately, she can hardly manage with all the demands on her and when a couple of cases appear to reveal some sort of conspiracy where people individually or collectively seek to bury post mortum findings and suppress detailed investigation and formal inquests she quickly runs out of allies and wonders who she can trust. Indeed it seems that her tendancy to self destruct means her best intentions will end in failure even though we understand she has right on her side.
This examination of her character and flawed nature means we have a wonderful female lead to drive the story which is always interesting and at times quite frightening as forces conspire to prevent her uncovering the truth.
The other great aspect of this account is it is seen from a fresh and original perspective that of a Coroner seeking facts in the mystery and anguish of sudden and unexplained death. In this novel that plot is very well thought out and centres on the death of two young people who appear to have died by their own hands. Jenny feels the questions of what led up to their suicides need to be ask and when no-one else appears to want those answers or find possible cause she gets drawn into a deep conspiracy.
M R Hall writes very well and carries you effortlessly into this less familiar world. You warm to Jenny Cooper but feel frustrated that her human failings often get in the way of revealing the truth. Her mistakes and honesting at times make her a well rounded focus to follow.
At times it rivals the courtroom drama of a Grisham novel and that sense of impotency when pitted against financial intersts and government self-preservation.
The best aspect of this book is it is the first of an established series which bodes well for the reader who continues to share the fall and rise of Jenny Cooper.
Unfortunately, she can hardly manage with all the demands on her and when a couple of cases appear to reveal some sort of conspiracy where people individually or collectively seek to bury post mortum findings and suppress detailed investigation and formal inquests she quickly runs out of allies and wonders who she can trust. Indeed it seems that her tendancy to self destruct means her best intentions will end in failure even though we understand she has right on her side.
This examination of her character and flawed nature means we have a wonderful female lead to drive the story which is always interesting and at times quite frightening as forces conspire to prevent her uncovering the truth.
The other great aspect of this account is it is seen from a fresh and original perspective that of a Coroner seeking facts in the mystery and anguish of sudden and unexplained death. In this novel that plot is very well thought out and centres on the death of two young people who appear to have died by their own hands. Jenny feels the questions of what led up to their suicides need to be ask and when no-one else appears to want those answers or find possible cause she gets drawn into a deep conspiracy.
M R Hall writes very well and carries you effortlessly into this less familiar world. You warm to Jenny Cooper but feel frustrated that her human failings often get in the way of revealing the truth. Her mistakes and honesting at times make her a well rounded focus to follow.
At times it rivals the courtroom drama of a Grisham novel and that sense of impotency when pitted against financial intersts and government self-preservation.
The best aspect of this book is it is the first of an established series which bodes well for the reader who continues to share the fall and rise of Jenny Cooper.
April 1, 2021
Jenny Cooper doesn't have it easy after a nasty divorce and can't handle either her work or her son. But decides to try a new job to get her back on track, as a coroner. Soon after she stumbles on questionable death she starts to investigate. It was an okay read. Interesting enough but nothing groundbreaking or that exciting to read, but maybe it picks up in later books. Gonna see if I can get hold of other books in the series
January 28, 2009
Not bad, not great. Definitely too long (450 pages), in spite of the rather sparse script-like writing style. The villain of the piece and the nature of his/her villainy was spottable from a fair distance. And, by the way, Temazepan is not an anti-depressant. It sends you to sleep.
April 9, 2010
Brave of a male author to make a female character the main protagonist, but M R Hall succeeds well enough. Though Jenny Cooper, the coroner of the title, isn't easy to like. She is in psychiatric consultation for some childhood trauma, suffering guilt pangs after a custody struggle from a messy divorce, at the same time addicted to pills and too much alcohol (a bottle of red, followed by a bottle of white, beer from the can, brandy meant to be for cooking, etc). Difficult to see how she was appointed in the first place -though for the purpose of the plot it has to be part of a sinister design that would allow those with ulterior motives to control her.
All a bit far-fetched for you? It is, after all, supposed to be happening in and around Bristol. Still, if you can make the effort, the story does turn into a reasonably enticing page-turner. There's a bit of a let-down when it turns out that one key witness and one key thug only make their first appearances in the closing pages, but in fairness the plotting is scrupulous.
This isn't the worst book of its kind you will find this year, but not the best, either.
March 14, 2010
First Sentence: The first dead body Jenny ever saw was her grandfather’s.
Jenny Cooper spent 15 years practicing child-care law, but a serialized cheating, emotionally abusive husband and subsequent divorce, a missing year from her childhood, resulted in an emotional breakdown and severe panic attacks. She’s beginning to put her life back together and has been appointed local coroner in the Severn Vale District Corner, inheriting the office, and it’s rather resentful clerk, from recently deceased Harry Marshall.
Two of the cases she also inherits are those of a young boy and a teen prostitute, both dead of apparent suicide, both of who spent time in a youth penal facility, and who knew each other when younger. Jenny begins to suspect Harry of negligence, at best, and possibly a cover-up for murder.
I have often read about coroners, but never really understood their role, responsibilities and the extent of their authority. How nice to finally find an author who not only focuses on that role, as pertains to the UK, but makes it really interesting. I was particularly struck by the protagonist’s observation that “After just four days as coroner she was already the earthly representative of fifty traumatically departed souls.” The scenes at the inquest were as well done as any trial scene I’ve read.
I am so impressed with Hall’s writing. There are three major threads to this story; Jenny’s emotional issues, her dealing with a possible new relationship and the case on which she is working. Hall weaves these three threads evenly and perfectly, and in such a way that you see the character gain strength and develop as the story progresses.
I like seeing a male author write realistic, female characters, and Jenny is an interesting character. In spite of her issues, you know there is strength there and she will survive. It is also nice to see a male author write a male character who isn’t the knight on a white charger. Jenny’s neighbor, Steve, may be her new relationship, but he has growing of his own to do.
All the characters were real, whether likable or not, and for some, you felt their angst. I was particularly struck by the father of a dead girl, “We blame the teachers, the police, the politicians, every last God-dammed one of those self-righteous bastards who spend their lives telling other people what’s best for them but can’t tell right from wrong.” How heart-felt and timely a statement is that?
There were some minor weaknesses. As can happen, because Hall lives in the area in which the book is set, the sense of place was not as strong as I, a “foreign” reader, would have liked. It was necessary for me to resort to the internet in order to find out where the book is set and what the area looks like.
There were a couple rather large coincidences and predictable threads, but it was still a very good, engrossing read that kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish the book. Hall’s next book, “The Disappeared” is already on my shelf, to be joined by his third book, “The Rapture” due out Fall 2010.
Jenny Cooper spent 15 years practicing child-care law, but a serialized cheating, emotionally abusive husband and subsequent divorce, a missing year from her childhood, resulted in an emotional breakdown and severe panic attacks. She’s beginning to put her life back together and has been appointed local coroner in the Severn Vale District Corner, inheriting the office, and it’s rather resentful clerk, from recently deceased Harry Marshall.
Two of the cases she also inherits are those of a young boy and a teen prostitute, both dead of apparent suicide, both of who spent time in a youth penal facility, and who knew each other when younger. Jenny begins to suspect Harry of negligence, at best, and possibly a cover-up for murder.
I have often read about coroners, but never really understood their role, responsibilities and the extent of their authority. How nice to finally find an author who not only focuses on that role, as pertains to the UK, but makes it really interesting. I was particularly struck by the protagonist’s observation that “After just four days as coroner she was already the earthly representative of fifty traumatically departed souls.” The scenes at the inquest were as well done as any trial scene I’ve read.
I am so impressed with Hall’s writing. There are three major threads to this story; Jenny’s emotional issues, her dealing with a possible new relationship and the case on which she is working. Hall weaves these three threads evenly and perfectly, and in such a way that you see the character gain strength and develop as the story progresses.
I like seeing a male author write realistic, female characters, and Jenny is an interesting character. In spite of her issues, you know there is strength there and she will survive. It is also nice to see a male author write a male character who isn’t the knight on a white charger. Jenny’s neighbor, Steve, may be her new relationship, but he has growing of his own to do.
All the characters were real, whether likable or not, and for some, you felt their angst. I was particularly struck by the father of a dead girl, “We blame the teachers, the police, the politicians, every last God-dammed one of those self-righteous bastards who spend their lives telling other people what’s best for them but can’t tell right from wrong.” How heart-felt and timely a statement is that?
There were some minor weaknesses. As can happen, because Hall lives in the area in which the book is set, the sense of place was not as strong as I, a “foreign” reader, would have liked. It was necessary for me to resort to the internet in order to find out where the book is set and what the area looks like.
There were a couple rather large coincidences and predictable threads, but it was still a very good, engrossing read that kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish the book. Hall’s next book, “The Disappeared” is already on my shelf, to be joined by his third book, “The Rapture” due out Fall 2010.
February 25, 2020
I felt that this book is more a set up for the series to come. We are only just getting to know the coroner, Jenny Cooper and I did like that she wasn't all that put together, she has her own issues but fights them to make sure that she gives her job 100%. I did find the repetitiveness, of her taking pills and her psych consults a bit off-putting after a while as the author had already cemented her issues. I am intrigued as to what caused her breakdown, so maybe I'm contradicting myself here a bit.
I loved that Jenny Cooper rocked into that job and took no prisoners. She had her lady balls and called a spade a spade. Corruption was rife until Jenny took a good look under the surface and soon she had exposed them all. I must admit, the first two-thirds were a bit slow, but once this book really got going, I had to carry on until the end. I have just downloaded book 2.
I loved that Jenny Cooper rocked into that job and took no prisoners. She had her lady balls and called a spade a spade. Corruption was rife until Jenny took a good look under the surface and soon she had exposed them all. I must admit, the first two-thirds were a bit slow, but once this book really got going, I had to carry on until the end. I have just downloaded book 2.
March 15, 2019
When one woman has to contend not only with conspiracy, obfuscation and corruption in high places but also antagonism and intimidation from colleagues and opponents alike, you would think that it's too much for one individual to manage. If you add in personal difficulties arising from divorce and psychiatric problems stretching out of childhood trauma you can be sure the odds are stacked against her.
And yet this is what Jenny Cooper, the newly appointed coroner to the fictional Severn Vale Dictrict in Bristol, has to face when she discovers that the suspicious deaths of two young offenders have not apparently been properly investigated by her deceased predecessor.
You might think that the flawed individual trying to right wrongs is a cliché in crime fiction, and you'd be right; but in this instance the conflicts Jenny has with both inner demons and corporate villains are entirely believable and gripping. The Coroner emerges, for all its 400-plus pages, as a real page-turner.
As an official who's responsible for holding inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths Jenny has to confront not just rather graphic pathology reports but occasionally a post mortem. But worse than either are some of the humans she encounters: an aggressive local authority official, an obstructive pathologist, sneering lawyers and devious corporate types. She also has to contend with suspicious colleagues, distressed relatives and a critical ex-husband. Luckily she has individuals who she can turn to, if she can but trust them---an investigative journalist, a neighbourly dropout, a more sympathetic pathologist, even a hacker---but it's those inner demons that too often stand in her way and, in particular, a childhood experience she's understandably unwilling to contemplate.
The Coroner is a police procedural in all but name, lacking a police officer as its main protagonist: instead we have a lone official whose job is to investigate and ask pertinent questions in order to establish the truth surrounding unnatural deaths. The author is a former criminal barrister (there is a lovely bit of metafiction when Jenny, whose background is in family law, disparages criminal barristers) and so the legal, and sometimes illegal, processes which our coroner goes through have the ring of truth. Further, there is an undercurrent of politics here in implicit criticisms of a system that allows private delivery of a public service for profit, with subsequent lack of transparency and genuine accountability.
In addition, living as he does on the England/Wales border Matthew Hall is well aware of the rivalry between the two nations, and Jenny's dual existence---living in Wales while working in Bristol and commuting over the old Severn Bridge---means that she has to successfully balance private life and public duty or risk disaster. The quiet Wye valley near Tintern is a world away from the busy streets and impersonal suburbs of a fictional Bristol region, but trouble seems to find her wherever she is.
Having such a fragile and, admittedly, at times irritating individual to head up a series (four novels so far) ensures we have some sympathy for her, but even as we will her to succeed we know that, although she may win one battle, the war with corruption and criminality will continue regardless. A clever and thoughtful piece of crime fiction, then, rather less a whodunit than a case of establishing how and why.
And yet this is what Jenny Cooper, the newly appointed coroner to the fictional Severn Vale Dictrict in Bristol, has to face when she discovers that the suspicious deaths of two young offenders have not apparently been properly investigated by her deceased predecessor.
You might think that the flawed individual trying to right wrongs is a cliché in crime fiction, and you'd be right; but in this instance the conflicts Jenny has with both inner demons and corporate villains are entirely believable and gripping. The Coroner emerges, for all its 400-plus pages, as a real page-turner.
As an official who's responsible for holding inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths Jenny has to confront not just rather graphic pathology reports but occasionally a post mortem. But worse than either are some of the humans she encounters: an aggressive local authority official, an obstructive pathologist, sneering lawyers and devious corporate types. She also has to contend with suspicious colleagues, distressed relatives and a critical ex-husband. Luckily she has individuals who she can turn to, if she can but trust them---an investigative journalist, a neighbourly dropout, a more sympathetic pathologist, even a hacker---but it's those inner demons that too often stand in her way and, in particular, a childhood experience she's understandably unwilling to contemplate.
The Coroner is a police procedural in all but name, lacking a police officer as its main protagonist: instead we have a lone official whose job is to investigate and ask pertinent questions in order to establish the truth surrounding unnatural deaths. The author is a former criminal barrister (there is a lovely bit of metafiction when Jenny, whose background is in family law, disparages criminal barristers) and so the legal, and sometimes illegal, processes which our coroner goes through have the ring of truth. Further, there is an undercurrent of politics here in implicit criticisms of a system that allows private delivery of a public service for profit, with subsequent lack of transparency and genuine accountability.
In addition, living as he does on the England/Wales border Matthew Hall is well aware of the rivalry between the two nations, and Jenny's dual existence---living in Wales while working in Bristol and commuting over the old Severn Bridge---means that she has to successfully balance private life and public duty or risk disaster. The quiet Wye valley near Tintern is a world away from the busy streets and impersonal suburbs of a fictional Bristol region, but trouble seems to find her wherever she is.
Having such a fragile and, admittedly, at times irritating individual to head up a series (four novels so far) ensures we have some sympathy for her, but even as we will her to succeed we know that, although she may win one battle, the war with corruption and criminality will continue regardless. A clever and thoughtful piece of crime fiction, then, rather less a whodunit than a case of establishing how and why.
December 7, 2017
I had read book 2 of the Jenny Cooper series (The Disappeared) and I liked it. So when I got my hands on book 1, the Coroner, I thought it would be just as enjoyable. Well, it wasn't.
For a start, the female protagonist, Jenny Cooper, is a pill-popping, co-dependent, manipulative, power-hungry, whiner, and by the end of the book I was skimming paragraphs just to avoid her, "Look at me, look up to me, woe is me, me, me, me," narrative. Where is this strong female character that other reviewers have written about? I certainly didn't find her in this book. I don't remember her being this pathetic in the sequel.
Secondly, everyone in this book, actually the whole town this book was set it, were just plain horrible people. From start to finish they were horrible people. Yes, some of them get their comeuppance in the end, but I kind of wished the whole town had burnt to the ground in the last few pages.
Thirdly, Jenny Cooper's circle of idiots - a bullying manipulative ex-husband (who actually sounded perfect for the Jenny character...can't understand why they couldn't make it work); a sulky, moody, but blameless-in-the-eyes-of-his-mother son (I can't be the only one who is sick of reading books featuring sulky, moody, teenagers...not all teenagers are narcissistic buttheads); a bed buddy that came across as a backwards, dopey loser; and an assistant who was instantly as dislikable as Jenny Cooper.
Finally, the big whodunit! When named, the culprit, the murderer, was someone not mentioned in the book previously. What a cop out! The name of someone who was a no-show throughout the whole story suddenly showed up at the end to be the killer. Now, I could be wrong here because I had skimmed quite early on and this character, a nurse at the youth prison, could have been mentioned. But I missed it if he was.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh with this review. Maybe, because I liked book 2 so much, I was expecting more from MR Hall and I'm just upset that I didn't get it.
I wouldn't go looking for book 3 in this series and I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. However, I would recommend book 2, The Disappeared. I don't think you need to read book 1 in this series to enjoy the rest of the series. In fact, it might spoil the series completely for you, as it's done for me.
For a start, the female protagonist, Jenny Cooper, is a pill-popping, co-dependent, manipulative, power-hungry, whiner, and by the end of the book I was skimming paragraphs just to avoid her, "Look at me, look up to me, woe is me, me, me, me," narrative. Where is this strong female character that other reviewers have written about? I certainly didn't find her in this book. I don't remember her being this pathetic in the sequel.
Secondly, everyone in this book, actually the whole town this book was set it, were just plain horrible people. From start to finish they were horrible people. Yes, some of them get their comeuppance in the end, but I kind of wished the whole town had burnt to the ground in the last few pages.
Thirdly, Jenny Cooper's circle of idiots - a bullying manipulative ex-husband (who actually sounded perfect for the Jenny character...can't understand why they couldn't make it work); a sulky, moody, but blameless-in-the-eyes-of-his-mother son (I can't be the only one who is sick of reading books featuring sulky, moody, teenagers...not all teenagers are narcissistic buttheads); a bed buddy that came across as a backwards, dopey loser; and an assistant who was instantly as dislikable as Jenny Cooper.
Finally, the big whodunit! When named, the culprit, the murderer, was someone not mentioned in the book previously. What a cop out! The name of someone who was a no-show throughout the whole story suddenly showed up at the end to be the killer. Now, I could be wrong here because I had skimmed quite early on and this character, a nurse at the youth prison, could have been mentioned. But I missed it if he was.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh with this review. Maybe, because I liked book 2 so much, I was expecting more from MR Hall and I'm just upset that I didn't get it.
I wouldn't go looking for book 3 in this series and I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. However, I would recommend book 2, The Disappeared. I don't think you need to read book 1 in this series to enjoy the rest of the series. In fact, it might spoil the series completely for you, as it's done for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2013
I have been considering reading this one for a while now and decided it was time to get stuck into it. The story follows the newly appointed Coroner, Jenny Cooper to the Severn Vale District. Jenny is recovering from a breakdown following her divorce and losing custody of her teenage son to her husband, who is a right a***hole. Jenny is a troubled soul, addicted to tranquilizers and drinking a little too much. This seems to be connected to an incident in her childhood, she has blocked out of her memory and she also suffers severe panic attacks as a result. She becomes involved in a previous case signed off by her predecessor, Harry Marshall, who seemed to view the suicide of a 14 year old boy whilst in a detention centre, as being somewhat suspicious and the death a few days later of a 15 year old girl of a heroine overdose, also seems to be something Harry was negligent in signing off on as also being an accidental overdose. The fact that Harry himself died shortly afterwards, gives Jenny cause for concern. She digs deep into the two deaths and soon finds a conspiracy that leaves her trusting no-one and threatens not only her new job, but also her fragile emotional state. This is a plot I usually don't really enjoy, because the level of corruption can be sometimes too far fetched, but this is written in a manner that allows the reader to accept plot for what it it, a good thriller and a heroine who despite her flaws, is likable and determined to get to the truth, no matter what. I will certainly be reading the other books in the series.
August 27, 2013
Listened to as an audiobook, and I picked it up on the recommendation of a customer at the library. I was in no way disappointed - I thoroughly enjoyed it! The main character is flawed, struggling with mental issues and dependent on prescription drugs.........but how she deals with the corruption of the system she lands in, and emerges triumphant in her endeavours to get through the day on fewer pills, and STILL manages to solve the mysteries and bring the criminals to book is a great story. Even to the last disc, when it seemed that all was lost, I was hooked and desperate for Jenny to win. I'm also a lot better informed as to how the coroner's office works - a subject about which I had very little knowledge before this book. I'll be hunting down the others in the Jenny Cooper series right away!
August 2, 2012
Found this book a bit of a slog at first, and it took a third attempt to really get into it, but once I did I found it pretty good.
July 23, 2019
Reading it I thought this must be more than 10 years old because it's full of casual homophobic shite.
February 14, 2021
This was quite an interesting book, but I struggled to stop comparing it to the TV show, so not sure I'll read the rest
March 1, 2020
Slow start to this book but I really enjoyed the depth of the characters.
May 19, 2023
I watch the tv series which is based in Toronto. The books are set in Bristol in UK. Great audio read.
March 22, 2010
I’m not sure what drew me to this one. I read a certain amount of crime, but I’m not a great lover of straightforward modern procedurals. But there are some authors who can give them that little bit extra to make them more than a generic read.Could M R Hall be one of them?
The set-up was promising. Jenny had an established career as a family lawyer but, after a nasty divorce and a breakdown, she opted for a new career in a new town. As a coroner.
It’s an interesting angle. One that I’d not come across before, and it works well.
Jenny is struggling to cope and, with her son staying with his father, she is alone and focused solely on survival and the new job. There’s plenty to keep her busy. Her predecessor died suddenly and things are in a mess.
And it seems that he had acted strangely in the days leading up to his death. So Jenny looks at his case files. And finds things that are very wrong. But nobody wants to know and many powerful people want to keep her quiet.
The story is simply and starkly written, but it is compelling; it twists and turns and builds up to some dramatic scenes in the coroner’s court.
But, for me, the author stuck a little to rigidly to the conventions of the genre; a few too many of the characters seemed to have come straight from central casting. And there were a few too many characters, a few too many angles.
There were some lovely touches and some very well observed moments though. Jenny was utterly believable as a woman avoiding dealing with difficult issues by focusing only on her job. Her assistant, Alison’s frustration with her new boss, biting her tongue because she knew she had to hang on to her job, rang true too.
And hooray for a pathologist character making an effective contribution without excessive or unpleasant forensic detail!
At the end of the day I felt this was a generic novel with a little more class than most. It feels like the start of a series, and it might be one that goes on repeating the same formula or it might just grow into something more interesting.
I’m not going to be rushing out in search of the next book, and I’m probably not going to look for it in the library. But if Jenny ever makes it on to a television screen – and I have a feeling she might – I’d certainly take a look.
And The Coroner is worth a look if you like traditional crime procedurals. I don’t dislike them, but I can’t read everything, and these days my reading priorities lie elsewhere.
The set-up was promising. Jenny had an established career as a family lawyer but, after a nasty divorce and a breakdown, she opted for a new career in a new town. As a coroner.
It’s an interesting angle. One that I’d not come across before, and it works well.
Jenny is struggling to cope and, with her son staying with his father, she is alone and focused solely on survival and the new job. There’s plenty to keep her busy. Her predecessor died suddenly and things are in a mess.
And it seems that he had acted strangely in the days leading up to his death. So Jenny looks at his case files. And finds things that are very wrong. But nobody wants to know and many powerful people want to keep her quiet.
The story is simply and starkly written, but it is compelling; it twists and turns and builds up to some dramatic scenes in the coroner’s court.
But, for me, the author stuck a little to rigidly to the conventions of the genre; a few too many of the characters seemed to have come straight from central casting. And there were a few too many characters, a few too many angles.
There were some lovely touches and some very well observed moments though. Jenny was utterly believable as a woman avoiding dealing with difficult issues by focusing only on her job. Her assistant, Alison’s frustration with her new boss, biting her tongue because she knew she had to hang on to her job, rang true too.
And hooray for a pathologist character making an effective contribution without excessive or unpleasant forensic detail!
At the end of the day I felt this was a generic novel with a little more class than most. It feels like the start of a series, and it might be one that goes on repeating the same formula or it might just grow into something more interesting.
I’m not going to be rushing out in search of the next book, and I’m probably not going to look for it in the library. But if Jenny ever makes it on to a television screen – and I have a feeling she might – I’d certainly take a look.
And The Coroner is worth a look if you like traditional crime procedurals. I don’t dislike them, but I can’t read everything, and these days my reading priorities lie elsewhere.
August 14, 2017
Picked this up at the library and despite it being a doorstep in size, over 400 pages (plus the next one in the series first couple of chapters - I always check that these days.... ) it went down well enough passing my 50 page rule, past that and I usually finish it.
It is only afterwards that I ponder on whether this was the best use of my time when so many non-fiction books stare down at me from my shelves or Kindle list...
I liked the writing style and despite her myriad flaws the main character kept those pages turning. As usual though, she is another troubled soul... oh my my is she screwed and screwed up.... there seem to be plenty of such folk in such positions in fiction to ensure the baddies get their comeuppance. How close to reality this might be I have no clue - this is entertainment of a kind. A guilty pleasure. Once again, I utter my plea for better editors, do these authors get paid by the pound? OK on your Kindle but not so much maybe in the tote bag....
It is only afterwards that I ponder on whether this was the best use of my time when so many non-fiction books stare down at me from my shelves or Kindle list...
I liked the writing style and despite her myriad flaws the main character kept those pages turning. As usual though, she is another troubled soul... oh my my is she screwed and screwed up.... there seem to be plenty of such folk in such positions in fiction to ensure the baddies get their comeuppance. How close to reality this might be I have no clue - this is entertainment of a kind. A guilty pleasure. Once again, I utter my plea for better editors, do these authors get paid by the pound? OK on your Kindle but not so much maybe in the tote bag....
April 26, 2020
I quite enjoyed this story about newly appointed coroner, Jenny Cooper and the tangled mess of suppressed evidence and corruption she inherits from her predecessor, even though the whole thing seemed extremely unlikely.
What put me off was the fact that Jenny suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, for which she takes temazepam. Now temazepam is generally used as a sleeping tablet and given the fact that she pops these pills like they were Smarties, plus the amount of alcohol she drinks and I really don't think she would be able to function at all. There are a couple of instances where she doesn't take anything to help her sleep because she doesn't want to feel groggy in the morning, but then gets up and takes yet more bloody temazepam.
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now, sloppy research really bugs me as you may have gathered.
What put me off was the fact that Jenny suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, for which she takes temazepam. Now temazepam is generally used as a sleeping tablet and given the fact that she pops these pills like they were Smarties, plus the amount of alcohol she drinks and I really don't think she would be able to function at all. There are a couple of instances where she doesn't take anything to help her sleep because she doesn't want to feel groggy in the morning, but then gets up and takes yet more bloody temazepam.
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now, sloppy research really bugs me as you may have gathered.
July 1, 2022
I'm late to the party in finding this series, and I was almost put off reading it by a few reviews, but I absolutely loved it and the character of Jenny Cooper is now one of my personal favourites. I have already downloaded the next in the series, and really looking forward to seeing how Jenny's career progresses, now that she's managed to cut a swathe through the bureaucracy and powers that be.
The narration by Sian Thomas was absolutely marvellous.
The narration by Sian Thomas was absolutely marvellous.
June 12, 2019
1st I’ve read by this author, but it just didn’t keep me interested. Really not sure why as it wasn’t a bad story with horrible characters. I might go back to this one day.
July 3, 2020
Siempre me ha resultado curioso como la investigación de un asesinato depende de quién narre la historia, es decir, investigan los forenses,los que recogen las pruebas, los policías, los jueces, abogados, periodistas, detectives privados, familias enfadadas... y ahora la figura del coroner. Cuando escogí este libro pensé que coroner sería la figura del forense, pero no,error, es simplemente una figura un tanto peculiar que solo hace enredar aún más el ovillo. Aunque varía un poco según países en el Reino Unido su labor es investigar aquellas muertes que pueden ser consideradas sospechosas. Si una persona es encontrada muerta con un cuchillo en la cabeza no hay problema pero si la muerte puede ser determinada por causas naturales la cosa puede complicarse un poco. O no.
La protagonistas es Jenny Cooper, una abogada que acaba de conseguir el puesto de coroner de una ciudad inglesa media. En su entrevista de trabajo no dio a entender que es dependiente de los tranquilizantes y que su vida personal roza el desastre tras el fracaso de su matrimonio. Ahora tiene que empezar una nueva vida con un nuevo trabajo y alejada de su hijo adolescente. Una vez en el puesto empieza a removerlo todo sin considerar a nadie. Se podría decir que profesionalmente es una *****, y ahí se queda. Que entre la trama se introduzca elementos personajes que muestren que está sometida a mucha tensión y angustia no quita que en el trabajo sea dura e insensible a todos los que la rodea. Se hace lo que ella quiere y listo. O sea, es una déspota. Y así es imposible conectar con ella. No me interesó ni su drama personal, ni su trabajo. , Por cierto creo el coroner que una figura irrelevante y que ahora mismo no pinta nada en el sistema judicial, porque si consideramos lo que sucede en este libro es muchas veces solo toca las narices a los investigadores.
En cualquier caso Jenny decide investigar dos casos que su predecesor dejo medio concluidos, y lo hace porque quiere, para demostrar que ella es la que manda en el puesto no porque tenga grandes pruebas de que se ha hecho algo incorrecto.
Si seguimos con la historia tenemos una larga parrafada de como funciona la figura del coroner, y bla, bla, bla.... No suelo poner como terminan las tramas, puede que esta sea la primera vez, así que considera eso como una muestra de lo poco que me gustó el libro .
.
Entra dentro lo más aburrido de este año.
Por cierto hay una adaptación televisiva de esta serie, que evidentemente no pienso ni buscar en la red, ni verla.
La protagonistas es Jenny Cooper, una abogada que acaba de conseguir el puesto de coroner de una ciudad inglesa media. En su entrevista de trabajo no dio a entender que es dependiente de los tranquilizantes y que su vida personal roza el desastre tras el fracaso de su matrimonio. Ahora tiene que empezar una nueva vida con un nuevo trabajo y alejada de su hijo adolescente. Una vez en el puesto empieza a removerlo todo sin considerar a nadie. Se podría decir que profesionalmente es una *****, y ahí se queda. Que entre la trama se introduzca elementos personajes que muestren que está sometida a mucha tensión y angustia no quita que en el trabajo sea dura e insensible a todos los que la rodea. Se hace lo que ella quiere y listo. O sea, es una déspota. Y así es imposible conectar con ella. No me interesó ni su drama personal, ni su trabajo. , Por cierto creo el coroner que una figura irrelevante y que ahora mismo no pinta nada en el sistema judicial, porque si consideramos lo que sucede en este libro es muchas veces solo toca las narices a los investigadores.
En cualquier caso Jenny decide investigar dos casos que su predecesor dejo medio concluidos, y lo hace porque quiere, para demostrar que ella es la que manda en el puesto no porque tenga grandes pruebas de que se ha hecho algo incorrecto.
Si seguimos con la historia tenemos una larga parrafada de como funciona la figura del coroner, y bla, bla, bla.... No suelo poner como terminan las tramas, puede que esta sea la primera vez, así que considera eso como una muestra de lo poco que me gustó el libro .
.
Entra dentro lo más aburrido de este año.
Por cierto hay una adaptación televisiva de esta serie, que evidentemente no pienso ni buscar en la red, ni verla.
October 10, 2020
I don't know.
This books is build on an unstable main character and a mixed salad of ugly reality.
The main character has anxiety and drug problems. Which take a lot of 'screen time' and also induce anxiety in the reader.
The main theme is focused on the abysmal way kids are treated, and how most of the society accepts it as 'normal' and 'usual' for kids to have crime records from age of 10, be hooked on drugs and be involved in prostitution by 15, etc. Be put through legal meat-grinder without proper guardianship and representation, and put to 'penal facilities' where they can be further damaged, humiliated, and exploited without question.
A society is judged by how it treats its children.
And this book paints you this picture of an unsalvageable shithole of a society. Though I suppose it's the society's fault, not the book's?
Nevertheless, the book is mostly depressing and at times anxiety-inducing. Not a pleasure to read.
It is also too long for its repetitive content and tone, I had to force myself to get through about 30-40% percent in the middle.
And the main character has some good moments, but is mostly too preoccupied with her own drug and self-esteem/regulation problems to be a pleasant company either.
I still would like to see the other books in the series, if only to see if anything about the tone changes at all, and I sincerely hope I won't have to read through Jenny completely sabotaging herself each time.
This books is build on an unstable main character and a mixed salad of ugly reality.
The main character has anxiety and drug problems. Which take a lot of 'screen time' and also induce anxiety in the reader.
The main theme is focused on the abysmal way kids are treated, and how most of the society accepts it as 'normal' and 'usual' for kids to have crime records from age of 10, be hooked on drugs and be involved in prostitution by 15, etc. Be put through legal meat-grinder without proper guardianship and representation, and put to 'penal facilities' where they can be further damaged, humiliated, and exploited without question.
A society is judged by how it treats its children.
And this book paints you this picture of an unsalvageable shithole of a society. Though I suppose it's the society's fault, not the book's?
Nevertheless, the book is mostly depressing and at times anxiety-inducing. Not a pleasure to read.
It is also too long for its repetitive content and tone, I had to force myself to get through about 30-40% percent in the middle.
And the main character has some good moments, but is mostly too preoccupied with her own drug and self-esteem/regulation problems to be a pleasant company either.
I still would like to see the other books in the series, if only to see if anything about the tone changes at all, and I sincerely hope I won't have to read through Jenny completely sabotaging herself each time.
May 10, 2019
Jenny takes over from a coroner who died and wonders why she's found a file regarding a death he signed off on in a locked drawer. She starts looking into a couple of closed cases and of course opens a big can of worms. Because it's about a coroner this is a bit of a mix of courtroom drama and procedural. Jenny previously worked in children's/family law but had a breakdown after a messy divorce in which she lost custody. Given that these two cases involve teens, she doesn't seem due for the quieter life she wanted. I enjoyed the courtroom/mystery bits, but Jenny's lack of self-care (she is addicted to tranquilizers, refuses therapy, and clearly needs to deal with a childhood trauma that no doubt will become clearer in future books) was kind of stressful. I liked it enough to download the second one--Sian Thomas' narration was good and her Welsh accent for some characters sounded right to me (I am by no means an expert).
March 14, 2025
I saw there was a show based on these books and watched the first episode. I liked it ok, but I enjoyed the book much more. It got a little old how she is so addicted to her nerve pills and drinks too much. She needs to get a handle on that, but she did an amazing job at uncovering murders being overlooked at the coroner's office. I've not read a book quite like this one before where a lawyer oversees the findings in a capacity of a judge. I'll probably continue the series.
May 16, 2024
T.V show is so much better, if I had to read this book, I wouldve stopped, listening to it the car was only slightly entertaining.
October 1, 2020
Great story with interesting characters and plot twists. Only downside is how irritating the main character, Jenny, is.
October 11, 2022
Jenny Cooper has just arrived at her new job as Coroner, to find several cases which she is not convinced were investigated properly, but there is enormous resistance to her re-opening the cases.
Jenny has some deeply suppressed trauma that causes her crippling anxiety. The popping of tranquilisers throughout the story did become a little tedious, but overall a good story. I will read the next in the series.
Jenny has some deeply suppressed trauma that causes her crippling anxiety. The popping of tranquilisers throughout the story did become a little tedious, but overall a good story. I will read the next in the series.
October 25, 2021
*
*
*
Audiobook
Story: D, Narration: A
Not a review, just some thoughts for personal reference. Spoilers.
Well, this was a disappointment. I had such high hopes, and it started well. I did find the workings of the coroner's was interesting, and it was an unusual approach. Unfortunately, the MC, Jenny Cooper, was an unpleasant lead. She was shrill, rude, overly emotional, and unprofessional. She was very critical of others, but didn't meet her own high standards. I was also put off by her dependence on pills and alcohol. I don't particularly care for unreliable narrators, and it's a negative for me when the MC is impaired by mental illness/substance abuse and stumbles around in a fog. It just seems cheap.
Jenny also made poor choice after poor choice. She was in a really precarious position both personally and professionally, but was handed a second chance at both. So she should have concentrated on clearing up her personal issues rather than half-assing her job. She knew she was under the microscope but illegally ordered pills online, took up with a guy she barely knew and let him smoke pot in her house. What did she think was going to happen? And that whole thing about breaking into the morgue with a hacker so they could download files. WTF? I was so put off by her and her idiotic behavior, but I do admit she had good intentions and cared about seeing justice was done...it just wasn't enough to redeem her to me.
I was interested in finding out what caused Jenny's memory loss in her childhood, but I'm not sure I care enough to continue with the series to find out.
Note: This was a free listen for Audible members.
*
*
Audiobook
Story: D, Narration: A
Not a review, just some thoughts for personal reference. Spoilers.
Well, this was a disappointment. I had such high hopes, and it started well. I did find the workings of the coroner's was interesting, and it was an unusual approach. Unfortunately, the MC, Jenny Cooper, was an unpleasant lead. She was shrill, rude, overly emotional, and unprofessional. She was very critical of others, but didn't meet her own high standards. I was also put off by her dependence on pills and alcohol. I don't particularly care for unreliable narrators, and it's a negative for me when the MC is impaired by mental illness/substance abuse and stumbles around in a fog. It just seems cheap.
Jenny also made poor choice after poor choice. She was in a really precarious position both personally and professionally, but was handed a second chance at both. So she should have concentrated on clearing up her personal issues rather than half-assing her job. She knew she was under the microscope but illegally ordered pills online, took up with a guy she barely knew and let him smoke pot in her house. What did she think was going to happen? And that whole thing about breaking into the morgue with a hacker so they could download files. WTF? I was so put off by her and her idiotic behavior, but I do admit she had good intentions and cared about seeing justice was done...it just wasn't enough to redeem her to me.
I was interested in finding out what caused Jenny's memory loss in her childhood, but I'm not sure I care enough to continue with the series to find out.
Note: This was a free listen for Audible members.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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