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Joe Coffin #1
Joe Coffin, Season One
Vampires on a murder spree. A hitman out for revenge. How hard can it be to kill the undead?
While Joe Coffin served his time in prison, someone spilled his family’s blood. But when the massive hatchet man takes out the killer, something about his vengeance feels completely off. He never expected his suspicion would reveal corpses sporting the marks of a ruthless vampire.
As local children start to disappear, Coffin teams up with an ambitious reporter to get to the bottom of the deadly mystery. Out of his depth against a supernatural powerhouse, he’s unsure any amount of killing could’ve prepared him for the fight. But he’s willing to put it all on the line when he discovers his wife and son might not be as dead as he first thought...
Can Coffin stop the carnage before more bloodsuckers rise from the grave?
Joe Coffin, Season One is the first book in a brutal vampire thriller series set in the British underworld. If you like hardcore characters, page-turning suspense, and gory crime mysteries, then you’ll love Ken Preston’s supernatural horror story.
Buy Joe Coffin to sink your teeth into a ruthless adventure today!
While Joe Coffin served his time in prison, someone spilled his family’s blood. But when the massive hatchet man takes out the killer, something about his vengeance feels completely off. He never expected his suspicion would reveal corpses sporting the marks of a ruthless vampire.
As local children start to disappear, Coffin teams up with an ambitious reporter to get to the bottom of the deadly mystery. Out of his depth against a supernatural powerhouse, he’s unsure any amount of killing could’ve prepared him for the fight. But he’s willing to put it all on the line when he discovers his wife and son might not be as dead as he first thought...
Can Coffin stop the carnage before more bloodsuckers rise from the grave?
Joe Coffin, Season One is the first book in a brutal vampire thriller series set in the British underworld. If you like hardcore characters, page-turning suspense, and gory crime mysteries, then you’ll love Ken Preston’s supernatural horror story.
Buy Joe Coffin to sink your teeth into a ruthless adventure today!
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2014
105 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Ken Preston
55 books79 followersKen Preston is the author of the Joe Coffin series of books, best described as gangsters versus vampires in Birmingham UK. He is also the author of zombie/cowboy mash-up Population:DEAD!, Satan meets Blackbeard pirate novel, The Devil and Edward Teach, and Speaking in Tongues, a short story about death, sex, rock n roll and God.
He has also had several short stories published in magazines and anthologies, and writes romance under the name of MJ Jackson.
Ken is also a creative writing teacher for children in years 5 and 6 and also children in years 7 to12, as well as adults.
He spends far too much time in his cellar, making stuff up, whilst his two cats prowl over his desk and computer keyboard, adding their own little additions to his stories.
Ken lives just a few doors down from the house where Jack the Ripper was born. (Allegedly.)
If you have read any of his books, or even if you haven’t, but just want a chat, Ken can be reached at kenpreston@kenpreston.co.uk
He has also had several short stories published in magazines and anthologies, and writes romance under the name of MJ Jackson.
Ken is also a creative writing teacher for children in years 5 and 6 and also children in years 7 to12, as well as adults.
He spends far too much time in his cellar, making stuff up, whilst his two cats prowl over his desk and computer keyboard, adding their own little additions to his stories.
Ken lives just a few doors down from the house where Jack the Ripper was born. (Allegedly.)
If you have read any of his books, or even if you haven’t, but just want a chat, Ken can be reached at kenpreston@kenpreston.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
January 26, 2016
*4.5 Stars
Joe Coffin is a story filled with contradictions. The cover and title both scream out vampire, while the synopsis speaks more of a violent crime/mob story. We have a character named Coffin, but he’s not a vampire. We have vampires, but they are not really sexy, and they certainly don’t sparkle. There is an ex-convict who’s the good guy. Ken Preston pulled all of this off with a gory, refined flair.
First off, I have to say that I loved the character of Joe Coffin. You could say that he was larger than life, and you would be spot on. Joe Coffin is an in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is badass. He doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and he looks out for his friends like they are family. Joe Coffin is a near perfect protagonist. If the reader thinks of him as a friend, they will follow him anywhere. His larger than life presence brings the perfect balance of humor to a violent, explicit story.
But Joe Coffin isn’t just a one trick pony. It has the story to back it up too. I’ve read too many books over four hundred pages where there are, what I call, “filler” sections. You all know them, the author goes off on some kind of tangent that is mildly relevant, or a prolonged description of the flower arrangement on the Louis the XIV table. Ken Preston did not use or need these devices. His story has an impeccable pace that kept me involved in Joe’s life from beginning to end.
Joe Coffin is a fantastic tale that will grab your attention, shock and awe you, and make you wish that Joe Coffin was your best friend too, because you certainly wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.
*4.5 Stars
Joe Coffin is a story filled with contradictions. The cover and title both scream out vampire, while the synopsis speaks more of a violent crime/mob story. We have a character named Coffin, but he’s not a vampire. We have vampires, but they are not really sexy, and they certainly don’t sparkle. There is an ex-convict who’s the good guy. Ken Preston pulled all of this off with a gory, refined flair.
First off, I have to say that I loved the character of Joe Coffin. You could say that he was larger than life, and you would be spot on. Joe Coffin is an in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is badass. He doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and he looks out for his friends like they are family. Joe Coffin is a near perfect protagonist. If the reader thinks of him as a friend, they will follow him anywhere. His larger than life presence brings the perfect balance of humor to a violent, explicit story.
But Joe Coffin isn’t just a one trick pony. It has the story to back it up too. I’ve read too many books over four hundred pages where there are, what I call, “filler” sections. You all know them, the author goes off on some kind of tangent that is mildly relevant, or a prolonged description of the flower arrangement on the Louis the XIV table. Ken Preston did not use or need these devices. His story has an impeccable pace that kept me involved in Joe’s life from beginning to end.
Joe Coffin is a fantastic tale that will grab your attention, shock and awe you, and make you wish that Joe Coffin was your best friend too, because you certainly wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.
*4.5 Stars
August 12, 2015
Joe Coffin Season One drew me in from the very first page, and didn't let up until the end. Except that even now, I'm craving more. Fortunately, I have it on good authority that Joe Coffin had been renewed for another season. No series-ending cliffhangers here!
The concept of billing this as a "season" of television, with each part an "episode" is one I've been jealous of since I saw the cover some time last year. I would have picked it up then based on that alone, but my reading pile was huge at the time. And each part does have the feel of a TV episode, though the first episode would likely have to have run in a two-hour time slot.
If ever a book deserved to be binge-watched, Joe Coffin is it. Every moment of free time, I was jumping back into Coffin's story, eager to find out what happens next. Rarely does a book grab me like that, though I do love reading. Mostly it's because I have to read in little sips whenever I have time, but with Joe Coffin, I took great big gulps like vampires guzzling the blood of innocents. Somebody needs to put this on TV. Seriously.
I should add here that this copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review, as Amazon is fussy about these things these days. But honestly, I'm happy to report that this book is the real deal. And aside from a few books and movies, I don't even like vampires.
But Joe Coffin's vampires aren't glittery, nor are they the mushy vampires you often see in movies, easily dispatched with a wooden stake. These are MONSTERS: violent, hypersexual, and unrelenting. They are formidable opponents for mob heavy Coffin, who as described is pretty much a Frankenstein's monster of a man. In his first encounter with the "Birmingham Vampire," Coffin suffers plenty of damage. But he's not all muscle. He's also pretty clever, and the emotional hits he suffers throughout Season One feel almost as brutal as the battles.
The writing is tight, and the transitions between scenes are as smooth as they are on TV. Preston writes action in a way that you can easily imagine, and his characters are complex and well-drawn. There are some really nasty creations in here. Stump and Corpse come immediately to mind as two of the most imaginative creations I've seen outside of a Clive Barker novel.
There were a few minor editing issues here and there, but for a nearly 500-page book, that's not bad. Even the Big 6 publishers release books with editing mistakes these days. Aside from Preston's tendency to slightly overuse commas and "and," there really were no issues I had with the writing. The narrative was mostly dark, but peppered with some great moments of levity. Plenty of twists, gore galore. I would recommend Joe Coffin without reservation. I mean, vampires and the mob—what more do you want?
The concept of billing this as a "season" of television, with each part an "episode" is one I've been jealous of since I saw the cover some time last year. I would have picked it up then based on that alone, but my reading pile was huge at the time. And each part does have the feel of a TV episode, though the first episode would likely have to have run in a two-hour time slot.
If ever a book deserved to be binge-watched, Joe Coffin is it. Every moment of free time, I was jumping back into Coffin's story, eager to find out what happens next. Rarely does a book grab me like that, though I do love reading. Mostly it's because I have to read in little sips whenever I have time, but with Joe Coffin, I took great big gulps like vampires guzzling the blood of innocents. Somebody needs to put this on TV. Seriously.
I should add here that this copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review, as Amazon is fussy about these things these days. But honestly, I'm happy to report that this book is the real deal. And aside from a few books and movies, I don't even like vampires.
But Joe Coffin's vampires aren't glittery, nor are they the mushy vampires you often see in movies, easily dispatched with a wooden stake. These are MONSTERS: violent, hypersexual, and unrelenting. They are formidable opponents for mob heavy Coffin, who as described is pretty much a Frankenstein's monster of a man. In his first encounter with the "Birmingham Vampire," Coffin suffers plenty of damage. But he's not all muscle. He's also pretty clever, and the emotional hits he suffers throughout Season One feel almost as brutal as the battles.
The writing is tight, and the transitions between scenes are as smooth as they are on TV. Preston writes action in a way that you can easily imagine, and his characters are complex and well-drawn. There are some really nasty creations in here. Stump and Corpse come immediately to mind as two of the most imaginative creations I've seen outside of a Clive Barker novel.
There were a few minor editing issues here and there, but for a nearly 500-page book, that's not bad. Even the Big 6 publishers release books with editing mistakes these days. Aside from Preston's tendency to slightly overuse commas and "and," there really were no issues I had with the writing. The narrative was mostly dark, but peppered with some great moments of levity. Plenty of twists, gore galore. I would recommend Joe Coffin without reservation. I mean, vampires and the mob—what more do you want?
April 1, 2015
Another vampire novel? Aren’t there enough of them out there? And come on, the name Joe Coffin: can we get any more obvious in a horror story? What’s with the Season One thing on the cover, anyway?
Reasonable questions.
Get over them. This is a really good book. Author Ken Preston makes everything work. He delivers gore, scares, pathos, and even some laughs in a bloody bundle that is much greater than the sum of its parts.
Preston tells us that Joe Coffin was written in serial form, but it doesn’t read that way: one of its many strengths. Told from multiple points of view through a cast of unlikable characters that you still can’t help but like, it describes a kind of vampire outbreak in modern day Birmingham, England (not Birmingham, Alabama). Most of the action centers around the titular Joe Coffin and his family: both his immediate family and the Slaughterhouse Gang, the criminal mob he works for.
Preston humanizes the brutal giant of a man named Joe, making him larger than just a mobster with an occasionally tender heart. Joe’s got a comfort level with violence that can be frightening, but it doesn’t quite make him a monster: the vampires are clearly the monsters here. The other characters also manage to shatter boundaries that would otherwise make them forgettable: Tom the wannabe tough guy, Emma the foul-mouthed reporter, Craggs the mob boss. Stump and Corpse, a pair of bit players, are unforgettable, disgusting, and hilarious.
The one major problem with the book that took it from great to really good was the liberal use of commas; it’s as if Preston was being paid by the comma. For the vast majority of the book there were very few grammatical errors, but when you overuse commas, it tends to slow the reading down. As readers, we’re taught to pause, however briefly, when we see a comma. That really needs to be cleared up in a future edition, because it takes the reader out of the text.
Plot-wise, everything is character-driven. Who the characters are and what they do affect the events of the narrative: it’s how Preston made a serialized series of chapters into a complete, tightly-written novel that you just want to keep reading. The plot’s complexity echoes the characters’ depth.
My other concern was the ending, which was a bit rushed and anticlimactic. At times you want to have some of the action happen off-camera, so to speak, but in a graphic, visceral story like this, we’re looking for blood and guts. We didn’t quite get that at the end. While many of the novel’s story arcs come together at the finale, it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger. That’s just fine: anyone who complains about a cliffhanger ending wants to know what happens next, so they’ve been drawn in. It happened with me. I’m looking forward to the next season.
There’s so much crap out there that it’s sometimes difficult to find the diamonds in the muck. Ken Preston’s Joe Coffin shines bright and bloody, and I’m glad to recommend it.
(Review posted at Ginger Nuts of Horror: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/4/post/...)
Reasonable questions.
Get over them. This is a really good book. Author Ken Preston makes everything work. He delivers gore, scares, pathos, and even some laughs in a bloody bundle that is much greater than the sum of its parts.
Preston tells us that Joe Coffin was written in serial form, but it doesn’t read that way: one of its many strengths. Told from multiple points of view through a cast of unlikable characters that you still can’t help but like, it describes a kind of vampire outbreak in modern day Birmingham, England (not Birmingham, Alabama). Most of the action centers around the titular Joe Coffin and his family: both his immediate family and the Slaughterhouse Gang, the criminal mob he works for.
Preston humanizes the brutal giant of a man named Joe, making him larger than just a mobster with an occasionally tender heart. Joe’s got a comfort level with violence that can be frightening, but it doesn’t quite make him a monster: the vampires are clearly the monsters here. The other characters also manage to shatter boundaries that would otherwise make them forgettable: Tom the wannabe tough guy, Emma the foul-mouthed reporter, Craggs the mob boss. Stump and Corpse, a pair of bit players, are unforgettable, disgusting, and hilarious.
The one major problem with the book that took it from great to really good was the liberal use of commas; it’s as if Preston was being paid by the comma. For the vast majority of the book there were very few grammatical errors, but when you overuse commas, it tends to slow the reading down. As readers, we’re taught to pause, however briefly, when we see a comma. That really needs to be cleared up in a future edition, because it takes the reader out of the text.
Plot-wise, everything is character-driven. Who the characters are and what they do affect the events of the narrative: it’s how Preston made a serialized series of chapters into a complete, tightly-written novel that you just want to keep reading. The plot’s complexity echoes the characters’ depth.
My other concern was the ending, which was a bit rushed and anticlimactic. At times you want to have some of the action happen off-camera, so to speak, but in a graphic, visceral story like this, we’re looking for blood and guts. We didn’t quite get that at the end. While many of the novel’s story arcs come together at the finale, it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger. That’s just fine: anyone who complains about a cliffhanger ending wants to know what happens next, so they’ve been drawn in. It happened with me. I’m looking forward to the next season.
There’s so much crap out there that it’s sometimes difficult to find the diamonds in the muck. Ken Preston’s Joe Coffin shines bright and bloody, and I’m glad to recommend it.
(Review posted at Ginger Nuts of Horror: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/4/post/...)
September 9, 2016
Review of JOE COFFIN SEASON ONE by Ken Preston
A nonstop, heart-in-mouth, no-holds-barred, supernatural thriller, JOE COFFIN SEASON ONE is also rife with complex character evolution, deep thought processes, emotional highs and lows--and oh yes, gore, violence, sensuality, profanity, and vampires. You read that right! JOE COFFIN SEASON ONE is a vampire thriller, but I don't think you'll find anything like it in any other vampire story, no matter how well done.
Joe Coffin, our eponymous protagonist, is a "man-mountain," an individual in size much like The Incredible Hulk, a man who came into his stature in adolescence, the product of an abusive childhood (and he is certainly not the only one of those in this story), a pariah in school, a man who brooks no nonsense, but is easily led astray (only by women). He is the right-hand man of the eighty-year-old patriarch of Birmingham, England's Slaughterhouse Mob, a paternalistic leader who demands loyalty of his crew and of their wives/girlfriends. Joe, of course, is also a killer, but he is a killer with thought as well as an assassin killing to order.
While in prison for an assault, Joe's wife Steffanie and toddler son Michael are brutally killed. On release, Tom Mills, another member of the Mob, directs Joe to the alleged killers, whom Joe then kills. However, Tom has his own complex web of deceit going on, and as Joe proceeds to detangle it, with the aid of determined journalist Emma Wylde, more is uncovered than anyone could expect: not Joe, Emma, or Emma's live-in DCI Nick Asher. For the killer of Joe's family, and several others, is undead: a vampire, soon to be titled by newspapers "The Birmingham Vampire." It's very difficult to put a vampire down for the final count, as our hero repeatedly discovers.
A nonstop, heart-in-mouth, no-holds-barred, supernatural thriller, JOE COFFIN SEASON ONE is also rife with complex character evolution, deep thought processes, emotional highs and lows--and oh yes, gore, violence, sensuality, profanity, and vampires. You read that right! JOE COFFIN SEASON ONE is a vampire thriller, but I don't think you'll find anything like it in any other vampire story, no matter how well done.
Joe Coffin, our eponymous protagonist, is a "man-mountain," an individual in size much like The Incredible Hulk, a man who came into his stature in adolescence, the product of an abusive childhood (and he is certainly not the only one of those in this story), a pariah in school, a man who brooks no nonsense, but is easily led astray (only by women). He is the right-hand man of the eighty-year-old patriarch of Birmingham, England's Slaughterhouse Mob, a paternalistic leader who demands loyalty of his crew and of their wives/girlfriends. Joe, of course, is also a killer, but he is a killer with thought as well as an assassin killing to order.
While in prison for an assault, Joe's wife Steffanie and toddler son Michael are brutally killed. On release, Tom Mills, another member of the Mob, directs Joe to the alleged killers, whom Joe then kills. However, Tom has his own complex web of deceit going on, and as Joe proceeds to detangle it, with the aid of determined journalist Emma Wylde, more is uncovered than anyone could expect: not Joe, Emma, or Emma's live-in DCI Nick Asher. For the killer of Joe's family, and several others, is undead: a vampire, soon to be titled by newspapers "The Birmingham Vampire." It's very difficult to put a vampire down for the final count, as our hero repeatedly discovers.
March 23, 2017
Joe Coffin is one of the most original stories I have read all year. Written in a serial format, and published in seasons like my favorite Dexter episodes from Showtime, this book has been described as vampire suspense and British gangsters. And it certainly delivers that in spades. For a lengthy, 400+ page tome, the book delivers non-stop action, massive amounts of bodily fluids, and a sprinkling of humor. The book's hero, ex-convict and muscle for the Slaughterhouse Mob, is Joe Coffin, a man with a strong sense of honor and a distinct lack of aversion to bloodletting. The story is told through the shifting perspectives of the various characters of the book, which serves to keep such a longer read fresh and interesting. Joe Coffin is amazing stuff, and I'm looking forward to Season Two.
August 15, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
Vampires & gangsters. What more could you ask for?!
I really enjoyed this book. I liked both the main characters (Coffin & Emma) a lot. And I loved to hate the bad ones!!
Fast paced and left me wanting to get straight on to season 2!!
If you like vampires with a gangster twist then this is the book for you.
Vampires & gangsters. What more could you ask for?!
I really enjoyed this book. I liked both the main characters (Coffin & Emma) a lot. And I loved to hate the bad ones!!
Fast paced and left me wanting to get straight on to season 2!!
If you like vampires with a gangster twist then this is the book for you.
January 6, 2016
I am not sure if the tv series format is Preston's idea or not, but I am in love with Preston's style. He has written an extremely fast-paced, character-driven story that does not shy away from anything!
(You know the author means business when a ten-year-old kid gets his throat torn open in the first chapter/episode of the book!)
Preston immediately draws you into his story, and his writing is very realistic. (You feel as if you are a part of the story, as if it could actually be true.)
Preston is also a Master of suspense! (there are several "hold-your-breath" moments)
I also enjoyed the names of each chapter, and I hope to see more of Mr. Corpse & Mrs. Stump - two very intriguing side-characters.
As for Coffin, he is the perfect protagonist to the story. For you comic book fans, he reminds me of 'Joe Fixit' which is funny, considering that shortly after I told my wife that, Preston wrote the line, "The man was huge. Paint him green and rip his trouser legs off at the knee, and he'd be the Incredible Hulk." (too funny!)
Season Two (episodes 5 - 8) is already out, so you can expect a future review of that book, guaranteed!
In the meantime, someone needs to turn this series into an actual television show, pronto!
(You know the author means business when a ten-year-old kid gets his throat torn open in the first chapter/episode of the book!)
Preston immediately draws you into his story, and his writing is very realistic. (You feel as if you are a part of the story, as if it could actually be true.)
Preston is also a Master of suspense! (there are several "hold-your-breath" moments)
I also enjoyed the names of each chapter, and I hope to see more of Mr. Corpse & Mrs. Stump - two very intriguing side-characters.
As for Coffin, he is the perfect protagonist to the story. For you comic book fans, he reminds me of 'Joe Fixit' which is funny, considering that shortly after I told my wife that, Preston wrote the line, "The man was huge. Paint him green and rip his trouser legs off at the knee, and he'd be the Incredible Hulk." (too funny!)
Season Two (episodes 5 - 8) is already out, so you can expect a future review of that book, guaranteed!
In the meantime, someone needs to turn this series into an actual television show, pronto!
December 16, 2015
The vampires in this book are not the sparkling benign type but disgusting brutal murderers. I was hooked from the start in this wild action packed ride. While reading, I kept picturing Joe Coffin as Coffey from Stephen King's "The Green Mile" in stature only, certainly not a misunderstood kind soul. Joe has just been released from prison and seeking revenge for the brutal murder of his wife and young son. He is the enforcer for the Slaughterhouse Gang and hopes to get help from his mentor to track the killers. After receiving bad info and investigating himself, he finds himself teaming up with a pushy glory seeking woman reporter named Emma. What they find is beyond belief: vampires. These vampires are gross looking brutal murderers. In the fight for their lives they discover many shocking truths. This would make a great television mini series. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great vampire story. Well done Ken Preston you have made a new fan. Starting Joe Coffin Season Two now and ready for another wild ride. A big thumbs up.
May 9, 2016
"In terms of a book? This is just superb. It’s written in the style of being a Teevee series. Each chapter has its own title that make them unique and quirky. Some of them will make you laugh out loud at what you think might be in them before you even read them. Each chapter is like an episode of the series. Each one ends with its own little cliff hanger and forces you into turning the page immediately to see what’s on the other side. This is very clever writing."
See here for full review:
Joe Coffin: Season One
See here for full review:
Joe Coffin: Season One
March 8, 2017
Joe Coffin Season One is a nice pairing of mobsters and vampires. I liked the main character, Joe, despite the fact that he was a mob enforcer. Somewhat paradoxical that he is the better man compared to the police officer. The action was well paced. The other characters were also well written. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
March 27, 2021
I really didn’t know what to expect when starting this book, but it got me hooked instantly. I could not put it down!
It’s dark, fast paced and has really well developed, interesting characters. Book number two is already on the way!
Not just another vampire book!
It’s dark, fast paced and has really well developed, interesting characters. Book number two is already on the way!
Not just another vampire book!
December 4, 2015
This Was an Awesome Read! The Author puts you right into the action and Mystery only to let you Go at the End of the book making you want more!!
Loved The Book, I Highly recommend!!!
Loved The Book, I Highly recommend!!!
September 6, 2019
Preston combines the unpolished horror of Eastern European legends with the brutality of gangland culture to create a tale that provides the purity of classic vampire stories without the simplistic moral binary.
Joe Coffin’s second wife and young son were brutally murdered while he was in prison. So, when the fellow member of the Slaughterhouse gang who picks him up on the day of his release says he’s found the men who did it, Coffin doesn’t hesitate. However, after his wrath has faded, the story starts to feel a little implausible. Meanwhile, the son of his first wife is missing, trapped in a cellar and bled daily by mysterious captors. A gangster to the core, Coffin doesn’t trust the police to deal with either situation, but—as the issues surrounding each of his former wives start to overlap—he begins to wonder if he can trust anything (or anyone) other than his fists.
At it’s most basic, this is a tale of a criminal and thug discovering the existence of vampires, inviting comparison with From Dusk Till Dawn. However, while a nightclub is a significant venue, Preston sets the action in the gang-owned streets of Birmingham, creating a much more visceral experience than Tarantino’s glamorous violence.
The evocation of Birmingham’s criminal underworld is bleak. Preston neither conceals nor excuses that these are wife-beaters and murderers, led by a man who expects wives to stay with their abusers for the image of the gang. This is a world where the closest to virtue anyone gets is redistributing protection payments so businesses run by petty criminals seem to have underpaid rather than businesses run by decent people.
Preston’s vampires fit the world of real gangster culture perfectly. These are brutal creatures, devoid of nobility or honour. While sexual, it is a tawdry display of self-gratification, stripped of the smouldering passions that often gild vampiric sex.
And Preston’s language and descriptions fit this: torn flesh is displayed in full rather than hinted at through character’s reactions; characters swear crudely and often. This is not a book for readers who want their rogues charming or their vampires romantic.
The one thing that might interfere with immersion into this gritty world of thugs and predators is Coffin’s name. Although Coffin is an actual British surname, readers unfamiliar with that might find it unconsciously echoes the names of more stylised Gothic tales. Conversely, those readers very familiar with British names might wonder at how a gang enforcer in Birmingham ended up with the surname of Devonshire nobility. This is a minor distraction though, that—if suffered at all—is likely to pass after a few chapters.
While Coffin is the centre of the story, Preston also uses other viewpoint characters: this access to other sources of information both provides the reader with evidence Coffin’s strategy is based on imperfect knowledge, heightening the tension, and allows for the introduction of visceral vampire action earlier in the book, removing any frustration the reader might feel at a vampire tale that doesn’t feature vampires without requiring Coffin to be almost wilfully obtuse in his refusal to work out what is going on.
This book contains the first four sections of an ongoing serialised narrative. However, this might not be obvious to most readers had Preston not highlighted it in advance. The transitions between the parts are smooth, noticeable only as more than a chapter break by the presence of a page marking the change. Whereas, the last pages of part four close off the arc of Coffin’s investigations into his wives’ problems, creating the same sense of closure as the ending of a normal novel.
Coffin is a sympathetic protagonist. While he is a committed criminal who embraces violence as both a career and a knee-jerk reaction, the glimpses of his past explain—without either justifying or glamourising—his choice to become chief legbreaker for a gang lord. Additionally, in a world where all the characters hurt each other emotionally, his weakness is pretty faces, avoiding the stereotype of thug-with-a-heart-of-gold while retaining the “virtue” of genuinely caring about his family, current and former. Coffin is also—although casually violent—not stupid or monomaniacal: he thinks about his actions and uses cunning or discussion if they seem a more profitable option.
The supporting cast are similarly multi-dimensional: reporters are united by nosiness but have distinct goals; gangsters disdain the law but each do so out of a different combination of group loyalties and moral priorities; and vampires approach the issue of ravaging humans with all the personal variety that individual humans display in pursuit of the same goal.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. I recommend it to readers seeking horror where the vampires are monsters not misunderstood creatures.
Joe Coffin’s second wife and young son were brutally murdered while he was in prison. So, when the fellow member of the Slaughterhouse gang who picks him up on the day of his release says he’s found the men who did it, Coffin doesn’t hesitate. However, after his wrath has faded, the story starts to feel a little implausible. Meanwhile, the son of his first wife is missing, trapped in a cellar and bled daily by mysterious captors. A gangster to the core, Coffin doesn’t trust the police to deal with either situation, but—as the issues surrounding each of his former wives start to overlap—he begins to wonder if he can trust anything (or anyone) other than his fists.
At it’s most basic, this is a tale of a criminal and thug discovering the existence of vampires, inviting comparison with From Dusk Till Dawn. However, while a nightclub is a significant venue, Preston sets the action in the gang-owned streets of Birmingham, creating a much more visceral experience than Tarantino’s glamorous violence.
The evocation of Birmingham’s criminal underworld is bleak. Preston neither conceals nor excuses that these are wife-beaters and murderers, led by a man who expects wives to stay with their abusers for the image of the gang. This is a world where the closest to virtue anyone gets is redistributing protection payments so businesses run by petty criminals seem to have underpaid rather than businesses run by decent people.
Preston’s vampires fit the world of real gangster culture perfectly. These are brutal creatures, devoid of nobility or honour. While sexual, it is a tawdry display of self-gratification, stripped of the smouldering passions that often gild vampiric sex.
And Preston’s language and descriptions fit this: torn flesh is displayed in full rather than hinted at through character’s reactions; characters swear crudely and often. This is not a book for readers who want their rogues charming or their vampires romantic.
The one thing that might interfere with immersion into this gritty world of thugs and predators is Coffin’s name. Although Coffin is an actual British surname, readers unfamiliar with that might find it unconsciously echoes the names of more stylised Gothic tales. Conversely, those readers very familiar with British names might wonder at how a gang enforcer in Birmingham ended up with the surname of Devonshire nobility. This is a minor distraction though, that—if suffered at all—is likely to pass after a few chapters.
While Coffin is the centre of the story, Preston also uses other viewpoint characters: this access to other sources of information both provides the reader with evidence Coffin’s strategy is based on imperfect knowledge, heightening the tension, and allows for the introduction of visceral vampire action earlier in the book, removing any frustration the reader might feel at a vampire tale that doesn’t feature vampires without requiring Coffin to be almost wilfully obtuse in his refusal to work out what is going on.
This book contains the first four sections of an ongoing serialised narrative. However, this might not be obvious to most readers had Preston not highlighted it in advance. The transitions between the parts are smooth, noticeable only as more than a chapter break by the presence of a page marking the change. Whereas, the last pages of part four close off the arc of Coffin’s investigations into his wives’ problems, creating the same sense of closure as the ending of a normal novel.
Coffin is a sympathetic protagonist. While he is a committed criminal who embraces violence as both a career and a knee-jerk reaction, the glimpses of his past explain—without either justifying or glamourising—his choice to become chief legbreaker for a gang lord. Additionally, in a world where all the characters hurt each other emotionally, his weakness is pretty faces, avoiding the stereotype of thug-with-a-heart-of-gold while retaining the “virtue” of genuinely caring about his family, current and former. Coffin is also—although casually violent—not stupid or monomaniacal: he thinks about his actions and uses cunning or discussion if they seem a more profitable option.
The supporting cast are similarly multi-dimensional: reporters are united by nosiness but have distinct goals; gangsters disdain the law but each do so out of a different combination of group loyalties and moral priorities; and vampires approach the issue of ravaging humans with all the personal variety that individual humans display in pursuit of the same goal.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. I recommend it to readers seeking horror where the vampires are monsters not misunderstood creatures.
January 27, 2020
I don’t normally like books about vampires, but this one sounded so interesting I had to give it a try. Joe Coffin has just got out of prison and finds out that his wife and young son (4-5) have been killed. Joe is a mobster, but I couldn’t help but like him from the start, he seems to want to try to do the right thing. He has to take some else’s word as to who killed them, but after taking care of business, it just doesn’t feel right. Then he finds that his first wife’s son is missing and starts looking for him. Now Joe USA big man that most people wound want to mess with, but he is not one who goes out killing to be killing and especially not kids. I never want to give away too much in my review, but he finds a man that he believes Knows knows where this boy is. He ends up killing this man (or at least he seems dead when he leaves him). He gets the boy to the hospital and he has lost a lot of blood and has a place on his arm that is infected. But unlike normally joe doesn’t come out of the fight unscathed and has to see the mob doctor to get stitched up. There is so much action in this Season One book, I could go on forever just about Joe and the mob, but there is so much more going on at the same time. I this is book would make a great movie or at least a TV series and again I don’t normally like vampire books, T.V. or movies about vampire but as we see latter on vampires are not easily killed. There aren’t so many people in the book that it would get confusing ina movie, but I feel you need all the action and characters that are in the book. There re some really weir folks in here that I would love to see played out on screen like Corpse, who with his wife are just plain creepy, but aren’t vampires.
Ther is also a 32 yr old woman reporter who writes for the Birmingham Hear,d who is really trying to get a big break with a story or book and she thinks following Joe is the way to make it happen. She also lives with a cop when all of the killings of young women start taking place, he wants to find Joe and put him back in prison for a long time. There is a character who is married to Joe’s ex and it is his son that is missing, but he seems to not care enough to be out helping hunt for them. The head Mobster owns all the bars, stripclubs in town and Joe is his favorite so he tires to help. Things get crazy at one of the clubs with several people being killed and then Emma , the reporter is trying to find the missing girl, ends up being captured by the first guy Joe got in a figh with and killed, or so we thought. By the end of Season One I am not sure how many vampires are in town. Emma ends up trying to help Joe which of course doesn’t go over well with her boyfriend, the cop. I could go on and on because it is so good but it is so jammed packed with action that even if you were like me and wasn’t sure about a.book with vampires you reLly need to check this one out for yourself. It i is a great horror/scary book with giving it a try if you love or hate vampires. I will say I only read it during the day. I can’t wait for Season 2 and I really think you will want to read these in order or you will miss out on so much. I am honestly shocked at myself for loving this book, can’t wait to read the next one and would really love to see this as a movie if not a series on Netflix or somewhere similar. It beats the Walking Dead heads down. Everyone get the Season One book and I don’t think you will regret it at all.
June 10, 2021
Joe Coffin, was written by Ken Preston and this is no romance or cozy story. If that is what you are looking for I would not recommend this book for you. Ken has written a world that was vibrant and full of colour, the colour being RED, as there is whole lot of blood, gore, torture and dead bodies.
Joe Coffin has just come out of prison, and his mind is set on revenge, revenge for the murder of his beautiful wife and young son. So within hours of being set free he is elbow deep in the murder of 2 young men who were living like they were vampires, the vampires that were responsible for the murder of his family …. Or were they. Joe teams up with a hotshot journalist, and they learn the truth together and look out for each other.
Ken has written a fast paced story of the journey of discovering a world that was just thought of as fantasy. The main character, Joe Coffin is a badass, a respected member of the mob, doesn’t take any rubbish from anyone, but if you are a friend he considers you part of his family and he would do anything for you, protect you even at the risk of his own life. He is the badassed good guy, someone you would want on your side when the chips are down.
There is nothing glamourous about this book, it is earthy, gritty and downright dirty in places. His characters are real, they are flawed, and full of attitude. He got me interested and then kept me interested, I was engaged from the very first page to the last, even reading when I should have been asleep, just to find out what happened next. I was disappointed when the story ended, because there were still plenty of questions that need to be answered, so am now in the wonderful position that I must read the next one.
I have been gifted this book by the author via Voracious Readers Only. I would recommend this book to mature readers into fantasy and action, it is not suitable for young or immature readers.
Joe Coffin has just come out of prison, and his mind is set on revenge, revenge for the murder of his beautiful wife and young son. So within hours of being set free he is elbow deep in the murder of 2 young men who were living like they were vampires, the vampires that were responsible for the murder of his family …. Or were they. Joe teams up with a hotshot journalist, and they learn the truth together and look out for each other.
Ken has written a fast paced story of the journey of discovering a world that was just thought of as fantasy. The main character, Joe Coffin is a badass, a respected member of the mob, doesn’t take any rubbish from anyone, but if you are a friend he considers you part of his family and he would do anything for you, protect you even at the risk of his own life. He is the badassed good guy, someone you would want on your side when the chips are down.
There is nothing glamourous about this book, it is earthy, gritty and downright dirty in places. His characters are real, they are flawed, and full of attitude. He got me interested and then kept me interested, I was engaged from the very first page to the last, even reading when I should have been asleep, just to find out what happened next. I was disappointed when the story ended, because there were still plenty of questions that need to be answered, so am now in the wonderful position that I must read the next one.
I have been gifted this book by the author via Voracious Readers Only. I would recommend this book to mature readers into fantasy and action, it is not suitable for young or immature readers.
November 25, 2018
I received a free e-copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I had no idea what to expect with this book. I will say, I thought this was going to be zombies, not vampires. But I really enjoyed this book!
Joe Coffin is fresh out of prison and is on the hunt for the people that murdered his wife and child. Emma is a reporter interested in the SlaughterHouse Mob. And Birmingham has a vampire problem. That is the best I can do to summarise without spoilers.
This book is violent, this book has profanity, this book is excellent.
I loved all the characters. I cannot say that there is one that I dislike. And the plot flows nicely. It reads as though you are watching a binge-worthy television series.
I am going to say, my only criticism is descriptive words are often repeated in the same page/chapter. Yes, that is me being very nitpicky, but seeing the word 'he scrambled to the side' three times on one page is a bit...I don't want to see frustrating, but that is the first word that comes to my head. That is the first example that comes to mind. However, the description gets better throughout the book.
I loved this book. And I am very excited to pick up the second book at some point in the future. Hopefully, book two answers the questions I have.
I had no idea what to expect with this book. I will say, I thought this was going to be zombies, not vampires. But I really enjoyed this book!
Joe Coffin is fresh out of prison and is on the hunt for the people that murdered his wife and child. Emma is a reporter interested in the SlaughterHouse Mob. And Birmingham has a vampire problem. That is the best I can do to summarise without spoilers.
This book is violent, this book has profanity, this book is excellent.
I loved all the characters. I cannot say that there is one that I dislike. And the plot flows nicely. It reads as though you are watching a binge-worthy television series.
I am going to say, my only criticism is descriptive words are often repeated in the same page/chapter. Yes, that is me being very nitpicky, but seeing the word 'he scrambled to the side' three times on one page is a bit...I don't want to see frustrating, but that is the first word that comes to my head. That is the first example that comes to mind. However, the description gets better throughout the book.
I loved this book. And I am very excited to pick up the second book at some point in the future. Hopefully, book two answers the questions I have.
November 2, 2018
I am ambivalent about this book...the last chapters certainly had my interest, but it was a slow go through the first chapters to get hooked, no matter how well written the character or action was. Perhaps it was the tv serial style that just threw me off my pace, but I'm used to powering through horror books and thrillers avidly. This book, however, I found too easy to put down in between episodes. That's not to say that it wasn't a fun read though...plenty of blood, guts and vampire gore with some well played twists. The ending, as expected, is not...leading into other tv seasons...which will thrill the fans of the undead plot. I can't really say that I honestly want to see what happens to these characters in season two, however, as I just didn't become that attached. I made a point of not checking out any other reviews to be able to read without being "under the influence" as this was a Voracious Readers Only complimentary copy and I wanted to give it fair play. But at the end of the day, despite Joe Coffin being a very memorable antihero, and the prose fast and responsive, it still left me not sure as to whether or not I would invest the time to engage in series two.
September 13, 2017
I Loved this book so far (meaning I cannot wait to get my teeth into the other books/episodes)! This book is gritty, scary, and written just right! The characters are well thought out and well written. This story takes you to some dark places and scares you and thrills you and then sets you back on your way. The main character even though is a tough brute, is a bit of a hero too! He reminds me of those characters that will beat/kill anyone for their job etc. yet when it comes to those they love/care for they will do anything to protect them and care for them. A brute with a heart so to speak. I really like how this was laid out giving you glimpses into each of the characters lives and then throwing them into the mix that becomes a real nightmare. There is more than one "bad guy" in this story as well and that feeds to our hero's angst. However, he takes those punches and keeps on going until he is able to get to his goal. Great story, I really am looking forward to the other episodes. A vampire story you would not expect, a nice shift from the sparkly, well dressed, fancy vampire stories we so often read these days. Well done
May 2, 2021
Oh, I love Joe Coffin. I know I shouldn't, but in the same way I love Dexter, Joe is just ... misunderstood? Anyway, Joe Coffin is a member of the Slaughterhouse Mob, a gang of criminals and thugs, set in Britain. As the mob leader's right-hand man, Joe can do no wrong.
One day, his wife and 4 year old son are brutally murdered, their thoughts gruesomely ripped open. Joe is in prison at the time, but when he is released, he makes it his mission to track down and kill whoever did this.
Here begins Joe's introduction to the supernatural world of vampires, mixed in with some human evil as well.
Very well written, with characters you will end up loving and rooting for, as others you will despise. The plotting is also very good, with the suspense and dread building and crashing like waves throughout the book. Twists and turns abound as well. My only criticism is that at times, the author tends to repeat himself, often from one paragraph to another. This tended to happen more towards the end of the book, and was a minor irritant at worst. It did lose a star for that, but I am really looking forward to reading Season Two!
One day, his wife and 4 year old son are brutally murdered, their thoughts gruesomely ripped open. Joe is in prison at the time, but when he is released, he makes it his mission to track down and kill whoever did this.
Here begins Joe's introduction to the supernatural world of vampires, mixed in with some human evil as well.
Very well written, with characters you will end up loving and rooting for, as others you will despise. The plotting is also very good, with the suspense and dread building and crashing like waves throughout the book. Twists and turns abound as well. My only criticism is that at times, the author tends to repeat himself, often from one paragraph to another. This tended to happen more towards the end of the book, and was a minor irritant at worst. It did lose a star for that, but I am really looking forward to reading Season Two!
December 3, 2019
If you want to read something a little different, "Joe Coffin, Season One" is a must-read. The protagonist, Joe Coffin, a member of the Slaughterhouse Mob, has recently lost his wife and young son in a brutal murder. Now that he is finally released from prison, he wants to avenge his family while managing to stay off the law's radar. Unfortunately, events conspire against him to keep him constantly in a state of peril. This book absolutely teems with vampires and other unsavory sorts. There are plenty of plot twists and turns, with non-stop action, and no idyllic interludes. As you come to the end of the book, there will be a few loose ends that will leave you will anticipating the next "season." Be advised that this book contains coarse language and depicts more than a little sex and graphic violence. However, I believe that this is necessary to the characters and to the overall tone of the series. I highly recommend this book to those who love horror, crime, and suspense thrillers. I obtained my copy of this book through "For Voracious Readers Only,"
April 18, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers. Thank you... thank you... thank you…. What a heart in your mouth, fast paced thrill of a ride. It is such an original story and it had me hooked from page one.
This is not a twinkly brooding vampire story this is more a gutsy full-on Snatch style gangster crime thriller that leaves you breathless for more. I loved it and I do want more!!
Joe lost his family to vampires in Birmingham and has in turn become a vampire hunter. I could not help but cheer for Joe. He is the bad arse you want in your corner if everything goes pear shape. I also loved Stump and Corpse…
The story races along at a fast pace, it can be confronting, engrossing and quite violent: Joe does not hold back. The characters are 3 dimensional, the world is vivid and the book is written as if it was a TV series so it is quick, sharp, and strong.
I read it in one sitting and if it were a Netflix series, I would have binge watched. This book… an absolute cracker!
This is not a twinkly brooding vampire story this is more a gutsy full-on Snatch style gangster crime thriller that leaves you breathless for more. I loved it and I do want more!!
Joe lost his family to vampires in Birmingham and has in turn become a vampire hunter. I could not help but cheer for Joe. He is the bad arse you want in your corner if everything goes pear shape. I also loved Stump and Corpse…
The story races along at a fast pace, it can be confronting, engrossing and quite violent: Joe does not hold back. The characters are 3 dimensional, the world is vivid and the book is written as if it was a TV series so it is quick, sharp, and strong.
I read it in one sitting and if it were a Netflix series, I would have binge watched. This book… an absolute cracker!
January 27, 2019
I usually avoid anything to do with vampires after all the sappy romances that sprung from Twilight, and what I hate more than romance novels, is vampire romance novels.
I'm glad I didn't skip this since it is nothing like a sappy vampire romance. It's gory and sexual (in a weird, twisted vampire way that reminds me of Fright Night) and nicely transitions from a revenge story to a vigilante one, where an unlikely mobster takes it upon himself to put down evil instead of turning a blind eye.
I like the structure of the book and it's interesting using a season/series layout. Sectioning off the parts in episodes makes the book seem faster passed and avoids boring backdrop of the characters every thought process.
Books should be made into TV shows more often than films based on this structure, since more detail, story and character development wouldn't be lost.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my review*
I'm glad I didn't skip this since it is nothing like a sappy vampire romance. It's gory and sexual (in a weird, twisted vampire way that reminds me of Fright Night) and nicely transitions from a revenge story to a vigilante one, where an unlikely mobster takes it upon himself to put down evil instead of turning a blind eye.
I like the structure of the book and it's interesting using a season/series layout. Sectioning off the parts in episodes makes the book seem faster passed and avoids boring backdrop of the characters every thought process.
Books should be made into TV shows more often than films based on this structure, since more detail, story and character development wouldn't be lost.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my review*
May 28, 2019
This is one enjoyable read! Ken Preston combines the mob, old school vampires, the press, and a wide range of other characters to create a gritty story set in the United Kingdom. The writing is very tight and thoroughly coherent. Joe Coffin is the archetype of the large hard man with a tender heart, just what you want when vampires are involved. Someone in Joe's world can identify evil much easier than routine law enforcement ever will. Joe doesn't walk through things unscathed, but you get the sense he will be standing at the end of the day, even if he is missing a few parts in the process.
If you like an entertaining book written in an episodic format, this is highly recommended. The ending comes with a few dangling plot lines, but I presume they will be dealt with in the next episode, which I am about to acquire.
(Disclosure: I received a free copy through Veracious Readers Only)
If you like an entertaining book written in an episodic format, this is highly recommended. The ending comes with a few dangling plot lines, but I presume they will be dealt with in the next episode, which I am about to acquire.
(Disclosure: I received a free copy through Veracious Readers Only)
March 4, 2020
*I received a free copy of this book from the author via voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review*
If you enjoy novels about vampires that are bloodthirsty, gritty and complete gore-fests you will love this book.
The main character, a larger than life ex con with a conscience who’s lost his family and is out for revenge. The sort of character who’s easy to like, making it easy to ignore some of his less savoury characteristics.
On the counter side you have Emma, the ambitious reporter out for her career making story who introduces some crime thriller aspects, adding yet another layer.
These characters drive the story forward and keep you interested with every twist and turn. Ken Preston introduces lots of different elements in his book; mob dynamics, gory vampires, crime, mystery and yet it all works so well together and makes for a compelling read that leaves you wanting more.
If you enjoy novels about vampires that are bloodthirsty, gritty and complete gore-fests you will love this book.
The main character, a larger than life ex con with a conscience who’s lost his family and is out for revenge. The sort of character who’s easy to like, making it easy to ignore some of his less savoury characteristics.
On the counter side you have Emma, the ambitious reporter out for her career making story who introduces some crime thriller aspects, adding yet another layer.
These characters drive the story forward and keep you interested with every twist and turn. Ken Preston introduces lots of different elements in his book; mob dynamics, gory vampires, crime, mystery and yet it all works so well together and makes for a compelling read that leaves you wanting more.
May 19, 2020
Preston does a really nice job here. The book started off a bit sluggishly, with a bloody feast of violent revenge that came off a bit flat -- but sticking with the story was a treat. This offers plenty of blood, gore, mayhem and supernatural evil.
The plot I thought was above-average for the genre: "genre" being relative because this blends vampires and crime stories. There are very few "good" or "bad" people in this story. Most of the main characters fall along a spectrum from obnoxious to absolutely evil--and that’s probably the main weakness. They’re less characters than caricatures or stereotypes. The relatively less evil types are all victims. They're abused and then dead; just plain dead; abused and then undead...you get the idea.
That said, on the whole this is good, solid, faintly sleazy, mindless fun. I'm looking forward to reading the other 'seasons' and seeing what happens next!
The plot I thought was above-average for the genre: "genre" being relative because this blends vampires and crime stories. There are very few "good" or "bad" people in this story. Most of the main characters fall along a spectrum from obnoxious to absolutely evil--and that’s probably the main weakness. They’re less characters than caricatures or stereotypes. The relatively less evil types are all victims. They're abused and then dead; just plain dead; abused and then undead...you get the idea.
That said, on the whole this is good, solid, faintly sleazy, mindless fun. I'm looking forward to reading the other 'seasons' and seeing what happens next!
June 10, 2019
I enjoyed this book and will be starting the second one soon. The characters are flawed and complex, and the story is well-woven; I really had to pay attention to every word - no skimming!
Vampires, gangsters, and cops, and not all who you’d think they should be. I also like that it’s set in Birmingham, England, a place I love to visit.
What I liked most about this story is that there was nothing contrived about it. No happy coincidences, ridiculous expository scenes, and no spots where I was annoyed with a character for jumping to all the wrong conclusions and not just saying/doing what obviously needed to be said/done. I really appreciated that. It was akin to watching a film and not figuring out the plot in the first five minutes.
I’d like to thank the author and Voracious Readers Only for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Vampires, gangsters, and cops, and not all who you’d think they should be. I also like that it’s set in Birmingham, England, a place I love to visit.
What I liked most about this story is that there was nothing contrived about it. No happy coincidences, ridiculous expository scenes, and no spots where I was annoyed with a character for jumping to all the wrong conclusions and not just saying/doing what obviously needed to be said/done. I really appreciated that. It was akin to watching a film and not figuring out the plot in the first five minutes.
I’d like to thank the author and Voracious Readers Only for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2022
What do you do when you dead wife turns vampire?
Joe Coffin is a made man with the mob. While he was in jail his wife and son were murdered. Now out of jail he has one purpose in life, to kill the party responsible. In searching he finds his ex-wife's son being held as a blood bank. And it all goes down hill from there.
You have a tendency to like Joe but he consistently underestimates the bad guys. Is it because he has never faced anyone stronger? Or because it's hard to accept that now his wife is a vampire.
And Emma, a lot of grief and lives could have been saved if she didn't horde information in her search for a famous news story. Yes, she is a reporter, however; there was a phrase I heard once, "too stupid to live". That phrase sums up Emma. I don't like her character one bit.
Joe Coffin is a made man with the mob. While he was in jail his wife and son were murdered. Now out of jail he has one purpose in life, to kill the party responsible. In searching he finds his ex-wife's son being held as a blood bank. And it all goes down hill from there.
You have a tendency to like Joe but he consistently underestimates the bad guys. Is it because he has never faced anyone stronger? Or because it's hard to accept that now his wife is a vampire.
And Emma, a lot of grief and lives could have been saved if she didn't horde information in her search for a famous news story. Yes, she is a reporter, however; there was a phrase I heard once, "too stupid to live". That phrase sums up Emma. I don't like her character one bit.
July 9, 2019
Holy Mother of God.... or should I say unholy Father... this book was sickeningly good!!!! Thank you to @voraciousreadersonly for introducing me to such a terrifying author! Imagine if @guyritchie took his criminal underworld flair and wrote a book about vampires, and you have @ken.preston100. From the start, I rolled along with his motley cast of characters,Joe Coffin- a monster of a man with a conscience, Emma Wylde, a reporter that has more gumption than most people, and a slew of vampires and gangsters. This action filled plot includes discovery of the undead, crossed loyalties, and a whole lot of violence. It was so fantastically horrific in some parts that I had nightmares a couple nights. I give this book two Joe Coffin sized 👍🏼👍🏼
August 11, 2019
Received this book from Voracious Readers for a fair and honest review.
It was a good read, lots of steady action. I was very excited to see how it ended but was disappointed that.... Cliffhanger.
Now cliffhangers are awesome in the movies but personally a turn off when in a book. I prefer books have an ending and then proceed with a mystery plot that pops up to make you want to read the next book.
So as much as I'd love to give this a 5 star review I don't feel like I read the whole book as there wasn't an ending. The characters were interesting, the story was attention keeping .
I will go on to read the next book only because I want to know if Joe and Emma dealt with all the vamps and if Emma wrote her article . I need closure!!
It was a good read, lots of steady action. I was very excited to see how it ended but was disappointed that.... Cliffhanger.
Now cliffhangers are awesome in the movies but personally a turn off when in a book. I prefer books have an ending and then proceed with a mystery plot that pops up to make you want to read the next book.
So as much as I'd love to give this a 5 star review I don't feel like I read the whole book as there wasn't an ending. The characters were interesting, the story was attention keeping .
I will go on to read the next book only because I want to know if Joe and Emma dealt with all the vamps and if Emma wrote her article . I need closure!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2020
I haven’t read a vampire novel for many years, not since I dabbled and thoroughly enjoyed Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series. For a long time books with vampires in became, for me, too Twilight!! Not for me, I don’t like my vampires to be romantic creatures I like proper monsters. This book gives you exactly that. But it isn’t just the vampires that are harsh and violent even the main character Joe is no angel. However, he is still so likeable in a violent mobster type of way. The author has a really easy writing style and the intricate storylines for the various characters adds so much to your experience. I received this free copy from Voracious Readers Only and I am so pleased I did it has rekindled my joy of this genre and I look forward to series two and onwards.
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