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Fifteen Coffins
THE TRUTH CAN SET YOU FREE - OR BURY YOU.
When FBI Agent Sydney Merlot returns to her home town in northern California to wind down her late father’s PI business, she soon finds herself on the wrong side of the aftermath of a high school shooting.
Sydney’s childhood friend – who is now county sheriff – plus the local PD, the mayor’s office, and most of the town’s inhabitants, are convinced the horror ended when the gunman was killed. Now they just want to be left alone to mourn. But Sydney has other ideas – and she is not alone.
While having to work through her own personal grief, Sydney is openly intimidated and then receives anonymous threats. After discovering she is under surveillance, she begins to fear for her life. During her investigation she gains several allies, but as the days pass, Sydney doesn’t know who to trust, and which new friends might actually turn out to be foes...
When FBI Agent Sydney Merlot returns to her home town in northern California to wind down her late father’s PI business, she soon finds herself on the wrong side of the aftermath of a high school shooting.
Sydney’s childhood friend – who is now county sheriff – plus the local PD, the mayor’s office, and most of the town’s inhabitants, are convinced the horror ended when the gunman was killed. Now they just want to be left alone to mourn. But Sydney has other ideas – and she is not alone.
While having to work through her own personal grief, Sydney is openly intimidated and then receives anonymous threats. After discovering she is under surveillance, she begins to fear for her life. During her investigation she gains several allies, but as the days pass, Sydney doesn’t know who to trust, and which new friends might actually turn out to be foes...
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2020
47 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Tony J. Forder
48 books234 followersTony J Forder is the author of the bestselling DI Bliss crime thriller series. Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, The Reach of Shadows, The Death of Justice, Endless Silent Scream, Slow Slicing, The Autumn Tree, Darker Days to Come, The Lightning Rod, What Dies Inside Us, Something More to Say, and The Honourable Rogue. There is also a prequel novella available called Bliss Uncovered.
Tony’s other books include two action-adventure thrillers, Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun, featuring reluctant hero Mike Lynch. Also, The Huntsmen and The Predators, feature DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May, both police procedural novels set in Wiltshire. In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.
Tony's first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. His first love was music, and he is currently gobbling up as many remastered vinyl albums as he can. Tony has played guitar since his early childhood, and despite selling off his collection at one point he has somehow managed to reacquire a new range and is up to 5 without knowing how.
Tony is currently working on Jimmy Bliss books #14, The Stonemason’s Song.
Links
All of Tony’s links can be found on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder
Tony’s other books include two action-adventure thrillers, Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun, featuring reluctant hero Mike Lynch. Also, The Huntsmen and The Predators, feature DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May, both police procedural novels set in Wiltshire. In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.
Tony's first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. His first love was music, and he is currently gobbling up as many remastered vinyl albums as he can. Tony has played guitar since his early childhood, and despite selling off his collection at one point he has somehow managed to reacquire a new range and is up to 5 without knowing how.
Tony is currently working on Jimmy Bliss books #14, The Stonemason’s Song.
Links
All of Tony’s links can be found on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 24, 2020
I am seriously hoping that this is the first of many books to feature Sydney Merlot. If not, then the author is going to have one disappointed reader on his hands. To say how much I loved this book is a huge understatement as I thought it was absolutely brilliant!
The author sets the scene in Sydney’s home town. Sydney has gone home to take care of everything after her father’s untimely death. What she doesn’t bargain for is being asked to clear the name of the teenager who shot fourteen other pupils, which resulted in him being shot dead by the police. I have to say the storyline had my interest well and truly piqued.
It has a small town feel with Sydney causing a lot of unease with the locals who are not happy about her taking this case on. It certainly ruffles some feathers which at times had me fearing for her safety. People who she thought were friends, are turning their back on her as they would rather her leave things well alone.
Fifteen Coffins was a brilliantly enthralling read that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved Sydney as a protagonist and enjoyed getting to know her and how she works over the course of the novel. The story takes an unexpected turn and there are some seriously shocking surprises not only for Sydney but us readers as well. I am praying that the author is working on another book as Sydney is way to good a character to confine to one book.
My thanks to the author for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The author sets the scene in Sydney’s home town. Sydney has gone home to take care of everything after her father’s untimely death. What she doesn’t bargain for is being asked to clear the name of the teenager who shot fourteen other pupils, which resulted in him being shot dead by the police. I have to say the storyline had my interest well and truly piqued.
It has a small town feel with Sydney causing a lot of unease with the locals who are not happy about her taking this case on. It certainly ruffles some feathers which at times had me fearing for her safety. People who she thought were friends, are turning their back on her as they would rather her leave things well alone.
Fifteen Coffins was a brilliantly enthralling read that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved Sydney as a protagonist and enjoyed getting to know her and how she works over the course of the novel. The story takes an unexpected turn and there are some seriously shocking surprises not only for Sydney but us readers as well. I am praying that the author is working on another book as Sydney is way to good a character to confine to one book.
My thanks to the author for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
November 2, 2020
Absolutely brilliant from the concept to the planning to the details. Author Tony Forder’s best work to date had me gripping my kindle so hard that I was sure that I vibrated with pure energy.
15 coffins. 14 children dead when a gunman unleashed bullets on the students and who was later revealed to be another student after being gunned 23 times by the cops. The father of the alleged killer wanted to know the truth as he was sure that his child was innocent and the real killer was out there. He hired Sydney Merlot to look into it.
With such an exciting premise, I just couldn’t stop reading from the moment I started. The author made every word so thrilling that I was left dumbfounded at the possibility that was soon emerging. Each page led to a new shocker with Sydney deftly leading the story.
As an investigator, she was well rounded. Her personal life was the right touch to make her feel real, someone who cared for the truth, even when it hurt. Her instincts were spot-on, though sometimes I too wondered if they were pointing in the right direction.
I loved the fact that the author hid the truth so well in the prose that each subplot brought out a tiny gasp that soon got louder. The author sure made me react. Who wouldn’t with fifteen coffins.
This was a delicate issue but so well dealt that I was soon embroiled in the investigation and forgot everything as the clocked ticked away. Every second spent on reading the book felt glorious. This was how a thriller was supposed to be.
The story had it all secrets and lies, distrust and corruption. And amidst it all, stood Sydney, tall and confident, fighting the various barriers placed in her way to get to the truth, even if it meant hurting people she knew.
One story and many subplots, Tony’s talent was building up the suspense while revealing the truth sliver by sliver and tying all the loose ends together by the time the story reached the end.
FREAKING AWESOME!! You got to read this!!
15 coffins. 14 children dead when a gunman unleashed bullets on the students and who was later revealed to be another student after being gunned 23 times by the cops. The father of the alleged killer wanted to know the truth as he was sure that his child was innocent and the real killer was out there. He hired Sydney Merlot to look into it.
With such an exciting premise, I just couldn’t stop reading from the moment I started. The author made every word so thrilling that I was left dumbfounded at the possibility that was soon emerging. Each page led to a new shocker with Sydney deftly leading the story.
As an investigator, she was well rounded. Her personal life was the right touch to make her feel real, someone who cared for the truth, even when it hurt. Her instincts were spot-on, though sometimes I too wondered if they were pointing in the right direction.
I loved the fact that the author hid the truth so well in the prose that each subplot brought out a tiny gasp that soon got louder. The author sure made me react. Who wouldn’t with fifteen coffins.
This was a delicate issue but so well dealt that I was soon embroiled in the investigation and forgot everything as the clocked ticked away. Every second spent on reading the book felt glorious. This was how a thriller was supposed to be.
The story had it all secrets and lies, distrust and corruption. And amidst it all, stood Sydney, tall and confident, fighting the various barriers placed in her way to get to the truth, even if it meant hurting people she knew.
One story and many subplots, Tony’s talent was building up the suspense while revealing the truth sliver by sliver and tying all the loose ends together by the time the story reached the end.
FREAKING AWESOME!! You got to read this!!
November 10, 2020
Sydney is happily living life as an FBI Agent in San Diego when her father (a PI) dies in a hit and run accident. She travels to California to lay him to rest and sort out his affairs.
Although there are his ongoing investigations to wrap up Sydney also plans to find the missing driver responsible for pushing her Dad's vehicle off the road and to his death. The local law enforcements have been unable to find the driver responsible and it has been put down to a drunk driver. Sydney wont rest until she has answers.
The town is reeling from a school massacre but the last thing Sydney was expecting was for the father of the lad responsible for the murders to arrive in the office convinced of his son's innocence and wanting Sydney to find answers. Accepting this investigation will put Sydney in the firing line of the anger and hurt felt by the whole town but she sees something in this grieving man that tugs at her heart and she agrees to find answers.
I do love Tony's writing so I was expecting great things and I wasn't disappointed the book delivered on every level.
Sydney is a complex character but one I got to know very early into the book. She is realistic and very human. The other characters are also well thought out and they all contribute to making this book a fantastic read.
A very different take on a real life event one that makes the reader realise that there could be another answer to the one that first presents itself.
Can Sydney find out what happened on that awful day and what happened to her father?
I expected a gripping read what I got was so much more. Gripping, thought provoking, well written and a brilliant story well worth the 5 stars. More please.
I received an advance digital copy of this book but this in no way biased my review these are my own thoughts and opinions.
Although there are his ongoing investigations to wrap up Sydney also plans to find the missing driver responsible for pushing her Dad's vehicle off the road and to his death. The local law enforcements have been unable to find the driver responsible and it has been put down to a drunk driver. Sydney wont rest until she has answers.
The town is reeling from a school massacre but the last thing Sydney was expecting was for the father of the lad responsible for the murders to arrive in the office convinced of his son's innocence and wanting Sydney to find answers. Accepting this investigation will put Sydney in the firing line of the anger and hurt felt by the whole town but she sees something in this grieving man that tugs at her heart and she agrees to find answers.
I do love Tony's writing so I was expecting great things and I wasn't disappointed the book delivered on every level.
Sydney is a complex character but one I got to know very early into the book. She is realistic and very human. The other characters are also well thought out and they all contribute to making this book a fantastic read.
A very different take on a real life event one that makes the reader realise that there could be another answer to the one that first presents itself.
Can Sydney find out what happened on that awful day and what happened to her father?
I expected a gripping read what I got was so much more. Gripping, thought provoking, well written and a brilliant story well worth the 5 stars. More please.
I received an advance digital copy of this book but this in no way biased my review these are my own thoughts and opinions.
November 2, 2020
This is my first read by Forder and I totally loved it. If it had been possible to read it in one sitting I would have done but unfortunately life and work got in the way. This is a fantastic story from beginning to end.
The fabulously named Sydney Merlot (but imagine my disappointment when I discovered she drinks white wine?!) is on a leave of absence from the FBI to close up her late father's PI business in her home town of Moon Falls - finish any outstanding cases, chase invoices, tidy up the accounts and hopefully sell it as a going concern. She also intends to sell the house she grew up in as her life is now in San Diego.
As she is sorting through things in her father's office she is visited by Dexter Muller, a sad, broken man, who came looking to hire the late Mr Merlot to investigate a local school shooting some months earlier. Fourteen students were killed and the perpetrator shot dead by the police. However, Mr Muller does not believe it was so clear cut. Sydney has no plans to take on any cases, just close existing ones. However, once she hears what Muller has to say, she believes his claims should, at the very least, be investigated and agrees to take on his case. By doing so she knows she will be opening a can of worms but she has no idea just how big that can is. Because Muller is the father of the fifteenth student to die that day - the young man that law enforcement believe carried out the attack.
I adored Sydney. She's determined to give a grieving man a fair hearing and willing to lose friends over it, if that's what it takes. She's feisty and fierce but also vulnerable. She is so well written, completely authentic. There's a tiny moment early on with a bra which made me smile and shows that Forder knows his women! But not long after that, there is a scene where Sydney is thinking about her father and how there were times she pushed him away before coming 'back to where he waited with his arms, mind and heart wide open' (loved that line) before breaking down in tears of grief. So we see her at her worst as well as in happier moments - completely rounded. Dexter Muller really touched me. Although we don't see too much of him, he's a key character. And I could see the grief etched in his face, the fire which has gone from his eyes. Forder paints this broken man very well. There is a large, diverse cast of supporting characters who are all equally well drawn.
The scene setting is detailed and beautiful. Small town America, the woods, the mountains, Sydney's father's cabin, the tiny Sheriff's office at the back of the library and Bob's Diner. Very atmospheric. I could picture all of them in my mind and want to go to Bob's for coffee and pie. In fact, I'd like to go with Sydney!
The story itself is twisty and never simple, and there is a sub plot about the car accident in which Sydney's father dies. This is not an action packed, all guns blazing kind of novel, it's more character driven than that, but it is tense throughout. Sydney's enquiries put the wind up pretty much everybody so there is a threatening undertone throughout. So many times I realised I was holding my breath. The hairs on my arms were up as Sydney felt as if her every move is being watched. The denouement is exciting, scary and, ultimately, heartbreaking.
Fifteen Coffins tackles a difficult topic from a fresh point of view. It's never sensationalist and is respectful of its subject. I was totally absorbed from beginning to end. It's beautifully written with exquisite characterisation, striking descriptions and a detailed, intelligent and original storyline. It's easily one of my books of this year. I know it was written as a standalone but I have already petitioned Tony for more Sydney, and will continue to do so!
The fabulously named Sydney Merlot (but imagine my disappointment when I discovered she drinks white wine?!) is on a leave of absence from the FBI to close up her late father's PI business in her home town of Moon Falls - finish any outstanding cases, chase invoices, tidy up the accounts and hopefully sell it as a going concern. She also intends to sell the house she grew up in as her life is now in San Diego.
As she is sorting through things in her father's office she is visited by Dexter Muller, a sad, broken man, who came looking to hire the late Mr Merlot to investigate a local school shooting some months earlier. Fourteen students were killed and the perpetrator shot dead by the police. However, Mr Muller does not believe it was so clear cut. Sydney has no plans to take on any cases, just close existing ones. However, once she hears what Muller has to say, she believes his claims should, at the very least, be investigated and agrees to take on his case. By doing so she knows she will be opening a can of worms but she has no idea just how big that can is. Because Muller is the father of the fifteenth student to die that day - the young man that law enforcement believe carried out the attack.
I adored Sydney. She's determined to give a grieving man a fair hearing and willing to lose friends over it, if that's what it takes. She's feisty and fierce but also vulnerable. She is so well written, completely authentic. There's a tiny moment early on with a bra which made me smile and shows that Forder knows his women! But not long after that, there is a scene where Sydney is thinking about her father and how there were times she pushed him away before coming 'back to where he waited with his arms, mind and heart wide open' (loved that line) before breaking down in tears of grief. So we see her at her worst as well as in happier moments - completely rounded. Dexter Muller really touched me. Although we don't see too much of him, he's a key character. And I could see the grief etched in his face, the fire which has gone from his eyes. Forder paints this broken man very well. There is a large, diverse cast of supporting characters who are all equally well drawn.
The scene setting is detailed and beautiful. Small town America, the woods, the mountains, Sydney's father's cabin, the tiny Sheriff's office at the back of the library and Bob's Diner. Very atmospheric. I could picture all of them in my mind and want to go to Bob's for coffee and pie. In fact, I'd like to go with Sydney!
The story itself is twisty and never simple, and there is a sub plot about the car accident in which Sydney's father dies. This is not an action packed, all guns blazing kind of novel, it's more character driven than that, but it is tense throughout. Sydney's enquiries put the wind up pretty much everybody so there is a threatening undertone throughout. So many times I realised I was holding my breath. The hairs on my arms were up as Sydney felt as if her every move is being watched. The denouement is exciting, scary and, ultimately, heartbreaking.
Fifteen Coffins tackles a difficult topic from a fresh point of view. It's never sensationalist and is respectful of its subject. I was totally absorbed from beginning to end. It's beautifully written with exquisite characterisation, striking descriptions and a detailed, intelligent and original storyline. It's easily one of my books of this year. I know it was written as a standalone but I have already petitioned Tony for more Sydney, and will continue to do so!
November 5, 2020
Fifteen Coffins by Tony J. Forder
Tragic twisted tale that deals with an all too common occurrence – a school shooting and its aftermath. With the killer shot on site the case is closed and on the shelf until the father of the man assumed to be the killer arrives at Sydney Merlot’s father’s PI office with an alternate theory. Sydney is busy closing up her father’s estate and should be eager to get back to San Diego and her FBI job but Mr. Muller is compelling and thus begins a story I could not put down! Whether or not this becomes a series is up to the author as Sydney would be the great lead in a series BUT it is also complete and fine as a standalone story.
What I liked:
* Sydney: Grieving, inquisitive, tenacious, strong, stalwart friend, humorous, a woman I would like to get to know better.
* The alternate theory posed by Mr. Muller about his son Kevin – a new twist on the school shooting genre/theme.
* The plotting that slowly revealed tidbits that lead to a stunning conclusion
* Not knowing who Sydney could really trust
* That it seemed feasible, gritty, raw, and real
* Jordan: Sydney’s intriguing but rather new boyfriend of which we did not see nearly enough. I liked him but wonder what his part would be if this becomes a series.
* The location and small-town setting
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* The true evil of the criminals in this story – won’t say who they are but they are horrible and deserve all that comes their way….hope it DOES come their way!
* Having to say goodbye to Sydney without knowing where her life will go next – will it be a series or one and done?
Did I like this book? Oh my, yes!
Would I read more by this author? Definitely!
Thank you to the author and BOTBS Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Tragic twisted tale that deals with an all too common occurrence – a school shooting and its aftermath. With the killer shot on site the case is closed and on the shelf until the father of the man assumed to be the killer arrives at Sydney Merlot’s father’s PI office with an alternate theory. Sydney is busy closing up her father’s estate and should be eager to get back to San Diego and her FBI job but Mr. Muller is compelling and thus begins a story I could not put down! Whether or not this becomes a series is up to the author as Sydney would be the great lead in a series BUT it is also complete and fine as a standalone story.
What I liked:
* Sydney: Grieving, inquisitive, tenacious, strong, stalwart friend, humorous, a woman I would like to get to know better.
* The alternate theory posed by Mr. Muller about his son Kevin – a new twist on the school shooting genre/theme.
* The plotting that slowly revealed tidbits that lead to a stunning conclusion
* Not knowing who Sydney could really trust
* That it seemed feasible, gritty, raw, and real
* Jordan: Sydney’s intriguing but rather new boyfriend of which we did not see nearly enough. I liked him but wonder what his part would be if this becomes a series.
* The location and small-town setting
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* The true evil of the criminals in this story – won’t say who they are but they are horrible and deserve all that comes their way….hope it DOES come their way!
* Having to say goodbye to Sydney without knowing where her life will go next – will it be a series or one and done?
Did I like this book? Oh my, yes!
Would I read more by this author? Definitely!
Thank you to the author and BOTBS Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
November 6, 2020
OMG, this is one of my favourite books so far this year. Tony Forder has always been one of my go-to authors for a top read but wow, seriously this is a must-read. The author has moved to northern California for this story and brought in a female lead called Sydney Merlot, one very independent lady who currently works for the FBI.
The town she has returned to is where she grew up but she is there to tie up loose ends with her late father’s PI business. When she is approached by a ‘new’ client she cannot resist just a look into the tragedy that has made this man an outcast in his own town. Sydney is heading to tangle with some pretty hefty high ranking officials as well as old friends.
I simply adored Sydney, what a fabulous character but there were people that didn’t like that what they had put to rest, was now being dug back up. While the people she could count on seemed to diminish with every page as the chapters grow more intense as she probed and poked. I love a book that can physically turn off the world where I am, they are rare these days but this book was one of them.
Sydney is not a pen pusher, she is physical and knows which buttons to push on the arrogant but she doesn’t always know when to stop for her own good. Talk about grabbing a tiger by the tail there is one hell of a climax in this story. I was left speechless, yes I know hard to believe but I was. I can’t recommend this book enough. Top class!
I wish to thank Sarah Hardy of Book on the Bright Side Promotion and Publicity for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly
The town she has returned to is where she grew up but she is there to tie up loose ends with her late father’s PI business. When she is approached by a ‘new’ client she cannot resist just a look into the tragedy that has made this man an outcast in his own town. Sydney is heading to tangle with some pretty hefty high ranking officials as well as old friends.
I simply adored Sydney, what a fabulous character but there were people that didn’t like that what they had put to rest, was now being dug back up. While the people she could count on seemed to diminish with every page as the chapters grow more intense as she probed and poked. I love a book that can physically turn off the world where I am, they are rare these days but this book was one of them.
Sydney is not a pen pusher, she is physical and knows which buttons to push on the arrogant but she doesn’t always know when to stop for her own good. Talk about grabbing a tiger by the tail there is one hell of a climax in this story. I was left speechless, yes I know hard to believe but I was. I can’t recommend this book enough. Top class!
I wish to thank Sarah Hardy of Book on the Bright Side Promotion and Publicity for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly
November 3, 2020
From the creator of the DI Bliss series comes a new protagonist, Sydney Merlot.
Sydney’s father has died in a road accident and she has returned to her childhood home in California to settle his affairs. This includes hismdetective agency.
As she is an FBI agent, Sydney decides to work the outstanding cases, then a man arrives asking for help. Her friends will help, won’t they?
A tale of lies, secrets and betrayal.
Wow, as ever Mr Forder has created a marvellously complex plot, with several seemingly unrelated threads running through it, until slowly they all come together in this tension packed thriller that has an underlying sense of foreboding throughout. Just brilliant.
Thank you to Book On The Bright for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Fifteen Coffins.
Sydney’s father has died in a road accident and she has returned to her childhood home in California to settle his affairs. This includes hismdetective agency.
As she is an FBI agent, Sydney decides to work the outstanding cases, then a man arrives asking for help. Her friends will help, won’t they?
A tale of lies, secrets and betrayal.
Wow, as ever Mr Forder has created a marvellously complex plot, with several seemingly unrelated threads running through it, until slowly they all come together in this tension packed thriller that has an underlying sense of foreboding throughout. Just brilliant.
Thank you to Book On The Bright for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Fifteen Coffins.
October 30, 2020
I absolutely love this authors stories especially featuring DI Bliss. I will admit I was worried that this wouldn’t meet my expectations the way Bliss does. However Mr. Forder you have exceeded my expectations and more.
I’m really hoping there will be plenty more of Sydney Merlot. She is a brilliant and very likeable character.
The author does what he does best by grabbing my attention and not letting go throughout the story. The twists and turns were brilliant and totally unexpected.
Another fantastic storyline from this author. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I’m really hoping there will be plenty more of Sydney Merlot. She is a brilliant and very likeable character.
The author does what he does best by grabbing my attention and not letting go throughout the story. The twists and turns were brilliant and totally unexpected.
Another fantastic storyline from this author. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
November 9, 2020
First for me from thus author, wont be the last. Wow what an actioned packed book. And when you think it's over it's not. Fantastic book
July 21, 2021
Although probably most well know for his Bliss series, Forder has also written other series and this stand-alone novel. Set in California, Sydney Merlot is closing down her father's PI business whilst taking some leave from job in the FBI. She is contacted by someone who believes that his son is not the boy who the police, and public believe him to be.
This is a fast paced read. Lots of characters and action. You're never really 100% sure who wants to help Sydney, and who is hindering her investigation or intending to shut her up - permanently!
I had no idea how this story would end, but when it did, I felt that all my questions were answered, and that it was a fitting end to the book.
This is a fast paced read. Lots of characters and action. You're never really 100% sure who wants to help Sydney, and who is hindering her investigation or intending to shut her up - permanently!
I had no idea how this story would end, but when it did, I felt that all my questions were answered, and that it was a fitting end to the book.
January 1, 2021
Fifteen Coffins is a different kind of Tony Forder book. Set in rural Northern California with a female protagonist, and a slower, more reflective rhythm, it also takes a much different ‘what if’ approach to the subject of school shootings.
The book focuses on Sydney Merlot, an FBI agent on leave to close up her recently deceased father’s Investigative business. In doing so she walks into a darker, more insidious world which has more questions than answers.
Sydney is a stubborn, methodical character with doubts and a vulnerability which make her likable. Forder captures her and the area perfectly, from its laconic townspeople to its slower more rural sense, which only heightens the underlying tension of the story. Something is very wrong in her old home town and Sidney sets out to find it and make it right again.
Forder’s sense of humor is also evident, not only in the character’s name of Merlot and home area of Northern California known for wine making, but in the slow realization that she’s always reaching for a cold beer.
This isn’t my favorite favorite Tony Forder book. I prefer his adrenaline laced, grittier crime outings. But this is a solid read, great for those who want to take a bit of a break, but not leave the fictional world of crime. And it definitely leaves you with wanting to read more about Sydney in the future just to see where life has taken her. I gave the book a 4.
The book focuses on Sydney Merlot, an FBI agent on leave to close up her recently deceased father’s Investigative business. In doing so she walks into a darker, more insidious world which has more questions than answers.
Sydney is a stubborn, methodical character with doubts and a vulnerability which make her likable. Forder captures her and the area perfectly, from its laconic townspeople to its slower more rural sense, which only heightens the underlying tension of the story. Something is very wrong in her old home town and Sidney sets out to find it and make it right again.
Forder’s sense of humor is also evident, not only in the character’s name of Merlot and home area of Northern California known for wine making, but in the slow realization that she’s always reaching for a cold beer.
This isn’t my favorite favorite Tony Forder book. I prefer his adrenaline laced, grittier crime outings. But this is a solid read, great for those who want to take a bit of a break, but not leave the fictional world of crime. And it definitely leaves you with wanting to read more about Sydney in the future just to see where life has taken her. I gave the book a 4.
August 29, 2020
Sometimes one reads a brilliant series by an author which excites the reader for each new book but then when starting something different from the same author, it can occasionally feel like a complete let down but my goodness, that is definitely not the case with this one.
Despite being completely different from the previous books I have read from this author, I was immediately drawn in to this story of broken trust and betrayal in many forms. Although the core of this tale is a heartbreaking occurrence which is an all too common reality, it was not dealt with sensationally, and even brought a new perspective on such events, and I was able to enjoy the story crafted around those events.
Sydney has to work out who she can trust, and that includes herself. Can she trust her skills as an FBI investigator without the resources of the Agency to back it up?
Her instincts are compassionate and humane but are they leading her astray?
The plot leads us from each shocking surprise to the next with little time to gather breath in between but the author doesn’t round off the story with full resolution of the issues in a neat package, there are things we are left to mull over and they may linger for a while.
Whilst the plot deals with some very unpleasant aspects of modern life, it is not without humour. I think Mr Forder must have met my mother and listened in to her shrivelling fools using only her fearsome tongue. His version is masterful and raised more than a few chuckles.
Having received so much praise for his British based police novels, it was brave of the author to set this one in the USA but he managed to pull it off with aplomb! I even forgot that I was reading the work of a British author.
Despite being completely different from the previous books I have read from this author, I was immediately drawn in to this story of broken trust and betrayal in many forms. Although the core of this tale is a heartbreaking occurrence which is an all too common reality, it was not dealt with sensationally, and even brought a new perspective on such events, and I was able to enjoy the story crafted around those events.
Sydney has to work out who she can trust, and that includes herself. Can she trust her skills as an FBI investigator without the resources of the Agency to back it up?
Her instincts are compassionate and humane but are they leading her astray?
The plot leads us from each shocking surprise to the next with little time to gather breath in between but the author doesn’t round off the story with full resolution of the issues in a neat package, there are things we are left to mull over and they may linger for a while.
Whilst the plot deals with some very unpleasant aspects of modern life, it is not without humour. I think Mr Forder must have met my mother and listened in to her shrivelling fools using only her fearsome tongue. His version is masterful and raised more than a few chuckles.
Having received so much praise for his British based police novels, it was brave of the author to set this one in the USA but he managed to pull it off with aplomb! I even forgot that I was reading the work of a British author.
November 2, 2020
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
This captivating and harrowing book sucked me in from the very first page and didn't let go until the final page. This book is a rollercoaster ride of a book, quite literally at times for my stomach 😁😁.
There are so many twists and turns, that leave you dizzy and guessing which way is up 🤪🤪
I love how Tony is able to capture my imagination in such a powerful way, maybe because this sort of thing has actually happened. Well the high school shooting that is, also for me the gun culture in America has always shocked me, being from the UK this has always been a struggle for me.
I absolutely love Sydney and how strong she is, although some of her decisions have made me shout at my kindle because she is making a mistake in my opinion 🤬😆 and that is why Tony is a brilliant author, my unicorn author, because he elicits very strong emotions from me whenever I read one of his book's.
Sydney is trying to solve a mystery of who shot student's and teachers at a high school? A student was shot and killed and presumed to be the person who committed the crime, did he? Who is following Sydney? Is she in danger? There are so many questions, but no answers and just when you think you have the answer, it changes 🙀🙀 AMAZIMG 😍😍 This book doesn't give it's secrets away easily, and that's what makes it amazing, brilliant and at time's harrowing.
I would definitely recommend this book because it will have you gripped and sitting so close to the edge of your seat you might just fall off 🤣🤣
This captivating and harrowing book sucked me in from the very first page and didn't let go until the final page. This book is a rollercoaster ride of a book, quite literally at times for my stomach 😁😁.
There are so many twists and turns, that leave you dizzy and guessing which way is up 🤪🤪
I love how Tony is able to capture my imagination in such a powerful way, maybe because this sort of thing has actually happened. Well the high school shooting that is, also for me the gun culture in America has always shocked me, being from the UK this has always been a struggle for me.
I absolutely love Sydney and how strong she is, although some of her decisions have made me shout at my kindle because she is making a mistake in my opinion 🤬😆 and that is why Tony is a brilliant author, my unicorn author, because he elicits very strong emotions from me whenever I read one of his book's.
Sydney is trying to solve a mystery of who shot student's and teachers at a high school? A student was shot and killed and presumed to be the person who committed the crime, did he? Who is following Sydney? Is she in danger? There are so many questions, but no answers and just when you think you have the answer, it changes 🙀🙀 AMAZIMG 😍😍 This book doesn't give it's secrets away easily, and that's what makes it amazing, brilliant and at time's harrowing.
I would definitely recommend this book because it will have you gripped and sitting so close to the edge of your seat you might just fall off 🤣🤣
August 31, 2020
Another brilliant read from Tony J Forder! Set in the USA with a feisty detective Sydney Merlot, who is a chip off the old block, her Father having recently been killed in a hit and run accident. Merlot is almost impossible to intimidate, is strong, stubborn, independent yet has a soft side too. Despite all the odds stacked against her, she takes on a case when no-one else will do so and when there seems very little chance that she will succeed. Included in this excellent tale, which has many twists and turns and an unexpected denouement, is one of the best ever character assassinations of a female by a female that I have ever read. It had me in tears of laughter. An absolute 'must read'.
November 6, 2020
chool shootings in America have shocked the world and polarised opinions for many years but as Tony J. Forder takes pains to point out, Fifteen Coffins isn't about all such tragedies, it's about one fictional event. To be more precise, it's actually about the aftermath of a shooting which saw fifteen young people killed and scores more injured.
Fourteen of those shot dead were the victims of the shooter; the fifteenth, Kevin Muller was unmasked as the gunman after he refused calls to stop and instead reached inside of the holdall he was carrying, consequently drawing the fire of the amassed law-enforcement officers present. The town of Moon Falls is grieving, but one of its inhabitants has to mourn his loss alone and Kevin's father, Dexter is convinced that despite the evidence to the contrary, his son was innocent and was actually the fifteen victim of the real shooter.
His claims have been dismissed by the town's sheriff and so as a last, desperate act, he seeks the help of the local PI and it's here that we meet Sydney Merlot who has returned to her childhood town to wind up her father's affairs following his recent death. He was also called Sidney - although with an 'i' rather than a 'y' - and the resulting confusion leads to an awkward exchange between her and Muller but responding to his obvious distress, she agrees to listen to him even though she has only planned to tie up the remaining loose ends of her father's existing cases.
I quickly knew that Sydney was going to be another of Tony Forder's creations who I would become totally invested in. As I've come to expect from this author, she is such a beautifully described character and as the book progressed, I loved the insights we were given into who she is and what drives her. She is clearly a woman with strong principles whose belief in the importance of justice and the truth means she is prepared to risk friendships and her career to discover what really happened that terrible day. However, she isn't above bending the truth and using her FBI credentials to assist her investigation even after she is explicitly warned not to do so.
Sydney's own grief perhaps leads her to empathise even more strongly with Dexter Muller, particularly as she too has her doubts about the real story behind the hit-and-run accident which led to her father's untimely death. She is determined to find out what really happened and to discover who killed him but dealing with two such emotive cases is unsurprisingly a heavy burden to bear and I thought that her muddled thinking and understandable paranoia as to who she could really trust reflected her confused emotions perfectly; she needs to honour her father's legacy and to assuage her guilt over her troubled teenage years, and yet her dogged determination to uncover the truth is also a distraction from her grief.
Her return to Moon Falls evokes many memories - happy and otherwise - of her childhood there but it soon becomes evident that she is in the strange position of being part of the town and its history, yet still an outsider. She understands that in challenging the accepted version of what happened on the day of the shooting, she risks upsetting the community but she also learns just how much things have changed since she lived there and as the novel progresses she finds out that she doesn't know the town perhaps as well as she thought she did. The intricately woven plot twists and turns as the main storyline and the subplots gradually reveal the criminality and corruption that has inflicted the town. As she investigates other possible suspects, the doubts over who may be betraying her lead to a creeping sense of dread and as it becomes clear that she is in real danger, the increasing tension sent my pulse rate soaring.
The rich descriptions of Moon Falls and the surrounding area really bring the place to life; the natural beauty of the landscape is evoked beautifully but beyond that, there is a wealth of historical details of the place, and the recognition of the way in which small town America is changing, together with the authentic flow of the dialogue gives a vivid insight into the town and its inhabitants. As the suspense rises, this first-rate thriller never feels exploitative or becomes an opinion piece about the politics surrounding school shootings yet it does incorporate key issues facing America, including gun control, civil corruption and the rise of often heavily armed survivalist groups.
Fifteen Coffins is a very different book to Tony Forder's DI Bliss series but it still bears all the hallmarks of his exceptional writing. It has a wonderful protagonist in Sydney Merlot, complemented by a superbly rendered cast of supporting characters and a complex plot which is utterly compelling and which is as perceptive as it is surprising. The mystery that lies behind the school shooting is fascinating and I loved the way in which the various elements of the story are drawn together while still leaving some room for a few loose ends which I desperately hope means this isn't the last we hear of Sydney. It's also a moving, empathetic exploration of grief and a poignant reflection of the bittersweet nature of loss. Fifteen Coffins is one of my top reads of this year and whether there is more to come or if it's destined to remain a standalone, I wholeheartedly recommend this enthralling thriller.
Fourteen of those shot dead were the victims of the shooter; the fifteenth, Kevin Muller was unmasked as the gunman after he refused calls to stop and instead reached inside of the holdall he was carrying, consequently drawing the fire of the amassed law-enforcement officers present. The town of Moon Falls is grieving, but one of its inhabitants has to mourn his loss alone and Kevin's father, Dexter is convinced that despite the evidence to the contrary, his son was innocent and was actually the fifteen victim of the real shooter.
His claims have been dismissed by the town's sheriff and so as a last, desperate act, he seeks the help of the local PI and it's here that we meet Sydney Merlot who has returned to her childhood town to wind up her father's affairs following his recent death. He was also called Sidney - although with an 'i' rather than a 'y' - and the resulting confusion leads to an awkward exchange between her and Muller but responding to his obvious distress, she agrees to listen to him even though she has only planned to tie up the remaining loose ends of her father's existing cases.
I quickly knew that Sydney was going to be another of Tony Forder's creations who I would become totally invested in. As I've come to expect from this author, she is such a beautifully described character and as the book progressed, I loved the insights we were given into who she is and what drives her. She is clearly a woman with strong principles whose belief in the importance of justice and the truth means she is prepared to risk friendships and her career to discover what really happened that terrible day. However, she isn't above bending the truth and using her FBI credentials to assist her investigation even after she is explicitly warned not to do so.
Sydney's own grief perhaps leads her to empathise even more strongly with Dexter Muller, particularly as she too has her doubts about the real story behind the hit-and-run accident which led to her father's untimely death. She is determined to find out what really happened and to discover who killed him but dealing with two such emotive cases is unsurprisingly a heavy burden to bear and I thought that her muddled thinking and understandable paranoia as to who she could really trust reflected her confused emotions perfectly; she needs to honour her father's legacy and to assuage her guilt over her troubled teenage years, and yet her dogged determination to uncover the truth is also a distraction from her grief.
Her return to Moon Falls evokes many memories - happy and otherwise - of her childhood there but it soon becomes evident that she is in the strange position of being part of the town and its history, yet still an outsider. She understands that in challenging the accepted version of what happened on the day of the shooting, she risks upsetting the community but she also learns just how much things have changed since she lived there and as the novel progresses she finds out that she doesn't know the town perhaps as well as she thought she did. The intricately woven plot twists and turns as the main storyline and the subplots gradually reveal the criminality and corruption that has inflicted the town. As she investigates other possible suspects, the doubts over who may be betraying her lead to a creeping sense of dread and as it becomes clear that she is in real danger, the increasing tension sent my pulse rate soaring.
The rich descriptions of Moon Falls and the surrounding area really bring the place to life; the natural beauty of the landscape is evoked beautifully but beyond that, there is a wealth of historical details of the place, and the recognition of the way in which small town America is changing, together with the authentic flow of the dialogue gives a vivid insight into the town and its inhabitants. As the suspense rises, this first-rate thriller never feels exploitative or becomes an opinion piece about the politics surrounding school shootings yet it does incorporate key issues facing America, including gun control, civil corruption and the rise of often heavily armed survivalist groups.
Fifteen Coffins is a very different book to Tony Forder's DI Bliss series but it still bears all the hallmarks of his exceptional writing. It has a wonderful protagonist in Sydney Merlot, complemented by a superbly rendered cast of supporting characters and a complex plot which is utterly compelling and which is as perceptive as it is surprising. The mystery that lies behind the school shooting is fascinating and I loved the way in which the various elements of the story are drawn together while still leaving some room for a few loose ends which I desperately hope means this isn't the last we hear of Sydney. It's also a moving, empathetic exploration of grief and a poignant reflection of the bittersweet nature of loss. Fifteen Coffins is one of my top reads of this year and whether there is more to come or if it's destined to remain a standalone, I wholeheartedly recommend this enthralling thriller.
November 1, 2020
Sydney Merlot works as an FBI agent in San Diego, having previously been a police office and detective. Her father, also a Sidney, ran a private detective agency in her home town of Moon Falls in the north of California and was recently killed in an accident where his vehicle was shunted off the road. Sydney is already harbouring suspicions that it might have been deliberate when she returns to the town to close up and sell his business and home. That is, until a man called Dexter Muller arrives for an appointment with her father. He explains that two months previous a shooter ran wild in the local Moon Falls High School and fifteen students lost their lives. Included in that tally was his son Kevin who was unmasked as the killer after being shot by the various law enforcement agencies who had converged upon the scene of the massacre. As Sydney listens to the man's account of how his son could not have been the perpetrator and his request that she investigate, she feels the first stirrings that something is not right. Enlisting help from her old childhood sweetheart Sheriff Benton Lowe who is convinced they got the right man at the time, she starts to look into what took place that fateful day. Quickly she makes a lot of enemies, after all taking on the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s office, the Sonora PD and ultimately the FBI who closed off the investigation without looking into any alternatives is bound to upset a lot of people. Finding some very viable suspects for both the shooting and her father’s accident, Sydney doesn’t realise just how many other people have a vested interest in shutting her down before she can unearth the truth, and she has no idea how much danger she is walking into. Can she work out just which of her allies can be trusted in time?
There are many twists in the story as we watch Sydney’s investigation blowing wide open to an ending where there were still a few shocks and surprises in store. Sydney came across as a determined and compassionate individual, although for someone with all her experience she seemed quite naïve at times and allowed her emotions and past history to colour her judgement. It was sad to see how a lot of the townsfolk were just getting on with life and didn’t seem as shell-shocked or grief stricken as I would have imagined. The plot deals with a huge tragedy which would have rocked the town but somehow it seemed to be almost accepted as part of life, which in itself is so sad for a reader who lives in a country where fortunately these things are not expected. There is a lot to think about in this absorbing story. 4.5*
There are many twists in the story as we watch Sydney’s investigation blowing wide open to an ending where there were still a few shocks and surprises in store. Sydney came across as a determined and compassionate individual, although for someone with all her experience she seemed quite naïve at times and allowed her emotions and past history to colour her judgement. It was sad to see how a lot of the townsfolk were just getting on with life and didn’t seem as shell-shocked or grief stricken as I would have imagined. The plot deals with a huge tragedy which would have rocked the town but somehow it seemed to be almost accepted as part of life, which in itself is so sad for a reader who lives in a country where fortunately these things are not expected. There is a lot to think about in this absorbing story. 4.5*
November 5, 2020
Could this be the first book in a new series by this gifted author?
Sydney Merlot is on compassionate leave from the FBI. She’s returned to her hometown of Moon Falls following the tragic death of her father, Sidney. Sidney was a Private Investigator. Sydney is home to tidy up and close any cases he was working on, sell the business and her family home and then return to San Diego, where she works and where her boyfriend and beloved cat are waiting for her…
Dexter Muller’s unannounced arrival at the office will change these plans. He tells her that his son, Kevin, was not the gunman who mowed down his fellow pupils. Nobody – especially the police – believe his story. Dexter asks Sydney to investigate the case.
Sydney and the Sheriff on the county, Benton Lowe had been at school together and are still good friends. However, Benton doesn’t take kindly to the news that Sydney is looking into the massacre. Will she manage to find answers?
Tony Forder has written this book, based in the USA on a subject that is usually cut and dry. It’s always a fellow student who somehow manages to murder their fellow pupils, however, in this case. Sydney must face the fact that there could be an alternative killer.
I loved this book. School shootings always shock me, and I found it fascinating to look at the shooting from an entirely different point of view.
Tony Forder usually captures his audience from the opening sentence – in this case, however – the storyline takes a bit of time to grow. The protagonist – Sydney is not easy to like – the reader needs to get to know her before seeing her true grit and determination. On the other hand, the other characters, like the Sheriff, the grieving father, and even her father’s best friend seemed “nicer”, and I think that’s where Tony Forder shows his true brilliance as an author, we’re given flawed characters, not superheroes.
Rony
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
Sydney Merlot is on compassionate leave from the FBI. She’s returned to her hometown of Moon Falls following the tragic death of her father, Sidney. Sidney was a Private Investigator. Sydney is home to tidy up and close any cases he was working on, sell the business and her family home and then return to San Diego, where she works and where her boyfriend and beloved cat are waiting for her…
Dexter Muller’s unannounced arrival at the office will change these plans. He tells her that his son, Kevin, was not the gunman who mowed down his fellow pupils. Nobody – especially the police – believe his story. Dexter asks Sydney to investigate the case.
Sydney and the Sheriff on the county, Benton Lowe had been at school together and are still good friends. However, Benton doesn’t take kindly to the news that Sydney is looking into the massacre. Will she manage to find answers?
Tony Forder has written this book, based in the USA on a subject that is usually cut and dry. It’s always a fellow student who somehow manages to murder their fellow pupils, however, in this case. Sydney must face the fact that there could be an alternative killer.
I loved this book. School shootings always shock me, and I found it fascinating to look at the shooting from an entirely different point of view.
Tony Forder usually captures his audience from the opening sentence – in this case, however – the storyline takes a bit of time to grow. The protagonist – Sydney is not easy to like – the reader needs to get to know her before seeing her true grit and determination. On the other hand, the other characters, like the Sheriff, the grieving father, and even her father’s best friend seemed “nicer”, and I think that’s where Tony Forder shows his true brilliance as an author, we’re given flawed characters, not superheroes.
Rony
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
October 30, 2020
We all know Tony Forder as the author of the superb DI Bliss series set in Peterborough, UK, this time, however, he has gone across the pond to the USA.
Sydney Merlot goes back to her home town of Moon Falls, California, her father had still lived in the town until his death in a road accident some weeks before. Sydney must finalize her father's affairs and close down or sell his thriving Detective Agency. As an FBI Agent herself, Sydney is well placed to finish up any outstanding cases and knows that she can rely on her old friends in the town and those of her father to help, should she need them. Then, a heartbroken man walks through the office door, setting in motion events that will cause Sydney to question everything she thought she knew about those friends and whether her love and trust has been misplaced for all those years
This deep and dark story is all about lies, fear, abuse of trust and the corruption of power at all levels. It tells how young people in a small town can be manipulated and used by their peers and others to cover up a terrible local tragedy, which was never what it seemed. Its impact on the town and its reach across the USA involving the FBI.
There are several threads running through this book and Tony Forder pulls on them, drawing them all together towards the end, resulting in a bruising and heartbreaking realisation that Sydney must face.
I loved this book. Tony Forder, once again, goes about the business of story-telling with clinical ease, constantly racking up the tension and leaving his reader's wanting much more. Leaving myself, once again, wondering why a large publishing house has not spotted the consistent 5 star reviews that this brilliant author gets and here comes another one 5* all the way
Sydney Merlot goes back to her home town of Moon Falls, California, her father had still lived in the town until his death in a road accident some weeks before. Sydney must finalize her father's affairs and close down or sell his thriving Detective Agency. As an FBI Agent herself, Sydney is well placed to finish up any outstanding cases and knows that she can rely on her old friends in the town and those of her father to help, should she need them. Then, a heartbroken man walks through the office door, setting in motion events that will cause Sydney to question everything she thought she knew about those friends and whether her love and trust has been misplaced for all those years
This deep and dark story is all about lies, fear, abuse of trust and the corruption of power at all levels. It tells how young people in a small town can be manipulated and used by their peers and others to cover up a terrible local tragedy, which was never what it seemed. Its impact on the town and its reach across the USA involving the FBI.
There are several threads running through this book and Tony Forder pulls on them, drawing them all together towards the end, resulting in a bruising and heartbreaking realisation that Sydney must face.
I loved this book. Tony Forder, once again, goes about the business of story-telling with clinical ease, constantly racking up the tension and leaving his reader's wanting much more. Leaving myself, once again, wondering why a large publishing house has not spotted the consistent 5 star reviews that this brilliant author gets and here comes another one 5* all the way
November 9, 2020
Well...
Umm...
*holds up finger*
Hold that thought!
BRB!
*pours a shot of vodka*
*downs in one*
*gags* (obvs!)
Bleurgh! That’s better.
My nerves are shattered! *puts hand on my heart* This book gave me palpitations. At one point I worried I was going to have an embarrassing conversation with a doctor over the cause! You may well laugh, buddy. *points finger* I’m being perfectly serious! Hmm, that’s what you’re laughing at? *blushes*
Returning home to wrap up her late father’s PI business and estate, FBI Agent Sydney Merlot finds herself smack bang in the middle of a seemingly closed case. All wrapped up in a nice, neat bow, yet to Syd’s highly trained olfactory senses something doesn’t smell right *snorts*. After all, she is nothing if not her father’s daughter.
Dealing with the contentious subject of high school shootings, this story had me wrapped up in knots as I raced to find out how it all unfolded. Along with the aforementioned heart palpitations, I had chills and goosebumps galore as the suspense and tension ramped up.
Okay, okay – I admit to getting ragey on several occasions. I hate to see injustice in any form and elements of this story were leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I wanted truths to be revealed and punishments to be meted out.
And the twist at the end?! I. Did. Not. See. It. Coming! I was literally screaming at my kindle. My denial was strong – that’s all I’m saying!
Syd reminded me of one of my other favourite book characters, Kinsey Millhone from the Alphabet series. Both gutsy; bound and determined to find the truth no matter where it takes them.
I really hope this isn’t the last we hear from Syd.
Fifteen Coffins was my first introduction to Tony’s books, and I can’t wait to read more of his work and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to my fellow crime thriller loving readers.
It was outstanding!
Umm...
*holds up finger*
Hold that thought!
BRB!
*pours a shot of vodka*
*downs in one*
*gags* (obvs!)
Bleurgh! That’s better.
My nerves are shattered! *puts hand on my heart* This book gave me palpitations. At one point I worried I was going to have an embarrassing conversation with a doctor over the cause! You may well laugh, buddy. *points finger* I’m being perfectly serious! Hmm, that’s what you’re laughing at? *blushes*
Returning home to wrap up her late father’s PI business and estate, FBI Agent Sydney Merlot finds herself smack bang in the middle of a seemingly closed case. All wrapped up in a nice, neat bow, yet to Syd’s highly trained olfactory senses something doesn’t smell right *snorts*. After all, she is nothing if not her father’s daughter.
Dealing with the contentious subject of high school shootings, this story had me wrapped up in knots as I raced to find out how it all unfolded. Along with the aforementioned heart palpitations, I had chills and goosebumps galore as the suspense and tension ramped up.
Okay, okay – I admit to getting ragey on several occasions. I hate to see injustice in any form and elements of this story were leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I wanted truths to be revealed and punishments to be meted out.
And the twist at the end?! I. Did. Not. See. It. Coming! I was literally screaming at my kindle. My denial was strong – that’s all I’m saying!
Syd reminded me of one of my other favourite book characters, Kinsey Millhone from the Alphabet series. Both gutsy; bound and determined to find the truth no matter where it takes them.
I really hope this isn’t the last we hear from Syd.
Fifteen Coffins was my first introduction to Tony’s books, and I can’t wait to read more of his work and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to my fellow crime thriller loving readers.
It was outstanding!
October 20, 2020
This is one of my favourite authors and I adore his Bliss series so I was really looking forward to reading a book that is a step away from this series. Enter Sydney Merlot an FBI agent who has returned to her home to start to get her fathers Private Investigator business and house in order after his untimely death. A potential client of her fathers comes to her and asks if she would look into the case of his son. He was accused of being the gunman responsible for the deaths of 14 highschool children. He believes his som was a victim and not the one responsible.
I really enjoyed the intro to this new character from the author. Stepping away from the UK and on US soil with different law enforcement agencies was a real treat. The usual suspense and twisted storyline that I have come to expect from this author is very evident, in some ways more so. I think taking a step away from his usual characters have almost given the author a free rein to explore different way s of investigating. With a change of country, it also opens up a different way of life than we are used to in the UK.
The story starts off as one that seems like a father not accepting his sons' guilt, but there is something that grabs Syndey about his story that leads her to look further. This then begins the slope into something more than she bargained for. Coming home should be positive, but she wonders what has changed, who can she trust. I like the feeling that Sydney feels as she is spiralling and has trouble performing to her usual standard, it adds a realism to the story as after all she is still grieving for her father.
This is Sydney's hometown, therefore she should feel confident about who she can trust. Things have changed, people have changed, they have different responsibilities, loyalties and priorities. Those she thought she could have banked on left her feeling unsure, this is really the tip of an iceberg. The author does a brilliant job with a sense of suspense and lurking danger.
I really enjoyed this book and I really hope this is top be the start of a new series. I like the character of Sydney, she is bull-headed, determined, stubborn and doesn't take no for an answer if she thinks it should be a yes! A wonderful read and one that readers of crime and mystery will enjoy and it is one I would definitely recommend.
I really enjoyed the intro to this new character from the author. Stepping away from the UK and on US soil with different law enforcement agencies was a real treat. The usual suspense and twisted storyline that I have come to expect from this author is very evident, in some ways more so. I think taking a step away from his usual characters have almost given the author a free rein to explore different way s of investigating. With a change of country, it also opens up a different way of life than we are used to in the UK.
The story starts off as one that seems like a father not accepting his sons' guilt, but there is something that grabs Syndey about his story that leads her to look further. This then begins the slope into something more than she bargained for. Coming home should be positive, but she wonders what has changed, who can she trust. I like the feeling that Sydney feels as she is spiralling and has trouble performing to her usual standard, it adds a realism to the story as after all she is still grieving for her father.
This is Sydney's hometown, therefore she should feel confident about who she can trust. Things have changed, people have changed, they have different responsibilities, loyalties and priorities. Those she thought she could have banked on left her feeling unsure, this is really the tip of an iceberg. The author does a brilliant job with a sense of suspense and lurking danger.
I really enjoyed this book and I really hope this is top be the start of a new series. I like the character of Sydney, she is bull-headed, determined, stubborn and doesn't take no for an answer if she thinks it should be a yes! A wonderful read and one that readers of crime and mystery will enjoy and it is one I would definitely recommend.
November 4, 2020
A school shooting. 15 dead including the shooter. Case closed. Or is it?
FBI Agent Sydney Merlot is back in her home town to settle up her dad’s private investigator business. His death is a hard blow considering he was killed by a hit and run and the killer wasn’t found. A killer she was determined to find. Until Dexter Muller steps into her dad’s office and drops a bomb of a theory about his son Kevin, the school shooter. Was his son set up? Could the police have been wrong in ignoring Mr. Muller’s pleas to look into the case? Sydney believes there is something to Mr. Muller’s theory and she has opened a can of worms for herself and her best friend Sheriff Benton Lowe.
FBI Agent Sydney Merlot is a compassionate and thorough individual who is determined to find the truth. I admire her search for justice at the request of a grieving father who everyone in town has written off even at the risk of losing her friends, the respect of her childhood community, and quite possibly her life.
What an extraordinary mystery thriller surrounding a tragic and delicate event that had me holding my breath until the end. The tension builds as shocking secrets are revealed and clues start to unravel in an incredible plot that had me reading well into the night.
I have yet another fabulous author to add to my TBR list and look forward to reading more about Sydney Merlot.
Thank you to Mr. Forder for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
FBI Agent Sydney Merlot is back in her home town to settle up her dad’s private investigator business. His death is a hard blow considering he was killed by a hit and run and the killer wasn’t found. A killer she was determined to find. Until Dexter Muller steps into her dad’s office and drops a bomb of a theory about his son Kevin, the school shooter. Was his son set up? Could the police have been wrong in ignoring Mr. Muller’s pleas to look into the case? Sydney believes there is something to Mr. Muller’s theory and she has opened a can of worms for herself and her best friend Sheriff Benton Lowe.
FBI Agent Sydney Merlot is a compassionate and thorough individual who is determined to find the truth. I admire her search for justice at the request of a grieving father who everyone in town has written off even at the risk of losing her friends, the respect of her childhood community, and quite possibly her life.
What an extraordinary mystery thriller surrounding a tragic and delicate event that had me holding my breath until the end. The tension builds as shocking secrets are revealed and clues start to unravel in an incredible plot that had me reading well into the night.
I have yet another fabulous author to add to my TBR list and look forward to reading more about Sydney Merlot.
Thank you to Mr. Forder for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
July 26, 2020
Ex .FBI agent Sydney Merlot is back in Moon Falls to close up her father's buisness ..Her father was a Private Detective who had been mown down and killed ...his killer never found .As Merlot is going through his papers a stranger , Dexter Muller arrives to ask for her help .Some months before there had been a shooting at Moon Falls High School...Fifteen fatalities including Muller's son Kevin - the alleged shooter .Merlot doesn't hesitate ,she accepts the offer to find the truth about what happened that day When Merlot goes to see Sheriff Benton Lowe at first he seems pleased to see her ..Once upon another lifetime Lowe had been her first love ..But when Lowe finds out that Merlot has agreed to help Mueller..the walls come up between them .The deeper Merlot digs ..she finds herself caught in a web of Deception, Lies and Murder..Just as Merlot is getting closer to the truth ..comes a betrayal that is soul destroying...with its Shocking Truths to the answers she seeks ..Fifteen Coffins is different to anything Forder has ever written before .With a female lead who never bends to others , Merlot is a character who has seen things that have left their mark on her, and yet she never falters .Fifteen Coffins is for me Forder's greatest work to date ...and another of my top reads this year ....An absolutely Stunning read ...
October 29, 2020
Fifteen Coffins
As an ARC reader I was excited to receive and read Tony Forder's latest crime fiction novel '15 Coffins' and was completely blown away by it. Tony Forder has given us a tragic and emotive storyline with the most enthralling plot to read: -
When Sydney’s father dies suddenly she returns to her home town, to settle his business and personal affairs. Events unfold to embroil her in a tragedy no one would want to live through. The investigation she begins will turn the town and all she knows and has loved on its head. As a serving FBI special agent Sydney has the experience and knowledge to cope with most situations, but will those with reputation, power and money invested in this small town allow her to look too closely into this shocking crime.
Tony Forder’s complex characters and scene setting bring the town and its residents to life and in Sydney he had created a strong leading lady and heroine one that I won't forget in a hurry. She proves to be idealistic, brave and her dedication in unravelling the truth leaves her virtually isolated and had me (the reader) worried for her safety. I thoroughly enjoyed and was totally involved with this story and read chapter after chapter long into the night. I would definitely want Sydney on side and watching my back in any investigation and sincerely hope that this is only the beginning of a series of crimes needing investigating by this new law enforcement officer.
As an ARC reader I was excited to receive and read Tony Forder's latest crime fiction novel '15 Coffins' and was completely blown away by it. Tony Forder has given us a tragic and emotive storyline with the most enthralling plot to read: -
When Sydney’s father dies suddenly she returns to her home town, to settle his business and personal affairs. Events unfold to embroil her in a tragedy no one would want to live through. The investigation she begins will turn the town and all she knows and has loved on its head. As a serving FBI special agent Sydney has the experience and knowledge to cope with most situations, but will those with reputation, power and money invested in this small town allow her to look too closely into this shocking crime.
Tony Forder’s complex characters and scene setting bring the town and its residents to life and in Sydney he had created a strong leading lady and heroine one that I won't forget in a hurry. She proves to be idealistic, brave and her dedication in unravelling the truth leaves her virtually isolated and had me (the reader) worried for her safety. I thoroughly enjoyed and was totally involved with this story and read chapter after chapter long into the night. I would definitely want Sydney on side and watching my back in any investigation and sincerely hope that this is only the beginning of a series of crimes needing investigating by this new law enforcement officer.
November 3, 2020
Returning to Moon Falls after the sudden death of her father, FBI agent Sydney Merlot is there to close his PI business by wrapping up his cases. Then in walks Dexter Muller father to Kevin, gunned down by police during a recent school shooting, offering an alternative idea that his son was also a victim and not the alleged shooter and that there were fifteen coffins not fourteen.
Going to see Sheriff Benton Lowe, who many years ago was her first love, he is initially genuinely pleased to see her. This soon changes when he discovers over coffee and pie the case she has just agreed to take on.
Sydney is full of gumption, with a deep rooted integrity and need for truth she has obviously inherited from her father. This made her a character I instantly connected with. The town of Moon Falls richly steeped in history lent itself as another character and its occupants will leave you wondering who Sydney can trust.
Coming into this I was a Forder virgin and wow what a book to pop my cherry to. With a great setting, a cleverly constructed plot with interweaving subplots and some well placed revelations this is just like Sydney full of grit and integrity.
This has been written as a stand alone but I do hope this isn’t the last we see of Sydney and Moon Falls. It is crying out to be the start of a new series and I for one would be an eager beaver to read it.
Going to see Sheriff Benton Lowe, who many years ago was her first love, he is initially genuinely pleased to see her. This soon changes when he discovers over coffee and pie the case she has just agreed to take on.
Sydney is full of gumption, with a deep rooted integrity and need for truth she has obviously inherited from her father. This made her a character I instantly connected with. The town of Moon Falls richly steeped in history lent itself as another character and its occupants will leave you wondering who Sydney can trust.
Coming into this I was a Forder virgin and wow what a book to pop my cherry to. With a great setting, a cleverly constructed plot with interweaving subplots and some well placed revelations this is just like Sydney full of grit and integrity.
This has been written as a stand alone but I do hope this isn’t the last we see of Sydney and Moon Falls. It is crying out to be the start of a new series and I for one would be an eager beaver to read it.
July 15, 2020
Sydney lost her father a few short weeks ago. She is now a FBI agent having been in the police force. Her father Sidney (just to keep things simple!) was a P.I and she is back to sort out his affairs and finalise his last cases. Whilst there she receives a visit from a man whose son was killed in the local high school shooting. A gunman entered the building and then shot many of the pupils and staff. When he emerged the police shot him in order to protect themselves. This man truly believes that his son was not capable of those actions and that the true killer is still walking the streets. Having been to other agencies who have turned him away, Sydney feels sorry for him and that there could be something to his theory despite all the evidence pointing the other way. There are those who would of course prefer that it stay the way it is without any further “interference” and Sydney soon feels that she is being followed- and worse. I enjoyed reading this and easily took to Sydney. She has that something about her- a tenacity and a zest for the truth and an appropriate sense of humour. Benton I reserved judgement on along with Hank, both men Sydney
thought she could trust but everyone appeared to have their own agenda.
A wonderful highly enjoyable read.
thought she could trust but everyone appeared to have their own agenda.
A wonderful highly enjoyable read.
July 15, 2020
I was lucky enough to beta read this book and loved it.
Fifteen Coffins introduces us to FBI agent Sydney Merlot.
Sydney has come ‘home’ to Moon Falls to sell her fathers business and home, following his death in a car accident. However, it’s not going to be that simple.
Her suspicions are aroused about her fathers death and she starts to investigate. Is it mixed up with one of his final cases as a Private Investigator? Or could it be connected to the recent mass school shooting, which killed 14 pupils and the shooter. Or was the 15th ‘victim’ the shooter? His father didn’t think so and he asks Sydney to investigate.
As Sydney tries to wrap up her father’s last few cases she realises that she is being followed, and maybe more.
This was a great book, full of twists and turns and it wasn’t clear to me who killed Sydney's father, or who the shooter at the school was, until they were revealed. It kept me guessing until the end.
Is it the end? It seemed to me that we could be seeing more of Sydney in the future...... five stars from me and let’s hope there will be another book.
Fifteen Coffins introduces us to FBI agent Sydney Merlot.
Sydney has come ‘home’ to Moon Falls to sell her fathers business and home, following his death in a car accident. However, it’s not going to be that simple.
Her suspicions are aroused about her fathers death and she starts to investigate. Is it mixed up with one of his final cases as a Private Investigator? Or could it be connected to the recent mass school shooting, which killed 14 pupils and the shooter. Or was the 15th ‘victim’ the shooter? His father didn’t think so and he asks Sydney to investigate.
As Sydney tries to wrap up her father’s last few cases she realises that she is being followed, and maybe more.
This was a great book, full of twists and turns and it wasn’t clear to me who killed Sydney's father, or who the shooter at the school was, until they were revealed. It kept me guessing until the end.
Is it the end? It seemed to me that we could be seeing more of Sydney in the future...... five stars from me and let’s hope there will be another book.
September 11, 2020
I was given an advanced copy of this book: I was determined to find as many flaws as possible to ensure a just review.
I have read the complete series of Bliss books by the same author and loved them, so I jumped right in without reading the blurb.
Initially, I was caught off guard by the American setting, the initial crime and the characters- they felt beyond my experience and completely different to previous works by this author: an uncomfortable shock for me.
Two chapters in and my faux pas of not reading the blurb didn’t matter. The characters, which I felt to start with were “too American”, just rang of authenticity. The crime was a perfect catalyst for the rest of the impressive story line and had some exciting twists- there were times of pure drama, light hearted moments and tears of emotion.
Forder has transferred his amazing character descriptions (which are hidden everywhere) from his previous books to this which feels very fresh and lively.
I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Even if books set in the USA aren’t your cup of tea (I’m not a massive fan mainly due to being out of my geographical knowledge), this book has everything to hold your interest.
I have read the complete series of Bliss books by the same author and loved them, so I jumped right in without reading the blurb.
Initially, I was caught off guard by the American setting, the initial crime and the characters- they felt beyond my experience and completely different to previous works by this author: an uncomfortable shock for me.
Two chapters in and my faux pas of not reading the blurb didn’t matter. The characters, which I felt to start with were “too American”, just rang of authenticity. The crime was a perfect catalyst for the rest of the impressive story line and had some exciting twists- there were times of pure drama, light hearted moments and tears of emotion.
Forder has transferred his amazing character descriptions (which are hidden everywhere) from his previous books to this which feels very fresh and lively.
I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Even if books set in the USA aren’t your cup of tea (I’m not a massive fan mainly due to being out of my geographical knowledge), this book has everything to hold your interest.
September 25, 2020
After being a lover of all things Bliss in the UK, I found the first few pages of Fifteen Coffins initially disorientating due to the fact I was expecting it to be set in the UK too, or at least find Sydney visiting to tie up loose ends of her father's business and then be flying back to the UK, however, once I'd realised that wasn't going to happen (note: I don't like to spoil anything by reading 'the blurb' so had no idea what to expect...) and that it was very much set in the US, in the small town of Moon Falls, with a diner and a Sheriff and the FBI .... Well then, I really got into it!
Set around a school shooting and a father's desperate plea to prove his sons innocence against a town of people who saw, for themselves otherwise, runs a series of various intertwined stories that all need to be solved (or resolved) by Miss Sydney Merlot, who herself is a complex character and has just lost her own father.
I loved how all the many different parts of the story twisted together to come to its end, and what an end!!!! All I can say is, I hope there's a chink of light through a door that's been left open for Sydney to make a reappearance in another book, Maybe the start of another series???? Although how the folks of Moon Falls will react is yet to be seen! MORE Sydney Please :)
Great Read !!!!
Set around a school shooting and a father's desperate plea to prove his sons innocence against a town of people who saw, for themselves otherwise, runs a series of various intertwined stories that all need to be solved (or resolved) by Miss Sydney Merlot, who herself is a complex character and has just lost her own father.
I loved how all the many different parts of the story twisted together to come to its end, and what an end!!!! All I can say is, I hope there's a chink of light through a door that's been left open for Sydney to make a reappearance in another book, Maybe the start of another series???? Although how the folks of Moon Falls will react is yet to be seen! MORE Sydney Please :)
Great Read !!!!
November 7, 2020
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I love Tony's books and he is a superb writer so when I saw that he was releasing a new book, this one, Fifteen Coffins I knew it was a book I had to read - and it is brilliant!
Everything about this book was spot on, the pace was brilliant, the writing style was perfect for the story and the flow was wonderful, it was a wholly addictive read that had me addicted from the first chapter to the ending and I already want me!!
The characterisation was top notch and I would love to read more on these characters, the author's DI Blis series is one of my favourites and this is a strong rival. I love the main character - FBI Agent Sydney Merlot - well developed as a character and I love a kick ass woman in this kind of role!
It is 5 stars from me for this one, well written, a very well crafted plot that is very clever and an addictive read - the perfect read for me - very highly recommended and I am a reader who would love to read more about Sydney Merlot and I am guessing I will not be the only one too - she is fabulous!!
I love Tony's books and he is a superb writer so when I saw that he was releasing a new book, this one, Fifteen Coffins I knew it was a book I had to read - and it is brilliant!
Everything about this book was spot on, the pace was brilliant, the writing style was perfect for the story and the flow was wonderful, it was a wholly addictive read that had me addicted from the first chapter to the ending and I already want me!!
The characterisation was top notch and I would love to read more on these characters, the author's DI Blis series is one of my favourites and this is a strong rival. I love the main character - FBI Agent Sydney Merlot - well developed as a character and I love a kick ass woman in this kind of role!
It is 5 stars from me for this one, well written, a very well crafted plot that is very clever and an addictive read - the perfect read for me - very highly recommended and I am a reader who would love to read more about Sydney Merlot and I am guessing I will not be the only one too - she is fabulous!!
August 28, 2020
This is truly a remarkable and powerful story by Tony Forder. An extremely intriguing and gripping read that had me captivated throughout. FBI agent Sydney Merlot is a fiesty headstrong character but also shows compassion and a need for justice. She returns to Moon Falls to wind down her father's business as a PI after he has been hit and killed in a car accident, the culprit never found. After a recent school shooting killing 14 plus the shooter she is approached by Dexter Muller, the broken hearted father of the supposed shooter who begs her to find the truth. He is convinced that his son is innocent. In the process she unearths information that just doesn't sit right with her. Something about this old town and it's inhabitants is giving her a bad feeling. Sydney is sure she is being followed, but by whom and why? Who can she trust? afterall it has been a while since she has been to Moon Falls and people can change. The many shocking twists in this story makes it an exciting read. I was gunning for Sydney all the way, she is such a terrific character. You will never see the end coming....brilliant. An edge of the seat reading experience that shouldn't be missed! Many thanks to the author for creating another 5* read.
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