I have long been a fan of police procedurals by Bruce Robert Coffin. His latest, Crimson Thaw: A Detective Justice Novel, takes readers to Maine where Detective Justice is going through some things because he stood up for what was right.
Maine State Police Detective Brock Justice, and his partner, Evan Mathers, should have waited for backup to take down Terrance “Terry” Kirke. But, backup was delayed so they went in on their own. Things went horribly wrong and both are dealing with the repercussions of that event.
Detective Brock Justice has transferred to a new station far to the north of where he had been working before now. He’s in Bangor, Maine, newly divorced, and a pariah to most of his fellow state troopers. His new boss, Lieutenant Penelope Cumberland, is less than thrilled to have him in her command and makes that fact clear from their very first meeting.
Warned to toe the line and do things by the book, she sends him out on his first case. He will partner with a detective who has investigator experience, but not working homicides, Chloe Wright. The scene is about an hour away at a body of water known as “Second Pond” located near the town of Blue Hill.
He arrives in time to see a snowmobile float to the surface with considerable assistance by the dive team. A dive team that includes his new partner, Chloe Wright. It isn’t uncommon to find bodies in or near various vehicles as lakes and ponds thaw in the spring. Usually, liquor is involved, and people got intoxicated and stupid, and died as a result. It can take awhile and consistent warmer weather to recover the bodies.
This one is very different form the normal death by drunken misadventure as the body is handcuffed to the snowmobile. Along with teaching Chloe various tricks of being a homicide detective as this is her first homicide case, it becomes clear they have a literal cold case on their hands in more ways than one. Not in terms of years, but in terms of the body having been submerged since sometime in the winter as well as the identity of the victim. Their first clue is the fact that the snowmobile is incredibly expensive.
What follows is a complex police procedural as the author sets the foundation stone for a new series while providing a case full of twists and turns. The tentacles of the past reach deep into the present and weave a complex tapestry of crime and deceit as a back drop to the murder.
Simply put, Crimson Thaw: A Detective Justice Novel is a mighty good read and very much worth your time. Strongly recommended.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4gYywGZ
My reading copy came from the author with no expectation of a review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2025
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