Shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2009.
CWA Judges’ comments: ‘A very strong debut with a highly original female protagonist.’
This is a fantastic book that was deservedly shortlisted for a CWA Gold Dagger. It introduces a highly original female protagonist, Jenny Cooper, the troubled new coroner to the Severn Vale District in one of the most exciting new crime series in years. Jenny takes on the establishment in search of truth and justice whilst dealing with a broken personal life you can really relate to. We could not put the book down and can’t wait for the next in the series.
Click here to view some Reading Group questions for this title.
Jenny Cooper series:
1. The Coroner
2. The Disappeared
3. The Redeemed
Comparison: Lynda La Plante, Peter James, Mark Billingham.

When lawyer, Jenny Cooper, is appointed Severn Vale District Coroner, she's hoping for a quiet life and space to recover from a traumatic divorce, but the office she inherits from the recently deceased Harry Marshall contains neglected files hiding dark secrets and a trail of buried evidence. Could the tragic death in custody of a young boy be linked to the apparent suicide of a teenage prostitute and the fate of Marshall himself?
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Recommendations: |
Win a Pair of Tickets to Agatha Christie’s The Hollow at a Venue of Your Choice.
Closing date: 15/10/2026
When lawyer, Jenny Cooper, is appointed Severn Vale District Coroner, she's hoping for a quiet life and space to recover from a traumatic divorce, but the office she inherits from the recently deceased Harry Marshall contains neglected files hiding dark secrets and a trail of buried evidence. Could the tragic death in custody of a young boy be linked to the apparent suicide of a teenage prostitute and the fate of Marshall himself?
The Coroner features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, Debut Books of the Month, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations
Paperback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
The Coroner was written by M. R. Hall and published by Pan Books an imprint of Pan Macmillan
The Coroner has 422 pages
Yes it is part of Coroner Jenny Cooper Series series
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. Temporarily Out Of Stock.