The Coffin Maker (The Coffin #1)

This book came out of nowhere and managed to secure a place at the top of my favorite book lists and I have never been so happy!

“The Coffin Maker” begins with Jesse, a young man who has locked himself away in his workshop making beautiful custom caskets for anyone looking for something extra special for their final resting place when Death himself shows up to place an order for not one but eight caskets for victims of a tragedy that has yet to take place. With the deadline fast approaching, Jesse begins an investigation to uncover the motives behind something so sinister and does his best to stop the murders before they happen with the help of a strange newcomer named Robin, but are they any match for Death?

This book has everything I never knew I wanted, it’a got a town that comes alive for Halloween, horror movie reenactments at carnivals, the flawless intertwining of the tales of Poe with nursery rhymes whose bright lyrics shadow their dark origins and the personification of Death as the puppet master behind it all. All of these elements work together perfectly to build up the tension in this small town as we along with Jesse and Robin try to uncover what the tragedy will be and who is at risk of becoming a victim before time runs out.

The setting is beautiful the entire idea of a town coming to life for the Halloween tourist season is something I could see myself living in and the lengths this place goes to to sell that experience just adds to the mystery aspect because how does one go about an investigation looking for something or someone suspicious when everyone is playing their part to make the town creepy?

There’s also a lot of characters in this book which could be hard to manage if it’s not done well but thankfully this was written in a way where you really connect with them rather quickly so you can have your suspicions and try to figure it out but when the bodies start dropping you feel the same emotions as the lead characters and the desire to find the solution and stop the killer is at an all time high and they way they went about doing it was something I never could have guessed and it was both amazing and dark and I loved every second of it.

There’s a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and I hope that means we’re getting more books because I will follow these characters wherever they go, I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book and I will definitely be doing a reread around Halloween because I can’t think of a better book to get me in the mood for the season!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The title itself caught my interest first. Then the story of a young man living in a small town that thrives on the holiday Halloween, builds coffins like his father who disappeared 5 years ago with two coffins he had just constructed and was never seen again, and right before Halloween, Death drops by and asks him to make 8 coffins and he will tell him what really happened to his Dad.....well I just couldn't resist.

I loved this book and I certainly hope the #1 means there will be more in this series. The characters are lovable, the setting is perfect for a semi-paranormal story line and the action is unstoppable, plus the tongue-in-cheek comedy will have you laughing out loud.

Definitely put this one on your to-read list!

The Coffin Maker is a story about Jesse, a coffin maker in the quirky town of Gregor's Hollow. One night, Jesse is visited by Death--the actual Death--who orders 8 coffins for people whom he will be collecting in 2 weeks time. Not wanting to see any of the townspeople who have become friends meet their demise, Jesse sets out to see if he can stop this from happening.
I really enjoyed this book. It had a tongue in cheek, and at times self-deprecating humor that I really like. I'm not quite sure what genre it should be classified as. It had some elements of a cozy mystery, some paranormal, and a tiny bit of a romance. All in all, it was a very entertaining story and I hope there are more to come in the series.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. The blurb sounded interesting, and I started reading it not knowing exactly what type of book it is. And, to top it off, I’ve finished it, and I’m still not sure what to classify it as. However, what I can tell you was that it was an extremely unique mystery. The mystery itself wasn’t paranormal in nature, although there were definitely paranormal aspects. One such aspect was a painting that changed rooms in a hotel. I found that really intriguing for some reason. I really can’t say much as I don’t want to spoil anything about this book, but I really did find this book very interesting and not like anything I’d read in a while. One caution I must throw out, though, is that it took me a while to get into this book. Don’t let that throw you off the book. It really pays off in the end. I was really delighted with the coffins at the end. Intrigued by what I mean? Read it to find out. Highly recommend! I was provided a complimentary copy of the e-book which I reviewed voluntarily.

The Coffin Maker by Breeann Allison is alluring. First of all, the title is interesting and found it apt after I finished reading the book. The small town Gregor’s Hallow is just like a dream town I would wanna live. It’s quiet, away from fuss and Halloween celebrations in this town are just amazing. The way the author connected all the dots is very nice. Jesse Burns who had to take over his father’s coffin making business upon his disappearance, Death personified, the Gregorians, Robin, mysterious events at the time of Halloween, plague, Randall/Timothy and last but not the least coffins. The twist in this books is unexpected. I like how the author managed to share her views about universe, balance, life, death and the life in between. Personally, I enjoyed how coffins that carry a corpse are used to save lives. The pace is good and I enjoyed the book. If I didn’t have a preplanned travel in between, I wouldn’t have put this book down before I finished it in just 2-3 days.

#NetGalley #TheCoffinMaker #kindle #AmazonKindle #BreeannAllison #CuriosityQuillsPress #mystery #Thriller #GoodReads #Chapters #Indigo #LibraryThing #TheClippedNightingale #BookReview

OMG!!! I absolutely LOVED this book!! It had me hooked from the first paragraph and kept me turning the pages on my kindle at every opportunity I could pick it up to read! I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author! Her writing was fantastic, characters stood out to me and she set the mood and scene perfectly.

Welcome to Gregor's Hollow. This town makes itself "famous" for the touristy Halloween festivities. With everything from Poe Pageants, Hitchcock festival, monster movies and of course the twins from "The Shining" making their bloody appearance at the local hotel.

With all of that, nothing tops having Death knock on your door and tell you to build 8 coffins by Halloween. Jesse is the local custom coffin maker after his father left town a few years ago and he inherited the task. Jesse is not keen on building 8 coffins for local townsfolk so he strikes a deal with Death and tries to stop the deaths from occurring. But try solving a riddle in a town full of them it seems.

I am all about anything spooky or scary so I jumped at the chance to review this book. (I'm wearing Edgar Allan Poe-ka dot socks as I write this. It seems appropriate.) This fun cozy mystery had a unique and intriguing premise and a genuinely surprising plot. I could never have predicted where the story was headed and the outlandish happenings were clever and humourous. While the story requires some suspension of disbelief, if you can relax your hold on reality and just go with the flow you will be rewarded with a laugh out loud funny thrill ride with tons of action.

Vital to any cozy mystery is the cast of eccentric characters and Gregor’s Hollow does not disappoint. Jesse had such a distinct voice and I found him very relatable and hilarious. His deadpan sense of humour made the book for me. The town is full of interesting folk and it's always a bit heartwarming to see a small town pull together and support each other in the face of adversity. I'm a small town girl myself so I can appreciate a place where everyone knows your name and your business, for better or worse. Gregor’s Hollow faces some serious adversity in The Coffin Maker but they face it together.

The story is creepy but there isn’t anything that will keep you up at night. Well, maybe if you’re really wimpy. I should warn that there are a lot of animal deaths but they happen “off camera.” If even the mention of animals being killed disturbs you then give this one a pass. I am a big animal lover and while these deaths definitely disturbed me, this is a cozy mystery not a crime novel and there was nothing too graphic.

I’m thrilled that this is the first book in a series and I'm really looking forward to returning to this spooky, quirky town in the future!

Thank you to Curiosity Quills Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

The Coffin Maker (The Coffin #1) Book ONE of The Coffin by Breeann Allison is a book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This is such a good book! It is about a boy that takes over his father's business when his father just disappears one day. He makes coffins. Not just coffins but such beautiful coffins that people put orders in for their ahead of time so they can see them. Then Death comes by and tells him to make 8 coffins by the end of the month because there will be 8 deaths. Sure enough, people start dying and the mystery is on! Great mystery! Death then tells the boy about his father. Wonderful book!

This is a very good book! A nice and weird town, lovely character and an interesting plot.
It's both a fantasy and a mystery book and the two elements mix very well and gives a special flavour to the plot.
I liked Jessie and the description of the town and was hooked since the first pages.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Curiosity Quills Press and Netgalley

In a Flutter: So fun!
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: The Gregor’s Hollow, New England setting is a total killer. I loved it to bits! I mean, a Halloween-themed town – how exciting!
Characters: Jesse is a pretty remarkable character. At 23 he builds ornate coffins and is on his own. He’s appropriately dark and smart, also a reader so huzzah. I love his morbid view on some things and his caring nature when it came to his neighbors. He went through a lot too, poor guy.
Robin was an interesting addition, nicely layered and complex.
Now Death – he was beyond cool. Creepy and awesome.
In fact, the whole town was full of fab characters.
Plot: The story is so awesomely quirky. The two mysteries, of Jesse’s dad and the Monkey Man, were a great combo. I really enjoyed the pace of events and the atmosphere.
Writing: First person, present tense narrative, Jesse’s POV. Fabulous voice, darkish sense of humor – love it! Also, this is one of the most odd, charming, and exciting first chapters I’ve read recently.
Curb Appeal: Pretty cover, definitely hooking blurb – UF impulsive buy material galore.

I recommend The Coffin Maker to fans of quirky and original UF mysteries with a dash of romance and a lot of fun! This seems to me like a great new series, and I’m SO into it! <3

The Coffin Maker was even more fun to read than I could have imagined. I love paranormal mysteries, but this one blew me away. Super interesting characters, plot, and story that kept me reading long into the night (the best time to read paranormal books!). This is a must read book for all fans of the paranormal genre! So glad to have had the opportunity to read this and meet this new-to-me author. I will definitely be looking for more by Ms. Allison.

Gregor's Hollow is vying to be the best Halloween town in America. They put fog in the streets, graveyard bells, fried candy corn and a mysterious portrait in the local hotel to entice the tourist. It's October and the town is gearing up for the big night. Jesse, a recluse and the town's coffin maker is visited by death and told to make 8 coffins for use in the next two weeks. When a strange woman appears in town, Jesse joins with her to fight death's plan. This story is a cozy infused with some paranormal. It is the first book in the new series, The Coffin. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sometimes Netgalley has hidden gems - and this is definitely one. Welcome to Gregor's Hollow, a sleepy little town in the United States that has embraced it's haunted past and now pulls in the tourists with spooky hotels and mysterious attractions. It's all for the tourists of course - or at least it is at first glance, because some legends are real...and Death is in town with a mission.

Yes - as other reviewers are mentioned, you're going to need a high tolerance for quirk. If you've read the Odd Thomas series you'll have a rough idea of the tone of our protagonist - upbeat, irreverent, and quippy in the face of unworldly horrors. But the town is charming, oddly named residents or not, and the atmosphere really worked for me.

And some of the writing was genuinely fantastic - Death waxing lyrical about the Hitchhiker's Guide for example:
<i>Parody understands nothing in this universe is meant to be taken seriously. It is all just a series of accidents, of jokes, of random events, and - in the midst of it all - of insignificant life forms trying so, </i>so<i> very hard to matter in the grand scheme of things - which makes the grand scheme laugh even harder.</i>

There is some genuine horror - particularly if you're not a fan of hearing about nasty things happening to cats, beware, because they do - but it's spiked with humour and it all works out to a damn good read. Surprisingly, this is a first novel, so I'll definitely be keeping Breeann Allison on my radar - if it only gets better from here then we are in for a treat.

Talk about a hidden gem! I took a gamble on this book because the blurb sounded like something up my alley. Thank the book gods that I was approved!!! Now this book is NOTHING like other YA books – in a very good but quirky way! You have to keep an open mind and take nothing at face value.
This story is about a young man who has taken over his father’s coffin maker business to support the family. When Death comes to call and request 8 coffins by month’s end, the hero is skeptical but dutiful and makes them. Sure, enough people started dropping like flies and chaos ensues!
As previously mentioned, there is a vast volume of quick and darkness lurking between these pages. There are some torture scenes to cats that could cause triggers and are not pleasant to read