As a former police detective, Bruce Robert Coffin knows the ins and outs of law enforcement and the toll it can take on the individual. As a writer, Bruce Robert Coffin knows exactly how to use his knowledge for best effect without over burdening the narrative with too much detail. After a successful run with his debut series (the Detective Byron mysteries) and an unforgettable collaboration with friend and colleague LynDee Walker (the Turner and Mosely Files), Bruce Robert Coffin launches a new series with Crimson Thaw—news that will please his existing fans while also providing an entry point for new readers looking for authentically-rendered police procedurals.
Throughout his career, Bruce Robert Coffin has excelled at writing opening scenes that grab the reader by the throat and refuse to let go. But his skills really shine in his ability to maintain that same level of tension throughout the novel(s)—in both the action-packed set pieces, as well as in the quieter moments of reflection and contemplation. That balancing act is on full display in Crimson Thaw.
In Crimson Thaw, readers are introduced to Brock Justice, a once celebrated detective who has now been relegated to an assignment in the remote reaches of Maine’s northern wilderness. As if the location weren’t punishment enough, Justice has also been assigned a rookie partner named Chloe Wright. Readers who enjoy a contentious relationship amongst the investigative team will find the tenuous dynamic here as addictive as hot chocolate on a cold winter morning.
Bruce Robert Coffin wastes no time in getting this team to work. The retrieval of an abandoned snowmobile uncovers a more serious crime that leads directly back to the small community of Blue Hill. Every murder investigation needs some viable suspects, and Crimson Thaw doesn’t disappoint. Not only is the author keeping readers on their toes with the ever more complicated threads of connection—to each other and to the crime at hand—he is also populating his series with a quirky canvas of characters.
Which brings us to the setting. In Crimson Thaw (and likely the series moving forward), Bruce Robert Coffin has made the natural world a co-star, much in the way readers see in the works of Paul Doiron and William Kent Krueger. The landscape alone makes for a challenging investigation, but compound that with the dodgy weather and readers know Brock and Chloe are in for some tough times.
Crimson Thaw is action-packed but never shortchanges depth of character. Brock Justice—like crime fiction legends Harry Bosch, Elvis Cole, etc.—is the beating heart beneath the prose. Once readers have given him their loyalty, there’s no stopping this series. Dive in now as there are already two more “Detective Justice” mysteries lined up for 2026.
BUY LINKS: Crimson Thaw by Bruce Robert Coffin
Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
