Perfect for fans of Carolyn Haines and Donna Andrews, Lillian Bell makes the return with her second Funeral Parlor mystery featuring funeral director Desiree Turner. When an unnatural cause of death finds one of her clients, Desiree must get to the bottom of the murder before she’s fitted for a coffin, herself.Funeral director Desiree Turner deals with death by natural causes all the time. Death … natural causes all the time. Death by unnatural causes? Not so much. Yet, she and her boyfriend Nate have heard some not-so-dear things about the recently departed. A suspicious remark by the late Frank Fiore’s daughters sparks some concern. And when Violet Daugherty faints behind the wheel of her car, Desiree suspects she’s got a front seat to murder.
Desiree can’t help but look into Violet’s untimely end, but soon after, rumors begin to spread that she’s accusing her clients of murder, which quickly spurs a mass cancellation and Desiree is on the verge of going out of business. What began as an effort to do due diligence for her client turns into a wild goose chase for Violet’s murderer. Desiree must find her proof before everything she works for is lost. But that’s easier said than done, because while everyone else in town is looking to take their business elsewhere, the killer sets sights directly upon Desiree.
Now it’s up to Desiree to find the murderer before she becomes the next body her funeral parlor serves in If the Coffin Fits, Lillian Bell’s second charming Funeral Parlor mystery.
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Jumping into the series on book 2, I enjoyed meeting Desiree, her family, and friends. Having returned to the family business after tanking her previous career as a reporter with a hot mic gaffe, Desiree seems to be trying to find her niche. Juggling her duties at the family funeral home as well as writing for the local paper, Desiree isn’t afraid to use one job to help get details for the other. When she hears clients of the funeral home having a suspicious conversation, she can’t help but try to figure out what it’s about. When it seems to lead nowhere, she looks into another case with her boyfriend but everything seems to keep leading back to the clients she was first suspicious of. As the case progresses, she finds a clue about her father’s disappearance.
Overall, I enjoyed the story immensely. There was so much going on but it never became overwhelming or confusing. Lillian Bell is a master at weaving different story lines into one masterfully written book. There was humor mixed with suspense as well as believable characters and a beautifully developed town. I highly recommend this book and look forward to going back and catching up with the first one.
Thank you to Lillian Bell, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read this book and share my thoughts and opinions with others.
Desiree just can’t help herself when she “just knows” that someone was murdered and brought to her funeral home. She has to bring the murderer to justice even if it means hurting her family and their business. That part made me not like her much but at the same time I understand it. The Dad business is even more complicated and we get left hanging until the next book. Which is coming out when?
IF THE COFFIN FITS, the second book in Lillian Bell’s Funeral Parlor Mystery Series, is light and entertaining. Its strong protagonist, appealing supporting characters, unique setting, and interesting murder mystery come together to make an enjoyable cozy adventure.
Desiree Turner grew up in the family business but left home to be a TV investigative journalist. A bad end to her job leads her back to Taylor Family Funeral Home where she is biding her time, trying to decide what path she wants her future to take. In addition to her funeral duties, she also writes for the local newspaper and is the only person who believes her father, who disappeared without a trace, is still alive. When Violet Daugherty dies in an apparent accident, Desiree and her ME boyfriend Nate think there is more to it. Desiree cannot keep her reporter nose out of it and starts asking questions and making accusations. Questions that have led to a slew of funeral cancellations. Despite promising her family to stay out of it, she cannot help but follow the clues to uncover the truth.
I worked in a funeral home for years so it is no surprise that this series caught my eye, and I was not disappointed in reading IF THE COFFIN FITS. I have not read the first book (but plan to remedy that ASAP), but I had no trouble jumping right into the story and feel like I already know the characters. Desiree’s unique reporter skills make her a top notch amateur sleuth, and I think she genuinely wants to help people. This sometimes leads her to do some stupid stuff, but, thankfully, she never crosses over into “too stupid to live” territory. The supporting cast is full of appealing, witty characters, adding interest to the tale. I especially like Uncle Joey and Nate. And the victim’s dog Orion is delightful and definitely my favorite. I hope he becomes an integral part of the series.
The mystery surrounding Violet’s death is solidly written with an ever changing slew of suspects. There are plenty of twists and turns making the story compelling. I did guess whodunit and their motive pretty early in the book, but this did not deter my enjoyment, and it is fun to let the mystery play out alongside Desiree. The book does not end with a cliff hanger exactly, but I definitely now cannot wait for the next book to be released. I need to know.
IF THE COFFIN FITS is a fun whodunit. I recommend it to any cozy mystery fan.
I received a copy of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
If you enjoy witty cozy mysteries with eclectic characters, look no further! I enjoyed this cozy mystery! It is the eagerly-awaited sequel to A Grave Secret, with humor through the worst of days, and challenging mysteries that Desiree gets caught up in.
Desiree and Donna grew up in the multi-generational Turner Family Funeral Home, so it is normal for them to live upstairs from the mortuary. Donna’s husband seems content to live there with his bride. Donna is pregnant and doing everything necessary for herself and her child. Their mother died when they were young, so their dad and his brother, Uncle Joey, focused on raising Desiree and Donna while managing the funeral home. Nineteen months earlier, however, their father disappeared when he was surfing by himself. The local police think he drowned, but Desiree believes that he is still alive, perhaps hiding out for some reason, based on some unique little gifts left for herself and Donna at their home.
Desiree overhears sisters Iris and Daisy as they come in to arrange for their father’s funeral. It sounds as if Iris may have done something to hasten the death of her father, who she returned to Verbena to care for several years earlier. Desiree asks some probing questions, which irritates Iris. Suddenly people are no longer calling Turner for their loved one’s funerals, they have cancellations, and her family is upset with her. Purely by accident, Desiree finds an interesting box of photos in the home of Violet, a recently-deceased woman’s home. Desiree asks even more questions, and people get mighty upset with the former investigative television reporter. Nate, the guy she is dating, is worried about her as the photo lady may have been murdered. Luke, the police chief, refuses to investigate, so Desiree is hot on the trail in this witty cozy mystery.
I like the Turner family! Even when upset with each other, they have each other’s back. Desiree is a young woman who would like to get back into investigative reporting and does minor pieces for the local Free Press. She is the only person who has held on to the hope that her father is still alive and follows possible clues. Donna grieves the loss of her father but refuses to consider he might be alive. Uncle Joey and their father were closer than most brothers; his grief has been immense. Nate, the medical examiner and local practicing doctor, and Jasmine, Desiree’s BFF since preschool, support her as she searches for the truth.
From the start, this was a novel that was easy to lose myself in. Desiree certainly has more courage than I do, and somehow the quirky characters fit together well. That includes the large puppy she is fostering, Orion. There were many people who might have wanted to kill Violet, but a few felt her nasty actions helped them change their lives for the better. Plot twists keep the mystery fascinating as potential suspects change. I did guess who the bad guy/ gal might be, and even the motive, a while before Desiree does, but none of the clues were obvious. There are still surprises at the end, and I look forward to the next novel in the series! I highly recommend If the Coffin Fits, to those who enjoy well-written and witty cozy mysteries, as well as a story in which dogs rock and at the end of the day, family is still family.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, and this is my honest review.
This is the second book in the funeral parlor mysteries and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like Ms Bell’s writing style, no over the top characters, just down to earth people that you meet. This mystery has plenty of twists between overhearing sisters talk that sounds suspicious, a car accident that could be murder, rumors about the parlor, a puppy with no home and the back story mystery of Desiree’s father. This book keeps you entertained and I will continue on with this series. A good solid read
*I was lucky enough to have received a copy of this book and this is my own opinion.
4.45 stars
If the Coffin Fits was the first book from Lillian Bell that I read…and I loved it! The writing style hooked me from the first sentence and I felt right at home in this story. Yes, I could tell that there was another one in this series that I missed but it didn’t take away from the mystery. It makes me want to go back and read it before the next one comes out though.
There were a lot of clues and red herrings mixed in with this twisting and turning mystery. It was fun and well paced and I enjoyed all the characters – the likable ones and the not so likable ones just as much.
The mystery was solved completely and satisfactory but there was quite a big cliffhanger on the background story which I didn’t mind.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Crooked Lane Books and the author provided me with an advance copy.
cozy-mystery, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, reporter, family-dynamics, friendship
When Desiree bombed very publicly at her job as reporter and got fired, she went back home to her sister, uncle, the family funeral home business, and unresolved issues regarding the father who is missing and presumed dead. To further complicate things, her sister is nearing the end of a precarious pregnancy.
The first problem arises when Desiree overheard part of a conversation between two daughters of a man who was in hospice care at home and questions one of them. Almost concomitantly there is business in the form of a relative newcomer who died in a car wreck but the autopsy is rather iffy, and things get even more interesting when the only known relative who lives on the other side of the country coerced Desiree into performing all the other local tasks. Turns out that the woman who died was unpleasant among other things and also had a rather marvelous young dog who quickly insinuated himself into her heart.
Enough of the recapping. The mystery is more than just entertaining but is solid and has lots of suspects and red herrings. It’s not the doom and gloom sort nor a gigglefest, but a real brain grabber that keeps you reading beyond a reasonable hour. The characters are interesting and engaging and the situations and conversations ring true. I was unaware that it is second in series until after I finished, but, at the moment, the first is on sale so I snaffled a copy.
I requested and received a free review copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
It’s a normal business day at the Turner Family Funeral Home until funeral director/reporter Desiree Turner overhears a conversation that arouses suspicions about the death of one of her clients. Did she misunderstand what she heard, or is she once again involved in murder? As the family business starts to suffer, and Desiree’s life is in danger, she knows that she (and her new canine companion) have no choice but to investigate. Excellent little cozy mystery, with just the right amount of humor and romance thrown in. If the Coffin Fits by author Lillian Bell receives an A+ from this happy lover of cozy mysteries!
“If the Coffin Fits” earns 5/5 Funeral Arrangements…Engaging, Clever, Fun!
My mother always said, “Be careful what you say!” Desiree Turner learns this the hard way. She overhears Daisy accuse her sister Iris of “something” about which both are very secretive. The sisters are arranging their father’s funeral with the Turner Funeral Home, so the odd comment is curious at best, worrisome at worst since their father’s death from a long illness comes into question. Desiree’s boyfriend Nate Johar is the local ME, so asking for an informal verification seems easy enough to satisfy any niggling feelings. But, when Iris shows up to deliver a funeral suit, a wrong comment infuriates the sister. Ok, did Desiree just accuse the sister of foul play? It seems just a misunderstanding, but when town gossip turns into cancellations of services and another client succumbing in a traffic accident seeming less and less accidental, Desiree is compelled to uncover the truth for the sake of justice if not just to save the family business.
A fan of “A Grave Issue,” book one in Lillian Bell’s Funeral Parlor Mysteries, I was very eager to continue my reading journey, and was not disappointed! I thoroughly enjoyed how each chapter began with an article from the Verbena Free Press penned by Desiree herself. We’ve learned she was a journalist with a viral “oops” in her past, and the articles set up for the reader key issues, local events, and important connections and side dramas to consider. Bell’s first-person narrative was well written with engaging descriptions that lay out well the setting, appearances, clues, evidence, and Desiree’s inner thoughts. Beyond enjoying the narrative, Bell includes entertaining banter that illustrates tone, personality, and emotions. The side drama about Desiree’s father continues to be intriguing, but looks to continue to weave throughout the series. I highly recommend this book, and you don’t need to have read the first book since there are no spoilers and enough references to keep you engaged. However, you’ll want to read “A Grave Issue” to connect how it all started.
Funeral director Desiree Turner is used to dealing with death from natural causes but discovers a recent car accident victim may have been murdered. What would cause a healthy woman to faint behind the wheel of her car and cause a one-car accident?
When her boyfriend Nate notices a tiny needle prick on the victim’s neck, they both suspect an insulin injection, but the local sheriff is too quick to close the case as a simple car accident. Desiree puts herself on the case of finding out what happens and soon discovers the victim was up to no good and the results of her investigation is causing problems for the family funeral business.
This is the perfect cozy mystery with an unusual profession (funeral director). Desiree comes across as a very caring individual that will do anything to help family and friends in need. Sometimes that help causes her to be put in dangerous situations, but she has the support of her best friend, sister, boyfriend, and boss. The plot has some great twists and turns along with a few surprises that you will never see coming.
This is the second book in the series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
If The Coffin Fits is the second book The Funeral Parlor Mysteries series.
The story begins with Daisy and Iris visiting the Turner Funeral Parlor to make burial arrangements for the father who had been in home hospice care. Desiree Turner asks a question that the sisters take as accusing them of bringing their father to an earlier death. Soon Desiree is sent to the hospital to pick up the body of Violet Dougherty who has died from injuries in a single car accident. Desiree is surprised that nothing had been found to call the death anything other than an accident. As a part-time reporter for the Verbena Free Press, she had covered the accident and she has her doubts that is was simply an accident. She keeps asking Nate Johar, the M.E. if he is absolutely sure that there were no questionable marks on the body. Finally, he does find some questionable marks on the body.
Desiree calls the only relative of Violet, Lizette a cousin who lives across the country, to work out the details of Violet’s funeral. But basically, she asks to handle the planning and to also do what would be necessary to put Violet’s house for sale. This is far beyond the responsibilities of a funeral home but makes it easier for Desiree to look into how Violet actually died. Going through the house Desiree finds some candid photograph of residents of Verbena in embarrassing situations. She soon learns that Violet was not well liked and that Violet might be using the pictures to bribe or blackmail those in the pictures. But first, she needs to find who might have the most to lose if their pictures became public.
Another well-told and plotted story with an interesting cast of characters.
I will be watching for the next book in the series to see what Desiree might be up to next. Also will be interested in seeing what new information regarding her father’s disappearance.