(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As the daughter of the coroner of Dublin's North Wards, 18-year-old Abigail Lawless has had an unconventional upbringing.  She's grown up surrounded by the tools of her father's trade.  He, in turn, has encouraged Abigail's curious mind and interest in his work, despite society's view of what is and is not appropriate for a young woman in the early 19th Century.  

Abigail's interest is piqued by the death of Emilie Casey, who works as a nursemaid for the wealthy Nesham family, and her newborn son.  Although Emilie's death is ruled a suicide, Abigail isn't convinced.  Determined to know the truth, the coroner's daughter starts digging.  Her investigation catches the interest of some powerful parties, including the leader of The Brethren, a strict religious sect.  The closer Abigail gets to finding the real answers, the more dangerous her obsession becomes.  Can she figure out what really happened to Emilie and her infant?  Or will Abigail end up the next woman dead of an apparent suicide?

The Coroner's Daughter by Irish author Andrew Hughes is an atmospheric mystery that's engrossing overall.  It stars a likable heroine, about whom I would gladly read more.  The novel's plot is a bit loosey-goosey.  It gets overly long in places, making for dull spots, and not all the ends are tied up by the finale.  The tale also gets predictable, although to be fair I did not guess the identity of the criminal mastermind.  In the end, I found The Coroner's Daughter to be just an okay read for me.

(Readalikes:  Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco and The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber) 

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find