The Thirteenth Coffin (DCI Mark Lapsie, 4)

A heart-stopping delve into the twisted mind of a serial killer from the creator of the hit BBC drama Silent Witness. Perfect for fans of M.J. Arlidge and Angela Marsons.

Stretching along the shelf, standing upright, were 12 wooden coffins. Nine were closed and three open…with little dolls standing inside them.

It was supposed to be the most special day of her life – until the unthinkable happened. Leslie Petersen is shot dead on her wedding day.

With the bride’s killer vanished without a trace, the investigation into the murder grinds to a halt before it’s even begun. But then, the decomposing body of an unidentified homeless man is found in an old Cold War bunker, and DCI Mark Lapslie makes a bizarre discovery. Hidden near the body is a shrine full of miniature wooden coffins. Each coffin contains a little doll, all dressed differently.

One of the dolls is dressed as a bride – could this be a link to Leslie’s murder? And if so, who do the other dolls represent? Can Lapslie and his team stop the countdown of the ‘dying dolls’ before it’s too late?

Discover the other books in the DCI Mark Lapslie series: Core of Evil, Tooth and Claw, Scream and Flesh and Blood.