By Maelstegan.

• Book title: Call the Coroner 

• Author: Avril Ashton 

• Publisher: Independent 

• Genre: Contemporary, Dark MM romance  

• Number of pages: 354 paperback, 351 Kindle edition   

• Publication date: May 27, 2020 

Call the Coroner is book 1 of the Staniel duology series by Avril Ashton, and it’s a dark and all-consuming love featuring Daniel Nieto, a retired mafia leader and Stavros Konstantinou, an assassin. 

Daniel has been quietly plotting the capture of Stavros since he uncovered that he was indeed his wife’s killer, while for Stavros, getting captured was inevitable, since he knew it was only a matter of time until Daniel uncovered the truth. But what was not expected was feelings to grow between them.  

The story takes us through a whirlwind of emotions, from experiencing Daniel’s self-guilt firsthand to blushing at the captivating intimate scenes. Their love hits like a sledgehammer, giving the reader no time to breathe once their attraction appears on paper. 

Characters 

The characters are quite easy to get into if you’ve indulged in the author’s previous books. Their actions are very reasonable and well rendered that even the most violent actions feel logical, and you, as the reader, will find no fault in the decisions they make as the story progresses. 

Plot and pacing 

The writing of the story is perfect; the pacing is just right, which complements the nature of the characters. Everything starts to pick up closer to the middle of the story, and its peak is long-lasting.  

Trigger warnings  

• Themes of Stockholm syndrome 

• Torture (starvation, dehydration, stabbing & beating) 

• Blood/gore.  

Overall impression  

This is the perfect book for readers looking for a read with morally grey characters who’d burn the world for their partner. It blends a love-hate story, with the right amount of psychological tricks to make you curse them out, yet still love the outcome, regardless.