Review by Chevesic_1234 -- An Imperfect Crime
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Chevesic_1234
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- Latest Review: An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
Review by Chevesic_1234 -- An Imperfect Crime
[Following is a volunteer review of "An Imperfect Crime" by Fred G. Baker.]
I rated the book An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker three out of four stars. This is a crime novel. It features a priest, Father Montero, who teams up with a detective from the Phoenix Police Department, Lori Sanchez, to solve a crime. A man named Peter Simpson is executed for a murder that he did not commit. Before his execution, he hands Father Montero a manuscript for a novel that he was working on. The manuscript contains a blueprint of how to commit a perfect murder and this plan was apparently used in the crime for which Simpson is convicted. The duo’s search for a key witness who did not appear at trial leads down a path of interconnected crimes.
This novel was extremely thrilling to read. The underlying premise was very unique and the book itself was very well written. The plot is not complicated and the list of suspects is limited. The author regularly summarizes information and this also made it easy to follow. The language used was simple. The book was well edited and did not have typos or other grammatical errors.
The protagonists were very realistic and likeable. Neither Father Montero nor Detective Sanchez is depicted as perfect or extraordinary in any way. This contributes considerably to the reader’s enjoyment as they are not compelled to rely on leaps of superhuman intuition or skill to explain progress in the investigation. Lori Sanchez’s portrayal as a strong female lead is particularly good as the author does not make her infallible. Another factor that contributes to the realistic feel is the fact that luck does not feature in the investigation. The entire process is systematic, methodical and practical. I enjoyed this as I found it to be uncommon in the genre. The work is very well researched, specifically regarding legal procedure and organized crime. These are the reasons why I gave the book a three out of four stars.
What prevented me from giving the work a four on four was the lack of mystery and the disappointing ending. The focus of the novel was the procedure of the investigation more than the crime itself and consequently the identity of the culprit is revealed to the reader early. The motivation behind the crime and the methods employed are also not complicated. The ending lacks poetic justice and was emotionally unsatisfying. This is the flip side of the realism. The shootouts scenes were also underwhelming. The investigation was tedious to read at times.
Certain elements such as human trafficking were very disturbing to read about and I did not enjoy it personally but I admit that it was necessary for the story. This is not a book for minors or sensitive readers. All-in-all, this is a book recommended for those who enjoy realism in their crime novels or are interested in the procedure of detective work more than the sensational aspects of crime.
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An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I rated the book An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker three out of four stars. This is a crime novel. It features a priest, Father Montero, who teams up with a detective from the Phoenix Police Department, Lori Sanchez, to solve a crime. A man named Peter Simpson is executed for a murder that he did not commit. Before his execution, he hands Father Montero a manuscript for a novel that he was working on. The manuscript contains a blueprint of how to commit a perfect murder and this plan was apparently used in the crime for which Simpson is convicted. The duo’s search for a key witness who did not appear at trial leads down a path of interconnected crimes.
This novel was extremely thrilling to read. The underlying premise was very unique and the book itself was very well written. The plot is not complicated and the list of suspects is limited. The author regularly summarizes information and this also made it easy to follow. The language used was simple. The book was well edited and did not have typos or other grammatical errors.
The protagonists were very realistic and likeable. Neither Father Montero nor Detective Sanchez is depicted as perfect or extraordinary in any way. This contributes considerably to the reader’s enjoyment as they are not compelled to rely on leaps of superhuman intuition or skill to explain progress in the investigation. Lori Sanchez’s portrayal as a strong female lead is particularly good as the author does not make her infallible. Another factor that contributes to the realistic feel is the fact that luck does not feature in the investigation. The entire process is systematic, methodical and practical. I enjoyed this as I found it to be uncommon in the genre. The work is very well researched, specifically regarding legal procedure and organized crime. These are the reasons why I gave the book a three out of four stars.
What prevented me from giving the work a four on four was the lack of mystery and the disappointing ending. The focus of the novel was the procedure of the investigation more than the crime itself and consequently the identity of the culprit is revealed to the reader early. The motivation behind the crime and the methods employed are also not complicated. The ending lacks poetic justice and was emotionally unsatisfying. This is the flip side of the realism. The shootouts scenes were also underwhelming. The investigation was tedious to read at times.
Certain elements such as human trafficking were very disturbing to read about and I did not enjoy it personally but I admit that it was necessary for the story. This is not a book for minors or sensitive readers. All-in-all, this is a book recommended for those who enjoy realism in their crime novels or are interested in the procedure of detective work more than the sensational aspects of crime.
******
An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
