Review by yfx -- An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
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yfx
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- Latest Review: An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
Review by yfx -- An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
[Following is a volunteer review of "An Imperfect Crime" by Fred G. Baker.]
An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker is a detective fiction centred around Detective Sanchez and her unofficial partner and priest, Father Guillermo. It is set mainly in Arizona and begins with the execution of an innocent man, Peter Simpson, which later exposes an abundance of criminal activity, including kidnappings, murders and gunrunning. Alongside the main plot surrounding Simpson’s execution, the readers also follow Sanchez’s investigation into a gang operating along the Mexico-United States border. This change of scene provides a form of cathartic release for the reader from the heavy emotional demands of the main plot and allows an escape from the “real world” of the story. As both parts of the plot develop simultaneously, the author hints at possible links between the two supposedly unrelated investigations and eventually ties them together into one big puzzle. Cliché themes within the genre such as murder and drugs are used to explore unprecedented ideas, which intrigues the reader and forces them to think outside the box. I would recommend this novel to those that enjoy realistic crime thrillers and thought-provoking themes.
The first few pages of the book set the scene well and assure a promising read; the reader is immediately immersed into the crux of the plot and becomes captivated by the author’s delicate yet vivid descriptions. Fred G. Baker manages to avoid unnecessary detail, yet does not omit crucial elements of the plot in doing this. His use of characters to orchestrate the events of the story tie it together well; no character is used simply as a space-filler, and even the temporary ones serve some kind of purpose within the grand scheme of events. The style of writing and the fluidity of the author’s words force the reader to thoroughly consider the contents of the book and not just skim over it thoughtlessly. There are very few minor errors which do not hinder the overall clarity of the novel in any way.
By the end of the story, the omission of red herrings became noticeable. The plot is very fast-paced, and the events fit together almost too perfectly as there are no distractions to thicken the plot further. The story unravels as a timeline of events, rather than an intricate story with complications and irregularities. This chronological recount is worsened by the anticlimactic ending, leaving the reader with more questions than answers and making the journey's worth debatable. Whilst the need for suspense is understandable, it felt as though the author had reached a dead end within the plot and decided to play it off as suspense, risking the potential for the reader to feel frustrated.
As the story progressed, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of the names of characters and follow through with their role. Yet, this did not hinder the effectiveness of the plot as a whole. The characters increased towards the end and keeping track of who they were became challenging.
The author's style of writing, fluidity of word choice, detailed descriptions and specialist understanding of how criminal justice and police systems work (which gives for a realistic and believable read) earns this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. One star has been removed for what may be considered an unsatisfactory ending.
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An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker is a detective fiction centred around Detective Sanchez and her unofficial partner and priest, Father Guillermo. It is set mainly in Arizona and begins with the execution of an innocent man, Peter Simpson, which later exposes an abundance of criminal activity, including kidnappings, murders and gunrunning. Alongside the main plot surrounding Simpson’s execution, the readers also follow Sanchez’s investigation into a gang operating along the Mexico-United States border. This change of scene provides a form of cathartic release for the reader from the heavy emotional demands of the main plot and allows an escape from the “real world” of the story. As both parts of the plot develop simultaneously, the author hints at possible links between the two supposedly unrelated investigations and eventually ties them together into one big puzzle. Cliché themes within the genre such as murder and drugs are used to explore unprecedented ideas, which intrigues the reader and forces them to think outside the box. I would recommend this novel to those that enjoy realistic crime thrillers and thought-provoking themes.
The first few pages of the book set the scene well and assure a promising read; the reader is immediately immersed into the crux of the plot and becomes captivated by the author’s delicate yet vivid descriptions. Fred G. Baker manages to avoid unnecessary detail, yet does not omit crucial elements of the plot in doing this. His use of characters to orchestrate the events of the story tie it together well; no character is used simply as a space-filler, and even the temporary ones serve some kind of purpose within the grand scheme of events. The style of writing and the fluidity of the author’s words force the reader to thoroughly consider the contents of the book and not just skim over it thoughtlessly. There are very few minor errors which do not hinder the overall clarity of the novel in any way.
By the end of the story, the omission of red herrings became noticeable. The plot is very fast-paced, and the events fit together almost too perfectly as there are no distractions to thicken the plot further. The story unravels as a timeline of events, rather than an intricate story with complications and irregularities. This chronological recount is worsened by the anticlimactic ending, leaving the reader with more questions than answers and making the journey's worth debatable. Whilst the need for suspense is understandable, it felt as though the author had reached a dead end within the plot and decided to play it off as suspense, risking the potential for the reader to feel frustrated.
As the story progressed, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of the names of characters and follow through with their role. Yet, this did not hinder the effectiveness of the plot as a whole. The characters increased towards the end and keeping track of who they were became challenging.
The author's style of writing, fluidity of word choice, detailed descriptions and specialist understanding of how criminal justice and police systems work (which gives for a realistic and believable read) earns this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. One star has been removed for what may be considered an unsatisfactory ending.
******
An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
