Review by Emy Katherine -- An Imperfect Crime
Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 10:56
[Following is a volunteer review of "An Imperfect Crime" by Fred G. Baker.]
4 out of 4 stars
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An Imperfect Crime: A Detective Sanchez/Father Montero Mystery is a captivating murder mystery that revolves around the themes of jealousy, betrayal, and deception.
Peter Simpson, Sarah Parker, and Allister Brown will do anything to become successful authors, including planning a fake murder. They follow the plot of Peter's unpublished crime novel: Allister plays the victim, and Peter plays the murderer. Unfortunately, things take a fatal turn when Allister does not show up at Peter’s trial according to plan, and Peter is wrongfully executed for murdering his friend. Father Guillermo Montero, Peter's priest, believes in Peter's innocence and is committed to solving this mystery. He wastes no time working together with Detective Lori Sanchez of the Phoenix Police Department; she is the only person who thinks Allister is still alive. While trying to find the truth, Detective Sanchez is also investigating other crimes that involve cases of human trafficking, drug abuse, and gunrunning. Where is Allister Brown? Is he dead? Will Detective Sanchez and Father Montero be able to find the real killer?
Fred G. Baker crafts a very engaging, intricate plot. The book presents several settings even though the story mostly takes place in Phoenix, Arizona. Each location introduces a bunch of supporting characters who thoroughly stand out and make the story even more intriguing. In all sincerity, there is never a dull moment reading this fast-paced story; in fact, a large amount of action, suspense, and mystery will capture the reader's attention until the end. Undoubtedly, the main characters make the story even more believable. Both Detective Sanchez and Father Montero are memorable, likable, but also imperfect. In fact, the author does a great job of portraying them as real people; he shows both their strengths and their weaknesses and makes them act realistically in all situations. As they struggle to solve the mystery, the reader cannot help but sympathize with them and root for them. Also, the author keeps the plot moving by creating realistic, engaging dialogues between the characters.
However, what I liked most was the author's writing style; it was pleasant, engaging, and very descriptive. I genuinely admired Baker’s ability to describe a character, a place, or an event in a highly detailed manner. Additionally, I felt satisfied with Baker's realistic portrayal of police work. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which Detective Sanchez inspected an old crime scene and reenacted the kidnapping of a young girl. The scene was so vividly portrayed that I felt like I was right there with Detective Sanchez. Being a huge fan of police procedurals, I was glad this book did not disappoint.
In conclusion, there was nothing I disliked about this absorbing work of fiction. An Imperfect Crime was excellently written, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The story was unpredictable, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the last page. Also, I felt quite satisfied with the unexpected ending. The book was edited professionally; in fact, I found less than ten errors. They were mostly punctuation errors such as a misplaced apostrophe and missing commas.
I am pleased that the author is working on a sequel; hopefully, it will be published soon. Because of its unpredictable plot and its vivid descriptions, I gladly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would highly recommend it to fans of police procedurals and murder mysteries. However, the book includes occasional curse words and sensitive topics such as rape, sexual abuse, and prostitution; therefore, I would not suggest it to readers who might be triggered by one of those sensitive topics.
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An Imperfect Crime
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Like Emy Katherine's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
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An Imperfect Crime: A Detective Sanchez/Father Montero Mystery is a captivating murder mystery that revolves around the themes of jealousy, betrayal, and deception.
Peter Simpson, Sarah Parker, and Allister Brown will do anything to become successful authors, including planning a fake murder. They follow the plot of Peter's unpublished crime novel: Allister plays the victim, and Peter plays the murderer. Unfortunately, things take a fatal turn when Allister does not show up at Peter’s trial according to plan, and Peter is wrongfully executed for murdering his friend. Father Guillermo Montero, Peter's priest, believes in Peter's innocence and is committed to solving this mystery. He wastes no time working together with Detective Lori Sanchez of the Phoenix Police Department; she is the only person who thinks Allister is still alive. While trying to find the truth, Detective Sanchez is also investigating other crimes that involve cases of human trafficking, drug abuse, and gunrunning. Where is Allister Brown? Is he dead? Will Detective Sanchez and Father Montero be able to find the real killer?
Fred G. Baker crafts a very engaging, intricate plot. The book presents several settings even though the story mostly takes place in Phoenix, Arizona. Each location introduces a bunch of supporting characters who thoroughly stand out and make the story even more intriguing. In all sincerity, there is never a dull moment reading this fast-paced story; in fact, a large amount of action, suspense, and mystery will capture the reader's attention until the end. Undoubtedly, the main characters make the story even more believable. Both Detective Sanchez and Father Montero are memorable, likable, but also imperfect. In fact, the author does a great job of portraying them as real people; he shows both their strengths and their weaknesses and makes them act realistically in all situations. As they struggle to solve the mystery, the reader cannot help but sympathize with them and root for them. Also, the author keeps the plot moving by creating realistic, engaging dialogues between the characters.
However, what I liked most was the author's writing style; it was pleasant, engaging, and very descriptive. I genuinely admired Baker’s ability to describe a character, a place, or an event in a highly detailed manner. Additionally, I felt satisfied with Baker's realistic portrayal of police work. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which Detective Sanchez inspected an old crime scene and reenacted the kidnapping of a young girl. The scene was so vividly portrayed that I felt like I was right there with Detective Sanchez. Being a huge fan of police procedurals, I was glad this book did not disappoint.
In conclusion, there was nothing I disliked about this absorbing work of fiction. An Imperfect Crime was excellently written, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The story was unpredictable, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the last page. Also, I felt quite satisfied with the unexpected ending. The book was edited professionally; in fact, I found less than ten errors. They were mostly punctuation errors such as a misplaced apostrophe and missing commas.
I am pleased that the author is working on a sequel; hopefully, it will be published soon. Because of its unpredictable plot and its vivid descriptions, I gladly rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would highly recommend it to fans of police procedurals and murder mysteries. However, the book includes occasional curse words and sensitive topics such as rape, sexual abuse, and prostitution; therefore, I would not suggest it to readers who might be triggered by one of those sensitive topics.
******
An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves
Like Emy Katherine's review? Post a comment saying so!
Thank you for reading and commenting; it means a lot to me as it is my first review. 
Yep, it is a well-developed story! Thank you for commenting!