Review by AadiG -- An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
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Review by AadiG -- An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker
[Following is a volunteer review of "An Imperfect Crime" by Fred G. Baker.]
Getting their book the backing of a publishing house is nearly impossible for a young writer. Peter Simpson must have sent his manuscript to dozens of agents, but to no avail. Consequently, he and his friends (Sarah Parker and her boyfriend, Allister Brown) hatch a plan that will put Simpson in limelight. They plan to set up a crime scene of a murder where all circumstantial evidence points toward Simpson having murdered Brown. But there will be no body of Brown at the scene. Simpson would be tried but just before his conviction, Brown would walk in at the trial, and the case would fall, as no murder ever took place. They execute their plan and Peter Simpson becomes a suspect for the murder of Allister Brown in Phoenix, Arizona. During the trial, Simpson does not defend himself because he expects to be released when his friend shows up at the court, as per their plan. But Brown never shows up at the trial and Simpson is found guilty of murder.
Father Montero, the priest who talked to Simpson before his execution, feels Simpson is innocent. He embarks on a journey to discover the facts of the case. Detective Lori Sanchez, Phoenix PD had raised doubts about the crime scene being ‘too perfect.’ Father Montero contacts her and gets access to the case file. As the story unfolds, many unsolved missing-person cases from California and gang operations from across the border with Mexico are examined.
Fred G. Baker enters my list of favorite authors with this book. The plot is intriguing (I couldn’t put the book down!), the writing is excellent and the characters are well-crafted. An Imperfect Crime begins as a murder mystery and quickly moves into the world of gangs, guns, drugs, kidnappings, and prostitution.
I found this book to be a great read. The story takes us from Phoenix and its suburbs in Arizona to Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco town in Mexico, and Berkeley and Lake Tahoe in California. It was full of revelations and twists I did not expect. There was an intense car chase which was quite interesting to read. I felt the novel was very appropriately paced. There were also certain comical moments like when Father Montero used a swear word for the first time. Also, there were other emotions the reader experiences apart from the thrill of solving the mystery. You feel the humor, the frustration, and the fear of the characters as you read. This would interest the readers, and it makes the book well suited for the age group of 18-25. However, the story touches upon the topic of rape and it gets grim for a while, making it unsuitable for children and sensitive readers.
The thing I loved most was when the author shared with us the notes of Father Montero. The notes contained information that Father Montero had come across since beginning his quest. This summed up the information for me. It engaged me more, and I felt it was me who was in the pursuit of the case facts. Overall, it was a nice read for the genre of C/T/M/H (Crime/Thriller/Mystery/Action). This book is exceptionally well-edited. That ought to contribute to a wonderful reading experience. Therefore, I give this book the perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
The cases are solved but the culprit is still absconding. In the final chapter, Father Montero comes across the book Peter Simpson was trying to get published, ‘The Perfect Crime’, in a book store. When he flips through the book, new information is revealed. And the readers are left hoping for a sequel.
There is mention of a second novel in the Detective Sanchez-Father Montero series. I would definitely read it.
******
An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Getting their book the backing of a publishing house is nearly impossible for a young writer. Peter Simpson must have sent his manuscript to dozens of agents, but to no avail. Consequently, he and his friends (Sarah Parker and her boyfriend, Allister Brown) hatch a plan that will put Simpson in limelight. They plan to set up a crime scene of a murder where all circumstantial evidence points toward Simpson having murdered Brown. But there will be no body of Brown at the scene. Simpson would be tried but just before his conviction, Brown would walk in at the trial, and the case would fall, as no murder ever took place. They execute their plan and Peter Simpson becomes a suspect for the murder of Allister Brown in Phoenix, Arizona. During the trial, Simpson does not defend himself because he expects to be released when his friend shows up at the court, as per their plan. But Brown never shows up at the trial and Simpson is found guilty of murder.
Father Montero, the priest who talked to Simpson before his execution, feels Simpson is innocent. He embarks on a journey to discover the facts of the case. Detective Lori Sanchez, Phoenix PD had raised doubts about the crime scene being ‘too perfect.’ Father Montero contacts her and gets access to the case file. As the story unfolds, many unsolved missing-person cases from California and gang operations from across the border with Mexico are examined.
Fred G. Baker enters my list of favorite authors with this book. The plot is intriguing (I couldn’t put the book down!), the writing is excellent and the characters are well-crafted. An Imperfect Crime begins as a murder mystery and quickly moves into the world of gangs, guns, drugs, kidnappings, and prostitution.
I found this book to be a great read. The story takes us from Phoenix and its suburbs in Arizona to Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco town in Mexico, and Berkeley and Lake Tahoe in California. It was full of revelations and twists I did not expect. There was an intense car chase which was quite interesting to read. I felt the novel was very appropriately paced. There were also certain comical moments like when Father Montero used a swear word for the first time. Also, there were other emotions the reader experiences apart from the thrill of solving the mystery. You feel the humor, the frustration, and the fear of the characters as you read. This would interest the readers, and it makes the book well suited for the age group of 18-25. However, the story touches upon the topic of rape and it gets grim for a while, making it unsuitable for children and sensitive readers.
The thing I loved most was when the author shared with us the notes of Father Montero. The notes contained information that Father Montero had come across since beginning his quest. This summed up the information for me. It engaged me more, and I felt it was me who was in the pursuit of the case facts. Overall, it was a nice read for the genre of C/T/M/H (Crime/Thriller/Mystery/Action). This book is exceptionally well-edited. That ought to contribute to a wonderful reading experience. Therefore, I give this book the perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
The cases are solved but the culprit is still absconding. In the final chapter, Father Montero comes across the book Peter Simpson was trying to get published, ‘The Perfect Crime’, in a book store. When he flips through the book, new information is revealed. And the readers are left hoping for a sequel.
There is mention of a second novel in the Detective Sanchez-Father Montero series. I would definitely read it.
******
An Imperfect Crime
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
