Carnal Acts

Carnal Acts

by Sam Alexander

Published 15 June 2014 by Arcadia Books

This novel is described as crime noir. Dark and at its most terrifying. While I found this a dark read - as most are - I did not find it terrifying. This may please or disappoint you depending on the crime genre you prefer.

Set in the Northern English borders (hurrah) DI Joni Pax and DCI Hector 'Heck' Rutherford are investigating a murder at an Albanian-run brothel. Their suspect is on the run and bodies soon start piling up as Joni and Heck try to solve the crimes and take the Albanian mafia down.

Expect strong language, sexual scenes and violence.

I was a little nervous in starting this book as I expected it to be too gritty, however I was very quickly hooked on the tense plot and whip-smart twists. I felt really invested in Joni and Heck - both through their backstories and with their actions in cracking this case. As a duo, they work well. I see a fatherly respect building between them. The setting was pleasantly unusual - not East London or inner city Manchester but the rural town of Corham with cameos of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Roman Northumberland.

I would have absolutely picked up another Sam Alexander novel to read (which is apparently the pseudonym of a highly respected crime writer) were there any more published but at least feel I can now say I am a fan of Police procedural crime fiction.