Suspended from her job as a promising police officer for firing "one bullet too many", Anne Capestan is expecting the worst when she is summoned to H.Q. to learn her fate. Instead, she is surprised to be told that she is to head up a new police squad, working on solving old cold cases.
Though relieved to still have a job, Capestan is not overjoyed by the prospect of her new role. Even less so when she meets her new team: a crowd of misfits, troublemakers and problem cases, none of whom are fit for purpose and yet none of whom can be fired.
But from this inauspicious start, investigating the cold cases throws up a number of strange mysteries for Capestan and her team: was the old lady murdered seven years ago really just the victim of a botched robbery? Who was behind the dead sailor discovered in the Seine with three gunshot wounds? And why does there seem to be a curious link with a ferry that was shipwrecked off the Florida coast many years previously?
Translated from the French by Sam Gordon (Summary from Amazon)
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of a British TV show called New Tricks, where a group of older men are off solving cold cases and getting into trouble.
The Awkward Squad, however, isn't just older men and women police officers. It's a French police squad of undesirables and people unable to be fired. This leads to some interesting characters from an officer believed to be a curse and another officer who wrote a series of famous books. All of the characters were really interesting and well fleshed out. They each had a distinct personality, but when working together as a whole unit, they meshed wonderfully.
Capestan, the leader of this rag tag group seems to have a hard time ahead of her, but she doesn't let this new job get her down. They start with some cases that have loose threads that need wrapping up. Soon, they are embroiled in murder, corruption, and more.
There were some lovely twists and turns and by the end, I was sad to leave this new team. Hopefully, there will be more, but if not, this was a lovely ending to a great story.
Here is an affiliate link to the book at Amazon, if you want to buy it:
The Awkward Squad, however, isn't just older men and women police officers. It's a French police squad of undesirables and people unable to be fired. This leads to some interesting characters from an officer believed to be a curse and another officer who wrote a series of famous books. All of the characters were really interesting and well fleshed out. They each had a distinct personality, but when working together as a whole unit, they meshed wonderfully.
Capestan, the leader of this rag tag group seems to have a hard time ahead of her, but she doesn't let this new job get her down. They start with some cases that have loose threads that need wrapping up. Soon, they are embroiled in murder, corruption, and more.
There were some lovely twists and turns and by the end, I was sad to leave this new team. Hopefully, there will be more, but if not, this was a lovely ending to a great story.
I received an uncorrected advance proof copy from NetGalley.
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