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Reviewed by Delene Vrey for Readers' Favorite
In Unnatural Selection by Paul C. Edge, DI Jim Kendall and DC Claire Gorwen are investigating some strange deaths that seem like suicides but do not make sense. The victims are all associated with scientific institutions that involve genetics or medical research. When Claire visits with a friend from another district, they realize that they have cases with elements in common. Soon after, Claire's friend is found brutally murdered. Claire is given time off and is visited by the boyfriend of her murdered friend. He insists that her life is in danger, and she helps him disappear. When one of Claire's neighbors reports a crime scene in Claire's flat, DS Kendall is in shock, and a full-scale manhunt ensues to find her. When DI Kendall finally reaches Claire, she tells him about the link between the different "suicide" cases and accompanies him back home. Claire investigates a lead that takes her to a Darwinian Club, after which she, too, is brutally murdered. Now, together with Arty, Claire's IT wiz of an ex-husband, Jim, sets a trap to apprehend the Diavlo gang that is responsible for the killings. With links to Romania and Libya, the resolution of the case ends in a shocking twist.
Paul C. Edge uses formal language in the narration of this thrilling police procedural story, which successfully highlights the upper-class people at whom the crimes are directed. The dialogue carries the actions and drives the story forward. The novel is aimed at readers who enjoy British crime, combined with conspiracy theories and political influences. The title, Unnatural Selection, is a direct antithesis to Darwin's book, Natural Selection. The premise of the story is that man's manipulation of nature has led to unnatural selection. Other themes that emerge in the novel include the ruthlessness of European businessmen, the chaos that war leaves behind, and the far-reaching influence of Eastern European gangs, including their cruel methods of dealing with their enemies. Despite the gruesome deaths, the violence is merely hinted at, and very little violence is conveyed firsthand. This is an interesting read and would suit readers who enjoy a perfectly British crime story.
