A Not So Perfect Crime-Teresa Solana

A Not So Perfect Crime
Teresa Solana
Bitter Lemon, Mar 01 2009, $14.99
ISBN: 9781904738343

On first look, one would not consider them brothers; on meeting them one would notice how their personalities are total opposites; their differing surname support the assertion that the pair does not share the same DNA. However, Eduard Martinez and Borja “Pep” Masdeu are not just siblings, they are twins.

In Barcelona, the pair open up Frau (as in Tau as you get what you pay for especially the poor) Consultants providing special (some might insists illegal or least Borja has a tendency to cross the line) circumspect services to the rich and richer though they hide their common heritage even from Eduard’s wife. MP Luis Font plans to run for president, but cannot afford personal scandal. He hires Frau Consultants to discreetly investigate his wife Lidia to insure she is not cheating on him with the portrait artist painting her. However, someone sends Lidia a gift of marrons glaces flavored with poison. When she dies the brothers investigate her murder fearing their client did it and might be setting them up for the fall.

The fun in this satirical whodunit is the fumbling twins who thrive on making mistakes while putting up a false bravado façade even when it comes to their office. The story line converges on the political-affluence connection, but is owned by the soft-boiled siblings as they hide their DNA link (never quite explained why) and their clueless skills while working on A NOT SO PERFECT CRIME.

Harriet Klausner