The Awkward Squad - MacLehose Press Edition | Crime Thriller Novel | Perfect for Book Clubs & Mystery Lovers

What fun this book is! This quirky, clever, funny, police procedural is set in Paris. The story begins with the reinstatement of a police officer who has been investigated by internal affairs in connection with a shooting. But the twist is that she is reinstated to command a new squad of police officers that will be assigned to unsolved case files. She soon discovers that the squad is composed of other officers who have run afoul of rules, powerful people, alcohol, gambling, or otherwise been sidelined. They can’t be fired, so they are sent to the awkward squad. I love the cast of characters and how they react to each other and their new assignment. This is the first book of a series that I am sure to follow. The story is complex, the Paris setting is filled with places that you will recognize, and I am interested in all of it. The pacing is fast so the pages turn quickly. I laughed out loud more than once. The author did a wonderful job in this first book in introducing the premise, developing the characters, describing the setting and telling an entertaining story. While this is a police procedural, it is defining its own niche in the genre with the combination of a serious murder mystery with a quirky, light touch. Bottom line: well written and thoroughly entertaining.