BEHOLD A VIRGIN

A detective contends with hostage standoffs, unexplained fits of violence, and virgin births in Swirski’s mystery thriller.

In the decade after the Second World War, detective Alan Shepard walks in the roiling fog of London’s seediest streets past rats, junkyard dogs, and sleazy pubs toward his grim destination: the scene of a grisly domestic homicide. The murderer—aptly dubbed “the butcher” after the horrifying scene he’s left behind—accused his wife of cheating on him, resulting in her pregnancy. The catch: The victim swore up and down that she had never had sex with anyone but her infertile husband. Cases like this one are becoming more and more common—part of “a grab bag of incidents of domestic violence, a Sister of Charity suicide, a mentally unbalanced stenotypist, and a prostitute, savaged and tossed in the wood like a sack of winter potatoes.” Police chief Varis puts Shepard, “a methodical workhorse of an investigator” (especially compared to the flashy new “whiz-kid” detectives who litter the streets), on the case to unravel the unbelievable mystery of multiple seemingly immaculate conceptions. After teaming up with an unlikely partner—a life scientist named Genevieve Sisimond with a smart mouth and a mischievous smile—Shepard embarks on the wildest and weirdest investigation of his career. Swirski delivers a swift and succinct tale of science-defying murder and mystery with simple yet effective prose; no word is wasted in moving the narrative forward, and each plot twist and bit of character development is handled with just the right amount of detail. The detective and the scientist make for a perfectly engaging team; they are, respectively, serious and silly, hard and soft, complex and refreshingly simplistic. The author shines at writing quick-witted dialogue that simmers with style and speed; Shepard and Sisimond lead readers through a genre-defying thriller full of personality.

A delightfully witty and weird crime yarn full of unexpected surprises.