DARK CRIMES is the first in a series of police procedurals/mysteries featuring DCI Sophie Allen and DS Barry Marsh. Sophie has recently been appointed the head of the newly formed Violent Crime Unit in Dorset. When a young woman is found stabbed through the hearts, the team think this will be a simple case to close, until they begin to ask questions. Not only has she been stabbed, but it looks like she has also been beaten, and her mother was found strangled in her apartment. The more questions they ask, the more complicated this case becomes. Is there a psychopath running around Dorset. How many woman have been killed by this man? When he begins to threaten Sophie's family, he does not realize that he has unleashed the anger of a brilliant woman who is not only a DCI, but has a law degree and a master's in criminal psychology.
The books are set in the beautiful county of Dorset, which includes a stunning section of the English coastline. The plot is well-written, well paced and moves smoothly from one crime scene to another. The ending of the book moved quickly with some twists that I had not expected, but the crimes were resolved nicely. The characters in the police work very well together and the secondary characters, who may or may not become victims, are schmoozed by Sophie and easily answer her questions. Her team is made up of men and women of varying ages and temperaments who lend a lot of contrast to the story. They are able to gather the information she needs to piece together the crime and motives in order to find the killer. Sophie makes a great antagonist, she is strong, but not overbearing. She's extremely good at her job and lets no one stand in her way of seeking truth. When she needs to be intimidating, she can be. I listened to the audio book and once I got used to the accent and voice of the narrator, I did enjoy this story. I will definitely listen to more of this series and recommend this book to anyone who enjoys British Police Procedurals.