A Quick, Chilling Ride Through ‘His Perfect Crime’ by Alex Sigmore
His Perfect Crime by Alex Sigmore is a quick, engaging read that does exactly what it sets out to do—pull you into a twisted murder mystery and keep you guessing until the end. It’s the first book in the Emily Slate FBI series, and while it didn’t completely blow me away, it definitely kept me entertained from start to finish.
The story follows FBI Special Agent Emily Slate, a woman balancing the trauma of personal loss with the pressures of returning to work. When she’s sent to investigate a bizarre murder in a small Virginia town—where a woman’s body has been discovered buried in a box with her eyes sewn shut—the case quickly proves more complex and unsettling than it appears.
Right away, the tone is dark and moody, which I appreciated.
Sigmore wastes no time pulling us into the case, and a consistent thread of suspense carries through the whole book. It doesn’t get bogged down in excessive backstory or procedural jargon, which makes it easy to fly through. I actually finished it in one sitting, mostly because I kept wanting to see what happened next.
Emily Slate is a solid lead. She’s sharp, no-nonsense, and dealing with her own emotional fallout in a way that feels believable. While we don’t get too deep into her character in this first book, we’re given just enough to root for her and want more. I have a feeling she’ll evolve quite a bit as the series continues.
Overall, I gave it a 3.75 out of 5. Not because it wasn’t enjoyable—it definitely was—but because it felt like it was just on the edge of being great. A few moments in the plot felt a little too convenient, and I wished for a bit more depth when it came to both Emily’s character and the supporting cast. The villain reveal was solid, but not totally surprising, and while the pacing was quick (a plus!), there were points where it felt like things could have been slowed down a bit to build more tension or emotional weight.
Still, for a series starter, it’s promising. The writing is clean, the atmosphere is strong, and the case itself is intriguing. If you’re looking for a fast-paced FBI procedural with a lead character who shows potential, this one’s worth checking out.
Would I read the next book in the series? Absolutely. Especially if Sigmore dives a little deeper into Emily’s world and gives the next mystery just a touch more complexity.
