Wash this Blood Clean from my Hand by Fred Vargas (ISBN 978-1-843-43273-9)

An rare and unexpected pleasure. Contrary to the tide of contemporary crime fiction writers, Vargas is not afraid to show her feminine sensibilities and successfully creates a criminal undertaking without falling into the murky depths of gratuitous sex, grotesquely detailed violence or simple blood lust.
Indeed, whilst these very real elements are not ignored, Vargas prefers to maintain her focus on telling the story with considerable fluency and distinctive finesse.
Unlike classic whodunits a l'Agatha Christie, P.D.James, Lindsey Davis et al; we are repeatedly told whodunit - we just don't know how or why... or in fact, who.
Brilliantly conceived - this is a triumph for Vargas!
Credit must also be given to Sian Reynolds for her inspired translation into English. Reynolds adheres to the crucial balance of crafted masterpiece and still retains the nuances of Vargas' style - thus showing her to be one of the best out there. Bravo!