Deep Dark Blue

The city of Zurich, surrounded by water, offers scenery, culture, scientific innovation, and activism to its citizenry. Rosa, a member of the maritime police, usually swims or rows daily, but takes a morning off to have her eggs harvested and frozen. The body found in a fisherman’s net days later turns out to be that of the doctor who performed the procedure. Despite her personal involvement, Rosa is assigned to work the case with the regular police department, awkwardly partnering with a former love interest. Multiple crimes, seemingly unconnected, ultimately come together. Cutting-edge genetics, not usually mystery fodder, is the key. Rosa and her friends and colleagues are engaging, and unlike her American counterparts, Rosa has time for an active social life. The translation is smooth but still carries a cadence and flavor that keeps its context. Intrigue, corporate greed, runaway science, and sexual infidelity come together in a complicated story that may send readers to a map of Zurich for the bigger picture.