The victim is Maddy Wilson, wife of Wayne Wilson, a renowned chef and restaurateur. She has been stabbed multiple times, but there is a noticeable lack of blood. The killer has apparently fastidiously cleaned up after the attack. The obvious suspect is the nanny, Remy Banks. Banks was the latest in a series of young women employed by the Wilsons to care for their young sons. Maddy had recently expressed concern that her husband was having an affair with Banks and was considering firing her.

Maddy’s best friend was Alison Perkins, a young mother whose life mirrored Maddy’s. Both Maddy and Alison had employed nannies through the same agency, their children were the same ages, and their husbands were friends. April hopes to identify Maddy’s killer through interviewing her best friend. It is not only possible but likely that the perpetrator is someone known to both women. Their nannies, their personal trainer, even their husbands, are potential suspects.

Though her reasoning is sound, April’s timing is and foresight is bad. The day after interviewing Maddy’s best friend, Alison is found dead in her bed, again in a spotless environment. Though not as obvious a homicide as Maddy’s, Alison was not a neat person, and the lack of discarded clothing, used liquor glasses, and general disorder in her bedroom makes everyone suspicious. April bears the additional guilt that she did not recognize the danger in which she had put Alison through her interview. She knows in her heart that she could have prevented this death.

Leslie Glass continues to produce top quality mystery entertainment with her latest entry in her police procedural series featuring April Woo Sanchez and Mike Sanchez. A Clean Kill offers a fresh plot peppered with enough clues to allow the reader to play amateur detective as well as giving her audience a vicarious journey through New York City. Ms. Glass appeals to all of her readers’ senses in her description of the Big Apple. A virtual road map, the feeling of the pace and activity of the city, and even the smells of Manhattan are vividly presented by the author. The contrast of the city with April and Mike’s suburban abode makes life in New York seem even more realistic. The plot is distinctive and engaging. A Clean Kill is not a retelling of a previous entry in the series with a slightly different twist. It is unique and provides a different view of New York than prior novels. The author makes her audience eager to come back for more, not an easy task in a long lived series.

What continues to be Ms. Glass’ strength and major attraction is her characters. April and Mike are complex interesting people. While they are described well enough for one to know them as well as a good friend, they do occasionally act unexpectedly. Also, they are both products of diverse cultures and experience the conflict between their heritage and their lives as native born Americans. The dynamics of their relationship is quite intriguing. April’s coworkers, Woody Baum and Eloise Gelo are characters of substance as well. These two are much more than background filler. They each bring their own distinct personalities to their jobs, and the interaction between them and the other members of April’s group provides for the development of some interesting situations. There is a clear sense of reality in the working relationships that develop and the conflicts and synchrony than transpire in their work situations. A Clear Kill is an excellent example of realistic fiction at its best.

--Andy Plonka