Clean Cut (Anna Travis #3)

Title: Clean Cut (Anna Travis #3)

Author: Lynda La Plante

Published in: 2007

Date read: Not yet read

Score: /5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
Published in 2007, "Clean Cut" is the third novel in the Anna Travis series. It is a high-tension police procedural that tests the professional and personal bond between Travis and her volatile mentor, James Langton.

The Plot:
The story kicks off with a horrific act of violence. During a routine stop of a suspicious vehicle, Detective Chief Inspector James Langton is brutally attacked by a suspect and nearly killed. The assault leaves him with life-altering injuries and a deep-seated psychological trauma that threatens to end his career.

While Langton undergoes a grueling recovery, Anna Travis is promoted to the murder squad. She is assigned to a new case involving the discovery of a woman's body in a derelict house. The victim has been killed with surgical precision—a "clean cut" that suggests a killer with medical knowledge or a very steady hand.

The Mystery:
As Anna leads the investigation, she realizes the murder is linked to a series of unsolved attacks across the country. The killer is a master of disguise, moving through society unnoticed and leaving almost no forensic trace behind. The team faces several challenges:

The Suspect: A man who seems to have no identity, a "phantom" who targets vulnerable women with chilling efficiency.
Langton’s Obsession: From his hospital bed and later his home, a bitter and frustrated Langton becomes obsessed with the case, convinced that Anna’s killer and his attacker are the same person.
The Power Struggle: Anna must assert her authority as a lead investigator while managing Langton’s interference and his deteriorating mental state.
The Investigation:
The search for the killer leads Anna into the dark world of illegal immigrants and identity theft. She discovers that the perpetrator is using a sophisticated method to stay off the police radar, involving "cleaning" his crime scenes to a professional standard.

Anna’s loyalty is pushed to the limit as she tries to solve the case while protecting Langton from his own self-destructive impulses. The investigation moves toward a dangerous confrontation where Anna must prove she has surpassed her mentor's teachings to catch a killer who is always one step ahead.

Comments:

Books that we've read by Lynda La Plante (2):
Above Suspicion (Anna Travis #1) (2004), The Red Dahlia (Anna Travis #2) (2006)