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Paris Murphy #1
Clean Cut
When a young prostitute is brutally murdered in St. Paul, homicide detective Paris Murphy, aided by detective Gabriel Nash, tracks down a serial killer by using herself as a snare. A first novel. 25,000 first printing.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 6, 2018
4.5 *
Enjoyed this a lot. Feisty female cop married/separated/together/apart/whatever with some doctor. I can’t remember his name, but he’s kind of superfluous.
The pacing is good, no unnecessary padding, and all the scenes contribute to the story. POV changes are frequent, but they are all signposted so there is no jarring.
The crimes are as interesting as they are bloody. There are no real surprises here because you see the story from her point of view, and you see things from his point of view. Ordinarily, that would warrant a definite “meh,” but in this book, it works well. Really well. As a reader, I get to live through the murderer’s eyes and appreciate how he might think.
I would really recommend this one. I shall start the next book very soon.
Enjoyed this a lot. Feisty female cop married/separated/together/apart/whatever with some doctor. I can’t remember his name, but he’s kind of superfluous.
The pacing is good, no unnecessary padding, and all the scenes contribute to the story. POV changes are frequent, but they are all signposted so there is no jarring.
The crimes are as interesting as they are bloody. There are no real surprises here because you see the story from her point of view, and you see things from his point of view. Ordinarily, that would warrant a definite “meh,” but in this book, it works well. Really well. As a reader, I get to live through the murderer’s eyes and appreciate how he might think.
I would really recommend this one. I shall start the next book very soon.
September 2, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded down. It was a decent police procedural. I could have used a bit more mystery or a few "a-ha" moments. But the main reason I've rounded down instead of up is because of the awful, rampant sexism! I find it very difficult to believe this was written by a woman. Every man in the book thinks he knows the female protagonist better than she knows herself - what she wants, how she wants it, how to do her job... they either try to protect her like she's a delicate little flower (despite the fact that she's a homicide cop) or refuse to take "no" for an answer - in some instances, both!
I know this was published 16 years ago but the male characters feel like they've been pulled from the '70s or '80s, not 2003.
I know this was published 16 years ago but the male characters feel like they've been pulled from the '70s or '80s, not 2003.
March 3, 2010
Clean Cut (Theresa Monsour)is a fast paced suspense/mystery/murder novel. Paris Murphy is a St Paul investigator. She is assigned a case with veteran Gabriel Nash. Accustomed to working alone Paris often finds herself taking risks in her attempt to solve a crime.
Dr. Michaels is an affluent plastic surgeon, two children and a wife. He is the least likely suspect when a series of murders occur. Paris is hot on the trail of Dr. Michaels, for she know the truth and is determined to prove him guilty. Paris finds herself the next targeted victim, unless she can prove Dr. Michaels is the serial killer.
Ms Monsour writes with the knowledge of police investigation, St Paul/Minneapolis area and the medical profession. Nail biting read, will keep you up late into the night.
Dr. Michaels is an affluent plastic surgeon, two children and a wife. He is the least likely suspect when a series of murders occur. Paris is hot on the trail of Dr. Michaels, for she know the truth and is determined to prove him guilty. Paris finds herself the next targeted victim, unless she can prove Dr. Michaels is the serial killer.
Ms Monsour writes with the knowledge of police investigation, St Paul/Minneapolis area and the medical profession. Nail biting read, will keep you up late into the night.
February 13, 2009
This is the first book I have read from this author and I loved it! About a serial killer that rapes and murders women and cuts their hair off to braid and keep in his collection. Paris Murphy is a tough, beautiful cop that likes to work alone but works with a partner to find this serial killer. The killer ends up being a plastic surgeon with political and local connections. Great, exciting ending with some sick twists.
July 22, 2017
I really liked this book a lot. Even though the murderer is identified very early, the suspense was in catching him.
November 24, 2017
Quite good
July 21, 2019
Loved it! It had me Longing for more, not knowing what would happen next.
October 14, 2019
One of my 10 best first mysteries read in 2003.
April 14, 2020
Excellent story. Surprises at the end. Quick read. Would like to read more by this author.
December 18, 2020
Kind of ceepy..but a quick read..for passing time.
July 7, 2024
Debut novel, start if a series. Cliched .Predictable but entertaining. Not looking out for the rest of the series.
May 12, 2010
Sex, violence, Catholic guilt and sloppy police work mark Monsour's debut thriller, which features a horny female homicide detective in pursuit of a serial killer in St. Paul, Minn. Monsour runs hot and cold with this cop caper; some scenes are chilling, others corny.
There is no whodunit here; Monsour identifies the killer early on, leaving only revelations of sick motives ahead. Paris Murphy is the detective, estranged from but still energetically sleeping with her husband and having a torrid affair with the medical examiner as well. Paris and her partner, Gabriel Nash, a fat, 50ish cop who eats liverwurst and Miracle Whip sandwiches, deduce the killer's identity fairly quickly, but they never quite seem to get their act together to bring him in for questioning. Despite having enough evidence to make a district attorney drool, the cops dither and scratch their heads while the killer, who is supposedly ingenious, makes stupid mistakes. They let the killer escape so many times he tires of the pursuit and decides to become the pursuer. Paris and the murderer enjoy taunting each other; it turns out that they're both Catholics who worry about getting to heaven given their respective sins.
The novel has little mystery, but there is much graphic, racy action. Monsour seems to be saying that crooks are as dumb as cops. It's an interesting point of view, but in this case it doesn't make for an intellectually engaging psychological drama.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Monsour's debut novel stars a female cop heroine who breaks the mold of recent women cop sleuths, almost always predictably tough on the job but vulnerable on the inside. Paris Murphy, a homicide detective with the St. Paul Police Department, has a credibly complicated life (she is separated but still involved with her ex-husband) and a credibly complicated attitude to her work--she is human enough to be shaken by what crime scenes show but able to gut out the work, mainly alone. Monsour gives Murphy one of the most evocative homes a detective can have, a houseboat on the Mississippi.
The narrative shuttles between the thoughts and deeds of a serial killer and the efforts of Monsour and her male sidekick to catch him. A married doctor with kids, the killer is expert at maintaining his facade of a normal life and rationalizing his guilt: he gives his victims names like "Miss Accident," "Miss Incident," and "Miss Poor Outcome." As Paris tracks him down, she (somewhat predictably) becomes his next target, but the way Monsour paces this cat-and-mouse game is truly chilling. Monsour's journalistic background (she is a longtime reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press) shows in her realistic depictions of cops, the press, and prostitutes. She also takes full advantage of the quick changes, from high-end to down-and-out, within the Twin Cities.
There is no whodunit here; Monsour identifies the killer early on, leaving only revelations of sick motives ahead. Paris Murphy is the detective, estranged from but still energetically sleeping with her husband and having a torrid affair with the medical examiner as well. Paris and her partner, Gabriel Nash, a fat, 50ish cop who eats liverwurst and Miracle Whip sandwiches, deduce the killer's identity fairly quickly, but they never quite seem to get their act together to bring him in for questioning. Despite having enough evidence to make a district attorney drool, the cops dither and scratch their heads while the killer, who is supposedly ingenious, makes stupid mistakes. They let the killer escape so many times he tires of the pursuit and decides to become the pursuer. Paris and the murderer enjoy taunting each other; it turns out that they're both Catholics who worry about getting to heaven given their respective sins.
The novel has little mystery, but there is much graphic, racy action. Monsour seems to be saying that crooks are as dumb as cops. It's an interesting point of view, but in this case it doesn't make for an intellectually engaging psychological drama.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Monsour's debut novel stars a female cop heroine who breaks the mold of recent women cop sleuths, almost always predictably tough on the job but vulnerable on the inside. Paris Murphy, a homicide detective with the St. Paul Police Department, has a credibly complicated life (she is separated but still involved with her ex-husband) and a credibly complicated attitude to her work--she is human enough to be shaken by what crime scenes show but able to gut out the work, mainly alone. Monsour gives Murphy one of the most evocative homes a detective can have, a houseboat on the Mississippi.
The narrative shuttles between the thoughts and deeds of a serial killer and the efforts of Monsour and her male sidekick to catch him. A married doctor with kids, the killer is expert at maintaining his facade of a normal life and rationalizing his guilt: he gives his victims names like "Miss Accident," "Miss Incident," and "Miss Poor Outcome." As Paris tracks him down, she (somewhat predictably) becomes his next target, but the way Monsour paces this cat-and-mouse game is truly chilling. Monsour's journalistic background (she is a longtime reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press) shows in her realistic depictions of cops, the press, and prostitutes. She also takes full advantage of the quick changes, from high-end to down-and-out, within the Twin Cities.
December 22, 2010
In this first novel, a smart, beautiful. and dangerously reckless homicide detective use,s herself as bait to trap a killer. Anupper class man with winter blond hair and grey eyes. Michaels is GQ handsome. Finch , desperate for business one rainy evening on the streets of St Paul. falls gratefully into his car. But Michaels is after darker thrrills than sex. Finch struggles and its over fast. Paris Murphy a detective is called to the brutal murder scene. She knows Finch,s beat and her story. Paris is sad for Finch and determined to find her murderer. Paris likes to work alone. But when the heat on this case forces her to choose a partner , she picks Gabriel Nash, a veteran detective whom she trusts with her life, she decides to work Finchs beat dressed as a hooker.But that doesn,tattract the murderer,but at Finchs funeral Paris zero,s in on a suspect. When other women are found murdered, with the same signature. Paris uncovers a connection to earlier unsolved crimes. Gabe tries to hold her back but she throws herself head first into the path of the psychopath who wants to have her then kill her. Very suspenseful. Can,t wait to read next book by this author.
April 12, 2024
This is the book that got me into reading. I was terrified to read this book for a long time, I had it for a few months before I actually decided to pick it up. I love the different POV's, you even get the killers POV. It was amazing, I love Murphy, (I think that's how you spell it.) Definitely give it a read if you can.
January 2, 2014
Absolutely in love with this book. Reading was like watching an episode of law and order: SVU - I'd even go as far to say it was better than watching an episode except there was no Elliot stabler to look at while reading. I loved the switching narrative - seeing the story from multiple perspectives really added a great level of depth. Each character was extremely well developed and the story kept me on the edge of my seat, even without the "who done it" there was still plenty of suspense - what was he going to do next, how would he get caught, and the psychological inner working and backstory of both the killer and det. Murphy kept me feverishly flipping the pages. I found myself saying "ok I'll just read for 5 more minutes before bed" ... And then two hours later I would still be up reading. Can't wait to read more from this author.
October 7, 2013
Women turn up, strangled and with big chunks of their hair cut off. A priest is beaten almost to death after listening to a confession and one of the murdered women's necklace turns up at the scene. Detective Murphy, who's on the case, has got reason to believe that the killer is an elite member of the community, she has plenty of circumstancial evidence but no hard once, and without those, no one wants to act against this well-connected man. It's a struggle against time to get him behind bars before he kills more women, or perhaps even Murphy herself.
The story is quite tight and something happens all the time, I like that. I had guessed the twist of the story quite early, but it was still a good read.
The story is quite tight and something happens all the time, I like that. I had guessed the twist of the story quite early, but it was still a good read.
July 1, 2010
The bad guy in this story is quite different than the usual killer. He is even attractive to detective Paris Murphy, but he has some odd fetishes and ways of lovemaking--rough. He's a slippery devil--hard to pin down. It is amazing that an author can come up with such perversions for a character. It is quite intriguing, nonetheless--though you certainly wouldn't want to come in contact with someone like Arthur Romann Michaels.
December 28, 2015
Clean Cut introduces us to Det. Murphy. She is a homicide detective in Minneapolis Minn. There has been a brutal murder of a prostitute and the detective soon finds a possible suspect. It is a typical romp of getting more evidence. What I did NOT like about this book was some of the things she did during the case that was truly unrealistic.What was good about the book was the suspect/murderer perspective was also part of the book. Fascinating aspect of the book. (US State Challenge)
December 22, 2015
I like this author. I got this book to read on a trip lately and it definitely kept me interested and the flights went by very quickly. My criticism is that there is no mystery to the crime, every other chapter was told from the perspective of the psycho. The only question to be solved was how and when he would be caught. I like the suspense of trying to figure out a good who done it. I guess I like a little more mystery in my mysteries.
Read
December 28, 2007Paris Murphy Mysteries
March 3, 2011
This book moves almost without effort. It is cute but cuts right to the quick>
August 20, 2012
A good read. Different in the setting, predictable with a hard female cop and sidekick lover, man, partner, whatever, and the angst that goes with that. But still a good read despite that.
Read
July 6, 2012great story based in St. Paul
A Brady HS graduate
A Brady HS graduate
September 5, 2012
A police whodunnit set in the twin cities. It has the slightly unusual feature of the reader knowing who's the killer from early on but there are enough twists and turns to keep an interesting read.
April 12, 2015
Quick and easy read. Liked it!
July 24, 2015
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. This was the first time reading a novel by this author and love her writing style. Now I'll have to get another one of her books to read.
January 28, 2017
It is a good murder book.
October 25, 2009
Very graphic but suspenseful.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews