... exhilarating ... Mr. Hoffman, apparently a still-working private investigator based in Brooklyn, writes with a good ear, a fine eye and a sure hand; he has a wondrous ability to render the thoughts of his socially and morally diverse cast ... The book’s unpredictable sentences are full of such surprises, and its scenes build to unexpected revelations. With its crisp pace and superb timing, Clean Hands is a special treat to read.
On the pages of Hoffman’s fast-moving novel, readers may ponder if any of these unique characters have anything other than the dirtiest of hands as well as hearts and minds ... a noir journey through the streets and neighborhoods of New York, where characters ranging from Russian mobsters to black-market traders all become involved in the search for Crowley’s cell phone and its contents. At multiple junctures in the investigation, readers may believe that the threat has been averted, but soon will discover that is not the case. The twists and turns will bend your reading mind into a pretzel, but it will be enjoyable ... this is a fast-paced story with entertaining dialogue and a cast of unforgettable characters. And the end will leave you with just enough unanswered questions that you may want to go back to the beginning to see what you might have missed.
A thriller that dives into the world of big money shenanigans and all the justice that money can buy ... High-tech surveillance and cloak-and-dagger activity do not offset the anticlimactic ending or the mundane plot of the Brooklyn-based private investigator and author’s third outing.
Valencia, a former CIA operative, is an expert manipulator and strategist, which casts intriguing doubt on her motives and propels the story toward a jaw-dropping twist. Fans of Zoë Sharp’s Charlie Fox and Chris Pavone’s Kate Moore will want to see more of Valencia Walker.
An enjoyably hard-boiled yarn streaked with noir effects, Hoffman's follow-up to Every Man a Menace (2016) is a skillfully orchestrated effort that achieves its most outlandish effects with nifty understatement. It is a book of constantly moving parts and constantly moving vehicles, as characters race across New York City to avert disaster. Ultimately, the author is less concerned with the human cost—little feeling is attached to characters' deaths—than the long reach of corruption in the modern era ... Crime fiction that gives chaos an entertaining ride.
... riveting if flawed ... Though the pedal-to-the-metal narrative features richly described and well-rounded characters (in particular, the two shrewd and determined female leads), the unconventional ending—thematically powerful as it is—may disappoint some readers. The impressive plot twists are a reminder that Hoffman remains a writer to watch.
