7/29/25; 400 pages
Crown Publishing
The Cleaner by Mary Watson is a recommended mystery. Esmerelda Theodora Lorenzo, or Esmie, 25, has moved from her South American country to an Irish university town seeking revenge for her older brother, Nico.
Nico was attending the university on a scholarship and on his way to a PhD. He was having an affair when something happened resulting in the loss of his scholarship and he returned home a drug addicted, ruined man. Currently he is in a coma and Esmie needs to know who ruined her brother. After moving to Ireland, Esmie has managed to get a position as a house cleaner in the exclusive small gated community out side of town where Nico had a rented a room. As a cleaner Esmie knows she will be invisible and able to look for evidence on what they did to Nico.
The narrative is told through Esmie in the present day and flashbacks to her past. Every single character in this novel is untrustworthy and a mess in one way or another. Subterfuge, deception, and enigmas abound. In the slow-burning, repetitive plot there are secrets, but no tension. However, all the characters have plenty of dirt to dig up. There are several twists at the end.
It must be noted that several things are never addressed and disbelief must be set aside. Nico is an adult. Traveling to another country to clean houses, hoping to seek revenge for the consequences of his actions is ridiculous. Then Esmie managed to get the job cleaning way-too-easily and while working she seems to have a whole lot of extra time to look for secrets.
The Cleaner is a good choice for those who enjoy mysteries with secrets amidst a steady pace. Thanks to Crown Publishing for providing me with an
advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and
expresses my honest opinion.
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