There are some crimes you can't sweep under the carpet...

Lena Szarka, a Hungarian cleaner working in London, knows all too well about cleaning up other people's messes. When her friend Timea disappears, she suspects one of her clients is to blame. However, the police don't share her suspicions and it is left to Lena to turn sleuth and find her friend.

Searching through their houses as she scrubs their floors, Lena desperately tries to find out what has happened. Only Cartwright, a police constable new to the job, believes that this will lead to the truth - and together they begin to uncover more of Islington's seedy underbelly than they bargained for.

But Lena soon discovers it's not just her clients who have secrets. And as she begins to unravel Timea's past she starts to wonder if she really knew her friend at all.

Praise for Elizabeth Mundy:

'Terrific and heartwarming; a charming debut' Daisy Waugh

'A warmly-crafted crime debut, perfect for our multicultural age' Vaseem Khan

'I loved In Strangers' Houses - poignant, funny and races effortlessly along. Lena is a wonderfully unusual heroine and I can't wait for her next adventure' Elodie Harper

'Lena's tenacity and common sense illuminate this engaging story' Daily Mail

'Beautiful writing, a fine debut' The Sun