The Cleaner

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

It's not dust she's looking for.
It's dirt.


Esmie is supposed to be invisible. Just a cleaner with a foreign accent that no one quite has time to place. Her uniform of leggings and a duster allows her to explore the homes of the wealthy, unseen; an outsider creeping around the edges of privilege.

But as she sweeps through the exclusive Woodlands gated neighbourhood, cleaning is the last thing on her mind. Treading silently over the polished wooden floorboards and cloud-soft carpets, Esmie gathers up the mess of broken marriages, quiet deceptions and careless failures. She tucks away their fragments, keeping them safe. For now.

Because one of the residents took from her the person she loves most. She’s not here to clean; she’s here for revenge – and she’ll get it using the weapons her employers unwittingly handed her along with the keys to their homes: their own secrets…

This beautifully sinister, propulsive page-turner that explores themes of identity and privilege is perfect for fans of Harriet Tyce and Lisa Jewell.

'The Cleaner is a masterclass in tension.' - JENNIE GODFREY, Sunday Times bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things

'Beautiful, dark, visceral, truly spellbinding.' - ANDREA MARA, Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author

Taut, twisty and beautifully atmospheric.' - KIA ABDULLAH, author of Waterstones Thriller of the Month Those People Next Door

© Mary Watson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

A heart-thumping thriller packed with exciting twists.
Daily Mail
The Cleaner is a masterclass in tension. Plotted like an intricate spider's web, I was glued to the page for the entirety.
Jennie Godfrey, Sunday TImes bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
Revenge is a dish best served up spotless...The relentless attention to detail is wonderfully claustrophobic.
Sunday Independent
You'll race through this compelling, sinister mystery.
Fabulous
Propulsive...compulsive and ambitious.
Irish Times
A sinister page-turner...that takes readers on a psychological journey.
Irish Sunday Times
Domestic noir at its finest.
i Paper
A modern fairy tale – beautiful, dark, visceral, truly spellbinding.
Sunday Times and Irish Times No. 1 bestselling author Andrea Mara
Tense from the first page, the pressure builds inexorably. A multifaceted tale of secrets, obsessions and betrayals.
Sam Lloyd, bestselling author of The Memory Wood
The Cleaner is a richly textured thriller that veritably hums with menace. Taut, twisty and beautifully atmospheric, it pairs a gripping plot with dark, intricate themes. Class, privilege, wealth and entitlement are all put on trial in this immersive tale of betrayal and revenge.
Kia Abdullah, author of Waterstones Thriller of the Month Those People Next Door

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