Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

Wow… kept my attention from the first chapter. Elements of surprise! Story was fantastic!

Will definitely be reading more of this author

The Cleaner by Mary Watson is a story of justice or possibly vengeance. It is the author’s debut adult novel. Esmie is Nico’s sister and she has come to this country to find out who Nico was having an affair with and who supplied him with the drugs he later became addicted to.
She is working at The Woodlands gated community as a cleaner because here she will find the answers to her questions and then she can return home to Nico, who is now in a coma.
As a cleaner she is invisible to the residents of Woodlands and she learns all of their secrets, behaviours and lies. None of the characters in this sinister story are particularly likeable and in the climax of the story, the reader will see that everyone connected to Nico, will be suitably punished.
Highly recommended

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for this eCopy to review

The Cleaner is a gripping domestic thriller that delves into the dark underbelly of seemingly perfect lives. The story follows Esmie, a cleaner with a foreign accent, who works in the exclusive Woodlands gated neighbourhood. On the surface, Esmie's job is to tidy up after the wealthy residents, but her true mission is far more sinister.

As Esmie moves through the homes of the privileged, she uncovers secrets of broken marriages, quiet deceptions, and careless failures. However, her primary motivation is revenge. One of the residents took away the person she loves most, and Esmie is determined to get her retribution using the secrets she finds along the way.

Watson's writing is beautifully atmospheric, creating a tense and immersive reading experience. The descriptions of Esmie's meticulous cleaning process and the secrets she uncovers are both chilling and captivating. The plot twists are unexpected and keep the reader guessing until the very end.

Overall, The Cleaner is a compelling read for fans of domestic thrillers. Watson's ability to blend suspense with dark, visceral storytelling makes this novel stand out.

I was attracted to this story by the concept of a cleaner (to the wealthy) collecting secrets. The idea that a cleaner is unassuming, nobody pays attention to them yet their knowledge of their clients goes deeper than they would dare to imagine.

Esmie is a brilliant character. Deceitful, jealous, driven by revenge yet unassuming and sweet to those who see her. Wanting to get revenge for her brother Nico’s downfall, Esmie sets about collecting as much information as possible about the inhabitants of The Woodlands. Here unfolds a captivating mystery full of complex, layered relationships between a series of both likeable and unlikeable characters. There were so many reveals that I stopped anticipating what would happen and just enjoyed the ride.

This one definitely kept me guessing and I enjoyed how dark and complex things got as the story developed. A great adult debut from Mary Watson!

Thank you to Random House UK, Mary Watson and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Esmie is on a mission to uncover what happened to her brother Nico. To do so, she infiltrates the lives of residents in the gated community where he lived.

Although the plot had potential, the pace was too sluggish and failed to keep my interest. I found it difficult to push through and finish reading this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of the book.

I really enjoyed this book - I thought that it was incredibly well written and really placed me in the moment.

The plot drew me in and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing as to how the book was going to end.

I have since bought anoter version of this book for my wife to enjoy!

I enjoyed this book, it was well written with an intriguing plot. It kept my attention throughout. It had elements of suspense and I found it twisty. I definitely would be interested in reading more of this authors work.

I loved the premise of the book and the front cover is amazing, really draws you in! This is a tale of revenge and whilst I did enjoy it, at times it felt long and a little chaotic. The characters were well written and all of them truly unlikeable, but I always think that’s a sign of good writing. I figured out what was going on about half way through, and whilst I knew it didn’t make the ending any less enjoyable.

A gripping read - it certainly made me want to read on, even though I didn't like any of the characters and it felt a little stressful at times. I liked the flashbacks and how we slowly learnt what had brought Esmie to The Woodlands.

I found the premise intriguing, and the book lived up to my expectations.

The plot had twists, it kept me interested and I enjoyed the journey.

The characters sparked feelings, which is always a good sign.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A great story of Esmie told in two timelines. Revenge, suspense and unpleasant characters makes this a worthwhile read.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review

Mary Watson's The Cleaner is an absolutely gripping read! It's a dark and twisty psychological thriller that blends mystery, suspense, and a slow-burning story of grief and revenge. The story follows Esmie, a quiet cleaner in a little Irish village, and flips between her present-day life and glimpses of her past. The way the story unfolds keeps you turning the pages as you slowly piece everything together. Watson uses a back-and-forth approach to reveal Esmie's past as her current-day plans unravel. It works really well to build suspense, though I'll admit, jumping between timelines might feel a bit confusing now and then.

Esmie is such a fascinating character and you can totally understand her motives, but at the same time, they’re a little unsettling. The themes of grief, betrayal, and revenge are explored so well, and Watson’s writing really pulls you in. Her descriptions are so vivid that you can picture the lush Irish countryside and the grand houses of The Woodlands perfectly. At times, the descriptions might feel too detailed, but it didn’t bother me much because it added to the atmosphere.

It’s one of those books that stays with you even after you’ve finished. The ending might feel a bit rushed for some, but overall, it packs a punch and leaves you thinking about the characters long after. A fantastic debut adult novel from Mary Watson.

The Cleaner is a book that is cleverly twisted without you even knowing!
Esmie has arrived in Ireland and managed to bag herself a cleaning job. She is cleaning in an affluent area called ‘The Woodlands” for three separate houses with very different women in each of them. Esmie isn’t here by chance, she has carefully planned where she needs to be. She is here to find out what happened to her brother. Which residents were involved and how they destroyed his life.
This was a decent read that I enjoyed. I liked the dual timelines as this gives you build up of before Esmie’s brother goes off to his studies in Ireland and now that involves Esmie trying to find out why her brothers studies were stopped and him sent home. Esmie had me worried at times as her investigations were a bit too laid back and I thought she was going to get caught. Te ending was very twisty and worth getting to and left no stone unturned.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The Cleaner is an incredibly gripping thriller that had me hooked from the start.
I read it in one sitting!

The Cleaner is YA author Mary Watson’s debut adult novel and what a great launch into the world of adult fiction it is. This was a quick read for me as the words just flowed and the pages turned effortlessly.

We first meet newly arrived in Ireland Esmie when she tricks her way into a job as a cleaner in the affluent The Woodlands in leafy idyllic suburban Ireland, we soon realise that her real motivate for travelling to Ireland is to learn the truth about what lead to her beloved older brother Nico returning home early from his studies in Ireland both in disgrace and as a shadow of his former self, Esmie knows the truth lies behind the doors of The Woodlands and its residents and she has only one end game; Revenge.

What follows is Esmie slowly unravelling what really happened to Nico and the roles the residents of The Woodlands played in his downfall as she lingers in the background as the ‘invisible’ help discovering their deepest darkest secrets while holding so many of her own. The author sprinkles in some flashback scenes to Esmie’s life before travelling to Ireland which gives us an insight into her relationship with Nico, the girl next door Simone and their childhood. The Cleaner is packed full of unlikeable morally grey characters, some of whom simply have no morals at all. It’s a hard look at the differences between the have’s and have not’s as well as the similarities, how easy it is to infiltrate yourself into the lives of others and begs the question how far would you go for revenge?

Esmie is a wholly unreliable narrator which I know is not everyone’s cup of tea but it’s an integral factor in this book, I did find myself questioning early on why Esmie was going to such lengths to avenge Nico’s downfall especially as we learn he was not entirely innocent himself but it all falls into place towards the end. I did find it a bit slow & repetitive at times and I did guess one of the twists before it happened but regardless I still found it a great read, I am still unsure about how I feel about the ending but I also think it’s the type of ending that should leave you unsure and questioning whether its right or not.

Overall a very enjoyable read perfect for fans of revenge plots, morally grey unlikeable characters & suspense filled domestic drama.

Plot follows Esmie who goes to Ireland as a cleaner on a mission to uncover the truth and the person responsible for the state her brother is currently in, things take a turn as she realises someone close to her is also involved then she begins to question her revenge. I really enjoyed this read, the flashbacks were heartbreaking but omg Nico's confession ripped my heart out!😭 however the lead up to the big reveal was predictable for me very early on in the story -- 4.5⭐️ for that reason only -- otherwise easily 5! I didn't want to put it down.

The Cleaner is a gripping and addictive story that has you constantly guessing and wondering what happened to lead Esmie to Ireland and wanting revenge.

I was hooked from the very beginning and I love that it's told across two timelines. I really liked getting to know Esmie's story and her character, despite the fact that she's there for the wrong reasons. Some of her nvestigating honestly gave me anxiety and I just kept waiting for her to get caught! It was so tense!

I loved the build-up in this one and was left surprised by a couple of plot twists, which I would never have seen coming! This was honestly a thrilling and dark read that had me constantly second-guessing myself. I was on the edge of my seat for this one, and I definitely recommend picking it up!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly want to say I'm so grateful to have received this as an arc copy through Netgalley.

If you're a fan of The Housemaid books by Frieda McFadden, then you'll definitely enjoy this!

I loved the way this was written - I'm such a fan of the style of flash forward to hook you in and then go back to the beginning of the story. The build up to the present timeline was so interesting to learn all the secrets of the characters, and the cleaner herself, up to the end reveal(s).

Because it gave me The Housemaid type of vibe I did feel like I was expecting a plot twist at the end but still, I enjoyed the ride and way the story ended. Definitely is one I'd be recommending to a fan of the genre, or those wanting to get a taste for the thriller type of book!

If you like revenge plots, morally grey characters and uncovering secrets, you need to add The Cleaner to your TBR pile. All Esmie has ever known, is life with her brother Nico and her best friend Simone. Nico travels to Ireland for a PhD and comes back a shell of himself, on a destructive path that lands him in a coma. No one knows exactly what happened over in Ireland, except that a mystery woman made Nico’s world implode. Whilst Nico fights for his life, Esmie retraces his steps and infiltrates the community Nico lived in, determined to get revenge. But with so many secrets and lies, can Esmie find the culprit, without losing herself too?
I found The Cleaner to be enjoyable,compulsive reading. I enjoyed uncovering the secrets alongside Esmie and the identity of the culprit kept me guessing. I did guess the big twist but that didn’t have impact on how much I enjoyed the plot. The ending was really apt and satisfying. I would definitely recommend it to my fellow thriller fans.

A great thriller.
Suspense built up throughout with multiple timelines and a good character mix.
Each chapter gave more and more away leaving me suspecting almost everyone at one point or another.
A great pick up in pace towards the end and a twist I didn’t see coming!