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The Cleaner
“Welcome to the office building at night, an eerie ship helmed by one woman desperate for connection.” —Julia Fine, author of Maddalena and the Dark
Every night, she cleans. On the fourth floor of an unnamed office in an unnamed city, the night cleaner comes and does what she does best—sorts out the messes of the daytime employees. None of them know her, but she knows everything about them: Sad Intern’s dreams to get promoted, Résumé Woman’s nasty flight-risk behavior, Mr. Buff’s secret smoking habit (not very conducive to his fitness journey).
She’s the office mastermind, the one everyone needs, and no one even knows she exists. And tonight, while scrolling through your emails, she’ll discover the secret you’ve been hiding—the one that will put everyone’s job at risk.
After all, protecting the employees is her responsibility: whether it’s from rats and window smudges or from the sinister CEO who may be driving the company into ruin. And you’re about to find out that, sometimes, your most powerful enemy is the one you don’t even see.
Every night, she cleans. On the fourth floor of an unnamed office in an unnamed city, the night cleaner comes and does what she does best—sorts out the messes of the daytime employees. None of them know her, but she knows everything about them: Sad Intern’s dreams to get promoted, Résumé Woman’s nasty flight-risk behavior, Mr. Buff’s secret smoking habit (not very conducive to his fitness journey).
She’s the office mastermind, the one everyone needs, and no one even knows she exists. And tonight, while scrolling through your emails, she’ll discover the secret you’ve been hiding—the one that will put everyone’s job at risk.
After all, protecting the employees is her responsibility: whether it’s from rats and window smudges or from the sinister CEO who may be driving the company into ruin. And you’re about to find out that, sometimes, your most powerful enemy is the one you don’t even see.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published January 30, 2024
94 people are currently reading
11214 people want to read
About the author
Brandi Wells
21 books95 followersBrandi Wells is the author of This Boring Apocalypse, Please Don't Be Upset, and Poisonhorse. Their debut novel, Cleaner, was published by Wildfire Books in August 2023 and is forthcoming from Hanover Square Press in January 2024 as The Cleaner.
They teach creative writing at CSU Fullerton and hold a Phd in Literature and Creative Writing from University of Southern California.
They teach creative writing at CSU Fullerton and hold a Phd in Literature and Creative Writing from University of Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
April 3, 2024
“I do more than mindlessly clean. I watch over everyone, help them manage their days. I shuffle important work to the top of their inboxes, leave snacks so their blood sugar won’t drop, and help course-correct by weeding out the duds. I can easily spot someone who isn’t a good fit here, someone who’s going to waste the company’s time and resources before moving along to something they think is bigger and better. It’s best to oust these people as quickly as possible.”
Cleaner is the first novel by American author, Brandi Wells. The unnamed protagonist is the night time cleaner of a city building that houses the employees of an unnamed company. The employees, too, are unnamed: sometimes given an initial; sometimes dubbed according to some characteristic that the Cleaner gleans from what is on and in their desks and, if their password is handy, their computer files and their emails.
Thus: Yarn Guy (spools of yarn in his bottom drawer); Mr Buff (travel-sized containers of different protein powders); Sad Intern (bottle of probiotics, some B12 and a book on how to master your feelings); The Vomiter; Good Influence; Scissors Guy (a stash of borrowed scissors); Porn Guy (exchanging lewd gifs). There’s L. the security person, M. the delivery person, C. the CEO.
The Cleaner imagines interactions between the employees, and her own potential future encounters with them. She draws conclusions about them from what she finds and conjures up lives for them. She does what she can to mentor them, to make them all a better, more productive employees, all without actually meeting any but the Sad Intern in real life.
She worries about the company’s downsizing, wonders if there’s some creeping illness affecting the business. Then she makes a disturbing discovery about the CEO, and it has her concerned: “All I want is for the company to run smoothly, but I’ve had to deal with not just his mismanagement but his burgeoning personal life. I wouldn’t have to do any of this if he weren’t hurting the company, trying to sever me from these people who clearly need me. I haven’t invested all this time and work for nothing.”
Clearly, the narrator isn’t entirely reliable. She feels heavily invested in the company and employees who are basically unaware of what she gets up to. “I go home and think about all my employees, everyone still left on the fourth floor, and how I can protect them.” She carries out petty acts of sabotage on those she deems unworthy, or endows little rewards and encouragements for those she feels need/deserve them, many of which are blackly funny. And exactly who deserves either praise or punishment changes with a word, a gesture, a blink of the eye. A laugh-out-loud funny, crazy, entertaining debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Wildfire.
Cleaner is the first novel by American author, Brandi Wells. The unnamed protagonist is the night time cleaner of a city building that houses the employees of an unnamed company. The employees, too, are unnamed: sometimes given an initial; sometimes dubbed according to some characteristic that the Cleaner gleans from what is on and in their desks and, if their password is handy, their computer files and their emails.
Thus: Yarn Guy (spools of yarn in his bottom drawer); Mr Buff (travel-sized containers of different protein powders); Sad Intern (bottle of probiotics, some B12 and a book on how to master your feelings); The Vomiter; Good Influence; Scissors Guy (a stash of borrowed scissors); Porn Guy (exchanging lewd gifs). There’s L. the security person, M. the delivery person, C. the CEO.
The Cleaner imagines interactions between the employees, and her own potential future encounters with them. She draws conclusions about them from what she finds and conjures up lives for them. She does what she can to mentor them, to make them all a better, more productive employees, all without actually meeting any but the Sad Intern in real life.
She worries about the company’s downsizing, wonders if there’s some creeping illness affecting the business. Then she makes a disturbing discovery about the CEO, and it has her concerned: “All I want is for the company to run smoothly, but I’ve had to deal with not just his mismanagement but his burgeoning personal life. I wouldn’t have to do any of this if he weren’t hurting the company, trying to sever me from these people who clearly need me. I haven’t invested all this time and work for nothing.”
Clearly, the narrator isn’t entirely reliable. She feels heavily invested in the company and employees who are basically unaware of what she gets up to. “I go home and think about all my employees, everyone still left on the fourth floor, and how I can protect them.” She carries out petty acts of sabotage on those she deems unworthy, or endows little rewards and encouragements for those she feels need/deserve them, many of which are blackly funny. And exactly who deserves either praise or punishment changes with a word, a gesture, a blink of the eye. A laugh-out-loud funny, crazy, entertaining debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Headline Wildfire.
August 31, 2023
Today, a very unique book is being released: ‘Cleaner’ by Brandi Wells. This story is told through the eyes of an unnamed office cleaner, who works into the night, seen by very few colleagues and seemingly appreciated by none. As she tells us about the day-to-day duties she endures, we see her become increasingly attached to her unknown colleagues in her efforts to save the company – or at least, that’s how she sees her role in life.
So let’s start with what I liked about this book. Firstly, the underlying comments about class and levels of respect in the workplace hit me hard. (Sidenote: I recently left a public sector role where I felt incredibly respected and highly thought of, to move into the private sector where, I’ll be honest, I’m seeing a very different hierarchy so this was a very timely read for me!) The clear lack of care the cleaner has to contend with just because it’s her job to clean up other people’s messes struck me as completely shocking, but then I realised so many people don’t consider the cleaning fairy who makes everything spick and span overnight. I also started to think carefully about how people at different levels interact with each other in the office. The colleagues she does meet treat her with very little respect; is that because of her role, her slightly off-kilter personality? Who knows. But what I do know is that this book, combined with my recent professional move, has made me even more determined to bring positivity – and a few more manners! – into the workplace.
I also thought Wells’ portrayal in first person of a woman who is quite clearly becoming increasingly fixated on the negatives in her workplace, was very creatively and thoughtfully presented. I found myself stuck in the middle of such a deep internal debate: is she right to be so angry at these people, or is she becoming unhinged? Did I agree with her actions and her feelings? Most importantly, would I ever be able to justify some of the things she does? Essentially, if we imagine a much less gruesome but still strangely disturbing version of ‘American Pyscho’, I think we would all agree that we don’t quite disagree with some of her views, but that doesn’t make her actions right. I won't give anything away by revealing my final verdict on this narrator, but I would love to know your thoughts!
By the end of the novel, I felt like we had grown to know a lot more about the cleaner internally, but actually didn’t know much about her life, other than a mysterious couple of mentions of what seemed to be an ex. I would have liked a bit more insight into her background, but then, perhaps the point is that we shouldn’t need that information to be understanding and empathetic.
All in all, a unique story with important morals: always be kind, and create difficult passwords!
Bookishblonde.home.blog
So let’s start with what I liked about this book. Firstly, the underlying comments about class and levels of respect in the workplace hit me hard. (Sidenote: I recently left a public sector role where I felt incredibly respected and highly thought of, to move into the private sector where, I’ll be honest, I’m seeing a very different hierarchy so this was a very timely read for me!) The clear lack of care the cleaner has to contend with just because it’s her job to clean up other people’s messes struck me as completely shocking, but then I realised so many people don’t consider the cleaning fairy who makes everything spick and span overnight. I also started to think carefully about how people at different levels interact with each other in the office. The colleagues she does meet treat her with very little respect; is that because of her role, her slightly off-kilter personality? Who knows. But what I do know is that this book, combined with my recent professional move, has made me even more determined to bring positivity – and a few more manners! – into the workplace.
I also thought Wells’ portrayal in first person of a woman who is quite clearly becoming increasingly fixated on the negatives in her workplace, was very creatively and thoughtfully presented. I found myself stuck in the middle of such a deep internal debate: is she right to be so angry at these people, or is she becoming unhinged? Did I agree with her actions and her feelings? Most importantly, would I ever be able to justify some of the things she does? Essentially, if we imagine a much less gruesome but still strangely disturbing version of ‘American Pyscho’, I think we would all agree that we don’t quite disagree with some of her views, but that doesn’t make her actions right. I won't give anything away by revealing my final verdict on this narrator, but I would love to know your thoughts!
By the end of the novel, I felt like we had grown to know a lot more about the cleaner internally, but actually didn’t know much about her life, other than a mysterious couple of mentions of what seemed to be an ex. I would have liked a bit more insight into her background, but then, perhaps the point is that we shouldn’t need that information to be understanding and empathetic.
All in all, a unique story with important morals: always be kind, and create difficult passwords!
Bookishblonde.home.blog
February 28, 2024
I saw The Cleaner by Brandi Wells as an audiobook in my library database and I loved the cover and the title, so I figured what the hell! I was really engaged in the majority of the story, and I loved that our MC (the cleaner) was not only cleaning the office building but also trying to 'help' the various people who worked there as well as giving them nicknames based on what was in/on their desks. She was very snoopy, and it made me wonder about cleaners in office buildings IRL as well as how she was cleaning so much while ours doesn't at ALL. 🤣
The audiobook is part of the reason that I didn't want to put this book down, and I loved our narrator, Francine Brody. She completely embodied everything about our cleaner and I loved every moment of listening to her. I was sad to see she hasn't narrated too many books yet, but I will definitely be on the lookout for her now. There are a few things that happen throughout The Cleaner, but I kept waiting for something big to transpire which never did. If you are looking for a character study this is great, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for some big twist.
The audiobook is part of the reason that I didn't want to put this book down, and I loved our narrator, Francine Brody. She completely embodied everything about our cleaner and I loved every moment of listening to her. I was sad to see she hasn't narrated too many books yet, but I will definitely be on the lookout for her now. There are a few things that happen throughout The Cleaner, but I kept waiting for something big to transpire which never did. If you are looking for a character study this is great, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for some big twist.
November 20, 2023
This book was so unhinged its fantastic
February 29, 2024
𝐶𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑟 | 𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑠 | 𝟑.𝟕𝟓*
”𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.”
This was a genuinely fascinating read.
This book introduces readers to a socially disconcerting and wholly sociopathic main character who interestingly remains nameless throughout the entire novel.
I say interestingly because I found myself subconsciously referring to the main character as ‘the cleaner’ in my head, enforcing the toxic corporate culture and career hierarchy present in this social commentary piece.
The perspective of the main character is superior and funny yet sad all at once. Her inability to form connections was evident throughout the book, all I wanted was for her to make one friend. The things the main character got up to ‘fixing’ the lives of ‘her employees’ were sincerely ingenious and I loved every moment she messed with someone.
Overall, this book gives me the same vibes as Nita Prose’s The Maid, without murder and quite a lot slower, but the same message applies; a little appreciation goes a long way.
❥ 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮
❥ 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳/𝘟
❥ 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴
”𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.”
This was a genuinely fascinating read.
This book introduces readers to a socially disconcerting and wholly sociopathic main character who interestingly remains nameless throughout the entire novel.
I say interestingly because I found myself subconsciously referring to the main character as ‘the cleaner’ in my head, enforcing the toxic corporate culture and career hierarchy present in this social commentary piece.
The perspective of the main character is superior and funny yet sad all at once. Her inability to form connections was evident throughout the book, all I wanted was for her to make one friend. The things the main character got up to ‘fixing’ the lives of ‘her employees’ were sincerely ingenious and I loved every moment she messed with someone.
Overall, this book gives me the same vibes as Nita Prose’s The Maid, without murder and quite a lot slower, but the same message applies; a little appreciation goes a long way.
❥ 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮
❥ 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳/𝘟
❥ 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴
September 22, 2023
This was a weird one.
I have worked in offices for most of my adult life. I have also spent many hours working at night when all of my colleagues have left for the day.
We tend to think of office floors populated, bustling with activity and the sounds of phones, conversations, and printers.
I know just how very different an office floor looks and feels when it's dark outside, and you only turn on the lights when and where you need them.
The idea of a person spending hours in these empty spaces, imagining the lives and looks of the people who sit at these desks intrigued me.
I can only imagine what sort of life or lives would have been imaged for me over the past 40 years.
There was humour in some of the cleaner's descriptions of the staff. There was a distaste for many of things she did at the desks. And there was a tiny bit of horror over some of her actions.
It was reasonably enjoyable, and it did give you a sense of this was going to be a rather interesting ending. But I was left with an overall feeling of 'a great attempt, but not quite'. It fell a little flat for me.
Not awful, but not fabulous either. But it definitely made me think of how my desk looked at the end of most days.
I have worked in offices for most of my adult life. I have also spent many hours working at night when all of my colleagues have left for the day.
We tend to think of office floors populated, bustling with activity and the sounds of phones, conversations, and printers.
I know just how very different an office floor looks and feels when it's dark outside, and you only turn on the lights when and where you need them.
The idea of a person spending hours in these empty spaces, imagining the lives and looks of the people who sit at these desks intrigued me.
I can only imagine what sort of life or lives would have been imaged for me over the past 40 years.
There was humour in some of the cleaner's descriptions of the staff. There was a distaste for many of things she did at the desks. And there was a tiny bit of horror over some of her actions.
It was reasonably enjoyable, and it did give you a sense of this was going to be a rather interesting ending. But I was left with an overall feeling of 'a great attempt, but not quite'. It fell a little flat for me.
Not awful, but not fabulous either. But it definitely made me think of how my desk looked at the end of most days.
December 7, 2023
(From the blurb): “Every night, she cleans. On the fourth floor of an unnamed office in an unnamed city, the night cleaner comes and does what she does best—sorts out the messes of the daytime employees. None of them know her, but she knows everything about them: Sad Intern’s dreams to get promoted, Résumé Woman’s nasty flight-risk behavior, Mr. Buff’s secret smoking habit (not very conducive to his fitness journey).”
This was a very strange and unique book. No names are given other than the cleaner’s nicknames for the office workers that she cleans for. Not many details about the protagonist is given other than the details regarding her job-which is her whole life. Fascinating story about someone most of us never ever meet or see-the person who cleans the office at night. I have worked in large offices and small offices and it never occurred to me what someone (who I never see) might think they know about me from the stuff on my desk or in my drawers! This book is not full of action or fast-paced or built along a traditional storyline but it is still incredibly engrossing. I strongly recommend it, especially if you have worked in the corporate office world! One of my top books-and one of the weirdest!
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you Goodreads for introducing me to a very interesting writer!
This was a very strange and unique book. No names are given other than the cleaner’s nicknames for the office workers that she cleans for. Not many details about the protagonist is given other than the details regarding her job-which is her whole life. Fascinating story about someone most of us never ever meet or see-the person who cleans the office at night. I have worked in large offices and small offices and it never occurred to me what someone (who I never see) might think they know about me from the stuff on my desk or in my drawers! This book is not full of action or fast-paced or built along a traditional storyline but it is still incredibly engrossing. I strongly recommend it, especially if you have worked in the corporate office world! One of my top books-and one of the weirdest!
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you Goodreads for introducing me to a very interesting writer!
October 4, 2023
This book was so much more than what I thought it would be!
This is a book that stayed with me long after I finished reading it. This was such a unique and c captivating read you wont be able to put it down for even a second... like literally. We see this story through an anonymous teller who is the cleaner. The author does an amazing job of not only keeping the mystery surrounding this character intriguing but also suspenseful.
This book touches on deep topics with out making them feel heavy or over whelming but still highlighting the depth of these issues. The story flows so smoothly you can't help but stay locked in through out the read and unable to come up for even a breath. This book read like a movie to me and I found myself immersed in the mc life as if it was my own.
Definitely add this to your tbr asap!
This is a book that stayed with me long after I finished reading it. This was such a unique and c captivating read you wont be able to put it down for even a second... like literally. We see this story through an anonymous teller who is the cleaner. The author does an amazing job of not only keeping the mystery surrounding this character intriguing but also suspenseful.
This book touches on deep topics with out making them feel heavy or over whelming but still highlighting the depth of these issues. The story flows so smoothly you can't help but stay locked in through out the read and unable to come up for even a breath. This book read like a movie to me and I found myself immersed in the mc life as if it was my own.
Definitely add this to your tbr asap!
October 13, 2023
I don't quite know how to start this. This is one of those "fever dream" stories, where I am completely sucked into the world but can't quite explain why. It felt so personal, like I stole someone's diary, but that someone has completely lost touch with reality. She has created entire lives and personas based off the trinkets and cleanliness of peoples desk. She has made herself out to be a maternal figure in the company, the oil in the engine that keeps it running all despite the fact she has never met any of the people who work in the building (other then the security guard and delivery guy). While she is constantly invading other peoples privacy and sabotaging those she deems ungrateful with no evidence to back it up, you can't help but root for her.
It's such an odd story, but every time I tried to put it down, I picked it right back up.
It's such an odd story, but every time I tried to put it down, I picked it right back up.
January 14, 2024
It's a thankless job, but someone's gotta do it!- Just hope your cleaner is not so dedicated in her efforts! Psychological suspense about a fantasist cleaner who takes her devotion to the company a little too far. I chuckled my whole way through this book, and I enjoyed joining her in her delusions for a little bit. 4 stars
December 7, 2023
I did not finish. I was 115 pages in and just had no reason to continue.
May 1, 2023
"That's how most of these people know each other. It's all very surface level: faces and names. Not much else. It must be an empty way to live, to be so vapid and forever unknown. But of course, I know them all. I understand them, for better or worse."
The Cleaner is a subversive, speculative commentary on human connections and corporate culture that both engrosses and alienates it’s reader at the same time. It’s full of irreverent, dry humour and uncomfortably strange prose that just gives it such character and charm.
Our faceless, nameless narrator speaks right to us in a crude, blunt voice — a voyeur that we watch as they watch others. This singular narrator has a strange quality, with limited interaction with others and just one location — just a single moving strand of thoughts that move fluidly from one moment to the next. Their personality remains largely a mystery to us, only ever seeing what they want us to see. It’s isolating and eerie, especially as the mystery starts to take hold of the story and the uneasy tensions almost feels like they are really holding into our own secrets.
For the first half of the book, it’s almost plotless, a repetitive cycle of night shifts and subtle observations — something that usually would bore me with its slow, quiet pace but was actually quite charming. And when it picks up, it remains quiet and calm but with an added intensity and feverishness as our narrator finds more secrets, more problems to fix under the cover of night.
This wickedly clever story makes you wonder; how many people do you know, do you think about — but in return you’re a stranger, a faceless nameless figure especially in a hyper-connected world? And how much of your personality, of yourself, has been borrowed or stolen from the people you’ve known?
A delightfully strange and deeply unsettling read - if you don't absolutely love this, at least it'll make you think about checking your passwords aren't left on your computer monitor.
*I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.*
February 21, 2024
I was just talking the other day about how much I love books narrated by weird little freaks, and then I started this—how fortuitous! Loved this strange cleaner woman with her vivid inner life. There are such strong details here about office life; I kept recalling my own experience working an office job as I read, nodding along, mhming emphatically, and laughing aloud at the truth and absurdity of the observations this book makes. Just a great time all around.
February 18, 2024
2.5 stars rated up. This book started off strong and I loved the quirkiness of the MC … unfortunately that was pretty much about it. I keep waiting for something to happen or for the story to move into satisfying direction. It didn’t, it fell very flat for me.
September 1, 2023
Cleaner is an extremely unique, thought-provoking and captivating read.
The novel’s timeline occurs primarily during the evening, within cleaner’s shifts. The skipping of time feels natural and the progression of the space in between is intriguing.
The book is told through the perspective of the unnamed cleaner. Entirely engrossed in their day-to-day routine at their place of work, an anonymous high-rise style corporate office. We follow them through the ritual of their cleaning; desk visits, cleaning duties, the meticulous and slightly unorthodox involvement with the people’s belongings and lives and also cleaner’s scant encounters with other staff.
The anonymity of the characters makes everything more interesting and the fact we receive everything from cleaners perspective makes it all the more engrossing.
All the characters in the novel are only referred to as nicknames the cleaner gives to them, such as yarn guy and coaster woman to name a couple. We encounter only three characters consistently ‘in real life’ to gauge their interactions; security guard L., delivery driver M. and the intern. I found this fascinating as the sociopathic, oblivious and almost narcissistic traits of cleaner are most evident during these interactions.
The involvement the cleaner has and their interpretations and involvement are fascinating. The time and energy they place on their work and the environment is above and beyond. The misinterpretation of things is fascinating and their ability to act upon things believing their interpretation is true is outrageous.
The novel definitely makes you reconsider the role of cleaners. The way they integrate into daily life without most giving them much thought, they can be overlooked but are extremely important to the upkeep and behind the scenes of many settings.
An original page turner and unusual, fascinating story that I was drawn in by.
The novel’s timeline occurs primarily during the evening, within cleaner’s shifts. The skipping of time feels natural and the progression of the space in between is intriguing.
The book is told through the perspective of the unnamed cleaner. Entirely engrossed in their day-to-day routine at their place of work, an anonymous high-rise style corporate office. We follow them through the ritual of their cleaning; desk visits, cleaning duties, the meticulous and slightly unorthodox involvement with the people’s belongings and lives and also cleaner’s scant encounters with other staff.
The anonymity of the characters makes everything more interesting and the fact we receive everything from cleaners perspective makes it all the more engrossing.
All the characters in the novel are only referred to as nicknames the cleaner gives to them, such as yarn guy and coaster woman to name a couple. We encounter only three characters consistently ‘in real life’ to gauge their interactions; security guard L., delivery driver M. and the intern. I found this fascinating as the sociopathic, oblivious and almost narcissistic traits of cleaner are most evident during these interactions.
The involvement the cleaner has and their interpretations and involvement are fascinating. The time and energy they place on their work and the environment is above and beyond. The misinterpretation of things is fascinating and their ability to act upon things believing their interpretation is true is outrageous.
The novel definitely makes you reconsider the role of cleaners. The way they integrate into daily life without most giving them much thought, they can be overlooked but are extremely important to the upkeep and behind the scenes of many settings.
An original page turner and unusual, fascinating story that I was drawn in by.
September 1, 2023
I rather love our narrator, judging people by their desks. I’m not in an office anymore but I wonder what my former office desk said and my current home set up says about me to a total stranger. I’m the weird person with a talking kangaroo on her desk (yes Skippy is my work buddy).
Wherever my Cleaner works is toxic. The signs are there. The pills, the self help, the intern working when no one else is… So my narrator is trying to help the people who work during the day (and make the mess to clean up). All based on what is on or in their desks. Assumptions maybe slightly misguided ones) are made about these individuals as the paths of Cleaner and office workers never really cross.
The interaction between the Cleaner and the other night owls is so varied; the protectiveness towards the Intern, the annoyance towards L the security guard and the indifference towards M the delivery person. I thought it interesting that Wells gave me very little about the Cleaner, I struggled to create an image of the character.
Cleaner is an entertaining read. My narrator made me smile and smirk through the commentary but I was slightly concerned for them at points. This is a different type of read for me which I did enjoy.
Wherever my Cleaner works is toxic. The signs are there. The pills, the self help, the intern working when no one else is… So my narrator is trying to help the people who work during the day (and make the mess to clean up). All based on what is on or in their desks. Assumptions maybe slightly misguided ones) are made about these individuals as the paths of Cleaner and office workers never really cross.
The interaction between the Cleaner and the other night owls is so varied; the protectiveness towards the Intern, the annoyance towards L the security guard and the indifference towards M the delivery person. I thought it interesting that Wells gave me very little about the Cleaner, I struggled to create an image of the character.
Cleaner is an entertaining read. My narrator made me smile and smirk through the commentary but I was slightly concerned for them at points. This is a different type of read for me which I did enjoy.
August 30, 2023
The blurb of this book intrigued me so much, did it you ?.
The Cleaner ( not named) cleans in an office building on the night shift and she thinks she knows the people who occupy the desks personally, she rifles through the draws and personal belongings, she adds and subtracts things she thinks they need or don’t need.
This was so different to what I’m used to reading, that’s not a bad thing I really enjoyed it as I’m a quite nosy person myself so I liked going around with our cleaner but they took it too far in my opinion.
It’s set a slower pace but I still enjoyed it.
The Cleaner ( not named) cleans in an office building on the night shift and she thinks she knows the people who occupy the desks personally, she rifles through the draws and personal belongings, she adds and subtracts things she thinks they need or don’t need.
This was so different to what I’m used to reading, that’s not a bad thing I really enjoyed it as I’m a quite nosy person myself so I liked going around with our cleaner but they took it too far in my opinion.
It’s set a slower pace but I still enjoyed it.
September 16, 2023
A clever story about a cleaner who takes on more than her job description! The cleaner, who is not given a name, is more than a little nosy about the workers in the office she cleans and makes subtle changes in the firm belief she is helping to make workers healthier and happier. Her work is her world and the way she feels compelled to secretly change things is rather disturbing. The great narration helped to make it as compelling as it was unnerving. Thank you to Net Galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2023
Oh my gosh this book will get you wondering what’s going on when you’re not at work! A really creative story about a cleaner in some offices who feels like it’s her job to also look after the workers, even though she only ever sees one face to face regularly in the workplace. Sometimes the ‘looking after’ is more meddling which leads to all sorts of consequences.
Which reminds me, I must change my computer passwords! Ha ha!
Enjoyable, original story!
Which reminds me, I must change my computer passwords! Ha ha!
Enjoyable, original story!
December 2, 2023
First I would classify this book as a horror story. People who have worked in an office building or are working in one will immediately see many of the personalities and habits people have here. The terrorizing part is that what if the Cleaner is more realistic than you know. If I was still working in an office would definitely make sure to spit polish my area, guard my password, and never leave a paper out. Maybe all offices that worry about security should make this mandatory reading.
September 6, 2023
This book was so quirky and fun. I enjoyed it immensely!!
August 22, 2023
Slightly disturbing but engrossing your-cleaner-sees-all debut.
Your office is clean in the morning. It's like magic. What was tea-stained or dusty is now sparkling. Your mugs are back in the kitchen, washed and ready for use. The bins are empty.
Every day, the unseen are acting as fairies for offices and workplaces and the daytime staff usually don't give it a second thought. And that's how our unnamed Cleaner quite likes it.
She takes pride in her job, but not only keeps the office up to standard, she'll take care of those daytime office users too, worrying about the supplements they're taking, noticing the lonely and the unappreciated and doing what she can to help them in their lives.
The cleaner even looks through emails and documents - she's very thorough.
This made for a very intimate-feeling audiobook. Breaking through many taboos and unwritten rules, the cleaner is the nosey fairy we all wish we could be. She knows everyone's secrets, tweaks things around the office to encourage relationships and success, takes petty revenge on those she doesn't like. And still can't work out who the Secret Shi**er is!
Living for her job and what she sees as her mission of looking after her daytime colleagues, the audiobook gets up-close-and-personal with our protagonist. We see the other night staff's reactions to her and her interactions with particular office workers as she tries to influence them for the better.
I really liked it. It satisfied my own nosey tendencies - don't we all want to say what we really think to other people and 'help them' with the changes we see as obvious that they don't see themselves?
Everything is kept very anonymous, from the names of characters, to genders. It takes place in an unnamed city. You can't even picture the cleaner herself.
It felt unnerving, picturing someone snooping, interfering, 'helping', but also fascinating and quite deeply satisfying. The cleaner was relatable, unappreciated and observant, the changes she makes and action she takes would leave you questioning your sanity at times.
Makes you appreciate those around you who quietly keep the status quo. And made for a very entertaining listen. I'd love to watch these goings on over a CCTV over time, see the psychological effect on the office workers.
Great idea, and nicely executed. I like the non-descript female voice who brings the cleaner to life on the audio, she doesn't give you much to work with, plays it without a lot of emoting, is logical and factual and helps you see why she blends into the background.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.
Your office is clean in the morning. It's like magic. What was tea-stained or dusty is now sparkling. Your mugs are back in the kitchen, washed and ready for use. The bins are empty.
Every day, the unseen are acting as fairies for offices and workplaces and the daytime staff usually don't give it a second thought. And that's how our unnamed Cleaner quite likes it.
She takes pride in her job, but not only keeps the office up to standard, she'll take care of those daytime office users too, worrying about the supplements they're taking, noticing the lonely and the unappreciated and doing what she can to help them in their lives.
The cleaner even looks through emails and documents - she's very thorough.
This made for a very intimate-feeling audiobook. Breaking through many taboos and unwritten rules, the cleaner is the nosey fairy we all wish we could be. She knows everyone's secrets, tweaks things around the office to encourage relationships and success, takes petty revenge on those she doesn't like. And still can't work out who the Secret Shi**er is!
Living for her job and what she sees as her mission of looking after her daytime colleagues, the audiobook gets up-close-and-personal with our protagonist. We see the other night staff's reactions to her and her interactions with particular office workers as she tries to influence them for the better.
I really liked it. It satisfied my own nosey tendencies - don't we all want to say what we really think to other people and 'help them' with the changes we see as obvious that they don't see themselves?
Everything is kept very anonymous, from the names of characters, to genders. It takes place in an unnamed city. You can't even picture the cleaner herself.
It felt unnerving, picturing someone snooping, interfering, 'helping', but also fascinating and quite deeply satisfying. The cleaner was relatable, unappreciated and observant, the changes she makes and action she takes would leave you questioning your sanity at times.
Makes you appreciate those around you who quietly keep the status quo. And made for a very entertaining listen. I'd love to watch these goings on over a CCTV over time, see the psychological effect on the office workers.
Great idea, and nicely executed. I like the non-descript female voice who brings the cleaner to life on the audio, she doesn't give you much to work with, plays it without a lot of emoting, is logical and factual and helps you see why she blends into the background.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.
August 20, 2023
Disturbing and funny in equal measures! The unnamed cleaner of an office block gains a perceived insight into the people who work in the offices by what they keep on their desks and in their drawers. Often with good intent, believing she cares for their welfare, she interferes with their lives by leaving, removing or switching items on their desks and in some cases, logging onto their computers to clear their diary or read their email - both business and personal.
As nameless as she is, she gives them names, based on their desks and so Sad Intern, Yarn Guy, Mr Buff and others become the focus of her life.
It is thought provoking in that in the important lives of these executives, the cleaner is largely invisible. In fact, one character is surprised to hear they even have a cleaner! This exploration of societal hierarchy is poignant, highlighting that often, these "invisible" people have a larger insight into the lives of those they provide a service for than they might imagine.
4 star. Thanks to Netgalley, Brandi Wells and Headline for an ARC in return for my honest review.
As nameless as she is, she gives them names, based on their desks and so Sad Intern, Yarn Guy, Mr Buff and others become the focus of her life.
It is thought provoking in that in the important lives of these executives, the cleaner is largely invisible. In fact, one character is surprised to hear they even have a cleaner! This exploration of societal hierarchy is poignant, highlighting that often, these "invisible" people have a larger insight into the lives of those they provide a service for than they might imagine.
4 star. Thanks to Netgalley, Brandi Wells and Headline for an ARC in return for my honest review.
December 16, 2023
Cleaner is about a woman who works night shifts at an office block and takes her job VERY seriously. I've not read a book like this before! It was definitely a quirky read and left me wanting more! The cleaner was creepily obsessed with the people that worked on the fourth floor of the office block. She even idolised a couple of them. The cleaner thought it was 'her office' , 'her colleagues' and although never meeting them, felt like she knew everything about them. She definitely made me feel quite uneasy as a reader and she was very impulsive. One minute she was buying flowers for the intern then she was rubbing mayonnaise in the other workers drawer! I laughed at some moments because it was definitely unsettling on how she thought her job was her life and 'lived to work' rather than 'worked to live'. I enjoyed this book but I would have loved to have seen how the cleaner had gotten into this place in her life and her mind. It was very intriguing and kept me guessing on what her next antics were going to be! I would have loved to of seen how the print out played out in that office!!
July 25, 2023
Cleaner is a character study on how someone can give too much of themselves to their job and invest in things that they believe is part of their life. The unnamed narrator is someone who takes small aspects of people that she percieves (from their desks) and builds a whole character and narrative that she believes to be true. An aspect I am for sure guilty of. Her narrow mindedness in her belief of her influence and role is at times saddening when she is actually just a ghost to the people in the building she cleans. The 'mystery' that wasn't so much a mystery was a nice device to move the plot along as it was something written mundanely I felt. I liked the charcters of L and M and how the narrator portrayed them. I could picture them very clearly and I too felt irritation towards them but knowing it's just the narrators perspective. While I liked how the book was written I found the ending to be a little eye rolling but I got why the author/narrator did so.
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
November 6, 2023
A really fun deep dive into parasocial relationships.
However, I’m not 100% convinced this book works in 2023 when most office workers “hot desk” or predominantly work from home. It’s difficult to attach personalities to the rubbish/items left on people’s desks on a day to day basis when most people aren’t using the same desk all the time or aren’t even in the office on a regular basis 🤷🏻♀️
Still, a great read!
However, I’m not 100% convinced this book works in 2023 when most office workers “hot desk” or predominantly work from home. It’s difficult to attach personalities to the rubbish/items left on people’s desks on a day to day basis when most people aren’t using the same desk all the time or aren’t even in the office on a regular basis 🤷🏻♀️
Still, a great read!
February 15, 2024
I could not have had a more brilliant experience in my foray into the audiobook world! This story was incredible in so many ways - the main character was realistic and hilarious; doing an insane amount of terrible things for good reasons and genuinely believing herself to be in the right, the secondary characters were well developed and fleshed out throughout the story: each with their own aspirations and personalities, and the overall plot was equal parts an intriguing mystery and a lighthearted scheme. I finished this book in one day because I was so hooked, and the narrator did a truly wonderful job of capturing the voices and essence of each character! Definitely a book I’ll be recommending to everyone who’ll listen, and especially to those who, like the office workers in this story, see cleaning staff as invisible people!
October 20, 2023
“I clean the offices and bathrooms and lobbys five nights a week, but my actual job is to take care of everyone. They need so much help”
Cleaning in an anonymous building, full of anonymous people, she gave an abstract view of life.
Her only interactions really were with the security guard and the delivery driver.
However she rifles through the contents of each desk to get little snippets of their habits, building a make believe world of the people who work there.
What would your workspace say about you?
A slow paced novel that’s a social commentary on how workers view the cleaning service - dispensable and unforgettable.
I loved how she made her presence known, what she got up to when no one else was around, and a reminder that you should always be kind to the support staff.
Thanks @brandiwells @headlinepg & @netgalley for the eARC
Cleaning in an anonymous building, full of anonymous people, she gave an abstract view of life.
Her only interactions really were with the security guard and the delivery driver.
However she rifles through the contents of each desk to get little snippets of their habits, building a make believe world of the people who work there.
What would your workspace say about you?
A slow paced novel that’s a social commentary on how workers view the cleaning service - dispensable and unforgettable.
I loved how she made her presence known, what she got up to when no one else was around, and a reminder that you should always be kind to the support staff.
Thanks @brandiwells @headlinepg & @netgalley for the eARC
June 24, 2023
I really liked this one! I found the unreliable narrator of the cleaner to work incredibly well. From the start, this was a real page turner. Although there’s no fast moving plot, and a little of it feels repetitive, it still left me questioning the people in life society often looks over, and their true motives. It was creepy, a little disturbing, and I tore through it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Cleaner #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Cleaner #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 26, 2024
I'm definitely the outlier, but I found this book to be very underwhelming. I loved the concept, and it was definitely intriguing at first, but then it just felt so repetitive and like nothing was really happening. I personally just enjoy more fast-paced reads with an engaging plot, but this was very slow without much of a plot.
Like I said, though, it seems to be a me problem since there are a ton of really good reviews.
Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Like I said, though, it seems to be a me problem since there are a ton of really good reviews.
Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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