The Cleaner

by Ryan Potter

Spinks Webb is thirty-four years old, lives in his widowed father’s basement, and suffers from a fear of leaving his hometown that he blames on his ex-fiancée, a woman who broke up with him twelve years ago. Some might call Spinks a loser, but the man has heart, and he also has a unique talent. Turns out Spinks Webb can consume vast amounts of food in short periods of time, hard-boiled eggs and hot dogs in particular. With the help of his best friend and business partner Danny Fleck, Spinks quickly hones his gorging skills and becomes the talk of his blue-collar Michigan town as Danny, an amateur filmmaker, captures it all on video for a future documentary. Danny eventually encourages Spinks to go for the World Series of competitive eating and compete for a spot in the Nathan’s Famous International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, New York. Of course, numerous roadblocks stand between Spinks and Brooklyn, two of which include mending his broken heart and beating his irrational fear of travel, and to conquer those he’ll need all the help from Danny that he can get. THE CLEANER is a heartfelt and humorous novel about the power of friendship and its ability to create even the most unlikely hero. What are readers saying? ★★★★★ "I love this novel. It's sharp, funny, and wise. The characters are memorable. The plot is unique. The dialogue is authentic. Potter can write...I haven't been this enthralled by a writer since Michael Kun." ~Mark Trost ★★★★★ "Ryan Potter has written a wonderful story with 'The Cleaner.' The characters are unique, memorable, and real...I couldn't stop grinning as I read the last quarter of the book." ~Reader review ★★★★★ "Extremely well done. I'm a voracious reader, and I loved this book. Very fast read, and good character development. Very likable main character and surrounding cast." ~Reader review

281 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2012

About the author

When he's not hard at work writing, Ryan Potter spends his time imagining life as a rock star. His dream of becoming an author began in junior high school, where he wrote short stories about aliens and student teachers. He lives in the Detroit area with his wife.

Reviews

[Stacye]

This book opens by introducing you to some unlikely characters who share a somewhat absurd world. I wasn't sure where we were going but, as Potts unfolds his story, it began to play inside my head just like a motion picture. I actually found my mind wandering, at times, as I tried to cast the protagonist and his Zach Galifianakis-esque sidekick. Disbelief is transformed into real caring about these characters as the the plot twists and turns gently, leading to a conclusion that left me feeling triumphant.
I've never read another story just like this one and the author did something few can do...he left me hoping I'll get to visit with his characters, again!

[Rhoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun summer read by my good friend, Ryan Potter.

[Bennett Gavrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: B+

L/C Ratio: 30% Literary / 70% Commercial

Thematic Breakdown:
30% - Competitive eating
25% - Self discovery
15% - Humor
15% - Friendship
10% - Family
5% - Failed relationships

Addictiveness: High
Movie Potential: 1 Thumb Up
Re-readability: Low


The sport of competitive eating is a topic with plenty of potential for comedy, and Ryan Potter takes full advantage of it in The Cleaner. In between the laughs, he manages to craft a charming narrative about a lovable loser searching for his purpose, and the loyal sidekick who's determined to help him find it.

Although the events in the novel's final act are a bit rushed and get tied up a bit too neatly, there's no doubt that the protagonists deserve the happy ending that the author gives them. Potter balances dialogue and exposition well, and his plot twists have the impressive ability to make the reader cringe and smile at the same time.


Noteworthy Quote:

Wonderful. Love conquers all, even white suburban racism.