3 Stars from me
Fixated on finding out what happened to her beloved brother Nico, Esmie orchestrates a minor accident designed to put her at the heart of three households. Once across the threshold she markets herself as a cleaner in order to get within the inner sanctum allowing her to dig deeper into their lives.
The social commentary that cleaners are both invisible and somehow privy to the most personal moments of their employers lives was intriguing – Esmie is drawn into all manner of private issues and I guess the reality is that house cleaners probably are, especially if English isn’t their native language.
This was a bit of a slow burn for me and while the premise was interesting it didn’t fully hold my attention at times – overall though it is a good little thriller with a clever twist.
Blurb: 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.
Read and Rated 