The Cleaner by Mary Watson

Esmie moves through the gleaming kitchens and pristine hallways of Ireland’s most exclusive gated community like a ghost—invisible, silent, unnoticed. To her wealthy employers, she’s just another cleaner with a mop and an accent they can’t quite place. They see what they expect to see: someone who tidies up their messes and fades into the background.

But Esmie isn’t looking for dust. She’s looking for dirt.

Because Esmie didn’t come here to clean. She came for revenge. Armed with a duster and a carefully crafted plan, she’s infiltrated the lives of people who believe themselves untouchable—people who’ve never had to answer for their sins. As she moves through their homes, she gathers secrets, watches, waits. These families have no idea who’s really among them, or what she’s capable of.

The Cleaner is a razor-sharp psychological thriller that exposes the dark underbelly of privilege and class. Mary Watson crafts a gripping tale of vengeance and social commentary, peeling back the polished facades of the wealthy to reveal the rot beneath. With its propulsive plot and a protagonist you won’t soon forget, this novel asks uncomfortable questions about who we see—and who we choose to ignore.

Perfect for readers who loved The Woman in the Window or The Silent Patient, this is a story that will keep you turning pages late into the night, listening to the waves crash outside your window.

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