Description
Book SynopsisAn unforgettable heroine. An unforgivable past. For fans of Child 44, The Lives of Others and Stasi Child, The Cleaner is a gripping thriller that will chill and intrigue as the sins of the past catch up with the secrets of the present. Pools of blood, scenes of carnage, signs of agonising death - who deals with the aftermath of violence once the bodies have been taken away? Judith Kepler has seen it all. She is a crime scene specialist. She turns crime scenes back into habitable spaces. She is a cleaner. It is at the home of a woman who has been brutally murdered that she is suddenly confronted with her own past. The murder victim knew Judith's secret: as a child Judith was sent to an orphanage under mysterious circumstances - parentage unknown. And the East German secret police were always there, in the background. . . . When Judith begins to ask questions, she becomes the target of some powerful enemies. And nothing will ever be the same again.
Trade ReviewHerrmann has created a modern classic with this absorbing, exciting literary thriller which combines the addictive lure of a page-turner with a weightier, terrifying back story. Anyone interested in the Cold War, spy stories, or crime fiction in general will find something to love here. Judith Kepler - the cleaner of the title - is a wonderful creation, fighting for her own personal truth in a life trashed by East v West in-fighting and subterfuge. At times, it reminded me of Hans Fallada's Alone in Berlin - and that's high praise indeed. One of my books of the year * David Young, award-winning author of STASI CHILD *
'The best thing about the book is the atmosphere that it evokes. The grey, sinister threatening conditions during the Cold War and the way that this fear lingers into modern times are depicted vividly, by description of place, circumstance and impact on protagonists. The end is good and worth waiting for.' * Crime Review *
This is a chilling story with lots of twists and turns, people with several aliases and demons from the past to dig up. The Cold War, spies, agents and double agents, mixed with the German and Swedish backdrop make it an enjoyable read * Rosie Amber Reviews Blog *
The Berlin Wall may have come down, but old tensions and threats still exist..As tensions in our modern world increase daily, organizations like the Stasi take on a new and frightening guise. A riveting thriller. * For The Love Of Books *
If you like some history thrown into your novels then you should enjoy the Cold War aspects with spies, agents, and double agents all waiting to thrill you. * Artistic Bent *
People who have read Marnie Riches' the Girl Who......... series will love this book. People who have read Ludlum at his best will love this book. People who are looking for a new thriller author in the UK, this is your woman. Most of all, anybody who likes a good story, will love this book. * Nigel Adams Book Worm *
a different type of crime novel... an intriguing plot * Breakaway Reviewers *
Through a large cast of characters and their fluid relationships, Herrmann reveals a world of corruption and double-dealing on both sides of the German divide. * Publishers' Weekly *
