The Cleaner

I couldn't put this book down! I loved it! This is a first time read for me by author Paul Cleave, but I'm already thirsty to read more. The Christchurch Carver, a serial killer who rapes and kills women. The police have no leads. But one of the victims was not killed by The Christchurch Carver, despite the police assuming she was. This story is told through The Christchurch Carver, very cleverly written, and he intends to find out who killed this woman and pinned it in him. I can't recommend this book enough

Disturbingly dark account of a serial killer on the loose in Christchurch, New Zealand. Having raped and killed several women and being called the Christchurch Cleaver the protagonist Joe lives a double life and we are witness to this double life existence as Joe recounts his crimes and his life as a mentally challenged janitor working at the police station investigating these murders that allows him to be one step ahead of the lead investigation officer Detective Schroeder. A copycat killer appears and Joe is not happy that this murder should be tagged on to his killing spree. He decides that he will uncover this copy cat killer, kill him and frame him for the other murders. Joe however has an admirer in the police station, Sally who works in maintenance. She had a brother who died and was very much like Joe in that he was mentally challenged and she see's parallels in Joe. She always felt guilty about how her brother died and to recompense she decides to try and make Joe's life a bit easier. She starts off by bringing him sandwiches and then follows him - just to keep any eye on him to keep him safe. Joe meets a woman in a bar, Melissa and from this point on his life gets rather more complicated. Melissa is not all she seems either and Joe gets himself into some serious trouble. This is a dark and intriguing psychological thriller, graphic in some parts but Clever manages to make the protagonist a rather 'likeable' character due to his excellent use of humour and Joes' batty mother which is unusual in this type of novel. Well written, good compelling storyline and a good twist at the end easy to recommend it and easy to give 4 stars from me.

Someone recommended this book to me. I'm so glad they did. I couldn't put it down.

A highly entertaining criminal caper which is comprised of an odd mix of black humour and gruesome violence. Makes the most of its setting in Christchurch, New Zealand and the characters are terrific.

just couldn't put the book down! it keeps you going. first book I've read from him, will definitely buy more! excellent.

This is Paul Cleave's first book; it is also the direct prequel to Joe Victim, his latest book which I read recently. Since I read the books the wrong way round I knew all the who-dunnits in this book but did not know the whys or hows. This did affect my enjoyment of the book and I do highly recommend you read the two books in the proper order! However, I enjoyed Joe Victim so much I just had to read the beginnings of his story. This (well both books) is a very unique take on the serial killer book as it is almost entirely told from the killer's point of view and we hardly even get to know the police investigators in this first beginning book. They have developed into characters by the time we get to the latest book, Joe Victim, the 7th in the series, though. But here, they show up occasionally and mostly through Joe, the cleaner's, point of view. The scary thing about this story is that even with the entire violent, ruthless murders we are somehow drawn to Joe and he does become an unwillingly sympathetic character to the reader in an unsettling way to my dismay, even though he is completely unlikable as a person and unreliable as a narrator. Occasionally another narrator will take over and we get an outsider's take on the case, but as I said this is not from the police themselves; they are kept as background characters making this a very unique style of thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. I just didn't get the full impact since I had already read the sequel which keeps no secrets of the events that happen here. I'm impressed with this author and will move on to his next book which revolves around the same police department in Christchurch, NZ.

Came quickly and was a great read

As I enjoy the Jack Reacher series a friend recommended The Cleaner as a book I would thoroughly enjoy and find it gripping. Unfortunately this was not so as I really found it hard to get into and then came the climax part way through the book but then it seemed to tail off. I did read it through to the end hoping it would pick up but unfortunately it did not. Such a shame