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thriller_chick's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars rounded up
This story had some times where it dragged on a little but the graphic details of it certainly redeemed those parts.
Done as an audio book.
Certainly not for those that don’t like the English accent but I really liked the narrator.
This story had some times where it dragged on a little but the graphic details of it certainly redeemed those parts.
Done as an audio book.
Certainly not for those that don’t like the English accent but I really liked the narrator.
panda27's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness. I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as i did! Definitely need to read Joe Victim. Damn
jkwriting24's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gabrielleiscurrentlyreading's review against another edition
1.0
I was very excited about this book. New Zealand+serial killer should have been a great read but sadly wasn’t.
The intro starts with a bang and highly peaked my interest so I kept reading.
He’s first and foremost a serial rapist, not a serial killer. His main interest was raping women. The killing part only happened so that he wouldn’t get caught. You know, “Leave no witness behind” kinda thing.
He pretends to be a mentally handicapped person working as a janitor in a police station. He not only pretends to be mentally handicapped but makes the most stupid decisions and mistakes.
Joe is suppose to be this highly intelligent serial killer but in actuality he’s far from it. There’s nothing worse than reading about a serial killer who thinks he’s this highly intelligent person but is ultimately just an idiot skirting by due to the ineptness of the police department.
I love all things horror/serial killer/dark humor/true crime podcasts BUT reading about the graphic details he’d get into concerning rape or the scene where Joe gets tied to a tree (you know what scene I’m talking about) was gross and crude. It wasn’t interesting at all.
The intro starts with a bang and highly peaked my interest so I kept reading.
He’s first and foremost a serial rapist, not a serial killer. His main interest was raping women. The killing part only happened so that he wouldn’t get caught. You know, “Leave no witness behind” kinda thing.
He pretends to be a mentally handicapped person working as a janitor in a police station. He not only pretends to be mentally handicapped but makes the most stupid decisions and mistakes.
Joe is suppose to be this highly intelligent serial killer but in actuality he’s far from it. There’s nothing worse than reading about a serial killer who thinks he’s this highly intelligent person but is ultimately just an idiot skirting by due to the ineptness of the police department.
I love all things horror/serial killer/dark humor/true crime podcasts BUT reading about the graphic details he’d get into concerning rape or the scene where Joe gets tied to a tree (you know what scene I’m talking about) was gross and crude. It wasn’t interesting at all.
taliaa_'s review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
ajnel's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Cleave's 2008 debut novel, "The Cleaner" is a perfect example of an exceptionally well-written (and dare I say delightful) black comedy, executed essentially by focussing razor-sharp inner-monologue and dialogue coupled with great timing and pacing. One can almost not help but to root for the serial killer,r, Joe Middleton, to succeed in his elaborate scheme to escape being caught.
Joe Victim: A Novel (2013) is the second novel in the series
Joe Victim: A Novel (2013) is the second novel in the series
yvo_about_books's review
4.0
Finished reading: July 7th 2023
"Of the seven unsolved murders, only six are mine. The seventh has been tacked onto my lot because the police are inept."
I still can't believe I've only recently discovered Paul Cleave's work, but after an excellent first experience two months ago I made a promise to myself to make time to start working on his backlist. I do like my thrillers on the dark side and I have a weak spot for serial killer thrillers, so of course I ended up choosing The Cleaner as my first backlist title. I mean, have you read that blurb? Not only is the story told from the POV of a serial killer, but we also get him investigating a murder that is wrongly being attributed to him... It can't get better than that! I did have some minor niggles while reading, but as a whole I can't deny that The Cleaner hit the mark for me. A little warning: this serial killer thriller is darker than a pitch black night, and it includes many graphic scenes, torture, gore, animal cruelty and sexual violence. This is definitely not a story for those with a weak stomach, that's for sure! But if you like your thrillers on the disturbing and twisted side, The Cleaner has plenty to offer. I wasn't that big of a fan of Sally's POV, but thankfully the main focus lies with Joe's POV. I always love a serial killer POV, and Joe is a particular fascinating specimen. Sure, he is a twisted killer and all that, but it was strangely intriguing to spend time inside his head and learn more about his view of the world. There is a lot of focus on the violence and darker moments, but other scenes are strangely comical at the same time. All in all it turned out to be quite an unique read, and I will be looking forward to read the sequel Joe Victim soon to see what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Vomit, Gore, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Stalking, Suicide, Ableism, and Car accident
doublearon4321's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
okenwillow's review against another edition
4.0
Un thriller pris à l’envers, du point de vue du tueur lui-même, qui, pour ne pas faire comme tout le monde va mener l’enquête ? Allez, soyons fous ! Joe Middleton nous entraîne dans son délire avec une efficacité redoutable. Le lecteur suit le mode de pensée de Joe, alias Joe-Le-Lent, officiellement homme de ménage intellectuellement déficient, et partage ses réflexions personnelles sur le monde qui l’entoure. On découvre une personnalité complexe et absolument flippante. Joe est un vrai misanthrope, ses seuls amis sont deux poissons rouges, Cornichon et Jéhovah, qu’il nourrit consciencieusement. Certains passages les concernant sont comiques et poignants à la fois.
Joe a la couverture idéale, il peut suivre au jour le jour l’avancement de l’enquête sur les meurtres qu’il commet, sauf qu’on lui met aussi sur le dos un meurtre dont il n’est pas l’auteur. Entre deux victimes, notre Joe va donc mener sa petite enquête.
On accroche à l’histoire dès le début, et malgré un gros ressort qui arrive comme un cheveu sur la soupe (l’introduction de Mélissa est complètement hallucinante, d’une invraisemblance presque vexante), on adhère jusqu’au bout. Malgré aussi un personnage encore plus détestable que Joe lui-même. J’ai trouvé Sally insupportable de niaiserie, mais son rôle est tellement essentiel qu’on lui pardonne ses bons sentiments et sa culpabilité maladive. On en vient à la détester autant que Joe la méprise. Ce dernier, à travers son prisme délirant, ne voit en Sally qu’une attardée mentale.
Bref, notre tueur, contrairement à Dexter (auquel on ne peut s’empêcher de penser) ne se donne pas d’excuses ou de prétexte pour tuer. On se demande même pourquoi il ne se lâche pas carrément en achevant sa vieille mère, elle aussi, un personnage pénible et pathétique. Mais Joe aime sa maman, il va dans son sens, essaie de ne pas trop la contrarier, joue son rôle de fils, et reprend sa vie normale de tueur. Son attachement à sa mère, ou à ses poissons rouges est presque attendrissant, il le rend vaguement humain. On comprend vite la logique de son comportement envers les gens en général, et les femmes en particulier.
Ça n’a pas l’air comme ça, mais il y a beaucoup de subtilités dans ses propos, dont seul le lecteur peut mesurer le sens et l’importance.
L’intrigue est échevelée, pleine de violence et de tragédie, le rythme ne faiblit pas et le final est apocalyptéosique (© tous droits réservés sur ce mot).
Un superbe thriller intelligent qui nous plonge dans l’esprit du tueur et dans ce qu’il a de plus sombre, et aussi de plus humain. Un peu.
Joe a la couverture idéale, il peut suivre au jour le jour l’avancement de l’enquête sur les meurtres qu’il commet, sauf qu’on lui met aussi sur le dos un meurtre dont il n’est pas l’auteur. Entre deux victimes, notre Joe va donc mener sa petite enquête.
On accroche à l’histoire dès le début, et malgré un gros ressort qui arrive comme un cheveu sur la soupe (l’introduction de Mélissa est complètement hallucinante, d’une invraisemblance presque vexante), on adhère jusqu’au bout. Malgré aussi un personnage encore plus détestable que Joe lui-même. J’ai trouvé Sally insupportable de niaiserie, mais son rôle est tellement essentiel qu’on lui pardonne ses bons sentiments et sa culpabilité maladive. On en vient à la détester autant que Joe la méprise. Ce dernier, à travers son prisme délirant, ne voit en Sally qu’une attardée mentale.
Bref, notre tueur, contrairement à Dexter (auquel on ne peut s’empêcher de penser) ne se donne pas d’excuses ou de prétexte pour tuer. On se demande même pourquoi il ne se lâche pas carrément en achevant sa vieille mère, elle aussi, un personnage pénible et pathétique. Mais Joe aime sa maman, il va dans son sens, essaie de ne pas trop la contrarier, joue son rôle de fils, et reprend sa vie normale de tueur. Son attachement à sa mère, ou à ses poissons rouges est presque attendrissant, il le rend vaguement humain. On comprend vite la logique de son comportement envers les gens en général, et les femmes en particulier.
Ça n’a pas l’air comme ça, mais il y a beaucoup de subtilités dans ses propos, dont seul le lecteur peut mesurer le sens et l’importance.
L’intrigue est échevelée, pleine de violence et de tragédie, le rythme ne faiblit pas et le final est apocalyptéosique (© tous droits réservés sur ce mot).
Un superbe thriller intelligent qui nous plonge dans l’esprit du tueur et dans ce qu’il a de plus sombre, et aussi de plus humain. Un peu.
myrdyr's review against another edition
4.0
I don't really know what to say. It was both disturbing yet entertaining. It reminds me of playing with a loose tooth; it makes you cringe at times, but you still can't leave it alone.