Synopsis: After a botched job leaves a bloody trail, government assassin John Milton does the one thing he’s never done before: he hides. Disappearing into London’s bustling East End and holing up in a vacant apartment, he discovers that an increasingly bloody turf war between two rival gangs in the projects is putting the community in grave danger. For a man like Milton, only one choice remains. Time to come out of hiding.
My Thoughts: I bought this book a couple of months ago along with my purchase of Cicely Tyson’s Just As I Am., and it took me some time to finish it. I wanted something different with my choice of books this time around. I wanted a thrilling plot, characters with substance, something different from my norm of erotica or typical romance with a touch of thriller and suspense, so I saw this book and thought, why not?
Mark Dawson’s The Cleaner is different. I’ve never read a storyline like this one. There’s a saying on the cover which reads, “M16 created him. Now they want him dead.” I immediately thought of the Jason Bourne series, and in some ways, this book was like that. Milton worked for the government, screwed up his mission, and now they’re after him looking to terminate him from the team.
That is what drew me in; that is what made me give this book a chance. I wasn’t disappointed, but I found that this book has an eerie similarity to urban fiction. The storyline of this kid getting caught up in the gang life, a mother worried, the gangs causing havoc in their community, the everyday hustle and bustle of the streets, a savior comes in and changes the game for everyone involved. It sounded typical, and I would have preferred Dawson to shift the storyline toward a Jason Bourne-type feel.
The Cleaner had enough dialogue, solid characters, and a fair plot. I suppose I was expecting something different based on the cover and given the main character’s background. I would have liked to see more mission-related content and not urban fiction content. But…if you are into urban fiction, lukewarm action, or a new guy comes into town and saves the day type read, then Mark Dawson’s The Cleaner is a book you’ll want to purchase.
The Cleaner is available everywhere books are sold.
Morgan Lee Reviews 