Brandi Wells

What a strange book. The Cleaner is a nameless person. In fact, nobody in the book has names. The security person is known as “L” and the delivery person is known as either “they/them/their” or “M”.
The Cleaner works at night cleaning the offices and cubes of workers in an office building. “I watch over everyone. Sometimes they make the wrong decisions, and I help them see their mistakes. They just need someone to force them to do the right thing.”
Based on things she finds on the desks and in the desk drawers, she comes up with nicknames for the employees. Such as Yarn Guy (he has spools of yarn in a drawer), Mr. Buff (he has several containers of protein powders in a drawer), Sad Intern (self-help books, probiotics, dry shampoo) and Scissors Guy (he has several scissors). She takes things from the desks and puts them on other people’s desks. Sometimes she brings things in to leave on desks. She even accesses the CEO’s computer.
This is labeled as a mystery/thriller, but I didn’t get any suspense out or mystery out of this book. I kept waiting for something to happen but all she does is clean and move things from desk to desk.… (mais)

The Cleaner is Brandi Wells' debut novel.

The Cleaner is the lead character - her real name is never used or mentioned. She works nights in an office building and is fond of the fourth floor. Or I should say, she is fond of those who work there. But, she's never met any of them. However, she's come to know them through their desks, what she finds in their drawers, what's left out on top, what they've left in the fridge, and what's on their computers. She's got names for everyone, but not their real ones. Instead it's Yarn Guy, Mr. Buff, Mr. Trying Too Hard and so many more.

"I clean the offices and bathrooms and lobby five nights a week, but my actual job is to take care of everyone. They need so much help." "I see it all the time. These are the people need me the most.

As the book continued I wondered what that help would look like. How does she know what they need? Why does she do this? Is she dangerous? Or lonely? The only other people she talks to are the night security guard and delivery person. They too are only named with a single letter - M and L.

Wells has created a character that had me changing my perception of her from chapter to chapters. It's hard to not feel for her. She needs to be needed and has found a way to get that, albeit without the recipients being aware of what goes on at night.

The book was a slow burn for me, with things being repeated their way to the final pages. I thought the plotline might be headed to a different ending than the one Wells has written. It is fitting though,

I think there's a good lesson woven into the book, alongside our protagonist's needs. Truly, just treat everyone as you want to be treated.… (mais)