This one wasn't my favorite by this author. There were a couple things during the last part of the book that really didn't sit well with me (leaving vague due to it being a huge spoiler).

The narrators did a great job in their performance though and I enjoyed listening to their POVs.

Kiersten Modglin always delivers a twisty, suspenseful story. I enjoy her crazy plots and that she’s not afraid to go to dark places.

I was unable to get this title downloaded before it was archived. I am not able to leave a proper review due to the inability to listen to the title. Thanks!

TW- abuse, talks of rape.
The cleaner was a solid romance with sprinkle of suspense. The story has multiple point of views and keeps going back and forth between some 7-8 odd years. The story starts with a description of our main guy Gunner who is a professional crime scene cleaner. He stumbles upon a dead body in an apartment next door and the victims takes him back to his past life. In his past, Gunner used to be in love with a beautiful girl from his town named Regan. They reunite due to the dead body Gunner found which reveals a lot more to him.
The story was OK. I started reading the book with hopes of more suspense & thriller but this was more romantic than actual murder mystery. I was also intrigued by his job but he did that job for like 3-4 pages max. Most of the chapters were painting a picture of Gunner & Regan 's relationship and the life they had. I believe they only focused on actual crime for about last 5-6 chapters. Coming to the murder mystery it was definitely written very well. However I was hoping for a different brand of justice than the one served. To be honest, I don't think I can pick a favourite character in this book. They felt like they were just outlined and not a lot of depth was given to any character.
Reasons why you should read this book:
• Romance & murder mystery
• Multiple plot twists
• It has more books in the series
I was super confused with this book as I went in it with the idea of it being a thriller but it was not. But try pairing this book with a cold coffee to make sure you are able to track the story and can find the murderer.

This is a little more romance oriented than the other books I've read by the author. Second chance romance, to be more specific, and it's one of my favorite tropes. Add in some suspense and mystery and it became an enjoyable listen.

Reagan and Gunner are likable characters and I was rooting for them. Now know this wouldn't be a KM book without some serious drama and twists and about 3/4s of the way through, you get to that part. It was a little over the top, but that is quite often the case with popcorn thrillers.

Narrators Rachel L. Jacobs, Heather Costa, and Chris Andrew Ciulla did a great job bringing me into Rachel and Gunner's do over. I was engaged and listened in a day.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Publisher and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cleaner follows the story of Gunner who works as a crime scene cleaner. He comes home to find a dead person in his building which to his surprise is someone who he knows. After leaving his hometown post a heartbreak, he never thought he would ever step into that town ever again. He has no choice but to be the bearer of bad news to someone who he truly loved and someone who he never thought he will see ever again.

The book has dual time lines with the story being told parallelly through an adult Gunner and a teenager Gunner. We see the hardships, abusive parents, betrayals, first love, and so on.

This one is very heavy on romance and focuses very much on the first childhood puppy love and second chance romance tropes, along with the good girl from the good side of town with bad boy on the wrong side of the town with a reputation. All in all I enjoyed the journey, the twists were a little bit predictable for me but overall enjoyable. I might pick up the rest of the books in the series.

TW: Parental abandonment, Parental/ domestic abuse, betrayal, mental health rep, drug abuse, death, violence, gore.

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Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Kiersten Modglin but I have no idea how this book came to be, based on all the other books I read from her. It's impossible to say how disturbing this book is without divulging the plot, so I won't but over half way in you will have no idea how off the tracks it will be for the remainder of the book. There is a review on Goodreads by Alyssa , so if you really want to spoil it, read her amazing review. What I will say is that there is a rape, some weird stuff that develops from that rape, murder with friends that are fine with murder, some WTF'ness paired with a lot of cringing in the end. Maybe it's titled the Cleaner because you'll need one for your head...I don't know, but it was a lot to process once it was over. I gave it 3 stars because, she got me. If that had been in the first half, I would've quit, but I finished so yeah...

Thank you to Kiersten Modglin and NetGalley for the ALC!

I'd give this novel 3.5 stars, if I could. It had all the elements I enjoy in a love story: passion, heartache, and moments that tug at your emotions. While I found myself immersed in the characters' journey and rooting for their love, there were times when the drama felt a bit too over-the-top for my taste. Nonetheless, it's a compelling read for fans of the genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

First, I LOVED this cast of narrators: Rachel L. Jacobs, Heather Costa, and Chris Andrew Ciulla, I've listened to a few audiobooks narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs, and she's one of my faves!

Kiersten Modglin does not dissappoint with The Cleaner. I loved the plot and I especially loved Gunner! Kiersten has really pulled me in with this series. Her twists always come at the perfect time to where I can't stop myself from listening until the very end!! If you enjoy unexpected twists -- be sure to listen to this one!

Wow! What a great suspense/mystery/thriller!!! Twists and turns, intrigue and mystery, danger, love, betrayal - it's all in there!! This is my second read from this author, and both times she has had me glued to my kindle, unable to put it down! I was hooked right from the beginning. From the past story to the present, the suspense, twist and turns, second chance at love, intertwined so beautifully and written so well that I wish it never ended. This had all the feels.
It was cute, sad, happy, funny, dark. Enjoyed the narrator as well. I wish It was longer.

I'm currently reading do not open by the same author and the twists and turns and plot stay in the realm of thriller ...this book doesn't
I was so intrigued by the title and the concept of someone working as a crime scene killer which was the story for maybe 2 pages at most ...so that was a huge let down. Instead this story is about a second chance romance and the least effective condoms that have ever existed. The romance aspect which was most of the novel was a let down it was so awkward. The present day story was also awkward I have never once read a book that was instafamily until this book and I didn't know it was a genre I needed to avoid. I'm not sure how many 9 year Olds that talk the way this character does nor automatically bonds with a father she has never met. This was a miss for me. I think the author Excels in the thriller genre and should avoid the romance one.

Kiersten Modglin is one of my all-time favorite authors. Hands down. Does she send my anxiety through the roof? Absolutely! This is no different. Is this book 100% worth it. EVERY TIME!

The Cleaner (The Messes #1) was a great read by Kiersten Modglin. Gunner James' job was to clean up the messes that no one else can. He has a few secrets of his own. He left his hometwon eight years ago and vowed to never look back. He has to return home to take care of one final mess, that just happens to be the woman he left behind. Reagan Orrick was heartbroken when Gunner disappeared without a trace or goodbye eight years ago. She fought to build a life that she can be proud of. Tragedy strikes, and she must make a choice she never thought she would have to. I enjoyed reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

This was the first book by this author that I didn't really enjoy. I believe the narrator kind of ruined this one for me. I would be willing to give this one another chance by reading the physical book though.

Gunner arrives home to an unexpected and unsettling surprise. As a result, he has no other option but to return to his hometown, a place he had long left behind. However, revisiting his past brings back memories of heartbreak, old flames, and his old life. But beyond that, he discovers something crucial that he had left behind, which is now chasing after him.

I was let down by the most recent novel from my favorite author. The story felt predictable and lacked any surprising twists that I had come to expect from the author's previous works. Furthermore, the plot seemed to drag on and on, with too many events taking place, causing it to feel drawn out.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a free and advanced copy of the novel.

Gunner James is good at death.
An expert. His job is to clean up the messes no one else can. But behind that tough exterior, Gunner has a few secrets of his own. Eight years ago, Gunner left his hometown and vowed to never look back. When his past collides with his present in the form of a familiar face, Gunner must return home to take care of one final mess...the woman he left behind.
Reagan Orrick knows heartbreak.
Eight years ago, the love of her life disappeared without a trace or goodbye.
In his absence, she has fought to build a life she can be proud of. When tragedy strikes, Reagan must go it alone or make a choice to trust the man who shattered her heart once again.
Their secrets can save or destroy them...but only the truth will allow them to be cleaned.

She did it again. She is brilliant and I will read anything she writes. Honestly this is probably my favorite book so far,

This was a fun read! I loved the flashbacks of Gunner and Reagan and watching their relationship grow. Something tore them apart. Gunner is living in New York cleaning up crime scenes until he makes a terrible discovery that sends him back home.

Reagan has a secret. Is it a secret or was she just not able to find Gunner after that terrible night? Well, I’ll just say a few other characters have secrets of their own.

I love how Modglin can write a twist, and then twist the story again to give you an ending you don’t see coming. A book that is easy to binge in a day. Very easy to follow along on audio and narrators made the story even better.

An intense second chance romance. I love that their romance started so early and was a challenge all those years ago. Just two kids finding love in the world where people didn’t think they should be together. The one part I hated was that she was engaged to someone else. Just broke my heart for him and for her kid who was undoubtedly attached to him.

🌀Synopsis
Gunner is a crime scene cleaner in New York until the scene comes to him. Someone dies in his building and he finds out it’s the sister of the woman he once loved. Knowing this, he must return home to bid his condolences.
Reagan not only lost her sister, but she now has to face the guy who left her. Oh, and tell him he has a kid. Feeling the loss of him all those years ago, she’s hesitant to let him in. Gunner knows he has to be a dad to their daughter and decides to move home. When they take a family trip to Mew York to pack up Gunner’s belongings, things take a wild turn. One of Gunner’s siblings comes back into his life and puts Reagan’s life at risk. Now Gunner must save them both before he loses them for a second time.

This was a very good story basically about a guy that was raised in a rough home vs a girl who had a very good upbringing. It's basically a story where the good girl is drawn to the bad boy.

Based on the title, I thought this story was going to be more about the boy (Gunner) and his experience cleaning crime scenes. However, this story touched very briefly on Gunner's job experience at the very beginning, and this was really the last of this topic. This is the main reason that I gave a 4 star instead of 5. I would have loved if the author was to delve more into the premise that drew me to choose this book.

I did truly enjoy this story. I loved that Ms. Modglin was able to create a great cast of characters with real depth to their personalities. I also greatly enjoyed the surprise twists and turns throughout the book. I did not see that ending coming! I just discovered that this book is the first in a series. I may seek more of these stories in time...


Thank you, Netgalley and Dreamscape Media, for this opportunity to listen to this story in exchange for an honest review. This is a great privilege that I personally value!