This is the first book I have read by this author, and it certainly won’t be the last – I loved it! The tale is told from the perspective of Maria – she is a cleaner who has had a traumatic past, and to be honest, she’s having a challenging present too. Maria has a caring side, she is devoted to taking care of her friend Elsie, but boy does she also have an aggressive side! This novel is dark but is also peppered with humour, which provides a nice balance.

All in all, I found this book absolutely riveting – it is well-written and totally addictive, worthy of all 5 stars.

This is my first Tina Baker book but I will definitely be back for more. "Make Me Clean" is funny, a joy to read, a cast of colourful characters and I couldn't put it down. If you loved "My Sister the Serial Killer" and to some extent "The Maid" then this book is for you.

Wow another fabulous read from Tina Baker and this is my favourite so far I just devoured it!
Maria is a good woman and a good cleaner she makes an excellent job of cleansing any surface and she is also a force to be reckoned with so when life begins to threaten her or people she cares about well this is when the serious cleaning comes in !
It’s a darkly funny book in part but much more than that it was one that had me rooting for Maria all the way I loved her as a character especially when dealing with Elsie an elderly lady with the onset of dementia who was one of her clients who needed a special cleanup but also because no matter what she was determined to survive.I don’t want to say too much about the story I had no idea when starting the book what to expect I requested it purely on the the fact I had loved the authors previous books and I think this made the read even better.
So this was a read I absolutely loved it was beautifully written and completely addictive, I raced through it and although I was desperate to find out how it was going to end I was sad to finish it it was that good, many thanks to Tina Baker for so much enjoyment in a 5 star read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Make Me Clean gave me vibes of Nita Prose’s ‘The Maid’ and Ella King’s ‘Bad Fruit’ from its blurb - both books I adored in 2022 so I was excited to start reading.

In the book we follow Maria, a cleaner who always tries to do the best for her clients, whether that’s elderly Elsie - struggling with dementia, Brian whose boss is giving him anxiety or the mysterious Mr Balogen. However, the more we learn about Maria, either by her present deeds trying to help her friends or from her past slowly revealed in flash-back, we start to realise that not all is as it seems…

Make Me Clean is very much a character-led drama and Maria is a brilliant character to focus on. We learn a lot about her, and we empathise with her every step in the way, even with some decisions that may seem dubious. The supporting characters are also very well rounded and detailed which made everything feel more realistic. The portrayal of elderly Elsie, suffering with dementia and struggling to live at home was particularly heart-breaking and added another aspect to this book which I did not expect.

The stakes increase slowly throughout the plot and even when the chapters go into flash-back of Maria’s past, I still found myself absorbed in the story rather than rushing it to get back to the present-day narrative. There were some things that seemed a little too convenient in places and I’m not sure about the ending, but it was still an enjoyable read which kept me hooked throughout.

Overall Make Me Clean is an absorbing read which kept me hooked. Thank you to NetGalley & Serpent’s Tail, Viper and Profile Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very unique read - Maria cleans she’s good at what she does - she also cares for Elsie one of her clients who now with dementia has become like family and Maria will do anything to protect her family . A great back story - grizzly in parts this book builds into a great read which I thoroughly enjoyed .

I loved Tina’s first 2 books so I was eager to get this one when I could. This did not disappoint and was just as good as her previous books. I loved the main character Maria, I was rooting for her the whole time, and Elsie who sounds like such a laugh! Sounds like the kind of lady I’d love to sit down and have a cuppa with. I actually quite liked Balogan too, I picture him the whole time looking like Wilson Fisk from Daredevil.

If you like creepy, definitely read Tina’s books. Make Me Clean is just that, creepy, but suspenseful. Always making you think what’s going to happen next!

The review below will go live on 16 February:

Hi and welcome to my review of Make Me Clean!

Make Me Clean is Tina Baker’s third novel and my favourite one to date, which is saying something because I thoroughly enjoyed her previous books. I went in blind, not needing to know anything beyond the author, and reading the blurb as I was preparing this review, I feel I did myself a favour by going in blind, which is why I’m not including the blurb here, as I do feel it’s just a tad too spoilerish.

In summary, if you haven’t read it already, skip the blurb and just buy the book! Yes, it is that good!

Make Me Clean is told from the perspective of Maria, a cleaning lady with a tough past and an even tougher present. She has a good heart, she really does, but she also has a bit of an aggressive streak. She’s incredibly lovely to Elsie, an elderly lady who’s slowly sinking into dementia for whom Maria cleans and cares, and to Elsie’s cats as well, and really, can anyone who’s nice to cats be that bad a person? Surely not. And can I just say how much I love Elsie and her cats myself?

Make Me Clean shows us Maria’s present with flashbacks to her past and in doing so shows us a flawed woman, a strong woman, a courageous, sometimes dangerous woman, a woman in all her facets. In that way, it’s a truly accomplished character study. Everything about her makes sense, everything she does and says rings true, and I feel like this is a flesh and blood woman whom I really got to know and care about. Which I must admit is something I rarely experience reading thrillers.

Make Me Clean is a riveting, fascinating, dark yet funny and superbly addictive thriller that I hated to put down (ugh, social obligations 🙄) and only managed to leave behind by promising myself I would binge it the next day. Which I did. Those 400 something pages just flew by.

This is one I would highly recommend to fans of the thriller genre, especially if you like well-rounded and fleshed out characters. And cats.

Make Me Clean is out on 16 February in digital formats and hardcover, with the paperback to follow in November.

Massive thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

I have just finished Make Me Clean, Tina Baker's latest, and wow! Wow, wow, wow, what a read?! Once I started I could not stop, it was the most addictive read and I loved every second of it!

I adored Maria. Seeing her current life, her struggles and then delving into her past really made me feel for her. I was hooked reading about her wild history and seeing her stand up for those she cared about/needed someone in their corner, albeit in an unconventional way! She is quite the badass! And Elsie, what a scream she was! Honestly, just loved these two.

One thing I've come to notice with Baker's writing is what you see is what you get. It's brutally honest at times and she's not afraid to hold back which is something I really admire. I enjoyed this dark, intense book beyond words. This is one I'll be recommending to anyone and everyone who will listen to me for the foreseeable future!

A dark comedic thriller, I liked the premise and the idea of a cleaner who kills. The characters were good and the storyline engaging

She will leave your surfaces sparkling.
But she may well leave you dead...

Did I love this book, no but I did enjoy it. Maria is a cleaner but she will also clean up other areas of her clients life if she thinks she can improve their lifestyles by removing certain people that may be causing them grief. This is quite a light hearted book but I have to say I did find it all a bit repetitive by about the 75% mark. Maria is displayed as a kind and caring woman and I think this is why the book did not totally draw me in, her actions do not really line up with the personality we are presented with of her character. I think with this one I may be in the minority again but I am sure many readers will be taken with this book, unfortunately it did not rate as highly for me. 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley , the author and publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Tina Baker is the queen of the domestic thriller.

Every turn of the page draws you deeper into this dark and intriguing tale.

The past and the present unfold together throughout the book, the two inextricably linked.

No amount of scrubbing can truly rinse you of your past.

I absolutely love it when Tina Baker writes another book, all of her books offer something different and unique but you always end rooting for the protagonist, especially Maria this time. I adore Tina Baker’s writing style.
Big up to all of us East Midlanders, I’ve only seen Coalville from a car window but I know when Tina talks about t Coalville, or Leicester or loughborough, it gladdens my heart.

Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity to read Tina Baker’s book. I’ve still got it on a pre order for next year too!!!!

Drawn to an interesting premise, Tina Baker's "Make Me Clean" did not disappoint! Maria, the protagonist, is complex and full of contradictions. I felt uncertain of my feelings towards her as the author skillfully lures you into her world etched with trauma, loss and survival. You sometimes feel sorry for her as her past is unearthed, but anxiety and weariness strike when goriness comes to the fore. Certain moments appear monotonous, but this gives insight into how weary Maria is. There is a beautiful flip between past and present moments that flow well in the novel. All supporting characters, aside from Elsie, have shades of grey that complement this well-thought-out plot. I'm glad I picked up this book. Don't skip this one if you're looking for a domestic/psychological thriller infused with dark humour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viper Books for providing me with an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

This wasn't the dark book I was expecting, and that's actually a good thing. Maria the cleaner kills by accident not intent and is a sympathetic, likeable character. This was an interesting story with flashbacks that fleshed out Maria's character.

I absolutely loved this book! I have read all of this Author’s books and I must admit this was the best one so far in my opinion.
Loved the story of Maria and Elsie and the compassion you can feel between them. I also loved the flashbacks to the past to understand why Maria was the way she was.
Superb writing. Cannot wait for another book by this Author. Will be recommend everyone read this.

She will leave your surfaces sparkling. But she may well leave you dead… Maria is a good woman and a good cleaner. She cleans for Elsie, the funny old bird who’s losing her marbles, with the terrible husband. She cleans for Brian, the sweet man with the terrible boss. She cleans for the mysterious Mr Balogan, with the terrible neighbours. If you’re thinking of hiring her, you should probably know that Maria might have killed the terrible husband, the terrible boss and the terrible neighbours. She may also have murdered the man she loved. She didn’t set out to kill anyone, of course, but her clients have hired her to clean up their lives, and she takes her job seriously – not to mention how much happier they all are now. The trouble is, murder can’t be washed out. You can only sweep it under the carpet, and pray no one looks too closely…

I was unsure about this book when I first started reading it, but the further I got into it, the more I became totally engrossed! This is an unusual one – I suppose it would be a domestic/psychological thriller, but not your typical thriller with the usual twists and suspense – as the story unfolds between past and present, you find yourself lost in the story constantly wanting to know more! I loved the writing and the characters and the imagery that the author inspires in your mind. The main character, Maria is a heartwarming character despite being a killer – she is kind of a killer by circumstance and although we all know that murder is wrong – you kind of find yourself excusing her behaviour. She’s an easy character to find yourself rooting for and the book is a real page-turner. I finished it within a day and that is fast for me!!

My thanks to the author and Viper for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due out 16th February 2023.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Four sparkling stars

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read Make Me Clean.
Having read Call Me Mummy and Nasty Little Cuts, I requested this as soon as I saw it was available! Brilliant, just like Tina’s other books!

It was strange to read my own name as the main character, but it made me like her even more! Haha good choice.

Really easy to speed through, characters you end up warming to, even though you probably shouldn’t. Great story line. I’d love to know what Maria does next.

Unexpected, Engaging…
Ah Maria. A cleaner and a good person at heart. She has her own secrets and, perhaps, her own dark past. She never sets out to kill, never has that malice aforethought so necessary for murder. She does, however, take her job very seriously indeed. After all, she needs to clean. With a deftly drawn cast of characters, an exceptionally well written protagonist and a unique take on a mystery, this tugs on the heartstrings and is laced throughout with threads of gentle humour. Unexpected and engaging.

This is only the second of Tina's books I've read, but she's already establishing herself as one of my go-to authors for twisty thrillers.

The premise of this is so different to other books, in that we start with a death, and we know the victim and the murderer from the outset.

I'm still not sure how I feel about Maria, whose POV the whole book is written from. As we are stuck in her head we know of her feelings of anxiety, and it becomes endless and claustrophobic - though as a reader her thoughts and worries become a little monotonous. However, she has a believable backstory and you can understand how she has become the person she is, and even relate to her!

Elsie is convincing and authentic with realistic... character development? (If that's the right phrase without giving anything away) and her inclusion adds layers and complexity to the story. The rest of the cast is also wonderful and varied.

It's dark, violent and gory, but also has great witty commentary. Importantly, and often not the case in thrillers, the end is perfect and very satisfying.

An unusual psychological thriller about a cleaner who kills by chance rather than predetermination. There are elements of dark humour and warmth, Maria, the protagonist likes animals and cares deeply for her client Elsie. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.