Set in urban Chile, a middle-aged woman is hired as a maid for a well-to-do couple. The woman of the house is expecting and when the child is born, the maid looks after her as well as the house. Told from the POV of the unnamed maid, the reader learns the story of the last 8-10 years and the death of the child. This thriller is, in some respects, also a horror story. It is is novel of a number of social issues and the story is told in an interesting manner.

Estela tells us that she will reveal her story, but slowly, in her own way in the opening of Alia Trabucco Zerán gut punch of a novel, Clean. She’s speaking to her captors, likely the police, from a cell somewhere in Santiago, Chile. We know that something bad has happened to a child and that Estela worked for a wealthy couple. The details will have to wait until Estela tells us her side. Translator Sophie Hughes does a beautiful job of capturing Estela’s voice and never giving away secrets until the time is right.

More clues inform us that Estela is from the poor, rural, southern part of Chile. Like many others, she has come to Santiago to change her life. And, like many others, Estela has landed in a dead-end job with a doctor and his lawyer wife. In exchange for wages, room, and board, Estela cleans the house, does the laundry, and cooks the meals. Later, when the señora gives birth, Estela becomes the girl’s primary caretaker.

Because Estela is in charge of her own story, we see the small, callous actions that fuel her dislike of the señora and señor, and even the girl. The señora sometimes communicates by flicking her eyes between a mess and Estela, not speaking. Neither the señora or señor ever really thank Estela for the mountain of work she does for them, morning and night, six days a week. Worst of all, I think, is the way they treat their daughter. Julia, the girl, has a strong personality and preferences right from the start. These preferences clash with what her parents want. The señora wants a daughter who wears pretty, frilly dresses. The señor wants an academic superstar who plays piano. When Estela feeds Julia the food she herself grew up on, both parents insist on underfeeding the girl so that she won’t get fat.

Estela puts up with a lot for her wages. More than once, she tells us that she thought about leaving but she never does. Instead, the resentment grows and grows until, after seven years of working for the señora and señor, a series of events culminate in disaster. Clean is very much a domestic drama. The scale of the tragedy is small. Most of the story takes place inside one Santiago house. But, from Estela’s point of view, every word, flick of the eyes, and action is magnified into a drama about ingratitude, love, home, friendship, and social divisions.

This was haunting and extremely readable. Even though the reader knows that 'the girl dies' at the beginning, Zeran masterfully builds tension and unease throughout.

I am at odds with myself when describing this book. It was propulsive, yet I was disappointed in the reveal. Major and minor events happened, but they all felt very dream-like and surreal, which made me question if they really happened. The book was well written, but I can't imagine wanting to read it again. It is probably a good fit for people who enjoy suspenseful literary fiction, but I would not describe it as a mystery.

This was such a superb reading experience. Gritty, relentless, and sharp in its examinations, I was captivated throughout the entire novel. Perfect sense of unease accompanied the story, so it’s perfect for spooky season. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it early.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was slow to start, but really powerful. We learn in the beginning that the little daughter of a family who the protagonist, the maid, works for, has died. But we don't know how or why. This is a mystery thriller on the surface, but it is also an exploration of class and power dynamics in Chilean society. The maid, Estela, is telling her side of the story in a police interrogation room. She has a very strong, unique narrative voice that captures your attention and keeps you hooked. The end is haunting and feels like a mic-drop. Loved it!

Clean by Alia Trabucco Zeran is a cleverly told novel translated from Spanish and set in Chile. Estela, housemaid/nanny to "the señor" and "the señora" as well as their daughter, is telling the story in what seems to be an interview or interrogation of sorts. She is speaking to unseen officials and occasionally addresses them directly with no response back from them. I found this style to be compelling and effective if not a little creepy.

It is no spoiler to say the child is dead and Estela is telling her story after a period of silence. I found myself more and more horrified as I learned the details of the life that Estela lived for seven years with this family. There is little dialogue or action present, as the whole book is Estela's narrative of what happened starting from when she began working for the family. I enjoyed the way the book built up tension and a sense of foreboding, but I would have liked a "cleaner" resolution. There are themes of racism, classism and socioeconomic disparities.

Thank you to Riverhead Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Brilliant monologue by a woman who is the caretaker for a young girl who has died. The mystery: what happened to her and why. The writing reminded me of Elena Ferrante. It's a fast read with a lot on class, mother-daughter relationships, power, the weight of the past. Really enjoyed this book. There is violence towards animals which was hard to read. Writer is very talented.

Absolutely incredible. I’m truly not a fan of thriller or mystery type novels but i read the reviews & description of this one and just knew it would be different.

I’ve never experienced a story written or told the way that this one is; it feels almost like a continuous train of thought, like Estela starts telling her story and random moments trail her thoughts off which is exactly what happens for me when i try to tell a story.

I loved every single moment of this novel. Every part felt needed like their was nothing thrown in for filler. The character development was amazing, the plot sucked me in, & the writing was just unmatched.

There are a few instances that are heartbreaking so do be aware of that going in but i will be recommending this book to everyone!

*thank you Riverhead & netgalley for the eARC*