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  • The Cleaner

  • John Milton, Book 1
  • By: Mark Dawson
  • Narrated by: David Thorpe
  • Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (3,149 ratings)
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The Cleaner cover art

The Cleaner

By: Mark Dawson
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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Editor reviews

The heart-pounding action-packed audiobook thriller, The Cleaner, is written by highly-acclaimed crime thriller author Mark Dawson and is Book One in the phenomenal John Milton series narrated by professional voice artist David Thorpe. John Milton – the murderer hired by the government to do their dirty work. After 10 years in the game his conscience catches up with him and he wants out. His powerful boss isn’t about to let him. So begins a thrilling three-part chase through London where he sits in the middle as both the hunter and the hunted. Available now on Audible.

Summary

Meet John Milton. He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder. Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list.

But now, after 10 years, he's had enough - there's blood on his hands and he wants out. Trouble is, this job is not one you can just walk away from. He goes on the run, seeking atonement for his sins by helping the people he meets along the way.

But his past cannot be easily forgotten, and before long it is Milton who is hunted, and not the hunter. The Cleaner. A career of state-sanctioned murder has taken its toll. Milton is troubled by nightmares, a long line of ghosts who torment his dreams. He resolves to make his next job his last and, then, perhaps, he can start to make amends for everything that he has done.

Sharon Warriner is a single mother in the East End of London, suicidal with fear that she's lost her young son to a life in the gangs. After Milton saves her life, he promises to help. But the gang, and the charismatic rapper who leads it, is not about to cooperate with him.

As London burns through summer riots, Milton finds himself in unfamiliar territory, dealing with an unfamiliar foe. And when his employer sends another agent after him, the odds against him are stacked even higher.

©2013 Mark Dawson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about The Cleaner

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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

London Gangs Story

After 15 chapters and listening to Jafaican accents I could not listen to this book any longer. I did not buy this book to listen to a story about London gangs which were almost unintelligible . If I could have returned the book I would have done.

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44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

More the story of young black men in London

I expected this to be more of a thriller and was disappointed to find it was mainly about young black men and boxing. I found the main character to be one dimensional and boring. Not an enjoyable listen for me. I shan't be buying any more in this series.

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36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good but oddly unsatisfying

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I purchased this book because I'd listened to a later one in the John Milton series and had enjoyed it, so it made sense to start at the beginning. However, if my first introduction to the series had been with "The Cleaner", I don't think I would have bothered reading the rest of them. Without giving away any spoilers, I thought the ending was quite unsatisfactory and it didn't feel as if it had a proper conclusion. Actually, it was all a bit of a downer.

So, on that basis, I'm not sure that I would recommend "The Cleaner", rather I would say to my friend to give it a go on the basis that they do get better and this first book does provide a reasonable introduction to the hero, but not to have any big expectations that this will blow anyone's mind.

Would you recommend The Cleaner to your friends? Why or why not?

Despite the downer ending, I will say that "The Cleaner" introduces an interesting and compelling character in the form of John Milton. He's a more damaged, less suave James Bond type, but just as lethal. Some of the things he does do defy logic and it's not entirely clear sometimes what his motivation is... but he is engaging and has a fascination. Like I said above, if it hadn't been for the ending I would be recommending this to friends.

Have you listened to any of David Thorpe’s other performances? How does this one compare?

When I first started listening to David Thorpe I almost turned off the audiobook because he reminded me so much of the narrator in TV's Big Brother. It was so irritating. However, I persevered and he began to grow on me. In "The Cleaner" he is less Big Brother-like, so less irritating, or perhaps I just got used to it. One thing I will say is that he is absolutely brilliant with his accents and voices. I actually had to check how many narrators were on this book because they all sounded so different. I was totally impressed. Also, the voice he does for John Milton is perfect - he seems to really capture the essence of the character in the way he speaks, it's quite a delight to listen to (and just a bit sexy). So, the Big Brother issue aside (for which I've deducted one star), I do think David Thorpe does a great job overall.

Was The Cleaner worth the listening time?

Yes, although had I known how it was going to end I'm not sure I would have invested the time and effort. Having said that, "The Cleaner" does set up the rest of the series and having already read one of the later books I do know they get better, so I'm glad I've got this background into the character.

Any additional comments?

It's clear a lot of work and research has gone into this book and some of the gang characters really stand out. John Milton is very believable as the assassin trying to go straight, the typical anti-hero - but sometimes I did find some of the things he did a bit hard to understand and his motivation wasn't always that convincing. But, all that aside, the book did keep me entertained and rooting for the hero - in fact, I binged listened to the last couple of hours as the book began to reach its climax, so that must say something.

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

What just happened?

Slow build, inconsistencies in the story line. Improbable scenarios and a ridiculously fast closure. Almost as if the author was writing the story as homework, and he finished it on the bus on the way to school.

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

LOVERS OF VICTOR THE ASSASSIN STEER CLEAR!

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Social workers, people working with inner city troubled youth as well as deaf people would enjoy this book more than I did.

What could Mark Dawson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Mark could have delivered on what he promised. A high octane, car chasing, bullet dodging, explosion surviving lead, in compelling situations.

Would you be willing to try another one of David Thorpe’s performances?

Yes. his narration was the best thing about the book.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom and disappointment.

Any additional comments?

After having read all the books in the Tom Wood series, I was on the market for a similar feeling series that I could sink my teeth into. Sadly this was definitely NOT it.
Honestly, only the first 5 minutes of the book were anything close to what I was expecting. The rest was a LONG drawn out snooze-fest about plucking a misguided youth from the horrors of gang life.

NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR!!!

Don't get this book if you are looking for action, adventure thrills and fun.

Consider yourself WARNED.

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28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

2 in 1 First and Last

Any additional comments?

I purchased the book as an alternative to the Jack Reacher series and it does not come close the narrator with his gangsta dialogue was irritating and only when I sped it up could I continue.
As regards John Milton being a hero everything he touched fell to wreck and ruin and it was more a poor story about gang life than a thriller

I will not be looking for a second helping

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mark Dawson cleans up with first John Milton novel

Mark Dawson's John Milton is an intriguing and captivating character, an assasin who has developed a conscience. I love tough guys and black ops units and this novel has the best. It is well-written, pacy and unexpected and also read beautifully. I thoroughly recommend it.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Stir The Formula To Get A Strong Character

I suspect I am going to like John Milton. Yes he looks like being another one of the super-skilled ex-military types living to his own moral compass and he isn't exactly the first of them. Any Child could tell you that. He does though have depth and inner conflict which feels as though it could carry this series forwards.

The story in this first one is a bit formulaic with well-worn themes such as the older guy trying to save kids from a violent gangland future through his boxing club. The otherwise good kid who gets drawn into the gangs and so on. Still, I enjoyed it well enough and David Thorpe did a surprisingly good job of bringing South London and its various denizens to life.

I don't think this is the greatest story but it's a long, long way from the worst and it sets up a potentially interesting lead for the rest the series.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, can't wait for number 2

If you could sum up The Cleaner in three words, what would they be?

awesome, realistic, gripping

Who was your favorite character and why?

milton

What does David Thorpe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

just great, never listened to any book read by him before

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

gripping & compelling

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly excellent!

Any additional comments?

After making my way through the Victor the assassin series by Tom Wood, it was pretty hard to imagine a similar assassin hero that could entertain me in the way Victor did. Well, I was surprised to find myself listening to this story any time I could; in the car, cooking, walking on the treadmill at the gym - this book became an addiction. Coming from South London myself, where the story is set, I can honestly say the narrator did a wonderful job with accents and depicting the culture in the rougher areas of the region. It took me back in time a bit which was a a little bonus, but the storyline was fantastic. I really wanted to hear what would happen next, hence the addict-listening. I have warmed to John Milton straight away. He's definitely a character you can learn to love and I cannot wait to move on to book 2 in the series, Saint Death. Look out for my review :)

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