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Clean

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Clean

By: Alia Trabucco Zerán, Sophie Hughes - translator
Narrated by: Silvana Kane
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Buy Now for £12.92

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About this listen

THE NUMBER 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER AWARD 2025

'A masterclass in suspense' PAULA HAWKINS

‘A spellbinding nightmare’ FERNANDA MELCHOR

‘A book of intense power’ PHILIPPE SANDS

'A compelling book, with a tightly coiled power' PANDORA SYKES

The shockingly compulsive new literary thriller from the International Booker-shortlisted author of The Remainder.

Clean begins with an inescapable fact: a girl has died. Told by Estela, a maid to a wealthy, middle class family who speaks to us from a locked room, we hear of her plight and the circumstances that led to this moment. As we enter into her account of her daily existence, we see how her apparently simple life begins to sour, but would that drive her to the unthinkable?

Disturbing and profound, Clean explores domestic work, class and violence, against the backdrop of Chile’s changing political landscape. This is one of the most daring and compelling thrillers in international literature.

'Uncomfortable and provocative … a chilling account' FINANCIAL TIMES

'I hardly paused for breath' ALICE SLATER, author of Death of a Bookseller

'Remarkable, gripping' SARAH BERNSTEIN, author of Study for Obedience

'Terrifying, explosive and exhilarating' KATIE KITAMURA, author of Intimacies

‘Beautifully written and profound’ LUCIE WHITEHOUSE, author of Last Witness

Number 1 Bestseller in Sweden

©2024 Alia Trabucco Zerán (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
Crime Fiction Domestic Thrillers Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Thriller & Suspense Exciting

Critic reviews

‘[A] devilishly well-paced thriller… deftly entwined with reflections on class and oppression’ New Yorker

‘Extraordinary … an intense novel about class and power and the kind of deep down rot that lingers, despite the most vigorous scrubbing’ NPR Fresh Air

‘A spellbinding nightmare … A biting, addictive portrait of the rot ‘good families’ conceal’ Fernanda Melchor, author of Hurricane Season

'Rich and compelling…Uncomfortable and provocative' Financial Times

‘Compelling, claustrophobic and irresistible … a masterclass in suspense and a clear-eyed portrait of isolation and grief’ Paula Hawkins, author of Blind Spot

‘A book of intense power’ Philippe Sands, author of The Last Colony

'Compelling … with a tightly coiled power' Pandora Sykes, author of How Do We Know We're Doing it Right?

‘This unnerving Chilean literary thriller cuts like a knife… Trabucco is a rising star’ The Bookseller

‘Zerán is a powerhouse … explosive and exhilarating’ Katie Kitamura, author of Intimacies

‘A strong narrative energy drives the novel to its conclusion, by which time the atmosphere is so full of dread you could weigh it’ Guardian

'Disturbing and commanding … [a] gripping intimate story' Laline Paull, author of Pod

‘A remarkable, gripping exploration of the dynamics of class, agency and culpability’ Sarah Bernstein, author of Study for Obedience

'Brutal, beautiful, feverishly propulsive’ Jenny Mustard, author of Okay Days

‘A white-knuckle ride that kept me gripped from the very first page … I hardly paused for breath’ Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller

'A unique, chilling read' Press Association

‘Buzzing with tension, crime and menacingly complex class divisions’ Holly Pester, author of The Lodgers

‘A novel of disturbing intensity and startling clarity’ Helen Charman, author of Mother State

‘Pacy yet vivid’ Jen Calleja, author of Vehicle

‘A hypnotic and coldly, powerfully precise novel’ Marina Kemp, author of The Unwilding

All stars
Most relevant
This book is incredible. The girl dies at the end. I mean come on have you ever heard a better opening. The way the prose speaks to the reader is fantastic and keeps the reader/listener interested.

Wow

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The narration was excellent but the story was slow, disappointing and depressing. I really wanted some light in the darkness, some hope, something positive, but it never came.

Depressing

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