Mary Watson’s The Cleaner is a gripping psychological thriller that explores
the darkness lurking beneath ordinary lives. As her first full-length novel, it
marks a shift from the short stories and novellas she's known for—one that
brought its own creative challenges. “The biggest hurdle,” Watson says,
“was weaving together all the different story elements without letting the
past overwhelm the present.” In this layered, tense narrative, suspense
isn’t driven by jump scares but by what people hide inside. Watson hopes
readers will feel every twist—whether sadness, unease, or empathy—and
come away thinking about the deeper societal issues her story explores.
Having transitioned from short stories and shorter works to a full-length novel, what were the biggest challenges you faced in crafting The Cleaner?
I think my biggest challenges in plotting were how to weave together all the different story elements. My reading preferences are for books with one or two points of view, and mostly happening in the present and that’s how I wanted to structure this too. Obviously it was necessary to include some interludes from the past or else the story won’t make sense, but without allowing these to distract or overwhelm the here-and-now. I really enjoyed writing the Eden Hale sections and in earlier drafts I’d written much more of that, but realised that it was weighing things down and had to pare back a lot.
Your novel presents a tense, atmospheric narrative where the line between fact and fiction blurs. How do you balance maintaining suspense while deepening the psychological layers of your characters?
My favourite books are the ones where suspense comes from the psychology of the characters. The books where the real bogey-man is not under the bed or hiding in the cupboard, but within ordinary people. What humans might be capable of is infinitely more frightening to me. When writing, I think of the characters as onions, and with each unpeeling there is another way to look at them. And the full effect is of all the layers put together, and it’s a mix of good and bad, and often the result of life’s knocks.
With the highly anticipated release of The Cleaner, what do you hope readers will take away from Esmie’s journey? How do you see the book contributing to conversations about societal inequities?
My most pressing wish when writing is to make a reader feel – maybe sad or nervous or edgy, maybe laugh or get a little emotional. Honestly, this is for me one of the biggest privileges about writing. If I’m feeling wicked, I might rub my hands together in glee at the thought of manipulating people’s emotions. But mostly, I am so honoured when readers get in touch and tell me things like they had to put the book down for a few minutes because they were overwhelmed or anxious about the character and the story. The idea that I can tell a story that makes someone feel the emotions that I’m directing them towards is such a satisfying thing. So, mainly I want readers to experience the pleasure of a good story well told, one that makes you feel. But I also love books that make me think, and I hope that some of the underlying themes and ideas resonate for readers too.
The Cleaner by Mary Watson is out now.
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