Christchurch author Paul Cleave established himself as a Crown Prince of Antipodean Crime over the past decade-plus, thanks to a string of superb thrillers that meld dark deeds with strong characterisation, atmospheric settings and inventive storytelling. With recent news his debut will soon be a TV series, it’s worth going back to the beginning.

‘Slow Joe’ is a good-natured but seemingly dim-witted man who serves as janitor for the Christchurch Police station. Unlike most in the city, he’s not terrified of the Christchurch Carver, a serial killer who’s sliced up seven people. Not because Joe is oblivious to the news, because he’s the one creating it. The thing is, not-so-slow Joe knows he’s only killed six people. There’s a copycat, so Joe becomes a sleuth, looking to track down that killer so he can have his revenge, and pin all the murders on the copycat. If only he could escape the attention of his overbearing mother, his janitorial colleague, Sally who has a weird crush on him, and Melissa, a fellow sociopath he can’t stay away from.

Cleave’s debut is raw, visceral, and compelling. It delves into the twisted psyche of a man who’s charming and chilling – but very different to the Lecter archetype. You’d almost like to hang out with Joe, night-time proclivities aside. In a sea of serial killer thrillers, Cleave manages to bring something fresh. The Cleaner has a kinetic energy and, while Cleave’s later books leapt over this high bar he set, it remains a damned good read.

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson