The Cleaner

I rarely stop reading books, especially if they have a good premise and an awesome cover. Dawson's grammar is pretty good too, and the formatting is fine.So why did I stop reading?Well, I ran into a wall of needless exposition 10% into the Kindle e-book.The story was gearing up pretty good, protagonist gets second thoughts about his job, doesn't shoot a young witness, gets dressed down by his superior and quits.All is well up to this point, but then, when the protagonist has gone, his superior p [...]

The second book featuring John Milton as the protagonist is both a very quick and pretty good read. Mark Dawson, once again, paints an excellent picture with his prose. While there really is nothing special about the plot, Dawson’s handling of the poverty in London’s East End is done very well. He handles the back stories of the secondary characters in such a way as to not bog the story down with unnecessary trivia. I really respect authors that can do that.The character, Milton, is an assas [...]

I was disappointed in this book. of course that could be because it's not what I was looking for. In my opinion the "jacket blurb" is misleading. I'd say that for a large portion of the book it's not actually about John Milton. It's about a young man who's struggling with living in a bad neighborhood, dealing with a gang, the fact his older brother is gone, his dad is gone, his mom is struggling. He's about to screw his life upLook, maybe I'm just not socially conscious enough for this book. I w [...]

The start of a new series can always be difficult, both for writer and reader, but with this John Milton series I think that the author has done a decent job. Character wise John Milton follows quite a well trodden path, ex special forces turned government assassin, having nightmares and regrets about his previous accomplishments, he wants to retire and so sets out to make some form of atonement.Then the story pitches headlong into inner city crime and gangs. It is written with an English viewpo [...]

John Milton is a government assassin looking to come in out of the cold, and make up for some of his actions in service.First thing he does is try to help some Jamaicans out of the gang life in some no-future neighborhood. There's drugs, crime, and gangster rap. Meanwhile, a government agent is after John.Not a bad first book.

This was a disappointment.What could have been an excellent redemption/vigilante story was marred by too many missteps. There was a big infodump about Milton's past awkwardly wedged into a chapter on his boss trying to figure out what to do with him. To make matters worse, the timeline of that "history" would put the present in about 2017-2018, clearly not the intent. There were a number of strange inconsistencies that had me shaking my head. (view spoiler)[ Why would Milton be concerned about t [...]

The book gets off to a slightly bizarre start. Milton is on assignment for MI5 or some such private governmental agency running amok, to assassinate some North Korean generals responsible for some cyber-terrorism (as if the generals knew how to program.) Fast forward to an assignment in France where is kills a couple from Iran looking for Zirconium or some such shit they need for their nuclear weapons program. One problem, he kills a cop who happens on the scene but doesn’t kill a little boy i [...]

After my most recent read being a huge disappointment I turned to a series that I shockingly only discovered recently and that is the John Milton series by Mark Dawson. I LOVED this book and I finished it with the excitement I felt when I finished Lee Child’s Killing Floor, because I know that there’s a whole series of books that I now have to devour. Milton is a fantastic character and I very much enjoyed the time spent with him on the streets of London’s East End around the time of the 2 [...]

I enjoyed this one. It is the first book in this series by Mark Dawson. I noticed all the book that follow, have much higher ratings on GR than this first one. I plan to read more in this series because I really enjoyed the MC, John Milton. He was flawed, but determined. I liked that we wasn't portrayed as the saintly do-gooder that so many MCs in this genre fall into. He does turn out to be a do-gooder, but his flawed character anchors him down. I like that. The story seemed stretched a little [...]

Not all thatGot this because it was free. Got what I paid for. Won't buy the next one. It starts out with a bang. The cleaner of the title takes out two targets with a submachine gun, then the cop who happens upon the scene. But he lets a young witness live, so we know he has a heart. So far so good. At the end of the first chapter I thought I had a winner on my hands. But then the book slows to a crawl. We meet his boss. We learn that leaving a witness alive is a big no-no, and killing a cop is [...]

DNF - No ratingThis started off great, but then the book moves into some really depressing territory. Based on reviews, I'm going to give #2 a try.

“Come on,” Milton said. “Look at me—do I look like James Bond?” I enjoyed ‘The Cleaner’, Mark Dawson’s first John Milton novel, having come to it with little expectation - the author sent me the book as part of his subscriber’s Starter Library but it sat on my Kindle until an interview with Dawson on Steve Cavanagh’s & Luca Veste’s very fine ‘Two Crime Writers and a Microphone’ podcast sparked my interest again.John Milton, the British government’s longest serving [...]

- DNF - Started off well but from there the story-line went down hill.Narrator David Thorpe was ok.Hard foul language.

I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting to (I'm not sure the blurb was a particularly good reflection of the story) but I struggled to find some of the actions of the main character convincing. Given he was supposed to be a highly trained secret agent, he spectacularly failed to realise what the consequences of his actions would be. I could have forgiven this if at some point he had acknowledged how the disastrous turn of events was essentially his fault. Unfortunately not.

Book 1, in the John Milton seriesAlthough this is numbered as the first in the series it is actually the second book, ” 1000 Yards”, a novella is the prequel, a short story that introduces us to the protagonist. There is no need to get to it first “The Cleaner” stand on its own but I have been told reading the prequel does help to get an idea what John is made of before the main story kicks in. I admit not having read it but it is on my TBR list and I should get to it pronto.At first I h [...]

This was not the thriller I expected as the further you read you realise Milton is at a crisis in his profession as a agent for dark government enforcement. Indeed after his latest mission he tells Control he is through and can't do 'this' anymore.What marks this book thereafter is Milton's reluctance to use violence and his lack of normal interpersonal skills.A clever book to show this struggle, that having been a loner and sworn to secrecy his conversation is lacking especially when he talks a [...]

Book was a quick read. Wished for a better ending thou

Secret Government problem solver John Milton sorts out things that the usual agencies can’t touch. When the results of his most recent assassination job begin to prick his conscience, Milton wonders if it’s time to get out and do something different. Trouble is, his boss doesn’t agree - simply leaving the ‘service’ isn’t an option. However, while reflecting on his future, Milton finds himself in a situation that demands quick thinking. In saving the life of a young mother, the former [...]

received free for review:I have to stop getting these books.I can't read them fast enough. Hope library has the rest of the series, I was hooked after the first couple chapters!MUST READ FASTER

Good book in its genre. Some interesting depiction of London riots from gang perspective and a nice parallel between gang culture and the shady side of intelligence services.

Sometimes there are people that the British government wants eliminated “whose continued existence poses a risk to the effective conduct of public order. The government requires particularly skilled professions who are prepared to work on a non-attributable basis to deal with this problems.” They are the Cleaners and John Milton is the best of them. A decorated military man, he’s been with them for ten years, is their number one, and has killed 136 people. But the job is getting to him. [...]

There are a few dry spots in the first third but then it really gets quite good. Admittedly, I was not expecting much from this novel (it was a freebie on Audible) but I was impressed. Off to read book two.

The Cleaner was the first book written by Mark Dawson that I have read and it was not at all what I expected. Our hero, John Milton, kills people for a living and does so on behalf of the British government. He has, however, grown tired of exterminating the evildoers in society, not that there aren't plenty more who ought to be killed, but that's for a treatise on the US Republican party. So, Milton "leaves" the group that no one leaves and goes walkabout in London, as good a place as any. While [...]

3.25 out of 5Although the premise (a hunted man of mystery traveling the world helping the downtrodden) is not new, Mr. Dawson has created a protagonist who isn't a saint, makes errors in judgement, and doesn't always have the answers. As in life, things can get messy and defy a tidy solution. That sets The Cleaner apart from others in this category of novel. The writing is intelligent and the story interesting.I wasn't blown away by the story, but I think that had more to do with my expectation [...]

This the first book in the series.This book sets up the series, introducing the main character, a former assassin, who is in a personal crisis. Struggling with his past and looking to try and get a little redemption he befriends a young boy and his mother.Thing don't work out quit as expected and people get hurt.While this book wasn't the thrill ride I had hoped for, there is action and plot and is a great starting point for the series that has 6 books so far with each books ratings climbing thi [...]

Mark Dawson's series featuring a retired and damaged ex SAS and Government Assassin, John Milton, will resonate well with lovers of Jack Reacher. Dawson's character Milton is somewhat grittier and more believable at times than Reacher but unlike Reacher you struggle more to get to grips with the characters personality and his somewhat superficial relationships. Nevertheless I have now read all of the Milton novels which are fast paced, violent and engaging with the raw emotion than emanates from [...]

Not what I expected. This was advertised as a spy or Jame Bond type story but masqueraded as a social commentary on London Gangs and low income housing. Couldn't wait to finish it and really thought about putting it down many times but kept thinking at least this guy will go like that TV show where the ex cia guy stood up for the little guys wish I could remember the name of that show(this review would be much better) BUT he didn't, he just melted/slinked into the next installment. Which I will [...]

I really enjoyed this book. not 1 I would have chosen. But due to a later book provided to a book club I decided to begin at the beginning & glad I did. I will be reading the novellas next then making my way through the rest to catch up with the book we were given by Mark Dawson. about Elijah & life in London around the riots this book let's us see human side of Milton. how he's affected & reactions to his hard life as number one. its well worth a read glad I did.

The first few pages of THE CLEANER seem a little trite; you know, the skilled killer taking tout an evil scientist for MI-5, or some other agency. But the story began to take shape as it went along. The author's knowledge (or research) of the London slums and it's vernacular gave credibility to the tale. A good job.

I liked the character even tho he was a paid assassin. John Milton tried to resign from the organization but was told that was impossible. He changed his life to help children but his past continued to catch up to him and he brought harm to everyone around him.