The Cleaner

May 28, 2007
Displaying an enviable gift for pacing and action, Battles’s debut novel is a page-turner that may remind some readers of the cult TV spy series Alias
. Ex-cop Jonathan Quinn now works for a shadowy U.S. intelligence agency known merely as the Office, erasing all traces of violence and mayhem when an operation goes south. During an apparently routine assignment to look into a fatal fire that claimed the life of Robert Taggart, a viral biologist, in his Colorado home, Quinn finds evidence that Taggart was murdered, and that discovery is followed by an attempt on Quinn’s own life. While Quinn survives, he learns that the Office’s top operatives have been killed in near-simultaneous attacks. Quinn, who makes a compelling protagonist, heads to Europe to track down the mastermind behind the scheme. Admirers of quality espionage fiction can look forward to a new series worth following.

Starred review from June 15, 2007
In Battles's debut novel, Freelancer Jonathan Quinn specializes in cleaning up the messes left by his Special Ops colleagues. Cleaners, as the trade calls them, don't usually do the dirty work, but in this case, there's plenty to go around. What initially looks like domestic arson in Colorado results in an international chain of events that sends Quinn and his apprentice, Nate, scrambling for their lives. Clutching one piece of key evidence, they flee to Vietnam to pick up the third member of their team, the beautiful techie Orlando. Faster than you can say "special assignment in Berlin," our trio tackles the elusive mission while most of us are still clueless. Too many people want them dead, and all signs point to sociopath agent Borko, one maniac Serb with ethnic cleansing on his immediate agenda. Including plenty of gadgets and computer jargon, Battles uses the technothriller formula to his best advantage; the characters are likable, the danger feels real, and the urgency practically oozes off the pages. Fast paced and action packed, this one's a winner. Highly recommended for all popular fiction collections.Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., CA

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