The Maids of Wrath
Dani is a cleaner, learning to wield the tools of her trade, mops, squeegies, pails, sponges...Why training you ask? Because becoming a cleaner isn't about making a building sparkle, it's about cleansing the Scum out of a place. After all, cleaners, janitors, window washers, handy men, maids...They are more special than you'd imagine.
Dani is a special version of a cleaner, one who can access all the elements to help her combat the Scum, most cleaners can only effectively use one. Her training is rudely interrupted by a maid going berserk, trying to kill another maid. Her trainer Ben, lost his special abilities in an accident that cost Ben his powers and his arm, but his wife as well. But it's up to Dani, Ben, Ben's former partner Lucy, and the twins Laurel & Hardy, to stop whatever sickness has infected the cleaners, and save the world.
Josh Vogt's latest work is a race against time to purge a new kind of Scum, one that is undetectable from every measure the cleaners employ. It's filled with action, unlikely friendships, and a rather icky antagonist. And he's icky in every sense of the word, from the convoluted depths of his mind, to the raising of his dead family, to his role in trying to bring down all of humanity.
It's a highly enjoyable read, well paced, and very descriptive. The characters are well developed, but I do want to know more about them, especially Dani. There's not much revealed about her past, and it made me want to read more, to see what else I could glean about her. I'm assuming that was intentional, to reel the reader in, and leave them wanting more.
*EDIT* Mt Vogt's previous book in the series, Enter the Janitor, contains much of Dani's backstory. It tells how she learned of the cleaners and joined their ranks. It's not necessary to read them in order, as evidenced by my being able to pick up the second book and find it a complete story, but I'm sure it'll make The Maids of Wrath that much better.
The book wrapped itself up neatly, not solving *all* the mysteries, but to a satisfactory conclusion. If it were a standalone novel, I'd be happy. But as part of a series, I'm intrigued. I want to know where the characters go with the bits and pieces of information they've discovered. I'm sure that the next book will be as engrossing as this, and will be just as entertaining to read. I'm going to pick up the first book this afternoon, and will be waiting expectantly for the next book to drop.
In the interest of disclosure, Mr. Vogt provided me an ARC of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
