First published 2017
Sandra Pankhurst's life has been a kaleidoscope of reinvention. From husband and father to sex worker and small businesswoman, she's worn many hats. But her most vital role is as a trauma cleaner, restoring order to the homes of the forgotten and forlorn. In these spaces, she encounters the most private despairs—a hoarder, a suicide victim, a woman living with rats. With care and precision, Sandra brings light to the darkest corners, testifying to the universal need for compassion amid life's most devastating moments. Tracing Sandra's own harrowing past, this biography is an empathetic portrait of resilience and the profound solace that can be found in the simple act of cleaning.
Genres: crime, social-issues, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: empathetic-protagonist, redemption, resilience
Setting: Australia
304 pages · Paperback · St. Martin's Griffin
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness, suicide