The Trauma Cleaner is the result of a chance meeting at a conference between Sandra Pankhurst, owner of a specialised trauma cleaning business, and author and lawyer Sarah Krasnostein.
I was expecting this book to be only about the trials and tribulations of cleaning up after dreadful incidents. While it does explore this, and the people involved, this book is so much more. Sensitively written, it explores courage, resilience and the human spirit through the lens of Sandra Pankhurst and her clients. Pankhurst is a remarkable woman. Her life experience positions her as the perfect person to guide people through trauma and to restore order where chaos has reigned.
This book deals with horrendous circumstances, such as hoarding and the aftermath of death and explores the battles Pankhurst has fought and continues to fight. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop, and I find myself sharing snippets from The Trauma Cleaner in conversation.
It’s a fascinating, heartbreaking, yet warm and hopeful read. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Sue
