“Clean Slate” by Brianna Labuskes
“As a journalist, especially working in DC, I was just like constantly bombarded with these corporations [that] get away with so much... I think it just has always been stuck in my chest like, I want to tell a story where sometimes you do get justice.
I wrote the scene, the first scene where the body is found in this motel, and I had a very specific vibe of what I wanted to portray with that hotel. And I was like, why wouldn't they link these two murders? [Then] I was like, because the other victim is at this really fancy hotel… [That] sets up an entire theme for the novel of seeing how the justice system handles, upper class, lower class… And then yeah, just being able to have bad guys actually get punished at the end.”
Brianna Labuskes is the bestselling author of historical fiction and psychological thrillers, and most recently, she’s introduced readers to Olive Hunt. Olive is a crime scene cleaner, a truly unique perspective for crime fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. The job alone had us intrigued, but Clean Slate quickly turned into a psychological suspese novel we couldn’t put down.
The narrative: about Clean Slate
“Death pays well for Olive Hunt…” — do you already have chills? Carrying the weight of a dark past, Olive has spent 10 years channeling that into her job—crime scene cleaning. When she’s called to two scenes, seemingly unrelated and already processed by police, Olive discovers clues the officers missed. In fact, it’s like they’ve been left specifically for her.
Law enforcement says they’re suicides, but Olive believes a serial killer is responsible. And… he’s thanking her for her work.
The nightcap
Olive might be a “beer gal” on a normal day, but “when she feels fancy,” she’s going to have a glass of sparkling rosé. The blend of red and white grapes nods to the dual timelines in Clean Slate, as well as the story’s exploration of socioeconomic disparities and inequalities; you’ll be turning pages as everything converges.
Plus, we can’t think of a better pairing than Bri’s go-to! It’s crisp and bubbly, a refreshing sip after an hour, afternoon, or day of cleaning (probably not a crime scene though).
In this Narratives and Nightcaps podcast episode
Get to know Bri in this episode of Narratives & Nightcaps. We chat about:
Why a crime scene cleaner? Bri tells us about the film that has stuck with her for years that sparked her initial interest in the job. Of course, fascinating research ensued.
Her previous career in journalism, when and why she transitioned to writing full time, and how it continues to influence her stories today.
As an author of psychological thrillers and historical fiction, the differences are obvious. But, Bri tells us about some of the similarities between the genres.
“No writing is wasted… even if you have to cut 20,000 words,” Bri said. Earlier versions of Clean Slate, what Bri had to change even when she LOVED a certain perspective.
It’s no secret, we love unique perspectives, thought-provoking themes, and books that take over our group chats. Check, check, check with Clean Slate. This conversation with Bri was equal parts entertaining, insightful, and inspiring, much like her storytelling style.
Thank you to OTRPR for coordinating this chat!
Listen to the full author interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Purchase your copy of Clean Slate here.