The CleanSweep Conspiracy

A Matt Tremain Technothriller (Dystopian World Chronicles Book 1)

Fiction - Thriller - General
311 Pages
Reviewed on 02/04/2017
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Chuck Waldron is the author of four riveting mystery, thriller and suspense novels and more than fifty short stories. Inspired by his grandfather’s tales of the Ozark Mountains and local caves rumored to be havens for notorious gangsters, Waldron was destined to write about crime and the human condition. Those childhood legends ignited his imagination and filled his head with unforgettable characters, surprising plots and a keen interest in supernatural and historical subplots.

With literary roots planted in the American Midwest and South, and enriched by many years living in the fertile cultural soil of metropolitan Ontario, Waldron now resides on Florida’s fabled Treasure Coast with his wife, Suzanne. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and the occasional Burmese python, visitors will find Waldron busy writing his next crime thriller.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The CleanSweep Conspiracy: A Matt Tremain Technothriller by Chuck Waldron is a strong opening for the Dystopian World Chronicles that features a powerful setting, a great conflict, and complex characters. This is the kind of fiction that will appeal to fans of thrillers, crime fiction, and the dystopian. Matt Tremain is an investigative blogger, a man with a “slight limp” who uncovers a conspiracy that could send rippling waves beyond the city of Toronto. A popular tycoon and a ruthless man, Charles Claussen has set up an operation that could ensure the deaths of the teeming number of homeless people that litter the streets of Toronto - they call it CleanSweep, and someone has got to stop it. But who can he trust? When Matt’s informant gets murdered, he knows he must tread carefully. In a city where people easily get manipulated, who can he trust?

Chuck Waldron establishes himself as a great storyteller, weaving a page-turner that is entertaining in an intoxicating kind of way. The CleanSweep Conspiracy: A Matt Tremain Technothriller has huge potential to appeal to fans of thrillers and crime fiction and those who are into conspiracy and intrigue. Matt Tremain is a compelling character, introduced from the very beginning of the story, a character that readers will adore. I enjoyed the way the author explores his loneliness, the psychological conflict that creates the dynamics of his work; indeed, heroes are loners! The plot is excellent, fast-paced, and laden with surprises. Then there is the ability of the author to ignite the reader’s attention by crafting scenes that end on a high note, announcing what could follow. I was hugely entertained and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Cheryl E. Rodriguez

Chuck Waldron keeps you on the edge of fiction and reality, wondering if this could really happen in The CleanSweep Conspiracy. “Imagine a world with streets swept clean, no crime and no criminals.” Misfits, people considered as errors of society are scrubbed, leaving the world peaceful, clean and in harmony! Matt Tremain is a tech savvy blogger/journalist. When one of his blogs touches the nerves of those in high places, all hell breaks loose. Matt suddenly finds himself running for his life. Riots! Angry mobs! Explosions! Fires! People going missing! Fear is running rampant, citizens are stunned. The chaos provides the perfect scenario to utilize CleanSweep! With the help of some unexpected and clandestine friends, Matt goes off the grid, risking his life in the pursuit of truth. Scared, and witnessing unbelievable cruelty, Matt Tremain is determined to discover who is behind CleanSweep, and expose its diabolical realities to the world.

Chuck Waldron’s The CleanSweep Conspiracy is accelerating action from beginning to end. He pens a pulsating, panic-driven plot. Intensely descriptive, this book holds the reader captive by its energy and stimulating illustrations. The characterization is brilliant. The protagonist is strong in wit, intelligent, and tenacious in spirit. Not a brute, tough or rough superman, but a man who accidentally discovers his courage while pursuing truth. The antagonist is ruthless: an evil genius, a wicked wizard controlled by malevolent generational arrogance. The extensive cast of characters surrounding the hero and the villain is essential in making them better and/or worse. The subordinate characters are greedy cohorts of crime contrasted by loyal agents of justice, and each character’s role is necessary in accentuating the conflict of good versus evil. Waldron illustrates the heartlessness of evil, and the sheer ugliness of self idolization, while simultaneously portraying the selfless determination and courage behind those willing to fight for the liberties of others. As the action slows down and collides with the conclusion, a prevailing sense of all is right with the world again emerges. However, don’t get too comfortable, this is not the end of the story.

Darryl Greer

Extremist organisations, whether from the far Left or far Right often sprout from seemingly innocuous roots. There were those who, in 1920s Germany, thought the Hitler Youth was a great idea and to many, Communism has a way of looking attractive at first blush. It is once these institutions take hold that their true aims become clear. In Chuck Waldron’s The CleanSweep Conspiracy, an ultra right wing group led by Charles Claussen sets out to rid the city’s streets of those they see as undesirables — vagrants, beggars, prostitutes, gangsters, Jews, or anyone else who doesn’t fit their image of the perfect human being. It is social engineering the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Nazis. The way they set out to do this is remarkably simple: set up a group of highly trained thugs to cause chaos in the streets — riots, muggings, serious assaults and even murder — until society is so scared and fed up they’ll welcome a system of government and law enforcement that will, by any means, make their streets safe again. Enter "Operation CleanSweep."

And the ruse works. Almost. Blogger and wannabe journalist Matt Tremain has a Russian friend — online moniker, Cyberia — whose hacking and surveillance abilities are beyond extraordinary. Matt teams up with Susan Payne, a television reporter, and her boyfriend, Carl Remington, and is approached by a detective, Wallace Carling, who offers to help. With Cyberia looking over Matt’s shoulder, metaphorically speaking, and with a bit of help from a mole inside the extremists’ camp, the small but intrepid team sets out to expose the real reason behind "Operation CleanSweep." There are a few surprises along the way — for the team as well as the reader.

The CleanSweep Conspiracy is a fast paced thriller, a real page-turner from the opening scenes. Chuck Waldron’s prose is tight, the scenes visual, the dialogue concise and clear. Many strands are woven into this intricate story, but at no time does the author allow the reader to lose a grip on what’s happening. Taking current day concerns — the right to privacy, human rights, racism, and so on — this highly imaginative, unique and intriguing tale is an entertaining adventure; there are no dull moments for the reader’s eyes to glaze over. Waldron’s use of actual historical events and figures, including the notorious PROFUNC program from the 1950s, and life-like characters, adds believability to the story. The CleanSweep Conspiracy is a keeper — you’ll want to read it again.

Chris Fischer

In an interesting and highly engaging new read by author Chuck Waldron, The CleanSweep Conspiracy: A Matt Tremain Technothriller (Dystopian World Chronicles Book 1), readers will be sucked in from the very first page and will be kept obsessively reading all the way through until the very end. Follow the story of investigative blogger Matt Tremain as he starts a quest to find the truth behind a devious plot designed to rid Toronto of the "undesirables" of society. Dubbed "CleanSweep," the operation seems to be backed by billionaire Charles Claussen, a man devoted to ridding the city of any person who doesn't meet his criteria. Will Matt and his small circle of trusted friends be able to fend off Claussen and his devious plot? You'll need to read the book to find out!

I so enjoyed The CleanSweep Conspiracy. Author Chuck Waldron has done a great job in creating characters that his readers will be able to connect with, relate to, and will truly come to care about. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. His writing is crisp and believable, and his story line, while complex in areas, is still easy to understand and follow. Any reader who enjoys action, adventure or a thrilling read should absolutely read this book. I am pleased to be able to highly recommend The CleanSweep Conspiracy, and I look forward to reading more from author Chuck Waldron just as soon as I am able to do so!

Danita Dyess

In The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron, high-tech gadgets, complex dealings, and a subversive plot are key components in this fast-paced thriller. Matt Tremain enters a Yorkeville coffeehouse, but gets a coded text message telling him to run for his life. As Ciberia, a Russian online cohort, guides him to his electronic hideaway, Matt realizes that his blogging about CleanSweep has made him a target. CleanSweep is a modern day plot to rid the world of blacks, Jews, Mexicans and other undesirables. Claussen, the ruthless mastermind, is also a respected civic leader. When Tanner, an informant of Matt's, turns up dead, the stakes get higher. Now Matt, Carlington, an old-school investigator, as well as Carl Remington and Susan Payne, members of Action 21 News, must risk their lives, survive a riot, and outsmart covert forces to prove CleanSweep's existence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful work of fiction. Waldron grew up listening to his grandfather's stories about gangsters and their supposed hideaways in the Ozark mountains, which is evident in the geographical settings of this story. The use of sophisticated technology and the role of electronics, e.g., cell phones, surveillance cameras, GPS, etc. and current global events made it a real world occurrence. References to historical details added credibility. The CleanSweep Conspiracy by Chuck Waldron will grab your attention and never let go. This book is highly recommended.