The Clearing by Simon Toyne #bookreview #bookseries

Thank you to ThrillerBookLovers Promotions, William Morrow, #partner, for a finished copy of The Clearing in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: William Morrow

Published: July 11, 2023

 

Summary:

In this gripping suspense novel from the bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy, lead forensic expert Laughton Rees is back, this time investigating a series of missing women in a small town near the Forest of Dean–where she uncovers a dark and sinister plot, decades in the making.

Adele Friar knows better than most that something dangerous lurks in the forest. So when her sister Maddie goes missing, she fears that the woods may hold the answers. After all, Maddie isn’t the only one who has disappeared recently.

Locals put the unusually high number of missing persons in the area down to inexperienced hikers getting lost in the forest’s depths, or girls abandoning their sleepy rural town for the excitement of city life. Some even blame the Cinderman, a legend who haunts the woods looking for unsuspecting victims.

Forensic specialist Laughton Rees doesn’t believe in legends, she believes in facts. With help from Adele and DCI Tannahill Khan back in London, she is determined to find Maddie and dispel the dangerous ghost stories once and for all.

But something strange is going on in the forest–the police seem reluctant to investigate the disappearances, and the locals aren’t talking. What if the monster in the woods isn’t a myth after all, and a cold-blooded killer is stalking his victims from the shadowy safety of the trees?

As Laughton and Adele question everyone, from the gruff leader of an off-grid commune to the mysterious Earl who presides over the crumbling abbey in the heart of the forest, they slowly begin to unravel the legend of the Cinderman–and discover the truth is far uglier, and far more dangerous, than any mythical monster.

 

My thoughts:

This is the second book in Simon Toyne’s Laughton Rees series and it was just as good, if not better, than the first book, Dark Objects. I am so thankful to ThrillerBookLoversPromotions for introducing me to this author and inviting me to help promote this book! I’m not sure how I had not read anything by him before but I quickly changed that by devouring the two books in this series and highly recommend both!

This book is so atmospheric and eerie, with a setting that feels like a character itself. The forest where this story takes place is so sinister and dark, you will definitely think twice the next time you find yourself in the woods. I also loved how there was a blend of police work and folklore – it really made for such an exciting read. Being back with Laughton and seeing her take on this case – a case that caught her eye because of research she just happened to be doing, was so fascinating. As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, Dark Objects, where we are first introduced to Laughton, she can be a bit of a quirky character, thought that quirkiness tends to only show itself under times of extreme stress.

This book really kept me on edge as the story progressed, building in tension and suspense. I had no idea what to expect and loved all the twists and turns this book took, some quite unexpected which I loved. I thought I had a hand on what was going on, only to be completely blindsided a few times when reveals occurred. This really is a true cat and mouse game in a sense, or hunter and prey if you will. It’s dark and manages to get darker as the book progresses and yet I could not tear my eyes away, especially as I got closer to the end. My heart was racing as I neared the end and then felt that I needed to start all over again – how did I miss so many clues? This is definitely one of those books that I want to/need to read again because it is just so cleverly crafted.

I am now a huge fan of Simon Toyne. I love this series and hope there will be more books to come, but in the meantime, I definitely plan on checking out his backlist!

 

Books in this series:

1. Dark Objects
2. The Clearing – due out July 11