Is there anything more creepy than a small town forest with deep mysteries and scary legends followed by disappearing girls? The setting of this is written so atmospheric and absorbing, you begin to feel lost in that forest. A fantastic, chills down your spine, summer thriller!

DNF. Didn't want to read a grim kidnapping story. The opening is very similar to other of this sort and I was instantly put off.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I loved this one! It is creepy and I still think about it weeks later!
It’s book 2 in a series, but makes complete sense on its own.
It’s about a forensic specialist named Laughton Rees. She discovers a pattern of an unusually high number of girls going missing in a small village. She goes to investigate and becomes involved in something more dangerous than she could have imagined.

I had no clue this was actually book 2 in the Laughton Rees series, but now I definitely want to go back and read the first one. I liked all of the characters and the legend of the Cinderman was pretty dang creepy. It was definitely a slow build, but when the climax hits, it’s a nonstop, mind-blowing ride to the last page. I actually found myself surprisingly emotional by the end, which tells you how well the characterization was since that rarely happens for me.

I liked the plot in this book. Although when I won it I didn't realize it was part of a series and this was the second. I prefer to read my books in order. This one had a lot of twist and turns and did keep me guessing until the end. the only real problem I had was it jumps between characters a lot and I found it confusing at times to keep track of who the actual vicitim was.

Dark Objects was one of my top reads last year and there’s no doubt The Clearing will be on my list this year!

Perfectly creepy and entirely atmospheric, The Clearing is definitely one to add to your overflowing TBR. The suspense is palpable and the shocking ending will have you re-reading THAT paragraph just to make sure you read what you thought you read.

I’m so glad Simon Toyne has written another book featuring Laughton Rees. She’s one of my favorite female protagonists and is comparable to Stephen King’s character, Holly. You don’t have to read these books in order but I absolutely recommend them both!

Read this one if you’re a fan of:
- Creepy settings
- Locked room mysteries
- Procedurals with a twist
- crime fiction
- sisterly bonds
- Dark family secrets
- Strong female MCs

This was a fast paced procedural thriller that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Synopsis:

Midsummer’s Eve brings tourists all over to celebrate alng the countryside amongs the ancient forest of Dean. Unfortunately it was the night that changed everything for local sisters Maddie and Adele Friar. Maddie went missing, last seen heading to a party with a mystery man at The Clearing, a commune in the forrest. Maddie and Adele have had a rough start in life with onely one another to lean on after being abandoned by their mother and father, and put in the fosters care system. Adele is determined to find her sister but the police won’t take her seriously because Maddie is known as a party girl. Time is wasting with only Adele looking for her. It’s not until criminologistt Dr. Laughton Rees takes charge of the investigation that there is any progress. Laughton has been studying crime and folklore and believes Maddie’s disappearance has to do with the Cinderman. What they find is far more disturbing then any local folklore could be.

My thoughts
Sometimes police prodedurals can drag on without much action but this book was kepy at a great pace with plenty of action. I loved Dr. Laughton and Adele, both strong female protagonists in different ways. I thought that Toyne did an excellent job creating these strong female characters. Another thing I really loved was the short chapters. When I mentioned that to Toyne he said he never writes more than five pages per a chapter because he fears it's getting too long at that point. This will surely keep me reading all future books by Simon Toyne!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you. Once thought you couldn’t.”

Wow! I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller! I thought The Clearing was creatively written and loved the local legend of the “Cinderman” and how it played an interesting role in the story. Adele and her sister, Maddie have an amazing bond and the two were such well-developed characters. Dr. Laughton Rees was fearless and persistent. I very much enjoyed meeting her for the first time, since I didn’t read the first book in this series, Dark Objects. The chapters were short and I breezed through this book! A must read for all thriller lovers!!

The Clearing by Simon Toyne is scary. I loved the creepy vibes and was ready for anything Toyne was going to throw at me. I found this to be extremely fast paced and I was a big fan of Laughton. I didn’t read the first book in the series but i never felt like I was missing anything. I’m going to go back and read the first one, just to get to spend more time with these characters.

Throughput the book it has some parts that were slow moving. It was a rollercoaster of a read. The last 10-15 chapters were page turners.

This book was a great read! The pacing was well done and it kept me thinking the entire time. I’m so grateful for this arc copy, and I will be looking out for the authors future books!

My thanks to William Morrow, Simon Got me and Netgalley.
Yep, Simon now has a new fan. The dude can write a damn fine story.
I really enjoyed this story, while hating on it too.
I must say that the last 25% of it ended up shocking the crap out of me.
Much like the main character, I was also stunned when it came to that ending.
Simon Toyne is now on my watch list of author's. Believe me, at my age I don't add many new authors! Keep your eye on this guy because he's going places.

This book is creepy! The location and atmosphere only enhanced that. The forest, the spooky feeling you get when anyone walks into there.

I was drawn in immediately. The “Cinderman” folklore added to the creep factor.

I loved Laughton Rees. She was feisty and smart and no wasn't an anwer she accepted.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭!

I love a good police procedural, add to that some family drama, a creepy setting, lots of lies and strong female characters and you have a perfect mix that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers and William Morrow for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 by Simon Toyne releases today July 11, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Set in Cinderfield, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire the story begins when Adele Friar’s older sister Maddie disappears without a trace on Midsummer’s Eve. The next day Adele frantically searches for Maddie and reports her missing to local law enforcement who initially tries to brush her off citing Maddie’s record for minor offenses, but Adele persists and manages to file a report. Maddie was last seen headed for “The Clearing” in the forest, common land inhabited by settlers who live in a community of their own making, with their own set of laws, enforced by a domineering matriarchal figure. Adele and Maddie had a traumatic childhood and have a history with the forest community. They usually avoid the area on account of their personal experiences and Adele cannot fathom why Maddie would be headed for a party in that location.

The missing persons alert reaches the ears of London-based forensic scientist Dr. Laughton Rees, who has an open file on the Cinderfield disappearances. Maddie's disappearance is not an isolated incident. Laughton’s research points to a total of 58 missing persons cases, dating back twenty years, that have neither been solved nor investigated. Locals often attribute the disappearances to “The Cinderman” a mythical figure from local folklore - a “forest phantom who’s believed to prey on young women”- but Laughton correctly assumes there is more to these cases than meets the eye. The lack of urgency on the part of local law enforcement indicates negligence and/or obvious cover-up and corruption within local enforcement. But how deep does this go? Laughton leaves for Cinderfield, determined to help Adele locate Maddie and get to the truth behind the disappearances. She is aided (from a distance) by DCI Tannahill Khan who is away attending a conference. It soon becomes evident that multiple entities are actively trying to create obstacles in Laughton and Adele’s search for Maddie and the truth. What follows is a complicated web of lies, corruption, crime and cover-ups. Will Maddie be found? Who is behind the disappearances and how far will they go to prevent Laughton from discovering the truth?

I truly enjoyed Simon Toyne’s writing in Dark Objects and with The Clearing the author does not disappoint! Dark, complex and suspenseful, the intriguing plot, the cast of characters and the even pacing made for a riveting read. I really liked the atmospheric setting, the incorporation of a folklore (fictional) element into the plot and how the plot is structured. The narrative is presented from multiple perspectives, seamlessly woven into a cohesive narrative. Though I could guess a few of the revelations along the way, I couldn’t wait for the final reveal and remained hooked till the very last page. On that note (I don’t want to give too much away), one thread of the story did leave me with a few questions but that did not detract from the overall reading experience. Additionally, I like how the author is portraying the evolving relationship between Tannahill and Laughton. I wish Tannahill Khan had a larger role to play in this installment and would love to see Laughton and Tannahill team up again in the future.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed The Clearing by Simon Toyne and look forward to future installments in this series. Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My Rating: 3.75⭐️

My heart broke for Adele when she was trying to convince the police and everyone in town that her sister, Maddie, really did disappear. When the Cinderman came up I was all in because I tend to love all thrillers that have the main character's name ending in “man.” Add a forensic specialist on top of that, and now we’re on the way to solving the case.

The alternating chapters give us glimpses into what’s going on in all of the characters' minds including Maddie. If you’re looking for your next page turner then look no further!

This felt like a thriller for readers who don't read thrillers. I felt like the plot of this one was fairly predictable and that there were lots of plot holes towards the end. Not my favorite read. I found myself just trying to get through this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this novel.

4,5 stars

Thanks to #netgalley and #williammorrowbooks for my DRC of this fabulous book.

This was my first book by @simontoyneauthor and I can’t think why I’ve never read any of his books before! This was right up my alley, with some great characters, short chapters, some of which were down right scary and great writing style.
I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

I think this is the second book in a short series focusing on a forensic expert with a strange name - Laughton Rees.
She is a force to be reckoned with, and I just loved her relentless nature.

Laughton is investigating a series of disappearances of young girls over a period of twenty years near the Forest of Dean, known for the legend of Cinderman, who is said to roam the forest.

When she discovers yet another girl has gone missing, Rees decides to travel there to investigate. Upon her arrival she meets Adele, who is fighting against all odds to find her sister.

As we follow the investigation, we are informed of the existence of a girl in captivity in chapters that reminded me a lot of 'The Silence of the Lambs'.

Fast-paced, with a great twist I didn’t see coming, and some sinister characters, this was a hard one to put down!

Now I need to get my hands on the first book!

This second book to feature criminologist Laughton Rees is just as well done as the first, Dark Objects.

What lurks in the Forest of Dean? Adele Friar's sister, Maddie, goes missing on Midsummer's Eve from Cinderfield, on the outskirts of the forest. Maddie is not the first to go missing, Could this be the work of the "Cinderman", a local legend who is blamed for these disappearances over the last 20 years?

Laughton Rees does not believe in these types of folklore, she believes in real facts. Rees happens to be in the area, coincidentally looking at the cases of the disappearing women when she hears about Maddie. She begins to investigate, but gets little help from the townspeople and the local police. Lucky for her, DCI Tannahill Khan in London offers assistance.

Needless to say, secrets will be revealed. This book was rich in atmosphere and the eerieness of the woods. There were plenty of twists, I thought I had it figured out when, no it was a wrong turn. I hope we see more of this engaging character who is smart, tough, and a little quirky. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, William Morrow, for an ARC. The review is my own.

Creepy woods, a legend about "Cinderman" and a deteriorating abby that has been in the same family for centuries where fire parties rage at night and weddings are booked every weekend. It's Midsummers Eve and another girl has gone missing, but this one won't be forgotten like many before her. Her sister Adele is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her and knows something is terrible wrong. Criminologist Laughton Rees receives notice of a missing person being filed on a girl in the area of the Cinderman folklore. Having been researching this, she is bound to get to the bottom of what and what is continuing to keep the legend alive. The count of missing girls is well into the double digits and after doing some digging she knows she is the only one who cares enough to try and stop it. Gaining the trust of Adele, Rees uncovers more than she could have imaged going on in this little place called The Clearing and knows she herself is in danger as well and could be added to the list of missing if not careful in her determination to solve these cases. This was such a fast paced thriller and so good, I look forward to reading more of his novels. Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the tour invite, to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free novel! This review is of my own opinion and accord.