Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the copy of The Clearing by Simon Toyne. This is the second forensic expert Laughton Rees story and I loved the first one. Maybe my expectations were too high because the way this book started out didn't really grab my attention. It got more interesting, but somehow the story didn’t really intrigue me. The reveal was kind of icky and I’m not sure if I have gotten more sensitive or if the writing made it more distasteful. If you like a moody, descriptive book you will love this one. I needed a story I could get more involved in. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 and I still look forward to the next book in the series.

The story opens with a hunting scene and a rabbit taken down, only for me to back up after reading about what is near the rabbit's paw and how the rabbit swiftly is dragged away by the arms and dark hair falling. Arms nor draping dark hair are characteristics of rabbits! I was hooked.

The town of Cinderfield in Gloucestershire puts on Midsummer's Eve, a summer's fair that goes back through history. The following day, Adele Friar is stuck cleaning up the campsite she lives and works at and is angry at her sister, Maddie, for not helping. Maddie went to the fair last night but is currently a no-show.

As time passes, Adele becomes increasingly worried about Maddie, and for good reason. She learns that Maddie was supposed to meet friends at The Clearing. Adele and Maddie promised each other they'd never go there, and now Maddie is missing.

A missing persons report is filed that triggers an alert on the laptop of Laughton Rees. Laughton has been studying missing people in the region that some attribute to the legend of the Cinderman. Laughton decides to take a few days to investigate.

Laughton and Adele cross paths and join forces to locate Maddie.

Throughout the story, several misleading red herrings are cleverly disguised. The reader will only make the connection towards the end. I kept turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed Laughton's character. Despite being small stature, she carries a big stick. I didn't realize this was the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.

I received this book in a giveaway and willingly read and reviewed it.

This story was about several women: Adele, who is searching for her missing sister, Maddie, the sister who is missing, and Laughton, who investigates not only what happened to Maddie, but the bigger problem of multiple women going missing in the same area. The investigation was interesting and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to Maddie and if it was connected to the other missing women in the area. Laughton was a strong character who connected with Adele and felt compelled to help her find her sister. There were a few twists I was not expecting, that changed my perspective on other parts of the book. I got a little lost with the parts about Grizz, who was a woman living in The Clearing and supposedly "helped" people who needed a place to stay by letting them work for her. I was really impressed by the way the perpatrator was revealed at the end. This was an interesting read for the most part, but I did find myself a little bored at times. I feel like there were places in the book where it moved a little slow, or I became a little confused by why the information was included as it seemed unimportant to the overall plot. I did really enjoy the author's way of writing, and felt the settings were very descriptive and I was able to get a mental picture of the places they went.

When Adele's sister goes missing she finds herself alone and without help. After all, girls go missing all the time. Lucky for Adele Forensic Specialist Laughton is in town researching how legends and true crime relate.Their research leads them down some dark and scary roads.

I love a good thriller and this book delivered. The characters were well described, diverse and relatable. I loved some, hated others, I could picture each of them in my mind. The setting was so realistic I could feel the air on my skin and smell the earth and rog. The twists and turns were not all predictable. It takes a lot to surprise me but this book did!

While this is book two in the series is worked great as a standalone book.

Highly recommended if you like a good thriller and don't mind a bit of suspension of disbelief.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I love a creepy setting! There were so many twists, I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoy books centered around the forensic personnel. I would highly recommend!

I love thrillers. I especially love thrillers that make my heart pound while reading them. This one did that and more. Loved the twists and spins in this one.

A pretty good follow-up to book 1. I wish there had been more Tannahill Khan, but the overall vibe is creepy and tense. I had to put the book down a few times. I'm not sure why Khan was sidelined - so we can see Laughton as a strong capable woman without him? But unfortunately she showed a too stupid to live side. She is followed and frightened, then blithely seems to forget all about that as she continues to be followed - and threatened.

The author successfully misled me in one of the major plot points, but there is another "coincidence" plot point that I found a bit of a cheat. But the author does successfully explain away why two people who suffered trauma and changed their names are still in the area where they are known.

I enjoyed the Forest of Dean setting, as my only other experience with it is in the Harry Potter books and movies. The book contains some revolting graphic violence. The mythical Cinderman is a looming presence, but at no point did I think it was real and behind the disappearances (perhaps because of Laughton's no nonsense scientific investigation).

Overall, The Clearing kept me reading. I missed Kahn, and many of the plot points don't bear close scrutiny, but the overall vibe was compelling. I look forward to book three (hopefully, with more Tannahill Khan in it).

I read an advance reader copy of The Clearing from Netgalley.

The second installment from Simon Toyne, following inspector Laughton Rees, fell incredibly flat. Very few of the characters were likeable, I could barely get myself to like the female victims in this book. Not every novel is meant to be a series, and the protagonist needs to be a more likeable character.. Laughton Rees is no Will Trent!

After having such a great first novel in the series (Dark Objects), my expectations were pretty high for this book. I was actually glad to be done reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced ARC of this book.

This is the second in a series, but fine to read alone, I loved the first book, this one was more medium for me. I like the main character and at times it was atmospheric and full of myths. We know who the bad guys are, not the full relationships and motives and there was an interesting twist. I didn't feel as invested as I like but would continue to read this series, like the main character quite a bit

What a great read! This was my first book on NetGalley and it did not disappoint! Although the book was #2 in the series, the storyline and main character were definitely able to stand alone. I enjoyed the storyline and all of the twists right up until the last chapter. The underlying "backstoryline" was on point for our current time (unfortunately) from the flaws in the foster care system to the plight of human trafficking. I loved how the author took a folklore spin on the evil happening in the story and brought it back to the power of powerful people's ability to cover things up if desired. I look forward to more in the Laughton Rees series!

Thanks for the ARC of this book. This was my first book by this author but it will not be last. I was drawn in by the description because it included a forensic scientist. It is fascinating. The story was very well done and had a great creep factor for sure. The characters were relatable and I enjoyed most of them. All in all a good read.

The description of this book hooked me and got it on my shelf, but I was disappointed with it. It was more setting-based - the creepy, mythical woods being the main character here - and I just couldn't really get into that. I wanted more plot and less of the setting. Perhaps if I had been following this series, things would have made more sense, so that's on me. Overall, the novel is written very well, the characters are competently created, and the pacing is done well.

Simon Tyone has done it again. An absolutely stunning 5 star read.

If you're not familiar with Laughton (LAWton) Rees, she is a brilliant, nerdy, quirky academic with a penchant for solving crimes and stepping on toes in the process.

When Adele's sister, Maddie, goes missing, Adele will stop at nothing to find her. But in a town filled with urban legends and smooth-talking hucksters, finding her sister may be harder than it sounds.

Enter Laughton, who ventures to Cinderfield partly for her own research, mainly to help Adele. Everything isn't as it seems though, and soon, Laughton and Adele find themselves in trouble.

Absolutely brilliant and nail-biting. I could read Simon's books all day. Relatable characters and heart-pounding thrills lead us towards a shocking conclusion. Definitely a can't miss read!

Laughton Rees is a forensic expert and investigating a series of missing women in a small town near the Forest of Dean in Cindertown. Locals believe the latest missing woman, as well as many before her could be due to the legend of Cinderman, a haunting ghost of the forrest.

Laughton uncovers much more thatn that when she interacts with a commune leader; Before long, her own life is at stake as she unravels the truth of what happens in the clearing #WilliamMorrow #TheClearing #SimonToyne

I enjoy suspense novels from time to time and have actually enjoyed other Simon Toyne novels. I wanted to read Toyne’s new series featuring forensic expert Laughton Rees, and it turns out, Rees is the best thing about The Clearing. Maybe the only good thing.

The plot centers around a mysterious forest with mythical and haunting stories surrounding it. A girl goes missing and her sister tries to find her. Fortunately, Rees decides to travel to the forest and insert herself in the case much to the dismay of the local police. There is no mystery — the bad guys are obvious from the start and the only real plot line concerns the stalking of Rees and the sister as they search for the missing girl. Rees is an interesting character and while it seems weird to have her just decide that she will investigate a case outside of the proper authority, at least she showed insightfulness and spunk.

Is there a monster lurking in the forest? Or is it just another violent maniac? Perhaps this was the wrong book for me since I prefer more characterization and plot in my thrillers. I didn’t care if the sister was found or not! I don’t think you can play with such a high degree of myth and make believe boogie monsters and then expect the reader to empathize with the fairy tale characters.

The setting was indeed scary, however. Though I am not one to just be scared for the sake of fear itself, I thought Toyne did a good job with setting and pulling the reader into the dark forest and the evil it represented. If you like horror movies, this might be the book for you. My score: 3 of 5

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Clearing will be published on July 11, 2023.

Is the Cinderman real or just a figment of your imagination? 🔥

Special thanks to @simontoyne
& @thrillerbookloverspromotions
for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!!!!

[Swipe for synopsis]

MY RATING::
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WHOA! This was an awesome book! I read it in a day and a half. I couldn't put it down! I just HAD to know what happened to Maddie and who was responsible!

In the beginning, there are a lot of characters you're trying to keep straight because the chapters are in different character settings, but once the storyline progresses, you see how every character intertwines with the next. Each one has some tie to another, and you find out if it's sinister or not.

I love the mix between great detective work and folklorish superstition. It worked very well, and I think the lead being a woman, made this even more interesting in the setting overseas.

Hands down, I would recommend this to anyone who loves Law & Order shows or just a good true-crime crime story.

QOTD:: Would you go looking for someone in a forrest alone, or bring backup?

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#theclearing #simontoyne

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘆𝗺𝗮𝗻…⁣
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻…⁣
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻…⁣
⁣
𝗪𝗲’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻
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Laughton Rees returns in Simon Toyne’s The Clearing, and I hope that we see lots more of Laughton in the future. We’re just really getting to know her, and I’ve got a feeling she has so much more to say. In this installment, Laughton is researching local legends, specifically The Cinderman. There’s no doubt something is going on in the woods, and when Maddie Friar goes missing, Laughton is determined to find her. Everybody is keeping a secret in The Clearing, and almost no one can be trusted. For thriller lovers who love all things dark and murdery, you're going to love The Clearing!

This was a good, creepy read. Fast paced with plenty of mystery and suspense to keep my glued to the pages.

This is my first read by Simone Toyne, which also makes it my first Laughton Rees book - but fear not, you don’t need to read the first to pick up this thriller! Folklore meets present day crimes and crimes of the past. This was a suspenseful mystery from start to finish. The end, however, felt rushed and did leave me with missing pieces (but maybe that’s coming in a future Laughton Rees novel?). There also felt like a few too many characters that were underdeveloped and that could’ve been left out. Overall, a thrilling detective mystery that had me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this eARC of The Clearing.
This was a fun read. It's fast paced and entertaining. That's what I'm looking for in a book. Reading is my escape and this book did just that for me.
Sometimes, we come across characters that we love to hate or just characters that we're indifferent to. This was not the case with Laughton Rees, who is the forensic specialist and a main character. I just adored her approach to everything.
Rees is brought in when a girl Maddie disappears. Adele is adamant that she just wouldn't up and leave. The sisters are way too close. The both up and changed their names to escape a horrible situation they were in. Laughton Rees is brought in to help investigate. Locals swear it's this mysterious mythic Cinderman. The story unfolds and gets wild Rees starts to unravel the case of Cinderman and just that it's not a myth and so much worse than is speculated around town. He's real and it's who is The Cinderman.