From the Publisher
Simon Toyne is one of the best storytellers writing today, but even by his high standards, The Clearing is something really special …The pacing is frantic but not rushed, the tension is almost unbearable, and the ending is genuinely one of the most jaw-dropping ones I’ve read in a long time. Absolutely superb. — M.W. Craven on The Clearing
"Scared the bloody daylights out of me. The very definition of haunting. Toyne is a guru of suspense writing, and this is him at the top of his craft. Makes for a breath-taking read" — Helen Fields, author of The Institution on The Clearing
"Beginning with a creepy abduction that unnerved me to my core, The Clearing follows an unsettling case where old myths and new greed collide. A welcome return for Laughton Rees and DCI Tannahill, getting to know them again as they reach the next stage of their budding relationship" — Sam Hollan, author of The Echo Man on The Clearing
"A stunning novel! Part wily procedural, part relentless psychological thriller, Dark Objects will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. And what a masterful voice, Toyne brings to his fiction." — Jeffery Deaver
“A fun, crafty thriller.... I love how [Toyne] interwove a clever serial killer plot with a taut family drama. Definitely a one-sit read!” — Lisa Gardner on Dark Objects
"There are times when I read another author’s novel and it’s so darn good I just want to put down my own pen and retire because I can’t match it. This is that book. I was riveted, flummoxed, and completely captivated by these fascinating characters." — Tess Gerritsen on Dark Objects
“This race-against-the-clock thriller… is wonderfully plotted with strong characters, but what stands out most is the way the police ignore Adele’s pleas because she and her sister (who has a history of drug possession) are among the easy-to-dismiss poor and unconnected. A well-crafted shocker.” — Booklist (starred review) on The Clearing
"Toyne’s second mystery featuring criminologist Laughton Rees (after 2022’s Dark Objects) further establishes the character as an effective series lead in the spirit of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta....Toyne makes the most of her creepy setting, and effectively conceals the truth behind the legend of the Cinderman until she’s ready to reveal it. Everything here suggests that Rees merits a long series run." — Publishers Weekly on The Clearing
"Nail-biting and as haunting as the forest itself" — Daily Mail (UK) on The Clearing
“Gripping . . . . demonstrates the damage caused by a real-life monster, one that is much worse than any legend.” — Novels Alive on The Clearing
"[An] excellent police procedural.... Tannahill and Laughton make a superb investigative team…. A skilled storyteller, Toyne has upped his game with this one." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Dark Objects
“An edgy psychological thriller that makes excellent use of its police procedural foundation....Toyne pulls out all the stops for a deliciously creepy, believable story that makes sharp turns with realistic characters.... Toyne’s plotting—and delving deep into the psychological aspects—make Dark Objects shine.” — Florida Sun-Sentinel
"Simon Toyne...really has outdone himself with Dark Objects. It’s intelligent, insanely paced and brimming with fresh ideas – I doubt I’ll read a better book this year." — M. W. Craven
“Simon Toyne is one of my favorites, bringing a lean muscularity and textured richness to his thrillers. He has an eye for the unusual and the unsettling, shading his stories with moral complexity while never letting his foot off the pedal. In Solomon Creed, he’s created a hero for the ages. A word of warning: if you have anything else to get done, don’t crack open a Toyne thriller.” — Gregg Hurwitz on The Boy Who Saw
“When you read Sanctus, you’ll see just how frightening, ruthless and relentlessly entertaining an order of monks can be. Haunting in the best way.” — Brad Meltzer
"Top-shelf writers aren’t made—they’re born, and you can tell in two pages when you’ve found one. Simon Toyne has got the gift, and The Searcher proves it—his imagery, his language, and the cool mystery surrounding Solomon Creed and where he’s going. I think you’ll love this one.” — Greg Iles
“Brains beat brawn in this engrossing yarn, and a mind without a memory makes Toyne’s hero a hard character to—well, to forget.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Boy Who Saw
"How do you create suspense?... That’s the defining strategy of The Searcher, as Simon Toyne holds information tantalizingly out of reach over the course of his wild, mysterious novel… Toyne grabs our attention, and he keeps it… The book moves so swiftly in part because it’s told roughly in the span of a day…the stakes escalating while mysteries pile on top of mysteries… I read it in a two-day fever.” — New York Times Book Review
“Not a dull page to be found anywhere. A thriller gem. Simon Toyne is a first class talent, speeding in the fast lane to the top of the genre.” — Steve Berry on The Searcher
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