Laughton Rees

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.

Laughton Rees is back in the latest novel from the bestselling author of the Sanctus trilogy-this time, with a case that hits uncomfortably close to home and threatens the thing Laughton values most: her daughter. Forensic specialist Laughton Rees is not ashamed of her checkered past-after all, her youthful indiscretions led to the birth of her daughter Gracie, the person she loves most in the world-but when Gracie's father unexpectedly turns up in their lives again, Laughton is automatically wary. Shelby Facer is a dangerous man, formerly imprisoned for his involvement in an international drug trafficking ring, and no matter what Laughton once felt for him, she doesn't want him anywhere near Gracie. But when Shelby claims that he has information about an especially difficult murder case she is working, she can't turn him down. A body with no head or hands has recently turned up in the river Thames, and the police are at a loss until Shelby identifies the man. The victim was part of a highly secretive smuggling ring Shelby was involved with during his and Laughton's youth-which Laughton's father, former commissioner for the Metropolitan police, was investigating before he died. Laughton throws herself into her father's old files to try to trace the connections between past and present, but as she and DCI Tannahill Khan circle closer to the truth, the case becomes dangerously personal. When another body turns up, mutilated just like the first, the victim is no stranger to Laughton. She'll have to face the darkest parts of her past to find the man behind the murders-before he takes away everything she loves. "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 "[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