In the Clearing
Book description
Set against a ticking clock, this "haunting" and "atmospheric" thriller that inspired the Hulu miniseries "The Clearing" pits a ruthless cult against a mother's love, revealing that our darkest secrets are the hardest ones to leave behind (Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister).
Four days…
Why read it?
2 authors picked In the Clearing as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I love any book that delves into the psychology of cults. This is a fictional account of a real-life cult that existed not far from where I live, and I have grown up hearing about the victims. The charismatic and highly disturbed female leader was an unusual twist on the standard stories we read about cults that are often led by men.
Her determination to be the ‘mother’ of every child, have them all look the same (blond hair cut into a bob), and worship her was infuriating and intriguing. Taking vulnerable women, who were also mothers, and luring them…
From Kylie's list on losing yourself in motherhood (the good and the bad).
In the Clearing is told from the POV of Amy and Freya, and while Freya’s chapters have her living in small-town Australia, it’s teenager Amy’s chapters that are the most chilling.
Amy lives with her ‘family’ in the Clearing, a place far away from anything and anyone. She has a regimented life where she’s expected to work and go to school. There are also specific rules to keep the family running as it should and the threat of punishment is always present.
The isolated location of the Clearing, surrounded by harsh Australian bush, means safety and a place to hide…
From Nikki's list on an isolated setting.
If you love In the Clearing...
Make Her Pay
A twisty psychological thriller about beautiful, successful Leonie who has just met Markus, the man of her dreams. But Leonie has a secret. Ten years ago, she was involved in an accident in which another driver died. Leonie shouldn’t have been behind the wheel that night – so she fled…
Want books like In the Clearing?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like In the Clearing.
Share your top 3 reads of 2024!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,756
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like In the Clearing, you might also like...
Defection in Prague
Pete West, a political columnist, travels to Prague to find a missing diplomat, later found murdered. He attempts to discover more about a cryptic note received from the diplomat and is immediately entangled in the secret Bilderberg Club’s strategy to form a world federation.
Pete meets a Czechian agent who…
A House on Liberty Street
Meet Tony Valenti. His high-flying corporate law career just cratered. His society marriage blew up in a bitter divorce. He's returned to the Chicago suburbs to lick his wounds and regroup in the haven of the Valenti family home. But time to heal isn't in the cards.
Tony's elderly father…
