In the Clearing

By: Robert Dugoni

Narrated by: Emily Sutton-Smith

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Detective Tracy Crosswhite has a skill, and a soft spot, for tackling unsolved crimes. Having lost her own sister to murder at a young age, Tracy has dedicated her career to bringing justice and closure to the families and friends of victims of crime.

So when Jenny, a former police academy classmate and protégé, asks Tracy to help solve a cold case that involves the suspicious suicide of a Native American high school girl forty years earlier, Tracy agrees. Following up on evidence Jenny's detective father collected when he was the investigating deputy, Tracy probes one small town's memory and finds dark, well-concealed secrets hidden within the community's fabric. Can Tracy uphold the promise she's made to the dead girl's family and deliver the truth of what happened to their daughter? Or will she become the next victim?

©2016 Robert Dugoni (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Decent addition

I have read all the books in this series so far. While the books aren't great, they are good enough that I continue reading them. This book is a decent and entertaining addition to the series.
There are two distinct mysteries in this book that the detectives are attempting to solve. While this could easily lead to a disjointed and convoluted read, the author manages to present both stories in a way that works, until it doesn't. Quite a few times I was left with the impression that the secondary case was a space filler and it left me wishing the author had just focused on one case and developed it a lot more. I think that would have made this a much better book.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

This Series Just Keeps Getting Better!

This is the 3rd book in the series featuring Seattle detective Tracy Crosswhite. Each book has been better than the last - the characters continue to develop and the plots are intriguing without relying on a overdose of violence and gore. There's just enough flavor of Seattle to be interesting to a Seattle native but enough fictionalized background so it doesn't feel like an attempt to recreate the city in every detail. The main characters are likable and their personal lives are interesting but not soap-opera-ish. For me this audio book has everything I like - good characters - good narrator - interesting plot - and doesn't have the things I try to avoid such as over the top violence and overly dramatic/hopelessly flawed main characters. Highly recommend to listeners who enjoy a well- written police procedural - I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Incredible Story, Smart Police Procedural

I loved this book! Tracy Crosswhite is an incredible detective and wonderful character. And there are actually two really fascinating cases in this novel that require excellent police work.

The Clearing revolves around a cold case which was ruled a suicide some 40 years earlier. Crosswhite's friend's father, now dead, was new in the sherrif's department when the events occurred. He had well founded suspicions that the victim, an 18 year old Native American, was actually murdered. His inexperience renders him powerless as well as voiceless. He subsequently began a private investigation on his own, one that would last 40 years until his death. Crosswhite picks up the case on her own time, aided with modern forensics unavailable to law enforcement at the time of the crime.

Dugoni introduces us to characters living with the very real and tragic effects of violence, guilt, shame and lies. This is truly one of the best novels I've read lately.

I would put this up with John Hart's Redemption Road as the best mysteries of the year.

21 of 23 people found this review helpful

More! More!

It is going to be be hard to wait for the next book in this series! Well written, great stories, excellent narration! Dugoni is winner!

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Great Series

Loved the first and second book in this series and the 3rd book in series did not disappoint. Great read from start to finish. Can't wait for next in series.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

40 year old cold case solved?

I speaks well of Robert Dugoni's writing skills that the third novel in the Tracy Crosswhite series while the weakest of the three is still a solid 5 star detective thriller. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Emily Sutton-Smith's narration is wonderful, as it always is.

17 of 20 people found this review helpful

Not his best

I've read the 3 books in this series. I enjoyed the first 2 very much. it was harder to get vested in this one. there were 2 different stories going on. one out of town which had back flashes to the 70's and one based in Seattle. if the focus stayed on one with more character development I would have enjoyed it much more. the forensic detail was more interesting with the story line with flashbacks. I hope the next installment stays in Seattle. the narration was solid.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Double Mystery

This story encompasses two very different unrelated homicide cases. Though the stories are intertwined the cases are not. Several reviewer's found this very confusing and hard to follow. I did not.
The more interesting of the stories involves evidence collected 40 years before by a deputy sheriff. The forensic science at that time was not what it is today. Reviewing the evidence and using forensic techniques available today allows the puzzle to be solved, but nothing can undo the damage done to those who originally decided to keep the crime a secret.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very Good

I was skeptical in the beginning, but soon was pulled into the story. Narrator was good. I will select this author again.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

what happened ???

the first two books were so good. I am not impressed at all with this one.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Will The Truth Eventually Be Uncovered

Dugoni is very good and he knows how's to keep his reader's engaged and griped from the very start. The narrator is good and doesn't detract from the story

Kept us both captured

Great story great characters and great narration that we enjoyed driving across the US together

Another excellent story

I really enjoyed this novel, cleverly executed and great characters.
Well narrated too, a very good series, this is book 3 I think.

Never believe what people tell you first off

A really good story told at a good pace with fine dialogue and some witty one liners. It proves to me that authors can write exciting and enjoyable stories without loads of erotica. Well narrated the tale has a couple of good twists and red herrings. I really do like this author and will continue to read this series. Highly recommended.