Onze portas para a escuridão

by C.J. Tudor, Carolina Candido (Translator), Fernanda Cosenza (Translator)

Primeiro livro de contos de autora de O Homem de Giz traz narrativas assustadoras que prometem conquistar fãs de Black Mirror e Stranger Things

Fendas no espaço-tempo, apocalipses e crianças macabras. Nas tramas de Onze portas para a escuridão, nada é o que parece, e vida, morte, culpa e fantasia se misturam de forma aterrorizante.

Navegando entre a estranheza e o horror, os contos narrados nestas páginas nos apresentam uma série de realidades perturbadoras. Um homem parte em uma missão implacável que beira o fim do mundo. Uma garota com um estranho dom faz amizade com uma assassina sem coração. Quatro amigos resolvem explorar um prédio abandonado com segredos monstruosos. Pai e filha fazem uma viagem de carro por estradinhas rurais em meio ao completo breu. E uma tempestade de areia promete trazer lembranças indesejáveis…

Se os romances de C. J. Tudor são aclamados por seus enredos sombrios e cheios de reviravoltas, esta primeira coletânea de contos da autora nos leva ainda mais longe, mostrando as faces mais perversas e criativas de sua escrita. Fascinante, sinistro e tremendamente original, Onze portas para a escuridão traz um compilado de histórias carregado de adrenalina e enraizado no que há de mais bizarro em nossa mente. A edição brasileira ainda conta com ilustrações originais da premiada designer e quadrinista Amanda Miranda, que enriquecem ainda mais a atmosfera dos contos de C. J. Tudor.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2022

About the author

C. J. Tudor was born in Salisbury and grew up in Nottingham, where she still lives with her partner and young daughter.

She left school at sixteen and has had a variety of jobs over the years, including trainee reporter, radio scriptwriter, shop assistant, ad agency copywriter and voiceover.

In the early nineties, she fell into a job as a television presenter for a show on Channel 4 called Moviewatch. Although a terrible presenter, she got to interview acting legends such as Sigourney Weaver, Michael Douglas, Emma Thompson and Robin Williams. She also annoyed Tim Robbins by asking a question about Susan Sarandon’s breasts and was extremely flattered when Robert Downey Junior showed her his chest.

While writing the Chalk Man she ran a dog-walking business, walking over twenty dogs a week as well as looking after her little girl.

She’s been writing since she was a child but only knuckled down to it properly in her thirties. Her English teacher once told her that if she ‘did not become Prime Minister or a best-selling author’ he would be ‘very disappointed.’

The Chalk Man was inspired by a tub of chalks a friend bought for her daughter’s second birthday. One afternoon they drew chalk figures all over the driveway. Later that night she opened the back door to be confronted by weird stick men everywhere. In the dark, they looked incredibly sinister. She called to her partner: ‘These chalk men look really creepy in the dark . . .’

She is never knowingly over-dressed. She has never owned a handbag and the last time she wore heels (twelve years ago) she broke a tooth.

She loves The Killers, Foo Fighters and Frank Turner. Her favourite venue is Rock City.

Her favourite films are Ghostbusters and The Lost Boys. Her favourite authors are Stephen King, Michael Marshall and Harlan Coben.

She is SO glad she was a teenager in the eighties.

She firmly believes that there are no finer meals than takeaway pizza and champagne, or chips with curry sauce after a night out.

Everyone calls her Caz.

Reviews

[Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find short story collections are either a hit or miss for me- this collection was absolutely a hit!

A Sliver of Darkness contains 10 different horror short stories with all sorts of evil lurking in the corners.

I loved how incredibly unique every single story was. I’ve never read anything quite like the tales in this book. I also loved how amazingly vivid each story was, I could really picture what was happening and became so sucked in. Each short story is preceded by an introduction from Tudor. I absolutely loved this, it added such a personal feel to each story and really helped to set the scene.

There was only one story that was really able to scare me- and that was because my cat decided to attempt to meow, in the middle of the night, right when a high pitched noise was happening in the book. I jumped out of my skin! Although I wasn’t scared by each story, they were certainly creepy and I found myself completely hooked by every single one. This is an incredibly diverse short story collection, my biggest complaint was that I wanted more! I cannot wait to read more books by Tudor now, this is my favourite short story collection to date.

I recommend this book to fans of short story collections or light horror. I want to thank Netgalley, Michael Joseph and C.J. Tudor for sending me a copy of this book so I could give my personal thoughts.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are incredible! All of them are unique, smart, twisty, unfolded with jaw dropping, surprising conclusions! I had so much fun! I whooped! I gave villanelle laughs! Energized with extra adrenaline and excitement!

My favorite one is “Runaway Blues” about Fat Man and his creepy hat case: such a great Stephen King tribute!

My laugh out loud ones: “I’m not Ted”: poor guy who has no idea why they call him Ted and why the hell people tried to elevate him! This is is hilarious, sarcastic, short story entertained a lot!

I also let out my villanelle laughs aloud after reading “Copy Shop! “I wish they could provide me their service! I could send them my entire in-law team to be fixed!

Second best favorite: “Final Course”: apocalyptic last dinner theme! Infamous Five meets at a deserted mansion to save themselves from lurking monsters hunting people. I loved the ending so much!

Highly promising ones: “Gloria” : we know this lovely psychopath- cleaning lady from Hiding Place. We thought she got what she deserved at the end of the book but at this story: we realize she’s not dead. She is back in business with her deformed face, no mercy rules! Hope the author brings her back for her next book!

“Dust”: should be read as Another one bites the dust blasting out at the background. The weird Villa de las Almas Perdidas atmosphere gives you creeps !

“Butterfly Island”: well I also went to Butterfly Valley/ Oludeniz in Turkey so I can relate how the author got the inspiration to write this post apocalyptic journey reminds me of Lost meets Revolution series.

Most Stranger Things vibes: “The Block”: a gripping teen mystery/ sci-fi story has a taste of Amazing Stories meet Twilight Zone

Best sci-fi/ dystopian story with Titanic vibes: “ End of the Liner”. That ending was epic!

Best gory teen story : “ The Lion at the gate”! It seems like a dark, bleak alternative of Chronicles of Narnia. We have a gate instead of wardrobe!

Less likable one: “ Completion” starts solid with the despicable anti hero Dan Ransom! Rest of the story and the conclusion was a little far fetched! It was still fun! But something was missing!

Overall: I literally devoured those brilliant works! They’re juicy, funny, gory, dark, unusual pieces of extraordinary mind!

I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 please C. J. Tudor write more dark stories for us stars!

Many many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine Books for sharing this perfect digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[MarilynW · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sliver of Darkness- Short Stories
by C. J. Tudor

I realize I'm not the right fit for these short stories. I do best with short stories connected to a long series, probably because the world and characters are already developed. Plus, I'm a horror story wimp and need my horror so tame it probably can't be considered horror. So for me, my favorite part of each story was Tudor's introduction to each story. I could probably read an entire book by her, full of story introductions and notes from the author.

My favorite stories from this selection were the first two but I do think that could be misleading. They were good but I might have liked more of them if I wasn't already feeling unconnected as I knew I was heading into the fray of meeting new people, new situations, and new horrors. Obviously I like to be stuck in a long book rut with the same old people and places for a longer time than a short story can provide. I do think this will be a big hit with most people and there are a wide variety to horrors to please the reader who likes them.

Publication: November 8, 2022

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sliver of Darkness is a short story collection focused on the creepy and weird.

I must preface this review by stating that I am not a huge fan of short stories. Tudor is an author I enjoy, so I thought I would give this collection a shot. It wasn’t wholly a success, but there are a few stories that I had fun with.

Of the 11 stories in the collection, these are the ones that stood out:

"End of the Liner"--a story about a 75-year-old woman forced to come to terms with "retirement".

"The Block"--this one is actually creepy and made me jump!

"The Completion"--a douchey salesman gets what he deserves.

Tudor’s introductions before each story elevated the collection for me. They provide insight into her motivation for writing them. I love her honesty, especially when discussing her successes and failures as a writer.

The stories are short and easy to read. Some are more engaging than others. A few of the stories felt forced, while others felt incomplete. My biggest gripe concerns the endings, which lacked nuance.

Overall, this was an entertaining, if not memorable, collection. On the plus side, it set me up to be excited to read Tudor’s next book, The Drift.

I received a DRC of this book from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of short stories and I only enjoy “ subtle horror”, but I am a fan of C. J. Tudor, so when offered an ARC of this-I had to give it a try! After all, “The Other Place” was an easy 5 star read for me, and two of her others earned 4 shiny stars! (The Hiding Place and The Burning Girls)

So, how did I fare with this collection of short stories?

Let me tell you what I did like…

The book opens with a heartfelt introduction by this “down to earth” author, and in it she shares that in January 2021, her Dad passed away. He had been in a nursing home for two years, and because of Covid lockdowns, she could only visit him for thirty minutes every two weeks, speaking to him through Perspex. The first time she hugged him in over a year, was on the day he died. This book is dedicated to him.

And, those weren’t her only other challenges. (DO read her full introduction!!!)

Writing a book wasn’t working, and she knew it.

She came up with a plan that her editors agreed to-scrap the book she wrote and instead publish this collection of short stories. With MANY “end of the world” and isolation themes, these stories definitely were NOT all my cup of tea…but with all short story collections you always connect with some more than others.

BUT what I really did enjoy MOST was that ALL the stories also came with an introduction of their own-C.J. shared her inspiration for each of them and I felt like I was sitting down for an INTIMATE CHAT with a friend, which ended with an evening by a campfire listening to spooky stories…

Standouts for me were :

The Copy Shop -Can a copy ever be as good as the original? 😉

Dust: I too, gravitate toward spooky hotels and spooky hotel stories, and living in Arizona where we have the yellow glow of Dust Storms, called Monsoons here, added to the intrigue of this one, which featured the Calima winds with their orange glow and the “Hotel California-like”. Villa de las Alma’s Perdidas on Gran Canaria.

Runaway Blues-Pink Martinis at the Blue Flamingo in the 1930’s and a “fat man” who could sing the blues. Loved the smoky atmosphere….and the nod to Stephen King.

and

End of The Liner- the cruise 🚢 of a lifetime….

3.5 stars rounded up!


This book of TEN short stories is AVAILABLE NOW!

Thank You to Ballantine books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

[Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - still catching up! · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and C.J.Tudor for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 11.8!**

If this was only a 'Sliver of Darkness'...sign me up for the WHOLE Devil's Food Cake! 🎂

This is a collection of short stories from C,J. Tudor, ranging from several apocalyptic scenarios, encounters with creepy monsters and mysterious creatures, and some twisted characters who aren't quite what they seem. All of these stories are indeed short and most move at a good clip. Being new to Tudor's writing, I can already tell she excels at characterization and setting the scene, even in a short amount of time.

I normally stray far from short story collections, and even though I've been dying for an excuse to check out this author, I was a bit hesitant to pick this book up. What came as a welcome surprise, however, was the Behind The Curtain look that Tudor gave in reference to her writing process, the circumstances that led to this collection coming out NOW, and the individual inspiration behind EACH story. As someone who had hoped to work side-by-side with authors in my younger days, I am always fascinated to hear where ideas come from, how writers write, and what inspires them, and I feel like I learned SO much about Tudor's personality, her life, and how her ideas grow JUST from this one book!

Honestly, reading these stories took me back to my early days of thriller reading (R.L. Stine, even!) but in such a good way. There is also a bit of humor in some of these stories (I'm Not Ted being a personal favorite) and I loved the 'expect the unexpected' twists at the end of each story. Some other memorable stories include Tudor's nod to Uncle Steve (Runaway Blues) and another slightly snarky tale about a real estate closing (The Completion). Also a quick shout out to my favorite pun in the book: in reference to a power-rationed cities, the character refers to the inhabitants as the "have-watts and the have-nots." 💡

(Brilliant. Seriously could not stop laughing after that one!) 😂

Though I some of these stories went on a tad too long and others lacked solid endings, hearing their individual origin stories was fascinating and honestly made this a fulfilling reading experience from start to finish. I am ready and waiting for Tudor's next book (which she spoke about briefly in this author's note and described as a passion project coming to fruition) as also exploring her back catalog. Although spooky season is drawing to a close, if you're not quite ready to pack away your pumpkins and skeletons JUST yet, this terrifying tome of twisted tales is sure to fulfill that need for one last round of thrills and chills!

4 stars

Now available in paperback!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Our longest resident, señora. Fifty years. And until you remember your sins, you will never leave.’

From one of my absolute favourite thriller authors comes a collection of short stories that span the horror and thriller genre. This is such a dark and twisted read that I loved so much. It's starts off with a bang and ends on an even higher note.

Within these pages are eleven stories that are each chilling in their own way. I loved the note at the beginning of the book, explaining exactly why this collection came about. Truly, Tudor is an absolute master at supernatural thriller and this collection completely solidifies my love for her writing.

Tudor's books can always be relied upon to provide a good helping of the macabre, with a sinister sense of humour and this is the aperitif to her deliciously dark main courses such as The Burning Girls and The Chalk Man to name a few.

While I enjoyed all 11 individual stories. I did have my favourites (Gloria, Dust, The Final Course and The Block to name a few). There are nods to Stephen King, dystopian vibes, and the wonderfully wicked dialogue and humour that Tudor nails expertly.

Sliver of Darkness is a must read for fans of psychological thrillers. C.J. Tudor proves once again why she’s a master of the genre.

I Highly Recommend.

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Random House/Ballantine books, and Netgalley.
I've stuck around here since the first Tudor book. I've seen Ms. Tudor develop as an author, and all I can say is that she only gets better!
I love author's who can write both novels and short stories. Most can't.
This collection shows that C.J. can.
I didn't love this collection, but I had a good time reading it!

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed the dark and twisted C. J. Tudor's novels, I was intrigued to see she had written her first wide ranging short story collection, a format she takes to like a duck to water. With many of these imaginative tales written during the pandemic, this lends a dystopian and end of the world vibe to them. They are spooky, chilling, with elements of horror, the deranged, menacing and creepy, the bizarre, and on occasion, shot through with the darkest of humour. The sun might currently blazing outside, but this collection will make for perfect reading matter as the dark autumn nights draw in, when so many of us begin to turn the the unsettling and the disturbing. The stories featured here are:

End of the Liner
The Block
Runaway Blues
The Completion
The Lion at the Gate
Gloria
I'm Not Ted
Final Course
The Copy Shop
Dust
Butterfly Island

At the beginning of each distinct, compulsive and well written story, Tudor helpfully provides an introduction which outlines how each came into being, and fans of the author may even recognise a character from one of her novels. In a story of survival in an unrecognisable world, we have a cruise ship with passengers unable to leave on a endless 'holiday', ominousbuildings, we ask whether it is graffiti or not, there are hatboxes, a case of mistaken identity, a last dinner party, a copy shop that truly excels at what it does, and butterflies you do not want to encounter. Fans of the author, Stephen King, and those in search of the macabre, darkness and horror will enjoy this collection. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-5 stars
First of all, after reading the introduction I applaud the author for writing this collection at what must have been a difficult time. Each short story begins with an explanation for the inspiration and I enjoy that, especially the Nottingham based ones!

If you are in the mood for something such as a thriller chiller, with ingredients of horror, a bit disturbing with added notes of dark humour, then these eleven stories are for you! They are all good, most are post apocalypse depicting dark futures, some are cleverly bonkers and have a good twist.

In The End of the Liner we meet Leila, now 75. It’s a dark sad tale of survival and though enjoyable it’s not hard to figure out.

The Block is inspired by an empty Nottingham tower block and is creepy, weird, atmospheric and with a great ending which makes me laugh! What does that say about me?!!! It has a YA horror vibe but entertaining even for me in my advancing years!

The Runaway Blues is a tribute to Mr S King. This is one of my favourites as it contains a real surprise and is definitely on the dark side.

The Completion is definitely a yikes read as Dan Ransom tries to complete a house sale. Definitely don’t count your chickens Dan as this will get seriously weird. Darkly funny as he doesn’t quite seal the deal but hey, it’s not the end of the world!

The Lion at the Gate tells the tale of school chums who encounter graffiti-or is it? This has a very clever twist!

Gloria is probably my least favourite as it’s a bit gross, definitely strange and different with a surprising end.

I love I’m not Ted (1509), he’s in the Elevation Department but he doesn’t know why … this is very clever and again I hoot with gleeful laughter!!

In Final Course we’re yet again in a very apocalyptic dystopian world with the reunion of the Infamous Five. Why does Tom’s daughter cause such disquiet? This is very dark, a tad yukky, definitely horror and very unexpected!

Another favourite is The Copy Shop which is very funny, with a broken vase, a cat and the odd miracle or two.

In Dust we are welcomed to the Villa de las Almas Perdidas in Gran Canaria where the Calima wind blows through every crevice. Why is Olivia here? Why indeed! Another very clever concept.

Finally, in Butterfly Island there’s a beach bar, a good idea and a butterfly sanctuary, post apocalypse. I love the ending!

Overall, if you like short stories with elements of horror which may give you the shivers then this collection should tick that box. If you’re a fan of Stephen King then this may tickle your fancy!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

A Sliver of Darkness is a short-story collection comprised of 10-tales by beloved author, C.J. Tudor. This was Tudor's only 2022 release, a fact that she addresses within this book.

Anything from Tudor would get me excited, but I was particularly looking forward to trying out some shorter fiction from her. This collection was definitely interesting.



I found these stories to be unique and entertaining. It's pretty clear Tudor has entered her dystopian/post-apocalyptic era and I'm not mad about it.

This explored themes that felt fresh and relevant to our post-pandemic world. It also got pretty murdery and twisted; two things I adore in dark, or speculative, fiction.



I enjoyed how each story had a short introduction by the author. This reminded me of King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. I always enjoy when an author includes these types of insights into their inspirations, or connections, to each story. It makes the experience more personal.

Additionally, I feel like it helps to set-up the proper tone for each story. I'm definitely glad that Tudor decided to include them in the final copy of the book.



Overall, I found this collection to be varied, unpredictable, well-written, engaging and it definitely gave me a lot to think about.

Considering all the world has been through over the past 3-years, I don't think it is surprising that this is the type of creativity Tudor felt like expressing. It definitely feels apropos for the times.



Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love Tudor's style and will continue to pick up everything she writes!

[JaymeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!

There’s nothing better than learning what makes your favorite author’s mind tick!

CJ Tudor has long been a favorite author of psychological horror novels. I have enjoyed all of her books and couldn’t wait to get my hands on her new collection of short stories.

A Sliver of Darkness is a collection of eleven dark and disturbing short stories created after her last book didn’t quite make the cut. She includes some stories that she had previously written, but had not yet published, as well as a few new ones. As a bonus, she explains how the ideas were born before each story. This part fascinated me!

Also found in this story collection are some familiar characters from Tudor’s previous books. She mentions that she might even make a few of these into a longer book!

Themes of the apocalypse, mental illness, thwarted love, and revenge are explored in the most macabre manner.

“The problem with darkness was, once you let it in, it lurked in the corners of your mind, filling them with shadows.”

While I usually prefer to read full length books, I devoured this collection in less than two days. Additionally, it’s rare that I enjoy all of the stories in a collection, but these were fantastic!

End of the Liner 4.5/5
The block 4/5
Runaway Blues 4/5
The Completion 3/5
The lion at the gate 3/5
Gloria 3.5/5
I’m Not Ted 4/5
The Copy Shop 4.5/5
Final course 5/5
Dust 4/5
Butterfly Island 4/5

My favorites in the collection were Final course, End of the Liner, and The Copy Shop.

If you are a fan of psychological horror (Catriona Ward fans I’m talking to you), A Sliver of Darkness is a must read!

I can’t wait to read her next full length book, The Drift, which will be published in January 2023. Thank goodness I don’t have long to wait!

4/5 stars

Expected publication date: 11/8/22

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of A Sliver of Darkness in exchange for an honest review.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this in November, but life was crazy and my presence on GR was spotty, at best. So, better late than never!

This is very enjoyable short story collection by one of my favorite authors. I particularly enjoyed the author's foreword, where she tells her readers what led her to release this book, and I enjoyed the commentary that accompanied each story.

As with all short story collections, some I enjoyed more than others but overall I highly recommend this book

* I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where there is no imagination, there is no horror.

A Sliver of Darkness brings something to mind. What scares me, scares you. The mind blasts thoughts throughout our psyche at a rapid speed. We don't even have to touch the tangible outright to configure thoughts of horrid darkness, slimey ooze, hairy things brushing our ankles, and sounds forming ear worms like creaking stairs and ghoulish howls.

And to those who don't heed the warning: Never "investigate" these things on your own.....

C.J. Tudor has banded together some CREEP on high alert. Each of these stories goes off into a different direction and a different level of intensity. She's crafted ideas based on unfinished work sitting on the sidelines begging for attention. Tudor has breathed life into them as only she can. And she points out how life experiences and heavy personal loss changes us drastically. We are not the same as we were just a few years ago. The world itself speaks to this from the impact of the pandemic. We see through different eyes. More leery and more distrusting of outcomes.

The set-up is important here. Tudor writes a bit of an introduction before each story. We then get a feel for where she was at the time and exactly what triggered her thoughts. We fail to remember that authors paddle through life as the rest of us do. Life readily changes us.

My favorite of these was "The Block" which leans more to YA in some ways because of the characters. She takes us to Nottingham where an old abandoned building stands in decay. And here comes the dare.....the notable push by the young to reach farther than what one's fear capacity is. It is the stuff of nightmares.....even within big people.

So consider this one for a chill and a thrill. Perhaps take to your bed under the covers with a flashlight. Ah, the memories......

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books (Random House) and to the talented C.J. Tudor for the opportunity.

[Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blue Flamingo was the name of the club, if you’re asking. Which you’re not. But that’s kind of how story-telling works, isn’t it? Like a one-sided conversation. I ramble on, you listen. And if I lose your interest, well, you can just turn the page or close the book.

You won’t though. You’ll want to hear this story. And I need to tell it. Because I’ve not told anyone else, not in over fifty years. And that’s a long time to nurse a horror.

Update 11/8/22: Reposting my review to celebrate that today is publication day!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sending me an ARC of A Sliver of Darkness in exchange for an honest review.

After four novels, C.J. Tudor is back with A Sliver of Darkness, a collection of eleven short stories. Each story opens with an interesting introduction where she explains her inspiration for the story. Most of them are a blend of horror and mystery, and almost all of them have a twist ending. But beyond that, there’s a lot of variety here in locations and subjects. Some are creepy, some are more gory/scary, and some are neither.

There’s not a bad story in A Sliver of Darkness, though I had several favorites:

End of the Liner, in which passengers have been trapped on a Disney-type cruise ship for 50 years.

The Lion at the Gate, in which a group of teens find a giant lion’s head graffitied on a gate, and the graffiti seems to be able to move.

I’m Not Ted, in which everyone wrongly thinks the narrator is Ted, who seems to be living the narrator’s dream life.

Final Course, in which a man takes his daughter to a dinner party during the end of the world.

The Copy Shop, in which a woman discovers a copy shop that can improve upon the original.

Dust, in which a woman seems to be the only guest in an old hotel.

I’m not usually a big fan of short story collections, but I certainly enjoyed this one. Recommended.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story collection by C.J. Tudor, yes please!

First and foremost, read the personal introduction then dive in! Also, each short story has a brief explanation as to what inspired her to write that short story.

I am not always a fan of short stories, but I am a fan of C.J. Tudor, so I dove in and was not disappointed. With most short story collections, there are ones that I like more than others and those that do not work for me.

Every single short story in this book worked for me!!!!!! True, there were ones that I enjoyed more than others, but everyone was enjoyable (and fun)! Some were darker than others, but all were original, well thought out and creepy. I usually get upset with short stories due to feeling that just as they were getting good, they end. But here I thought Tudor ended them at the appropriate times. She provides the thrills and chills in her imaginative stories.

If you are a fan of short stories, a fan of Tudor and looking to try something new - look no further!

Tudor has established herself as a solid horror writer and now she has proven that she can nail the short story as well.

Creative, well written and dark!

#ASliverofDarkness #NetGalley

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not typically a reader of short story collections or anthologies, simply due to the fact that I feel like I can never become fully invested before the story is over. That said, these are well written and engaging stories, and the introduction to the collection, plus the introductions into each story were eye opening and unique, and I loved getting the insider glance into the inspiration behind each one. If you’re looking for a quick, spooky read, this one is it!

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Luvtoread (Trying to catch up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote: "Sometimes Fact Is More Disturbing Than Fiction"

C.J. Tudor has written a selection of quite a few deliciously innovative and seriously fun, short horror stories where there is something for every horror lover if not the entire collection.

I am normally not a big fan of short stories but found these to be an exception to the rule as I was delighted and wished there were many more to come when I finished the book. Before each story Ms. Tudor gave an introduction of how the story initiated in her clever mind and I appreciated learning how a thought became a conception and then a process to writing a story. I was amazed that I enjoyed all the stories although some more than others but all in all everyone of them was very good! A few of my favorites were "Butterfly Island", " The Lion at the Gate",⭐ "Gloria", "I'm Not Ted"⭐, "Final Course"⭐, and "End of the Liner"⭐ which was the first story in the book. So, you can see that I can only imagine that any reader will definitely find a few or more favorites among the collection. They can be creepy, eerie or humorous as well, all carrying a great horror vibe within all the mix. I highly recommend reading this set if you enjoy horror even a little bit as I'm pretty sure you will enjoy the whole collection. I'm so looking forward to reading my next book by this author and have really become a huge fan of her writing ability and style.

I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have give this terrific collection of stories a rating of 4 1/2 "FUNTASTIC AND CREEPILICIOUS" 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

[Chris Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J. Tudor’s “A Sliver of Darkness” is an exciting short story collection that was fantastic from start to finish. This book was recommended to me by a good GR friend, and I am so glad I saved it to my spooky read list. Each story has quite a bit of intrigue, scares, and immersion that I think just about everyone can enjoy. I had not read any of the author's work before this, but I will definitely start to read her back catalog.

One thing that stands out to me is how incredibly relatable each story is. You can tell that the author is having quite a bit of fun writing these stories, and the passion shines through. Each short is fun, dark, atmospheric, and overall creative. The horror is not shocking all the time. Sometimes it is sprinkled on top for a ‘slashtastic’ twist or a ferociously brilliant statement.

There are still a few spooky-season days left. What are you waiting for? Check this one out!

It’s so hard to review this as a whole, so I’ll just post the mini-reviews of each below.

~~~~~~~~~~~
❖ Story 1 | "End of the Liner" - A post-apocalyptic world where we follow a group of people stuck on a cruise ship for decades. Exciting and full of tense moments! | 4⭐'s
❖ Story 2 | "The Block" - A group of kids break into an old abandoned warehouse and find something unsettling. The location, setting, and twist was fantastic! | 4⭐'s
❖ Story 3 | "Runaway Blues" - A couple loves going to the Pink Flamingo to see their favorite blues singer. The singer has a mysterious hat box given to him by his love. What's inside is haunting. This one was amazing! Full of twists and turns. | 5⭐'s
❖ Story 4 | "The Completion" - A sordid real estate agent will do anything to sell an expensive property and the owner makes a deal that the firm cannot refuse. This one was so dark, grimy, and fun! These short stories keep getting better and better. | 5⭐'s
❖ Story 5 | "The Lion At The Gate" - A lion on a wall might just bite if you get too close. I enjoyed the idea behind this one. Very clever. | 4⭐'s
❖ Story 6 | "Gloria" - This could be my favorite short yet. It throws you right into a Luc Besson-inspired narrative that is compelling and full of tension. | 6 out of 5⭐'s 😁 | I was reminded of Natsuo Kirino's Out.
❖ Story 7 | "I am not Ted" - A case of mistaken identity might just leave the bloke in this story in a bit of hot water. The setup felt like a Monty Python sketch. I want to read the comedic version of this story now. | 3.5⭐'s
❖ Story 8&9 | "Final Course & Copy Shop" - A dinner party during the end of the world and a copy shop that do some hauntingly good work. I really enjoyed both of these stories quite a bit. | 4⭐'s"
❖ Story 10&11 | “Dust & Butterfly Island” – A dust storm covers an old hotel that holds some interesting secrets. Dust was probably my favorite one. (I think I have said this like 5 times previously) So crazy, but brilliant. Butterfly Island holds a being that may or may not be welcoming to castaways. This one was SO great. The author says this was her favorite to write. This was one of the best ones to read!

📝 | Extra | 📝’s
❖ Each and every story is great.
❖ Dust, Copy Shop, Gloria, and End of the Liner were my favorites, I think.

🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Shad – Rose Garden
❖ The Mouse Outfit – I Wonder
❖ Dizzee Rascal – Sittin’ Here

⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 5 out of 5

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am rating this enjoyable, gripping collection of short stories 4.5 Stars. This was a collection of eleven demented and disturbing short stories by C.J. Tudor. These thrillers were the type of short story I enjoyed, and I felt they were all above average. I don't often favour short stories. These appealed to me because they were written as complete plots with believable characters in extraordinary circumstances and a definite twist at the end. These short thrillers included horror, suspense, supernatural and the uncanny. None seemed inconclusive, and any expansion of the storylines was unnecessary. She prefaces each story by explaining how she was inspired to write each one. I especially enjoyed End of the Liner, The Block, Runaway Blues, and Butterfly Island.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advance copy of this terrific advance collection of thrilling horror and supernatural short stories. Publication is due November 8th.
Review vanished. Posting again.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

C.J. Tudor has become a favorite author of mine reminding me of early Stephen King, who I once greatly enjoyed. I was immediately drawn in by her introduction to this book of short stories where she shared the health challenges of her parents during the pandemic. This stressful time adversely affected a book she was writing, which was ultimately shelved. That's when she decided to change paradigms and express her love of writing through the short story medium. I never seek out short story compilations, but made an exception here because I really admire this author.

Tudor prefaced each short story with her real life experiences that inspired her to write them. I enjoyed reading tidbits about her life in Nottingham, England where she once worked as a dog walker. She was a natural writer without any specific school training for it, and marveled at the compensation when her short story offerings would be accepted by magazines and such. It could amount to weeks of dog walking!

Tudor's stories were often relevant to current events, swirling around possible apocalyptic endings, involving the usual evil tendencies of corruption, greed, self-preservation, apathy- and more. She has her finger on the pulse and pulled me into her terror vortex during almost every single story. She is a prescient, intuitive, masterful spinner of tales. As I finished each story I immediately summarized each one to possibly include in my review, but I think it's much kinder to allow the reader to go in blind and savor every bloody drop all by themselves.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across author CJ Tudor when I read ‘The Chalk man’ and have been hooked ever since. I am not a huge fan of short stories but this collection of eleven tales kept me gripped more than a lot do. My biggest criticisms with short stories is that they often just get interesting and then suddenly finish or they do not contain enough detail to fully entertain me. The stories in ‘A Sliver of Darkness’ did both and made fascinating reading.

This collection is well worth a closer look and kept me reading to the end.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Michael Joseph for supplying a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short stories in this collection include dystopia, horror and twisty surprises. I am not a huge fan of short stories, but I thought that all of these were good, and some were better than good. I wouldn’t describe any of them in exactly the way that the blurb does. There is an introduction from the author preceding each story. These were unnecessary as far as I’m concerned. Maybe for Edgar Allan Poe you might want to know the author’s thought process or creative inspiration. Here, not so much.

Some standouts for me were:

End of the Liner - A dystopian story in which the nature of a cruise is gradually revealed.

Runaway Blues. The narrator describes his experience with the Fat Man, an enigmatic blues musician. This one had the conclusion that shocked me the most.

Gloria. Is this cleaner good or bad? You decide.

The Copy Shop. A repair shop makes everything better.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Kelsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I understand the love for short stories now.

C.J. Tudor delivers horror through ten incredibly original and creepy tales, ranging from an apocalyptic cruise ship to cannibal butterflies. None of the stories were full on horror, so this is a great read for those who don’t typically read the genre or are just starting and wary of anything too gory.

I’m desperately hoping to see a few of the stories included fleshed out into full novels in the future!

[Dutchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This was absolutely great! I had some time to kill before leaving the house and didn't want to get invested in a whole book so thought best thing to do was try this one as it had some short stories. I'm usually not into a collection of short stories but I love this author and thought I would give it a try and was totally sucked in! One story turned into two which turned into three...and yes I was late leaving my house!

Each one was unique and what I really liked is how the author mixed current events along with a mix of supernatural/horror and blended both together so well they were kinda terrifying!

Each story starts off with a bit of background on what gave the author the idea of the short story and I thought that was a really good touch.

Just to give a sample of which ones I really liked( I really liked them all though!):

End of Liner was awesome and sad at the same time! I also liked the hidden meanings in regards to something "mouse" related. Totally made me chuckle each time

The Block reminded me of Stranger Things but that could be I was reading as my husband was watching it?!

Runaway Blues had a really good vibe but I got confused :(

I'm Not Ted and Final Course: Totally loved!!!!!!!

All in all they were all excellent and each had a unique tone. This author has come to be one of my favorites and each book seems to get better then the last! Each story had a menacing type tone but with a bit of dark humor in them that just made every one so captivating to read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this advanced copy.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A conversation I had with the beautiful Dolores at my local library as I returned A Sliver of Darkness:

​Dolores: Oh, Jesse, it's so good to see you. (As she holds out the community bowl of hard candies she keeps on her desk, all stuck together.)

​Jesse: Hey, Dolores, you're looking gorgeous as always! (As I pry a butterscotch candy free of the clump.)

​Dolores: You're such a sweet young man. Returning something?

​Jesse: Yeah, just this one. (I slide Caroline's A Sliver of Darkness across the desk.)

​Dolores: (She puts on the reading glasses she keeps on an elegant chain around her neck.) Short stories? Not your usual reading material. Did you enjoy it?

​Jesse: Well, short stories usually aren't my forte, but what Miss Caroline did here with this compilation was an absolute delight to read. They are dark, creepy, funny, and smart; they grabbed my attention more than short stories usually do.

​Dolores: Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are we still on for dinner tonight? 4:30 at my place?

​Jesse: I wouldn't miss it for the world.

​I had no idea when I picked this up that it was a book of short stories. It was one of those that end up on my to-be-read list, and I forgot what it was, but grabbed it when I saw it at the library, only knowing at one point I wanted to read it. Like I said, I'm not usually one for the short story format, but this one was actually a very enjoyable read. Sure, I wanted more of the story. That's my main problem with short stories: I get into the story, and in 30 or 40 pages, it's over. I always want more. But other than wanting more—wanting each story to be its own book—it was a really fun read. A great mix of horror, science fiction, and humor. I will definitely be trying more of Miss Tudor's works.

Oh sh#t! It's 4 o'clock! I gotta get ready to go to Dolores's. She scolds me when I'm late.

[Indieflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty impressive first anthology from CJ Tudor, eleven stories (not sure why the blurb for the above cover says ten 🤔), and in my opinion, no duds, I was sorry when it ended! A little introduction talking about the inspiration for each tale was a nice touch, and my library copy had a gorgeous cover too (not the one above). CJ Tudor is an auto request for me now, she goes from strength to strength, 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love short stories and I love C.J. Tudor, so what could be better? I already had a taste of Tudor’s short story writing when three were tacked on to an audio that I listened to a couple of years ago…one of them showed up in this collection (The Lion at the Gate) and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed it the first time. Too bad for the reader that the other two weren’t included in this collection because they too were great! One of them (The February House) was so beautifully written that I paused once or twice to savor the prose.

So, of course, I was a sucker for this book. Many of the stories are hilarious in a black and twisted way – I loved them all.

Since the book includes eleven stories and since they are short, I don’t think I’m up to the task of reviewing intelligently (do I ever?), so I will just say that they were comprised in equal measures of quirky, gory, zombie, flesh eating, cultish, horror, fantasy, futuristic, sci-fi, and even a dash of dystopian for good measure.

The stories:

End of the Liner – was my favorite, probably because of the ironic ending (I love ironic endings). It’s the end of the world as we know it; survivors live out their lives cruising the seas on Ocean Liners. The extravagance and opulence is still in evidence everywhere on board, but needless to say, a little shabby after (circa) 50+ years. Our MC, Leila, is about to be “retired” at the age of 75 (out with the old, make room for the new). Her friend Mirabelle appears to be well connected; she’s been 72 for the past five years. Leila is still mourning the loss of her daughter Addison who was “lost” at the age of 18. Be careful what you wish for…
The Block – slum neighborhood with a large spooky boarded up monolithic building – kids break in – there’s a reason this spooky looking building is boarded up!
Runaway Blues – what do these men keep in their hatboxes?
The Completion – I’m thinking Lenny Bruce….tonight tonight...somebody’s gonna get fried tonight….
The Lion at the Gate – You’ve never seen graffiti like this and if you get too close you might end up like my mates: Carl, Stiff, and Fallow.
Gloria – a sympathetic Cleaner/Hit Woman, going soft?
I’m not Ted – he'll get one last chance to withstand temptation and elevate.
Final Course – Don’t Open That Door! There’s a little of the Masque of the Red Death in this one
The Copy Shop – It can make anything as good as new…
Dust – How a Stepmother is rewarded for taking care of her stepchildren? …and, maybe a few others along the way
Butterfly Island – here’s my advice: stay away from anyone who says they have a great idea

One of the interesting things about this book was the introduction and the personal notes preceding each of the stories. I found it fascinating how some odd incident ignited the creative spark.

It has been said that CJ Tuder is GBs counter to Stephen King. So, if you are a King lover, this might be for you. Personally, I have never gotten through a King novel or managed to sit through a television or film version of his work (it’s not polite to boo), so I can’t compare. It could be the length of his novels with some weighing in at over 1000 pages. My eyes are always searching for another good read, so my attention span begins to crumble at around page 280 unless in the midst of an exciting finale.

All of Tudor’s books fit my palate, so as soon as I saw this was coming up, I recommended to all my libraries in the hopes that I’d be one of the first to get my hands on a copy. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for not making me wait and for providing me with an ARC of this book for review. You probably noticed - I loved it!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5-star collection of horror short stories! There wasn't a single story in this entire book that I did not like. Unfortunately, I have had a few bad dreams of a child who eats people. Lol! The first story was about people who were living on a cruise ship because living on land was no longer possble. I would have liked to have had an entire book on this story - I had so many scenarios I wanted to see finished. That's my feeling on a lot of short stories, though, wanting more.

There are 11 stories in this collection, C. J. Tudor's first short story collection. Every single one is worth reading. They are as follows:

End of the Liner
The Block
Runaway Blues
The Completion
The Lion at the Gate
Gloria
I'm Not Ted
Final Course
The Copy Shop
Dust
Butterfly Island

They are all memorable, which really amazes me since every short story collection I've read before has at least one story I didn't really care for - and this one doesn't. Each one is full of scary surprises. Butterfly Island left me hanging and full of questions, but I still liked the story. The Copy Shop, Runaway Blues, and I'm Not Ted were my favorites I think. The Block was the only one I felt was totally wrapped up and didn't need to be much longer. A couple reminded me of Stephen King. This is a great collection!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 8, 2022.

[Gareth Is Haunted · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is C.J. Tudor's first story collection and it turns out to be quite good.
I have read quite a few short stories or story collections by various authors and often there are a fair number of bad stories in each but for me, this book contained nothing but good solid work. Maybe it misses that star of the show but that is the only negative I can point out.
Good solid work and entertaining to boot!

I had intended to write small reviews for each story, but I can't do that without revealing some of the storylines and I hate spoilers.
Here are my ratings for each story:

End of the Liner⭐⭐⭐
The Block ⭐⭐⭐
Runaway Blues ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Completion ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Lion at the Gate ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gloria ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm Not Ted ⭐⭐
Final Course ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Copy Shop ⭐⭐⭐
Dust ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Butterfly Island ⭐⭐⭐