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The Burning Girls
A woman trying to outrun her past uncovers a great evil in the fourth riveting and psychologically compelling novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.
Welcome to Keeper's Croft. Five hundred years ago, protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. Forty years ago, two teenaged girls disappeared without a trace. And two months ago, the vicar of the local parish killed himself.
Reverend Alex Brooks, a single mother with a fourteen-year-old daughter and a heavy conscience, arrives in the village hoping to make a fresh start and find some peace. She left Nottingham after a vulnerable child died. It's a death she could have prevented, one that still haunts her. But Alex discovers that peace is the last thing she will find in Keeper's Croft.
Instead, the previous vicar has left a message. An old exorcism kit and a suicide note instruct Alex to search for the truth about the village's history and the girls' disappearance. And when both Alex and her daughter Flo are troubled by strange sightings in the old chapel--apparitions that seem all too real--it becomes apparent that there are ghosts here that refuse to be laid to rest.
But discovering the truth is hard in a village where everyone has something to protect, everyone has links with the village's bloody past and no one trusts an outsider.
Welcome to Keeper's Croft. Five hundred years ago, protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. Forty years ago, two teenaged girls disappeared without a trace. And two months ago, the vicar of the local parish killed himself.
Reverend Alex Brooks, a single mother with a fourteen-year-old daughter and a heavy conscience, arrives in the village hoping to make a fresh start and find some peace. She left Nottingham after a vulnerable child died. It's a death she could have prevented, one that still haunts her. But Alex discovers that peace is the last thing she will find in Keeper's Croft.
Instead, the previous vicar has left a message. An old exorcism kit and a suicide note instruct Alex to search for the truth about the village's history and the girls' disappearance. And when both Alex and her daughter Flo are troubled by strange sightings in the old chapel--apparitions that seem all too real--it becomes apparent that there are ghosts here that refuse to be laid to rest.
But discovering the truth is hard in a village where everyone has something to protect, everyone has links with the village's bloody past and no one trusts an outsider.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2021
1505 people are currently reading
91491 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Tudor
16 books8,681 followersC. 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,579 reviews
December 17, 2025
Nail-bitingly irritating, soul-crushingly blood-freezing, and terrifyingly heart-throbbing. Horror, thriller, and whodunit murder-mystery genres blend together captivatingly. And that final, utterly unexpected twist seals the deal: take my five billion stars and give me more magnificent books like this!
What an unputdownable, bumpy, jumpy ride.
A badass, smart, quick-witted female vicar, Jack, and her artistically talented, loner, equally smart daughter, Flo, move into one of the eeriest, creepiest, most haunted places imaginable: Chapel Croft—where eight Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake nearly five decades ago, and where two teenage girls vanished into thin air 30 years ago. And let’s not forget what happened to Jack’s predecessor: the last vicar in charge killed himself before they even arrived.
A dangerous man, recently released from prison, is coming for them. The ghosts of burning girls begin to appear before mother and daughter in the middle of nowhere, spiritually warning them. Meanwhile, all the townspeople act suspicious, as if they’re guarding a massive, terrifying secret.
As Vicar Jack Brooks (short for Jacqueline—don’t be fooled, the MC is a woman; I made that mistake in the first two or three pages and I’m still ashamed of myself!) digs deeper and edges closer to the truth, she realizes she has dragged herself and her daughter into one of the most dangerous places imaginable—to stare straight into the eyes of pure evil.
Yep, I love this author’s work. She knows exactly how to scare me shitless and keep me on my toes. That final twist? A full-on sucker punch to the face. I even wrote an emotional eulogy for my dying Spidey senses.
As an ultra-lucky cow, I’m incredibly grateful for this reviewer copy. Special thanks to NetGalley, dear Kathleen Quinlan, and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine Books for sending it to me in exchange for my honest thoughts. I loved it sooooo much!
What an unputdownable, bumpy, jumpy ride.
A badass, smart, quick-witted female vicar, Jack, and her artistically talented, loner, equally smart daughter, Flo, move into one of the eeriest, creepiest, most haunted places imaginable: Chapel Croft—where eight Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake nearly five decades ago, and where two teenage girls vanished into thin air 30 years ago. And let’s not forget what happened to Jack’s predecessor: the last vicar in charge killed himself before they even arrived.
A dangerous man, recently released from prison, is coming for them. The ghosts of burning girls begin to appear before mother and daughter in the middle of nowhere, spiritually warning them. Meanwhile, all the townspeople act suspicious, as if they’re guarding a massive, terrifying secret.
As Vicar Jack Brooks (short for Jacqueline—don’t be fooled, the MC is a woman; I made that mistake in the first two or three pages and I’m still ashamed of myself!) digs deeper and edges closer to the truth, she realizes she has dragged herself and her daughter into one of the most dangerous places imaginable—to stare straight into the eyes of pure evil.
Yep, I love this author’s work. She knows exactly how to scare me shitless and keep me on my toes. That final twist? A full-on sucker punch to the face. I even wrote an emotional eulogy for my dying Spidey senses.
As an ultra-lucky cow, I’m incredibly grateful for this reviewer copy. Special thanks to NetGalley, dear Kathleen Quinlan, and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine Books for sending it to me in exchange for my honest thoughts. I loved it sooooo much!
December 10, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
After a scandal at her previous church leaves a child dead, unconventional vicar, Jack Brooks, and her teenage daughter, Flo, are relocated to the village of Chapel Croft.
This is quite a shift from their life in Nottingham, but they're determined to make the best of it. The location is peaceful, remote and feels a million miles from their old life.
Upon arrival, they are surprised by the untidy condition of the old chapel and their new residence, but they don't have much choice. They need to make this work.
It also turns out that Chapel Croft, like many small towns, has a dark past buried not too far from the surface. Five hundred years ago, eight Protestants, including two young girls, were burned at the stake for their beliefs.
This incident has shaped the town in many ways and the descendants of these original martyrs are still held in high regard.
They also have a slightly disturbing tradition of making little stick dolls in memory of The Burning Girls; a few of which Jack and Flo stumble upon shortly after arriving in town.
More recently, the village has been plagued by other unfortunate events, like the disappearance of two teen girls thirty-years earlier.
In fact, just two months ago, the previous vicar tragically took his own life; a fact Jack was unaware of when she accepted the position.
The people of the village have been through a lot. Secrets and suspicions abound amongst the residents, and when outsiders move in, it tends to cause quite the stir.
Flo unfortunately runs into the local bullies fairly soon after arriving in town and they latch on to her as their newest target. She also makes a friend, Lucas Wrigley, who because of a neurological disorder, finds himself bullied as well.
For her part, Jack is doing her best to learn what she can about her new congregation and ingratiate herself to its people. Jack knows establishing strong personal relationships is key to her success there. She needs these people to trust her, if this placement is going to last.
However, some folks are easier to appease than others and Jack happens to be hiding a few secrets of her own, including the circumstances surrounding her departure from her former church.
The Burning Girls was such a fun read. It's a slow burn, but once Jack and Flo are settled in their new home, disturbing occurrences begin happening with more regularity.
From there, the pace continues to increase through the jaw-dropping finale.
There's some interesting subplots, where I wondered how it was all going to connect. Once the puzzle pieces fell into place, however, I was absolutely chilled.
I loved how Tudor brought this all together and honestly, didn't see it coming!
Additionally, I loved the overall atmosphere. Chapel Croft came to life within these pages. It felt ominous; that feeling where you know something is not right, but you can't quite put your finger on it.
There was a tremendous cast of characters. It felt like Jack and Flo against the world, which really increased the intensity. I just wanted them to pack their bags and move!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I had an absolute blast with it and can't wait to pick up more of Tudor's work!
After a scandal at her previous church leaves a child dead, unconventional vicar, Jack Brooks, and her teenage daughter, Flo, are relocated to the village of Chapel Croft.
This is quite a shift from their life in Nottingham, but they're determined to make the best of it. The location is peaceful, remote and feels a million miles from their old life.
Upon arrival, they are surprised by the untidy condition of the old chapel and their new residence, but they don't have much choice. They need to make this work.
It also turns out that Chapel Croft, like many small towns, has a dark past buried not too far from the surface. Five hundred years ago, eight Protestants, including two young girls, were burned at the stake for their beliefs.
This incident has shaped the town in many ways and the descendants of these original martyrs are still held in high regard.
They also have a slightly disturbing tradition of making little stick dolls in memory of The Burning Girls; a few of which Jack and Flo stumble upon shortly after arriving in town.
More recently, the village has been plagued by other unfortunate events, like the disappearance of two teen girls thirty-years earlier.
In fact, just two months ago, the previous vicar tragically took his own life; a fact Jack was unaware of when she accepted the position.
The people of the village have been through a lot. Secrets and suspicions abound amongst the residents, and when outsiders move in, it tends to cause quite the stir.
Flo unfortunately runs into the local bullies fairly soon after arriving in town and they latch on to her as their newest target. She also makes a friend, Lucas Wrigley, who because of a neurological disorder, finds himself bullied as well.
For her part, Jack is doing her best to learn what she can about her new congregation and ingratiate herself to its people. Jack knows establishing strong personal relationships is key to her success there. She needs these people to trust her, if this placement is going to last.
However, some folks are easier to appease than others and Jack happens to be hiding a few secrets of her own, including the circumstances surrounding her departure from her former church.
The Burning Girls was such a fun read. It's a slow burn, but once Jack and Flo are settled in their new home, disturbing occurrences begin happening with more regularity.
From there, the pace continues to increase through the jaw-dropping finale.
There's some interesting subplots, where I wondered how it was all going to connect. Once the puzzle pieces fell into place, however, I was absolutely chilled.
I loved how Tudor brought this all together and honestly, didn't see it coming!
Additionally, I loved the overall atmosphere. Chapel Croft came to life within these pages. It felt ominous; that feeling where you know something is not right, but you can't quite put your finger on it.
There was a tremendous cast of characters. It felt like Jack and Flo against the world, which really increased the intensity. I just wanted them to pack their bags and move!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.
I had an absolute blast with it and can't wait to pick up more of Tudor's work!
February 9, 2021
The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor
What a horrifying title, especially because it's referring to two young girls being burned, after being tortured, all in the name of religion. This happened 500 years ago, when eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake, in Chapel Croft. Now, Reverend Jack Brooks and her fifteen year old daughter are in Chapel Croft so that Jack can tend to the parish, after the last reverend hung himself. Although the location might have some slight resemblance to the TV show Midsomer Murders, as Jack will mention, things run much deeper and darker in Chapel Croft. Jack has her own murky path, covered in controversy, blood, and death and there is a violent stalker, who has just been released from prison.
Things immediately go badly when Jack and Flo arrive at their new home, with a bloody child arriving at the chapel, stories of sightings of the two burning martyred girls, and secretive and unwelcoming parishioners. Flo becomes friends with a strange, awkward boy, Jack is having terrible nightmares of the past and present, and few people want to discuss what has happened in the past. There is also the parish history of two teenage girls disappearing thirty years ago. And Jack is left a box that contains an exorcism kit and a scriptural warning. Jack is leaving a bloody controversy behind but seems to have landed in even more trouble than she has left.
I really enjoyed this story a lot although the teenage vicious bullying was more horrifying to me than the legends and sightings of the burning girls. But the bullying isn't just from teenagers, there are parishioners that are bullies, too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...parents need to beware of behavior that they may be passing on to their children. This is a complex tale with several timelines and with lots of characters to follow. After I finished the story, I had to think about what I'd read to figure out everything that had happened. It was less scary in a ghostly way but instead in real life "humans are cruel" way.
Publication: February 9, 2021
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
What a horrifying title, especially because it's referring to two young girls being burned, after being tortured, all in the name of religion. This happened 500 years ago, when eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake, in Chapel Croft. Now, Reverend Jack Brooks and her fifteen year old daughter are in Chapel Croft so that Jack can tend to the parish, after the last reverend hung himself. Although the location might have some slight resemblance to the TV show Midsomer Murders, as Jack will mention, things run much deeper and darker in Chapel Croft. Jack has her own murky path, covered in controversy, blood, and death and there is a violent stalker, who has just been released from prison.
Things immediately go badly when Jack and Flo arrive at their new home, with a bloody child arriving at the chapel, stories of sightings of the two burning martyred girls, and secretive and unwelcoming parishioners. Flo becomes friends with a strange, awkward boy, Jack is having terrible nightmares of the past and present, and few people want to discuss what has happened in the past. There is also the parish history of two teenage girls disappearing thirty years ago. And Jack is left a box that contains an exorcism kit and a scriptural warning. Jack is leaving a bloody controversy behind but seems to have landed in even more trouble than she has left.
I really enjoyed this story a lot although the teenage vicious bullying was more horrifying to me than the legends and sightings of the burning girls. But the bullying isn't just from teenagers, there are parishioners that are bullies, too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...parents need to beware of behavior that they may be passing on to their children. This is a complex tale with several timelines and with lots of characters to follow. After I finished the story, I had to think about what I'd read to figure out everything that had happened. It was less scary in a ghostly way but instead in real life "humans are cruel" way.
Publication: February 9, 2021
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 6, 2024
"The greatest gift the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
I am so happy to announce my first 5 star mystery-thriller of the year. This is exactly how a PERFECT atmospheric , engrossing, riveting, page turner, gripping , taut, unputdownable, nail-biter, well thought out ,pacy mystery thriller with plenty of creepy, spine-chilling moments is created. Some authors should take notes ( RS ) !
🔥 Plot
In short ⤵
ancient superstition + a decade old disappearance + some present sinister going on
I can't summarise it better, without giving too much away and spoiling everything.
I loved the way Tudor weaved the different strands together created a complex multi-layered story.The reader is left guessing until the last few chapters how these elements of the story relate and come together. Some excellent folk horror spills over into horror which was so perfectly woven I can't help but appreciate. I also loved the different perspectives of characters at times and the jumping from past to present. It made you understand the book more as well as understanding the characters.
🔥 Characters
-The two main characters, Jack and Flo, are well-drawn and likeable. Jack is immensely appealing: She curses and smokes, and her faith, which she explores throughout, is complicated.Flo is not what I would call your typical teenager but I really liked her as a Character and the chapters that were from her point of view. The relationship between mother and daughter was depicted truthfully without any sugarcoating. Apart from them there were so many small characters and I loved how no one is innocent and everyone has a past however much they think it is dead and buried.
🔥 Writing
- The writing flows well and is a quick and easy read. There is great tension, compelling atmosphere and unease. Overall it was engaging and gripped me.
🔥 Atmosphere
- The whole sinister, unsettling atmosphere of a small and remote village in the Countryside where the residents all pull together and have deep dark secrets that they have kept for hundreds of years was so refreshing to me . Yess call it weird , I live for dark and atmospheric things.
🔥 Twists and turns
-The twists and turns come thick and fast, the pace never letting up with short chapters, usually ending with a cliffhanger so leading the reader deeper into the story.The ending was electrifying, i couldn’t sleep post reading the book. Yet so worth reading at midnight. And that very last twist. You think you have it all figured it and then BAM! DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING, DID YA??
Bottom line ⤵
It is absolutely worth being exhausted from staying up so late. Trust me . Pick it up.
March 16, 2021
Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.
I wrote my very first book review a year ago. And over the past 12 months, I have failed to find, from start to finish, a truly satisfying thriller. One that is tightly and expertly written, amazingly entertaining, and not overly ludicrous.
You see, that’s the problem I have with the genre. While the majority of thrillers are, in fact, thrilling, I find so many of them to be absurd, plot-holed, and nonsensical.
But such is not the case with C.J. Tudor’s latest release, The Burning Girls. It checks all my boxes – and it’s absolutely fantastic.
The town of Chapel Croft has a tragic past. Centuries ago, Protestant martyrs were betrayed and burned. Thirty years ago, two teenage girls vanished, never to be found. And within the last few weeks, the local vicar hanged himself inside of the church.
Reverend Jacqueline “Jack” Brooks and her 14-year-old daughter, Flo, arrive in Chapel Croft, intent on starting over. But instead of being warmly received by the townspeople, they are greeted with apprehension, hostility, and an exorcism kit.
Yep. That’s right. An exorcism kit. How’s that for a welcome gift?
As Jack and Flo settle into Chapel Croft, it soon becomes clear the history of the town isn’t just riddled with death and disappearances. It has its fair share of ghosts, too.
When Flo begins seeing burning girls, terrifying visions of young women set aflame, Jack realizes that Chapel Croft’s horrid past no longer wants to be buried – and that it has risen from its grave.
Clearly, The Burning Girls is not your standard thriller. It’s more of a supernatural horror thriller, written very much in the same vein as an old-school Stephen King novel. While reading, it’s almost impossible to not see the similarities to King in both style and tone, and Tudor even gleefully meets the comparison head on by pointedly referencing the beloved author in the narrative.
And Tudor’s novel parallels King in a few other ways.
First off, it’s incredibly entertaining and compulsively readable. I didn’t ever want to put the book down, I was so riveted. And there is never ever a boring, dull moment, with Tudor’s straightforward writing making for a swift and easy read.
Secondly, it’s creepy as all get out and blatantly bloody and gory. The eerie and graphic nature of The Burning Girls makes it not an ideal read for the squeamish and those who dislike being scared. I’m not one to spook easily, but I definitely felt a chill slide down my spine a time or two. Tudor got me, and she got me good.
Thirdly, the novel stars an unforgettable and somewhat quirky lead character. Jack is just . . . so freakin’ cool. She’s a cigarette-smoking, bird-flipping priest who listens to The Killers and has to regularly remind herself to be Christian. She mothers fiercely, and she will unapologetically do whatever is necessary to protect Flo.
I wish I could drink a beer with Jack. We would get along quite well, I think.
And thriller fans – you can relax. Even with its notable King influence, The Burning Girls is still a thriller at heart, and it is filled with non-stop excitement and jaw-dropping twists. It is nowhere near lacking in the thrills department – it simply has chills to go along it.
Which brings me to the one downside of the novel. Tudor too loudly telegraphs her clues to the mysteries. She lays them out in the wide open for all to easily see, requiring only semi-close attention to be paid to find them. Therefore, I successfully solved the big twist and most of the novel’s side puzzles on my own, way earlier than I would have liked.
But it didn’t matter. Suspecting that I had the solution never detracted from my overall enjoyment, and I ultimately found the conclusion satisfying. There were still plenty of surprises for me along the way, and I even think I may have read the novel faster out of urgency to know whether my theories were correct.
And I will say this – those who are lucky enough to not see the big twist coming are in for a shock. The ending of The Burning Girls will knock your socks off.
Bravo, Ms. Tudor. All the stars for you – and my first ever five-star thriller review.
My sincerest appreciation to C.J. Tudor, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
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I wrote my very first book review a year ago. And over the past 12 months, I have failed to find, from start to finish, a truly satisfying thriller. One that is tightly and expertly written, amazingly entertaining, and not overly ludicrous.
You see, that’s the problem I have with the genre. While the majority of thrillers are, in fact, thrilling, I find so many of them to be absurd, plot-holed, and nonsensical.
But such is not the case with C.J. Tudor’s latest release, The Burning Girls. It checks all my boxes – and it’s absolutely fantastic.
The town of Chapel Croft has a tragic past. Centuries ago, Protestant martyrs were betrayed and burned. Thirty years ago, two teenage girls vanished, never to be found. And within the last few weeks, the local vicar hanged himself inside of the church.
Reverend Jacqueline “Jack” Brooks and her 14-year-old daughter, Flo, arrive in Chapel Croft, intent on starting over. But instead of being warmly received by the townspeople, they are greeted with apprehension, hostility, and an exorcism kit.
Yep. That’s right. An exorcism kit. How’s that for a welcome gift?
As Jack and Flo settle into Chapel Croft, it soon becomes clear the history of the town isn’t just riddled with death and disappearances. It has its fair share of ghosts, too.
When Flo begins seeing burning girls, terrifying visions of young women set aflame, Jack realizes that Chapel Croft’s horrid past no longer wants to be buried – and that it has risen from its grave.
Clearly, The Burning Girls is not your standard thriller. It’s more of a supernatural horror thriller, written very much in the same vein as an old-school Stephen King novel. While reading, it’s almost impossible to not see the similarities to King in both style and tone, and Tudor even gleefully meets the comparison head on by pointedly referencing the beloved author in the narrative.
And Tudor’s novel parallels King in a few other ways.
First off, it’s incredibly entertaining and compulsively readable. I didn’t ever want to put the book down, I was so riveted. And there is never ever a boring, dull moment, with Tudor’s straightforward writing making for a swift and easy read.
Secondly, it’s creepy as all get out and blatantly bloody and gory. The eerie and graphic nature of The Burning Girls makes it not an ideal read for the squeamish and those who dislike being scared. I’m not one to spook easily, but I definitely felt a chill slide down my spine a time or two. Tudor got me, and she got me good.
Thirdly, the novel stars an unforgettable and somewhat quirky lead character. Jack is just . . . so freakin’ cool. She’s a cigarette-smoking, bird-flipping priest who listens to The Killers and has to regularly remind herself to be Christian. She mothers fiercely, and she will unapologetically do whatever is necessary to protect Flo.
I wish I could drink a beer with Jack. We would get along quite well, I think.
And thriller fans – you can relax. Even with its notable King influence, The Burning Girls is still a thriller at heart, and it is filled with non-stop excitement and jaw-dropping twists. It is nowhere near lacking in the thrills department – it simply has chills to go along it.
Which brings me to the one downside of the novel. Tudor too loudly telegraphs her clues to the mysteries. She lays them out in the wide open for all to easily see, requiring only semi-close attention to be paid to find them. Therefore, I successfully solved the big twist and most of the novel’s side puzzles on my own, way earlier than I would have liked.
But it didn’t matter. Suspecting that I had the solution never detracted from my overall enjoyment, and I ultimately found the conclusion satisfying. There were still plenty of surprises for me along the way, and I even think I may have read the novel faster out of urgency to know whether my theories were correct.
And I will say this – those who are lucky enough to not see the big twist coming are in for a shock. The ending of The Burning Girls will knock your socks off.
Bravo, Ms. Tudor. All the stars for you – and my first ever five-star thriller review.
My sincerest appreciation to C.J. Tudor, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
December 8, 2020
Deceptive
“Who says the devil has to be a man?”
The Burning Girls is a creepy, atmospheric psychological thriller about an insular village with a dark past comprised of religious martyrs, missing girls, and exorcisms.
In response to a scandal, Vicar Jack Brooks and her 15-year-old daughter Flo move from urban Nottingham to a small village in the countryside. As the new Vicar of Chapel Croft, Jack does not find a warm welcome, to say the least. The village is filled with eccentric residents who are covering up scandals from the past, many leading directly back to Chapel Croft. As Flo and Jack make their way in this strange town, their lives are put in imminent danger.
The narrative alternates between Jack and Flo's POV's, but there are some chapters told from voices of the missing girls and other chapters from some other characters' POV's. I enjoyed Jack and Flo’s chapters, but I found the chapters from the missing girls and Jacob confusing, and in the end, they didn’t really add much overall.
Tudor sets up an eerie and tense atmosphere, with some paranormal events woven in. The atmosphere of the small cottage coupled with the crumbling chapel, had me freaked out and yelling at the characters for going into crumbling basements and other scary places alone. I was shaking my head often. I enjoyed Flo and Jack’s banter and their inner dialogue, especially when they were making stupid decisions. Lots of pop culture and film references added some much-needed humor.
“You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a person by their books.”
There are some surprising twists and turns. Although, some GIANT clues are given early on, and if one catches on, not much will be surprising. Thankfully, I read right past these clues! The beginning was a little slow, but once the events started coming together, the suspense ramps up, and this book becomes hard to put down. The last 20% was making me nervous. I was left with some questions, and I found the ending a little messy. Also, the epilogue was LAME! However, in the end, entertainment and intrigue won out, and I was left wanting to read another C.J. Tudor book!
“History is written by the ruthless.”
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
“Who says the devil has to be a man?”
The Burning Girls is a creepy, atmospheric psychological thriller about an insular village with a dark past comprised of religious martyrs, missing girls, and exorcisms.
In response to a scandal, Vicar Jack Brooks and her 15-year-old daughter Flo move from urban Nottingham to a small village in the countryside. As the new Vicar of Chapel Croft, Jack does not find a warm welcome, to say the least. The village is filled with eccentric residents who are covering up scandals from the past, many leading directly back to Chapel Croft. As Flo and Jack make their way in this strange town, their lives are put in imminent danger.
The narrative alternates between Jack and Flo's POV's, but there are some chapters told from voices of the missing girls and other chapters from some other characters' POV's. I enjoyed Jack and Flo’s chapters, but I found the chapters from the missing girls and Jacob confusing, and in the end, they didn’t really add much overall.
Tudor sets up an eerie and tense atmosphere, with some paranormal events woven in. The atmosphere of the small cottage coupled with the crumbling chapel, had me freaked out and yelling at the characters for going into crumbling basements and other scary places alone. I was shaking my head often. I enjoyed Flo and Jack’s banter and their inner dialogue, especially when they were making stupid decisions. Lots of pop culture and film references added some much-needed humor.
“You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a person by their books.”
There are some surprising twists and turns. Although, some GIANT clues are given early on, and if one catches on, not much will be surprising. Thankfully, I read right past these clues! The beginning was a little slow, but once the events started coming together, the suspense ramps up, and this book becomes hard to put down. The last 20% was making me nervous. I was left with some questions, and I found the ending a little messy. Also, the epilogue was LAME! However, in the end, entertainment and intrigue won out, and I was left wanting to read another C.J. Tudor book!
“History is written by the ruthless.”
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2020
City based Reverend, Jack Brooks, has been assigned a new posting in the little hamlet of Chapel Croft in Sussex. It’s a temporary posting, and not exactly a welcome one, especially for 15 year old daughter Flo. Flo definitely isn’t happy at finding herself at the back end of nowhere after living in the bustling city of Nottingham, especially as it means leaving all her friends behind.
Neither of them are happy actually, the chapel is a dump, and the house dilapidated, but serving the church has to come first.
They soon discover that Chapel Croft has a strange tradition called the Burning Girls, which commemorates local martyrs who were burned at the stake in the 16th century. It all gets very creepy after that!
In a community full of secrets, C J Tudor ever so slowly builds up the tension, to create a dark, creepy but thrilling mystery. Jack Brooks is a fantastic protagonist, not at all how you’d expect a Vicar to behave, and it adds a level of amusement to the proceedings. The plot was great too - twig dolls, eerie visions, strange goings on, and even stranger locals. A very compelling read!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Neither of them are happy actually, the chapel is a dump, and the house dilapidated, but serving the church has to come first.
They soon discover that Chapel Croft has a strange tradition called the Burning Girls, which commemorates local martyrs who were burned at the stake in the 16th century. It all gets very creepy after that!
In a community full of secrets, C J Tudor ever so slowly builds up the tension, to create a dark, creepy but thrilling mystery. Jack Brooks is a fantastic protagonist, not at all how you’d expect a Vicar to behave, and it adds a level of amusement to the proceedings. The plot was great too - twig dolls, eerie visions, strange goings on, and even stranger locals. A very compelling read!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
November 24, 2020
"The greatest gift the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
- The Usual Suspects
This book started slowly for me, and I found myself wondering what all the hype was about, but as I kept reading, I quickly realized what all the hype was about. This book will slowly creep up on you, tap you on the shoulder, and grab your attention and give you the creeps all at the same time. So, what I am saying is, if this book begins slowly for you, hang in there because the proverbial you-know-what is about to hit the fan.
Five hundred years ago in Chapel Croft, eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. Thirty years ago, in Chapel Croft, two teenage girls vanished without a trace. Two months ago, the local vicar killed himself.
Vicar Jack Brooks, a single mother of a fourteen-year-old daughter arrives in Chapel Croft hoping to make a fresh start. She is welcomed by an old exorcism kit and an interesting bunch of parishioners. Some welcoming, some guarded, some are downright hostile. Soon Jack's daughter Flo begins to have sightings...
If you think you know where this book is heading, think again. I love that I couldn't quite figure this book out but looking back there were several red herrings that upon finishing, I thought "of course" but hindsight is 20/20 as they say.
I really enjoyed how this book unfolded. She slowly built her story which was multilayered and then when the end was near, she had me on a roller coaster ride of twists, turns, and revelations. Notice I said revelations as there was more than one big reveal. Whew! C.J. Tudor has done it again and proved that she is a master storyteller.
Well written, well thought out, creepy with mounting tension and suspense. The Burning Girls does not disappoint.
Thank you to Random House - 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.
This book started slowly for me, and I found myself wondering what all the hype was about, but as I kept reading, I quickly realized what all the hype was about. This book will slowly creep up on you, tap you on the shoulder, and grab your attention and give you the creeps all at the same time. So, what I am saying is, if this book begins slowly for you, hang in there because the proverbial you-know-what is about to hit the fan.
Five hundred years ago in Chapel Croft, eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. Thirty years ago, in Chapel Croft, two teenage girls vanished without a trace. Two months ago, the local vicar killed himself.
Vicar Jack Brooks, a single mother of a fourteen-year-old daughter arrives in Chapel Croft hoping to make a fresh start. She is welcomed by an old exorcism kit and an interesting bunch of parishioners. Some welcoming, some guarded, some are downright hostile. Soon Jack's daughter Flo begins to have sightings...
If you think you know where this book is heading, think again. I love that I couldn't quite figure this book out but looking back there were several red herrings that upon finishing, I thought "of course" but hindsight is 20/20 as they say.
I really enjoyed how this book unfolded. She slowly built her story which was multilayered and then when the end was near, she had me on a roller coaster ride of twists, turns, and revelations. Notice I said revelations as there was more than one big reveal. Whew! C.J. Tudor has done it again and proved that she is a master storyteller.
Well written, well thought out, creepy with mounting tension and suspense. The Burning Girls does not disappoint.
Thank you to Random House - 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.
November 12, 2020
CJ Tudor's latest offering is an atmospheric psychological thriller shot through with elements of horror and the supernatural, set in the Sussex hamlet of Chapel Croft, defined by its 500 year old history where 2 young girls, the burning girls, were amongst a group of burned martyrs, an event still commemorated with the burning of twig girls. 30 years ago, two 15 year old girls, Merry Lane and Joy Harris went missing, assumed to have run away. More recently, the Reverend Fletcher committed suicide by hanging himself, leaving a vacancy that is filled temporarily by the widowed Reverend Jacqueline 'Jack' Brooks, a single mother with a 15 year old daughter, Flo, neither of whom are happy to be moving from Nottingham to a rural backwater after Jack's notoriety over the fate of young Ruby.
Jack is not your traditional vicar, a woman with vices and the common touch, with a troubling and traumatic personal history, and a close and tender relationship with her photography mad Flo, a bond strengthened by their outlier personalities, and the love of the underdog. Jack is greeted with the strange and creepy exorcism box and lines from the scriptures, on her arrival, and her worries are increased when Flo begins to see apparitions of the burning girls, one of whom is headless and armless, an ominous portent according to local folklore. Their baptism of fire continues with cruel and bullying teenagers, locals sent notes alluding to Jack's troubles in Nottingham, and Flo meets the bullied and shunned Lucas Wrigley suffering from dystonia. A troubled Jack can't identify why Flo's developing relationship with Wrigley makes her feels unsettled, although she admits any boy getting close to Flo would not be welcome.
As accidents, exorcisms, abuse, historical untruths, blackmail, missing knives, ancient skeletons, and murders, old and new, and much more come to light, not to mention the release of a prison inmate showing an inordinate interest in Jack, the narrative becomes loaded with tension and suspense, as grave dangers from numerous directions start to close in on Jack and Flo. Tudor excels in building an ever growing sense of dread and terror, in this compulsive and intense novel, her characterisation is so good, particularly of Jack, Flo and Wriggly. This will appeal to those who love their crime and thrillers on the darkest side of life and packed with twists and turns. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Jack is not your traditional vicar, a woman with vices and the common touch, with a troubling and traumatic personal history, and a close and tender relationship with her photography mad Flo, a bond strengthened by their outlier personalities, and the love of the underdog. Jack is greeted with the strange and creepy exorcism box and lines from the scriptures, on her arrival, and her worries are increased when Flo begins to see apparitions of the burning girls, one of whom is headless and armless, an ominous portent according to local folklore. Their baptism of fire continues with cruel and bullying teenagers, locals sent notes alluding to Jack's troubles in Nottingham, and Flo meets the bullied and shunned Lucas Wrigley suffering from dystonia. A troubled Jack can't identify why Flo's developing relationship with Wrigley makes her feels unsettled, although she admits any boy getting close to Flo would not be welcome.
As accidents, exorcisms, abuse, historical untruths, blackmail, missing knives, ancient skeletons, and murders, old and new, and much more come to light, not to mention the release of a prison inmate showing an inordinate interest in Jack, the narrative becomes loaded with tension and suspense, as grave dangers from numerous directions start to close in on Jack and Flo. Tudor excels in building an ever growing sense of dread and terror, in this compulsive and intense novel, her characterisation is so good, particularly of Jack, Flo and Wriggly. This will appeal to those who love their crime and thrillers on the darkest side of life and packed with twists and turns. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
January 2, 2021
Oh this is a difficult review for me to write. I really enjoyed “The Chalkman” and “The Other People” but with this new book I think that Ms.Tudor has crossed that line between thriller and horror.
This was a bit of a shock to me. I’m fine with ghosts and supernatural elements. The burning girls I knew were trying to warn them of bad things that were going to happen. The descriptions and stories of the Sussex Martyrs’ from the 16th century were appalling but those were different times.
What felt so very evil and stomach churning to me were the descriptions of teenage bullying, to the point of harm. Physical violence with a “satanic feel” made the book uncomfortable for me to read.
So those are some of the thoughts I wanted to share. As for a synopsis, this is a novel about a single priest, Jack, raising a 15 year old daughter, Flo. After an incident at her parish, involving an exorcism gone very wrong, she is assigned a position in a small town, Chapel Cross, where the 16th century burning of martyrs occurred. Jack is not really happy with the placement but she goes along with it. Her daughter would have preferred a larger city.
The congregation is a small one. Upon arriving, Jack finds out some things about her predecessor that are very disturbing. She’s also been left a box from him which includes an exorcism kit.
Aside from the dark history of the Sussex Martyrs’, there is also the mystery of two teenage girls missing for 30 years. The longer Jack and Flo are in the town the more secrets and lies they discover.
Meanwhile Flo is spending the summer quite alone. She isn’t bothered by it at first because she loves to take photographs and developes them herself. She and her mom are trying to decide if the basement could be converted to a darkroom.
Finally she meets a boy about her age. They have some great conversations and things are going well. Flo may be having her first teenage crush.
As with most young girls in love, sometimes Flo dropped her defenses and did some dangerous things. There will be lessons to be learned. Rosie is another “friend” to watch, she’s a real charmer.
There are so many twists in this one it will make your head spin. Unfortunately for me parts of this novel moved in the horror genre or mood and I didn’t enjoy that feeling. Obviously her writing is incredible if it can make me feel the horror, but I was sort of blindsided by it.
There are many people who loved this book. Ms. Tudor is an amazing writer, this story just wasn’t one of my favorites. One thing I think it lacked was character development, and perhaps that was partly the intent (you’ll know what I mean when you read the book)
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
The novel is set to publish on February 9, 2021
This was a bit of a shock to me. I’m fine with ghosts and supernatural elements. The burning girls I knew were trying to warn them of bad things that were going to happen. The descriptions and stories of the Sussex Martyrs’ from the 16th century were appalling but those were different times.
What felt so very evil and stomach churning to me were the descriptions of teenage bullying, to the point of harm. Physical violence with a “satanic feel” made the book uncomfortable for me to read.
So those are some of the thoughts I wanted to share. As for a synopsis, this is a novel about a single priest, Jack, raising a 15 year old daughter, Flo. After an incident at her parish, involving an exorcism gone very wrong, she is assigned a position in a small town, Chapel Cross, where the 16th century burning of martyrs occurred. Jack is not really happy with the placement but she goes along with it. Her daughter would have preferred a larger city.
The congregation is a small one. Upon arriving, Jack finds out some things about her predecessor that are very disturbing. She’s also been left a box from him which includes an exorcism kit.
Aside from the dark history of the Sussex Martyrs’, there is also the mystery of two teenage girls missing for 30 years. The longer Jack and Flo are in the town the more secrets and lies they discover.
Meanwhile Flo is spending the summer quite alone. She isn’t bothered by it at first because she loves to take photographs and developes them herself. She and her mom are trying to decide if the basement could be converted to a darkroom.
Finally she meets a boy about her age. They have some great conversations and things are going well. Flo may be having her first teenage crush.
As with most young girls in love, sometimes Flo dropped her defenses and did some dangerous things. There will be lessons to be learned. Rosie is another “friend” to watch, she’s a real charmer.
There are so many twists in this one it will make your head spin. Unfortunately for me parts of this novel moved in the horror genre or mood and I didn’t enjoy that feeling. Obviously her writing is incredible if it can make me feel the horror, but I was sort of blindsided by it.
There are many people who loved this book. Ms. Tudor is an amazing writer, this story just wasn’t one of my favorites. One thing I think it lacked was character development, and perhaps that was partly the intent (you’ll know what I mean when you read the book)
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
The novel is set to publish on February 9, 2021
April 23, 2022
Rounded down from roughly 4.5 stars ⭐️
The burning girls follows a vicar and their daughter, Flo, as they move to a new village. But there’s something dark and unusual going on here. The village is stuck in the past and has many secrets it is trying to protect. Are Jack and Flo safe here?
Wow, what a whirlwind of a book this one is! So much happened I’m still trying to unpick it all. It’s almost like reading multiple stories that have all been mashed together. I do like how they were all connected but it is hard for my brain to accept that it is all the same story. I loved the fast pace and short chapters. My main criticism is that I was able to guess some of the twists. This happens a lot to me, as an avid thriller reader, but luckily I was still surprised by some of the twists that happened! I also feel that the epilogue didn’t quite give the punchy finish I was craving.
That being said, I absolutely adored the atmosphere in this book. It reminded me of a wicker man/high school bully mash up! I almost felt like I was in a horror film that also involved a teenage high school. This book does touch on some very dark issues so please be cautious of possible triggers if you want to pick it up. I was almost left wanting more, I want to return to some of the characters and explore their lives and relationships more. The first thing I did when I put this book down was try to get my hands on all of CJ Tudor books!
I would recommend this book to any thriller fans! But please be cautious of possible triggers.
The burning girls follows a vicar and their daughter, Flo, as they move to a new village. But there’s something dark and unusual going on here. The village is stuck in the past and has many secrets it is trying to protect. Are Jack and Flo safe here?
Wow, what a whirlwind of a book this one is! So much happened I’m still trying to unpick it all. It’s almost like reading multiple stories that have all been mashed together. I do like how they were all connected but it is hard for my brain to accept that it is all the same story. I loved the fast pace and short chapters. My main criticism is that I was able to guess some of the twists. This happens a lot to me, as an avid thriller reader, but luckily I was still surprised by some of the twists that happened! I also feel that the epilogue didn’t quite give the punchy finish I was craving.
That being said, I absolutely adored the atmosphere in this book. It reminded me of a wicker man/high school bully mash up! I almost felt like I was in a horror film that also involved a teenage high school. This book does touch on some very dark issues so please be cautious of possible triggers if you want to pick it up. I was almost left wanting more, I want to return to some of the characters and explore their lives and relationships more. The first thing I did when I put this book down was try to get my hands on all of CJ Tudor books!
I would recommend this book to any thriller fans! But please be cautious of possible triggers.
December 23, 2020
Single mom Rev. Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo move to a small village in the English countryside, where Jack will be the new Vicar. But it soon becomes clear Chapel Croft is far from the idyllic peaceful village they were expecting. The town’s inhabitants are a quirky bunch and don’t give them the warmest of welcomes.
The village has a dark history involving the Sussex martyrs who were burned at the stake, the unsolved disappearance of two young girls 30 years ago, and the unexpected death of the previous Vicar. The spooky church and an exorcism kit complete with a dire warning complete the picture. Things turn even more ominous when Jack begins to experience strange dreams and Flo sees visions of the burning girls, said to be a harbinger of bad things to come. When the story takes off, the twists and revelations come fast and furious.
But what I loved the most about this story were the characters. Jack is a bit of an unconventional vicar, with a unique viewpoint for a woman of the cloth and lends out practical advice and wisdom to the villagers, along with acceptance and understanding. But not in a ‘holier-than-thou’ way, more of a ‘aren’t you a cool vicar’ way.
Tudor also nails the mother-daughter relationship. Flo is a good kid, an amateur photographer, but also a normal teenager, meaning she sometimes makes stupid decisions, and Jack handles it with love & skill.
If I have any complaints it’s that I would have preferred fewer points of view and chapter headings to indicate whose POV I was reading. The ending required a bit of suspension of disbelief but I expect that with this genre, and the journey to that point was so engaging I was able to look beyond it. This book ended a reading slump and is the first book I’ve finished in over a month.
C.J. Tudor is a master storyteller who weaves a delicious tale with subtle humor and wisdom, and the usual nod to Stephen King. I highlighted. A lot. Kudos to the author for completely surprising me with her ending – I didn’t see it coming. But looking back through my highlights I realized the breadcrumbs were there all along. Well-done!
*I received a digital copy of the book via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
* This was a buddy read with Marialyce, one we both enjoyed. For our duo reviews please visit https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
The village has a dark history involving the Sussex martyrs who were burned at the stake, the unsolved disappearance of two young girls 30 years ago, and the unexpected death of the previous Vicar. The spooky church and an exorcism kit complete with a dire warning complete the picture. Things turn even more ominous when Jack begins to experience strange dreams and Flo sees visions of the burning girls, said to be a harbinger of bad things to come. When the story takes off, the twists and revelations come fast and furious.
But what I loved the most about this story were the characters. Jack is a bit of an unconventional vicar, with a unique viewpoint for a woman of the cloth and lends out practical advice and wisdom to the villagers, along with acceptance and understanding. But not in a ‘holier-than-thou’ way, more of a ‘aren’t you a cool vicar’ way.
Tudor also nails the mother-daughter relationship. Flo is a good kid, an amateur photographer, but also a normal teenager, meaning she sometimes makes stupid decisions, and Jack handles it with love & skill.
If I have any complaints it’s that I would have preferred fewer points of view and chapter headings to indicate whose POV I was reading. The ending required a bit of suspension of disbelief but I expect that with this genre, and the journey to that point was so engaging I was able to look beyond it. This book ended a reading slump and is the first book I’ve finished in over a month.
C.J. Tudor is a master storyteller who weaves a delicious tale with subtle humor and wisdom, and the usual nod to Stephen King. I highlighted. A lot. Kudos to the author for completely surprising me with her ending – I didn’t see it coming. But looking back through my highlights I realized the breadcrumbs were there all along. Well-done!
*I received a digital copy of the book via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
* This was a buddy read with Marialyce, one we both enjoyed. For our duo reviews please visit https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
February 10, 2021
I have been hit and miss with this author since day one. Her first two books left me cold and I thought we would be parting ways. But no so fast.....
I took a chance with her last book The other People since the reviews were amazing and I finally saw what all the fuss was about. It was amazing.
So with this latest release by C.J. Tudor’s I went in with a slight case of nerves. Not knowing which side I would fall on. And.... I loved it! I think it’s safe to say I am now on the C.J. Tudor bandwagon. Please move over everyone and make room for me to join you all!
Vicar Jack Brooks has a new assignment. She is leaving Nottingham in a bit of well one could say a scandal. She is moved to a quiet village where the church hopes she can stay out of trouble. Ha! Apparently they don’t know this Jack Brooks very well.
I loved Vicar Brooks she was presented in such a way that I had to remind myself she was a woman of the church. Quite the character!
The atmosphere of the book is dark and eerie at times but never frightening. So have no fear my fellow scaredy-cats you can read this one with ease!
I am now anxiously awaiting C. J. Tudor’s next release.... this time with NO hesitation! I’m all in!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.
I took a chance with her last book The other People since the reviews were amazing and I finally saw what all the fuss was about. It was amazing.
So with this latest release by C.J. Tudor’s I went in with a slight case of nerves. Not knowing which side I would fall on. And.... I loved it! I think it’s safe to say I am now on the C.J. Tudor bandwagon. Please move over everyone and make room for me to join you all!
Vicar Jack Brooks has a new assignment. She is leaving Nottingham in a bit of well one could say a scandal. She is moved to a quiet village where the church hopes she can stay out of trouble. Ha! Apparently they don’t know this Jack Brooks very well.
I loved Vicar Brooks she was presented in such a way that I had to remind myself she was a woman of the church. Quite the character!
The atmosphere of the book is dark and eerie at times but never frightening. So have no fear my fellow scaredy-cats you can read this one with ease!
I am now anxiously awaiting C. J. Tudor’s next release.... this time with NO hesitation! I’m all in!
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.
August 31, 2021
I am going to keep this review nice and short. I got to get to the next book. Yo!! This book was a Home Run! The twists and turns in this book were EPIC! The characters were out of this world! The ending alone deserves 10 STARS! Lol! This was one of the best reads of the year for me! They just don’t make books like this anymore. This book was just mind blowing! There is no doubt in my mind about that! It will go on my favorite book list! Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP! 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇
November 18, 2020
‘By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes’
It sure does. Reverend Jack Brooks and daughter Flo get a temporary posting to Chapel Croft in Sussex after some problems in the old parish in Nottingham. What unfolds will not only blow your socks off, it’ll ignite them too.
This is very well written, I like the lively (oh boy, is it’s lively!) and engaging style and the humour between Jack and Flo which demonstrates their close relationship. I love the film references too and that the author challenges the readers expectations. There’s a good mixture of well depicted characters especially Jack and Flo, the latter being my stand out character. I love the weaving of the fact of the Sussex Martyrs of 1555-57 with the fiction and folklore of events in Chapel Croft with the burning omens of doom. There are surprises aplenty so expect your jaw to thud to the floor and your eyes to pop in shock. CJ Tudor uses all the senses to convey some horrifying occurrences with some examples of human cruelty. It is as scary as hell in places with some truly creeptastic locations and accompanied by spooky events to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. I did figure some aspects out as the clues are there but some came as a very unpleasant curveball. I had to reflect on the ending for a while but conclude it is good and very twisty. I like the symbolic way that Jack leaves the past behind.
Overall, another winner from the author and I have no doubt this will another best seller.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc copy for an honest review.
Something wicked this way comes’
It sure does. Reverend Jack Brooks and daughter Flo get a temporary posting to Chapel Croft in Sussex after some problems in the old parish in Nottingham. What unfolds will not only blow your socks off, it’ll ignite them too.
This is very well written, I like the lively (oh boy, is it’s lively!) and engaging style and the humour between Jack and Flo which demonstrates their close relationship. I love the film references too and that the author challenges the readers expectations. There’s a good mixture of well depicted characters especially Jack and Flo, the latter being my stand out character. I love the weaving of the fact of the Sussex Martyrs of 1555-57 with the fiction and folklore of events in Chapel Croft with the burning omens of doom. There are surprises aplenty so expect your jaw to thud to the floor and your eyes to pop in shock. CJ Tudor uses all the senses to convey some horrifying occurrences with some examples of human cruelty. It is as scary as hell in places with some truly creeptastic locations and accompanied by spooky events to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. I did figure some aspects out as the clues are there but some came as a very unpleasant curveball. I had to reflect on the ending for a while but conclude it is good and very twisty. I like the symbolic way that Jack leaves the past behind.
Overall, another winner from the author and I have no doubt this will another best seller.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc copy for an honest review.
May 31, 2021
My favorite Book Troop pick so far! See our full discussion here: https://youtu.be/e94l95qq-jc
December 29, 2020
Mysteries are my favorite genre but it’s the rare mystery that I award five stars. That’s because very few dive deep and have me thinking about more than the whodunit. So, kudos to CJ Tudor for achieving exactly that.
Some books start with a slow boil. And others start with a bang. This one is in the latter camp. Reverend Jack Brooks is forced to change her assignment after something goes wrong in her inner city parish. She’s sent to a small parish in the country, whose last minister committed suicide. The parish’s history also includes the burning of eight Protestants back during Queen Mary’s reign five hundred years ago.
Tudor writes an engaging, tension filled story. I appreciated her descriptive ability. “You can never leave your past behind you. It trails at your heels like a faithful old dog, refusing to leave you. And sometimes, it bites your arse.”
I really enjoyed Jack - her attitude, her philosophy about religion and motherhood. She’s got a dry sense of humor. Flo is an equally appealing character and I enjoyed the chapters alternating between the two. Tudor uses others, not just Jack, to express various thoughts on religion. There’s quite a bit of philosophy to this book and I found myself highlighting whole paragraphs.
There is a supernatural/horror subtheme to this book with ghosts making appearances. Normally, that would turn me off but not here. Jack’s backstory also factors into the current story. I didn't see any of the twists coming and was totally surprised by the ending.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book
Some books start with a slow boil. And others start with a bang. This one is in the latter camp. Reverend Jack Brooks is forced to change her assignment after something goes wrong in her inner city parish. She’s sent to a small parish in the country, whose last minister committed suicide. The parish’s history also includes the burning of eight Protestants back during Queen Mary’s reign five hundred years ago.
Tudor writes an engaging, tension filled story. I appreciated her descriptive ability. “You can never leave your past behind you. It trails at your heels like a faithful old dog, refusing to leave you. And sometimes, it bites your arse.”
I really enjoyed Jack - her attitude, her philosophy about religion and motherhood. She’s got a dry sense of humor. Flo is an equally appealing character and I enjoyed the chapters alternating between the two. Tudor uses others, not just Jack, to express various thoughts on religion. There’s quite a bit of philosophy to this book and I found myself highlighting whole paragraphs.
There is a supernatural/horror subtheme to this book with ghosts making appearances. Normally, that would turn me off but not here. Jack’s backstory also factors into the current story. I didn't see any of the twists coming and was totally surprised by the ending.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book
February 9, 2021
THE BURNING GIRLS STILL HAUNT THE CHAPEL...IF YOU SEE THEM, SOMETHING BAD WILL BEFALL YOU..
Reverend Jack Brooks is a Vicar with Vices, a wicked sense of humor, and a 15 year old daughter named Flo.
Transferred to Chapel Croft, on an interim basis, the two are greeted with replicas of the Burning girls-twig dolls made each year to commemorate the Sussex Martyrs-eight villagers burnt at the stake during Queen Mary’s purge of the Protestants (1553-8), which are set alight annually on the anniversary of the purge.
And, an exorcism Kit.
Because that isn’t all that has happened in this small town.
30 years ago, two teenage girls went missing, never to be seen or heard from again. And, two months ago, the presiding Vicar took his own life.
Now, Flo is starting to see visions of the original Burning Girls in the chapel and the adjacent graveyard.
This story starts with a simmer, as the plot points are developed, but the ending is SIZZLING! 🔥
I never saw the final reveal coming, and it elevated what had been just a “good “ read for me, to 4⭐️S!
Thank you to Ballantine Books for the invitation to read this early!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available NOW!
Reverend Jack Brooks is a Vicar with Vices, a wicked sense of humor, and a 15 year old daughter named Flo.
Transferred to Chapel Croft, on an interim basis, the two are greeted with replicas of the Burning girls-twig dolls made each year to commemorate the Sussex Martyrs-eight villagers burnt at the stake during Queen Mary’s purge of the Protestants (1553-8), which are set alight annually on the anniversary of the purge.
And, an exorcism Kit.
Because that isn’t all that has happened in this small town.
30 years ago, two teenage girls went missing, never to be seen or heard from again. And, two months ago, the presiding Vicar took his own life.
Now, Flo is starting to see visions of the original Burning Girls in the chapel and the adjacent graveyard.
This story starts with a simmer, as the plot points are developed, but the ending is SIZZLING! 🔥
I never saw the final reveal coming, and it elevated what had been just a “good “ read for me, to 4⭐️S!
Thank you to Ballantine Books for the invitation to read this early!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available NOW!
December 19, 2021
Eh, it's alright.
There were soo many strong elements in here which I liked and wish we really got to explore, but ultimately we were kinda held back by some strange plot holes and stranger character choices that didn't really make any sense. Oh well. Still a strong thriller though, imo.
Read this for a reading challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiHva...
3 STARS
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There were soo many strong elements in here which I liked and wish we really got to explore, but ultimately we were kinda held back by some strange plot holes and stranger character choices that didn't really make any sense. Oh well. Still a strong thriller though, imo.
Read this for a reading challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiHva...
3 STARS
Twitter | Bookstagram | Youtube |
January 31, 2021
What started out as a rather s-l-o-w burn turned into a fast-paced, frantic conclusion!
Jack Brooks is not your ordinary vicar and Chapel Croft is not your ordinary small town! Flo is Jack's 14 year old daughter and they both were hoping for a peaceful transition to their new fresh start, but the strange past and hidden secrets of the village begin to haunt them almost immediately.
I found the beginning slow and hard to connect all the dots. There are a few secret POV's and confusing at first, but they become apparent later. Once the story takes off, I couldn't stop reading it!
Very creepy, atmospheric with some elements of horror and supernatural events. It is clever and intense with a side of darkness
Thanks so much to NG for my advanced copy! OUT on February 9, 2021
February 20, 2021
Quite a decent thriller with reference to historical events. Reverend Jack Brooks, a single parent of a teenage girl and a priest, is assigned a new post in a remote village of Chapel Croft. here she is forced to face her new parishiners and the past, the distant one and her own.
I admit this was the most attractive offering by the Author I have read so far although the plot itself was not that gripping. Some developments surprised me which should be a good sign but the point is that they were too loosely connected and there were no hints earlier regarding the paths they might follow. The mystery should be a mystery but the revelation was a total surprise.
Overall, a quick read with some loose ends connected a little too hastily.
*Many thanks to C.J. Tudor, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I admit this was the most attractive offering by the Author I have read so far although the plot itself was not that gripping. Some developments surprised me which should be a good sign but the point is that they were too loosely connected and there were no hints earlier regarding the paths they might follow. The mystery should be a mystery but the revelation was a total surprise.
Overall, a quick read with some loose ends connected a little too hastily.
*Many thanks to C.J. Tudor, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
February 8, 2021
The book is definitely 🔥
Shortest Summary Ever: There’s a new vicar in town bringing her teen daughter from the city to the sticks (Bwahaha pun points). 500 years ago some martyrs were burned and now the townspeople burn stick people annually (how quaint). Weird and horrible things happened to the last vicar and now Vicar Jack and teen daughter Flo are experiencing strange moments as well. The townspeople are secretive and quiet and Jack sets out to discover the story...no matter the consequences.
Thoughts: I love mysteries set in the British countryside. I don’t know why.. lol. I also love folklore in haunted towns. Pardon the pun but this story was 🔥. Visions? Creepy twig dolls? Count me in. Narrated by vicar Jack (short for Jackie), this story twists more than my wine corkscrew (that’s a lot, don’t judge) as she navigates her way through this new assignment, all while playing the role of the amateur sleuth.
Jack is the star here and as stories from the townsfolk emerge, the reader starts to go “he did it! Wait ... no SHE did it!” It was truly one that left me guessing... and then shocked. Bewildered. Befuddled and bewitched by this amazing story. Truly one that’s unique and heart-pounding.
Heebie Jeebies? 7/10
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.
Genre: Mystery/British
Recommend to: Anyone lovin’ a good Brit mystery with some spooky elements, looking for a face-paced what-the-heck-is-happening book.
Not recommended to: hmm... I suppose if you hate British people but than you are bloody awful!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for making me swear off The Blair Witch Project, the forest, and anything else with wayward sticks.
Shortest Summary Ever: There’s a new vicar in town bringing her teen daughter from the city to the sticks (Bwahaha pun points). 500 years ago some martyrs were burned and now the townspeople burn stick people annually (how quaint). Weird and horrible things happened to the last vicar and now Vicar Jack and teen daughter Flo are experiencing strange moments as well. The townspeople are secretive and quiet and Jack sets out to discover the story...no matter the consequences.
Thoughts: I love mysteries set in the British countryside. I don’t know why.. lol. I also love folklore in haunted towns. Pardon the pun but this story was 🔥. Visions? Creepy twig dolls? Count me in. Narrated by vicar Jack (short for Jackie), this story twists more than my wine corkscrew (that’s a lot, don’t judge) as she navigates her way through this new assignment, all while playing the role of the amateur sleuth.
Jack is the star here and as stories from the townsfolk emerge, the reader starts to go “he did it! Wait ... no SHE did it!” It was truly one that left me guessing... and then shocked. Bewildered. Befuddled and bewitched by this amazing story. Truly one that’s unique and heart-pounding.
Heebie Jeebies? 7/10
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.
Genre: Mystery/British
Recommend to: Anyone lovin’ a good Brit mystery with some spooky elements, looking for a face-paced what-the-heck-is-happening book.
Not recommended to: hmm... I suppose if you hate British people but than you are bloody awful!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for making me swear off The Blair Witch Project, the forest, and anything else with wayward sticks.
February 15, 2021
Despite a lot of potential, this book was ultimately a disappointment. I had my small, personal gripes with the text: I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, I found some of the dialogue and techniques a little gimmicky, and I thought the book really suffered from some real “pick me” vibes from Jack, the protagonist, and her daughter who both are simply too cool for social media, modern pop culture, and anything conceived after the 80’s.
I was willing to compromise on the writing style and some of characterization choices that seemed a little too try hard, but then I started noticing a pattern with how characters in minority groups are represented. It absolutely soured the entire novel for me. I’d like to think that we as a society has moved passed damaging stereotypes and horror tropes that malign people with disabilities, black people, and queer folk... and yet here we are.
The problem with these choices in representation isn't that they can never be used, but that the use of these messy tropes necessitate sensitivity. When your black character is fulfilling a long-standing anti-black trope, are you doing the work of representing blackness or black community outside of this antagonist? When you rely on suspect horror tropes that center on people with disabilities and people with mental illness, are you also populating your story with characters who are also disabled, but good and dimensional? Also mentally ill, but kind? Horror is powerful because it reveals the anxieties of the powerful, but this does nothing to subvert, challenge, or even acknowledge how often our concepts of monstrous people are synonymous to disenfranchised Others. Instead, this novel reinforces the fear and the bias. Truly disappointing.
I was willing to compromise on the writing style and some of characterization choices that seemed a little too try hard, but then I started noticing a pattern with how characters in minority groups are represented. It absolutely soured the entire novel for me. I’d like to think that we as a society has moved passed damaging stereotypes and horror tropes that malign people with disabilities, black people, and queer folk... and yet here we are.
The problem with these choices in representation isn't that they can never be used, but that the use of these messy tropes necessitate sensitivity. When your black character is fulfilling a long-standing anti-black trope, are you doing the work of representing blackness or black community outside of this antagonist? When you rely on suspect horror tropes that center on people with disabilities and people with mental illness, are you also populating your story with characters who are also disabled, but good and dimensional? Also mentally ill, but kind? Horror is powerful because it reveals the anxieties of the powerful, but this does nothing to subvert, challenge, or even acknowledge how often our concepts of monstrous people are synonymous to disenfranchised Others. Instead, this novel reinforces the fear and the bias. Truly disappointing.
January 5, 2021
Review published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Bewitching, Spooky, and Suspenseful!
Jack Brooks is the new Vicar in Chapel Croft. She and her daughter Flo are new in town. Unfortunately for them, Chapel Croft has a history, and the community itself isn’t exactly welcoming.
What is the town known for, you ask? Exorcisms; Burning Girls; Martyrs; Missing Girls; and Murder.
Not exactly homey, if I do say so myself.
Upon moving into the cottage next to the Chapel, both Jack and Flo find themselves in danger, and neither is willing to admit it to the other.
Tsk tsk. Big Mistake! Huge, in Fact.
Ghosts of burning girls appear. Is it a trick of the eye? Most of the townsfolk act nice. Can they be trusted? Long kept secrets are discovered. What pray tell does it all mean?
The devil, my friends, is in the details.
Atmospheric, Dark, and Wholly Entertaining.
A brilliantly plotted, taut, character-driven suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. “The Burning Girls” is yet another winner by C.J. Tudor, who continues to impress me and give a nod to one of her (and my) favorite authors, Stephen King. 4.25 Stars
A huge thank you goes out to Kathleen Quinlan at Random House Publishing and NetGalley, for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 12.27.20.
Bewitching, Spooky, and Suspenseful!
Jack Brooks is the new Vicar in Chapel Croft. She and her daughter Flo are new in town. Unfortunately for them, Chapel Croft has a history, and the community itself isn’t exactly welcoming.
What is the town known for, you ask? Exorcisms; Burning Girls; Martyrs; Missing Girls; and Murder.
Not exactly homey, if I do say so myself.
Upon moving into the cottage next to the Chapel, both Jack and Flo find themselves in danger, and neither is willing to admit it to the other.
Tsk tsk. Big Mistake! Huge, in Fact.
Ghosts of burning girls appear. Is it a trick of the eye? Most of the townsfolk act nice. Can they be trusted? Long kept secrets are discovered. What pray tell does it all mean?
The devil, my friends, is in the details.
Atmospheric, Dark, and Wholly Entertaining.
A brilliantly plotted, taut, character-driven suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. “The Burning Girls” is yet another winner by C.J. Tudor, who continues to impress me and give a nod to one of her (and my) favorite authors, Stephen King. 4.25 Stars
A huge thank you goes out to Kathleen Quinlan at Random House Publishing and NetGalley, for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 12.27.20.
February 5, 2021
C.J. Tudor has really made a name for herself over these last few years and I am so genuinely happy for her.
BUT, her books never seem to wow me as they do others. There isn't anything inherently wrong with this book I just found it a little ... boring.
I really like Jack and Flo as characters. My biggest reservation with reading this one was that I was afraid that the religion aspect would be front and center and I am happy to say that it isn't. While she is a vicar and there is a church setting it doesn't ever come across as preachy. In fact, she isn't like most vicars and is willing to see outside the proverbial box making her an interesting character.
I think my main issue with this was all the side stories. It seemed to only muddy the waters of my reading experience.
I will say that the twists were done well and for that I have to hand it to her. She is incredibly clever to be able to genuinely surprise her readers.
All in all not a perfect book for me but not a bad book by any means and I am happy to have read it. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my digital copy.
BUT, her books never seem to wow me as they do others. There isn't anything inherently wrong with this book I just found it a little ... boring.
I really like Jack and Flo as characters. My biggest reservation with reading this one was that I was afraid that the religion aspect would be front and center and I am happy to say that it isn't. While she is a vicar and there is a church setting it doesn't ever come across as preachy. In fact, she isn't like most vicars and is willing to see outside the proverbial box making her an interesting character.
I think my main issue with this was all the side stories. It seemed to only muddy the waters of my reading experience.
I will say that the twists were done well and for that I have to hand it to her. She is incredibly clever to be able to genuinely surprise her readers.
All in all not a perfect book for me but not a bad book by any means and I am happy to have read it. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my digital copy.
February 13, 2021
4 Stars
C.J. Tudor has become a favorite author of mine when I'm in the mood for a creepy, unsettling read. Her debut The Chalk Man is still my absolute favorite so far, but this one settles in cozily at second place.
Female vicar Jack Brooks accepts a temporary post in Chapel Croft, a small, rural British farming town. Its claim to fame is a gruesome one. During the short reign of Catholic "Bloody Mary" (eldest daughter of King Henry VIII), there were burnings of religious heretics. Some of these were children- now memorialized as "The Burning Girls". A small monument was erected outside the chapel where little twig "girls" were sometimes left scattered at its base. A cemetery surrounded the church as well as its adjacent small cottage, new home for the vicar and her fifteen year old daughter Flo. It's said that the chapel is haunted by these girls, who were brutally dismembered prior to their burnings.
Jack and her daughter left their prior home in the city of Nottingham under a bit of scandal involving Jack's prior church. Teenage Flo was less than happy about leaving her friends and city life behind for the insular community of Chapel Croft. Jack is not only a vicar, but a Mom, and if it wasn't for the religious collar one wouldn't take her for a priest. In fact, one couple meeting with Jack regarding their upcoming nuptials complained that she might ruin the pictures! She had a penchant for smoking and a past with rough sleeping as a homeless teenager-until she found nurturing and support through the church. Now she feels like she's paying it forward in her own way.
There are terrifying ghostly sightings, an abandoned house of horror with demonic graffiti, local and distant murderous predators, and long held tragic secrets to unravel in Chapel Croft. I very much enjoyed the beginning of the story as Jack and her daughter were settling into a situation that was not ideal, but with the hope that they would triumph over adversity. As the story progressed things became increasingly sinister and unsafe, and the town's decades old mystery of two missing girls simmered slowly to its eventual resolution. I enjoyed the book overall, but became a little impatient towards the end. As always, I simply enjoy C.J. Tudor's writing style and will gravitate towards anything she writes in the future.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
C.J. Tudor has become a favorite author of mine when I'm in the mood for a creepy, unsettling read. Her debut The Chalk Man is still my absolute favorite so far, but this one settles in cozily at second place.
Female vicar Jack Brooks accepts a temporary post in Chapel Croft, a small, rural British farming town. Its claim to fame is a gruesome one. During the short reign of Catholic "Bloody Mary" (eldest daughter of King Henry VIII), there were burnings of religious heretics. Some of these were children- now memorialized as "The Burning Girls". A small monument was erected outside the chapel where little twig "girls" were sometimes left scattered at its base. A cemetery surrounded the church as well as its adjacent small cottage, new home for the vicar and her fifteen year old daughter Flo. It's said that the chapel is haunted by these girls, who were brutally dismembered prior to their burnings.
Jack and her daughter left their prior home in the city of Nottingham under a bit of scandal involving Jack's prior church. Teenage Flo was less than happy about leaving her friends and city life behind for the insular community of Chapel Croft. Jack is not only a vicar, but a Mom, and if it wasn't for the religious collar one wouldn't take her for a priest. In fact, one couple meeting with Jack regarding their upcoming nuptials complained that she might ruin the pictures! She had a penchant for smoking and a past with rough sleeping as a homeless teenager-until she found nurturing and support through the church. Now she feels like she's paying it forward in her own way.
There are terrifying ghostly sightings, an abandoned house of horror with demonic graffiti, local and distant murderous predators, and long held tragic secrets to unravel in Chapel Croft. I very much enjoyed the beginning of the story as Jack and her daughter were settling into a situation that was not ideal, but with the hope that they would triumph over adversity. As the story progressed things became increasingly sinister and unsafe, and the town's decades old mystery of two missing girls simmered slowly to its eventual resolution. I enjoyed the book overall, but became a little impatient towards the end. As always, I simply enjoy C.J. Tudor's writing style and will gravitate towards anything she writes in the future.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
April 24, 2021
Boy, do I LOVE C.J. Tudor books!! Since her debut, I've grown to trust that anything she releases is guaranteed to be worth purchasing and rereading down the line, so she's one of the few authors I have on my auto-buy list these days. That being said, I had read some rumblings about racial profiling in this book so I was actually a bit hesitant to give this one a chance, however I absolutely did not find or pick up on that at all while reading, thankfully. I simply enjoyed the combination of Horror & Thriller aspects in this, that were vintage Tudor, and needless to say, this one just flew by for me! In this novel we meet Jack Brooks, a widowed single mom and vicar, who has just recently moved to the small English village of Chapel Croft with her teenage daughter, Flo. Almost immediately, it's evident that Jack is leaving behind a tragic past, and wanting to start over at CC. As it goes with all small communities, outsiders aren't always welcome, and CC has a very dark and chilling history. Well, is it in fact history, or is something ominous still very much present and lurking amongst the Chapel's grounds? The creepiness is almost immediately palpable upon Jack and Flo's arrival, in the very first scene upon arrival, in fact! I loved how the dual timelines and perspectives illustrated a complex and head scratching mystery that had me biting my poor fingernails up until the very end! This was parts creepy ghost girls in a graveyard, parts decades old murder mystery, it pulled me in and I just had to know what exactly was going on!
I would probably put this as her second best novel yet, as The Hiding Place is still hands down my favorite of hers, but that's not to say this was not stellar in its own right. Can I mention again that I had absolutely no clue where this one was going?! There were several genre elements and I didn't know which direction exactly the story would go until the final page. That's a telltale sign of a fantastic read, in my books! Those of you all looking for an escape, don't put off reading this any longer if you haven't done so already, you will not be disappointed! Now the bothersome business of waiting another year for some more Tudor...ugh!! ;-( Until this time next year, indeed!
I would probably put this as her second best novel yet, as The Hiding Place is still hands down my favorite of hers, but that's not to say this was not stellar in its own right. Can I mention again that I had absolutely no clue where this one was going?! There were several genre elements and I didn't know which direction exactly the story would go until the final page. That's a telltale sign of a fantastic read, in my books! Those of you all looking for an escape, don't put off reading this any longer if you haven't done so already, you will not be disappointed! Now the bothersome business of waiting another year for some more Tudor...ugh!! ;-( Until this time next year, indeed!
March 1, 2022
Welcome to Chapel Croft where they used to burn witches and dead bodies are popping up all over town. If that isn't enough to jimmy your horror britches, there are weird twig dolls, hidden crypts, and burning girl ghosts....one without a head. The characters fit perfectly into the story. The twists kept coming all the way to the end. Recommend.
November 25, 2023
"For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel."-Martin Luther
Jack Brooks is FAR from your average vicar. Armed with a sharp tongue and a (somewhat secret) stash of cigarettes, there's one other fact that takes the villagers of Chapel Croft by surprise: Jack is not the feeble, kindly old man they pictured, but a woman..and a MOM, no less. With her teenage daughter (who is basically Lydia Deetz in the flesh) Flo by her side, Jack sets off to start life at a new parish after a mysterious tragedy forces her out of her former locale. After all, as a woman of God, there's certainly NOTHING she could have to hide...right?
It doesn't take Jack and Flo long to realize that their new home is replete with secrets - and horrors - of its own. The villagers take part in a ritual memorializing martyrs who were burned 500 years ago, where they light tiny wicker figurines on fire to symbolize the tragedy of innocent lives lost. But the terror in Chapel Croft didn't stop there: thirty years prior, two teenage girls disappeared without a trace...and the case has long gone cold. With a cadre of mistrustful villagers whispering in the wings, Jack slowly comes to find out that the post at church became vacant for a horrifying reason: the previous vicar was found dead in his own church...from an apparent suicide.
As Jack's feelings of uncertainty continue to multiply, she finds an exorcism kit on her front stoop one day with a note “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known." Somebody has been watching Jack and Flo...watching and lying in wait. As mother and daughter get drawn into the unsolved mysteries of the past, they both wonder who to trust, where the missing girls are...and if living in Chapel Croft has put them right in the hands of the Devil himself. Can the two band together to bring home the lost souls of the missing girls? Or is the chapel not a safe haven... but a direct portal to the terror of the underworld itself?
Tudor's bio mentions her love for Stephen King, and many have compared her books to those penned by the beloved master of horror...and in many ways, this comparison is apt. Tudor delivers the thrills, the chills, and the sort of unconventional, captivating characters that "Uncle Stevie" is known for. However, there's another author who comes to mind when I consider MY experience reading Tudor: one that popped into my head while reading her short story collection A Sliver of Darkness and kept lingering there for the duration of my reading experience. An author who I can credit as having started me down a path of LOVING thrillers, twists, and stories that feel at times far fetched but yet manage to stay SO grounded that I forget I'm even reading fiction.
None other than my FIRST favorite author, another master of delivering spooky with just the slightest twinge of humor: R.L. Stine.
There is this sort of eerie magic that leaps to mind whenever I remember the FEELING of reading one of Stine's books as a child and young adult, and how I could feel SO far removed from the outside world and entrenched in the magic of the genre that the world around me melted away...and I have come to realize that Tudor is 100% the 'adult' thriller author equivalent. There is a certain otherworldly feel to her books, as they lend themselves to mysterious backstories that seem rooted in reality but fantastical at the same time, and characters who (much like Tudor herself) are a bit quirky, quippy, and outside the 'norm' in ALL the best ways.
Tudor slyly weaves in enough pop culture references to make you smile and remind you of the time period, but there is also a certain timelessness to her writing that reminds me so much of King AND Stine. There are books of theirs I read 10 years ago that would feel JUST as fresh and creepy now whether they 'felt' like they were set in a time period or not, and Tudor's writing oozes this same addictive, compelling and enduring feel. I COULD NOT WAIT to pick this book up every time I had to leave it, and the mystery of the past was just as intriguing as the secret held by our MC Jack...and the way the two story lines wove together felt simply effortless. Narration bounced back and forth between past and present, with intriguing mystery narrators as well as balanced insight from both Jack and Flo along the way. Although I may have missed a boatload of breadcrumbs along the way (and I'm sure when I jump into the TV adaptation I'll be looking for them! 😉) I was properly taken aback MULTIPLE times while reading after some big reveals, and the third act finale is nothing short of a showstopper! (And might have you questioning whether you EVER feel safe alone in a church again...😳 💒)
If it's any indication of how I felt after reading this book, the FIRST thing I did after begrudgingly closing my digital copy was to RACE back to Goodreads to make sure each and every book of Tudor's was on my list! And if there's one way I could sum up Tudor's success?
You can "Chalk" it up to Tudor being unafraid to show her very own inner "Sliver of Darkness," emerge from her "Hiding Place," and outshine those "Other People" in the genre.
You know...if you catch my "Drift."
😉
5 shiny stars!
Jack Brooks is FAR from your average vicar. Armed with a sharp tongue and a (somewhat secret) stash of cigarettes, there's one other fact that takes the villagers of Chapel Croft by surprise: Jack is not the feeble, kindly old man they pictured, but a woman..and a MOM, no less. With her teenage daughter (who is basically Lydia Deetz in the flesh) Flo by her side, Jack sets off to start life at a new parish after a mysterious tragedy forces her out of her former locale. After all, as a woman of God, there's certainly NOTHING she could have to hide...right?
It doesn't take Jack and Flo long to realize that their new home is replete with secrets - and horrors - of its own. The villagers take part in a ritual memorializing martyrs who were burned 500 years ago, where they light tiny wicker figurines on fire to symbolize the tragedy of innocent lives lost. But the terror in Chapel Croft didn't stop there: thirty years prior, two teenage girls disappeared without a trace...and the case has long gone cold. With a cadre of mistrustful villagers whispering in the wings, Jack slowly comes to find out that the post at church became vacant for a horrifying reason: the previous vicar was found dead in his own church...from an apparent suicide.
As Jack's feelings of uncertainty continue to multiply, she finds an exorcism kit on her front stoop one day with a note “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known." Somebody has been watching Jack and Flo...watching and lying in wait. As mother and daughter get drawn into the unsolved mysteries of the past, they both wonder who to trust, where the missing girls are...and if living in Chapel Croft has put them right in the hands of the Devil himself. Can the two band together to bring home the lost souls of the missing girls? Or is the chapel not a safe haven... but a direct portal to the terror of the underworld itself?
Tudor's bio mentions her love for Stephen King, and many have compared her books to those penned by the beloved master of horror...and in many ways, this comparison is apt. Tudor delivers the thrills, the chills, and the sort of unconventional, captivating characters that "Uncle Stevie" is known for. However, there's another author who comes to mind when I consider MY experience reading Tudor: one that popped into my head while reading her short story collection A Sliver of Darkness and kept lingering there for the duration of my reading experience. An author who I can credit as having started me down a path of LOVING thrillers, twists, and stories that feel at times far fetched but yet manage to stay SO grounded that I forget I'm even reading fiction.
None other than my FIRST favorite author, another master of delivering spooky with just the slightest twinge of humor: R.L. Stine.
There is this sort of eerie magic that leaps to mind whenever I remember the FEELING of reading one of Stine's books as a child and young adult, and how I could feel SO far removed from the outside world and entrenched in the magic of the genre that the world around me melted away...and I have come to realize that Tudor is 100% the 'adult' thriller author equivalent. There is a certain otherworldly feel to her books, as they lend themselves to mysterious backstories that seem rooted in reality but fantastical at the same time, and characters who (much like Tudor herself) are a bit quirky, quippy, and outside the 'norm' in ALL the best ways.
Tudor slyly weaves in enough pop culture references to make you smile and remind you of the time period, but there is also a certain timelessness to her writing that reminds me so much of King AND Stine. There are books of theirs I read 10 years ago that would feel JUST as fresh and creepy now whether they 'felt' like they were set in a time period or not, and Tudor's writing oozes this same addictive, compelling and enduring feel. I COULD NOT WAIT to pick this book up every time I had to leave it, and the mystery of the past was just as intriguing as the secret held by our MC Jack...and the way the two story lines wove together felt simply effortless. Narration bounced back and forth between past and present, with intriguing mystery narrators as well as balanced insight from both Jack and Flo along the way. Although I may have missed a boatload of breadcrumbs along the way (and I'm sure when I jump into the TV adaptation I'll be looking for them! 😉) I was properly taken aback MULTIPLE times while reading after some big reveals, and the third act finale is nothing short of a showstopper! (And might have you questioning whether you EVER feel safe alone in a church again...😳 💒)
If it's any indication of how I felt after reading this book, the FIRST thing I did after begrudgingly closing my digital copy was to RACE back to Goodreads to make sure each and every book of Tudor's was on my list! And if there's one way I could sum up Tudor's success?
You can "Chalk" it up to Tudor being unafraid to show her very own inner "Sliver of Darkness," emerge from her "Hiding Place," and outshine those "Other People" in the genre.
You know...if you catch my "Drift."
😉
5 shiny stars!
March 29, 2021
Jack is a woman Vicar, a widow with a young daughter. When she is sent to a remote village and it's church she encounters a place steeped in superstition and legend. The burning girls were considered martyrs from the time of Queen Mary's reign, but there is are more recent mysteries that have never been solved.
Atmospheric and creepy, though not graphic. Tudor has become an author that I depend on for these twisty tales. Twisty this one is, there is much going on and the pages fly. The past meets the present and I was never quite sure what was going to happen or even what was true. The characters were brilliant, just the type of stereotype one would expect to find in a town where legend, church and superstition meets. Jack herself has secrets in her background that one doesn't expect but that proved necessary to the plot. Good story, can't wait to see what the next one holds.
ARC from Edelweiss.
Atmospheric and creepy, though not graphic. Tudor has become an author that I depend on for these twisty tales. Twisty this one is, there is much going on and the pages fly. The past meets the present and I was never quite sure what was going to happen or even what was true. The characters were brilliant, just the type of stereotype one would expect to find in a town where legend, church and superstition meets. Jack herself has secrets in her background that one doesn't expect but that proved necessary to the plot. Good story, can't wait to see what the next one holds.
ARC from Edelweiss.
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