#BookReview The Gathering by C.J. Tudor @cjtudor @PenguinRandomCA #CJTudor #TheGathering #PenguinReads Title: The Gathering

Author: C.J. Tudor

Published by: Doubleday Canada on Apr. 9, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man

Deadhart, Alaska. 873. Living.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?


Review:

Unique, mysterious, and atmospheric!

The Gathering is a gritty, unsettling tale that takes you to Deadhart, Alaska, a small town that has lived a relatively quiet existence for the past twenty-five years since the Colony moved away after the death of a local boy. But now the Colony is back, and another young boy has suddenly been found with his throat ripped out, and the townspeople are no longer interested in finding the one person or thing responsible, they’re out for blood and won’t be happy until the whole Colony of vampyrs are slaughtered once and for all.

The writing is sharp and descriptive. The characters are meticulous, intelligent, and driven. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into a suspenseful, action-packed tale full of twists, turns, manipulation, deception, community, surprises, suspects, hostility, savagery, deduction, desperation, complex relationships, violence, murder, and the supernatural.

Overall, The Gathering is a clever, tight, disturbing thrill ride that had just the right amount of twists, turns, and surprises to keep me thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. It’s surprisingly the first novel I’ve read by Tudor, but I can guarantee you it won’t be my last.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About C.J. Tudor

C. J. Tudor is the author of The Drift, The Burning Girls, The Other People, The Hiding Place, and The Chalk Man, which won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, the Barry Award, and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut Novel. Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice-over artist, and dog walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much. She lives in England with her partner and daughter.

Photo: © Bill Waters

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