Tag Archive for: CJ Tudor

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Gathering & Long Time Gone

 

Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. I hope everyone is doing well, enjoying their summer, and getting great reads in. I certainly am.   🙂   This week I happy to share my thoughts on another couple of great books I have read. C.J. Tudor’s, The Gathering, and Charlie Donlea’s, Long Time Gone. I highly recommend both of these books and authors.

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Gathering & Long Time GoneThe Gathering Goodreads

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publication Date: April 9, 2024

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Can C.J. Tudor write a bad book? In my opinion, the answer would be a big NO. Her latest book The Gathering will definitely be in my top five 2024 reads.

In the small town of Deadhart Alaska a fifteen-year-old boy is found dead with his throat ripped out. The citizens of the town are all on edge, they have not seen a killing like this in twenty-five years.  They know the vampyr colony living at the old mining settlement deep in the woods is responsible and they want a cull (authorization from the police to kill all vampyrs in the colony). Detective Barbara Atkins is a forensic detective who specializes in vampyr killings, and she has been brought in to determine if the Colony is responsible and authorize a cull. Barbara enlists the help of Deadhart’s former sheriff, Jenson Tucker, to help with her investigation. Tucker was the sheriff twenty-five years ago when the last killing took place, and he knows the Colony better than anyone.  As they dive into their investigation and the history of the town, they uncover dark secrets.  When more bodies turn up dead, the citizens of Deadhart are growing restless and time is running out for Barbara and Tucker. They need to figure out who is responsible for the murders before there is an all-out war between the citizens of Deadhart and the Vampyr Colony.

While I loved all the characters in this book, Barbara Akins was my favorite. She was one bad ass lady. She did not take her job lightly and even though she was getting pressure from her boss as well as the town to authorize a cull, she was not going to do that until she had all the facts.

I also loved the setting Tudor created. It is Alaska in the winter, so it is cold and dark. That just intensified the creepiness and supernatural feel of the book.  I also loved how Tudor redefined the vampyr stereotype. They don’t have a weakness for holy water or garlic and the sun does not burn them up. They can actually have children as well, with another vampyr or even a human. While some vampyrs do go rogue, most just want to live their life in their colony.

I loved everything about this book. C.J. Tudor did an amazing job of creating it all.  There were so many twists and turns. There was never a dull moment, and I was hooked from the very first page to the very last. And WOW! what an ending The Gathering had. I so hope there will be a sequel in the works soon.  4 ½ stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Gathering & Long Time GoneLong Time Gone Goodreads

Author: Charlie Donlea

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

Publisher: Kensington

Long Time Gone is the third book I have read by Charlie Donlea, and he is now on my must-read author list.

Dr. Sloan Hastings is a forensic scientist. Sloan has always known she was adopted and has never had any interest in searching for her biological parents, but in order to complete a research assignment she submits her DNA to an online genealogy site and the results turn Sloan’s world upside down and opens a thirty-year-old missing person’s case.  Thirty years ago, in the small town of Cedar Creek, Nevada, Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte” disappeared along with her parents. The results of Sloan’s DNA test confirms that she is Baby Charlotte. If Sloan is Baby Charlotte, then what happened to her biological parents? Sloan travels to Cedar Creek to meet the Margolis family and try and get answers on what happened to her parents. But those answers could put Sloan’s life in danger.

The story is told in a dual timeline. In the present timeline we follow Sloan as she tries to find the answers on what happened to her parents and why she was put up for adoption thirty years ago. And we also follow the story in the days leading up to the day Baby Charlotte and her parents went missing in July 1995.

Sloan teams up with the local sheriff, Eric Stamos, whose father was the sheriff back in 1995 and was investigating the disappearance until he died under suspicious circumstances a week after Baby Charlotte and her parents went missing.  I loved following Sloan and Eric as they worked to uncover what happened in 1995. Both being in law enforcement gave them information that would probably not be available to just anyone.  They need to tread lightly though because the Margolis family controls the town and Sloan and Eric need to make sure that the Margolis’ do not find out they are working together. Eric is sure that the information his father found out about the disappearance is the reason he died. And as information is uncovered, it looks like someone in the Margolis family knows more than they are saying.

I loved following the events in 1995 as well. For the most part we get the POV of Eric’s father as he is investigating the disappearance. But we also get the POV of Baby Charlotte’s mother. And by the end of the book when it was revealed what happened, I wanted to cry.

Long Time Gone was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. And what an end it was! I was on the edge of my seat; the tension was so high.  Charlie Donlea has once again delivered an amazing mystery.  I definitely recommend reading Long Time Gone, as well as his other books.  4 ½ stars 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Drift & Find Her

 

Sharon here with another edition of Thriller Thursday.  Both of the books I am reviewing this week take place during a snowstorm and since it is winter and cold here, they were the perfect settings to read while curled up on my couch under a blanket. 🙂    Here are my thoughts on C.J. Tudor’s, The Drift and Sarah A. Denzil’s, Find Her.

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Drift & Find HerThe Drift Goodreads

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publication Date: January 31, 2023

Publisher: Ballantine Books

C.J. Tudor is a must-read author for me. I have loved every one of her books and her newest book The Drift is no exception. Set in the dystopian future, there is a highly contagious and deadly virus ravaging the world and it is winning, but atop a ski resort is “The Retreat”, a chalet that has been converted into a scientific center that is working on vaccines to combat the virus.  The Drift is a story of survival that follows Hannah, Meg, and Carter as they try and survive long enough to reach The Retreat.

This story is told from the POVs of Hannah, Meg, and Carter. Each has their own survival story, all set during a snowstorm. I could not wait to find out how and when their stories would merge. When I found out how they merged, I was blown away! Tudor did an amazing job in laying out these three different settings, all the while keeping me in the dark on the outcome.

Hannah and some of her exclusive boarding school classmates were on their way to The Retreat, to keep them safe as the virus started infecting people at their school, when the bus they were on crashed. Hannah and a handful of others survive the crash, but they are trapped inside with no way to call for help. Even if they do manage to escape the bus, there is a storm raging outside and evil lurks in the woods. To survive they need to work together. I loved Hannah. She was a strong and very smart young woman. Her father is a scientist who is working at The Retreat, but we soon learn that her father is not a loving family man.

Carter works at The Retreat, but the generators have started to act up and with each waver the safe confines of The Retreat are threatened. When we first meet Carter there are only a few people left at The Retreat and the number dwindles quickly as the virus and the evils from the outside world penetrate the walls. I loved Carter as well. He was another strong character. He is not without his faults though and he did some not-so-great things, but the reasons he did what he did make up for it.

When we first meet Meg, she and five others awaken in a cable car suspended high above the ground. At first, they do not know where they are but then they remember they were on their way to The Retreat. As the temperature in the car drops, this group needs to figure a way out before they all die. And yes, I loved Meg too. Meg is a former police officer who lost her daughter to the virus ten years ago. She has had a tough time since her daughter died and I had so much sympathy for her.

Tudor did a great job of creating three separate settings and bringing them and the characters to life. This book had twists and turns that kept making my jaw drop. There were some gruesome and bloody scenes, so if you are squeamish be advised. The Drift is a wild ride of survival, that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing to an amazing ending.  4 ½ stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Drift & Find HerFind Her Goodreads

Author: Sarah A. Denzil

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

Publisher: Sarah Dalton

I liked the premise of Sarah A. Denzil’s newest book Find Her, an isolated hotel hosting three weddings during a snowstorm on Christmas day, three missing brides and three dead bodies. Yup my type of read and I am happy to say Find Her lived up to the hype I created in my mind.

Lucy is engaged to Henry, whose first wife died after falling down a flight of stairs. His teenage son Jacob does not like Lucy and is looking for any opportunity to get rid of her.

Mila is engaged to Rafael and their life together has been perfect, until his parents started insisting that Mila sign a prenuptial agreement which she is dead set against. Mila has an end game, but her past is starting to catch up to her and her plans need to be altered and fast before anyone finds out who she really is.

Claire is engaged to Adrianna and they cannot wait to get married, but someone is stalking Claire and making both of their lives miserable. Claire served on a jury for a gruesome murder and now someone is sending her photos from the crime scene, and she is sure it is the brother of the man she helped convict.

This book is told from multiple POV’s that lead up to the wedding and also the POV of one of the brides that is missing during the day of the wedding. I think Denzil did a great job of presenting so many views without having things get too complicated. I loved how she was able to bring each character to life and smoothly jump to each POV. Each of the characters had some sort of secret and I loved getting the bits of information on them and then trying to figure out what was going on. I especially liked the chapters from the unknown bride and trying to figure out who she was.

Out of all the characters Mila was my favorite. She was the more complex of them all. I also felt she was the strongest of the brides. I liked Claire and Lucy, but I did think they were a bit whinny at times. Yes, Claire had a psycho stalker after her and Lucy had a weird stepson following her, but I wish they could have been a bit more assertive. I think Mila jumped out at me more because she had more of a mystery to her and I couldn’t wait to find out what her end game was.

I know I didn’t say much of what went on in this book, but I don’t want to give anything away. Find Her starts off as a nice even paced read and by the end of the book the tension and pace picks up to full steam full of twists and turns.  4 stars

Reviews: Later & The Burning Girls

 

Hey, it’s Sharon and for today’s Thriller Thursday I am reviewing two books from two great horror authors. Stephen King’s new book Later (Hey, what would a Thriller Thursday be without a Stephen King book? LOL) and C.J. Tudor’s new book The Burning Girls. I couldn’t wait to read these books, and I am happy to say they did not disappoint.

 

Reviews: Later & The Burning GirlsLater Goodreads

Author: Stephen King

Publication Date: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Hard Case Crime

Stephen King is my all-time favorite author, and even though his new book, Later is not as long as his other books (it’s only 250 pages, short for a Stephen King book lol) he is still able to pull me in and make me become fully invested in the story and characters. It was everything I wanted/expected in a Stephen King read.

Jamie Conklin has a secret; he can see and talk to dead people. His mother urges him not to let anyone know what he can do. If anyone were to find out, they would use Jamie for their own purpose, and he could end up in a life-or-death situation. Which is exactly what happens when a New York city detective enlists Jamie’s help in stopping a killer from performing one final act from beyond the grave.

It is Jamie’s job to find out where this killer hid his final bomb, because you see when you ask a dead person a question, they have to tell the truth.

The book is narrated by Jamie Conklin, as he tells the story of his life, starting when he was 6 years old and through his teenage/young adult years. For the most part, the dead people that Jamie sees keep their distance and they fade away after a few days. That is until Jamie is thirteen years old and is pulled into the case with the NYPD. For some reason, this dead person does not fade away and keeps following Jamie. Jamie sees him outside of school, standing on the street late at night, and even in the elevator in their apartment building. Jamie needs to figure out how to make him go away, because he does not want to find out what will happen if he doesn’t.

I loved Jamie. Especially young Jamie, who just pulled at my heart strings. There is a scene at the beginning of the book when Jamie is six, he is walking home from school with this mother and he is holding a paper turkey he made. He thinks it is the cat’s ass, that is until they get to their apartment and find out their neighbor Mrs. Burkett has died. When Jamie sees Mr. Burkett crying, he tries to cheer him up by showing him his turkey. But then he sees Mrs. Burkett and when he proudly shows her his turkey, she tells Jamie it is more like what comes out of a cat’s ass. Aww Poor Jamie. I just wanted to hug him.

I also loved the relationship between Jamie and his mother. It is just the two of them and they both are protective of each other. They had a very special bond. And I as I was reading, I kept hoping nothing bad was going to happen to either of them.

This is a horror story, but it is also a coming-of-age story as Jamie navigates through life, as the boy who can see and talk to dead people. If you are a fan of Stephen King, I recommend this book and think you will love it.    4 ½ stars

 

Reviews: Later & The Burning GirlsThe Burning Girls Goodreads

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publication Date: February 9, 2021

Publisher: Ballantine Books

C.J. Tudor has become a must-read author for me. I loved her earlier books, The Chalk Man, The Hiding Place; and The Other People so I couldn’t wait to read The Burning Girls.  I am glad to say that it lived up to my expectations.

Chapel Croft is a small village in Sussex, England. Five hundred years ago eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake, two of which were children. Thirty years ago, 2 local teenage girls went missing. And two months ago, the local vicar killed himself.  Every year to commemorate the anniversary of the protestant martyrs the townspeople have a bonfire in the cemetery next to the chapel and burn twig figures, known as the burning girls.

Reverend Jack Brooks and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Flo, have just moved to Chapel Croft.  Jack will be the interim vicar until a permanent one can be found. Jack is hoping for a fresh start for her and her daughter. As soon as Jack and Flo arrive, a small child covered in blood shows up at the chapel. Then Jack receives a package, that includes an exorcism kit. Flo befriends a strange local boy, has a few run-ins with some bullies and is having strange sightings of the burning girls.  While cleaning out the basement in their house, Jack finds folders that belonged to the previous vicar which contain research into the 2 girls that disappeared thirty years ago. As Jack investigates these strange occurrences, she finds that the people in Chapel Croft do not want their secrets to be revealed and will do whatever they have to do to stop that from happening. So much for the peaceful fresh start Jack was hoping for.

The book is told from the POV of Jack and Flo.  I loved their mother/daughter relationship. I especially liked Jack though, she was a down to earth flawed character and not your typical vicar. She smokes (behind her daughter’s back lol), drinks and swears when it is called for. And she is also a mother that will do anything to protect her daughter.

This book was filled with lots of twists and turns and I couldn’t wait to see if the martyrs, the missing girls and the vicar that killed himself were connected or not. I thought I had things figured out a few times, but I was wrong each time. The tension and suspense really pick up at the end with a final jaw dropping twist.   4 ½ stars