The works of Tudor have always blown me away. If you haven't heard of this author, you need to fix that ASAP. I don't think I've ever been disappointed by any of her books. I thought it would be fun to share my favourites!
You can find more about the author on the following links
Tudor's books can be described as suspense thrillers that strongly stir an eerie atmosphere. These are my favourites of the books I have already read.
The Burning Girls
I've already mentioned this book before in my Real Page Turners Post.
This is one of the most recent Tudor books I've read. I remember being all giddy and excited when it finally arrived in the post. Getting a signed copy was certainly the icing on the cake.
I was not disappointed with this book. I think I finished it in a single evening. This book ticked every box for me. It was fast-paced, creepy, and exceptionally well written. I gave this book the full five stars on GoodReads because I simply couldn't fault it. I remember whilst reading, my cat Buzz was under my bed and he did scare the crap out of me when he started rustling about. I think he thought he was being clever...
“Bad memories are like splinters. Sometimes painful, but you learn to live with them. The problem is, they always work their way to the surface eventually."
As the spooky season is approaching, I would strongly recommend adding this book to your TBR. This book was simply brilliant.
Synopsis:
Chapel Croft. 500 years ago, eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake. Thirty years ago, two teenage girls disappeared. Two months ago, the vicar committed suicide.
Sounds like a lovely new home...
The Other People
The little demon kitty here is Buzz.
I think this was another Tudor book that I read very quickly - I couldn't put it down. This book, for me, was packed full of suspense whereas The Burning Girls was more of a creepy read.
I remember reading this one and being completely fixated on trying to work out the disappearance of five-year-old Izzy. I picked this one up after I read my first Tudor book, The Chalk Man.
If you love mysteries and suspense thrillers, this is a great book to try out. With every book I have read so far, Tudor has consistently kept me hooked. From the first few chapters of The Other People I knew I was in for a treat.
“People say hate and bitterness will destroy you. They’re wrong. It’s hope. Hope will devour you from the inside like a parasite. It will leave you hanging like bait above a shark. But hope won’t kill you. It’s not that kind.”
Synopsis:
One night, Gabe is driving home when he spots a little girl in another car. She mouths the word "daddy". It's his five-year-old daughter, Izzy. He never sees her again.
The Taking of Annie Thorne
When I was reading this one, I remember putting it down for a moment after the first chapter and saying "Jesus Christ!" I think what I love so much about Tudor's writing style is that it reminds me a bit of Agatha Christie. What I mean by this is that Christie never really spent loads of chapters building up to her mysteries - she was very much straight to the point (A Pocket Full of Rye had a murder within the first five pages!)
Tudor's work is similar in that she can hook her audience from the first few pages. I was intrigued from the very beginning. This book will for sure give you the chills and if it doesn't, you are officially hardcore. Like with The Burning Girls, it's worth adding to your Halloween TBR.
This book certainly stirred an eerie atmosphere. It's probably best to read these books during the day rather than at home alone at night.
“Never trust a person whose bookshelves are lined with pristine books, or worse, someone who places the books with their covers facing outwards. That person is not a reader. That person is a shower."
Synopsis:
One night, Annie vanished. Everyone assumed the worst. One day, she suddenly returned. She wasn't my Annie though. Something about her was different. I was now scared to death of my litter sister.
The Chalk Man
This was the first Tudor book I read. My sister lent me her copy and assured me that it was a creepy page-turner. She was right!
I had just started to get back into reading, devouring every Christie book I could get my hands on. My sister knew I loved mysteries, so she suggested trying this one. If you like books by Alex North and Riley Sager, you would enjoy The Chalk Man. Like Tudor's other books, this one made me feel on edge whilst reading. I think it's great for any fan of thrillers.
I think if you had to twist my arm and pick my favourite Tudor book, it would have to be The Burning Girls. I am a little bit sentimental towards The Chalk Man because it was the first Tudor book I read.
“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”
Synopsis:
It's 1986 and Eddie and his friends are kids that love biking around their sleepy English village. They draw little chalk men as their secret code. One day, these chalk men lead the kids to a dismembered body...
A Sliver of Darkness
Here is one of Tudor's latest publications, with each short story as disturbing and haunting as the last. The two stories, End of the Liner and Runaway Blues hit me the most - I found them so creepy!
You'll find yourself completely engulfed in a particular world for it to only suddenly end in an eerie way. It would be so fun if Tudor expanded on some of these stories and characters. The first story, in particular, End of the Liner, was absolutely brilliant and has so much potential. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters. I would love to read about Leila's life before the cruise ship, her early life getting on and how its tight regime settled. I was so chuffed when I finished this book and it exceeded my expectations. If you like horror, disturbing and thrilling fiction, you need to add this book to your TBR!
'Like everything on board, it was all a facade. Scratch beneath the surface and nothing was quite what it seemed.'
In eleven haunting tales, Tudor brings our worst fears and demons to life in A Sliver of Darkness
The Drift
I was very excited to receive an ARC of Tudor's newest book which was published in the UK on the 19th of January 2023. If you like creepy, dystopian fiction, this is a great thriller to pick up. This one is definitely more gruesome in comparison to her other books so it might not be a good idea to read this one late at night.
I loved how this book took such an unexpected turn. Usually, with thriller writers like Tudor, you expect a certain level of twists and developments, but The Drift took a really unique turn. This story follows three different characters in equally dangerous and frightening circumstances and you'll find it increasingly harder to put the book down. It's a great cosy page-turner to read whilst curled up with a blanket and a hot drink.
'I had started to notice how careless people were; like they didn't realise how important it was to hold onto things or they could be gone forever.'
Hannah wakes up with a handful of survivors after their coach crashes in a snowstorm.
Meg is trapped in a small cable cart with a few strangers...and a body.
Carter lives in an abandoned ski resort, doing his best to survive since a deadly virus engulfed the world.
Hannah, Meg and Carter are just one piece in a deadly puzzle. The true threat is nothing they could ever have anticipated.
I hope this post has been useful if you want to try out a book by C.J. Tudor. If I'm being completely honest, you can't go wrong. The writing and delivery are consistent throughout.
If you want to get yourself a copy, I made a post on independent bookstore sites
All of these photographs are my own and can be found on my Instagram @readwithmims
New Instagram Account: @jemima_reads
Happy Reading!
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