The Hiding Place by C.J. Tudor is one of those books that has you wondering three-quarters of the way through about what just happened. This book took a dark twist from what I had predicted. Joe has been wandering aimlessly throughout his adult life after he tragically lost his father and sister. Now he's back in his hometown trying to make a go of it as a teacher at his former school. He soon gets caught up in some leftover drama from his past. Read and enjoy!

Synopsis
Joe Thorne never thought he’d return to Arnhill, the little northern England town where he grew up, but he finds himself taking a job as a teacher at the local school. But he doesn’t take the job because he’s desperate for an income, or even because he’s driven to help the students. Something terrible happened in this town when he was a child, and he thinks that it might be happening again.
Plot
I was enthralled by The Hiding Place from cover to cover. This is one of the most engaging books I’ve read in a while. Giving it 5 stars was a no-brainer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes that feel of Gothic horror without it being too terrifying to be able to sleep afterwards.
While insanely atmospheric, C. J. Tudor keeps the plot moving forward. There are numerous extendd flashbacks Joe’s schoolboy days, slowly revealing what really happened twenty years ago. While incredibly creepy, I wouldn’t quite classify this book as a horror, although towards the end things definitely turn… horrific.
There are quite a few twists in this story. A few of them I saw coming a mile away, but I didn’t mind. The tumultuous journey towards these twists was so damn appealing.
Characters
While I’m beginning to tire of the trope of the main character being incredibly flawed and unlikeable, this book is an exception. Joe Thorne is a liar. He’s a coward. He’s a tad narcissistic. He even has a limp and a gambling addiction which contribute to the myriad of problems he faces in the book. But he still has a spark of likeability, and I think it’s because of a combination of two things. He’s got a great sense of humour—that dry sarcasm that I greatly appreciate in a protagonist. He also feels terribly about how he handled things when he was child, and he’s hoping to make up for his mistakes. All these characteristics make for a dynamic and fascinating main character.
Language
This book wouldn’t be so mind-blowing if it weren’t impeccably written. C. J. Tudor has a gift for language, and she had more than a handful of lines that gave me chills. That said, occasionally the book bordered on pretentious. Joe Thorne has a lot of observations about the world, and occasionally I would cringe at how ostentatious he was coming across. That said, I really didn’t notice this too much until towards the end, and by then I was so invested that it would have taken a sledgehammer of prose to get me to quit reading.

While this book has supernatural elements, it shares a lot in common with the typical psychological thriller that it would appeal to everyone, except for people who detest anything remotely fantastical with every ounce of their bones. I recommend this who wants to read a spooky story set in a small town that’s rife with a dark history, muddy present, and unclear future.

This review will be posted on May 7, 2019

This book did not disappoint. What a great thriller. I thought I had this all figured out but I was so wrong.

This was such an intense and gripping thriller! I found Joe's life and circumstances incredibly interesting right away. I really appreciated the slow reveal of Joe's personality and problems throughout the story. As much as I enjoyed reading about him and getting to know him, I did think his problems were solved a little too neatly and predictably. Despite this, I still really enjoyed The Hiding Place and would definitely recommend it to thriller lovers!

Awesome!!! Just Awesome C.J. !!!!

To have your past pull at you for 25 years, Joe had to go back and settle his issues. Is Joe a choir boy? I don't think he is. Joe must go the the past, so he can face the future.

C.J. wrote a truly amazing mystery, that kept twisting until the very end.

When Joe Thorne receives a mysterious email from an anonymous sender informing him that ‘it’s happening again’, he knows he must return to his hometown Arnhill, an old English mining town that has seen better days. He returns reluctantly, gets a teaching job at his old high school and soon finds out that no one is happy that he’s back. Joe Thorne, the protagonist in CJ Tudor’s new book The Hiding Place, is a damaged man, both physically and emotionally, and he knows he shouldn’t have returned to the town where so many memories haunt him. As we get to know this curmudgeonly Joe, we realize that he’s got many demons from his past on his trail, some of whom are still actively trying to hurt him.

I loved C. J. Tudor’s first thriller, The Chalk Man, and had high hopes for this second book and I was not disappointed. The old mining town has many secrets and powerful people who want those secrets kept buried. Joe’s very presence is a threat to them and they seem willing to do whatever it takes to scare Joe away. Yet Joe doggedly remains, harboring some vague hope that he can right some old wrongs. This book reminded me strongly of some of the Stephen King’s books I’ve enjoyed. I found myself rooting for Joe despite the fact that he isn’t a very likeable character. I just knew he was trying to do the right thing in the face of all sorts of opposition.

If you like books filled with long-held secrets and surprise twists in a dark setting filled with unexplained deaths and humorous moments, this is a book for you. I could not put this book down until the final satisfying page. Highly recommended. I could also recommend this book and Tudor’s first book, The Chalk Man, to older teens who enjoy thrillers.

I know I am in the minority, but I wasn't the biggest fan of The Chalk Man. At times, I felt the story was a little too "jumpy," and there were certain scenes that I wanted to be fleshed out more than they were. The synopsis of The Hiding Place intrigued me enough to pick it up, despite my feelings of ambivalence towards Tudor's writing style. I will say that I liked The Hiding Place more than The Chalk Man, but it still wasn't my favorite. The Hiding Place definitely seemed darker and more sinister than The Chalk Man. In some ways, it bordered on a horror story. The story started off a little slow for me, and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Joe's character. Throughout the story, I failed to truly connect with his story, and never had that feeling of being fully immersed in the story. I was hoping the ending would salvage some aspects of the story, but unfortunately, that was not the case for me. I don't want to give too much away, but the ending lacked the "wow" factor for me. I would probably suggest this one to some friends, but there are other thrillers I would suggest more. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book to review.

This was the first book I have read by C.J. Tudor and trust me, if will not be my last! She has such a way of writing that grabs your attention and demands it the entire way throughout the book.

The Hiding Place was such a creepy, addictive, and dark novel and I enjoyed every second if it! One heck of a ride as we explore small town happenings both past and present. Joe returns to his hometown and we get glimpses into his life as a child growing up with sister Annie who had disappeared when they were young. Why did Annie disappear? What happened to her all those years ago?

Joe was a complicated, troubled and unreliable character, which made for a great story as being told from his perspective. I couldn’t help but feel bad for him, as he tells his story about what happened to make him into the man he is today. As unreliable a character as he is, I enjoyed reading about his dark and tragic past. He had been through so much in his young and adult life.

And the fact that Joe returns to that creepy, old town mine years after the fact! How creepy is that!? It gave me chills reading about the mine and all the things that happened there. I loved the creepy vibes of this book and the mystery of it all.

I’ll be on the looking for Tudor’s other novels. Well done!

Let me begin by saying that this novel is really well done, but it’s one of those slow burns. It’s a little hard to get into at the beginning, but the storyline really picks up if you’re patient enough. What I really liked about this book was Tudor’s ability to draw his reader in. He is so detailed in his writing that you almost feel present in the story. His knack of inserting humour into the novel really brings out the main character’s personality and the juxtaposition that he creates between the seriousness of the subject and the main character’s quick wit makes the story more memorable. I normally would have lost interest in a book like this, but Tudor’s effectiveness in the delivery of his storyline was what made this book so good.

This is more like 3.5-4 stars. Wow, what a weird book! I hadn't read anything by this author before and overall I liked the writing style. There are so many twists and turns in this book. It will keep you guessing still by the end of the book.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to think about this book at first, but I will say that the author did a great job. You have to piece along the information as it is given, but it starts to make sense by the end. Gambling, lying, deceit, bullying, and death are common themes throughout the book. I wasn't sure what exactly the hiding place would be, but I didn't expect it to be described as The Pit.

This is an odd but captivating book and very well done.

#NetGalley

*This review may contain spoilers

When Joe left his hometown, he never wanted to go back. While he was in high school, his younger sister, Annie, had disappeared. She eventually returned or perhaps something did because whatever it was, it was not Annie. Oh, it looked like her and sounded like her but it definitely didn't act like her. He blamed himself and the people he hung out with and with whom he'd fallen out over her. But now he has returned because it seems whatever happened back then is happening again and he may be the only one who can stop it.

The Hiding Place by author C. J. Tudor is sort of a horror/mystery hybrid and it reminded me of her last book, The Chalk Man. Don't get me wrong - this is a huge compliment. They are definitely different books providing their own compelling tale but she has found a formula that works amazingly well at keeping the reader glued to the page. But, like in Chalk Man, the story goes back and forth between before and after, in this case Annie's disappearance and Joe's later attempts to solve the mystery before more children die. We meet the main protagonist when he's an adult trying to solve a mystery from his youth. While doing so, he must deal with both his own weaknesses and accesses as well as people from his past who would prefer that past stayed in the past. He is both extremely likeable and flawed. They are also both real page-turners as the story builds to the twist at the end. And they are both as creepy as...well, they are both very very creepy.

If you are a fan of well-written, well-plotted, and wonderfully creepy mystery-slash-horror stories with great protagonists, this is definitely one for you. Personally, I can't wait for the next C. J. Tudor page turner. Loved it!

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This is the second book that I have read by C.J. Tudor, and this one, like the first , The Chalk Man , The Hiding Place is terrific!. From the beginning the reader is pulled in to the story. A sense of dread develops and new threads to the plot keep the reader wondering what happened previously, and how the protagonist is going to escape from the every growing threats surrounding him from all sides. As a somewhat jaded reader who easily puts books aside after 30 pages or so, I have to say that I couldn't stop reading this one!

Around this time last year I was raving about C. J. Tudor’s debut novel, The Chalk Man. I am delighted to be in the same position this year with Tudor’s second novel The Hiding Place. The Hiding Place is the perfect mix of mystery, folklore, and edge of your seat suspense.

Joe Thorne who returns to him hometown full of regrets and thoughts of retribution. He acknowledges his role in the tragic events of his past, but he believes others are to blame as well. His return to Arnhill unleashes something in the town which has been buried since Joe left. As Joe’s present and past come together he must face them both in order to move forward.

Tudor has an incredible ability to create complex and multi-dimensional characters. In The Chalk Man, one of the key characters participated in morally questionable behavior. However this character had some redeemable qualities which made him likable. In The Hiding Place, Tudor has done the same thing with lead character Joe Thorne.  Joe has some noble reasons for returning to Arnhill, but he also has some not so noble reasons. In spite of Joe’s poor choices, I still wanted him to overcome his demons and guilt. Tudor has mastered creating the shady yet lovable character.
 
The town of Arnhill is the costar of The Hiding Place. A former mining town, the residents are no stranger to hard work and tragedies. Many lives were lost due to collapsed mine shafts and lung diseases from working in the mines, leaving families in financial ruin. After the mine closed, Arnhill lost it’s central employer and has never really bounced back. Arnhill comes across as a very gloomy and desperate place, even the residents lack kind words to describe it.  Joe arrives on the heels of yet another tragedy in Arnhill ; a murder suicide involving a mother and her young son. These horrible events do not bring the town closer together instead they make the locals meaner and more suspicious of each other. This element is what made Arnhill such a huge part of The Hiding Place. Tudor exemplifies a town on edge just waiting for the next calamity to strike; filling the story with anxiety and a strong sense of dread.

Switching between Joe’s teenage years and present day the plot is filled with many cliff hangers, creating the much loved “I’ll just read one more chapter “ effect. Tudor’s descriptions are vivid, but do not weigh the story down. Instead each description is plotted carefully with word choices that allow readers to truly picture themselves in Arnhill. Readers will also understand and sympathize with Joe’s shame and guilt.

I am so happy to find myself in love with yet another novel by C. J. Tudor. I am now struggling to decide which of Tudor’s books I like best. While The Chalk Man is more of a coming of age story and The Hiding Place is a story of redemption; Tudor’s gritty and compelling writing style showcases her ability to be original yet consistent. Readers who loved The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton should add The Hiding Place to their list of must reads.

Murder and Moore Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars

C. J. Tudor's writing only gets better and better. I went into this book with high expectations after Chalk Man, and let me tell you that I was not disappointed. Tudor has a way of wheedling you into the mind of a character, and making you chew on the tension in the air.

Joe Thorne is apparently desperate to move back to his hometown. So he gets creative with his resume and applies for a job as a teacher at his old school in Arnhill, a former mining town. It's not a very good school, the town is pretty sad and Joe rents a cottage where a murder/suicide had recently occurred. And he has a not-so-great history with a lot of the people in town. So what's this guy's deal?

We find out as the book progresses that Joe has his reasons for returning to Arnhill. He's both searching for something and hiding, or at least attempting to hide, from some of the problems in his past.

This book is extremely creepy. I would classify it as horror with suspenseful elements. I found it a little depressing but it's well written and the plot moves along well. It was a pretty fast read for me.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I was very excited about this book. I had heard this author's first book was amazing and was banking on this being nothing short of amazing as well. This story was well-written and the characters are developed well. The author did marvelously with making the settings feel real and creepy. I just found myself not a big fan of the story itself; it took a supernatural turn that I didn't particularly enjoy and I found that made me care less about the story. I would say if this book interests you, give it a shot!

For several reasons, most of them not noble, Joe Thorne moves back to Arnhill, his old hometown in Nottinghamshire, for a teaching position at Arnhill Academy, his alma mater. As Joe observes, Arnhill is not picturesque or quaint, but brooding and bitter. A dark cloud seems to lurk permanently over the town, and its center is a deserted coal mine where resurrection takes on a sinister, rather than miraculous, meaning. We learn the reasons for Joe’s return at the end of the book, but realize the dark cloud doesn’t dissipate after Joe’s departure.

An enjoyable read that had a little bit of a Stephen King feel to it. Some nice twists in the end but also unanswered questions as well.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more! I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story, it was told in this way where you never quite know what’s going on or who to trust. I loved the supernatural aspect, it really added something great to the story, and made it more Stephen King-like in my opinion.

Joe was a pretty interesting character, I never really knew how to fully feel about him. At some point I loved him, others I was screaming at him not to do something stupid. Of course where would the story be if the character’s didn’t do something annoying. Most of the side character’s just frustrated me, but I get how they made the story whole.

Overall I think this was definitely a solid psychological thriller, with a great supernatural aspect. A couple parts made me cringe or be a little, I don’t wasn’t to say scared so maybe freaked out. It takes a lot for me to consider a book scary, and I would say this was more of a freak you out type of book.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. First off, it is not nearly as good as Tudor's debut novel, The Chalk Man. I think I really only like HALF of this book. Told in two separate time periods in the protagonist's life (as a child and as an adult); the story of his childhood gave me the chills but I was not attached to his adult story which felt incomplete and left me with a lot of lingering questions. I wish this book was longer and delved more into the mystery of the cave but overall I am still a fan of this author.

Thank you Netgalley or my copy of this book in return for an honest review.