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

Will publish to Amazon upon publication

“The Burning Girls” is another great thriller by C.J. Tudor. Jack Brooks and her teen daughter move to the English countryside town of Chapel Croft where she has taken a job as the church rector.
The town has a dubious past of ghosts, exorcism, and missing girls. Jack and her daughter, Flo become entangled in the town’s murderous past.

I had a hard time putting down this book. It was extremely suspenseful and the writing and characters were quite good. The one negative criticism I gave is that there were too many plot lines happening and it made it a little unfocused.

Enthralling from the first drop of blood, and that appears quickly at the end of chapter two.
Gripping, twisting, turning, and intriguing.
Right up to the very last chapter... where the reader is blindsided. Totally not what I expected.
CJ Tudor has a true gift. She captures you, develops the characters, builds the scenery, paints the grotesque events, and masterminds the psychological game so well, you think you’re standing right there, witnessing it all.... can you smell the burn?

Phenomenal read. I’ve said this before, but I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you, CJ Tudor, Kathleen Quinlan, and Random House for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

4 fiery stars

This is my fourth book of C.J. Tudor’s and I was very excited to get the chance to read an early copy. It was also great timing for me to read this just a bit before Halloween as it is spooky!

Picture the setting in the UK – Chapel Croft – with a rich history of religious martyrs burned at the stake and disappearances of local girls all amidst a troubled parish. To commemorate this history, villagers burn stick dolls once a year in celebration.

The main character in this one is Reverend Jack Brooks. Jack is assigned to the village of Chapel Croft and arrives with Flo, 14-years-old. Strange events soon engulf the two including visions of burning girls, an exorcism set, and a mysterious crypt. If you see the burning girls, something bad is supposed to be coming. Flo seems to make some questionable choices, but then again, she is a teenager!

There’s a separate storyline of a man released from prison and it took awhile to figure out just who this was and the relevance to the story.

Will Jack and Flo get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings or will they become part of the troubled history? This one was a slow simmer for most of the book, but the ending packed a wallop and really made the book!

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. 

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Absolutely loved this, couldn’t put it down, all of the twists just blew me away!!!! Fantastic!

This author does not let me down!

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.

And, 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 Feb. 9, 2021

When Jack and her daughter Flo move to Chapel Croft, their expectations are low. After all, it is a small village where nothing much happens, and coming here was not Jack's choice. She will be the temporary vicar, sent to replace the recently deceased one. Neither one is prepared for the secrets the town holds and nothing in Chapel Croft is what it seems.
For a town in the middle of nowhere, Chapel Croft has quite a history. From Protestant martyrs burned alive, to missing girls, to creepy twig dolls, there is an awful lot of unsavory history here. A wealthy family seemingly above the rules, a little girl who accidentally died, and the fact that the last vicar killed himself make this assignment anything but boring. But Jack has secrets too and someone dangerous is hot on her trail.
Numerous mysteries are waiting to be revealed and I was left with my mouth hanging open and my jaw on the floor more than once. When everything came together and I read the last page, all I could think was C. J. Tudor has done it again. My super sleuth book detective powers were foiled by her words, or as I like to call them, her kryptonite. I absolutely loved Jack as this character had more layers than an onion.
I have read some very good books that are publishing in 2021, and this one ranks right on top. When I hear that the author is publishing a new book, I don't have to see the cover and I don't have to read the synopsis. All I need is to get my hands on a copy and clear my schedule because I won't be getting anything done until I finish. Creepy, clever, and oh so twisty! Did I mention I loved it!

Jack and her teenage daughter move to a small village for Jack to be the vicar of the church. The town is infamous for burning protestant martyrs 500 years ago. Odd things seem to be happening: the daughter sees ghosts, the mom sees lights in the locked up church, an exorcism kit is delivered to Jack plus the disappearance of two teenage girls years ago. Some chapters are narrated by a strange man who recently was released from jail and others are told by one of the missing girls. As Jack comes closer to the truth, she and her daughter are placed in danger. What are the many secrets of Chapel Croft?

Having your parish priest be accused of neglect and having blood on their hands, due the death of a young girl at a Nottingham parish, is not exactly good for church business, so the powers that be are quick to ship Rev. Jack Brooks and daughter, Flo, off to a new parish in the English countryside, away from the unforgiving lens of the big city press. Jack is looking for a respite, a place to relax the mind and nourish the soul, sadly, Rev. Jack won't be finding any of that in Chapel Croft a town ripe with a malevolent secrets, murdered citzens, missing girls, and malicious people. Can the reverend and the daughter survive this town with their lives unblemished and their faith intact? I suggest you pick up The Burning Girls when drops Feb 9, 2021 to find out.

The Burning Girls is a fast paced, thrilling, and horrifying page turner. C.J. Tudor just keeps getting better with each book, concise yet eloquent writing, knotty stories, and vulnerable but strong and evolved characters check all the boxes of what I crave in the horror/creepy thriller genre. I really enjoyed it 4.75 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Burning Girls.

I enjoyed the author's previous book so I was excited when my request was approved.

The Burning Girls superseded my expectations; it was thrilling, suspenseful and had a few twists I didn't see coming. I love it when that happens because it rarely does!

Jack Brooks is a vicar who has been relocated, with her teenage daughter, to a small town after suffering a personal tragedy from her last parish.

The town has a dark religious history and coupled with the tragedy of the disappearance of two young girls from over two decades ago, Jack and her daughter will soon realize that the past never truly dies.

I really liked Jack; at first her nickname made me assume she was a he (I don't know any vicars since I'm a New Yorker) but Jack as a protagonist and as a female in a male dominated career taught me about my own prejudices about the gender I assume will be in a given role.

Jack is a good mother and a good person; it's rare to read about a person of faith and the author describes Jack well and why she chose her profession.

I also liked her daughter; she's a teen but not annoying. She loves her mother; she's a bit angsty, irritated at having to uproot her life (who wouldn't be?), yet also creative, smart and self-aware, rare for a young woman.

My favorite parts were the origin story behind The Burning Girls and the supernatural element.

There's a lot going on; the sudden death of a previous vicar, a hidden crypt, a family secret, a few mysteries solved, but the author handles all these plot threads well and concludes them satisfactorily.

The biggest twist I figured out early on but there were a few I didn't expect or see. Very exciting!

The Burning Girls was a very surprising (in a good way) and thrilling read. I can't wait to see what the author has planned for her next book!

Loved this book! My second of CJ Tudor’s, but definitely not my last! This book was very well written, unputdownable, and at times scary book! I loved the way it intertwined the horror, with some possible supernatural, myths in small towns, and mystery with suspense mixed together! I found the characters to be very well developed, and the story quite haunting! Lots of stocks, chills, scares, and even thrills! Highly, highly recommend, as I promise it’s not one to be missed! Make sure to clear scheduled and not start before bedtime!

Will make sure to buzz around and use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!

I'm a huge fan of C.J. Tudor as all of her books are so completely different but always a little creepy with plot twists you never see coming! This did not disappoint! Jack moves to a small town to be the new vicar as the last one committed suicide. Daughter Flo who is 15 is definitely not excited to be starting over in this "hick" town. But the town has a legacy as years ago, martyrs were burned at the stake and people still leave "burning girls" made of twigs on the anniversary of their deaths. But there is so much more to this novel--really layers and layers! And none of it you will guess as there are surprises everywhere! So settle in and just enjoy!

This book and its conclusion left me awestruck, speechless and chilled to the bone. The gruesome imagery of burning flesh, decapitation, and exorcisms is raw, powerful and unsettling. As is the underlying theme of the dangers of conforming to tradition.

Tradition is often used to defend things we'd otherwise condemn.

This is a story about Chapel Croft and its dark religious history.
In the 16th century, the Sussex Martyrs (two of which were young girls) were burnt at the stake during Queen Mary's purge of the Protestants. Chapel Croft commemorates this historical event every year by burning twigs dolls-The Burning Girls-every year on the anniversary of the purge.

In 1990, two teenage girls and a local vicar go missing never to be seen or heard from again. All after an exorcism goes horribly wrong. Despite the urgency of the situation, the police don't take serious action and the town tries to cover up the disappearances.

In present day, Rev. Jack Brooks and her daughter are relocated to a small church in Chapel Croft where the burning of the Sussex Martyrs took place. Even though she's not happy with the relocation, Jack is glad to leave Nottingham and her dark past there behind. But soon after her arrival, she'll find out that, not only did the vicar before her commit suicide, but she's not the only one with secrets. And the townspeople have a lot to lose if their secrets do come out.

All three timelines are intertwined and converge into a mind-blowing conclusion.

This is such a well-crafted story. And, as the daughter of a pastor in a small town, I relate to so many aspects of this story. I particularly felt a kinship to Flo, the awkward vicar's daughter, who often feels isolated, like an outsider and bitter about religion's role in her life.
Jack is also a powerful character. As a vicar, she understands the importance of religion but also sees the harm in many long-standing traditions within the church. She also understands the anonymity the clerical collar gives her.
She's a complex character that you will absolutely find yourself rooting for!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you C.J. Tudor for another fantastic novel!

I've been a CJ Tudor fan for years, and when I saw this available on NetGalley, I did a little happy dance, because really, in 2020, you have to celebrate every positive, am I right? I was thrilled to be pre-approved for this title and quickly dove in.

Following a tragic incident in her parish, Jack and her daughter Flo move to Chapel Croft where Jack has been reassigned as the interim vicar. Both are wary of the change, but the more they get to know the town--and the citizens who live there--their wariness transitions to doubt and fear. Centuries-old legends, strange happenings in the night, and a string of accidents lead Jack down a road of mysteries with devastating consequences.

I loved this book. Loved. Will be raving about it for months and months to come. Tudor proves yet again that her name is a genre staple, and I'd venture to say this is her best work yet.

Structurally it's told in alternating POVs, which took a few chapters to adjust to the switch from first to third, but ultimately, the switch added to the plot, so I thought it worked well.

Jack's character is utterly enigmatic. I love her voice, her relationship with her daughter, and the way she approaches the impossible. It kind of reminded me of the show Evil but with some underlying Schitt's Creek humor to alleviate the most dreadful of situations. Religion-centric narratives can be hit or miss for me. I was raised Catholic but have a difficult time with overly-religious rhetoric, which is one of the reasons why I appreciated Jack's reflection on religion, faith, spirituality, and belief. Overarching themes like good and evil, faith and doubt, love and hate are explored in honest, authentic conversations, and really, this is where the book shines. This isn't just a book about a woman of faith questioning her role; this is a book that shines a light on the gray areas, one that will push you to examine your own definition of what is morally acceptable while giving you a really entertaining journey on the way.

Indeed, more than the darker moments, The Burning Girls is thoroughly entertaining and creepy. The burning girl imagery and the story behind them is the stuff of nightmares. I had no trouble picturing the setting or the characters through the development of cinematic details, and I think this would translate well to a Netflix series.

Overall, The Burning Girls is a taut, smart, chilling read that'll sink its teeth into the deepest recesses of your mind. If you're looking for a thriller with some ghostly undertones, a good small-town legend, and a cast of unreliable narrators, this will be the book for you. Out in February, add this one to your TBRs ASAP.

Many thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Oh holy cow this is wicked good. There was more than one mystery going on here but it was really easy to follow as the writing just flows in and out each little story like vines braiding. For the most part it all comes together at the end but I felt enough was left open that we might see Vicar Jack again. God. I hope so.

Good luck trying to put this down once you pick it up.

I counted at least 5 separate mysteries/plots in Burning Girls. So much going on but everything is tied up
( pun intended) beautifully with still,a few surprises by the end of the book. Definitely a roller coaster suspense novel readers will devour.

Nail bitingly irritating, soul crushingly blood freezing, terrifyingly heart throbbing. Horror, thriller, whodunnit murder mystery genres captivatingly blend each other. And final 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, smart daughter Flo move into one of the eeriest, creepiest and most haunted place named Chapel Croft where 8 Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake nearly 50 decades ago and two teenage girls vaporized into thin air 30 years ago. And let’s not forget what happened to her predecessor: last vicar on charge killed himself before they arrive.

A dangerous man who was recently released from the prison is coming for them. The ghosts of burning girls start to appear in front of mother and daughter in the middle of nowhere to warn them spiritually and all the town’s people act suspicious as if they’re keeping a big secret from them.

As vicar Jack Brooks (short for Jacquline, don’t get fooled MC is man, I made that mistake at first two or three pages and I’m still ashamed of myself! ) digs out more and gets closer to find the truth, she realizes she drags herself and daughter into one of the most dangerous place to look into the eyes of pure evil!

Yeap, I love this author’s works! She knows how to make me scare shitless and keep me in my toes! Especially her last surprising twist was another sucker punch against my face. I even wrote an emotional eulogy for my dying spidey senses.

As an ultra lucky cow I’m so grateful for this reviewer copy and special thanks to NetGalley, dear Kathleen Quinlan, Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine Books to send it to me in exchange my honest thoughts. I loved it soooo much!

Another fantastic creepy thriller from C. J. Tudor! I will gladly read all books by this author, no synopsis needed!

The Burning Girls is more of a slow burn but once it starts picking up, you won't want to put it down. Two missing girls, death of martyr's, twig dolls, burning girls, exorcism's, sound like your kind of book? A wonderfully creepy read perfect for this time of year! I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next. I will eagerly be waiting!

A huge thank you to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, greatly appreciated.

Wow...what a good, creepy story. And not at all what I thought....the ending was brilliant!! Not going to give too much away, but you know when you are reading a C.J. Tudor book you will stay up too late just to see how it ends. I actually went back and read some parts it was so good!