This book just wasn’t for me. I ended up DNF’ing it and went and looked at other people’s reviews to see if it was just me. In fact, issues I had early on with race, depictions of disability, and mental illness apparently just get worse and not better. I did not like Jack and she and the bishop just did not seem like real people. There was such a disconnect from her work and maybe that gets better. Most reviews felt happy that the book wasn’t “preachy,” but it just felt off to me. It felt too self-congratulatory that Jack is not a "normal" vicar like when older books went to such great length to say so-so was not normal girl. Anyway, giving it a three and not reviewing on GRs as I did not finish it. Also, I really need to avoid exorcism books. They all get on my nerves. Live and learn.

THE BURNING GIRLS
by C.J. Tudor – Standalone
Ballentine Books, February 2021, 352 pp.
RATING: A

First Sentence: "It's an unfortunate situation."
Reverend Jack Brooks and 14-year-old daughter Flo have been transferred to Chapel Croft in Sussex. A community with a very dark past including the burning of martyrs, disappearance of two girls, and the suicide of a priest. With no one being who they seem and not knowing who to trust, can Jack and Flo survive while exposing closely-guarded secrets?
The best books grab you from page one and don't let go. This book does just that. One thing to know; there are a lot of bodies; new, old, spectral, and real. The story is more suspense than mystery, and never boring.
Tudor has a compelling voice. It's engaging and conversational in both outward dialogue and internal thoughts. Jack and daughter Flo hold one's attention and curiosity to know more. It's nice that Flo acts appropriately for her age. However, both occasionally suffer from going into danger alone, yet both are also smart, brave and interesting.
Beyond the elements of voice and character, there are a plethora of memorable passages: another indication of a great author. Tudor makes one stop and think—"We all have our hiding places. Not just physical ones. Places deep inside where we put away the things we don't want other to see."
Rather than having an unreliable narrator, this is the case of "trust no one" in the best possible way. No one is who they seem and everyone has secrets.
There are an abundance of very effective plot twists and revelations from beginning to end. Some of them scare, some cause one to gasp, all of them surprise.
The only problems were a couple of silly, editing issues. Ignore them.
THE BURNING GIRLS is a great, escapist read, especially for those who like a bit of dark, eepy-creepy. There is a supernatural element but doesn't stop an enjoying an engrossing, page-turning book that keeps one reading way too late into the night, but one may want to leave the light on. The story holds one's attention from the first page to last and makes one happy Tudor has more books to read.

I'm not sure what took me so long to start this book, but it was so good to read! I do think the ending was farfetched and gave me pause, but the reading was in general pleasing.

Reverend Jack Brooks is a mother of a teenager and that's one of her bigger worries when she has to temporarily move to a small town after getting involved in a scandal in the place she'd been formerly stationed. The town comes with their own myths, the burning girls who'll appear to whom is about to get in trouble. Are they associated to the mysterious suicide of Jack's predecessor? And what is the connection with the two missing girls of years before? Above all, will it pose a danger to her daughter?

As I mentioned, I didn't like the conclusion. I do think it was a good idea, but the execution was weird and made me frown, because I'm not sure if the story validates it entirely. Maybe when I re-read it I can come back here and tell you, but for now, I can affirm that even it really fits, it was a weird fit that didn't satisfy me.

At the same time, I'm not one to care that much about endings (unless they're really bad, which is not the case), so this was a book I liked. It still made me feel I've read this story somewhere else, which is a recurring problem with Tudor's works, but this time I didn't figure out where and that's already something. In other words, we can say it's not super original but the plot twists worked better without an exact reference of the book it's inspired on.

I wish the burning girls myth had been explored a little more, though. It's not only the title, but it's actually a good mystery that ends up in the far sidelines. I also think there were more elements that maybe the author included to confuse us but that as a reader I felt disappointed that didn't come to more. Unfortunately, I can't think of how to be more precise here without giving out spoilers. Nonetheless, that added to my dissatisfaction with the conclusion.

It's still a book with great twists, really, really good ones. It's not a marvelous read but will keep you reading and guessing for most of it. This hasn't been a good year for me bookwise, so it's not saying much, but this was one of the best thrillers I read in 2021 and at least my second favorite by Tudor, save for her debut.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

C.J. Tudor's newest , and my second by this author, is what I picked to read for my October "spooky" book. Although it wasn't scary (to me), it did have a good creep factor to it for sure. This book seemed to cross genre boundaries. Is it a thriller? Horror? Mystery? Supernatural? I think it's all three. Chapel Croft is a (fictional) town in England that I would definitely never want to visit. Lots of real and tangible evil going on there! What is going on in this town? And for that matter, what's going on with the main character, Jack, the vicar? Everything is pretty much explained in the end, and I had to stop and try to work everything out in my mind. I would say I made a good pick.
~Thank you to NetGalley and publisher

I really enjoyed the book and the way the author weaves ancient superstition, decades old disappearance of two teenage girls and sinister actions occurring now. It is a complex book with several timelines and lots of characters. I was left guessing until the last few chapters how all the many storylines would come together. The two main characters, Jack and Flo, are well described and likeable. The book flows well and is easy to read. I found it interesting that the author chose a small remote village in the countryside as the setting for the book. It made the dark secret that the villagers had kept hidden for hundreds of years even more sinister. Loved the twists and turns and the cliffhanger ending.

this was so well done, I loved how creepy and spooky the setting was. The characters were great and I enjoyed learning about the history of the town.

I found The Burning Girls to be an immensely interesting read. As I read, I was so immersed and wholly terrified. I’m a big fan of multiple perspectives and I thought the switches between mother (Jack) and daughter (Flo) were executed so well. I appreciated that while Jack is a vicar, she was still her own person. In any type of pop culture, religious figures tend to be holier than thou or completely problematic/criminal/dirty. Jack was just a woman working as a vicar, appreciating the work as a way to help folks, but also just trying to take care of her kid. It was refreshing and such a different take than usual.

There’s also a third character, a male, who often shares an ominous perspective within the book. His presence is suspicious and can seem disconnected from the rest of the book, but I found his role to be fairly obvious and predictable.

I did find that one of the only Black characters in the story ended up being brutally murdered, and my excitement for Jack’s role as a non-problematic religious figure was doused in water when there’s another religious figure that’s a stereotypical pedophile. Great.

This is my second read from CJ Tudor and while the writing itself tends to be interesting and strong, Tudor’s stories include problematic themes and tropes that tend to outweigh the things I do enjoy about the books.

The end of the book also bothered me, very much in the way a certain Alex Michaeledes book did. When a book ends in the way The Burning Girls did, it’s disappointing and a letdown.

There were plenty of things to enjoy about this book, but also several things that were ruinous. CJ Tudor can write a book, but I just am not sure that I can continue with the problematic concerns I’ve seen in her books that I’ve read.

Ohhhi really liked this one. Perfectly spooky and twisty. Almost a little too twisty at the end - there was a lot going on! But overall a big fan.

I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book made me feel very slumpy. I couldn't connect with it what so ever and I'm really confused about the ending because things just wrapped up so fast.

Mrs. Tudor is very talented and is now one of my favorite authors! That being said I was extremely excited to read my first book from her! She has a great talent and I was very impressed with this book! If you want a book that you will not want to put down look no further. I can’t wait to read more from her! In fact I can’t wait for her next book!

This one is hot! Reverend Jack Brooks from Nottingham has been assigned a new position in a remote, country town – relocating with teenage daughter Flo. While being the daughter of a reverend is sometimes challenging, the move to this unwelcoming place is a nightmare. However, the nightmare is not only for the daughter. A fast paced, psychological thriller that you will not want to miss. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Reverend Jack Brooks has been assigned a new position as the Vicar of Chapel Croft in Sussex. This reassignment is not a welcome one, especially for 15 year-old daughter, Flo. Jack and Flo try to make the most of the change from a bustling city to a rundown chapel and dilapidated house.

Chapel Croft has a strange history dating back to Queen Mary and the persecution of Protestant Christians. The Burning Girls commemorates local martyrs who were burned at the stake in the 16th century. This community full of secrets. C J Tudor slowly builds up the tension and creates a dark thriller.

Jack Brooks is a great protagonist, though it took me a bit to realize Jack was female. She does not act how you’d expect a Vicar to behave. She may even have a secret of her own. The great plot, twig dolls, eerie visions, and strange locals make this a very compelling read!

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
4 stars

Having read all of C.J. Tudor's full-length novels, I must say that this is my favorite. The Hiding Place and The Other People were tied for me in solid horror/mystery/supernatural supremacy in regards to her titles. This novel has knocked those down a little now on the tier for me. I won't bore you with a book blurb you can find on Goodreads, etc. about what the book is about, but I will tell you that it hit all of the marks in terms of what it was advertising. It is very much in the same likeness in the setting and atmosphere as to most of her previous novels such as The Hiding Place and The Chalk Man. Small town in the English countryside, eerie history in regards to the area or the people living there, main characters who feel like normal people but also may have had a sketchy past that will be slowly and deliciously unraveling into the plot as the story goes on. Loved it.

Tudor does a great job of swirling the tendrils of a supernatural tinged atmosphere with the depravity of the human mind. You want a spooky atmosphere that makes it feel like a ghost story? You want a mysterious plot that drops clues like a murder mystery? Tudor gives you both. I caught a hint of one or two smaller plot twists, but it was still a great ride. The only reason I didn't give it that fourth star was that I felt that one of the characters at the end of the book wasn't resolved well enough. I felt that they worked up the mission that this character was on throughout the book for it to be glossed over vaguely and not really given much thought after one of the main climactic events at the end of the book. However, don't let that keep you from reading it. Still a great, solid read.

A stellar four out of five stars for me. Also, have noticed that Tudor seems to have at least one kid that is a straight up nasty bully in each of her novels. Like no holds barred nefarious type bully. Super glad I'm not a kid or teenager anymore. Childhood can be rough. Anyways, give it a read if you like: spooky setting, dark history of a small town, characters with a gray past, creepy twig dolls, no wi-fi connection for the majority of the book (the horror!), and some rather good twists and turns that unfurl throughout.

Sidenote: As long as Tudor continues to have Richard Armitage and Gemma Whelan narrate her books, her books will be an auto-read for me. I have listened to Armitage read most of her past work perfectly, but Gemma Whelan was an awesome addition to this new title. Fantastic narrators!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.

If you are looking for a page turning thriller that is set in a small rural town, features a church, twig doll figures and many plot lines to keep you the right amount of engaged, this book is for you.
Reverend Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo start life over in the small town of Chapel Croft. Hundreds of years ago eight martyrs were burned at the stake and Chapel Croft has been the scene of many strange disappearances since. As Jack and Flo quickly begin to settle into life in the small town, they soon realize the town residents may still have hidden agendas of their own.
The Burning Girls was a BIG surprise to me. I read The Chalk Man when it first came out and didn’t love it nor did I have the desire to pick up another book by the author. The Burning Girls completely changed my mind on that!
I could honestly read a whole series solely based off Jack and Flo.
A big thank you to NetGally and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

Fun and a thrilling read. I liked Jack & Flo, as their relationship was authentic. I knew things seemed off with many of the locals, but loved how it all ended, especially the epilogue.

Absolutely outstanding! One of the best reads this year! I’ll definitely need a copy for my shelf to lend to friends and family

The Burning Girls follows Jack, a vicar who relocates from Nottingham with her daughter Flo to a small town in Sussex, a town that has a rich and eerie history involving Queen Mary’s purge of Protestants in the 1500s, and an unsolved mystery of two missing girls from the 1990s. Jack and Flo get drawn into the town’s mysteries almost immediately as a strange series of events begins to unfold, and Jack also has secrets of her own, because she’s a thriller protagonist so of course she does.

I mostly had a fun time reading The Burning Girls, but the whole thing fell apart for me at the end. This is a book that’s trying to do so many things and fully committing to none of them; I was rooting for it to all come together but it just didn’t. Threads are left open, subplots are left underdeveloped, the inclusion of certain details remains incomprehensible. I guessed the main twist out of left field very early on, so the whole time I had my eye on ‘evidence’ that would prove it, and I ultimately felt that it was so poorly executed it could hardly justify itself.

I also found the representation in this book incredibly concerning. The only Black characters are unhinged abusers committing welfare fraud, the only character with depression is a domestic abuser, the only gay character is closeted and self-loathing, and the less said about the character with dystonia, the better. None of these stereotypes are presented to be subverted or challenged or compensated with good representation elsewhere; it’s just a concerning blend of harmful tropes to absolutely no end.

Anyway, I’m not sure where to go from here with CJ Tudor — this is my third book of hers, and I’ve yet to give any of them higher than a 3-star rating, but I guess there’s something that keeps drawing me back to her. I should probably just accept that I enjoy her settings and premises more than I enjoy her writing (which I found especially corny here).

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read! I predicted some of the twists, so I definitely took off some stars for that. I like to be surprised more! I wish that we could have learned what happened with Jacob even more at the end.

This was a GREAT read. C.J. Tudor definitely has done it again with this one. As the reader I found myself staying up way past my bedtime just to read a few more pages because there were so many twists and turns that led ultimately to an ending I did NOT see coming. These I. My opinions are the best kids of stories.. you think you have it all figured out and then all of a sudden you don’t know what just happened! It was spooky, thrilling, and very panic inducing, the perfect combination of adjectives to make a great read. Bravo!

If you’re into slow burn thriller, this is the one, because once it picks up, it really turns into a fast-paced read!

I did find it a bit hard to connect with at times because of the religious aspect of the book, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of the creepy and atmospheric elements throughout the story.

While this one isn’t my favorite CJ Tudor novel, I’m still very much a fan, especially of the writing style, and will definitely be picking up the next.

Many thanks to @netgalley for the ARC!