AS CAWPILE:
Characters: 6 | Atmosphere: 7 | Writing: 6 | Plot: 7 | Intrigue: 7 | Logic: 8 | Enjoyment: 6
Total: 6.71 / 3 Stars
As with all short story collections, I've averaged out my individual ratings for each story and got this CAWPILE review. However, as with all short story collections, there were some incredible stories and some less than incredible stories. I do appreciate a short story collection all written by the same author, though, as it means the writing style is consistent. I like Tudor's quick pacing and the way the stories jump in feet first and keep going. Almost all of them had tangible characters and interesting plots.

A Sliver of Darkness is easily one of my new favorite short story collections, and I can't wait to see what more this author has to offer. I highly recommend End of The Liner and the Completion, if you were to pick this up and choose a story at random.

First off, thank you so much to #Netgalley, the publisher and especially the author for this ARC!

I really liked this book, my favorite story was end of the liner- I could have read a whole book based in that world! A lot of these stories aren’t really horror, they are more creepy and I went in expecting horror….. however, I love the way this author writes, I find it to easy to breeze through her books. I would definitely pick this book up to read especially during spooky season!

A phenomenal collection of creepy short stories. Each story is introduced by the author with a short anecdote about its creation, which lent a unique vibe to the book as a whole. I really enjoyed it. The tales were varied in scope but still made for a cohesive collection. They were reminiscent of the scary stories I was obsessed with in my youth. And I mean that in the best possible way.

While not a fan of horror, I still decided to give "A Sliver of Darkness" by C. J. Tudor a shot. I loved it! Some stories were better than others, but for each, Tudor provided a short blurb on how that particular story came to be. Many connected with happenings from her life, giving the stories a more personal feeling.

I also liked that many of these stories didn't particularly "end". Instead, the reader is left with an awful sense of dread of what would have happened had the story continued. Maybe that's what made them so horrific to me? But I guess that's what the horror genre is supposed to do - create dread, fear, and repulsion. In that, Tudor excelled.

There was some blood and gore, but not too much and not in every story, which I liked. If you've wanted to try some horror, but don't think you could handle an entire novel, I'd recommend "A Sliver of Darkness" to get you started.

#ASliverofDarkness #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and C. J. Tudor for the advanced copy of A Sliver of Darkness in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know how it's possible, but this was my first read by C. J. Tudor. I've gotten really into short story collections lately so I was excited to be invited to read this collection early.

Typically with collections like these I try to rank them in order of personal preference, but there were a lot of stories in this book AND they were all so good I couldn't have possibly ranked them.

There is a solid mix of creepy, ick factor, and downright freaky throughout all of these stories. I will definitely be reading more of Tudor's backlog in the future.

A Sliver of Darkness will be on US bookshelves November 8!

Super spooky and a great mystery one of my favorites of theirs yet!! I didn't want it to end! I really enjoyed this read and was very very excited to get this arc! I am definitely telling everyone about it and buying the hard copy.

I loved the variety of approaches within these short stories. They were dynamic horror stories that stood independently but worked well together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Been a big fan of this author and this book didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed it and felt like if had the same pace as previous books. I would recommend

Book Review
A Sliver of Darkness
C. J. Tudor
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


At last, a debut collection of eleven dark tales from the pen of multi-award-winning author, C.J. Tudor. Four of her novels have garnered The International Thriller Writers’ Award for Best First Novel, the Barry Award for Crime Novels, and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut.

I anticipate that this compelling collection will win awards. Nine of the eleven stories have not been previously published. Her novels are known for their dark and twisty plots and this collection will not disappoint. Each of the stories feature elements of horror, dark humor, thrills and chills, and unexpected twists. Each story is introduced by Tudor with relevant personal events and observations, providing insight to the story’s inspiration. Most of the stories are incredibly unique while being menacing, creepy, spooky and dark… all with surprise twisted denouements Due to the recent pandemic, several are post apocalyptic with dark, dystopian futures. All are tagged with indelible glimpses into her weird imagination. Most stories merit a 5 Star rating with an occasional 4 star. The following are thumbnail sketches of those I personally enjoyed the most.

In “Runaway Blues” a skinny, pale white dude appears on stage and astounds the audience with his melodic rendition of his own jazz and blue compositions with voice and saxophone, all to thunderous applause. They call him Fatman, and he comes on stage with a hatbox in front of him, in which he retrieves a brown trilby and ceremoniously places it on his head. He dedicates all of his songs to his curvaceous girlfriend, Veda, who bought him that marvelous hat. Suddenly his performances are marked by mournful songs of love and loss. Although his hatbox is in front of him, it remains unopened. We learn his girlfriend has jilted him, unceremoniously for another man. What actually is in that hatbox? Love can make good men do bad things! This was written as a tribute to Stephen King.

In “Completion” the reference is usually made with the Seller completing (or sealing the deal) the sale of his property or estate. ( Tudor muses even in an apocalypse the only things to flourish will be cockroaches and real estate agents) A smarmy and slimy agent, Dan Ransom is known to lie, cheat and swindle to complete a deal, Integrity has no place in his countenance.

He is anxious to return to Bragshaw Manor to complete the deal with its owner… who he describes as the decrepit, disgusting old bastard. The manor sits on the hill like a huge ugly vulture… certainly reminiscent of the classic haunted house. He describes his drive to the manor as tiresome, having the usual obstacles of protestors, vagrants, infected and dead bodies littering the way. He readily admits he would lie, cheat, and even take bribes to bring about a “completion”. He has no idea what will be expected of him to complete this deal!

In “The Lion At The Gate” we experience a most unusual type of graffiti . A gang of four kids take a short-cut down a neglected, spooky road… based upon a dare. They notice on one of the gates a depiction of a massive lion’s head with multicolored mane and coal-black eyes, psychedelic and creepy. They are mesmerized and continue to take the same daily path in order to view the lion. In each viewing the appearance of the lion weirdly changes. At times it looks like it could actually open its mouth and take a bite. Will anyone actually reach out and touch the lion’s visage.

In “Gloria”—probably my favorite—Gloria reprises her role from the 2019 novel, “Hiding Place.” Oh, I thought she was dead! Gloria specializes in “cleaning” (well actually, cleaning crime scenes). She arrives at the scene with a chainsaw, in order to make the parts of the victim more manageable. Within hours the “parts” are submerged beneath concrete.

Gloria has a chance meeting with a young girl in a coffee shop, who has the ability to “get into” Gloria’s head. Gloria has had a gradual erosion of her humanity. She has maimed, hurt and even killed with little or no remorse. She lacks any form of empathy. This chance meeting will have gravely unintended consequences.

In “Copy Shop” we are posed with the question if a copy can be as good as the original? The sign outside the print shop states they can copy almost anything. Initially a broken vase with only sentimental value is brought in with excellent results. She laments to husband Alan that her beloved cat Marvin is aging poorly and decrepit, he suggests she put “it” to sleep. Instead, she presents Marvin to the copy shop. In two days, she is presented with a new Marvin, as good as a much younger version. What will she bring next for a better version?

In “Final Course” the world has gone dark. A group of five old college acquaintances meet for a dinner party at a large estate to discuss their future and hopefully their safety the world is populated by dark creatures who are devouring victims. Tom brings his eight-year-old daughter, Millie, who is blind and always wears dark glasses to cover her eyes. One of the guests, Amanda, is horrified by Millie’s presence. “Everyone knows that the blind act like magnets to those creatures.” Drops of blood from the ceiling fall onto the dinner table … directly over the “closed” east wing of the house. The host and guests call upon Millie to deal with these creatures. They have no idea of her special gifts!

Equally entertaining are:“I’m Not Ted,” “Butterfly Island,” “The Block,” “Dust,” and “End of the Liner.” C.J. Tudor masterfully crafts a delicious buffet of eleven, unique and riveting stories that showcases her weird but lovable imagination.Those in search of a fix for dark and macabre entertainmentneed to look no further than this brilliant collection.

Thanks to NetGallery and Random House / Ballantine Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved all of the author’s previous novels and this is a collection of short stories, so it’s like getting a lot of books in one. And every single tale is excellent! Tudor was writing a full-length novel, but things happened and, as she explains in the introduction, it didn’t work. She decided to dig up old, abandoned texts that deserved a second look and they are all creepy, scary, unpredictable and very good. All are so atmospheric, and each includes an introduction explaining where Tudor got the idea for the story. Gloria brings back characters from two of her previous novels and left me wanting even more. Butterfly Island may become a novella in the future (yes, please!). Some are set in dystopian landscapes, others in very relatable environments that could be next door (shudder). As is usually the case, her characters are a mix of irredeemable, dislikable jerks and nice people that are easy to root for. Solid, great storytelling.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books!

I'm a big C.J. Tudor fan. The way she blends mysteries and thrillers with supernatural really works. So good, so creepy, so twisted. Thank to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

As always Tudor didn’t disappoint!!!
Thanks to NetGalley for the change to read in exchange for a review :)

This book is great for spooky season! a collection of short stories that will definitely give you the chills. Some more than others. :) Enjoy!

3.5 stars - This was an entertaining, horror-focused collection of short stories! As is usually the case, some stories were more successful or enjoyable than others, but overall, well worth picking up if you this kind of genre based collection. (Favs of this collection: Gloria and Lion at the Gate) I also enjoyed the intro to each story with the author explaining the inspiration

3 short story stars

I usually don’t read short stories, but I like this author, so I gave this one a shot! The best thing for me was to read these on a recent flight. My attention span was perfect for these sets of stories.

My favorite was “Runaway Blues” about a blues singer called the Fat Man, but that doesn’t really fit him. I did not come close to guessing how this one would turn out, but I still think of it from time to time well after I finished this book!

I did like how the author inserted introductions before each story, it helped clear my mind of the previous story and set the stage for the next one.

I also liked “End of the Liner” and “The Copy Shop”. There were a couple of other stories that leaned more to the horror side of things and those were not my favorite.

I’m looking forward to the full-length book from this author next!

This moody, tight collection of short stories is one of the better collections I've read - no filler, all killer, as the saying goes. While I'm not familiar with CJ Tudor's longer works, these stories are all frightening, grimy, and as interested in human monsters as supernatural ones. Refreshingly, there are no clunkers - while I had my favorites, there were no clear winners in the pack - they all had their positive points. They were all of brief length as well - which I prefer in horror! Just a taste of the macabre and then you're on your way.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone seeking horror that's having a good time. It didn't take itself too seriously, and I enjoyed the little introductions at the start of each section.

As I read this author, I was harkened back to my teen years. Many years ago I became engrossed in the writings and short stories of Edgar Allen Poe. His use of the macabre in his short stories was intriguing. Reading C.J. Tudor I wondered if Edgar could have been reincarnated.

Each of these stories has a diabolical twist at the conclusion. I was also intrigued by the idea of the apocalypse and end of life as we know it. The defeatism and loss of control by the individuals involved became predictable. My sympathies went out to the people who tried to escape to Butterfly Island. I did find it hard to believe, however, that sailors giving transfer services would not be aware of the dangers lurking in the shoals.

Enjoy these short stories and harken back to the writing mystique of long ago. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

I really enjoyed these! Most of them were absolutely fantastic stories. It was great to pick up something like this after being in a reading slump & not having to commit to a full novel for a few weeks. One story here & there was just what I needed! Can’t wait to read what CJ comes out with next. Thanks so much to NetGalley & Random House Ballantine for the ARC!

I received this courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Random House and I'm glad I did! I am a huge fan of C. J. Tudor and was so excited that she was coming out with a new book. Then, full disclosure, I saw that it was a collection of short stories, and was a tad disappointed, because I am not a fan of short stories. I usually never read them, but being that it was one of my favorite authors, I decided to give it a go.

I have to say, this is one collection of short stories I really enjoyed! They are all chilling and just fun to read! The description reads:

The debut short story collection from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man, featuring ten bone-chilling and mind-bending tales

Timeslips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor's novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination.

In Final Course, the world has descended into darkness, but a group of old friends make time for one last dinner party. In Runaway Blues, thwarted love, revenge, and something very nasty stowed in a hat box converge. In Gloria, a strange girl at a service station endears herself to a cold-hearted killer, but can a leopard really change its spots? And in I'm Not Ted, a case of mistaken identity has unforeseen, fatal consequences.

Riveting and explosively original, A Sliver of Darkness is C. J. Tudor at her most wicked and uninhibited (from Goodreads).

So, not much to say without giving too much away, but this is going to be a good read for you on those crisp fall nights! It releases in November 2022, so make sure you pick it up, get a hot beverage, your favorite blanket and read this collection of spooky stories!

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher! I really enjoyed it!

All thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book! This collection of short stories is full of gritty atmosphere, unique characters, and prose! I love short stories so I'm very glad Tudor wrote this book!