A Sliver of Darkness by CJ Tudor is a book of short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed each one of them. I appreciated how the author introduced each story with an explanation of how she came to write it. This added a little something extra to the stories. If you like CJ Tudor’s previous books, definitely check this one out. The writing was excellent and the stories were just as thrilling as her novels are. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

A Sliver of Darkness is a short-story collection comprised of 10-tales by beloved author, C.J. Tudor. This was Tudor's only 2022 release, a fact that she addresses within this book. Anything from Tudor would get me excited, but I was particularly looking forward to trying out some shorter fiction from her. This collection was definitely interesting.

I found these stories to be unique and entertaining. It's pretty clear Tudor has entered her dystopian/post-apocalyptic era and I'm not mad about it. This explored themes that felt fresh and relevant to our post-pandemic world. It also got pretty murdery and twisted; two things I adore in dark, or speculative, fiction.

I enjoyed how each story had a short introduction by the author. This reminded me of King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. I always enjoy when an author includes these types of insights into their inspirations, or connections, to each story. It makes the experience more personal. Additionally, I feel like it helps to set-up the proper tone for each story. I'm definitely glad that Tudor decided to include them in the final copy of the book.

Overall, I found this collection to be varied, unpredictable, well-written, engaging and it definitely gave me a lot to think about. Considering all the world has been through over the past 3-years, I don't think it is surprising that this is the type of creativity Tudor felt like expressing. It definitely feels apropos for the times.

Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love Tudor's style and will continue to pick up everything she writes!

I did not enjoy this collection of short stories. I didn’t find them scary, creepy or very interesting. I did enjoy this author’s other book, “The Other People”, so I will continue to read the authors novels, but not any more short stories.

CJ Tudor is a talented writer who knows how to create a compelling story, and this is a great variety that showcases their talent well. As with any collection of this type, it's a mixed bag, with some really great stories and some just so-so. However, all of them were worth reading and I didn't think any were a waste of time; quite the contrary, I enjoyed them all. It's a solid collection.

I usually don’t read short stories so it’s hard for me to rate this book when I’m not a fan of them. I did enjoy the first story the most.

This book is a collection of short stories and I liked how the author wrote a little note on why she chose this short story to be part of the book and how it can
Me about.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a set of short stories, each with a quick into from the author. I enjoyed each of the intros, as they gave a little context to where Tudor was when she was writing each story and how she came by her inspiration. Very interesting!
While they were all good, my favorites were the first story ""End of the Liner, " a post apocalyptic tale involving humanity floating around on repurposed Disney cruise ships. Land is no longer habitable (so they are told) and it is told from the pov of a 75 year old woman who has lived most of her adult life aboard the ship, and now faces "retirement."
"The Block," was creepy and cool with a little twist at the end.

"I'm not Ted" was definitely interesting quick one about a man who keeps getting in his own way!

"The Lion at the Gate" very creepy take on some graffiti in an abandoned area that some teenagers wander across.

My only gripe about short stories is, as always, just as I'm really getting involved and attached, they're over. There were a couple I would have liked to see more of!

I am normally a huge CJ Tudor fan, but this one just really didn’t do it for me. Maybe I’m not good with horror, maybe I’m not good with short stories… I don’t know. But I just couldn’t get into it and didn’t really enjoy picking it up. It has great reviews so jump on in if you’re a fan of horror and short stories. Thank you netgalley for my review copy.

I loved my first C.J. Tudor book, but haven't read another of hers since, despite having them on my shelves. I tend to stay away from short stories because they are always a mixed bag. Not this book. I enjoyed them ALL, which is incredibly unusual for me.

Of course, I still had my faves.

In End of the Liner, the world has come to an end, but a group of survivors are floating around the oceans on a huge cruise ship, hosted by Mikey and his crew. Hmmm.... wonder what she is alluding to here?! We meet Leila, who has been on board for FIFTY YEARS. Seems like they are actually dead and already in Hell, but that's just my opinion. Periodically people are picked to "retire," and unfortunately for Leila, it's her turn next. But this Retirement Ceremony won't be like the last...

Runaway Blues is described as Stephen King-esque by the author, and she's not wrong. It's the early 1970s. Jack and his fiance, Stella, love to frequent The Blue Flamingo, a blues club very unlike the disco clubs that most others are visiting. One night, a pale, skinny kid walks onto stage and stuns the crowd. The Fat Man, as he becomes affectionately known, has an incredible voice and quickly becomes a crowd favorite until his gorgeous dancer girlfriend runs off with another man. The Fat Man states he'd kill her if he found her, so when a woman's body is round in the woods, the couple become suspicious...

For The Copy Shop, Fran accidentally breaks her favorite vase, a present from a late friend. Her friend and neighbor, Melinda, suggests she take it to The Copy Shop for a replacement. Fran does it, more to silence Melinda than anything else. A day later, Fran retrieves the vase and it is pristine - even better than the original. When she arrives home to her old cat, she begins to wonder...what else can be copied?! I knew exactly where this story was going and loved it anyway.

Highly recommend, whether you like short stories or not. A fantastic collection of creepy, imaginative tales.

3.5 Stars (rounded up to 4).

A Sliver of Darkness contains 11 short-stories. They are horror, suspense, little mystery, and sci-fi/dystopian type stories.
I am normally not a fan of short-stories; they always leave me wanting more, and I am way to greedy to be finished with a story after a few pages. This was one of my first experiences with C.J. Tudor and I am glad I was given an AFC of her, A Sliver of Darkness! They were great! Obviously, there are some stories in there better than others, but I read the whole book in a day.
I'm not going to review each story in the book, but I will say most of the stories really left me wanting more, and some really ended just perfectly as a short story and that was that. There is such a mix of stories in here, you will definitely find at least one or two that resonate with you. There were a few stories that had been done before, but Tudor really adds her own spin to their endings. *My personal favorite of the 11 stories, "The Dust."*
So, now I am off to try more Tudor novels.

Like most short story collections there were a few I loved, lots of pretty good ones, and some I didn't like as much. Overall, I found the ideas interesting and the stories entertaining. My favorites were End of the Liner and Final Course, probably because these were the two longest stories, and I felt like I could really sink into the plot and characters.

This book really made me love CJ Tudor, though I didn't love it and I don't think it's her best work. The introductions to each of her short scary stories really endeared me to her. Her humor makes the book feel more human and, to me, is evidence of her mastery of language. The stories didn't stand out to me. I had a hard time staying focused during many of them — I was more bored than scared. But I didn't want to give up for queen CJ. Now I'm just more excited to read her backlist.

I love horror stories and I have always been fond of the short story collections by Stephen King so I was thrilled to hear that one of the best new horror authors around had a short story collection out. It was a fantastic selection of ideas but I have to say that the stand out for me was the last story - Butterfly Island. It was completely different to anything else I have read from C.J.Tudor and despite it's island setting, there was a feeling of dread throughout. It probably stood out to me because it was the most unexpected of the stories but if developed it would make a fantastic full length novel or movie. Another fantastic read from this author.

This was an excellent read! I didn’t realize when I requested it that it was short stories (my oversight) so it was a real treat to open it up to find that.
Each story was interesting and drew you in from the go, with characters and storylines that were intriguing and mysterious.
Overall a very good read, and some of them I would’ve loved to read more about or have been longer!!

A Sliver of Darkness is a collection of short horror stories. I have read and loved most of this author’s books, and this was no exception. The first story pulls you in, and they keep getting better and better, there were some I didn’t care for, but overall it’s a solid collection.

I had a hard time choosing my favorite stories, so I’ll mention the ones that stood out the most:

- End of the Liner
- The Completion
- The Copy Shop
- Dust

End of the Liner was the most intriguing to me- it is about a cruise ship. When I read it I had just come back from a cruise, and it made me wonder how I’d feel about being on it permanently, going through the routines over and over again.

I had a lot of fun reading this, it’s one I’ll keep coming back to for some of the stories.

If you are familiar with Tudor’s previous novels, then you will love Sliver of Darkness: its stories are eerie, playful, and imaginative. While there are some familiar horror tropes at play in these stories, there are quite a few original horrors that she has conjured. My favorite stories are The Completion, The Lion at the Gate, and Dust. If I had to pick one of the stories that I would love to read as a full length novel, it would be Final Course. Tudor’s take on an apocalyptic event is scary and wholly original.

This short story collection surprised me in a lot of great unexpected ways. These stories are unique, creepy, a smidge dystopian, and just plain dark and I think they have a lot to offer a variety of readers. Calling all fans of Stephen King, these physiological thrillers are sure to keep you reading well into the night.


End of the Liner
- This story set me diving into this collection. The introduction frames the story beautifully and I'm still pondering what the ending truly meant.
The Block
- Chills, creeps, and crawlers galore are in this story. This story will take you back to any late night adventure you may have taken with friends, but story just may have dire consequences. Oh and never doubt that Evil always finds a host!
Runaway Blues
- The Fat Man brought me back to all the things that I loved about The Chalk Man and let me tell you this story packs a major punch into a few pages. I loved this so much, and it creeped me out!
The Completion
- I love a good full circle moment, even one that the main character might not even realize that they are playing into. This story won't have you rooting for the main character and instead j found myself hoping someone had some sort of redeeming humanity and whether I got what I wanted or not you'll have to read to find out!
The Lion at the Gate
- Maybe it's just because I love The Picture of Dorian Gray and the The Sun Dog by Stephen King, but I'm a sucker for a cursed painting that has far more power than it should. Beware the technicolor lion!
Gloria
- Catch me running to read the Hiding Place to learn more about Gloria!
I'm Not Ted
- Tudor puts the best, this is a short and to the point story that's going to have you reevaluating which temptations you give in to.
Final Course
- Ahhhh this story is full of twists and turns and you won't see the ending coming!
Copy Shop
- Alfred Hitchcock meets Black Mirror!! Don't believe me - you can only find out for yourself!
Dust
- This gave me vibes from the Shining and had some truly haunting and creepy imagery.
Butterfly Island
- Resident Evil but with some really messed up butterflies!! I loved this story and would love to read more from this world one day!

I loved this collection and think that you will too!!

I love CJ Tudor and this book did not disappoint. Different approach than I'm used to with her novels but she is a strong writer and it works. My favorite story was Gloria.

This short story collection is a mixed bag, with themes ranging from ghosts, monsters, and the apocalypse, but what shines most is the inspiration behind these stories.

First off, I love short story collections, but I understand they aren’t for everyone. If you do happen to like a little sliver of something wicked, or want to give it a try, you’re sure to find a story to love in here. As with most collections, there were a number of stories that just didn’t resonate with me, but there are also some true standouts. “The Copy Shop” asks if you really could make a copy better than the original, “I’m not Ted” is a fun and frightening exploration of morals, and “End of the Liner” will change how you see cruise ships for good. While the stories vary, all are dark in tone, and the thread that connects them is the author’s introductions. These little intros offer the inspiration and background to these tales. I loved this little look into the author’s head; A view most readers rarely get. Some stories do feel like novel ideas missing the required room, but there all well written and still stand on their own merit.

A Sliver of Darkness is a solid collection from one of the best, and a great read if you like knowing what can inspire some truly wicked tales.

I love CJ Tudor's writing and have read most of her work. I also liked the author telling a bit about herself and her experiences before each story.
However, the book felt disjointed to me, perhaps because I rarely read short stories.
I felt that by the time I invested my interest, the story was over.

A Sliver of Darkness by C. J. Tudor is a collection of horror and suspense short stories. These are very unique stories, but unfortunately I did not enjoy them that much. However, I am probably not the target audience for this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.