C.J. Tudor’s The Gathering is a gripping blend of murder mystery, horror, and social commentary set in the isolated town of Deadhart, Alaska. The story begins with the gruesome murder of a teenage boy, his throat ripped out and blood drained—a crime that reignites tensions between the human residents and the Colony, a marginalized community of vampyrs living on the outskirts of town. Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is brought in to investigate whether this is a Colony killing and potentially authorize a cull. As Barbara delves deeper into the case with the help of former sheriff Jenson Tucker, she uncovers dark secrets that challenge her understanding of justice and morality.

Tudor crafts an atmospheric setting with meticulous detail, immersing readers in the chilling isolation of Deadhart and its simmering conflicts. The narrative explores themes of prejudice, fear of the unknown, and societal divisions through its portrayal of vampyrs as an oppressed minority. While the vampyrs are dangerous, they are also bound by laws that protect them—a nuanced take on vampire lore that adds depth to the story. Barbara Atkins serves as a compelling protagonist; flawed yet determined, she navigates the fine line between truth and community pressure while grappling with her own biases.

The novel’s pacing is deliberate, allowing Tudor to build tension and layer mysteries effectively. However, some critics have noted that the narrative occasionally suffers from an overload of subplots and characters, which can dilute its impact. Despite this, The Gathering excels in its ability to keep readers guessing with twists and turns that elevate it beyond standard vampire tropes.

Ultimately, The Gathering is more than a horror novel—it’s a thoughtful examination of hatred, discrimination, and moral ambiguity wrapped in an engaging thriller. Fans of Tudor’s previous works will find her signature style intact: richly developed characters, sharp dialogue, and an ability to weave social themes into suspenseful storytelling. Whether you’re drawn to paranormal mysteries or enjoy thrillers with substance, The Gathering is worth picking up for its chilling atmosphere and thought-provoking narrative.

Not normally a fan of vampire fiction, but this one was good! I enjoyed this ride and it seems like the series is starting, so that's exciting!

OKURRRRR, this book was a surprise and I will say that the surprise was unexpected! Vampires and a mix of mystery and horror

Might be bias because I love vampires in any form and I also really love an Alaskan setting. Top it off with a main character that is older - lots of great stuff going on here! Perfect quick mystery!

4⭐️

Solid mystery with some horror elements. There were a lot of characters with a lot of interconnected history to piece together, which made it a compelling but sometimes confusing read. The catalyst and final act conflict felt a bit rushed and lacked some tension, but overall things fell together pretty well. The atmosphere pacing, and structure were all excellent, and I truly enjoyed my time with this. I will read more from this author in the future - I even hope we get a direct or spiritual sequel after that epilogue!

Tudor brings us into this world where vampires and humans have evolved to exist in the same world, yet a select few humans don't agree that Vamps should be allowed to live peacefully in their own sects and villages. When a younger person dies and suspicion grows because it seems like they were attacked by vampires, hatred begins to boil over. As a detective Barbara Atkins is brought in to work along with the sheriff, she notices a few things just aren't adding up. Maybe there is more to the story, but it turns out this case is going to be like pulling fangs, when one group blames another and the puzzle pieces don't fit, Atkin's is going to have to really dig deep to find the truth. 25 years ago there was a similar case and sometimes folks want the past to stay buried and the dead to stay that way.

A whirlwind vampire noir that pulls the reader into some really cold, dark places. Vampires are monsters but sometimes humans are too. This is such an interesting take on tales of the undead, bloodsucking horrors that we've grown so used to. Tudor knows how to weave together a story that is both moving, tragic, and creepy.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. This was not at all what I was expecting from a book about vampires, but it was definitely something new and interesting. I thought it might have been too similar to other books I’ve read but this one stood out all on its own! I would definitely recommend if you like science fiction, vampire stories, and mysteries!

With so many wonderful books in existence, I don't often reread previous selections. I read this one twice! It is set in the dark, far north of Alaska which makes for a great escape read from the summer heat or when you're surrounded by winter yourself. The name of the small (873 living) rural town is Deadhart. It is located near a protected Colony of vampyrs.

When a murder takes place, Detective Barbara Atkins comes to town. Her job is to determine if the murderer is in fact vampyr killing. If it is, she is to authorize a cull of the colony. So much is riding upon her findings, so many people have things to hide. There are echos of a murder 25 years ago. The detective must walk a tightrope between the raging townspeople, law enforcement past and present and some downright creepy people.

This is a fantastic read with a fresh twist on traditional vampire lore. I would love this to become a series please!

Who was expecting this to be SO GOOD?! Just a raucous good time with some vampires! CJ Tudor delivers again!

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor blends murder mystery with supernatural horror in the small Alaskan town of Deadhart. Detective Barbara Atkins investigates the brutal death of a teenage boy, torn between suspecting a vampyr or something more sinister. The book's chilling atmosphere and small-town setting create a compelling mystery, though its slow pace, ambiguous ending, and complex themes may not appeal to all readers.

Tudor excels in world-building and atmosphere, though the pacing can feel sluggish. The supernatural horror element is fresh but unbalanced with the mystery, and some readers might find the vampire portrayal unsatisfying. The themes of fear, prejudice, and moral ambiguity add depth, though character development beyond Barbara feels underexplored.

Final Thoughts: The Gathering offers an eerie mystery but falters with pacing and character depth. While it may appeal to fans of Tudor’s previous work, the lack of strong vampire action and the slow buildup may leave some readers cold. It's worth a try for fans of supernatural mysteries, but don't expect a fast-paced thriller. I'd rate it 3.5 stars—solid, but not flawless.

I love C.J. Tudor, no one scares me like she does. Anytime she writes ANYTHING, I must read it and this was no exception.

You never know what will happen next in this book. Great thriller that is well written. I am never disappointed by this author. Always some surprised and a lot of twists. Great book!

I am really late on this, but I am so glad that I found time to come back to this. I came to this book completely blind, besides that it was a thriller/mystery. I loved this book. The POVs jumped around a bit which became confusing at times to keep up with characters but her writing was stunning. She captivated me from the beginning. Barbara is BA!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Forensic vampire anthropologist, Detective Barbara Atkins is called up to Alaska to research the murder of a young high school boy. The towns people are claiming that a member of the local vampire colony killed the young man but the oldest vampire, Athelinda insists that they are innocent.

This book was perfect for a cold, winter read. Readers who enjoyed the fourth season of True Detective with Jodie Foster will enjoy this book. I really appreciated that it wasn't heavy on the police jargon. Readers who don't like a lot of vampire lore will also appreciate that C.J. Tudor doesn't spend a lot of time on the attributes of the vampires. (We don't get into silver, stakes thru the heart and garlic) Instead we get the back story of Det. Atkins and a couple members of the vampire colony.

I really liked the female Detective, Barbara Atkins. Her backstory was interesting and it was nice to see a strong, LGBTQ protagonist. I also enjoyed reading about Athelinda the oldest female vampire. She came across as creepy and unsettling. I didn't see the antagonist plotline at all and was completely surprised. I highly recommend this book to readers who want a cold, wintery horror novel for the dark nights of winter.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

So far I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author and after reading this one will continue to do so. I went into the book blind, didn’t read the summary or remember what it was about so it threw me for a loop a Lorne at the beginning but I enjoyed the story and characters and how it all came together and interlocked. Really liked the idea of the civilization and how easy it would be for division to escalate to something dangerous and tragic. Definitely recommending to others!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This is a small town vampire murder mystery

I struggled getting invested in this novel, the first half of the book was extremely slow. The second half was full of too many plot twists that occurred one right after the other. The ending left me with more questions than actual answers. Maybe a sequel will help clear some of that up.

Overall it was a decent book, there were interesting characters and the police procedural details were written well. It just wasn’t the book for me.

Man, I was so sucked into this story. After watching Night Country this was just what I needed to give me my spooky cold climate Alaska scary things in the dark fix.

A vampire expert investigates a murder in rural Alaska. This book took me forever to read because I kept losing interest. It was hard to keep track of who was a vampire, part vampire or human. Vampires are supposed to be scary. Do not de-fang them and make them a disadvantaged segment of society. And there was no suspense in this book until a very brief interlude near the end. I have enjoyed the author’s other books. Try “The Chalk Man”, “The Burning Girls” or “The Drift” instead. This was disappointing. 2:5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. Normally, I worry about picking up a book about vampires because they can be either super fantasy which isn’t totally my thing or they are corny romances. This was neither, this was awesome. I liked the main character, I liked that the vampire were their own community and had to deal with the relationships amongst humans. This is a 4.5 for me.

Creepy, ominous and horrific are the 3 words I would use to describe this book. It left me feeling uneasy and feeling like I needed to look over my shoulder. I could so vividly picture each scene written on the pages of this book.