"It wasn’t just the gnawing pain in her stomach. This was something new. Yet old. Half forgotten. A sense that she was not alone. A faint murmuring in her mind. A scent, a tingling in her bones. There was someone coming. And like her, he was hungry."

In Alaska a teen is found with his throat torn, similar to a previous murder years ago. Locals blame the Colony, a group of vampires that live nearby. These vampires have sworn off killing humans in order to protect themselves, and yet someone was clearly attacked by one.

This is a cool murder mystery with vampires! CJ Tudor is an author who is always consistently good.

Thank you Random House Ballantine and netgalley for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CJ Tudor can keep you guessing like no other author! I absolutely loved Barbara and how she also grew throughout the book. This was the perfect mix of vampire, horror, thriller, and suspense. Bravo! Let's get that sequel out with a quickness!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book. I enjoyed the characters and their arcs, and found the plot interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Another decent, fast paced, highly readable thriller with the trademark CJ Tudor paranormal elements. This time it’s a murder mystery where everything points to a vampyr colony that has recently returned to Deadheart, Alaska. But is a vampyr the real monster of this story?

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely spooky!! CJ Tudor is a masterclass at the spookiness in books. (Someone’s head fell off in the drift!)

A police procedural novel taking place in a world where vampires are known about, live in colonies near regular towns, and have rights (for the most part..)

I enjoyed reading this one even though I don’t usually find myself drawn to vampire stories. It took a minute for me to get into it but I love a good mystery / police procedural so that definitely kept me around.

Wow this is one of those books that you will have trouble putting down to sleep, eat or go to work. 😊
This is a murder mystery like no other & a very unique Vampire story
The Gathering is a relentless thriller with a supernatural twist that you’ll find yourself getting scared. I really like vampire stories & have read a lot but this one had me scared. Thank you to the author C.J. Tudor for writing such a good thriller

2024 not only appears to be shaping up to be another banner year for outstanding, bone-chilling horror releases, but it also seems like it could be shaping up to be the Year of the Vampire. Now, I’m not trying to re-ignite any werewolf/vampire debates because truth be told, I love them both. However, I do tend to skew more toward vampire stories. There was a period where the vampire as a horror figure seemed to lose its fangs and the focus shifted more toward the romanticism around vampirism. I’m not knocking those stories, there is something alluring about the concept of immortality and the inherent seductive qualities that have long been intertwined in the mythology of vampires. But the sweet spot of a good vampire novel, for me anyway, is when those qualities are explored alongside the thrill of genuine horror. When I started putting together my list of books I wanted to read this year, I found a ton of vampire novels I was super excited about - V. Castro’s Immortal Pleasures, Rachel Harrison’s So Thirsty, Liz Kerin’s First Light, and C.J. Tudor’s The Gathering, just to name a few. So when I had an opportunity to review The Gathering, I jumped at the chance!

The Gathering focuses on Detective Barbara Atkins, one of the best forensic detectives in the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department as she travels to the remote Alaskan town of Deadhart to investigate the brutal murder of a local boy. He was found with his throat ripped out and his body completely drained of blood. The brutality on display reminds residents of a similar tragedy that hit the community almost twenty-five years ago. The residents immediately suspect the Colony, a group of vampyrs living in the town’s abandoned mine settlement and led by the notoriously ruthless Athelinda.

Detective Atkins is facing mounting pressure from the residents of Deadhart as well as her boss at the FVAD to authorize a cull as all signs point to this being an open and shut case, but something doesn’t quite feel right to Atkins. Determined to find the truth, she teams up with the former sheriff during the last murder, Jenson Tucker, to sift through the town’s secrets. But as the body count continues to grow and a storm threatens to cut the community off from the outside world, Atkins and Tucker must catch the killer before the powder keg of tension between the Colony and Deadhart explodes.

I’ve been a fan of C.J. Tudor and her genre-blurring novels ever since I read The Other People, and if there is one thing I have to come to expect from her novels, it’s to expect the unexpected. The Gathering is no exception as Tudor blends elements of police procedural with frightening scenes of horror to create a read that’s packed with plenty of surprises and a mystery that will keep readers furiously flipping pages long into the night. The setting of the fictitious Alaskan town of Deadhart and its long periods of night and bone-chilling climate lends the perfect atmosphere to the grisly events that unfold throughout the novel. The isolation of Deadhart and the vast wilderness surrounding the town creates a claustrophobic feeling that amplifies the tension and horror that Tudor crafts throughout the course of The Gathering.

However, the significance of Deadhart stretches beyond its physical attributes, it also plays an important role in shaping the mindset of a lot of the characters. Tudor spends a lot of time crafting the history of the town and the relationship between the residents and members of The Colony, especially the aftermath of the murders that happened 25 years ago. I don’t want to delve too deep into Deadhart’s secrets, but it’s not a spoiler to say that all of those emotions are deeply embedded in the fabric of the community and influences the actions of humans and vampyr alike.

One of my other favorite things about The Gathering was that Tudor crafted the story around the existence of vampyr’s being a well-known fact. It allowed her to still honor the traditions of vampire lore, but eliminated the need for extensive passages re-establishing the rules and bogging down the narrative. It’s also a central part of the conflict that’s at the heart of The Gathering. With knowledge that vampyrs exist, humans developed a vast array of technologies such as UV weaponry and laws that forced them to the outskirts of society. In areas like Deadhart, prejudice toward vampyrs is on full display and for many, seen as a badge of pride. Tudor’s portrayal of the townspeople’s attitudes to the Colony is sadly very close to the discrimination and hatred we see all too often in the real world and it was a powerful element of the story. However, even though hate and prejudice are main focal points, there is also a focus on redemption, as a few characters in The Gathering try to correct the mistakes of their past.

If I had one complaint, it would probably be centered around what I consider the “interlude” chapters of the novel. On their own, these chapters are actually very engaging, even if they do occasionally disrupt the flow of the main narrative. I have to be vague to avoid spoilers, but the issue with them is they seem sort of unnecessary. There is a payoff as to what these chapters are describing, but at least to me, it was a little underwhelming and left me confused as to their impact on the overall story. Those issues aside, this is another outstanding outing from Tudor and is sure to appeal to people who enjoyed True Detective: Night Country, Ronald Malfi’s Bone White, and of course, a bloody good vampire story!

I loved this book! This is my 2nd book by C.J. Tudor and wow it was well written. This was a great story involving good and evil and how they over lap. I really enjoyed the different POVs and the way they were written.

This book was immensely consuming. A murder brings Barbara Atkins to the little Alaskan town of Deadhart. (fitting name). She specializes in vampyr killings. (I love the spelling) It looks like the murder of this young man was a vampyr killing but she is not so sure. The town wants a cull, getting rid of the vampyr colony on the outskirts of town, but Barbara will not just race into that idea. There are more murders and a back history of the vampyrs and their leader Athelinda and you actually feel sorry for the vampyrs. The conclusion is thrilling and the epilogue makes you long for the next story to come.

I am not a big vampyr story lover. I had heard so many great things about this book that I had to read it. I am so glad I did. I was scratching my head throughout it. The little side story about a captive girl kept me wondering and the reveal was perfect and made so much sense.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for a copy for review.

I've read all of C.J. Tudor's books and this is one of my favorites. It has the signature humor and relatable characters as well as another isolated town setting that I've so enjoyed in her other books. The concept is really cool: a vampire expert is called to help the police investigate a murder in a remote Alaskan town that has been at odds with its neighboring vampire colony since the murder of a young boy some years earlier. The townspeople are hoping the investigation will provide enough evidence to destroy the colony/ murder all the vampires, but detective Barbara is going to make sure to do her due dilligence.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

CJ Tudor can do no wrong. Stunning writing and development to the think interesting story line. The twists always get me especially when I have developed feelings for the characters. Great read!

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called to a small town in Alaska after a boy is found dead and drained of blood. A similar killing happened 25 years ago that was blamed on the Colony. They chased the Colony away for years, but now they are back. Have they started killing again?

This is an book with an interesting plot. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It has interesting characters and plenty of suspense.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Amazing story! I would love to read more back story of when these vampires initially “came out” into the human world.

The characters were so believable- Barbara is a middle aged vampire expert, an outsider to the Alaskan town, sent to determine whether a “cull” of the local vampire colony will be allowed after an almost obvious killing. This story was as much a mystery/thriller than a strictly paranormal story.

I love anything vampire related but even if that’s not your thing, I suggest you give this fantastic story a go! Highly recommend!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Tudor since The Chalk Man, and this book did not disappoint. In the world of the book, vampires and humans both live on the earth, but the vampires live in Colonies and most humans desire their end. When a human boy is killed, the village calls for a cull, a complete destruction of the Colony near them. It is up to Detective Barbara Atkins to determine what truly happened, and if a cull is warranted.

This was one eerie book, especially given the Alaskan setting which means a lot of darkness. The mystery is a really good one, with lots of twists and turns, especially the ending. Tudor explores really well who is the more bloodthirsty, the vampires or the humans who want to kill all the vampires. This is a complex, thoughtful, suspenseful and creepy book I would definitely recommend.

“They were back. It was about to begin again. ”
Here are reasons to read the Horror book:

Mysterious Death - Barbara is called to a town in Alaska to investigate a mysterious death
Or is it? - Since the Colony, a government protected vampire community, is thought to be responsible
Detective - The more Barbara investigates the killing, the more she realizes it has connections to one in the past
Vampire or Human - but the real question is was the murderer Human or Vampire?

Full disclosure here - this book kicked off a reading vlog on my youtube channel to read 3 vampire books, which also let me to explore whether Vampire books are even my thing anymore. I DNFd this one initially, and then went back and read it. Honestly it was not as bad once I got into the story, since it really is more of a mystery than anything else. The real interesting part is how these vampires are described here because it is a little different than normal. If you can get past the slow pace, it might be one to pick up if you like vampire books.

This was a little outside of my normal genre, but I enjoyed the author’s other novels, so I wanted to give it a try. I feel like the description “true detective night country meets true blood” is so appropriate. The whole novel is such a unique addition to the vampire genre. It’ wasn’t my cup of tea, but well written.

Set in the very small, very isolated town of Deadhart, Alaska, THE GATHERING starts with the death of a boy. His throat torn open and his body drained of blood, there's little question that his killer is one of the vampyrs from a colony living outside the town. But any death must be investigated and if it's suspected to be a vampyr attack, a detective with specialized training is called. Detective Barbara Atkins is sent to investigate and decide if a cull of the colony is needed. This is the back story and to say it's unique is an under statement. C.J. Tudor has taken a routine murder mystery and turned it into a mystery operating under it's own set of rules, and populated it with some very unique characters.

Tudor is well known for her unique mysteries. Her ability to let readers "see" the well plotted scenes is just one of the many differences between her books and others. Each step of the story brings us closer to a conclusion that is never what you thought. The who, what, where, when and how are hiding behind some well placed clues. But the journey to the reveal will take readers into this town of people who have chosen to live next door to vampyres, yet be surprised when an attack happens.

Detective Barbara Atkins is called to investigate a boy's murder in the town of Deadhart, Alaska as the community calls for a cull. Atkins isn't sure if it is really a vampyr murder or if someone is trying to frame the vampyrs and the town is adamant that the only answer is the dissolution of the Colony. Yet the more Atkins investigates and the more opposition she faces, the more she thinks this has something to do with the town's past. Overall, a gripping mystery that has detailed worldbuilding and deals with the contention between two communities who are at odds.

Let me start off by saying this my be my favorite book from Tudor yet, and since I've enjoyed all of her books, that's saying something.

There are a lot of vampire novels out there, but the key is two give readers something that hasn't been done before or has a bit of a twist. Tudor hits a homerun in this aspect, because she took the vampire sub-genre and mashed with a mystery/procedural and then on top of that I feel like she's set up a really nice vampyr backstory where they live amongst humans.

There is plenty of mystery and plenty of horror and I loved the vampyr backstory. The pacing was perfect and keeps you hooked. The ending had it's fair share of surprises, so it definitely kept me on my toes. Tudor has created something will certainly be a hit and has some potential for additional books, I could see sequels or prequels being a possibility.

Thank you so much to the Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing the ebook. All opinions are my own.