I have loved all of the author's books but unfortunately, this was a miss for me. The vampire of it all is so incredibly cool and up my alley but there were just too many POVS and I was confused for the majority of the story. I think other people might love it more but I lost steam and couldn't fully enjoy :(

Only CJ Tudor could get me to read a book about vampires! As a fan of Tudor's work since her debut novel, I've read everything she's written, except for her short stories. I trusted the author and dove into this new book without reading the blurb.

Set in Deadhart, a remote and frigid town in Alaska, "The Gathering" explores the coexistence of vampyre colonies and humans, including the laws that govern their relationship. It's wild to read about the laws and hatred between the two groups! Although I didn't enjoy "The Gathering" as much as Tudor's other books, it was still a well-written and thrilling read that kept me engaged until the end. Her writing successfully pulled me into this genre, which no other author has done.

Thanks to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing for providing this gifted eARC through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

I am a longtime fan of C.J. Tudor’s writing, and this is undoubtably her best yet. Just when you have it all figured out, the author does a 180 and all you can say is “Whoa !!”. Just brilliant execution and more than memorable characters, I sincerely hope there is a sequel being planned, this novel deserves it !!

Posted on Amazon and Goodreads

As always C.J. Tudor's books pack a punch and keep me on my toes throughout the entire book. Add in some vampire elements and this was one of the best thrillers I've read in awhile.

I loved the main character Barbara, it was really refreshing to have a fifty-something year old detective main character for once instead of a young female. Some of the quips and things she said had me laughing so hard. I do wish there were more intense vampiric moments thrown in but for how fast I flew through this book I'm definitely not complaining. The mystery and intrigue was great, the twists were fantastic, and I honestly loved all of the characters, good and bad for their own reasons. I'm really hoping this new book will turn into a series because I need more of Barbara and her antics in my life.

Residents of a small Alaska town are forced by law to put up with the colony of vampires that has relocated right next door.

Yeah. You can bet that ain't gonna end well.

I've never been a big fan of vampire novels, but I really enjoyed this one. There are gobs of humor scattered throughout all the throat ripping bits, and, yes, I guess I identified with the out-of-shape female "vampyr expert" sent to investigate a recent murder. The ending hints that this may turn into a series, so I'll happily grab a box of doughnuts, and tune in for the next installment.

This was a fun and interesting read and I did really enjoy the way that social commentary could be read throughout. However, it just wasn't something that I felt like would stick with me. I only finished it a week ago and barely remember it. The ending, however, I do remember and I am quite interested in seeing what would happen next if it turns out to be a series.

Another twisted and dark book by C.J. Tudor who's always delving into the abyss. I finished this book but did have a hard time reading it - this book took a different course for Tudor, but I always look forward to her books!!

I really really liked this book. It was a creepy dark twisty type thriller set in a cold tundra of Alaska and it was brought to life perfectly. I thought it was one of those books you sit by the fire and read in one night. Great read!

A teenage boy is found in an old cabin with his throat ripped out in the small town of Deadhart, Alaska. The event sets off a manhunt, or rather a vampyr hunt. You might think, “Oh no, YA, vampyr/werewolf love triangle coming!” You couldn’t be further from the truth.

In the world Tudor creates, vampyrs are just a fact. Most live in colonies away from humans and typically don’t interact with humans. When there is a killing, the humans call for a cull as revenge. So that’s the early tension between the people of Deadhart and the colony.
Enter Barbara Atkins, a detective from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department. She is a great character, but not because she is like Buffy – a beautiful ass-kicking slayer. No, she’s overweight, out of shape, and I don’t recall her looks being mentioned. The picture I have is frumpy. But she is smart, polite, fearless, and adamant that a cull is the last resort. Her dogged determination holds the town off from violence – but for how long?

Because of circumstances, she brings back the former sheriff to help. Tucker is another great character. He was the sheriff when another boy was killed in similar fashion 25 years prior. The atmosphere of this book is tense from start to finish. The clues are slow in coming, but the author drops nuggets along the way.

While, as a murder mystery/horror book, there is killing, investigation, and fear, there is also a very deep underlying issue that is cleverly dealt. This book is more than that, it is a treatise on prejudice. It’s not heavy-handed in how it is handled. Of course we would be afraid if vampyrs lived just outside our borders. But what is fueling the fear? If a vampyr is responsible for the two murders in Deadhart, have humans committed more murders than 2 in 25 years? Barbara will get to the answers! And maybe help people to overcome some of their fears and prejudices along the way.

Excellent book! I’ve enjoyed all of her books, this ranks #1.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 4/9/24!

This book had an interesting premise, and an interesting spin on the vampire trope. I would classify this book more as sci-fi than horror, as this book was not overly “scary” but rather gory in some spots. Giving this book 3 stars because some of the character interactions fell flat for me and this novel had a slow pace throughout until the last 15% or so. However, I did enjoy the setting of this book, as this definitely played a part in the underlying dispute of the plot. Would recommend giving this one a read if you don’t mind slow burns and are interested in the science-fi type genre. Please read any relevant trigger warnings, especially around the topic of gore, before picking this one up!

The Gathering is my second read of C J Tudor, and it will not be my last. It is such a well told tale of mystery and suspense. In the small mining town of Deadhart Alaska a teenage boy is murdered. Detective Barbara Atkins is sent to investigate. She is a specialist in investigating specific types of killings....suspected vampyr killings to be exact. The townspeople are certain the their local vampyr colony is to blame for the death and the only thing they want from Barbara is that she signs-off on an authorized cull of the colony. Except Barbara is not just a paper pusher, she will investigate until she finds the "individual" responsible, whether they be vampyr or human.
I really loved everything about this story and Barbara is a great character. The town and colony have a long history of mistrust and hostility and Barbara quickly comes to the conclusion that something about the teenager's murder scene was staged. Someone appears to trying to spark a full out war between the two species, and Barbara is pressed for time to head off a full blown killing spree.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House / Ballantine for the opportunity to enjoy this tension filled e-ARC thriller.

This was an interesting blend of murder mystery and horror. I would not have expected this to work so well, but this felt incredibly unique.

The inclusion of vampires gave this mystery a fun twist and I did enjoy the main character, and following her.

I will say, I was a bit let down by the end but I think there were some good twists in there.

If this becomes a series, I will probably continue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e arc.

The concept of this book was great. I love the combination of vampires and police procedural. It read a bit slower than I generally prefer, so I had to work hard to stay focused and concentrate on reading rather than skimming. Maybe if 50-75 pages were condensed or cut this would have been a faster paced read for me.

It was very realistic. The interweaving (is that even a word?) of vampires with humans was seamless. That little dose of reality makes this a chilling read. For readers who are interested in dipping a toe into horror, or like a more atmospheric read, this is a great option.

I am a fan of Nordic noir stories, so I expected to feel a similar vibe from this book due to its setting. There were a few fun twists, but typical to a Nordic style thriller, it's a cold atmospheric burn rather than banger after banger.

I enjoy the writing style of this author, but generally look for more gripping scenes in my thriller style books. If a book is not true horror, I need a bit more to keep me excited.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy procedurals and who can appreciate a paranormal element.

Vampires are real and we just need to learn to all live together in harmony. Harder than it sounds. There are some people on both sides who will not accept that as normal. Sound familiar? I liked how Tudor made the fantastic almost mundane as people discussed laws and history. I like the way the author also played with the rules of vampirism-choosing to take what the books say about fiction and turning it into myth and prejudice. The heroes and villains can be on either side and not everyone wants peace. This was fun to read, especially if you have a lot of experience reading about vampires.

Am I CJ Tudor’s biggest fan? I might just fucking be. This woman has yet to disappoint, only getting better and better each time.

As far as I know, The Gathering is a Tudor’s first book with an American setting- and I love how she used a fictional, supernatural situation as a euphemism for American issues of today. As a whole, I don’t love vampire books, I don’t actively seek them out- but this is a book even people that do not love horror, or supernatural, or sci-fi genres are going to love.

I’m hoping with fingers crossed that I’ll get a sequel with more adventures of Barbara, because what a character that all women can relate to, I would give this book ten stars if I could.

C.J. Tudor Has Done It Again!

t's early in November as Detective Barbara Atkins arrives in the small rural town of Deadhart, Alaska when she sees lighted Christmas decorations everywhere quite unusual to see them up so early in the season but she will soon learn why although she's sure she knows the reason already and also knows her work ahead will not be easy. Deadhart is one of those towns where they they are experiencing thirty days of darkness except for a few hours and Barbara wishes she didn't have to come to this dark, dismal and freezing town.

A teenager has been viciously murdered and drained if blood so she has been sent to investigate the killing since her specialty is in vampyr crimes. The town is in an uproar and Barbara must determine if a cull will be issued as the town wants and expects but Barbara will never make that decision unless she can't find the vampyr suspect responsible although the townspeople just want the whole Colony of vampyrs gone, exterminated, they don't want legal justice only vengeance.

A brutal snow storm complicates her job when more bodies are found and the angry townspeople are holding secrets from the past and the Colony hates the town as well so they have no interest in helping the detective and if she doesn't make a decision quickly there will be more lives at stake including her own.


Loved, loved, loved this horror/thriller! I can't get enough of C.J. Tudor's books and I hate when they come to an end because I have to impatiently wait while she writes her next horror novel. This was a new and fresh take on vampires and I thought everything about the story was spot-on while feeling the frigid cold and the anger and hatred was just oozing out of many characters. The atmosphere was eerie and downright creepy plus racism was brought forward of a different kind since vampyrs weren't quite human yet they weren't portrayed as the old vampire lore which was so intriguing.

The story wasn't a slow-burn but it wasn't action packed either until the last quarter of the book which was edge of your seat material. The character of Jensen Tucker became a favorite of mine and I hope another book or two can someday be written about this mysterious man who I think many readers may fall in love with as I did! There were many puzzles to solve within the story and every one was covered by the end of the book but it made me hope there will be more stories of vampyrs and Barbara in the future.

I highly recommend this book and as usual I can't wait to read this author's next book!


Many thanks to the publisher "Random House Publishing - Ballantine" for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 5 DANGEROUS AND GRITTY 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

The Gathering is an unsettling murder mystery that had me hooked right from the beginning straight through to the end. The vampire coven who lives outside of Deadhart, Alaska is being accused of a teenage boy’s murder. The police there have sent for help to solve the murder as well as investigate a murder in the past that may have something to do with current events.
The amount of detail in this story amazed me. I found myself wishing I didn’t have to put it down as the few twists the story took had me so captivated.
I will highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a chilling read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House / Ballantine for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Very unique thriller - a murder of a young boy prompts detective to investigate whether it was a vampyr or not.
super slow start
ending was rushed and not fully developed, imo.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved everything this author has written, and this book is no exception; it’s my favorite to date. . It has a unique take on vampires, which was so refreshing and fun to read. The protagonist was likable and relatable even though her job is out of our norm. I felt immersed within this small Alaska town. I look forward to recommending near pub day! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

The Gathering is an atmospheric murder mystery set in the small town of Deadheart, Alaska where a teenager is found with his throat ripped out. This is similar to a murder from years before where a teenager was found on the same manner. Tensions are running high as townsfolk blame the Colony, a group of vampires that live deep in the woods. In this book, vampires live amongst humans and have limited rights and are protected by the government.

Vampire anthropologist and detective Barbara Atkins is brought in to investigate to see if the Colony is responsible, and if so, to authorize a cull. When she arrives, not only will she find a town with a mob mentality, she'll find out things aren't always what they seem.

I really enjoyed this book. It's very atmospheric and suspenseful. Tudor does an excellent job of detailing the cold and isolation in Deadheart. She also does a great job of detailing human behavior, with the way the residents view vampires, getting at the themes of racism, and the way people fear the unknown, and mob mentality. I also thought the characters were well fleshed out with each having a good background story. There's plenty of red herrings here, which was nice. Be forewarned, this is not a horror novel, it's very much a murder mystery. Definitely recommend!

My thanks to Ballantine Books, author CJ Tudor, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.