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.

The Gathering was not in my usual wheelhouse but it certainly delivered as I spent hours riveted to this incredible story about…vampyrs. The deep chill of Deadhart, Alaska captured my attention immediately, as did the story of the murder. And then Barbara arrived. Loved the many times Tudor showed Barbara’s personality and perseverance as opposed to a laundry list of her personality traits. Her detective skills were so astute, thank you to CJ Tudor for making her so very likable in the midst of so much racism and hatred. Having lived in a small town divided by racism and mistrust, Tudor kept the pot simmering with her realistic depictions of the characters that live in towns like this.
So very many topics were threaded throughout this engrossing storyline creating many What if … wonderings. Love when author’s are able to engage their readers in this way. I have to admit that certain passages and interactions did seem too over the top for me but an excellent story over all. This read was a very refreshing change from the historical fiction and thrillers that i have been reading recently. Please keep writing CJ Tudor as you have got a new fan in me.
Many many thanks to CJ Tudor, Ballantine Books, and Net Galley for affording me the opportunity to read this absolutely engrossing, chilling arc, published on April

Happy Publication Day!

I really enjoyed this one! This is my third book by the author and I am officially a fan! Although this book mentions Vampyrs, just know that this isn't exactly a vampire/horror book. Yes, there is some horror, but it's more of the human variety than of the supernatural. I went in not expecting anything except a good yarn and I was not disappointed. While vampires (called Vampyrs) do play a role, it's a story that could take place with or without the supernatural element. This is more about the evil that mankind (and Vampyr) is capable of, and how evil can have repercussions generations later. At its heart, it's about racism, hatred, resentment, vengeance, and about standing up for what is right, despite the pressure to do the "easy thing".

The setting is a small town in Alaska called Deadheart where a chilling murder takes place, and while all signs point to Vampyrs, Barbara, a Vampyr anthropologist, is called on to investigate, and potentially authorize a cull of the colony that has settled near the town. Barbara has her own demons to deal with, but she is determined to do her job correctly, despite what her boss, her liaison in the town, and the townsfolk are pressuring her to do (authorize the cull).

I really liked Barbara. She is not your stereotypical kick butt heroine who might shoot first and ask questions later. She very intelligent, but more importantly, she is patient, open-minded, and thorough. It was also refreshing to have the heroine be an overweight older woman who, while she might acknowledge she could be in better shape, doesn't particularly seem to be self-conscious about it. Much of the story was from her point-of-view but we also hear from Tucker, who I also liked, Beau, who we were supposed to not like, and a mysterious girl who is being held against her will "for her own safety". I think I would have appreciated a little bit more character development with Tucker and maybe a tad bit more on some of the townsfolk, but overall, I thought the author did a good job.

While I was able to figure out some of the mystery, there were a few surprises, including who the mysterious girl is, and an ending that possibly suggests Barbara will be coming back? I really hope so! I really enjoyed this story and if I had had more time, I would probably have read it in one sitting. Instead, my reading time was interrupted quite a bit. But each time, I looked forward to getting back to the story and trying to figure out what was going to happen.

Overall, if you're looking for a well-paced mystery with a unique setting, you should check out this book.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was so good! It was giving Midnight Mass x 30 Days of Night vibes. Going into it blindly, I had no idea that it was paranormal so I was pleasantly surprised.

Modern day colonies of vampires reside in secluded places and live amongst humans despising them yet not harming them. There’s lots of racism in here against both parties.

Thennn there is a murder. Of course the town thinks the vampires did it. The vampire professionals are called from out of town. There’s lots of questioning and paranoia. Pointing fingers and high suspicion.

The story weaves in an out with a side plot of other monstrous things going on in someone’s basement.

The vibes of the cold Alaskan setting really made the claustrophobic atmosphere pop! CJ never disappoints!

I wanted to love this because the drift was so good. But this was slow and tedious and the vampyrs like what was even happening in this book all the characters I just felt lost and no idea what was going on

To start this off... Happy Pub Day!

The Gathering is a spine-chilling murder mystery full of characters whose pasts aren't exactly what they seem to be. You CANNOT trust anyone. Between this and To You Shall All Flesh Come I’ve realized that I have missed out on a whole sub-genre of horror. This one had me in a chokehold and if it weren't for having to work so often, I would have devoured it in no time at all. Truly enjoyed the slow thrill and body-dropping excitement of the twists.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review.

4 stars plus...C. J. Tudor takes a detour into vampyr fiction here and has created an alternate reality where vampyrs and humans live in neighboring remote communities. It's often an uneasy alliance, their existence a favor granted by humans, so when a human teen in Deadhart, Alaska, is found dead with his throat slit open, Barbara Atkins, a detective from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department is called in to determine whether the killer was actually a vampyr. If so, the human community will be allowed to 'cull' the vampyrs from their area. At first, it seems like a slam dunk, there's even video evidence, but a closer look at it has Barbara wondering...

So, part mystery/police procedural and part horror story. To me, the basic message here is that humans tend to hate and fear what they don't really understand and so it might seem easier to eliminate what they perceive as a danger to peace and harmony and life itself.

Alaska is the perfect setting for this story with the added dangers of the bitter cold and perpetual winter darkness. I enjoyed the characters, especially Barbara, who is refreshingly normal in looks and figure, but has a code she lives by to do her job, based on her own life experiences. I'm happy to see that Tudor has left the door open to a possible sequel. I'm certain I'd enjoy that just as much.

The author and publisher offered me the opportunity to read an arc of this novel via NetGalley. Many thanks to them. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

In a remote Alaskan town a teenage boy is brutally murdered in what appears to be a vampyr attack. A special vampyr investigator is dispatched to figure out whether this death is vampyr violence and if a cull of the local vampyr colony should be ordered. The townspeople have already decided that a return of violence is the answer but Detective Atkins and the local PD need to slow the reaction and figure out what really happened before more people or vampyrs end up dead.

This reminded me a lot of the new season of True Detective, it's set in a cold bleak world with a female investigator who has beef with the townsfolk. There are supernatural elements and yet the humans are generally the worst. Finger pointing and bigotry, drugs and sex trafficking. Yet, let's blame the vampyrs for everything. It also had some fire and brimstone anti-vampyr religion craziness to add to the fun.

I loved that there was some lore and explanation of the vampyr culture and the building of the colony but that the focus was on the police procedural. I would love to see another story in this world.

The Gathering by C.J Tudor. I went into this book completely BLIND. I didn't read the synopsis - I just looked at the cover and started reading. This book was so outside of what I usually read because I do not not tend to gravitate towards vampyr books but this book grabbed me from the first page and NEVER.LET.GO. - I could not stop reading this book - it was action packed, full of suspense and kept you guessing until the v very last page. The twists were NOT reserved for the end - they were all through the book. This book was FANTASTIC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"The Gathering" is the 2nd book that I have read & loved from author C.J. Tudor. I read "The Drift" last year & when I discovered that her newest book was available to review, I couldn't wait to request it.
I loved it!!!
It was such an unique & exciting story.
It was part mystery/thriller & part horror with vampires in it.
The characters, storyline & location were well developed & interesting.
I'm secretly hoping that this might become a series.
I can't wait to read what she decides to write next.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House for the e-arc!

The Gathering is a book set in the small town of Deadhart, Alaska and they're undergoing some dark things. With a population of only 673, the recent killing of a boy who was drained of blood raises suspicions and fears. The local colony has to be responsible for it, right? Do they have to enact a cull? Surely their small town is being threatened by this colony, right?

This books is fast-paced, gritty, and full of dark twists that you genuinely won't see coming. The constant twists in this book will grip you and not let go. Twisted, dark secrets will have you clutching your metaphorical pearls. Barbara Atkins is one of the best detectives I've ever read.

If you're looking for a dark, atmospheric read that grabs onto you and won't let go, this is it right here.

Five fully deserved stars!