Thank you to NetGalley, CJ Tudor & Randomhouse-Ballantine for a digital ARC of The Gathering in exchange for an honest review.

I read my first CJ Tudor book last year with The Drift. I was an instant fan & then added previous releases to my TBR. I was THRILLED to have an early read of The Gathering.

The Gathering is my favorite Tudor book yet! It was very different than what I was expecting, but in a good way! This is not your typical vampire/vampyr book, so go ahead & throw out any preconceived notions that you have.

In The Gathering, vampyrs are known the public, live amount the public (in colonies) and even have their own set of governed rights & protection assigned to them, which is exactly what our MC, Det. Barbara Atkins is. She is a detective who specializes in vampyr killings & upholding the law regarding vampyrs. She is called to Deadhart, Alaska after a boy is discovered with his throat ripped out. The timing is very coincidental as a vampyr colony just returned to Deadhart after a 25 years hiatus. The locals all blame the vampyrs & are not very welcoming to Det. Atkins. They want a cull enacted, which is where the humans can kill every single member of a vampyr colony for the wrongdoing of just one. Det. Atkins intends to uphold the law & get to the bottom of who actually killed the boy. Luckily, she gets a little help along the way.

This book had a very similar atmospheric feel to it as the Drift. It was highly original & very gripping from the start. I actually did not want this book to end! I am NEVER like that with Thriller/Suspense novels. That usually happens with series or fantasy books for me. I could have read another 400 pages of this one.

Even if you don't normally like vampire/vampyr stories, I urge you to pick this one up. It's very different than what you'd expect.

The Gathering by CJ Tudor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A big thank you to @netgalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC! Expected pub date is April 9! 🎉

Tudor has done it again!
✅small-town, spooky setting with rich imagery
✅good vs evil
✅protective small-town characters
✅seamless supernatural elements
✅a tense plot until the final page

I enjoyed so much about this book. The description of Deadhart made me feel like I was in a dark, snowy town in the heart of Alaska. As I was reading I felt the isolation, and it added to the tension created in the plot.

The plot itself was interesting and well done. Tudor created a world where vampyrs and humans lived together, and the logistics of which made sense. I saw some of the things coming, but I was still surprised by things, which kept it interesting for me. Some things I wanted to explore more, and I wished the ending wasn’t as rushed, but those were my only critiques for plot.

The characters were well done and distinguishable. Some of them I wish were developed more, but I got a sense of each of them and really understood their motivations. I loved that the detective wasn’t a perfect character, and I found the small-town characters to be quirky.

If this isn’t on your radar yet, I’m suggesting you add it to your list.

I really liked this one. The remote setting with bad weather made it feel like a locked room mystery. The vampire culture living alongside humans was so interesting. There was a background story building along with the main story. I did figure out some of the twists, but this kept me turning the pages.

Thank you Random House Ballantine for the view copy, I don't read a lot of fantasy/sci fi mystery/horror adjacent books, I tend to shy away from that, but heck I will make the exception for Tudor. A wild ride and filled with commentary that is more about human lives, vampyrs as symbols for indigenous lives and other important themes emerge. What really is a win for me though is a fast paced but immersive story, a plot that hooks you, a read that draws you in, and just the welcome change of pace for me.

Three standouts
1. I love an Alaska setting. Blame True Detective and some other recent books in Alaska but it's a fascinating to me setting.
2. A smart capable woman in her 50s. let's hear it for more and more books focusing on the ages between 40 and 70.... it means something to the Gen X readers here and it's nice to read a book that gets that a vampyr hunter detective can be wise and experienced (not to knock buffy who is an all time hero!)
3. Commentary... there are themes in there worth thinking about despite a mostly fun witty, somewhat gory, story. There are a lot of characters to manage at times, my one issue with the book, but it's a story with layers (just as last year's The Drift has layers too).

3.7 Stars
One Liner: A good mystery but not enough vampire chills

Alaska
Deadhart is an Alaskan small town. It has a few hundred human population and a Colony of vampyrs, who recently came back to settle down in their home. Soon, a young boy is found dead with his throat ripped. The townsfolk are sure it is someone from the Colony and want all the vampyrs culled.
Detective and forensic doctor Barbara Atkins, with specialization in vampyr killings, arrives to determine if it is indeed a Colony killing and decide the status of the request for a cull. Soon, she realizes there are secrets and discrepancies everywhere. With help from former police Chief Jenson Tucker, Barbara sets out to find the truth. As another body surfaces, the tension rises.
What’s going on in Deadhart? Are the new killings related to the death from twenty-five years ago? Is it a vampyr on a bloodlust? Is it a human psychopath taking advantage of the prejudice against the Colony? Can Barbara solve the case before it’s too late?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Barbara, Beau, Jenson Tucker, Jess, Reverend Colleen, and Athelinda.

My Thoughts:
The premise gives you more than a clear idea of what the story would be. The vampyrs are a replacement for indigenous people, and the others are well, humans (white). As a mystery, it does have quite a bit to offer.
The MC is a combination of what we expect and what we don’t. Barbara Atkins is 50-something, single, not entirely fit, and a darn good detective. She also has a tragic backstory, which is almost a must for detectives in thrillers. Still, I do like how it connects to the plot.
The mystery has a few twists, and the information is revealed in stages. There are some clues, too, which can be red herrings or real clues. I like how this is done. The suspense holds well until the last quarter.
The pacing is uneven – slow, fast, slow, fast… which dampened my reading experience. This is because of the excessive emphasis and repeated scenes where the townsfolk show their hatred and prejudice for the vampyrs. As a pagan, I happily support books that highlight this. However, it should crowd the plot.
Additionally, there are a lot of characters to track. I stopped listing them at one point (ran out of space on that sheet). This doesn’t leave room for character development. They are what they are. That’s it. Also, one of those could have been removed or presented from another perspective. However, I quite liked Athelinda’s POV. If only there was more of it!
Is the book horror? Nope. There is a bit of gore and some creepy moments, but nothing on the horror scale. Of course, it has triggers, which aren’t graphic but can make you uncomfortable.
I’m not sure why the vampyrs don’t get enough space given their importance in the book. Apart from a vague idea of what they could be, we get very little about them. Instead, we got way too much of what the townsfolk think about them. This got tiring, TBH. Knowing when to tone down is also important for a writer.
No idea if the book will turn into a series. The last chapter has nothing to do with the plot but is a hook for the next book. If it won’t be coming, then, keeping that chapter would be a bad idea. I know contemporary thrillers tend to have unwanted final twists, but this book doesn’t need it. The book could be a series, but we’ll need more than socio-political hate and bigotry to hold it together.

To summarize, The Gathering is a worthy mystery with a good setting and some chills. Don’t look for any vampirish stuff, though.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House (Ballantine Books), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This book takes place in the small town of Deadhart, Alaska where vampyrs and humans intertwine. After a teenage boy is discovered with his throat ripped out, they bring in Detective Barbra Atkins from Vampyr Anthropology Department to investigate.

Holy hell this book was WILD. I loved the cast of characters. Atkins had me rolling at some of the stuff she said. The Alaskan setting was perfect for this story as well. I’ve only read two of Tudor’s books but now I’m gonna have to binge the rest. Her writing style is very immersive and will have you hooked from the first page!

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the e-arc! This beauty releases on April 9th.

This book gave definite “Season 4 of True Detective” vibes, but for some reason fell a little flat for me. It was fast paced and dark, but I was struggling a bit to keep all of the characters straight and just didn’t get hooked.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called to the small, isolated town of Deadhart Alaska to investigate the death of a teenaged boy. The living citizens of Deadhart are convinced that the boy was killed by a member of the nearby vampyr colony, and they want the colony culled. Atkins works with the town's former sheriff to investigate the murder and along the way the secrets of the town are uncovered.
I loved this book. It was part vampire murder mystery, part social commentary on the prejudices of small towns. Barbara was a mature, realistic, and well-written female protagonist. The pacing was medium, with lots of twists and turns. It has enough horror for fans of the genre but is toned down enough for thriller lovers. My only regret was that I didn't read this book in December or January and use the limited daylight to increase the spooky factor.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The nitty-gritty: Police procedural meets vampires in this exciting horror thriller, another winner from C.J. Tudor.

C.J. Tudor never disappoints, and her latest is a great combination of murder mystery, thriller and thoughtful examination of racial prejudice, all set in a remote town in Alaska during one of the darkest times of winter. In Tudor’s world, vampyr colonies are part of society, although not everyone is thrilled about sharing space with them. I thought this was an interesting take on the vampire subgenre, and the author gives readers lots to think about, in addition to a fast-paced story complete with just enough bloody violence to satisfy horror fans.

The story takes place in Deadhart, a small Alaskan town where prejudices run deep. One of the local teens has just been found dead, and all the evidence suggests that a vampyr from the local colony killed him. As you can imagine, the residents of Deadhart are in an uproar, calling for an official “cull,” a sanctioned killing of all vampyr colony members. But a cull is serious business, and the cause of death must officially be confirmed by a forensic investigation.

Detective Barbara Atkins is sent to Deadhart to inspect the body and the crime scene and question the locals. Barbara is serious about her job and is determined to find out what really happened, and she intends to take her time and do a thorough investigation. But when she arrives, she gets pressure from almost everyone involved, including the local police chief, to confirm that a vampyr killed the teen. True, there is a video of the alleged murder, and it certainly looks like a vampyr is attacking the boy. But Barbara isn’t convinced. As she begins to investigate, she must walk a fine line between the angry townsfolk who want justice and the truth, and unfortunately, the truth turns out to be much more complicated than she first thought.

C.J. Tudor has imagined a very different type of vampire, or “vampyr” as they are called in this book. Yes, they are killers and can be dangerous, but they are also a protected species, and killing for sport isn’t allowed. Vampyr can’t turn into bats or be killed by sunlight. They can see themselves in mirrors, and they are also able to procreate. By law they can only drink animal blood, although there is a black market that caters to those willing to pay for human blood. The backwater town of Deadhart reminded me of ultra conservative towns in my own country, where hatred of minority groups like Blacks and LGBTQ+ still exists. For this reason I sympathized with the vampyr, most of whom are simply trying to live their lives in peace. Even the leader of Deadhart’s vampyr colony, a centuries old vampyr who looks like a nine-year-old girl, is willing to follow the rules in order to survive.

The mystery aspect of the story is also very well done. The local authorities (such that they are) simply want to declare this a “murder by vampyr” and close the case. But because they don’t have the authority to authorize a cull, Barbara is brought in as a forensic expert, and did I mention her official title is Forensic Vampyr Anthropologist? (how cool is that!) As soon as she starts investigating, all sorts of dirty secrets are uncovered, including the illegal sale of vampyr artifacts—and by artifacts I do not mean cups and swords, lol. We’re talking something much more grim. As she slowly pieces things together, it becomes clear that this murder might be connected to a similar murder that took place twenty-five years in the past. I loved the meticulous way Barbara conducted her investigation, and I especially loved that she’s honest and determined to uncover the truth.

And speaking of Barbara, she was a fantastic character. She’s in her fifties and (in her own words) slightly overweight, so she isn’t your typical heroine. She’s also gay and has recently ended a relationship, so there’s not a whiff of romance in the story, which was refreshing. Barbara ends up working with ex-cop Jensen Tucker, who was involved in the murder case twenty-five years ago, and he’s able to help her connect the dots. I thought they made a great, if unusual, team. Both characters have experiences in their pasts that are affecting the present investigation, so there are some nice emotional moments when their memories surface.

And if you’re thinking this is simply a somber mystery dealing with an oppressed group of people, don’t worry. There’s a good dash of graphic violence and some gruesome descriptions of beheadings and more (the image of a mounted vampyr head is one I won’t ever forget!). The plot is mostly fast paced with lots going on. There are a lot of characters, and I’ll admit I had trouble keeping them straight at times, but most of them were highly entertaining. You have a shady doctor with a couple of illegal side businesses, fake videos, secret vamp/human relationships, “turnings” gone wrong and plenty more.

The ending made me think that there might be a sequel in the works, even though it’s not listed that way on Goodreads. But Tudor definitely leaves things a little bit open ended to allow room for more adventures with Barbara and the gang. I would love to read more stories set in this world, I had so much fun with The Gathering!

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Solid 3 stars

I think this book was a very average thriller mystery. I really wanted to like this one more because it sounded so intriguing in the beginning. I didn’t think it was bad or anything but it just didn’t have that can’t put it down feeling I love when reading thrillers. I think many others will really enjoy it but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was not what I was expecting. Outside of the early creepy scene with the child attacking a car, this book was very light on the scares. It felt very repetitive in the last half with the back and forth about what to do about the cult and read as more of a detective drama than the blurb lets on. Also was not a fan of the incessant fat phobia.

My third book by C.J. Tudor, and she continues to write entertaining novels with a supernatural twist. In this vampire thriller, a specialist in vampires and crime, Barbara Atkins, is sent to a small cold and isolated town in Alaska to investigate a murder that looked to be committed by a vampire. As a vampire colony lives right outside of town, the townspeople are up in arms, and calling for justice by wiping them out. But vampires are protected under the law, unless evidence is found that the colony is a threat.

The book was a little difficult for me to read.and I must admit I DNF. My difficulty did not lie with C.J. Tudor's writing, it was the subject being written about.
I love a good horror novel but I lost my taste for all things vampire when they started to shimmer in the 90s.
I tried to remember my love for stories about them but just never got there.
So while this was not for me or my taste it is well written as are all of Tudor's novels.
If you like vampires then give it a go.
Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Pub Date 09 Apr 2024
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books

I love Tudor’s books. They are always different and yet the writing is always consistently well done. Plus she uses foul language, vampires AND gore?! Sign me up! Lol This is pretty fast paced from the get go. You get the chilly, claustrophobic feeling of the small town of Deadhart (name perfection) and all the weird townsfolk. The battle of Vampire vs. Human was well done and kept me on my toes. I appreciated Barbara’s character and her ability to see between the lines. I loved the underlying message within this one. Yes-its horror and stars some vampires however, it really hits on societal norms and religion. Another great story by Tudor. I hope this becomes a series!

Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

Vampyrs have lived alongside Indigenous / First Nations peoples for centuries. Along with the European white man's Manifest Destiny and hunt for resources, both groups were displaced and criminalized. Shocking to compare the two groups, right? But no, the vampyrs have learned to not rely on human blood but are marginalized along with other tribes throughout the continent. In a small town in Alaska, the group was forced to move after the death of a white youth but they are back now. And of course there is another death. While the townsfolk start getting their pitchforks and torches ready, the vampyrs and preparing to stand their ground and protect their innocence. Into this comes a special detective to help investigate. I loved the parallels between the vampyrs, Indigenous peoples, and the outsider coming to a small town. But without going that deep, this is still a solid excavation of a small town and how it protects its own. The ending feels like it might indicate a sequel. While the setting was very attractive to me, I would like to see where the series might go.

So sad but unfortunately this was a DNF right around 25% for me… I wanted to quit around 11%, but stuck it out for another 50 pages because I really do hate to not finish a book when I start it, especially when it’s an ARC!

I obviously did know going into this that it was about vampires, but I wasn’t quite expecting the extent to which that’s true - this is a murder mystery, but the heart of the novel is a sociological/anthropological study of vampires in rural America. I loved the mystery aspects, but a lot of the prejudice against vampires got old really quickly.

My main qualm, and the thing that took me out of this more than anything to do with plot, characters, or pacing, is the extremely stilted and British writing style in a book that takes place in a conservative American town. The author completely rejects the Oxford comma, American spellings, and misuses common phrases/location names so frequently and glaringly that I kept having to put the book down - I truly think I could have finished the book if the writing style and the story had matched at all.

I do hope to read more from CJ Tudor, but this one just did not work for me. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

My third book by C.J. Tudor, and she continues to write entertaining who-done-its with a supernatural twist. In this vampire thriller, a specialist in vampires and crime, Barbara Atkins, is sent to a small cold and isolated town in Alaska to investigate a murder that looked to be committed by a vampire. As a vampire colony lives right outside of town, the townspeople are up in arms, and calling for justice by wiping them out. But vampires are protected under the law, unless evidence is found that the colony is a threat.
This book is dark and a little bit creepy as Barbara tries to solve the murder. The story has several moving parts, and more than one mystery to solve. I was invested in the story, and it was easy for me to pick up and read again and again. The vampire culture, and the humans living side by side is an interesting dynamic for potential future books.
I'm not sure whether or not the author was trying to make some observations of social commentary, but in her defense, in the story, as in real life, there are good and evil in every group, marginalized or not. Of course, the "Christian" townsfolk are depicted as all "fire and brimstone", but fear can be a strong motivator in a horror book, especially when people's throats are getting ripped out.
The ending (and the shear amount of characters) was a little confusing in the end, and I had to stop a few times in my head so I could keep up. If this is the beginning of a series, I would be interested in continuing with investigator Barbara Atkins.

~Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher

I'd give this book maybe 3.5 stars... but definitely not worth more. Tudor's previous book, The Drift, was one of the best horror books I'd ever read. I notice her style seems to be hit or miss. This one was a miss, especially coming on the heels of the Drift.

The book takes place in the small town of Deadhart, AK, a population of mostly folks couching themselves as "Good Christians" and a Colony of vampires outside of town. There have been alterations to US law including adding a department of vampire forensics (I know she spells it vampyr but I think it just looks too weird) and colonies are now protected under the law. Except a mass execution of the colony, called a cull, can be ordered if they are found to pose a threat to mankind. Detective Barbara Atkins, aka "The Fang Doc" is dispatched after a young boy is killed in what looks to be vampiric fashion to see if a cull is in order.

The townspeople do not like this outsider and are convinced that one of the current colony members is guilty and a cull should be ordered. I got very frustrated with the small minded townsfolk and that they couldn't see the forest for the trees without jumping to conclusions. Granted, I am not sure how I'd feel living next to a large group of vampires but knowing they are bound by the same laws as I am, I think I'd give them the benefit of the doubt.

Overall I just found this book to be frustrating. ***As I received an uncorrected proof, I don't know if this will be changed, but it is extremely clear that Tudor is from England and using their vernacular to describe things when Barbara is supposed to be from a small town in the Midwest, is very off putting. That might just be me though.

I was disappointed in this book. I think Tudor had an excellent story premise but the writing was pretty poor and inconsistent. It was good but definitely not a book I'd read again.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up liking this more than I expected. There were so many twists and turns in the plot that it kept me guessing and engaged. Set in a remote Alaska town, a detective is called in to investigate a murder that looks to be done by a vampire and the town wants to do a cull of the local colony. But there is more going on in this little town than meets the eye. And Barbara needs to untangle everything before more people (and vampires) end up dead.

The Gathering" by C.J. Tudor is a riveting blend of mystery, thriller, and fantasy set in the eerie town of Deadhart, Alaska. When a gruesome murder occurs, Detective Barbara Atkins and former sheriff Jenson Tucker are drawn into a complex investigation involving a secluded community of vampyrs known as the Colony. Tudor's skillful storytelling keeps readers hooked as Atkins and Tucker uncover dark secrets while navigating the tension between the town and the Colony. The inclusion of vampyrs adds a unique twist to the classic murder mystery genre. Overall, "The Gathering" is a compelling and atmospheric read, with well-developed characters and a suspenseful plot that will keep readers guessing until the end. Dark, gripping, and with a touch of the supernatural, it's a must-read for fans of mystery and thriller novels, earning a solid 8 out of 10.

I should've read the summary closer before requesting this advanced copy. I typically love CJ Tudor's Nordic Noir vibes. I didn't realize this book involved vampires - just not my cup of tea.

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.