Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

C. J. Tudor is always a must read for me, and The Gathering definitely solidified that. The Gathering is a small town detective novel dealing with vampyrs. What more could you want? This was a really exciting thriller that I couldn’t put down.

I usually like this author and this book is his typical style with a good plot and characters. I don’t care for the vampire storyline i feel the story was as good without this but overall a good book

The Gathering was a thrilling read! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time with every twist and turn through this immersive mystery. Tudor creates a world where good and evil collide, but it’s not always black and white for detective Barbara Atkins, as she sifts through the details of messy town secrets, to stave off a revolt from the Colony and the Deadhart community alike. Detective Barbara, with the help of an unlikely ally, will find the truth about who the monsters really are, in Deadhart, Alaska. I would recommend The Gathering to any horror lover!

Oh how I love a detective novel with a little bit of fantasy in it. This book had me pulled in right from the first page all the way until the last. Loved it.

In the small town of Deadhart, Alaska, a teenager is murdered and vampyr anthropologist Barbara Atkins is brought in to investigate the case. The town has a history of vampyr attacks and although it’s been 25 years since the last cull, it is now in question whether another is due. Detective Atkins joins Police Chief Nicholls and then retired Chief Tucker to get to the bottom of all the murders… past and present. Unsure whether the deaths are vampyr attacks or the deeds of a psychopath, Atkins struggles to solve the mystery and stop more killings before it is too late. I love C.J. Tudor and all of her novels. This wasn’t my favorite but it was still a great read.

Brew yourself some hot coffee.

You’re going to need it as you will FEEL THE CHILL of Deadhart, Alaska. 673 Living. (But dropping quickly)

In this small town, which remains decorated in Christmas lights year round, a boy named Marcus Anderson has been found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body.

The residents of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years, but they are convinced that they know who is responsible-a member of “The Colony” an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the adjacent woods. Despite everything that has been learned about these misunderstood mythical creatures, the town is still filled with hatred and mistrust.

Detective Barbara Atkins, from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department, is a specialist in vampyr killings, She has been called in to officially determine if this is a “Colony” killing – because the town wants to hunt down the Vampyrs but they are considered a protected species on the verge of extinction and are protected by the Vampyr Protection Act, passed in 1983.

Unless they have killed an human, that is.

Then all bets are off.

If a Vampyr is responsible then Detective Atkins can authorize “a cull” and the hunting can begin.

And, the blood 🩸 can spill.

The residents are becoming restless and impatient as Barbara investigates, but she isn’t so sure that “the Colony” is to blame. How far might someone take things in their zeal for a CULL to be approved?

Determined to find the TRUTH, she enlists the help of the former Deadhart sheriff, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. He has become a recluse, since then, but he knows the Colony better than anyone.

After not loving “The Drift” or many of the stories in Tudor’s short story collection, “A Sliver of Darkness”, I was hesitant to request this, but I ended up LOVING the originality and creativity.

It is full of surprises-and I am a BIG fan of our unlikely hero, Detective Barbara Atkins. She is admittedly not very physically fit, but she makes up for it with her open mind, her smarts, and her unfailing politeness.

And, from the epilogue, it looks like she will be back with us, on another case soon.

4.5 ⭐️

Do you need to enjoy Vampire stories to read this? Absolutely not. This story could have been written about any group of people who have been persecuted for being who they are.

So mark your calendars for April 9, 2024 and pick up a copy then if you’re intrigued!

Thank You to Ballantine for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.

Wow this book was so good it took me no time to read it. I'm a huge fan of this author and I recommend going into this book knowing as little as possible. I can't wait to read what she comes with next.

I was so thrilled to get an ARC of The Gathering since C.J. Tudor is an auto read for me. This book is a new fantastic twist to vampyr stories.

Deadhart, AK is a small town. Population 673, living that is. Det. Barbara Atkins, from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department, is sent to Deadhart to investigate the murder of a boy and determine is he was killed by a member of the Colony, a group of vampyrs living outside of town. She has the power to call for a cull of the Colony if it is determined the vampyrs pose a threat tot he citizens of Deadhart. And a cull is exactly what many in Deadhart want. As she begins to investigate, Barbara realizes that the boy's death could be related to another murder 25 years earlier. Past secrets begin to emerge along with the dreadful history of the town. Barbara must work quickly to find the killer because a Gathering is coming!

I really connected with the characters in this book. I love how Barbara is a strong woman and a by-the-book detective, but the author also shows us her softer side when we learn about her childhood and gives us a glimpse into why she chose her profession. The author does a great job of introducing us to the other characters and lets the reader feel sympathy for them no matter how awful they are. I felt empathy for both the humans and the vamprys. I was shocked several times during the book but the last chapter let my mouth drop. I can possibly see the author revisiting some of these characters in the future and I hope she does!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity.

In a small and remote Alaskan town, a young man is murdered by having his throat torn out. In an isolated area in the woods, is a colony of vampires. Surely one of them is responsible for such a grisly murder. Enter Barbara Atkins, a detective who specializes in vampire murders. On the heels of her arrival, a massive storm, which further isolates the town. As the community pressures Atkins to allow a cull of the vampires, who will assist her in the investigation before further violence ensues?

As a small disclaimer - I don't typically read vampire novels however, the manner in which The Gathering is written, any minority may be substituted for vampires.

The Gathering is well written. Wonderful characters from an older, female detective, to the disgraced former sheriff, and the citizens of The Colony and the community of Deadhart. Plenty of twists and turns - and multiple characters who have the potential to be the murderer.

While the novel is set in Alaska, be prepared for some British-isms : boot, windscreen, etc.

An enjoyable read that is a different take on murder and mayhem.

In this story we are dropped into a world where vampires and humans coexist (to some extent) and fully acknowledge one another. There are laws put in place to protect both species of people to hopefully encourage peaceful coexistence… however they do not exactly get along. To the humans, vampires are seen as satanic and evil.. and in a small rural town in Alaska they seem to be the first thing to blame when anything goes wrong. To balance out this prejudice, a detective from out of town comes in to help solve the murder of a teen boy. To find the truth rather than make assumptions.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book! It was so original and very satisfying to be enveloped in a world with vampires. The Twilight fan in me loved seeing a murder mystery play out in this setting. CJ Tudor does it again!

Four star read for me! This one releases April 9, 2024. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Another hit for C. J. Tudor! I absolutely loved this vampiric/human story. I don’t want to give anything away because the less you know going into it, the better. The details to the atmosphere and characters made the reader feel like they’ve been to this small town, Deadhart. I really enjoyed how C. J. Tudor wrote this back story about The Colony. I had a really hard time putting this book down and going to work. Thank you so much C. J. Tudor, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this great digital arc.

This comes down to personal preference, but C. J. Tudor's writing is just not for me. The plot was admittedly interesting enough and I finished the book rather quickly. However, nothing here really stood out to me. An okay read.

4.5 stars rounded to a five!

The setting in this book is in Deadhart, Alaska which is a very small town with a population of only 673.
A teenage boy is found in an old hunters cabin in the woods and his throat is ripped out and all the blood is drained from his body. They think it could be a colony killing. There is a colony of vampyrs in an old mining settlement in the woods.
There has not been a killing like this in twenty-five years. Should a cull be authorized? The law states that a cull can be sanctioned when a colony is a threat to human life.

Barbara Atkin's is a member of The Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department and is a detective and a specialist in vampyr killings. She is determined to find out the truth. She enlists Jenson Tucker to help her. He is a former Deadhart Sheriff. He knows the colony better than anyone else.

Are they hunting a blood thirsty monster or a twisted psychopath? And which is the most dangerous?

This book gave me a book hangover! I was up till 3 am in the morning reading it. I loved the setting of the book located in Deadhart, Alaska. It was a very atmospheric read.

I was hooked straight from the beginning to the ending. It was a very fast paced read with lots of twists and turns. There are lots of dark secrets that you just can't imagine. This is a vampire light horror story but it's different from any other vampire story. I do not like vampire stories but I loved this one.

The characters are very well done. My favorite character is Barbara Atkins. She was a great detective with lots of empathy and she was very nice and polite to everyone. She was down to earth. I loved everything about this book.

I want to thank Netgalley, and Ballantine Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THE GATHERING
BY: C.J. TUDOR

About 4.5 Stars!

I love a good thriller every so often if it's intelligently written without graphics or gratuitously violent content. This is an author that I've been aware of but don't usually read because I have been afraid that the content could enter in the above category which I tend to avoid. I had a nudge from another Good Reads friend and I was pleasantly surprised that except for a few quick scenes which quickly moved to safer territory. I ended up really loving this story for so many reasons and found the main characters were written with depth that I was pleased to discover. It ended up capturing my attention from page one and was so suspenseful that I couldn't put it down because I was totally immersed and read it in two sittings.

It takes place in Deadhart, Alaska in a small town with a population between 800-900 people. The town is decorated with a huge blowup Santa and covered with fairy lights. I think why this one worked so well for me is because I loved the main characters Barbara and a retired Sheriff that worked well together, I really admired Barbara's empathetic nature and her ability to always keep a level head even when a lot of the close minded inhabitants were rude to her she remained polite. I think because of these two intelligent protagonists were what made the difference for me in their depth of character development which kept me so invested in this story. Their investigative skills were thorough and they were diligent and held their ground not giving in to the mob mentality in dealing only with factual discoveries They were careful and set great examples of humanity to ensure that justice was brought to the actual perpetrators.

"Like many indigenous species, vampyrs have been demonized and terrorized by human settlers, to
the point where only a few colonies remain in remote areas. Soon, we may live in a world where
they are nothing more than a legend," --Extract from The True History of the Vampyr by Professor
Benjamin Fletcher

"It is actually very rare for a vampyr to attack a human. Most exist happily on animal blood and have
done for many centuries--a way of living which is no more barbaric than that of an average meat
eater." ---Dr. Steven Barker, Head of the Department of Forensic Vampyr Anthropology (DFVA)

"Vampyrs are hereby decreed a protected species on the verge of extinction. Any culls must be and
only in the interests public safety. Culls will be approved when no other more humane option is
available. Vampyr trophies are declared illegal." --Vampyr Protection Act, 1983

Barbara is assigned to the town of Deadhart, Alaska because a teenage boy named Marcus was found dead in an old hunters lodge with his throat ripped out. I know it sounds gruesome, but it didn't dwell on that scene. Barbara checks in with the local sheriff in the small town of Deadhart. She has traveled from New York City and is with the Department of Forensic Anthropology to visit the crime scene. She notices that the crime scene video was staged. Most of the population wants a cull because they assume a vampyr killed young Marcus. I appreciated Barbara's close eye to detail and she as I said above is an above average investigator who doesn't jump to conclusions. She is up against a town that wants a cull. As she looks deeper she finds that there is a much more complicated murderer at large.

I loved that with Barbara's detective skills that the initial murder and the further murders weren't what it appeared at first glance. With her analytical prowess the murders are carefully studied and what she discovers with a Sheriff that came out of retirement to help her that everything wasn't what it appears on the surface. Through Barbara's depth of character development and that of the retired sheriff's lens I actually felt bad for the vampyr colony. I applaud C.J Tudor's talented writing to be able to change my first impression of jumping to conclusions and blaming the murders on the vampyrs. The way they are presented are not like the traditional vampires that we grew up to fear and should fear. Any book that expands my thinking the way that this thriller novel did is an excellent reading experience. I'm grateful to have read this because it was engrossing and compelling. It was the kind of thriller that goes well beneath the surface and at the same time was unputdownable. It was action packed from start to finish. I couldn't get enough of this. I hope in the future that C.J. Tudor continues to craft admirable characters like the two I mentioned to offset the bad things that happen in her thrillers.

Are these murders the work of vampyrs or are there psychopathic humans responsible and hiding out in plain sight among the community?

Publication Date: April 9th, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, C. J. Tudor and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. Ballentine Books for generously providing me with my terrific eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheGathering #CJTudor #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBallentineBooks #NetGalley

CJ Tudor can do no wrong to me, and this new release was not an exception to that rule. Eerie, thoughtful, and generally unsettling, this is a great addition to Tudor's collection of work.

OMG! This was easily one of the most enjoyable books I've read recently. I always love the supernatural elements in CJ Tudor's books, and this time around, we have vampires, the atmospheric setting of a small, isolated town in Alaska, and a sharp and witty female detective. Maybe the only thing missing is the spine-chilling thrill (horror?!!!) that makes me look over my shoulder when I usually read a CJ Tudor novel because this one was more of a thriller-mystery.Still loved it and 5 stars. Hope we get to see Barbara again - can this be made into a series please?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you NetGalley for this thriller set in Alaska, a small town and a horrilbe murder of a teenager. This murder sets off a chain of events of violence, confusion and yes vampires. But it's not really about vampires, it's about hatred, differences, racisim and how we see these things in our world. I have to admit the Britishisms coming from the characters threw me a bit...a jumper isn't a sweater it's a onesie. Things like that..but still an enjoyable thriller! 3.5 stars

Tudor's book kept me guessing until the end. All the while wondering who exactly the monster was, humans or vampires? The social themes woven into this novel were subtle and very timely. Does someone's demographic immediately define them as good or evil? How long can generations hang on to assumptions, ignorance, and hate? I love how gracefully firm Barbara conducts herself throughout the novel. Using curiousity to combat the ignorance of others. I also loved the setting of a small, cold, cut-off town in Alaska, it adds to the intenity and isolation.

In The Gathering, we have an alternate world where vampyrs are real and protected by legislation from the US government, making killing them illegal. As the book opens, Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr related crime, is traveling to Deadheart, Alaska, a fictional small town where a teenage boy has just been killed, in a presumed vampyr attack, that happens to be extremely similar to a murder of another teenage boy in the town 25 years ago. It is Barbara's role to investigate the murder and determine if a vampyr "cull" of the nearby Colony is warranted. For the townspeople, a cull is a foregone conclusion, so Barbara finds herself stranded in a town, fighting to follow the correct rules and guidelines, all while attempting to find the true culprit of this crime.
The procedural aspect of this story was very well presented, and the locked room aspect of the small town lent itself to an atmospheric vibe. Barbara doesn't quite know who to trust and must rely on her own wits and knowledge, eventually enlisting the help of former Sheriff turned recluse Jenson Tucker.
This is a novel had multiple story threads woven together, and while the conclusion tied up most of them, one major thread was left loose and hanging, and I'm left wondering if the author intends to write a sequel. Certainly, I don't feel that it would be necessary, but at the same time the epilogue was perplexing and almost extraneous otherwise. My other main complaint would be the use of UK English words, such as jumper, windscreen, and smelt. For a book that is supposed to be sent in America, these words removed me from the experience of reading as they are not typically used by those in America. All in all, this was still an enjoyable book, and I'm rating it 4 stars, rounded up from 3.75.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

I have to admit I did not finish this book. I couldn’t decide whether or not I liked it. I don’t usually read supernatural books like this and I just wasn’t able to get through it. I have what I read 3 stars but I’m not really comfortable rating it.