Chills, thrills, and a haunting exploration of human nature.…..

Book Information

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor is a 352 page mystery/thriller/horror scheduled to be published on April 9, 2024. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

In the quiet town of Deadhart, Alaska, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and his blood drained, bringing back memories of a similar horror from years ago. People quickly blame the Colony, a group of vampires living deep in the woods. Detective Barbara Atkins, an expert in vampires, isn't convinced. She teams up with former sheriff Jenson Tucker, who knows a lot about the Colony and the town's secrets.

Together, they uncover more secrets as another body is discovered, putting Deadhart on edge. With tensions rising and a dangerous killer on the loose, the town faces a chilling future where two different groups might clash violently.

My Thoughts

C.J. Tudor's ‘The Gathering’ is a relentless page-turner, defying any attempt to set it aside. It beckons you to keep reading, knowing that if you pause, curiosity about what comes next will keep pulling you back, compelling you to return and unravel its mysteries. With a captivating premise that vampires are not only real but protected by legislation, Tudor reshapes the conventional vampire narrative into a thought-provoking exploration of human nature and prejudice. With 'The Gathering,' Tudor proves that the line between monster and mankind is thinner than we dare to admit.

The novel unfolds with a fascinating twist: vampires are not just mythical creatures but acknowledged beings with legal rights, challenging characters to grapple with their existence and societal implications. Through well-developed characters, Tudor crafts a narrative that humanizes these vampires, prompting readers to question traditional notions of good and evil, and challenging their perceptions. Tudor redefines the vampire genre, breathing new life into a tale as old as time.

‘The Gathering’ is a bit of a departure from Tudor’s previous works but retains the author's signature style—well-written, easy to digest, and rich in suspense. In this tale, the pace remains brisk, propelled by numerous twists, red herrings, and hidden agendas that keep readers guessing until the very end.

While the book may not cater to those seeking a high body count or typical horror movie monsters, its spooky, thrilling, and eerie atmosphere captivates from start to finish. Through its exploration of themes like prejudice and varying perspectives on morality, ‘The Gathering’ offers more than just a supernatural tale—it's a reflection on the complexities of the human condition.

I had the privilege of interviewing Tudor as she was on the brink of a trip to Alaska, just as she was crafting the book. It was evident that her thorough research and dedication contributed immensely to the incredible quality of the final product. From its spine-tingling premise to its jaw-dropping finale, 'The Gathering' is a literary feast that will leave you thirsting for more.

Recommendation

‘The Gathering’ invites readers to question who the real monsters are—and whether darkness lurks within us all. It’s more than a book—it's a gripping journey that sinks its teeth into your imagination and refuses to let go. ‘The Gathering’ delivers a terrific ending that is sure to leave readers craving more, cementing its place as a standout in the realm of modern horror fiction. Highly recommended.

Rating

5 Bloody Stars

A murder mystery in an Alaskan isolated town with Vampires ummm yea please!!!
The cover and knowing it’s a vampire horror enticed me right in. Definitely fade paced & gripping thriller.
I loved other books from CJ Tudor, auto buy author for me.

You think you know where there this book is going but you don't. This book has red herrings, twists galore, feints, double backs and it's all bloody. Very, very bloody.
I read this book while there's at least four feet of snow on the ground where I live northeast Nebraska and the cold adds so much to this book. The gist of this book is that vampyrs live in same world as humans and are regarded spawns of Satan and more or less generally evil while humans are just as bad but that's how it is.
There's a killing in small town Alaska and did vamyprs do it? Does it have something to do with a killing that happened 25 years ago?
This book kept me guessing and flying through the pages. Top marks to C.J. Tudor with a great follow up The Drift.

A twist on a mystery. A teenager is murdered in a small Alaskan town and 25 years ago another boy was murdered as well. The twist is the suspect in both cases is a vampire. In this alternate world, vampires exist and aren't the usual vampires portrayed in stories and films. They have been ostracized into living away from humans and aren't allowed to feed on humans. If a vampire is found guilty of murder, they can sentenced to death and if others are found to be accomplices they can also be sentenced to death. In extreme cases, the whole colony can be culled. Barbara is a forensic vampire detective and is sent in to investigate the murder. The majority 0f the town is in favor of the whole colony being culled but Barbara wants to fully solve the case before hasty decisions are made. We also learn about Barbara's childhood and her first meeting with a vampire and other interesting characters in the town who may have secrets of their own.

This is a world in which vampyrs live in colonies, with some protections but mostly ostracized from the rest of civilization. They can’t go to school, get jobs, and I really didn’t understand how they survived. They live off the blood of animals, leaving humans alone.

Detective Barbara Atkins is a doctor of forensic vampyr anthropology and a homicide detective. When a teenage boy is found dead and possibly killed by a vampyr, she is called to Deadhart, Alaska, population 672, to investigate. If it is deemed a Colony killing, they need to have the killer or the entire colony could be culled. It’s her job to find the killer, even as the entire town wants to kill the all the vampyrs in the colony.

This is not a typical vampire story, there is so much history and the reader is only given a glimpse of the lives of the vampyrs living in the colony. Deadhart, the town, is poor and only getting worse since there are fewer tourists/hunters coming to the town. Barbara does have some history with a colony where she grew up in the Midwest, which adds to her understanding of the fears of the townsfolk living near the vampyrs. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series, to learn more about the world Barbara lives in.

Thank you Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and C.J. Tudor for this copy of The Gathering. This is my honest review.

C. J. Tudor’s forthcoming novel, The Gathering, is set in an alternate version of our current world, in which humans coexist with vampires (called vampyrs in the book). The vampyrs are segregated into colonies and are federally protected. When the murder of a teenaged boy occurs in a remote town in Alaska, reminiscent of a similar murder 25 years previously, and blamed on the neighboring Colony, an investigator with the authority to ask for a culling of the vampyrs is dispatched to look into the murder. What happens from there forms the core of a terrific story.

As with her prior novels that I’ve read (The Drift, A Sliver of Darkness), Tudor’s storytelling is top notch and engaging. And just like those books, I just couldn’t put this one down. Engaging, suspenseful and well written, The Gathering was a hugely entertaining read. The final reveal came as a total shock to me.

The author’s use of the anti-vampyr prejudice seen in the book was an obvious reference to our own society’s issues, but Tudor, to my reading pleasure, made her point without beating this reader over the head.

Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the novel.

The Gathering was a fun police procedural thriller with a twist - vampyres in Alaska. If you’re expecting Twilight vibes, you’d be sorely disappointed. The only thing The Gathering and Twilight have in common is a setting with little daylight and surviving on animals instead of humans. I can’t say anything was incredibly profound about this book, but it was still an enjoyably atmospheric read. C.J. Tudor rarely misses.

"A storm was coming, something foul on the air...that smell...that chill...they were back. It was about to begin again."

Deadhart, Alaska...population 673, an isolated town held captive by harsh winters with little sunlight. Twenty-five years ago, it was assumed that a vampyr killed teenager, Todd Danes. Those deemed responsible were hunted down, the colony then driven away.

The Vampyr Protection Act 0f 1983 was meant to protect the returning colony, however, battle lines were drawn between those who wanted vampyrs hunted and killed and others who believed in protecting and respecting minorities. Deadhart needed a firm investigative presence to defuse their potential rush to judgement when the body of fifteen year old, Marcus Anderson was found in a cabin, his throat "a mess of torn skin and gristle." A scant amount of blood at the crime scene leant credence to a colony killing.

Enter Detective Barbara Atkins from the New York Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department. "Barbara's presence here was an unwelcome necessity." In her words, "authorizing a cull is a very serious call. That's why it happens so rarely...The law states that a cull can be sanctioned when a colony poses a threat to human life...authorities are far less forgiving about unauthorized culls...". Barbara's meticulous and thorough investigation riled up the town which wanted an immediate cull. Her NY boss insisted that the case be wrapped up "yesterday". Not so fast...Barbara has her own ideas about the killer. Tucker, the prior sheriff, who investigated the murder of Todd Danes 25 years ago, signed on as assistant deputy sheriff. The current sheriff was in hospital nursing a broken leg. Will the "goods" on former Sheriff Tucker return to haunt him?

"The Gathering" by CJ Tudor is a vampyr horror tale with many well developed characters who twist and turn the facts to create their own reality. Barbara perseveres, at times stepping outside her comfort zone, in order to unravel the murder mystery. Heavy snow adds a claustrophobic element making the town residents edgier. One thing for sure, the town locals are bent on a cull!

An unputdownable read!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

Overall I enjoyed my time in this book. Similar to other books by this author the end and reveals at the end usually changes how I feel about the overall book. I might have felt that this book really dragged at times I knew the pay off would be worth it and I really enjoyed thinking of the hints I might have missed or caught.

This book had a really interesting premise. That colonies of vampires live with the humans. It's the against the law to kill or harm a vampire vice versa. However if a vampire from a colony is found to have killed a human, that entire colony could be culled. In this book this is where Barbara Atkins get involved. She is a detective in vampire crimes and has been sent to an isolated mountain community to determine if a colony is risk and if a cull should be authorized.

At first, I found this book to be a bit confusing with the number of characters and got a bit lost. There is quite a few point of views, they are well done but some readers may struggle keeping them all straight. I thought Tudor did a really great job though presenting who truly are the monsters. How much bigotry and hatred that could be present in this world.
Some these examples were really hard to read.

The way this book ended seemed as if it could possibly turn into a series. I would be really interested in continuing this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and Ballantine for this advance reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own,

Vampyrs?

........Yes, Please.

Instead of breadcrumbs, we're following droplets of rich red blood here. Those of you who are faint of heart.......your bus will be takin' ya down a far detour avenue than this scheduled one. All aboard or exit immediately.

The Gathering has shed a light beam on a much different adventure for the talented C.J. Tudor. If you go back as far as The Chalkman, then you know Tudor doesn't pale at the sight of the strange or the macabre. She's taking us on a romp into the frigid zones of Alaska. Darkness prevails in more ways than one.

Barbara Atkins is a forensic detective.......only thing is that she specializes in Forensic Vampyr Anthropology. The call comes in from her boss, Decker, who has assigned her to a new case. She's headed to Deadhart, Alaska near an old mining settlement. It's also the location of a colony of vampyrs who have lived in proximity to humans for over twenty-five years. There are laws that have protected the vampyrs. Live and let live. But the body of a young teenager has been found. From all indications, it may have been the work of a vampyr.

That's where Barbara comes in. Her job is crucial. The town's people are gearing up for a cull which would wipe out the vampyr colony. But maybe, just maybe, this murder was committed by one of the fangless community members. And if not, The Gathering will be unleashing a mystical battle between man and beast. Whoa! And Double Whoa!

C.J. Tudor has created quite the character in Barbara Atkins. She doesn't seem to fit the bill for vampyr slayer in the least. She's in her fifty's, overweight, single, childless, and packin' some heavy-duty baggage of her own. But don't discount her. Barbara will light a fire in Deadhart as she trails the clues that will bring a thunderous crescendo in the end. It is my hope that Tudor will have planted the seed of an intriguing vampyr series. Ol' Barb has made a sizzlin' impression marking the tundras of Alaska. Where to after this?

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books (Random House) and to the talented C.J. Tudor for the opportunity.

This is a hard book for me to review, it was more horror than i like so the subject matter was hard for me, unpleasant, it is also a mystery and a study of human nature and prejudice, good and evil and how they overlap. It was a unique book and a ambitious one. well written but can't say i enjoyed it. Did like the main character.

While I wasn't fond of the vampire theme, i am a fan of the author. I think my students will really like it and there are many ethical issues that can be discussed after reading this book

Deadhart, Alaska. 873. Living.

After The Chalk Man, I will read anything Tudor writes! And this is just as suspenseful!

In Alaska, a remote town is not happy that a vampyr colony has returned. It’s been 25 years since the last killing and the people of Deadhart are ready to force a cull to kill all of them when a boy is discovered with his throat ripped out and his blood drained.

The local sheriff has called in a specialist in vampyr killings, Detective Barbara Atkins. She is not at all welcome either. As Barbara finds evidence leading to something very different happening, everyone wants her gone.

When she asks the old sheriff for help, he isn’t keen to help since the last time he nearly didn’t make it.

This one just kept throwing me for a loop. There were so many awful things going on and everyone had secrets and I suspected all of them!

Excellent story!


NetGalley/ Random House/ Ballentine April 09, 2024

This ARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

Imagine a world where Vampires existed alongside humans, but were in colonies, and seemingly hated by the human race. Through in a murder every 25 years or so, and you get this tale of mystery. I found the story to be mildly entertaining, and the plot twists kept my attention that I was able to read the book in a couple days. Tudor has a way of making a mystery feel real, even in a fictional setting.

My thanks to Random House/Ballintine, C.J. Tudor and Netgalley.
I'm keeping this one short!
Pretty great book if you're looking for a mystery. Rotten freaking tomatoes if your wanting some scary arsed vampires.
This was a murder mystery that also had vampires.
These vampires weren't necessary for a successful story. Yet..
Also, in the U.S.A, we wear sweaters, not jumpers. Jumpers are onesies. Though I did get a chuckle just thinking about all those hairy Alaskan men running around in their onesies! Lol!
I did have a good time reading this book, and in spite of there not being enough vampire action, I have no problem recommending this story.

Get ready to bundle up, because CJ Tudor's "The Gathering" takes you on a wild, icy adventure in the small Alaskan town of Deadhart. Picture this: a boy found with his throat ripped out, blood drained, and the locals pointing fingers at the mysterious Colony of vampyrs in the old mine settlement. It's a murder mystery that'll give you chills, both from the Alaskan cold and the spine-tingling plot.

Meet Detective Barbara Atkins, the vampyr expert, ready to crack the case. But hold your hot cocoa because things get even wilder when she ropes in Jenson Tucker, the former Deadhart sheriff with a penchant for recluse living. These two make an oddball team, diving into the town's secrets like they're on a treasure hunt for the creepiest skeletons in the closet.

With snow thickening and nights growing longer, Tudor serves up a mix of supernatural suspense and small-town quirkiness. You'll find yourself on the edge of your seat, wondering if they're dealing with a bloodthirsty vampyr or just your run-of-the-mill psychopath. Spoiler alert: Deadhart has more layers than a snowflake, and each revelation is juicier than a gossip session at the local diner.

"The Gathering" is like a rollercoaster through a winter wonderland of murder, mystery, and unexpected alliances. Tudor spins a yarn that's as unpredictable as an Alaskan snowstorm and as entertaining as a blockbuster movie. So, grab your detective hat, sip on some hot cocoa, and join Barbara and Tucker as they uncover the frosty secrets of Deadhart. It's a killer ride!

30% dnf. I feel like this is very unfocused. There are so many interjections of characters' pasts making their way into the story for what appears to be no reason. It's seemingly one big monologue for how terrible rural small towns are with their racism and ignorance. Pretty much any one-liner you can think of. Not good taste. 😐

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for this advanced copy of The Gathering by C.J. Tudor to be published April 9, 2024.
Detective Barbara Atkins has been called to Deadhart, Alaska to investigate the death of a young boy. The death is eerily like one that happened twenty-five years ago.
What makes this investigation a little different is that both victims were drained of blood and thought to be killed by a member of the Colony, a community of “vampyrs” living deep in the woods.
Together with the former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker – now a recluse – Atkins wants to find out the truth. Was it a monster or a psychopath? And which would be worse?
Had I known this would be a book about vampires, or vampyrs, as they are called in the book, I probably would not have requested it since this is not a genre I usually enjoy. I had just heard a lot of talk about it.
But, I actually found myself laughing out loud at some of the witticisms that came from Detective Atkins. If her character were to be in another book not about vampires, I would certainly read it!
I did finish the book – it was better than I thought it would be, but not exactly my favorite kind of book even though the ending was quite a surprise.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is into the fantasy or vampire genre!
#netgalley #thegathering #cjtudor #randomhousepublishing

Instead of a murder mystery with supernatural elements, Tudor’s latest book is a deep dive straight into Vampire horror with a sprinkling of detective thrown in. The entire novel is set in a small rural isolated Alaskan town (Deadhart), where a colony of vampyrs (note the spelling) has existed before the settlers came to mine ore. In fact, there are apparently colonies of Vampyres here and there in the world, coexisting on reservations and there are explicit laws on how to deal with Vampyrs. Yet, often people finding themselves alone without the security of armed society sometimes take it upon themselves to do a culling, that is, a progrom to end the nearby vampyr colony, particularly when unexplained deaths appear to be the result of vampyre feeding.

As the story opens, we are told that a storm is coming and something foul is on the air. ”They were back. It was about to begin again.” We are also told that nature has an appetite for the unwary and “You gotta make sure you’re the hunter, not the prey.”

The story is told mostly through the point of view of Detective Barbara Atkins from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department, who was called in from New York, to investigate a suspicious death, one the likes of which had not been seen in twenty-five years. Atkins is like a fish out of water in a small town where everyone knows each other and everyone is suspicious of strangers. The townfolk (even without their pitchforks) want Atkins to finish her investigation quickly and recommend a culling so that the town can get rid of the vampyr menace once and for all. You almost get a sense that the vampyr colony is unfairly discriminated against and that the local townsfolk are just bigoted monsters themselves who want to hunt and hang trophies of creatures they do not consider human. Some even sport Helsing tattos, a hate symbol supporting the genocide of vampyrs.

It is an easy-to-read, engrossing tale that (once you accept the vampyr premise and the laws regarding how vampyrs are dealt with) captures the imagination. It is not Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but a far more modern version.

Very glad to have had the opportunity to read this. I'm not typically a reader of monster/ vampire books, so this was a departure from my norm.
I enjoyed the twists and turns that the novel took me down. I could see parallels between this book and immigration debates currently ongoing. It can be difficult to see the "other" as worthy of respect and dignity, especially when times are hard.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.