Deadhart, AK is a small town on the verge of dispute. In a world where humans and vampyrs coexist, but not with equal rights, some members of Deadhart are ready to kill each other off. When a teenage boy is found dead, neck savagely ripped apart, townspeople are quick to assume a vampyr is to blame. The local law enforcement calls in help, enter Barbara. Barbara has studied vampyrs and has been given the authority to find justice for the boy even if it means extinguishing the whole vampyr colony in Deadhart. Quickly the human citizens call for a cull, and end to the demon kind. Barbara isn't so quick to agree though, what if something more human is at play? When more humans wind up dead, the fury takes hold. How will Barbara make a choice with all the pressure to do the right thing?

This book was very well written. A cast of characters that all seem untrustworthy and slightly insane. The setting brings a life of its own. Not for the faint of heart, there are some pretty brutal, graphic scenes. CJ Tudor created a realistic world with a tad of fantasy. Huge fan. Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance copy. Worth adding to your TBR.

Barbara is a detective specializing in vampyr killings and is given an assignment in Deadhart, Alaska. A teenager has been savagely killed in what appears to be the work of a vampyr. There is a colony of vampyrs in this town and everyone is afraid. Barbara is not welcome in the town because the citizens want to cull these creatures by killing all of them. But culling is being outlawed by the government. When others are found dead Barbara knows time is running out. She must find the killer. Thank you Netgalley for this arc that comes out in April, 2024. The Gathering by C.J. Tudor was a 5 star read!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and CJ Tudor for this amazing e-ARC.

I was skeptical going into this book because vampires aren't usually my thing when it comes to reading, but boy am I glad I gave this one a chance.

Vampyrs and humans are trying to live peacefully together in the town of Deadhart, Alaska. Some humans are accepting, while others are not, and would like a culling to occur to be rid of these "spawns of satan". A young boy is killed, a doctor is running an illegal blood operation to The Colony, a reverend is doing her work for God to rid the towns of such monsters, a detective from out of town is trying to find the boy's murderer, and much more.

A crime thriller, full of suspense, with a lot of nasty characters who are easy to keep track of. I'm so glad I gave this one a try. I loved every page.

The Gathering" by C.J. Tudor is a novel that seems to take the classic elements of a crime thriller and tosses them into a blender with a generous dash of the supernatural. Picture this: a small, chilly Alaskan town (because what’s a spooky story without a little snow and isolation, right?), a detective who specializes in 'vampyr' killings (yes, you read that right), and a former sheriff who’s seen it all before. This duo dives into the town’s murky past to solve a brutal murder, but are they chasing after a run-of-the-mill psychopath or something out of a vampire movie?

As our detective, Barbara Atkins, and the recluse ex-sheriff, Jenson Tucker, untangle the web of secrets, they find themselves asking a very important question: which is more dangerous, a bloodthirsty monster or a twisted human being? And honestly, aren't we all a bit curious about that?

The novel promises a mix of suspense, horror, and perhaps a few chills down your spine. It seems Tudor's not just content with being the queen of British crime fiction; she's after the horror throne now, bringing a unique vampiric twist to the classic detective story. So, if you're up for a story where the atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a knife, and you don't mind a bit of the supernatural thrown into your crime-solving adventures, "The Gathering" might just be your next thrilling read. Just maybe keep the lights on while you read it, especially if you’re not too keen on unexpected 'vampyr' visits!

I have to say right at the start that I am not a big fan of vampire books. I can more easily picture aliens or horrifying creatures than I can a vampire, but I decided to give this book a shot because I had read "Drift" by this author and enjoyed it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this novel. A young man is murdered, his throat torn out and Barbara Atkins, a forensic vampyr detective is sent in to assist in the investigation. The setting is in Alaska, in site of Denali, in the town of Deadhart.
There are so many inconsistencies and twists and turns that I had to just keep on turning those pages. Bodies are piling up and disasters are happening. In this reality, vampires exist and there are strict laws on what they can do and what humans can do. Discrimination and fears run both ways. Hatred is not limited to just one species.

Detective Atkins was very smart and interesting and I hope to hear about her again some day.

Thank you to C. J. Tudor, Kathleen Quinlan/Penguin Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

This captivating book unveils a dreamlike fusion deserving resounding cheers from the rooftops: Picture a riveting paranormal murder mystery, encapsulated within the claustrophobic confines of a small Alaska town, where the residents grapple with a novel term—previously unacknowledged—"vampire racism"!

C. J. Tudor, you stand as a trailblazer for redefining vampires, meticulously peeling away clichés such as vulnerability to sunlight, immortality, and weaknesses to holy water and garlic (funny enough, my garlic intolerance might make me more of a vampire than I thought).

Envision an enthralling plot: "True Detective: Night Country" colliding with the supernatural allure of "True Blood," while channeling the quirky character dynamics reminiscent of "Fargo." It feels as though this narrative has emerged from a specialized crime literature laboratory, perfectly crafted to satiate the appetite of avid horror enthusiasts!

The stage is set in the fictional enclave of Deadhart, a small Alaska town, where the discovery of a 15-year-old boy with a ripped throat and drained of blood echoes a murder that transpired 25 years ago. The townsfolk suspect a connection between this murder and the resurgence of the Colony—a group of vampires led by the formidable Athelinda, a centuries-old vampire masquerading as a 9-year-old girl, stealthily roaming the town to assert that they are innocent of the deaths.

Enter vampire anthropologist and detective Barbara Atkins—a middle-aged, overweight, yet astute and formidable presence. Her arrival stirs further suspicions among the townsfolk, eager to coerce her into granting consent for a "cull," an act that would sanction the massacre of the remaining Colony members, all in the name of their perceived righteous cause.

Barbara, raised under the influence of a racist and abusive father, remains steadfast in her determination to approach the situation with fresh eyes, unclouded by the biased vampire racism propagated by the townspeople. Adding fuel to the already blazing fire, the enigmatic Reverend Colleen Grey exacerbates tensions, intensifying the conflict between townspeople and the Colony!

Regrettably, young Marcus is not the sole victim claimed to be murdered by vampires. Barbara, an outsider drowning in the town's venomous hatred, finds herself reluctantly partnering with ex-Denhart sheriff Jenson Tucker. Jenson, once in charge of the murder case twenty-five years ago, makes a poignant return to Denhart to confront his past sins and assist Barbara in solving the escalating murder cases before an inevitable and catastrophic war breaks out—a war that pits humans against the Colony, placing countless lives in jeopardy!

I can genuinely affirm that I devoured this literary gem in a single sitting, my eyes reddened and limbs numb—a testament to its undeniable worth! This stands as my favorite among the author's works thus far and is a strong contender for my vote in the Goodreads Choice Awards this year (yes, I acknowledge it's early, but I want to underscore the exceptional quality of this book and fervently encourage you to delve into its pages).

Elevated to a well-deserved status of 5 Alaskan, long-midnight, more vampiric stars!

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballentine for generously providing me with the digital reviewer copy of this outstanding book in exchange for my candid thoughts.

A MUST read for vampire lovers!! This dark and creepy thriller set in the isolated Alaskan wilderness in a world where humans and vampires coexist will be sure to captivate your attention and have you flying through the pages at record speed. This is not a love story with a happy ending like Twilight. Think more along the lines of 30 Days of Night. This is a murderous tale laced with hatred and revenge and all sorts of guilty characters and illegal activity. I did not want this story to end but end it did.... on a cliffhanger! 🤦‍♀️Fingers are crossed for a sequel. In my opinion, this is Tudor's best book to date and my new favorite. I highly recommend!

Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for granting me early digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an eARC copy of The Gathering by C.J. Tudor.

First and foremost, I binge read this novel in one day. Maybe I'm bias as I love C.J Tudor's novels, but The Gathering is by far my favorite so far.

C.J Tudor does the one things that Twilight could not, have a world where humans and Vampyrs co-exist and both parties know of each other. Not that everyone is okay with that, and that very much shows with the residents in a small Alaska town. Which means that when Barbara shows up to investigate a case involving the death of a teenager and the residents want a cull against a Colony that has returned after 25 years, mysteries upon mysteries pile on with the question of whether or not Barbara can solve the case before any more deaths occur.

If this novel isn't the beginning of a series, I will be highly disappointed.

SO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is the book you didn't realize that you needed!

C.J.Tudor has created a work of speculative fiction - the world is shared with Vampyrs. They exist in a way that is similar to the lore that we know, but they can be killed and they do die...eventually Vampyrs are a protected species by the Federal Government, but this doesn't stop some people from hunting them or dealing with them on the black market. r

Barbara Atkins is a detective and vampyr specialist. Against her best efforts, she is sent to a tiny town in Alaska when the nights are quite long to deal with a suspected vampyr killing of a teenage boy. As Barbara investigates, we are introduced to a small town cast with mostly small minded thinking. Barbara has to be quick on her feet to deal with heated emotions and mysterious circumstances. When the vampyr leader begins to turn up on the outskirts of town it is certain that there is more to this story. Can Barbara solve the crime before more people or vampyrs die?

Spooky, thrilling, gripping and all too real. Tudor has created a world I want to live in and hear more about. I am sucker for monster lore and spookiness in the snow and these two elements together with her magical writing has mad a story I don't' want to put down! Tudor is a well-known British horror writer but I hope she picks this up and creates a series, I will be first in line! #randomhouse #Ballantine #CJTudor #TheGathering