It has been a minute since I tore through a mystery, but I had a really hard time putting this one down. A perfect combination of horror and mystery with vampires, this is an ideal read for anyone looking to sink their teeth into a darker mystery. I hope that Tudor writes more stories in this world because I really enjoyed their take on vampires and how they felt so believable and a natural part of the world. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

CJ Tudor is having her very own Renaissance and I am HERE FOR IT! The Gathering and her last book have been leaps and bounds better than anything else she’s ever written. I liked her first books, but I LOVED her last two. Amazing. The Gathering in particular was phenomenal. Gave me True Detective: Season 4 vibes in the best way. I cannot wait to read her next novel.

I don’t love books about vampires (spelled ‘vampyrs’ in this book), but vampire hunters? Ooooooo. When a boy is found dead in the town of Deadhart, Alaska, Chief Nicholls is immediately convinced the nearby community of vampyrs (otherwise known as the Colony) is to blame. There is a law that if the Colony is posing a threat to humankind, the government may authorize a cull to essentially wipe them out. 😳 Dark! Detective Barbara Atkins of the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department is assigned the case to determine whether the boy’s murderer was in fact a vampyr or perhaps something more sinister. While this story was so unique, I had trouble following its many characters. There were simply too many to keep track of! Once I got to the book’s ending, I had to do a quick recap in my brain, and there wasn’t any space left for me to be excited about what I learned or what Barbara uncovered. I wouldn’t recommend this if you are looking for a quick read; it was more of a mystery with many (too many, in my opinion) threads for your brain to follow. I’m also not sure what the epilogue meant. ☹️

"The Gatheringt" is a thrilling novel that combines mystery and the dark secrets of a small town in rural Alaska. With its atmospheric setting, compelling characters, and a gripping storyline, this book is sure to captivate readers.

In Deadhart, Alaska, a gruesome murder takes place, reminiscent of a killing that occurred twenty-five years ago. The blame falls on the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs residing in an old mine settlement deep in the woods. Detective Barbara Atkins, an expert in vampyr killings, is called in to investigate and make a crucial decision about a possible cull.

CJ Tudor effectively builds suspense and creates an eerie atmosphere by skillfully blending the haunting superstitions and secrets of Deadhart. The sense of isolation and the weight of the town's history enhance the tension throughout the story.

At the heart of the investigation are Atkins and Jenson Tucker, a former Deadhart sheriff who experienced his own brush with danger during a previous murder investigation. The dynamic between the two characters adds depth and intrigue to the narrative, as they race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

While the pacing starts off a bit slow, the story soon finds its footing and evolves into a thrilling ride. The gradual unveiling of secrets and the twists and turns keep readers engrossed, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the identity of the killer.

Although the novel leans more toward mystery than horror, the author's vivid descriptions of the Alaska setting create a chilling backdrop that perfectly complements the overall tone of the story. The cold, dark winter months seem like the ideal setting to delve into the depths of "The Gathering."

Overall, Tudor has written is a compelling and atmospheric mystery that will appeal to fans of small-town secrets and thrilling whodunits.

In the gathering by CJ Tutor we learn about a town called Dark Heart, Alaska. Just like the rest of the world vampires which are called vampiers live along side humans and just like all newcomers humans hate them or at least most of them do. When a boy is killed in what looks like a vampier attack national vampire investigator Barbara is called to Dark Heart to find out the truth. We follow her investigation and learn more about the town and Barbara’s past so we understand more of Barbara’s point of view we also get a POV of a kidnapped girl chained up but throughout the book we don’t know who she is more and more it looks like vampires or causing trouble in the town people want Barbara to call a cull which is where the government legally takes out all the vampires from a certain colony causing trouble for the human neighbors. Barbara knows someone is up to no good and things only get murkier when the doctor is murdered in the church goers or harassed which leads the priest to call a community get together which Barbara feels will only insight the residence. There is so much to the story and it was all so good if Ceejay Tutor sees fit to make this Siri‘s I will be the first to pre-order I love the Barbara and felt so bad for her because of her childhood but OMG that only made the story that much better I really love this book and it really says a lot about how people are quick to judgment in fear of the unknown transforms into hatred quite quickly. Anyone who loves good mysteries with the vampire stories and good versus evil will definitely love this book it is not your average cutesy sci-fi vampire tail but a more credible telling of a great story. I want to thank Random house Valentine for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This type of book is never my go to but I do love this author's work. And this one did not disappoint. Scary in all the right ways! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

Detective Barbara Atkins of the Forensic Vampire Anthropology Department is on her way to Deadhart, Alaska, to investigate a murder in the tiny town. They hadn’t had a murder in 25 years, but this one is strikingly similar to the last, and the town is calling for a mass cull of the vampyrs (I’m going with the author’s spelling, because, pretty!). Barbara understands vampyrs better than most, and she refuses to make that call without a thorough probe; legally, a mass cull can only be done when there are mass casualties or imminent threat of the town’s humans being slaughtered. As a vampyr “sympathizer”, she can’t let that happen.

When she gets there, she meets Chief Nichols, Mayor Rita, Reverend Colleen Grey and her strange sidekick, Grace. Everyone wants to know why 15-year-old Marcus Anderson died. His throat was ripped out, and it’s up to Barbara to figure out if the killer was human or not. There are a lot of other characters in the book, maybe too many, but their names aren’t important. This story is about the two groups, and how they live (or don’t) together. A Gathering is a small war between the two worlds, and someone is trying to make that happen, possibly with this murder. Which side are they on?

My favorite character was Athelinda, leader of the Colony. Centuries old, but trapped in the body of a nine-year-old, it is her who makes the call on killing humans. She looks like an angel but acts like a devil, and she is trying to save her fellow members of the living dead while calming her desire for human blood. In the book, we also hear bits from a vampyr being taken care of by their Captor, and it’s not until the end that you discover who they are.

The ending of this was great, but as is usual with this author’s books, the thing that stands out the most is the writing. Her books are consistently flawless when it comes to the words used and emotions provoked. I’m not one for vampire books, but this is without a doubt the best one I’ve ever read. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Ballantine Books, C.J. Tudor and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

✨Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ✨

The Gathering 📚 by C.J. Tudor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.
.
.
Thank you @netgalley for this #advancedreaderscopy 🧛‍♂️

A female detective, who also specializes in vampyrs, gets sent to Deadhart, Alaska to investigate a killing of local town boy. The towns people believe the local vampyr colony is behind it and are determined to authorize a cull. The detective works with the town's previous sheriff to get answers, and along the way they learn about the town's dark history and secrets.

I really enjoyed the plot twists in this book - I didn't predict any of them. I also loved the setting of Alaska and vampires (hello, 30 Days of Night vibes). I struggled with the pacing of this book and felt it could have wrapped up things sooner, but overall enjoyed it.

A good pick if you like all things vampires (or in this book, vampyrs) 🧛‍♂️
.
.
.
#justread #bookstack #booklovers #alwaysreading #readersofinstagram #bookreview #instareads #goodreads #bookworm #bookaddict #readersofig #bookreviewer #bookaddict #bookstagram

I am a huge fan of the author after absolutely burning through the Chalk Man and Burning Girls but this one was not quite the same caliber in my opinion. I kept waiting for something to happen but it never really came. Vampyres are portrayed as victims in the story and weirdly the author has chose to apply all the “woke” stereotypes into their story. Vampyres are meant to be scary abs threatening but these most definitely were not. This was meant to be a murder mystery but it really ended up being more of a study of vampires in America and a lot of the prejudice got tired and I found myself skimming parts.
I will definitely be reading more from CJ Tudor in the future, but this one just wasn’t my favorite.
Thanks to Penguin Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This is a super unique story. I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading about vampires in a real world scenario like a murder investigation, but it was really enjoyable and kept me hooked. I would describe this book as weird and dark in the best way! I would recommend this book, especially to someone looking for something out of the ordinary.

Review posted on Instagram @readwithkendall

The Gathering was different than I was expecting, in a good way. I've read 4 other C.J. Tudor books, all which were in the psychological/thriller/suspense - this was the first with vampires. I enjoyed this book very much, to me it was not scary or thriller, but it did keep me wanting to read chapter to chapter so I would say there was suspense!

A detective flies to Alaska after a boy is murdered, this isn't just any murder and she is not any detective. There are parts of the government that are there for vampire vs. human cases. This specific case has brought her to the small isolated town, because the townspeople want a cull. A cull is a wipeout of an entire colony/coven of vampires and it's her job to make sure that all the evidence supports that serious of a punishment. Is it a vampire killing or was it a prank gone wrong? Det. Atkins cannot be confident in a vampire killing as the evidence is not consistent - it's even more unlikely when someone tries to break into the deep freezer the body is being stored in. Several different characters and storylines appear and I can't help but be mesmerized by Athelinda, the colonies' leader. There is a lot of history of characters and the town that Tudor goes in to which explains so much. I think the author did a fantastic job connecting each story line and making a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!
#TheGathering #NetGalley

In the small rural town of Deadhart, Alaska, suspicions and prejudices against the nearby Colony of vampyrs have been growing for generations. When a teenage boy is found dead, his blood drained, the whole town is calling for justice by holding a cull of the entire colony. Detective and vampyr expert Barbara Atkins is called in to verify if the murder was in fact a colony kill, And is this connected to the case 25 years ago that almost killed town sheriff?
The freezing temps, rising snow, and lack of daylight just added to the creepy vibes of the story. You can sense how the isolation of this small town and the proximity of the unknown have created fear and tension just ready to explode into hatred and conflict at the first opportunity. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, there was another twist to the plot until the exciting end. The pacing of the story at the beginning was a little slow as we got to know the town and some of the major characters, but after the halfway point, the action started to really pick up. I really liked The Drift and was excited to read this book and I wasn't disappointed!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

To say I was excited to start this new C.J. Tudor book is an understatement. The last one I read had me on the edge from the start. The writing was impeccable. Upon starting <i>The Gathering</i>, I started to question if I had my authors confused. It was definitely a different type of book for me, so I didn't want to give up on it. Although after I finished, I kind of wished I had. It was just not good.
I knew I was getting myself into a book about vampires, Alaskan lore and superstitions, and the difficulties law enforcement would be getting themselves into while they investigated in a very small town. I was prepared for that and reading to jump into it. What I got were all of those things, but also an underlying agenda that was subtly being weaved in throughout. This wasn't just an investigator following the rules. This was an investigator trying to prove something that went beyond solving a murder. I didn't like it. I wanted to but I ended up being disappointed in the end, unfortunately.

This was the absolutely coolest book to read! Being an Alaskan myself, then realizing the author did her homework when talking about the little town, one of which i currently reside, this just made for such an awesome, atmospheric book! I have to be honest and say there were times i was a bit bored with some flashbacks, but overall, i loved the book and would definitely recommend to all my Alaskan thriller readers!

This author is a must read for me but sometimes I just don't connect with the books. But The Gathering pulled me in right from the start and the nonstop thrill didn't let up until the end.

Tudor has created a unique Vampire world that I would love to see more of in the future.

Overall, I give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Books about vampires aren’t my go-to, but I’ve seen this book recommended by several people. And it was good. I loved the atmosphere and the storyline. I was off my game, because I didn’t guess any of the big twists, and that hasn’t happened in a long time. So a major bonus. 👏🏻

There were two things I wasn’t a fan of: the amount of times Barbara said “sir” and the constant mentions of Barbara’s weight - it served no purpose?

I mean, just when you think the vampire genre has been written into the ground, along comes CJ Tudor, who opens her new book with a truly dark and f*cked up opening that instantly had me intrigued and leaning in…no surprise, coming from an author known for completely subverting reader expectations, an author who takes it to the next level with a new supernatural crime thriller that delivers on every level in dark, fun, twisty (not to mention f*cking scary!!) ways.

Fair warning before you start this book: you will NOT put it down until you finish. It’s that good. I’ve always enjoyed Tudor’s books; she writes dark and twisty like no one else, and her books CHALK MAN, THE OTHER PEOPLE, and THE DRIFT are well worth prioritizing if you haven’t read the author before.

That being said, with THE GATHERING, Tudor takes it to the next level. This book is so damn good. Part TRUE DETECTIVE, part TRUE BLOOD, this is a grounded crime thriller first and foremost, set in a world where vampires (here they’re called vampyr) have existed for hundreds of years. There is an uneasy truce between humans and vampyr, and it is up to a special government agency to ensure that truce is maintained. In the event a vampyr is accused of killing a human, the agency is brought in to investigate the crime and confirm the death is vampyr-related. The penalty for killing a human is severe: not only is the vampyr destroyed, but that vampyr’s entire colony is also destroyed. Said annihilation is called a Gathering.

Tudor’s book is set in a small Alaskan town, a town that is terrified of the local vampyr colony (they keep their Christmas lights up year-long to ward off any supernatural intruders). Detective Barbara Atkins (think Fargo’s Marge Gunderson) is called in to investigate the death of a teen boy, which appears to be an open-and-shut vampyr murder (there’s cell phone footage of the killing). Atkins quickly realizes there’s more to the crime than meets the eye, and in a town full of people who would do whatever is necessary to instigate a Gathering, everyone is a suspect…

Without giving much more away, my recommendation is just get yourself a copy of this book and enjoy. It’s so damn fun. This is premium popcorn reading at its finest. From that very first chapter (vampire hunting trophies…so sick, but i love it), you will not be able to put it down. Tudor keeps things moving at a brisk pace, does a great job populating the book with a town full of damaged, morally-grey characters (each with their own dark secrets), and executes twist after twist after wild twist all the way up to the very end. Yes, the book is about vampires, but the supernatural element doesn’t overwhelm the overarching mystery at the center of the book. It simmers in the background and gives specificity to the story, the characters, and the town. Additionally, Atkins is a fantastic character that readers will root for (based on the open-ending, Tudor clearly has plans to write more Atkins stories set in this world), and the book does a nice job of exploring themes of class and race and implicit bias thru the lens of vampires.

I have no doubt THE GATHERING will end up very high on this year’s TOP 10 countdown. It’s a wild ride.

I thought this was a pretty good mystery that happened to have some vampires in it. The ending did surprise me a little bit.

The Gathering is Tudor’s latest, and one of the many books featuring vampires in 2024. What makes The Gathering stand out is the political slant between humans and vampires. After what was akin to a civil war, humans have segregated vampires and taken their rights away. What is also at the forefront is the dangers of religious zealotry and how that can quickly poison people’s minds. Tudors weaves both throughout the story in a way that is chilling prescient to present times.

At its heart, it is a murder mystery that has to contend with a small, rural town’s prejudices towards vampires. The main character is a level-headed detective that isn’t willing to cave to the pressures from the town who have already made up their minds. There are a few twists and turns that the reader won’t see coming. That makes it difficult to put it down especially towards the end.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advance copy of The Gathering by C.J. Tudor - this one came out early April and is available for purchase now!

I really enjoyed The Burning Girls, and after some mixed reviews of The Drift, I was excited to check this one out - vampire colonies, an Alaska setting, say no more! This one took me a little bit to get into, but once the atmospheric plot was set, it was much more fast paced and moved quickly. I was so invested in finding out what happened to our murdered boy Marcus. I will say, as a traditional horror, this one has some “horror elements” but I would classify this more as a procedural slow-burn thriller, so if you’re looking for more horror, I’m not sure this is it.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!