Stark and darkly complex, this vampire story reads like Agatha Christie fell into a horror film.

Reimagining vampyr lore and set in an unforgiving Alaskan small town, Tudor’s novel uses isolation and blood to rope you in to its twisty puzzle. With a flawed but fierce mature female main character and a full cast of intriguing townspeople, The Gathering is a great mixed genre thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

This book is set in an alternate reality where vampires are dangerous but have their own protections. That was an interesting premise, when the mystery was about a murdered boy who seemed to be the victim of a vampire attack.
I thought the story was slow sometimes but the characters were complex. People made decisions based on their past, just like in real life. It was the patterns and interactions that provided most of the conflict and tension here.
I enjoyed the ending and decided I'd like to read more in this world. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! A twist for Tudor to take on a little more of the paranormal in this story about Vampires living among humans. Tudor did a fabulous job in developing this story and in my opinion making it feel believable . This story is about a murder that happens in Alaska , apparently a Vampire attack. Our MC , detective Barabar Atkins is assigned to the case to determine if a Cull can be authorized. In other words , can the humans rightfully kill the vampires. The story unwinds as we meet the people in the town and it unravels as their secrets become revealed for the town to see. But of course every small town has it's secrets, yet not all are known.
I found this to be an exciting twist on vampires with a blend of crime mystery. Excellent and well done!

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor is a horror/thriller about a detective in rural Alaska who is investigating a gruesome murder. Detective Barbara Atkins is a specialist in vampyr killings, and she's sent to this remote town to decide whether this murder is the work of a vampyr or not. This was quite the interesting story, and I really enjoyed it. I think I prefer some of Tudor's previous books over this one though. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I have read other books by CJ Tudor and have really enjoyed them so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this book through net galley. This book is a true original and not like the other books this author has written. This is a police meet vampire story that takes place in an alternate universe. There are lots of twists and turns in this book to keep you reading and the ending is spectacular.

CJ Tudor, author of The Chalk Man, brings us to the tiny town of Deadhart, population 873, a rural town in Alaska where there is the Colony of vampyrs are back and so are grisly murders that that are affecting the townsfolk. Detective Atkins, a vampyr specialist, is an outsider called in to determine if a cull, or extermination of the Colony, needs to happen.

I enjoyed this novel. It was dark and creepy but really seemed to high light humanity in the face of tragedy. We were introduced to a lot of characters, but I think for the most part it was easy enough to follow along. This was a great supernatural thriller. The plot was well executed and there weren’t slow points, the character development was great and I liked the evolution of the characters at the end. If you like a little supernatural in your thriller, pick this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley,
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and CJ Tudor for the eARC of The Gathering. The Gathering by CJ Tudor publication date was 09 Apr 2024.

THE GATHERING by C.J. TUDOR
Published: 4/09/2024 by Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine Books
Page Count: 352


The ultimate Vampyr book written as if it was obvious that they are a reality and not just lore. Jump on board and be educated on the inaccuracies of multiple myths attributed to our beloved Vampyrs. This gem would stand alone as a thrilling police procedural, but transcends this limit by melding with a supernatural element. The Vampyr’s physiology, medically speaking, involves a minimal heartbeat… so they are not actually dead. They are not immortal, but age slowly over the course of a hundred years. They cannot turn to mist or fly away like bats. They can certainly see themselves in a mirror, and do not need an invitation to enter your house. It’s certainly hogwash that they’re invincible, although they can recover from injuries that would kill a human. And, as we all know ….. a stab to their heart or decapitation works nicely.
Doctor Barbara Atkins, both a doctor of forensic vampyr anthropology and a homicide detective is summoned to the remote, small town of Deadhart, Alaska …. Population 673 “Living” as the sign states. She is charged with the investigation of the murder of fifteen year-old Marcus Anderson. She is well aware that there will only be five hours of daylight per day in this freezing tundra. (Please note that Vampyrs can function in the light, but try to spend most of their daylight hours in the shade …. they are not going to self-immolate.). Her charge is to uncover the perpetrator of this heinous act … whether vampyr or psychopath. A Vampyr killing would result in a sanctioned “cull” … in which the entire colony would be slaughtered , including men, women, and children. ( yes children …. some child like Vampyrs are the result of individuals being “turned” as a child, but actually most are the progeny of adult vampyrs ). Remember, the Vampyr Protective Act was signed into law in 1983 … with the hope of providing protection for the preservation of their societies. However, the townpeople made it quite clear that swift justice needs to happen … and that meant a “cull.”
Marcus was last seen by his parents at dinnertime. He was meeting his friends, Stephen Garrett and Jacob Bell in a hunter’s cabin deep in the woods .. “to fool around.” He never made it home. Barbara studied the crime scene photos, showing a skinny, lanky youth with blonde hair, lying spread-eagled on a dirty wooden floor… clad only in jeans and a sweatshirt. HIs throat was a mess of mangled skin and gristle, with only a moderate amount of blood around his face and top of sweatshirt. Barbara thought it should be everywhere … it was either removed or ingested. He was reported be wearing a jacket, which was never recovered.
Vampyrs do not take souvenirs or trophies ! If there is any hope of solving this mystery, she will need to enlist the aid of former sheriff, Jenson Tucker. A virtual recluse, living alone in the woods, who barely survived investigating a similar murder twenty-five years ago. Many dark secrets will be uncovered as the present investigation evolves.
C. J. Tudor proves to be a masterful storyteller , as she weaves multiple plot lines into an intriguing and foreboding melange. The suspense escalates relentlessly into a page turner. Plot twists and red herrings mount up with abandon. She uses her unique world-building to juxtapose prejudice against vampyrs which mirrors present day issues of race, sexuality, political affiliation, and even present day immigration issues. The narrative will explode into an unexpected denouement.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully this is not the last we’ve seen of Doctor/ Detective Barbara Atkins. Her character was wonderfully developed into a multi-dimensional character, worthy of an ongoing series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House- Ballatine Books, and C.J Tudor for an advance copy of The Gathering in exchange for an honest review. I wasnt sure what to think of this book when I read the synopsis but because Im not a huge vampire girlie, but I am so glad I gave it a chance because I loved it! We find ourselves in rural Alaska as detective Barbara has to try to solve the murder of a young boy. Throughout the book, we learn the history of the town and the colony (group of vampires) and I felt like the author did a great job explaining things. I was very satisfied with the ending and I think everything wrapped up well. This one is out now and I would definitely recommend it!

I really wanted to capital LOVE this one! The mystery was good and well done but there just wasn't enough on the vampire side. I would have loved deeper world building here because what was there was so compelling. I can definitely see this becoming a series and I would be picking up if it ever came down to that.

Deadhart is a small town in Alaska where the townsfolk work together to survive the harsh conditions. But they also have to contend with a vampyr colony that lives just outside the town. A child is found with his throat ripped out without his blood, leading to Detective Barbara Atkins to be sent in to investigate. She needs to figure out who is responsible, and if it is the vampyrs, whether to authorize a culling of their community. She faces a town that has made up its mind before she starts investigating and townsfolk trying to cover up the truth of what may have happened now and decades ago in the town's history. Atkins has to work quickly to solve the case before tensions escalate past a breaking point and lead to the death of others.

The Gathering was an excellent small town mystery with the addition of a classic literary monster. I loved the world building of this book, with a setting reminiscent of 30 Days of Night but with vampire-human relations as a cold war where both sides have agreed separation is best. The early chapters balance out introducing the central mystery with explaining the rules of the world and Atkins' role within it. The book played with expectations very well, with a strong protagonist who's past informs her investigation of the case. I think was trying to balance a little too many mysteries and it made it so that some were not as satisfying in their resolution, but the central case was very well handled. The ending had some big twists that I wish were given more time to breath, but the ending also leaves open room for more story that I hope C.J. Tudor tells. This book will be great for those who want a different kind of murder mystery or even a different kind of vampire story.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy of The Gathering in exchange for an honest review.

I love all CJ Tudor books that I have read. The Gathering is no different. I loved the new take on a vampire story. I think it is funny how vampires are actually trendy. They had a big pop culture moment back in the 1980's with books and movies such as Salem's Lot and The Lost Boys. Then they were out of style for a few years. They made a big comeback in the 2000's with the Twilight books and movies and many copycat themes. Then they were out of style again. The Gathering is the first vampire novel I have read in a while and I am curious to see how it will be received. First of all, I loved the remote Alaskan setting. The theme of "us against them" as well as the vampire race/species being argued about as subhuman can be perceived as parallels to many social ideas that still exist today. The story was exciting and sometimes horrific. I think it will make existing fans of CJ Tudor very happy and it might win over some new fans who are craving new stories about vampires since they are few and far between these last few years.

Someone please tell me why I’m not a vampire anthropologist?? How freaking cool. I’m intrigued by this growth in popularity of vampire books again (resurgence of my teenage years!) and the allegories for racism and isolation. This book is somewhat of a slow burn and felt really atmospheric. Tudor’s writing is not always captivating for me but I thought this worked really welll.

What do you do when one of your favorite authors writes a vampire story? Well, if you’re me, you have an honest-to-goodness meltdown—but, like, in the best possible way. Did you write this book just for me, CJ Tudor? Huh? Did ya? *gasps* I knew it!

Speaking of CJ Tudor, did she meet the devil on a crossroads and make a deal? That has to be the only explanation. How else would it be possible for her books to just keep getting better?! They’re always five-star reads, and well, that’s just not enough. Goodreads is going to have to build a new star category just for her: the Tudor Tier. Her books are just too good to be lumped in with all the others. It’s like, “Sure, Dracula, you’re great, but you aren’t exactly Tudor-Tier, are you?”

In an effort, to contain my happy-reader rambles, I’ll just say that I was expecting to enjoy myself when I started this one, but I was not expecting to be catapulted into a whole new dimension of epicness.

The characters! The plot! The mystery! The eeriness! THE VIBES!!!!!!

You need this book in your life. Why aren’t you reading it yet? Shoo!

Barbara Atkins, Fang Doc

I enjoyed this take on the "vampyr" genre. It was enough different to keep me entertained all the way through.

In this vampyrish world, a Vampyr Protection Act has been passed and small Colonies of vampyrs live around the world, subsisting on alternative sources of nutrition other than human blood. Because if they stray into that forbidden source of protein, their entire Colony could be culled.

Barbara Atkins comes to Deadhart, Alaska investigating the suspicious death of a teenage boy there, one which the locals believe was killed by a vampyr from a nearby Colony. Atkins is a Doctor of Forensic Vampyr Anthropology and is also a homicide detective.

Great detective story and vampyr story. I highly recommend it.

I received this Digital Review Copy from Ballantine Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.

I devoured The Drift earlier this year and I instantly added The Gathering to my TBR afterwards! I am definitely a C.J. Tudor fan now. The Gathering was an enthralling and suspenseful read that kept me guessing. I loved the paranormal plot, interesting characters, and vibrant setting.

This is a perfect read for fans of the latest season of True Detective!

Small rural Deadhart, Alaska is having problems. Body problems. The people who live there haven’t seen crime of death in Twenty-Five years, that is till a body is found drained of all its blood. But there’s a colony of vampires who live the forest and Detective Barbara Artkins is about to find out all the history this small town holds.

This is a sit one sitting book. It definitely is unique and just full of so much mystery that you want to know everything. It takes a new take of horror mystery with a likable main character. When you have detective mysteries, if the main detective isn’t good then I can’t stand to read, but CJ made Barbara someone I actually really liked. The towns people don’t really warm to Barbara being there so it makes for solving the murder harder for her. And I really liked the co-existence of people and Vampires. They know their places and yet conflict can happen.

This books was very unique and had some really intense moments and I can’t wait to see what CJ writes next. It took a deep dive into how society plays a big role.

I enjoyed this book by C.J. Tudor. It was a very interesting take on vampires. Great story, great characters, and great pacing. Can't wait to read more from C.J. Tudor. #TheGathering #NetGalley

Whether they are the living or the dead, one thing no community wants to experience is not being able to honor their dead and give them their last rites. Remember how Priam went to Achilles to ask for his boy's body so he could give him a funeral? These vampyrs wanted their clan members' heads back. They were not some stag to be kept on some killer's wall.

When another boy was found dead, living of this Alaskan town would feel more strongly about keeping those vampyr heads on their walls. Actually they wanted more than that. They wanted a cull. However in this version of America, living and dead live side by side and living could not go after whole dead community unless there was a valid reason. This town thought they had the reason, but also innocent until proven guilty still held true.

I loved the storytelling and complex connections formed in this book. I had some ideas about who the killer was and the way it was unearthed and weaved into the story blew my mind away. This was a great fantasy and mystery mash up. If you are into either genre, you will love this one.

The small Alaskan town of Deadhart hadn't seen a death where the body was completely drained of blood for twenty-five years. The Colony is a group of vampyrs living in a mine in the woods, and people are convinced it's them. Detective Barbara Atkins calls on the former Deadhart sheriff Jenson Tucker to help her investigate. The pair look into the town’s history, uncovering secrets neither knew about. Another body is found, and winter is deepening. There is more snow and longer nights, giving more opportunities for the killer. Time is running out for everyone involved.

A Gathering is meant to be the final showdown between humans and vampyrs in a world where they always existed. They age more slowly than humans and have the speed, strength, and blood-drinking abilities of myth. They have legal protection as minorities, but small towns near settlement areas are often full of religious fervor and guns. This small town in Alaska is left from an old copper mine, and it boasts a God-fearing preacher who has a penchant for calling vampyrs demons and all but calling for their obliteration. Into this town comes a detective with a vampyr anthropologist background, which automatically makes the local population unhappy as they call for a cull of the Colony.

The novel is well written, with questions along the way of not just who the killer is, but what happened twenty-five years ago, and the origins of the town when the copper mine was in full swing and abusive, hypocritical men were in charge. The different threads of the story are also interwoven with a captive; whatever you think her identity is, I promise you that you're wrong and it's a complete surprise. The town population falls as the mystery unravels and Barbara comes closer to the truth; there are multiple surprises along the way, and the finale is a bloody and fun mess as the truth is finally revealed and justice is served. The epilogue is a teaser, and I hope to see Barbara Atkins again.

Vampires are back and I’m not mad about it! What a fun and original take on this vampire thriller. Lots of fresh twists and scenes that make you shiver. I hope theirs more of Tudor’s vampires in the future. I’d be around for some more colony thrills.