C.J. Tudor does it again!!! Loved her debut book The Chalk Man and now this one.

I was addicted from the first page. I thought it has a great combination of both a phycological thriller and horror that sent chills down my spine while reading. Just what I like in a book like this.

I thought the whole book was brilliantly written. I loved the characters they were really interesting and you don’t know who to trust. The character Joe was my favourite. We learn about Joe’s past, his sisters disappearance and what his present situation.

Once again like The Chalk Man this one is full of twists and turns the ending of this book was brilliant.

Overall, a fantastic read where I couldn’t personally find a fault in this book. If you’re looking for a well written, interesting fast paced plot then this is the book for you. I highly recommend this book.

I can’t wait to read C.J. Tudor’s next book, when it comes out. She’s fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my eARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Note: In the U.S this book is called The Hiding Place.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. For me I felt like there were no unexpected events, no suspense, and there wasn’t much action. I would also have liked some things to be better described and focused on a little bit more. This book has left me with a lot of questions. I liked how there were chapters set in the past and present, because it makes the story more interesting. The characters were all insteresting and I enjoyed reading about most of them. There was one paragraph that really annoyed me, and actually made me quite angry at this book. The paragraph starts with the line “Never trust someone whose bookshelves are lined with pristine books”. It then goes into a lot of detail, and kind of feels like a rant from the author, as to how people who look after their books aren’t proper readers. This annoyed me and was definitely irrelevant to the story. It felt more like a rant or complaint from the author. Overall I enjoyed this book but found it a little bit slow going and uneventful. It was still readable but I wouldn’t recommend it to people who love fast-paced thrillers, as that was what I was expecting and I was definitely disappointed.

Joe Thorne returns home to the mining village of Arnhill after many years to find out what happened to his sister Annie and all the other children that died and wonders if it's all happening again? A creepy sinister thriller with a supernatural element!

Joe’s life is a car crash, both figuratively and literally. Seriously injured in a car crash as a teenager that left both his father and younger sister dead, Joe is constantly trying to repair the pieces of his shattered life. Now he has returned to his childhood village as a teacher, not as a career move but rather as a last attempt at solving a mystery that began many years ago with the disappearance of his sister. As Joe gets closer to the truth, his past and present day troubles threaten to collide.

This is a dark, dark book. Maybe not recommended for those who are scared of the dark, or ghosts, or beetles or dolls, or...well the list goes on! If you’re looking for a genuinely unsettling read though, then your search stops right here. C.J Tudor has crafted a terrifying book where the shocks creep up on you and the scares feel very real. One of the first things Joe does on his arrival back in the village is move into a cottage where a mother killed her young son and daubed a cryptic message in his blood. Joe finds the cottage impossible to warm up and the dank atmosphere seems to seep into his whole being. He’s a difficult character as well, unrelentingly sarcastic and reluctant to get close to anyone. The village of Arnhill seems to have a life of its own too. C.J. Tudor has done an excellent job of portraying a village undone by the decimation of its main industry (in this case, mining). There’s the local bully who still runs everything, the oddballs and the local legends that, while fantastic, have a grain of truth to them.

There’s a lot going on in this book, most of it terrifying too! It’s a real skill to send a shiver down a reader’s spine and C.J. Tudor is a writer who is going from strength to strength. This is a real step up from the also excellent Chalk Man and she’s obviously writer who is going to write even more tremendous novels in the future. There’s a strong strand of horror which runs through what started out as a murder mystery. It’s a fantastic book and one which stayed with me for a while after I finished the last page. Excellent.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

C.J. Tudor’s first novel, The Chalk Man, was an excellent debut thriller which was a compelling read and her new book, The Taking Of Annie Thorne, is if anything, even more enjoyable. As well as being a great psychological thriller it also has a supernatural element which would appeal to readers who enjoy this sort of a book too.
It is the story of Joe Thorne, a secondary school English teacher, who takes a job at his old school in a small Nottinghamshire town, when he is summoned back by a text telling him it is “ happening again”.
When Joe was 15 his young sister went missing for two days and his life from that point was never the same again.
As an adult Joe is going back to investigate Annie’s disappearance as well as to try and make some money to pay off his massive gambling debts. However not everyone is happy to see him again.
There are several interesting characters in the book. Joe tells his story both in the present and via flashbacks to the time of Annie’s disappearance and that is how the reader gets to know him.
He is likeable and really cares about his pupils but there is a dark side to him too which has its roots in his teenage years. He is being pursued for his gambling debts and this side of his present day life throws up some other characters who really add to the story. One in particular, Gloria, really sent chills down my spine!
The Taking Of Annie Thorne reminded me of an early Stephen King novel and it had the same sort of effect on me. I whizzed through it desparate to find out what was going to happen at the end. The conclusion was brilliant- this was truly a well constructed plot and I am now a huge C. J Tudor fan!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured The Chalk Man, so was over the moon when I was approved by NetGalley to read this, C.J. Tudor’s next book. And it met my expectations big time. I warmed to jaded loser, Joe Thorne, the main protagonist. He goes back to the “craphole” he grew up in, summonsed by a mystery email. There’s been a tragedy in his hometown; a popular teacher and her son have died in peculiar circumstance. Joe’s filling the gap by taking over her job. Not only is he filling her shoes at work, but also living in her cottage – the scene of the massacre. And there are horrible similarities between the present tragedy and the disappearance of his own sister, Annie Thorne, many years ago. The author’s great writing style kept me totally gripped and wanting more. I couldn’t get enough of Joe’s wonderfully dry and often self-deprecating humour. The town itself was a character– dark, brooding, menacing and unwelcoming. Remind me never to go there. This is a book with a touch of the supernatural, an enormously satisfying ending and more than a few surprises.

Another great read from Tudor’. Reminds me of early Konontz and King. Chalk man was good, this is he next step up.

I really enjoyed The Chalk Man by Tudor and was really looking forward to Tudor's next book. Sadly I'm not a fan of the supernatural and as a result I much preferred the Chalk Man.

It's not that it's a bad book, I enjoyed the plot and thought Joe was a strong character, but it just wan't to my liking.

3.5 Stars.

Thanks to C J Tudor, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this author's debut - The Chalk Man - when I read it a while ago so I was very excited to see what she would come up with next. As with her debut, there are a few nods to the great Stephen King that do stand out to those who have already read certain of his books, but the story she weaves around these is unique in itself. To be honest, when was the last time you really read a book in this genre that was unique in every way?
Joe grew up in Arnhill, he went to the school, he had his gang of mates, and he had a sister. Until that fateful day when she went missing whilst they were exploring the old mine. She did return home but, let's just say, things were never the same. So to say he has mixed emotions about returning would be an understatement. But something has forced his hand and he knows he has to return to put an end to something they should have buried years ago as it is obvious it's beginning again. So he lies and cajoles his way into a teaching job at his old school. But it soon becomes obvious that someone in the town isn't welcoming him home.
Joe is a bit of a colourful character. He really doesn't help himself with what he gets up to and I guess his decision to return home was aided by the wish to run away from his past misdemeanours. He also doesn't help his cause by sticking his nose into things that certain people want to keep hidden. But he does eventually get people on side and, to be honest, he can do with all the help he can get as what he is trying to sort out comes from a very weird place.
Admittedly the first part of this book is a much more gentle pace than I am used to but from reading The Chalk Man, I had confidence that once it was all set up, it would speed up a bit towards the end. I was right to stick with it as once it got going there was no stopping the action and tension as they ramped up and I turned (swiped) the pages ever faster.
The supernatural element that flows throughout the book is also very well handled. Sometimes I have seen this stuff coming right out of left field and spoiling the book for me, but here it all flows very nicely and it's blatantly obvious from the outset that things are a bit spooky down in Arnhill.
At the end of the book I did have some unanswered questions, mostly about all the spooky stuff, which did irk me for a little while. But then I sat back and pondered on it all and decided that the whole point of some spooky, the reason it is scary, is that it isn't always explained or indeed explainable. Some things you just have to not know and I am now more comfortable in my ignorance of such matters.
All in all, a cracking follow-up book which cements this author firmly on my watch list. I really can't wait to see what she serves for her next course! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is not my normal choice of reading genres as I am a big scaredy cat and never watch anything remotely frightening, however, as scared as I was, this was a fantastic novel and I will certainly be looking to read more from this author.
The novel opens with Joe Thorne returning home to the village he grew up in, Arnhill , a once thriving place whose inhabitants were the crews of workers who went down the coal mine. Joe did not have a happy time growing up and step by step as these details are explained you are certainly left wondering why he’s returned and why he’s decided to teach in his old school. This is a dark tale and as the reader I’m still unsure if I even like Joe or not. Something bad happened to his sister and a close friend and Joe’s been sent for anonymously to try and stop history repeating itself. I don’t reccommend you read this late at night in the dark as it is definitely scary, but in the good absolutely gripping way.

A paranormal mystery that left me a little deflated compared to The Chalk Man. This was dark and had a well balanced plot. The main character was not likeable, I found him irritating at times which was not good. Overall I did enjoy it but had to may high hopes after reading the chalk man.

Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang–the betrayal, the suicide, the murder–and after what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn’t have a choice. Because judging by what was done to that poor Morton kid, what happened all those years ago to Joe’s sister is happening again. And only Joe knows who is really at fault.

If you’ve read reviews about this book and you’re wondering about the supernatural element – don’t let it put you off. Had I really known that this might have been where the book was going at times, I wouldn’t have read it because I just can’t get gripped by those sorts of storylines. However C.J Tudor has opened up a whole new world to me and I know that if you have even the tiniest doubt about delving into that sort of genre you won’t regret it by starting with this book.

“If newspapers are the place where facts become stories, the Internet is the place where stories become conspiracy theories.”

That being said this book is so much more than ‘Supernatural’ in genre. It has a bit of Psychological Thriller, Drama, Mystery and Horror all rolled into one. I’ve read great things about C.J. Tudor’s first book (The Chalk Man) and definitely will be going to read that one this year now that I’ve read this.

“…when my sister was eight years old she disappeared. At the time I thought it was the worst thing in the world that could ever happen. And then she came back.”

So as well as achieving something that spans multiple genres and therefore should be attractive to many different types of readers… C.J. Tudor is a woman…and writes entirely from the point of view of a man. It’s not hard to do that – but to do it well is entirely different. Tudor completely does it well, in fact, she is the main character – utterly and completely.

My only little bit of feedback – the title. It’s boring actually and is why it took me so long to pick this out of my list of 80 books to review and actually get stuck in and read it.

Having read The Chalk Man and very much enjoyed it, I snapped up the chance to read C. J. Tudor’s second novel. I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed. As with The Chalk Man, Tudor grabs us by the throat in the opening chapter, and doesn’t let up all the way through. Full of interesting, detailed characters, you’re never sure who to trust.
Initially set in modern day Nottinghamshire, as the story progresses you start to get parts of the 90s back story of when the protagonist’s sister, Annie, went missing when she was 8 and he was 15. Each part to this leaves you wanting more, but the interwoven modern day tale is equally gripping, and I found I couldn’t put this book down and read late into the night to finish it.
There’s a few otherworldly / supernatural elements to the story that you never get quite to the bottom of, and I’m sure that will annoy a few people (probably the same people who got cross with Bird Box for not showing the monsters), but I found that leaving this aspect to the imagination was far more powerful than explaining it all in detail could ever be.
Overall a 5* read for me, and I will definitely be picking up the author’s future books too.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC.
Oh My! - if you like Stephen King then you'll love this. A sinister opening where a police discover the bodies of a local teacher and her son in their cottage at Arnhill. Apparently the mother committed suicide after murdering her son, leaving a message 'not my son' formed in blood. Shortly before, her son had disappeared for 2 days before reappearing - changed.
Tom Thorne has received an email telling him 'it's happening again'. He returns to the town where he grew up as a new teacher at the local Academy and rents that cottage.
Told via past and present the story unfolds.
Twenty-five years ago, 5 rather miss-matched school 'friends' including Tom, explored an underground chamber they believed to be part of the old mine at Arnhill. His sister Annie follows her brother and subsequently disappears for 2 days before reappearing and having no memory of what happened to her. Only Tom and his friends know the truth. Those 'friends' now have children of their own who carry-on the traits of their fathers. Once a bully - always a bully. As Tom finds out as he starts at the Academy.
A chance meeting of teacher and bullied pupil in the ancient graveyard: "Why are there no babies buried here?"
This novel is rather creepy; in film it would come across as a horror; nonetheless it is absorbing, atmospheric, and well-written.

This is my first C J Tudor novel. If you like your thrillers local town , dark mystery, troubled characters then this is for you. Joe Thorne lost his sister not once but twice, how could that be? And what does local bully turned councillor Hurst have to do with it?
It is at times unexpected, and twisty,. It is packed with characters who on the surface might be any old town,s population but then again, is everyone who they seem to be?
Flashes of imagination lift it from the ordinary, and surprise the unwary reader. See what you think?

Joe Thorne returns to his childhood hometown to start a new job at a troubled school. he brings with him a dark secret and an ulterior motive. Wanting to get to the bottom of an incident that occurred when he was a teenager he moves into the area and begins to try to piece together the mystery.

Overall a very good read, well written, fast paced and interesting with a twist that I really didn’t anticipate.

My first CJ Tudor book and I think I’ll go find some more.

I received a free ecopy of this book in return for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

Having read and loved The Chalk Man, CJ Tudor’s first book, I was expecting great things of The Taking of Annie Thorne (also released as The Hiding Place). This second book is an altogether darker thriller with a supernatural element, reminiscent of Stephen King. There is a sordid feel to CJ Tudor’s writing, as she lingers on nicotine stains, badly designed buildings and misery. She is, though, very good at capturing life growing up in eighties England, with Panda Cola, Smash Hits magazine and endemic bullying.

The Taking of Annie Thorne revolves around Joe Thorne, a gambling addict, as he heads back to the town of his childhood to take up a teaching place at his old high school, pursued by his past. The narrative swings between his present and his fifteen year old self. We quickly learn that Joe is a liar and a rather unsavoury person, but a surprisingly good teacher who cares about his pupils. Joe remembers his little sister Annie who was sweet and loving, but as the story progresses we feel cold with the inevitability of approaching horror.

For someone from the North of England I spend a lot of time watching and reading fiction set in small town America, so it’s a refreshing change to read a story set in small town England, in all its mundanity. Tudor paints it with deft strokes. The key word here is ‘local.’ Local people, local places, local legends, plus the local (pub) all feature heavily. The book could almost be set in any Northern pit town. There is one thing I love about Tudor’s writing, it is very down to earth. It could be written by someone down the street from me, labouring away in their back bedroom because all her images are familiar ones.

One of the more unusual aspects to this book is that, the picture isn’t always entirely complete. The final action scenes have a deliberate hole in the narrative. The dots are all there but we are left to join them up ourselves. I feel like I want someone else to read it so I can see if they drew the same picture as me. Drop me a line when you’ve read it and we can compare notes.

A heart-stopping, stomach churning, read. Can’t wait to see what Tudor’s third book will be like.

When Joe Thorne receives an email with the words “I know what happened to your sister. It's happening again” he knows he must go back.
Years ago his younger sister went missing, only to return 48 hours later. Joe seemed to be the only one to notice she wasn't the same when she returned.
Being in debt through gambling he decides to leave town and apply for a teaching job at Arnhill Academy, a school he used to attend as a youngster, but not everyone is happy to see him back.

C J Tudor has a brilliant way of drawing you in and this one is no different. I enjoyed the way you learn about Joe's life, past and present, then bit by bit through flashbacks you also find out just what happened to 8 year old Annie when she went missing all those years ago. As the truth comes out not only is it full of shocks, twists and turns but you also realise why some are not happy at his return.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book which gets five stars from me.
My grateful thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for my copy.

I read C. J. Tudors first book, The Chalk Man and I loved it. The Taking of Anne Thorne is every bit as good. It's creepy and thrilling right to the last page. Stephen King recommended this book and I can see why. The writing is very like Mr. Kings. I highly recommend this book.

A multi-faceted story, taken from the perspective of the rather troubled Joe, who has returned to the old mining village of Arnhill. to try to find out why 'it's happening again'. With its gruesome opening and its dark, creepy Stephen King-esque storyline, what's not to love?

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.