500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death
30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace
Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide
Welcome to Chapel Croft.

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor published on January 21st with Penguin Michael Joseph and is described as ‘the darkly compelling new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man, The Taking of Annie Thorne and The Other People.’ It is always exciting to pick up a C.J. Tudor book because you know that you are about to read something dark, ominous and sinister. The Burning Girls ticks all those boxes and confirms C.J. Tudor (as the Daily Mail puts it) as ‘Britain’s female Stephen King.’

Rev Jack Brooks and her daughter Flo are in need of a new beginning after difficulties in her previous parish left her exposed and unsettled. When a temporary position arose in a small rural village, Jack hoped it would provide them both with the breathing space necessary to get to grips with their lives and to press pause on the frenetic days of recent times. Arriving into the village of Chapel Croft, Jack and Flo immediately realise that this move will be a daunting challenge, especially after they step inside the church and their new cottage. Old, weary and sad looking, this is a church that has witnessed much, most notably its connection to trials that took place over 500 years ago when eight martyrs were burnt to death, two of them young girls who were found hiding in the church at the time. The locals pay tribute to these girls every year with effigies made of twigs resembling the female form with the name of The Burning Girls given to them. Jack is not superstitious but respects the ways of the village until strange incidents begin to arise over the coming days and weeks.

Flo, always an outsider, has no love for Chapel Croft. She is used to the city and all it offers and being isolated away from her old life and friends is a bit of a shock to her. Flo has a passion for photography and the almost sinister vibe that the village exudes creates some fantastic photo opportunities for her. This provides some solace to Jack at the beginning as it keeps Flo busy, but only for a time. When Flo experiences some strange occurrences, she begins to doubt herself. The weather is very warm. The cottage they live in is badly ventilated. Sleeping is difficult and both Jack and Flo are permanently exhausted, casting self-doubt over what they think they see and feel.The villagers of Chapel Croft are peculiar. Tradition is very important to them and all are very proud and protective of their past, albeit one tainted by death. Celebration of their history and their martyrs carries great meaning for them yet the disappearance of two teenagers thirty years ago is almost glossed over. As Jack explores the past and as some of it lands on her doorstep, she tries to piece together the truth behind this village’s macabre history. As Jack unearths more information she gets to the truth about much of Chapel Croft’s past and it’s certainly one stained with bizarre and eerie happenings.

C.J. Tudor writes creepy and writes it with class. There are many, many layers of pure evil hidden between the covers of this page-turning tale. As the macabre past unfolds, the hairs stand on end and the lights remain on. Religion and reputation are central to this story as the villagers are less than welcoming of an outsider revealing their hidden secrets to the greater world. Jack and Flo are two great characters, both depicted as strong but also as outcasts looking for their place in society. Chapel Croft is a village where some things should not be awakened but as the story unveils itself to the reader it becomes clear that something is trying to get out, something is trying to be freed.

There are serious twists and turns in The Burning Girls with multiple characters requiring full focus. You will question who is good and who is evil. You will doubt your own instinct and you will be shocked and disturbed when the truth outs itself. The Burning Girls is an unsettling, eerie and downright chilling read with a selection of characters that would make milk turn. Prepare to be up past your bedtime folks for shocks aplenty and some serious revelations. Nightmares are made of this!

For the past four years, each January has brought with it a new novel from C.J. Tudor – each of which have shocked and thrilled me in equal measure. Her debut, “The Chalk Man”, was a cracking murder mystery with a hint of Stand by Me; this was followed by “The Taking of Annie Thorne” which weaved crime drama alongside a Pet Sematary-esque resurrection, and then last year was “The Other People”, a creepy kidnapping thriller with hints of the supernatural. This year’s release, “The Burning Girls” once again blurs genres and confounds expectations but if I had to give a similar single sentence elevator pitch, it would be “The Vicar of Dibley meets Broadchurch”.

There’s no denying that Tudor is an exceptional writer, she has an uncanny knack for domesticating horror and gore to make it even more unsettling for the reader. Set in the quiet hamlet of Chapel Croft in East Sussex, new vicar Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo find themselves thrust into mysteries regarding the disappearance of two teen girls in the nineties, the recent death of the previous vicar and the creepy spirits of the Burning Girls. As ever, Tudor weaves these various plot threads together in a tight narrative that reveals connectivity between the past and the present and allows for another jaw-dropping twist ending. While Tudor often gets praise for her similarities to Stephen King, it is her ability to pull the rug out from underneath the reader that I admire the most, but unlike M. Night Shyamalan, it never feels inorganic or a gimmick but more of a natural talent.

Tudor also does a great job at building up atmosphere, both in terms of crafting a sense of tension and in evoking location. Chapel Croft feels like a real breathable place and Tudor is able to convey the history of the place alongside the sense of isolation and village gossip. History is an important element of this novel and fuels the narrative as Reverend Brooks finds herself duty bound to find out what happened to the two girls thirty years ago. Her own past plays an important role in her investigation and once the reader finds out more about her own history, you can re-read certain sequences in the book with an entirely different interpretation of events. Out of all of her books, this one is probably the most Shyamalan-esque of the lot as the ramifications of the climactic reveals run through the narrative like a stick of rock, and as such, it is possibly the best novel suited for a cinematic or television adaptation.

As with most of her previous novels, the supernatural elements to the story are vague and undefined – left to the reader’s interpretation of whether they were real or not – which adds to the unsettling nature of the tale.
With one foot in the paranormal and the other wedged in the mundane, Tudor’s book have a distinct juxtaposition that straddles the line between horror and thriller. Her characters are also refreshing complex and engaging; particularly Reverend Brooks. Without wanting to spoil too much, she is the most complicated and interesting protagonist that C.J Tudor has created and I’d love to see where her story took her next. I loved how Tudor consistently played with my prejudice and expectations with the character and her role as a religious figure; right from the opening of assuming she was a male because she was a vicar called Jack, to some of her actions at the end of the novel. I literally fell into every trap she laid as an author, reacting to the story exactly as she hoped I would.

The Burning Girls is quite possibly C.J Tudor’s best work yet, and I have to add the “yet” as she is an author who continually surpasses expectations. With four books under her belt, Tudor has developed a certain ‘house style’ which I have come to expect and enjoy immensely. While she does a fantastic job at establishing a sinister atmosphere, it is her brilliance at creating a complex plot and dropping each reveal with pitch-perfect precision that really impresses me as a reader. This is an amazingly well-written novel with a plot that lingers in the mind days after you’ve finished the book. I can’t wait until next January to continue with my C.J Tudor tradition / obsession.

A compelling story with well developed characters and a building tension that kept me on edge throughout. Atmospheric and dark and certainly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

I love C.J. Tudor’s previous books but I think this one is the best one yet. I was gripped right from the start and I love the creepy sinister vibes to Tudor’s books. This book has so many mysteries going on and each chapter feels like it ends on a cliff-hanger and leaves you wanting more. I was going to sleep trying to piece all the events in the village together and work out what the twists would be, and boy did I not guess them!!! I loved both the main characters in this book – Jack and Flo and felt very invested in what happens to them. This book has a horror vibe to it and goes into topics, such as, exorcisms, which I found really interesting. I highly recommend this book for any thriller/horror lovers out there, especially if you love Tudor’s previous novels or Stephen King type vibes.

C J Tudor never disappoints so when I picked the latest offering I was a little wary about reading about dolls made of twigs and thought its going to be a ghost story and as I was reading on, I did not realise when I was totally trapped in the story and where the time went! Such a fabulous book!

As you know by now, there is nothing that excites me more than a devilish thriller that I can sink my teeth into and The Burning Girls was just that. I had to forcefully tear myself away from the pages and I can easily see how some may devour this book in one sitting.

I absolutely adored C.J Tudor’s writing. She let us grow close to the protagonists but made sure we didn’t trust any of them. The character development is so effortless, I didn’t realise it was happening until the very end.

The pace of the book was also phenomenal. The short, quick chapters were just enough to entice you in, and then brutally leave you hanging. I love to work out the plot/culprit whilst I’m reading, and I loved that every chapter gives you a hint of a clue but still leaves you itching to know more…

Although the book is quite dark and gruesome in some parts, the writing is impeccable and personally, I think it is everything you want from a thriller. Quick chapters. Short sentences. Unnerving scenes. Unpredictable characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m so glad that it was my first book thriller of 2021. I loved it that much that I actually texted my best friend, telling her to grab a copy so we could discuss. Definitely one to add to your TBR if you love an edge-of-your-seat thriller dipped in history.

This is a chilling atmospheric psychological thriller set in a small village in England. It is a slow burner that really burns brightly in the final third of the book. It is a well written and compelling read with lots of red herrings thrown in to point you in the wrong direction and a great twist at the end of the book.

Highly recommended!

After a nasty incident in her last parish Reverend Jack Brooks & her daughter Flo are sent to a small parish. The previous incumbent had sadly died. Although it was a very small parish it was kept going by the local 'laird' whose ancestors were martyred by Bloody Mary. The village still remembers them in village festivals where stick figures are burned. Flo was not been happy to leave her friends. She is a keen photographer & there are plenty of spooky things to keep her going. Strange things happen & before long Jack begins to think the place is not so safe & quiet after all!

I loved this book, spooky with a sprinkle of the supernatural & hits of exorcism kept me reading. Although different in many ways this book reminded me of Phil Rickman's excellent Merrily Watkins series of books. I loved Jack & Flo. The story kept me guessing & there were twists that were totally unexpected. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this super read.

Wow. That is all.

This is an incredible novel that uses the nature of faith, hope, organised religion and belief against a back drop of superstition, the unproven and the 'felt' experience.

It is a novel of metamorphosis as both Jack and Flo 'grow' into their new roles, Jack as a single parent vicar after the death of her husband, moving to a new parish and Flo as teen becoming more aware of her place in the world as a woman.

Gender roles and how women are viewed in society are neatly skewered by the perceptions which people have about them, especially in the small towns and villages which CJ Tudor writes about with both accuracy and flair.

Great scenes catch you breath, keep you on edge and plunge you deep into the story as you question both what Flo and Jack are experiencing and also get you thinking about, and challenging, held beliefs. Folk horror and superstition come alive in CJ's hands, in the finest tradition of another favourite writer of mine, James Hebert.

She has the knack of making you deeply care about her characters whilst forever keeping them on the verge of being written into scenes that terrify them-in this case, the long held belief about the Burning Girls, two girls burnt for witchcraft, whether proved or not was irrelevant-and then the subsequent disappearance of 2 teenage girls, the suicide of the last vicar.

Jack has been sent to Chapel Croft to get away from something which is not immediately revealed, all you know is that it had serious consequences and as such, has her questioning her vocation, the structure of the church and her faith.

The horror starts off early with a classic bait and switch scene that has you gasping then clutching your chest with relief, and that set up leads to some very dark places where you might wish for the more mundane images of a child covered in blood!

You know what you are getting when you buy a CJ Tudor novel, your hairs are prepared to stand to attention, your children are prepared to eat any old nonsense you serve up between chapters, and the hours flow by like water under a bridge from day to night with no obvious transition....these are books which are to be devoured, enjoyed and then to go and double check that the doors and windows are locked and bolted tight.

Rev. Jack is sent to Chapel Croft unexpectedly by the Bishop, he does not give her any choice even though it means uprooting her daughter Flo from school and the city she loves. Flo is much more pragmatic about the move than Jack and she starts to use her hobby of photography to explore the village.

On Jack’s first day she has an encounter with the Harper family and their daughter Poppy who is found covered in blood and traumatised. Jack finds out that the last Vicar did not leave his post but was found hung in the Chapel. Reports of his mental health are conflicted with some saying he was murdered.

The village has a history of a group of martyrs who were burnt at the stake in the sixteenth century they included two young girls Abigal and Maggie. One day Flo is at the graveyard when she sees a ‘burning girl’ and photographs her however when she develops the film there is no sign of the girl.

Jack starts to get out and about meeting her parishioners and it is also revealed she has some secrets of her own that she wants keep hidden. Jack decides to clear out the cellar so that Flo can have the darkroom she longs for. However, there is a lot of the previous Reverend’s belongings down there but she also discovers something else…

This is a fantastic read, the pace and the atmosphere are stunning. The sense of peril when Flo visits the abandoned house made me so anxious for her. This author is the queen of the suspenseful story and the careful uncovering of the secrets of Chapel Croft are compelling.

Jack finding the exorcism kit opens up many questions and when it is linked to some missing girls from the village she finds herself needing to find out more but is this going to put her in danger?

The village has some really creepy rituals and a history of tragedy and Jack starts to realise that the villagers will protect their own regardless. There are deaths, a plenty in this book, some historical and some more recent.

This is C J Tudor’s fourth novel and I have loved every one. This one is as deceptive and delightfully dark as her previous books. I did read at night and it did scare me as it is very creepy, that dark chapel at night was the stuff of nightmares, this is another excellent read.

5 *****

The Burning Girls is set in the small Sussex village of Chapel Croft, which has an intriguing and disturbing history. On 17 September 1556, eight villagers, including two young girls, were burnt to death at the stake during Queen Mary’s purge of the Protestants (the Marian Persecutions). Every year, on the anniversary of this terrible event, little twig dolls (burning girls) are set on fire to signify the martyrs who were killed.

Also, in mid-May 1990, two local teenagers, Joy Harris and Merry Lane, both aged 15, went missing, a week apart, and were never found. It was assumed that they’d run away together and the police never really investigated their disappearance properly.

After problems at their parish in Nottingham, Reverend Jack Brooks and 15-year-old daughter, Florence (Flo), are transferred to Chapel Croft. The village needs an interim vicar after the sudden death of the previous priest, Reverend Matthew Fletcher.

A week later, the pair arrive at the rather creepy chapel and the nearby tiny vicar’s cottage where they’re going to be living. It’s August and the ramshackle cottage is cramped and stuffy. They’ve only just arrived but, straightaway, they’re greeted by a rather frightening sight when they find a little girl who seems injured.

Someone leaves a welcome gift for Jack at the chapel and, when opened, it turns out to be an exorcism kit! Then threatening messages and symbols are left on the doorstep and Jack and Flo both start to see strange visions in the chapel and wonder what on earth they’re letting themselves in for.

This is an atmospheric and tense creepy read and there are lots of chilling secrets to be revealed in this close-knit village with its macabre traditions and superstitions. All the characters seem to be hiding things, even Reverend Jack. The secrets are bubbling beneath the surface and everyone seemed suspicious and untrustworthy at one point or another.

There are some strong characters, especially Jack and Flo, as well as the rather wily 85-year-old Joan Hartman. There’s some violent and intense imagery throughout the novel and the descriptions of what happens within the chapel and derelict house are particularly vivid and disturbing.

There are some supernatural elements to the story, which I’m not usually a fan of, but they really added to the creepiness and suspense in the novel.

Overall, The Burning Girls was a gripping, fast-paced read, with lots of twists and turns, and it had me on the edge of my seat, frantically turning the pages, desperate to see what was going to happen. The book is entertaining and enthralling with lots of action! It’s well written and very cleverly plotted – I had a few suspicions but was very surprised by how everything was resolved. There are several threads to the story but they’re woven together well, though I did have to have a think about everything at the end and put it all together. I almost want to reread straightaway to see all the hints and clues that I missed!

A spine-chilling psychological thriller. Reverend Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo move to a new parish in Sussex.
Chapel Croft is a small village haunted in it's history. A centuries old tragedy and the disappearance of two teenage girls 30-years ago.
A creepy and sinister whodunit mystery.

I was sent a copy of The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor to read and review by NetGalley. Another cracking read from C. J. Tudor; in fact I think I may even prefer this to The Chalk Man. This is quite a complex story with, in my view, very believable characters and a real sense of place. There is plenty of intrigue spread between past and present events and a smattering of the supernatural to boot. I found myself racing through this novel and reading every spare moment I could find! Well worth 5 stars and more!

Dark, twisted, addictive... this book was something else! This book was oddly hypnotic, sickeing and captivating... It's probably one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time.

This was a fast-paced read from start to finish, all of the characters have secrets, and they unravel as the story progresses but with a high amount of drama and through shocking events. This is not one to read on a dark stormy night whilst home alone... unless you like that sort of thing!

This book started great for me, I read it relatively quickly and it kept me guessing until the very last few pages! I thought I knew what was happening and the book let me try to fit some puzzle pieces together quite early on but didn’t give everything completely away until the very end. I loved the idea of this book, the way Tudor writes about the characters was a journey, I thought I hated a character the whole way through and by the end I wanted to hug them, same with characters I initially liked but grew to dislike, and one that I was shocked to suddenly dislike... Remember I said it was a relationship journey 😂

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, would fully recommend it and can’t wait to read more of C J Tudor’s books!

I enjoyed this book so much! I fell in love with Alfie pretty much from the get go. He is such a beautiful, warm, kind soul. It’s a heartwarming and uplifting story with highs and lows, laughter and tears. The majority of the story is set on the hospital ward, as the two of them get to know each other over time. The chapters alternate between Alice and Alfie, and we get to know them on such a deep level which I loved. We also get an insight in to the surrounding patient’s lives on the ward, and meet some other loveable characters. I find it hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel, it’s so fantastically written and I already can’t wait for the next!

C J Tudor has done it again, a gripping thriller worth reading! Reverend Jack Brooks moves into Chapel Croft with daughter Flo, to take over from the previous priest who has died. Moving from city life to the Sussex countryside is a big change in lifestyle, everyone knows everyone else and their business, few common comforts are missing, like decent broadband speed and peculiar traditions still exist. The pagen rituals of burning wicker dolls to symbolise the martyrs of 500 years ago worry the new vicar but it's the spooky behaviour of the chapel caretaker and the mystery items that keep appearing that begin the culmination of years of secrets being unearthed.
It's a religious themed crime thriller, with plenty of lines of mystery to keep you engaged. The characters are believable including the teenagers. The plot moves along nicely with hints and red herrings dropped throughout, a few gruesome scenes and an exciting ending where the truth outs.

Overall a well written thriller that will make you think twice about hanging around graveyards at night!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC

The Burning Girls is a rollercoaster of a read! It is sinister, twisty, and dark. There is mystery, suspense, ghost appearances, and paranormal, all perfectly combined under the fantastic pen of C. J. Tudor for a story that will give you goosebumps.

“If you see the burning girls, something bad will befall you.”

After a scandal has forced them to leave Nottingham, Reverend Jack and fifteen-year-old Flo are new in Chapel Croft, ready for a new and quiet life. And what better place than a small tedious village in Sussex? However, Chapel Croft is far from the quiet, boring village they expected, with its tradition, its history, and its secrets. Five hundred years earlier, eight Protestant martyrs were burned at stake, including two little girls, and thirty years earlier two fifteen-year-old girls, Merry and Joy, had disappeared and have never been found. Following the discovery that the former reverend had killed himself and about his obsession with the burning girls and the disappearance of Merry and Joy, and following the receiving of threatening messages, Jack knows that their lives in Chapel Croft are far from simple and that their past is about to catch up with them.

The story is told mostly from Jack’s and Flo’s points of view. I really liked these two characters because they both feel realistic and relatable. Jack is the typical parent who constantly worries about their child, especially when that child is now a teenager on her first boy crush. Flo is smart, witty, and she doesn’t back down in front of bullies. I enjoyed her close relationship with Jack and the movie references, but, of course, she is still a teenager, so she is keeping secrets, but she is not the only one.

The close-community setting that doesn’t welcome outsiders and it is full of secrets and the claustrophobic and dark atmosphere are the perfect elements to create a suspenseful story with elements of supernatural. The Burning Girls is creepy and scary, it is addictive and intense, it’s what a novel by C. J. Tudor promises and always deliver. Highly recommended!!!

This was excellent, with so many twists that it kept you up reading half the night. I was surprised at the ending as didn't think that. Good characters that go really well with the story.

This was a thrilling and enjoyable read. I liked the opening of this and how it built up the story but i would have liked this more if the author introduced why Rev Jack Brooks had to move sooner and the hints were too vague and the full explanation could have been dropped earlier. I liked the relationship between her and her daughter and the way that this situation can fracture and bring them closer. The other perspective in this was kind of obvious how it connected to Jack and the missing girls but i liked how the character was layered and the character had elements of light and shade making him more three dimensional. The final section was exciting and compelling and i like how this rounded up.