In the small, dark and claustrophobic town of Deadholt Alaska, already simmering tensions reach boiling point following the brutal murder of a young boy. The Gathering will capture you in its thrall and soon this tense and gripping thriller will have you realise that this time it's not just the vampyrs who are out for blood.

4.25 *
This book is a whole load of fun! Set in Alaska where the original natives were vampires. Yep, vampires exist in a protected space. So when a teenage boy is found murdered suspected from a vampire attack, a specialist detective is brought in to inspect the legal way, the towns human settlers aren't too happy. They want the community of vampires culled and exterminated once and for all. Upon further enquiries, things aren't quite as they seem, and the true evil is lurking in the most innocent of places.
This isn't a new way of vampires, they drink blood, try to live in human society, some good, some bad - but the way this story is told, as a thriller with vampire characters is new. So if you're thinking it's JUST another vampire book you may be pleasantly surprised

The Gathering is a decent read if a little lacking in action.
Barbara Atkinson is on her way to Deadhart in the remote Alaska when we meet her, she is adjusting to the temperatures of both the climate and the locals. Barbara has been brought in to help investigate the brutal murder of a teenager that rumour has it has been committed by the colony of vampyres. Barbara meets resilience through the locals as they believe no investigation is needed and a culling must be called but things aren’t adding up for Barbara and with the help of a few new and old faces she gets down to the nitty gritty without being swayed to one side or the other.
This was a different kind of read for me but I did enjoy it, I have read most of this author’s previous works and enjoyed them. This book was I thought very different to what the other books have been like. I enjoyed the storyline I just wish there was a bit more gore and action considering it was about a colony of vampyres.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Another superb read from C J Tudor, her writing keeps getting better and better. She hooks you in and once the ride starts you are locked in. Atmospheric and dark, I wasn't too sure of the vampyric element but it really was good and gave this tale a whole new slant on the genre for my reading. Would highly recommend.

Out-of-State Detective Barbara Atkins isn't given the warmest of welcomes when she arrives at the remote Alaskan town of Deadhart but then she has been sent to investigate the horrific death of a teenager who the townsfolk believe to have been murdered by one of the vampyrs who live in the out of town colony. However, there is little evidence to support this and with tempers running high Barbara is fighting not just the townsfolk whose hatred of the vampyr community is legendary but also the vampyrs themselves whose ancient malevolence is as palpable as it is threatening.

Thanks to this author's atmospheric description of life in small town Alaska I felt as if I had stepped out into the cold and snow with Barbara as she sets about challenging misconceptions and untruths, whilst at the same time she hunts a violent killer who will stop at nothing. In linking the bigotry and hatred of the townsfolk with a similar loathing of humans by the vampyr community you have a combustible situation which threatens to spiral out of control. With its creepy atmosphere and challenging characters, Deadhart, with its community of bigoted townsfolk, and violent vampyrs is very much a central character in this chilling story, and even though the town and its people really scared me, I can't wait to go there again. The cleverly controlled ending of The Gathering certainly hints that there might well be a return visit. Bring it on!

I’ve read a few of C.J. Tudors books and I absolutely loved the drift last year it was one of my favourite reads, so when I saw this I knew I had to read it!
Now this is slighty out of my usual comfort zone I’m usually a straight up thriller reader and when i found out this had vampires in it I was worried I wouldn’t like it. However I was proved wrong and thought it was a great stepping stone into more of a fantasy or supernatural read. The main story is really great and it is all about solving a murder and the whole stories just sprinkled with the vampires so it doesn’t feel too much of fantasy which for me was really great.
Can’t wait to see what she brings out next now!!

I very much enjoyed thriller writer CJ Tudor's turn to schlocky horror in The Drift, and so I was eager to pick up her follow-up, The Gathering. Definite shades of Stephen King here: The Gathering is set in a world where the existence of 'vampyr' colonies is acknowledged and feared, but where laws govern the ways that humans are allowed to interact with them. Culls of colonies can be authorised if they prey on humans, but otherwise locals are expected to leave them alone. Our protagonist, Barbara, is a no-nonsense detective who is, refreshingly, an older lesbian: she travels to a small town in Alaska where a teenage boy has been found with his throat ripped out. Given the town's history of mysterious killings, its inhabitants are keen for Barbara to call for a cull of the nearby vampyrs. But is there more going on here than meets the eye? Sadly, I'd say this is more of a crime novel with a touch of horror than an actual horror novel, and so will appeal more to crime fiction fans. While The Gathering starts well, as Barbara adjusts to the freezing weather and her run-down motel, it swiftly loses much sense of place. I was also frustrated by the lack of worldbuilding - Tudor relies very heavily on existing vampire lore and barely explains her rules (frankly, the lifecycles and biology of vampires are better developed in LJ Smith's Night World series, which is YA from the 90s, and so has the pace and page count you'd expect). Barbara is supposedly an expert on vampyr anthropology, but there's little sense of what that means, as the vampyrs could be replaced by an outcast human community in this novel with little knock-on effect. I got lost in the cast and felt that the climax was merely set-up for what looks likely to be a continuing series, with a number of significant loose ends left trailing. Love vampires, but I won't be reading on.

I've been a fan of C.J. Tudor's books since "The Chalk Man" came out and this is one of her best books yet (I'm yet to read "The Drift" though)

I wasn't keen on reading another novel on vampires but her take on "vampyrs", as she calls them is a mix of fun cliches and unique twists. Set in winter in Alaska, the atmospheric setting drew me in and the sassy MC, Barb had me hooked.

I loved the characters, the rich backstories and the impressive twists in the book. I hope to read more of Brad, Tucker and Athelinda.

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for the e-copy!

4.5/5

In Deadhart, a small town in Alaska a teenage boy is found brutally murdered. Detective Barbara Atkins an expert in vampirism is sent to investigate. If the death is down to the recent re appearance of a colony of vampyers then by law a cull will be ordered. With the locals’ minds made up and them calling for Barbara to instigate the cull, she turns to the ex sheriff of the town Jensen Tucker for help. After all, he was the original investigator on a similar case 25 years ago, and people are in fear that the same thing is happening again. As the investigation unfolds and new evidence comes to light, the story is far deeper and darker than Barbara could have imagined.

Brilliant story, very original and well thought out. It’s clear that the author has done her research! Loved the way the plot got more chilling as the book progressed, I couldn’t stop reading I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next! I had no idea how it was going to end!

I've really enjoyed CJ Tudor's books - especially the 'Chalk Man' (still awaiting that TV adaptation that Tudor mentioned years ago now!!)
This book is a real swerve from their previous novels - it's still got that mystery/thriller element but it has the added bonus of... VAMPIRES!
I usually love a Vampire book or film - but I just couldn't extend my belief with this one. It all felt a bit too out of control.
I didn't enjoy this book too much - compare to CJ Tudor's others - but nevertheless still think this would make a great TV/film adaptation.
Bring on the next CJ Tudor book - but who knows where they will go next!!??

I usually love this authors books but unfortunately struggled with this one. I just couldn’t get into it and it failed to keep my attention.

Having delved into every narrative spun by C.J. Tudor with considerable relish, my expectations for "The Gathering" were tinged with eager anticipation. However, while Tudor's latest venture introduces us to an intriguingly dark world where vampires weave through the narrative, it diverges from the electrifying suspense I've come to cherish in her previous works.
"The Gathering" unfolds at a markedly sedate pace, a stark contrast to the brisk, riveting tempos we are accustomed to with Tudor. The novel centres around Barbara, a character whose journey suggests potential expansion into a series—an uncharacteristic move for Tudor, who typically wraps up her tales within the confines of a single book. This new approach, while ambitious, perhaps dilutes the taut, standalone intensity Tudor fans adore.
Moreover, the novel's structure appears somewhat flat, lacking the multidimensional twists that define Tudor's style. Although the conclusion offers some surprises intended to startle and satisfy, they require a bit of cogitation to align neatly with the earlier narrative, and even then, they do not resonate with the seamless ingenuity expected.
Despite these critiques, "The Gathering" is not devoid of merit. Tudor's audacious foray into a vampire-laden universe is commendable, and her narrative craftsmanship remains evident. There are moments within the pages that remind me of her capability to captivate and entertain.
For devotees of Tudor's earlier works, this book might not echo the profound impact of her usual offerings. It was a journey that tested my patience in its early stages, nearly prompting me to set it aside. Yet, perseverance paid off to a degree. Though the novel lacks the characteristic 'wow factor' and left me yearning for the chilling, swift-footed suspense of her previous books, it still showcased Tudor's bold willingness to explore new realms.
In essence, "The Gathering" is a commendable novel with its own merits. Still, it may not satiate long-standing Tudor enthusiasts seeking the shock and awe typically delivered by her pen. It stands as a testament to Tudor's evolving narrative scope, albeit without the usual flare that fans might expect.

Welcome to Deadhart, Alaska, a small town where ‘normal’ people live alongside the Colony of vampyrs.

Barbara Atkinson is a forensic detective from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department. She arrives in Deadhart to investigate a death of a teenager, Marcus Anderson.

Marcus died of a throat wound to his neck and it appears that it was a Colony killing.

The town is desperate for revenge, for a cull.

However, Atkins is very reluctant to authorise one, as something doesn’t sit right with her…

During her investigation, she begins to uncover a possible link between Marcus’s murder with another case which happened 25 years ago. A young man, Todd Danes, was killed by the Colony.

With the hostility of the townspeople on the rise, can Atkins uncover the truth?

I really enjoyed this tense thriller. I can’t really make up my mind whether it’s a horror or thriller- it has a mixture of both genres.

I loved the idea of vampyrs living alongside humans: they’ve adapted and can lead a normal life during the day. I found the idea fresh and innovative.

The ending made me feel like there could be a follow-up to the story? I hope there is.

Thank you to Michael Joseph for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

I have really enjoyed the CJ Tudors novels I have read so far and this is another one I would recommend. She has such a different style of writing, this leans more towards a murder mystery but with supernatural elements. I still had the usual brilliant creepy, unsettling feeling I usually get reading one from this author. I was totally engrossed in this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this ebook.

A small town in Alaska, an out of town detective, a local sheriff, and a dead boy with his throat ripped out. The case points to one group. The remote vampyr colony that live deep in the mountains.
The town locals are calling for a cull of the colony, but the evidence suggests something or someone else is responsible.
The cops need to know which one they are looking for, a brutal killer or a bloodthirsty monster? Either way time is short in this scary small rural town to find a way to end the horror.
Probably the best book CJ Tudor has written to date. I love the way she sets such a tense atmosphere throughout her books.
The story is brilliant in its originality and remote setting, with great characters and scary scenes throughout. She really is a breath of fresh air when it comes to writing horror.
I found this book impossible to put down and highly recommend it.

Bereits der Taxifahrer, der die auswärtige Barbara Atkins vom Flughafen, abholt hat eine festgelegte Meinung zum Todesfall des Jungen, er geht davon aus, dass es jemand aus der nahegelegenen Vampir Kolonie war. Wer einmal menschliches Blut hatte, kann es nach seiner Meinung nicht mehr lassen und sollte besser erschossen werden. Aber Barbara will den Fall mit offener Einstellung untersuchen. Sie soll zunächst für eine Woche bleiben. Die Ereignisse spielen Anfang November, in Deadhart Alaska mit nur fünf Stunden Helligkeit am Tag. Das Taxi bringt sie direkt zur Polizei Stelle und Polizeichef Pete Nicholls. Der Ort ist strahlend hell mit Lichterketten und leuchtenden Figuren geschmückt, eine wilde Mischung aus Halloween und Weihnachten. Ein wahrer Weihnachtsalbtraum. Barbara kommt vom Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Departement. Kurz wird sie auch Arzt der Fangzähne genannt. Sie hat einen Doktor und ist Kriminalbeamtin. Polizeichef Pete Nicholls teilt sich einen Raum mit der Bürgermeisterin, die ihn zur Zeit wegen Personalmangel auch unterstützt. Deadhart ist eigentlich ein ruhiger Ort, es gab lange keinen Mord, doch die Vampir Kolonie ist vor einem Jahr zurückgekehrt. Pete hätte nichts dagegen sie aufgrund des Todesfalles alle auszumerzen, aber Barbara lehnt es ab, das Recht in die eigenen Hände zu nehmen. Der letzte Mord war vor 25 Jahren an Todd Danes. Damals der Fall einer missglückten Wandlung, der von einer unrechtmäßigen Tötung einiger Vampire und der Vertreibung der Kolonie gefolgt wurde. Der damalige Polizeichef war in seinen Bemühungen um Gerechtigkeit gescheitert, doch nach Jahrzehnten sind sie zurück.

Sobald die Ermittlungen beginnen, ist das Buch sehr spannend. Es kommen viele interessante Figuren vor, wie auch der ehemalige Polizeichef Jensen Tucker oder der eingefleischte Vampirjäger Beau. Vieles ist dem Leser rätselhaft, die Atmosphäre ist angenehm gruselig, gerade richtig für mich. Nebenbei wird die Art und Lebensweise der Vampire nach und nach erklärt, ihre Existenz kommt einem ganz natürlich vor.

Schnell stellt sich der Todesfall als komplexer heraus. Barbara muss auf unkonventionelle Hilfe zurückgreifen und kommt auch schnell selbst in Lebensgefahr. Jede Aufdeckung wirft nur wieder Fragen auf. Alte Geheimnisse werden aufgedeckt. Mit einem sehr klassischen gruseligen Setting wird der Show-down eingeleitet. Dann folgt die große überraschende Enthüllung, die man nicht ahnen konnte und die alles erklärt, aber kann das namensgebende Gathering, die ultimative Konfrontation zwischen den Bewohnern und den Vampiren, jetzt noch verhindert werden?! Und sogar nach der finalen Auseinandersetzung und Klärung aller Fakten gibt es noch einige Überraschungen für die Leser und das Ende lässt auf eine Fortsetzung hoffen.

Das Buch konnte mich sehr gut unterhalten. Besonders gefallen hat mir die Figur der Ermittlerin Barbara.

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor
Publication date: 11 April 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A small Alaskan town. A missing boy. A brutal murder. A detective brought in from out of state to assist the former sherriff who investigated a similar murder twenty-five years ago. But are they hunting a twisted psychopath - or something even more terrifying?

I am 2 for 2 with C. J. Tudor. I read the Chalk Man last year, and really liked it so I was looking forward to getting to this ARC. Did I read the blurb properly before requesting it? No, of course not! So the fact that this is a supernatural vampire thriller was an unexpected, but not unwelcome, surprise.
This follows a number of well-worn thriller tropes - the small town, tight-knit community, hostile to the investigator dropped in their midst, an incoming storm meaning there is nowhere to go and of course, everyone has at least one secret. But it works; I was hooked and I just wanted to keep reading. I liked our main character, Detective Barbara Atkins - she is clever, resourceful and good at what she does.
The pace was a little uneven to me; after a long set-up (which had plenty of action, twists and turns, so wasn't boring by any means), the ending felt quite short and rushed. Even though the resolution to the mystery was good, it felt a little unsatisfying because of the speed at which everything happened.
This being said, the epilogue hints at this being a series, maybe? I hope so - I'd totally be up for reading more.

‘The Gathering’ is a tale that pulls no punches whatsoever. Crime is not my usual genre of choice, but vampires definitely are, and this is a glorious, gritty combination of the two.

A human boy is dead in a remote Alaskan town, which has a vampire ‘colony’ nearby. Pitchforks are being sharpened as it seems a straightforward case: if a vampire kills a human, the entire colony must be ‘culled’. That’s the law of the United States. Of course with any such crime, it’s not that simple, and lynching is no solution at all.

I realized that I was all in for the journey when our protagonist Barbara (female detective, middle-aged, unfit but thankfully no other distinguishing Literary Police Problems) sits alone in a bar, contemplating the case before her. Just a woman in a strange place, faced with an incredibly knotty problem. Yes, a boy has died, but the widening circle of implications is heavy on her shoulders in this almost alien landscape. The humanity she holds caught me at that moment and never let go.

My attachment became a full-on commitment when the clever writing began to show itself. Because what do small-town Americans do when they go hunting? They take trophies. Which are never explicitly described but when I realized that a discussion was about a vampire’s head above the fireplace… a teenage boy, perhaps? Body parts taken as tokens?! This should be the actions of a Buffalo Bill-esque psychopath, but these are the townsfolk. This is who we are. Which side is the reader on? Who are the monsters?

Readers, we have a truly original drama before us, and in my experience as an old-school vampire fan, it’s both new and unique.

I must say that I was strongly reminded of ‘Twin Peaks’ throughout the book, with the ‘normal for here’ attitudes being challenged by the outsider, and my own eyes trying to make sense of a world very different from our own. The vampire colony clearly symbolises the ‘other’, with parallels to Native Americans displaced from their land by literal colonisers, but the political analogies are never heavy-handed. It quickly becomes clear that the danger about to blow up is mob mentality rather than theoretical racism, and thus the attitudes shown here are sadly very relevant in 2024 (in the UK, it’s been called NIMBYism - Not In My Back Yard). What if those you fight remember a time before your ‘traditions’ were even an idea?

I had the pleasure of attending the UK launch of ‘The Gathering’ last week, and hearing CJ Tudor’s enthusiasm for her work was tremendous. It’s often said that those writers who deal with the darkest subjects are often the loveliest people, and that’s really true here! Research may have been demanding, but the characters and story came together from a place of genuine care and intention (I love that ‘Near Dark’ was a strong touchstone for the tone of the book). This is her latest novel, and I’ve absolutely no doubt that this is an author at the top of her game and loving every minute.

This book ignores genre boundaries and ploughs its own determined path between horror and crime. There’s refreshingly few tropes, with a focus instead on morality and humanity - what that means if you’ve been an outsider for centuries, and how terrifying that might be for predator and prey.

A huge recommend - and like the author, I’m now also pondering casting options for the (fingers crossed!) TV adaptation.

The Gathering is the incredible new novel by C. J. Tudor, who never fails to keep me glued to the pages. Set in a world where humans and vampyrs try to cohabit, it’s a story of murder, secrets, suspicions, discrimination, fear, and hate.

Twenty-five years ago, the small town of Deadhart, in Alaska, was shaken by the horrific murder of a teenager. The townspeople suspect the colony of vampyrs who live nearby and take matters in their own hands, killing and chasing away the colony. Now, the vampyrs have returned and when another teenager is found dead, apparently in the same way as the murder twenty-five years before, the townspeople are out for revenge. Enter vampire anthropologist and detective Barbara Atkins whose role is to confirm whether the vampyrs are responsible for the murder and authorize the “cull” that would sanction the massacre of the colony. Teaming up with the former detective that investigated the first murder, now a recluse, Barbara needs to find out the truth before a war between humans and vampyrs breaks out and more blood is spilled, but the truth is more complex and sinister than she expects…

The Gathering is twisty and full of suspense from the first to the last page. The setting is very evocative: a small town where darkness is a constant companion during the winter months and easily cut off from the rest of the world. The characters are intricate and full of secrets. There are different points of views, but the main character is detective Barbara Atkins. Raised by an abusive and racist father, she is determined to remain impartial during the investigation and follow the rules, despite the town’s pressure for her to approve the cull.

Gruesome, chilling, dark, and gripping: that’s how I would describe The Gathering. I was on the edge the entire time I was reading and it’s not for the fainthearted, that’s for sure. Highly recommended!

CJ Tudor’s The Gathering is a fun horror/mystery novel which is full of tense moments, twists and interesting characters. I loved the small Alaskan town setting and world where Vampyrs are real but kept to small colonies under pressure of culling if they step out of line. This unique world and setting are really what makes this one stand out. It’s unique, creepy, chilling, atmospheric and full of tense moments and twists you won’t see coming. While this works as a standalone, I’d love to read more stories set in this world/setting.