C.J. Tudor never writes the same book twice, but you can always count on her books to be consistently great. Tudor, author of fan-favorite thrillers including The Chalk Man and The Other People, returns this week with her latest offering: THE BURNING GIRLS, a sinister story that blends folk horror with small-town mystery to chilling end. Tudor’s genre-bending novels are some of my favorites, and THE BURNING GIRLS more than met my high expectations. In this spine-tingling story, Tudor invites readers to Chapel Croft, a small village with a dark history that seems to be informing the sinister events of its present. Things haven’t been right in Chapel Croft in quite some time, and for newcomer Jack and daughter Flo, a fresh start in the quiet village is going to be much more complicated—and potentially dangerous—than either could have imagined. Jack is the town’s new vicar, come to step in after the untimely death of their predecessor. As Jack and Flo navigate this new community, they find themselves confronted not only by the town’s brutal and violent history, but also by the ghosts of the past that seem to linger in Chapel Croft to this day. THE BURNING GIRLS is a story of folk horror perfect for fans of The Wicker Man; it’s also a compelling mystery, inviting readers to unravel the truth about a missing persons case that has long gone cold, but has never stopped haunting this small community. Written with C.J. Tudor’s trademark razor-sharp plotting and sinister, atmospheric suspense, THE BURNING GIRLS is perhaps the author’s most ambitious—and most haunting—story yet.
Read MoreCBTB's Best Crime Books of 2020
Another year is drawing to a close, and what a year it’s been. To call 2020 a challenge would be, frankly, the understatement of the year. I’ve always been thankful for the escape that a great crime book can bring, but I don’t think I’ve ever been quite as thankful for great books as I have been this year. 2020 brought with it outstanding new crime fiction from CBTB favorites and new-to-me authors alike; it saw some of my longtime favorite writers embarking on new directions in their writing careers; it introduced me to new series that I expect I’ll be following for years to come. From psychological thrillers to Nordic Noir to creepy, horror-inspired suspense and a little bit of everything in between, this year brought with it lots of new crime novels to love, and in today’s blog post, I’m sharing my picks for the very best of the best that this year had to offer. I’m thrilled to share with you my picks for Best Crime Books of 2020, this year with a fun twist! I’ve given each book included in this list a superlative: everything from “Best Plot Twist” to “Best ‘Popcorn Thriller’” to “Best Nordic Noir Series Installment” and more. Happy reading!
Read MoreInterview with C.J. Tudor, Author of THE OTHER PEOPLE
I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome C.J. Tudor to Crime by the Book today to discuss her brand-new release, THE OTHER PEOPLE—a gripping, inventive thriller following a father on the hunt for his missing daughter. THE OTHER PEOPLE is, true to form for Tudor, an utterly entertaining and seriously chilling thriller that blends elements of supernatural suspense with a mystery very grounded in reality. In this conversation, we cover everything from the story’s dual plotlines to Tudor’s approach to plotting her novels to her next project (which, if it’s possible, sounds even better than anything she’s written thus far). A huge thank you to C.J. Tudor for taking the time to answer my questions, and to her US publisher for making this Q&A possible. Read on for more information on THE OTHER PEOPLE, and to catch my full conversation with C.J. Tudor!
Read MoreBook Review: THE OTHER PEOPLE by C.J. Tudor
I breathe a sigh of relief every time I start a new book by C.J. Tudor. That’s not because these books are light, relaxing reads—they’re not, not by any stretch of the imagination. It’s because C.J. Tudor, perhaps more so than any new author I’ve discovered in the past few years, writes with the kind of confidence and assurance that puts the reader totally at ease. Tudor’s stories are dark, intricate, mind-bending confections, the kinds of books that creep under your skin and demand you keep turning the pages well beyond your bedtime. They are, for me, pure escapism—stories worth setting aside your to-do list to devour. Tudor’s third outing, which just went on sale in the U.S. earlier this week, is no exception. THE OTHER PEOPLE begins with an apparently straightforward missing persons mystery: a father is on the hunt for his young daughter, a girl who went missing three years prior. He is the only one who believes she is still alive, and he won’t give up until he finds her. But there are more sinister forces at work here, namely, an anonymous and shadowy group that lives on the dark web—The Other People. Who are these “other people,” and what involvement do they have, if any, with our protagonist’s missing child? As readers follow the threads of this intricate mystery, they will quickly discover that the bigger picture of THE OTHER PEOPLE is even more fascinating than its individual parts. Laced with supernatural suspense and brimming with page-turning entertainment value and emotional heft, THE OTHER PEOPLE cements C.J. Tudor as the modern queen of creepy. Any reader who loves crime fiction that pushes the envelope simply must add C.J. Tudor to their to-read list.
Read MoreBook Preview: THE OTHER PEOPLE by C.J. Tudor
Every reader has that select list of authors whose new books they simply must read, no matter what. C.J. Tudor is on my version of that list. Beginning with her stunning debut THE CHALK MAN, Tudor’s fierce originality and utterly original voice has captivated me. And if I thought I loved THE CHALK MAN, I was doubly obsessed with her sophomore novel, THE HIDING PLACE. Tudor’s work is a blend of fresh psychological scares and throwback horror nostalgia; in short, it’s a must if you’re someone who wants to be thoroughly entertained and really, really creeped out. Tudor is a brilliant new voice in suspense fiction, and one of the rare authors whose work really does seem to just get better and better with everything she writes. I’m absolutely thrilled, then, to share with CBTB readers an early glimpse into C.J. Tudor’s newest novel: THE OTHER PEOPLE, coming to a bookstore near you on January 28, 2020!
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