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.

This is CJ Tudor's follow up novel to her brilliant debut The Chalk Man, and it is a fantastic macabre horror mystery featuring Joe Thorne, a has-been teacher whose gambling addiction has transpired to burden him with debts that he cannot afford to pay off to the scary and menacing Fatman. Joe returns home to the old mining village of Arnhill in Nottinghamshire. Arnhill has a history of misfortune, with a failing Academy, a school where Joe has been taken on as a English teacher, a post he conned his way into. Being short of funds, he rents a notorious house where a recent tragedy still haunts the place. When Joe was a child, his beloved 8 year old younger sister, Annie, disappeared for 48 hours, only to return a completely different girl. Joe is a man of secrets, prone to bearing grudges and holding on to resentments as he confronts the past, the fallout from his membership of a gang run by the brutal bully, Stephen Hurst, a suicide, a murder and his childhood infatuation with the beautiful Marie Gibson.

Joe is not welcomed by the community with open arms, his former gang members and others project deeply held animosity and hostility and willing to express this violently. Stephen Hurst is now a powerful and wealthy man locally, on the school governing board, and makes it transparently clear he will do anything to ensure that Joe leaves. Stephen married Marie Gibson, now a dying woman suffering from cancer. Joe's problems have followed him to Arnhill with the appearance of Gloria, a hitwoman intent on ensuring that Joe pays his debts. Joe befriends the art teacher, Beth Scattergood, and becomes aware that little has changed at the school and in a community harbouring dark deeds. He is plagued by vibrantly vivid nightmares and the house is exhibiting some eerie and creepy vibes linked to the dreadful events that occurred there. As the past haunts the present, and the pressure piles up on Joe, we learn of what happened to Annie, and of an ancient evil that has dwelled in the area.

There is no doubt there are familiar horror tropes in this utterly gripping story, from a one eyed doll called Abbie Eyes, to the overflowing presence of beetles and more, but Tudor uses them with panache as she spins the most spellbinding of yarns in an area littered with abandoned mines. Joe is a terrific protagonist, the anti-hero returning home to address the issues that drove him away. There are twists galore as Joe learns that not all his perceptions of past history are accurate. I found this a riveting novel that drew me in instantly from the moment I began to turn the pages. Tudor is a talented and entertaining storyteller, and I cannot wait to read what she writes next. This will appeal to those who enjoy dark unsettling mysteries with elements of the supernatural. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

Joe Thorne left Arnhill with no intention of ever returning. However, here he is being interviewed for the post of english teacher at the secondary school which he had attended as a child. His life is a mess. He is in debt up to his eyeballs – to very much the wrong sort of people. He has returned to look for answers following an obtuse email – “it is happening again”. This refers to the disappearance of his sister, Annie when she was aged 8. However, it wasn’t the disappearance that was the problem but the return.

There is a lot going on in this book. Joe is very dysfunctional with a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way. However, against all odds he seems to be a good teacher and the pupils and some staff like him. Joe has his money worries, the strange email, the lies on his CV and some old scores to settle – and that is just before breakfast!

I very much enjoyed this book. I have read the much acclaimed “Chalk Man” by the same author which I enjoyed but found this one even better. The plot is complicated yet well structured. The characters were well defined with excellent personalities so all the threads were easy to keep separate. That includes the dips into the past to explain what happened to Annie.

Add into a well constructed plot some twists and turns and what you have is a good thriller which is well worth reading. A good description for this book. There are several twists at the end which I really hadn’t seen coming & thought were excellent.

There is a slight supernatural element to this book. It is central to the plot though quite minimal in the descriptions. Much of this is left open to your own imagination.

This was almost a 5 star review but not quite. I am not sure why but there was just a small element of “wow” missing. Maybe I am getting hard to please in my old age? Well worth a read though.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

I really enjoyed The Chalk Man so was looking forward to this. C.J. Tudor has delivered another unputdownable page-turner. I have to say that it didn’t quite engage me as much as The Chalk Man. The supernatural elements at the end were a bit too unbelievable for me to accept and I ended it feeling there were maybe too many loose ends. But despite those quibbles, a very enjoyable read. C.J Tudor is a great writer and I look forward to more in the future..

A very dark book that doesn't really let up. I'd describe it more as horror than a thriller though the thriller aspect did keep me reading to the end.

I have to say I preferred the second half of the book to the first and found it hard to put down. Because of this and the timing of my reading (dreary January!) I'll probably pick it up and re-read later on in the year.

The book is about a man who goes back to his home town to find answers to things that happened a number of years ago around the title.

Although the book wasn't really my cup of tea the writing is very good and I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of horror, especially British Horror.

Interesting little book, i was expecting something similar to the Chalk Man book, but this book is different but none the less an excellent read..
If you are looking for a good 'who done it' then this book is for you.

Highly recommended.