I have read all of this author’s previous novels so had high expectations from this and it did not disappoint. For me, this is the best and blew my mind with the dark, disturbing deviances going on in the small village of Chapel Cross.

Most of the story is told from the viewpoint of Jack, a single parent with a teenage daughter Flo. Jack has been moved to Chapel Cross as the new priest after the previous one committed suicide. Jack left the previous parish under a cloud and didn’t want to move and neither did Flo, who as a teenager is soon fed up in the country with little to do.

The village has a chilling past as it is the site where eight Protestant Martyrs, including two young girls, were burnt at the stake. On the anniversary the locals make small, twig-like dolls and set these alight to commemorate the event. There are secrets, lies and other mysteries which become apparent as the story progresses.

This is exceptionally well plotted from start to finish with an amazing ending which blew me away.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Michael Joseph and C J Tudor for my ARC in return for my honest review.

This is a must read if you want to be chilled and surprised right to the end. Highly recommended.

The rev. Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo arrive in Chapel Croft to take over after the death of her predecessor. It's a big change from the inner city churches she has previously worked in, but there's a bit of a scandal attached to her name and she is ordered to take a lower profile job while the dust settles. Her arrival sparks a chain of events that series of revelations that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention.

There is so much going on in the book; religious fanaticism, pride, abuse, small-town secrets, local history, psychopathic teenagers and the mystery of two girls who disappeared 30 years earlier. That's not to mention the supernatural sightings of the 'burning girls' and the recently released prisoner who is desperate to track Jack and her daughter down. With incredible deftness, these seemingly disparate threads are all woven together and for the last few chapters of the book, I could hardly turn the pages fast enough to keep up with the plot.

It's creepy, tangled and very, very dark. C.J. Tudor just gets better and better with each subsequent book. I would like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A new C J Tudor is an event in my book, so thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest opinion. This is her fourth book, and wow, did I enjoy it. Possibly not for the faint hearted-
Creepy, eerie, shocking, even horrific at times but totally absorbing. I raced through it from the first page and surprises and shocks start quickly, no slow build up here! The suspense builds up throughout the book and putting it down gets really hard.
The book takes place in an isolated Sussex village where the way of life and tradition has carried on for centuries. The portrayal of the villagers and the claustrophobic feel of the village is so well done. There are supernatural elements but outweighed by the evil in people. So well written, a great book to recommend.

CJ Tudor is an author who has never yet let me down. The books I’ve read by her in the past have been outstanding and have been 5 star reads for me. Now I have to admit when I start a new book of hers I’m always rather nervous it won’t live up to the same high standards but yet again I’m totally wrong, The Burning Girls wasn’t very good it was bloody fantastic. Oh my word what an absolute page turner of a book. A book full of mystery and suspense and as we get from all her books some paranormal activity. This book is a must read. 5🌟

This was a creepy and intense read full of twists and another great read from CJ Tudor. who just gets better and better with each book !
What I really enjoyed about the book was that the story was so well crafted and full of surprises most of which I just never saw coming and it was a read that gripped me all the way through.
Reverend Jack Brooks is relocated to a small village church and right from the off things start to become pretty weird for both her and her daughter Flo and the pace just doesn’t let up with many shocks along the way and some very sinister characters added to that I was hooked.
So to sum up it was for me a brilliant read full of suspense, secrets and shocks well what could you want it really was a belter of a book and I can highly recommend it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Historical burnings in a small village hundreds of years ago, two teenage girls missing for the last 30 years. This is the new church assignment for Vicar Jack and her teenage daughter Flo.

I won’t go any further into the spiel because it’s ultimately too complicated to try and even explain.

Enjoyed this to a point but I felt it was overly long and overly complicated for its own good.

Our two main characters Jack and Flo are well written and likeable. They are supported by a huge cast of characters, some memorable and others instantly forgettable and wafer thin.

The supernatural element was more hinted at throughout and delivered a lot less than it suggested. This is more a complicated thriller, both historical and present.

It was nearly a very good read for me but felt a little too convoluted, with the author throwing the kitchen sink and anything else she can think of at it, all revealed in the final acts of the book.

Enjoyable to a point but too many flaws for me to truly enjoy it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Micheal Joseph UK for an ARC.

A very interesting novel with many elements. Murder and mystery, paranormal too and all set in a 'so-called' idyllic Sussex village nestled timelessly betwixt the heaving bosom of the Downs. The first man trap is thinking the new vicar was male. Sadly, having got over that one, all I could hear was The Lord Is My Shepherd and all I could see was Dawn French in the role of vicar. Indeed, Jack does have some of the darker humour of the Vicar of Dibley. Jack has a daughter, a rather feisty Flo, justifiably so, having been uprooted from Nottingham to the backwaters of beyond. She is soon to make contact with the young martyrs in a rather chilling confrontation. Apparently the appearance of the martyrs known as the burning girls is a portent of danger to come. One thing I can never work out with some apparitions is their desire to be seen without a head and in this instance, arms too. It isn't long before more corporeal entities come to light and in a very up-close and personal way with poor Jack. With more skeletons than closets, does anyone come out of this novel unscathed?

I did enjoy this book. Although the teenage bullying was truelly harrowing and did effect my enjoyment quite a bit. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends or family

This was full of suspense and chills just as you would expect from a C.J. Tudor book.
It was relatively slow to get going, and there were just snippets given to you about the storyline as a whole. Jack and Flo were great characters, but Flo could be quite frustrating at times. I know she was a teenager, but I just wanted to shake her and make her tell her mum everything. She also kept finding herself in unnecessary situations.
I hadn’t expected the quite heavy religious theme, but I suppose knowing it was about a Reverend I should have expected it. It wasn’t a problem; I just hadn’t expected it. Jack made a great Reverend though and reminded me a lot of Judy that married my husband and myself. It didn’t even occur to me at the time to be bothered about her being a woman like the couple in this book.
The tension really builds up as the book moves along and you really don’t know what is going to happen, especially with the supernatural elements and there being so many suspicious characters living in the village.
I did see one of the twists coming; however, there are so many; there is no way you could guess them all. I did feel as if the ending was a little overcomplicated; I really had to concentrate when everything was being wrapped up to follow who was who and what had happened. There was one character, and we had been seeing their point of view; however, they suddenly disappeared and was only given a brief mention at the end.
I felt like I wanted more, a little bit more of an ending.
I was hooked throughout it though and finished it much quicker than I expected. I don’t think anything will blow me away as much as ‘The Chalk Man’ did, but this did give it a good run for its money!

I couldn’t put this book down, what a ride.

It’s so twisty and atmospheric to the point of being scary which I loved.

Great psychological thriller, give it a go.

"What looks like bunches of dead flowers has been left...On closer inspection, they're not dead flowers. They're tiny twig dolls...'Burning Girls.'...'They're something of a village tradition,' I say. 'I read about them online. People make them to commemorate the Sussex Martyrs...Villagers who were burnt to death during Queen Mary's purge of the Protestants. Two young girls were killed outside this chapel.'..."

'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."

Unconventional Reverand Jacqueline 'Jack' Brooks and teenage daughter, Florence 'Flo' leave their urban Nottingham parish for a sleepy rural village, Chapel Croft, in Sussex following the death of the incumbent. It's a old-fashioned place, where most families have lived for generations, where tradition matters and where secrets are kept. where It's clear Jack has little choice in the matter because she is fleeing from something or someone. The Chapel Croft locals are mostly welcoming, part from a few including the wealthy and influential Harper family. As Jack settles into her new role she begins to suspect her predecessor's death may not have been suicide and that something sinister is afoot. Flo's friendship with eccentric loner, Lucas Wrigley blossoms as he shows her the local abandoned house. Will Jack and Flo uncover the community's secrets?

This is my first CJ Tudor book and it won't be my last. It had everything I want from a chilling thriller - secrets, lies, mystery and a sinister setting. Jack and Flow were likeable, real characters and the plot sped along nicely, with plenty of cliffhangers and red herrings. My only negative criticism is of the use of a neurological condition in one of the perpetrators, which is a rather overused, and divisive, trope. This is a dark and compelling supernatural thriller.

Big fan of C.J Tudor but as a fan I am always a bit weary of new books as i really don't want to be disappointed. Needn't of worried. The Burning Girl is a cracker of a book with an ending that will... Well I wont spoil it. Just read it. You really wont be disappointed with it.

Loved it and cant wait for the next.

Great read - captured the small town vibe perfectly. Another creepy mix of tension and superstition. Loved it!

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to be sharing my review of one of my most eagerly anticipated books of the year, The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor. The Burning Girls is published today (that's Thursday 21st January 2021) and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow in the Summer. I received a free eARC of The Burning Girls but that has in no way influenced my review.

I LOVE C.J. Tudor's books. Tudor is a master storyteller and a new release from this author is always a highlight of my bookish year. I've been repeatedly checking NetGalley for MONTHS in the hope of seeing The Burning Girls appear (fangirling to the extreme!). So imagine my joy when this brilliant book landed on my Kindle in all of its eerie glory. Tudor has once again written a very compelling and human story with a nod to the supernatural. I really enjoyed it.

Following a high profile incident in Reverend Jack Brooks' previous parish, the Rev. and 15-year-old daughter, Flo, are made to up sticks and move to the sleepy Suffolk village of Chapel Croft. But Chapel Croft isn't the picturesque haven it makes itself out to be. Chapel Croft has a dark past which the residents are surprisingly proud of. Jack and Flo's welcome isn't quite what they hoped for and soon strange things start happening to the new arrivals. When Flo starts having peculiar visions and an anonymous parcel containing macabre artefacts arrives, the new vicar begins to fear for their lives...

I loved Jack. What a fantastic and memorable creation! Not your average vicar by a long shot. The internal dialogue the reader is party to is a wonderful thing and shows how completely human Jack is. Brutally so. Fearing for Flo's safety in today's modern world, Jack is plagued by concerns for Flo but without being a helicopter parent. Their relationship is heart-warming and felt very real to me.

The chapters in The Burning Girls are either from Jack or Flo's point of view with a third unknown narrator sharing insights from their dark past along with their troubling thoughts. I found the chapters from the unknown narrator particularly eerie but that's what this author does with style! Tudor skilfully ratchets up the 'creep-factor' which I find makes her books so utterly readable. I found myself looking forward to hearing from Jack who, I confess, I think I'm a little bit in love with.

Not only does the village's past dominate daily life, the case of two missing teenagers from thirty years ago still weighs heavy on Chapel Croft. The disappearance of the vicar, alleged to have been one of the last people to see the girls, adds to the mystery. Then there are Jack's concerns over Flo's new friend (boyfriend?) who Jack can't help but feel uncomfortable around. After all, no one will ever be good enough for Flo, no matter who they are. Add to this the fact that Flo is the new girl in town and isn't all that worried about fitting in and Jack's worries skyrocket.

I loved the intricacies of this novel. The strands where, no matter how hard you try, you can't see the connection. Then all of a sudden...BOOM! It all makes perfect sense. I was a little wary of one aspect of the book and was proved correct but that in no way spoiled my enjoyment of this cracking novel.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I would recommend The Burning Girls and all of Tudor's previous books. Another engrossing read from a superbly talented writer. I was pulled into this story hook, line and sinker and I loved every minute of it. Twists and turns galore, nothing is as it first appears and I am very grateful to have read such a fantastic story. Tudor has done it again and written an eerie mystery which I lapped up. I'm now left counting down the days until book five is released. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Burning Girls. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

C.J Tudor's new novel is an enthralling blend of thriller, horror and murder mystery. The title refers to an event which took place 500 years ago when eight protestants, including two young girls, were burned at the stake. Legend has it that if there is a sighting of a burning girl, someone is in danger.

Jack, a less than traditional vicar and her daughter Flo have been relocated to the tiny parish of Chapel Croft after a tragic incident in her previous diocese. Neither of them is particularly happy about the move to this backwater but Jack resolves to make the best of the situation. As they begin to talk to the locals they learn that the previous vicar committed suicide and thirty years previously two girls went missing and have never been found. They also receive a welcome gift in the form of an exorcism kit. Flo begins to see visions of the burning girls. Is she the one in danger?

The plot develops slowly as we learn more about Jack, Flo and some of the peculiar villagers. Flo makes a friend in a boy called Wiggly and enemies in a spoilt brat called Rosie and her boyfriend Tom. There is some quite disturbing bullying and intimidation. The tension builds effectively and the twists are very clever, especially at the end. There is also a clever side plot surrounding a mysterious man who has just been released from prison and is making his way toward Jack.

The characters are really well drawn, in particular, the wisecracking Jack, loner Flo and the enigmatic Wiggly. The secondary characters including the creepy church warden, the mysterious novelist and Rosie and Tom are very realistic.

The setting is vividly created and enhances the atmosphere of danger and suspense. The book unfolds brilliantly and becomes a real page turner.

In summary, this is an excellent read, full of action and many twists and turns. C.J. Tudor has done it again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A good idea for a book - but I feel that this is a lesser quality tale than the Merrily Watkins books by Phil Rickman. Didn't work for me, but it probably would for others. Parts of it were brilliant, parts I found quite boring and parts a bit nauseating.

I can only recommend that you try it. An engrossing story - might be your thing - it's not mine.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Another brilliantly chilling thriller from C J Tudor, featuring a story that is a bit Miss Marple if Agatha Christie had plotted with a creepy vibe rather than a homely one...

A vicar, a church that holds secrets, weird visions and a clever unexpected finale makes The Burning Girls a right old page turner. Probably read it with the light on though...

Full review upon publication

I love C J Tudor’s writing. And have devoured her previous novels but somehow The Burning Girls didn’t quite gel. There were too many characters for a start and I lost track at times of what was happening. Enjoyable but not her best.

Jack Brook, is a city based vicar who is forced to move to the countryside with her Daughter, for her job. As soon as she arrives at her new home strange things start to occur, including a young girl running into the church yard covered in blood.
This one just all felt a bit too far fetched for me, I didn't related to the characters and found I had to force myself to pick it up and keep going.

It's also very graphic, more so than I felt it needed to be. I mean a one point you have a man in very graphic detail, trying to force another to give him head. It made my stomach turn, I won't lie. Maybe it's more to do with abuse I suffered as a child, but I don't feel books need to be this graphic there are ways to say it without having to be so detailed.

I know a lot of people love C.J. Tudor books, and so I can't say don't read it, it was terrible, I wouldn't say that about any book, because after all we are all different. But this one definitely wasn't for me.

As always thank you to NetGalley, the author and her publisher for allowing me to read this one ahead of its released. Apologies for not enjoying it.

I had high hopes for The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor. Did this book live up-to my expectations? it’s a huge “hell yes, and then some” I loved this book, it’s brilliant, it’s unbelievable and unquestionably one of my top reads this year. The author’s latest offering is an atmospheric psychological thriller interwoven with elements of horror and the supernatural. It’s creepy, chilling, and deliciously dark, but what a fabulous and exciting read it made for. A word of warning to those of a nervous disposition: you may want to read this one during daylight hours. 

The author tells the story of Jack single parent to teenage daughter Flo, Jack left her last parish under a cloud of shame. She is banished to Chapel Cross a small remote village with a tight-knit community and some very strange traditions. This history of the village is a dark and troubling one, firstly it’s the site where eight Protestant martyrs including two young girls were burnt at the stake, on the anniversary of the purge small twig like dolls called the burning girls are set alight to commemorate those who died. Add to the mix the unsolved mystery of two girls going missing 30 years previously, and the questionable suicide of the local priest, and Jack soon realises that it’s a village whose foundations are built on secret and lies and ancient superstitions. 

This is a really atmospheric read, the author sure knows how to tell a story, building on the tension at each turn of the page, deftly unravelling the layers of the story, keeping the reader in her clutches as the tale becomes creepier and far more chilling. As I read on and lost myself in the pages it filled me with fear, suspicion and dread. In my opinion it’s a rare breed of author who evokes such feelings in a reader. The plot is clever, well crafted and impeccably executed, a compulsive and intense novel, and one I would happily recommend to those who enjoy a thriller that veers to the darker side. One final note: I have a feeling The Burning Girls will be a HUGE hit on its release in 2021.