I have read and enjoyed a few of Tudors books (only just realised there are a couple I still have to get) and this one is no different. Jack is a priest and been moved to a small town Chapel Croft with the teen daughter. The town welcomes them with a weird package, an exorcism kit (noone admits to sending) and some of the parishioner's are weird, rude or a bit creepy (not all of them). The town has a history , martyrs were burned hundreds of years ago, they like their tradition oh and two young girls disappeared 30 years ago but didn't ever get much of an investigation. Father Jack (I keep thinking of Father Ted when I read the name lol) is intrigued and can't help but get involved in the towns business but every village has it's secrets and some people will do anything do protect them.


So as well as all of that and some shady characters, we have weird bumps in the night, ghostly apparitions that surely cannot be true. The town has a dark and bloody history, people aren't exactly what they seem. Family, love, ghosts, spooky, freaky, darkness, murder, death - I do love the tales/characters Tudor creates.


The book has lots interwoven, small town bitchy characters/shade/bullying/mystery/intrigue, the burning girls history and what it means to the town. A new priest trying to integrate into the new position without all the facts of why they have been relocated or their predecessor. Supernatural elements, teen angst, darker and deeper levels of shade from humanity - it has so so much in one book.

Undertones and echoes of Stephen King, small town, characters to love and hate, history, town ghosts/legends and some shady shady darkness, a creeping sense of unease as you delve further into the story, fabulous, 4/5 for me this time.

Simply incredible, I read my first CJ Tudor book last year and was very excited to discover this was available, great story, brilliant plot, interesting characters.

When Rev Jack Croft is sent to Chapel Croft she thinks it might be a new start, but soon she finds the village is mired in mystery, haunting sand scandal.

From martyrs burnt at the stake to two missing girls, what is going on in this tight knit community and what does it all have to do with a vicar committing suicide.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. At first I wasn’t convinced by the ghostly elements (which is a personal choice thing) but soon I was intrigued by the story of the two missing girls. Unfortunately, I felt there were slightly too many moving parts and a twist or two too far.

Hard to critique without spoilers but I liked the arc and reveal of the modern day killer - although there wasn’t nearly enough explanation of how that quite fit in with some of the other parts.

I found the Jack twist a bridge too far and a bit too “gotcha” at the end - when it didn’t make any sense at all in the context of the beginning of the book or the role of the mother.

And there are still some bits where I’m not at all sure how they hand together and why.

It was well written and pacy but there was just too much in terms of reveals and not enough effort in properly untangling things.

A decent beach read but not blown away.

*Many thanks to C.J. Tudor, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
Quite a decent thriller with reference to historical events. Reverend Jack Brooks, a single parent of a teenage girl and a priest, is assigned a new post in a remote village of Chapel Croft. here she is forced to face her new parishiners and the past, the distant one and her own.
I admit this was the most attractive offering by the Author I have read so far although the plot itself was not that gripping. Some developments surprised me which should be a good sign but the point is that they were too loosely connected and there were no hints earlier regarding the paths they might follow. The mystery should be a mystery but the revelation was a total surprise.
Overall, a quick read with some loose ends connected a little too hastily.

An overall satisfying read. I initially struggled to get into the story but as it progressed, I found myself puzzling for the answers to what had originally seemed to be a creepy supernatural storyline. Instead C J Tudor explores the damage that can be caused by deadly secrets, lies and cover-ups. The age old debate of nature/nurture continues alongside what makes a person choose to do ‘bad’ things and are they ever justified. Thought-provoking at the end as one grapples to answer such questions.

Wow, what an interesting and twisty horror story! Reverend Jack and daughter Flo have arrived in Chapel Croft, a small village in Sussex with a long and dark history. Jack’s moved in as the interim vicar of the village after the previous one died, but as soon as Jack and Flo arrive it’s clear that the village and its chapel hold more than a few dark secrets. From the start of their arrival they spot some creepy looking twig dolls that the villagers make to commemorate those who died in the village during the Protestant Purge of the sixteenth century. But soon Jack and Flo start seeing more than just the twig dolls, they start to see burning girls too.

I really enjoyed getting into this story and it was a gripping read from the start. The village of Chapel Croft holds a lot of secrets and it isn’t long before we are taken down several stories about the village both in the present and the past. Jack starts getting to know the village, some of its residents and the history of the place. Both the history of the Sussex Martyrs who were burned during the sixteenth century, and also the local history of two girls who disappeared from Chapel Croft thrity years ago. Meanwhile daughter Flo starts to explore the quiet village, first meeting a boy who lives in Chapel Croft and later some of the other teenage residents, as welll as dicovering something very creepy in the area. It isn’t long before spooky and eerie things start happening to both Jack and Flo and among other things they see images of girls on fire, burning girls.

I love how this story unfolds. Some chapters are told from Jacks point of view, in the first person perspective, while others are in the third person perspective and told from Flo’s point of view. Most chapters are like this until later on there are some chapters following a third, unknown character as well as a few brief parts focusing on the story that happened thirty years ago. Despite these four different points of view I was never lost in the story and in fact it added a brilliant creepy layer to what was happening, especially the chapters following a certain character whose identity isn’t known for a long time. Although at times there is the simpler tale of Jack and Flo trying to settle into life in the small village of Chapel Croft, the story is about so much more and is filled with lots of creepy or eerie things happening to both of them.

There are lots of twists throughout the book and for the most part I didn’t know what was going to happen. I did guess one twist about a certain person a while before it was revealed properly in the story, although I think a lot of the clues were there to help me guess. But despite this I still didn’t know exactly what would happen with this character and how things would resolve, and apart from this one twist, the rest were such a surprise to the point that I found myself gasping several times when certain things were revealed, especially about another character towards the end of the novel! The shocks and twists really kept me on edge throughout this book and I just love how the ending of so many chapters kept me wanting to read on. I just couldn’t stop reading this and spent most of one day glued to the pages, real life being the only reason I had to stop to put this book down!

The ending is a good one, lots of things are reveaed and in general the story wraps up nicely. It is quite a quick ending for me though and although I liked what happened with all the characters, I have to admit that I did feel like I wanted a little bit more at the end. It didn’t feel like the story wasn’t finished, but something about it just felt a little abrupt and left me feeling like I wanted more of an ending for all the chracters involved, although I do like what happens in that last chapter. The book does have a bit of swearing in it, some use of the f word and some offensive language towards others. There are also quite a few shocks and some slightly gory descriptions although overall this book has more creepy horror than gory horror.

Although I did want there to be more at the end, this story was so good and it’s made me want to read more from this author! I loved the creepy vibe the whole village of Chapel Croft had despite seeming like a quaint, small and simple country village. The story is creepy and the things that happen, the twists and shocks are just brilliant and I just didn’t see most of them coming! It’s a brilliant creepy horror thriller story and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for a shocking, creepy and eerie read.

As a fan of C J Tudor, I was excited to dive in to this book. A creepy horror full of twists that’s perfect for cold winter nights.
This is the story of Vicar Jack and her daughter Flo, who move from Nottingham, to the quiet village of Chapel Croft, which is full of history and superstition.... A dark spooky atmosphere, with likeable characters
A very absorbing read.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in return for a review

This is absolutely brilliant, full of the best twists and turns I literally didn’t want to put this down!

When Rev Jack Brooks moves to a quiet little village in Surrey with Flo, they’re expecting a boring, quiet life. Flo has left everything behind and isn’t looking forward to this fresh start. But they’re in for a shock….

With the village having a tragic and dark history, and with one of those tragedies taking place only a couple of months ago, there is a lot to be discovered about the quiet village. Jack is determined not to get involved in any mysteries, especially after things that have happened in the past, but the inevitable happens, and Jack is sucked in. But when Flo starts seeing things and Jack starts receiving strange, cryptic and threatening messages, more of the history of the village unravels and Jack can’t help but start digging. But….. Jack has skeletons in the closet, as do some of the residents and the time for them to be discovered is near……

I have so much praise for this book! First up the characters which were all brilliant. There are so many people in this who I was suspicious of, who I thought had things to hide and who would turn out to be something they weren’t, and half the time I couldn’t have been further from the truth! Each character made an impression on me in some way and I loved it. Jack is a fantastic protagonist and Flo is an awesome and strong teenager – both of whom I adored.

The setting is quiet and creepy. The house they move to is creepy, the church is creepy, the locals are creepy……you get my drift! I was always a little on edge reading this as I never knew what was around the corner! C. J. Tudor appears to be the master of atmosphere – sucking you in to what feels like a real life creepy horror story.

I absolutely love the writing style. It’s easy to read, flows beautifully and made me laugh on so many occasions (even when I had the creeps!). The characters are written in such a way that they come across like real, every day people and I loved that.

The plot is fantastic. There are so many wonderful and surprising twists in this that it will keep you on your toes for sure! This was one of those book that I didn’t want to put down (damn sleep, uni and housework!) and would absolutely read again.

So, if you are looking for an absolutely fantastic story that will creep you out, give you a wonderful dose of horror, fantastic characters, twists galore and have you perched on the edge of your seat then this, my friends, is for you!! Highly recommended by me.

The Burning Girls begins with Reverend Jack Brooks being assigned a new church after a devastating event at her current parish in Nottingham. She is sent to Chapel Croft, a small village in the Sussex countryside, relocating with her fifteen-year-old daughter Flo, who loves photography.

When the pair arrive at their new home they learn all about the Sussex Martyrs who were killed and burnt in the town 500 years ago and about two young girls who went missing 30 years ago, never to be seen again. They also learn that the previous vicar was looking into their disappearance before he was found hanging in the church.

Not long into their stay Jack and Flo both have visions of young girls as well as the smell of burning and an old exorcism kit being left for Jack. With a town full of superstitions and a strange house out in the woods in which a family just up and left in the night leaving everything behind, what have the mother and daughter let themselves in for moving to Chapel Croft?

What I love about author C. J. Tudors is how down to earth and relatable her characters and settings are. They are normal places and normal people that have come across strange and unusual happenings. This is also how she writes too which makes the story so easy to read and get lost in as you are sucked into the atmospheric plot.

You wouldn’t think that Jack Brooks was a Reverend from her attitude and swearing. She tries so hard not to judge people but often does. She is thrown in at the deep end with her new location especially into a town that is still mourning a loved Reverend.

The story is creepy, gives you a sense of foreboding, and at times scared to turn the pages. There are little hints along the way that once you get to the last 4/5 chapters you realise were there all along and your eyes are suddenly opened to the events throughout the book.

The plot is dark and twisty. The tension piles on as the book progresses. You get a real sense of dread at times as you know something is about to happen but you are not sure what – cue scary music that makes you hide behind a cushion. The book is truly spectacular and is a must-read if you love books that give you goose bumps and sleeping with one eye open!

Well, wasn’t this a delightful twisty tale? I went into this book blind, CJ Tudor is an automatic go-to author. I don’t read the blurb, I just read. This was jammed packed with surprises and ghostly goings-on.

With every tale by Tudor, the supernatural filters in and I love this element. It’s not the whole story, but it adds a little thrill to the story as you try and figure out what the frick is going on!

Short answer, I had no idea!! It was fantastic. Following the story of Jack and her daughter, Flo, you are whisked away to Chapel Croft. Where things are hidden away in this small insulated village, a heck of a lot of secrets. Secrets that aren’t always exposed until that final sting, and boy they were humdingers.

I was fascinated by The Burning Girls, a story about the church, suspected exorcisms, death, murder, ghosts, Burning girls, missing girls. I mean its enough to make your head spin, let alone the various storylines to whet your appetite and to keep you hooked as you try to connect the dots. My advice, don’t. Just go with the flow. It is an adventure worth taking.

You suspect everything and everyone. You have not a scooby what is going on and I loved that we didn’t know much. We were in the dark. The characters here were very tricksy! I held suspicions and some were the right ones to have. I just didn’t hold enough.

Not sure its the right thing to say, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Chapel Croft. It’s cold, dark and ominous. It the perfect setting especially the derelict house. I mean I would want to go in there but at the same time, I don’t want to go in there. The place is unsettling and it does enough to keep you on edge throughout the book, it does not let you relax at any point.

At first, when I finished the book, I thought oh but this wasn’t answered, or this thread is still hanging loose. But upon reflection, I am remembering things and it has all slotted in perfectly. I don’t have any unanswered questions, ok maybe one, but overall, everything made sense. It is a book that when you finish it, you think yeah that is a fantastic book, but then I sat back and thought about it more when writing this review. You know what this is actually a phenomenal book. The way the book has been plotted, the twists and turns, the secrets, the writing, everything clicks and fits and it blew my mind. One thing for sure is that you will want to keep reading and to find those Burning girls.

This is a hybrid thriller and horror book.

Jack is a priest and a single mother, raising her teenage daughter (Flo) alone, when she is moved parish following an ‘incident’. Not everyone in her new parish gives the warmest of welcomes and Jack and Flo start to experience some supernatural incidents. Jack is aware of the village history, involving the burning of Martyrs at the stake and, every year, these deaths are remembered by the burning of small child effigies, So far, so horror.

Flo is also subjected to bullying from some local residents and is befriended by a fellow ‘loner’. The two of them become closer, Jack starts looking into the disappearance of 2 young local girls many years before. Written off as runaways, Jack believes that something more sinister has happened.

This book was okay. There is a twist that I didn’t see initially, which was good, and I found that, whilst the book was quite slow to start, once the thriller element started, I became more invested in the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for opportunity to read an ARC.

This is a really hard book to review because, while it gripped me throughout and I tore through it, the ending really turned things upside down and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. But ultimately it is a truly thrilling novel with multiple mysteries to untangle and a rocket fueled pace.

The Burning Girls was the first book I read from C. J. Tudor and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the horror elements, as well as the multi-layer mysteries over the years, and the many plot twists. It is definitely a thriller you will not want to miss this year, and I’ll certainly pick up more books by the author. I was only disappointed with the very end of the book, and I’ll elaborate more on the why’s below:

Synopsis:

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.

For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it’s supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn’t easily forgotten.

And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft’s history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.

Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.

Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls?
Who’s sending them sinister, threatening messages?
And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?

Chapel Croft’s secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn’t touch them if not for Flo – anything to protect Flo.

But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft – and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest…

My Thoughts:

From the very first moments, The Burning Girls grips you and doesn’t let you go until you’re finished. I started this book very late, and was quite certain I’d miss my blog tour deadline as well. But I was so intrigued by it, that I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in a day.

I loved Jack and Flo, and their mother-daughter relationship.
It shows quite well that it doesn’t matter what profession the parent might be having, the children always treat you the same. The need for attention that they’ll never admit to, the secrets they will keep from you, and the mischievous ideas they are going to come up with.

When they move into the new village, they both feel both excited and sad. It’s never easy to leave behind a life you’ve created, especially for a teenager like Flo. Going into a new school, meeting new friends, being distant to the old friends – it’s all very scary at first. And through Jack, we can see how she feels about it all as well – not happy that she’s leaving, but also trying to make it the best experience at the time.

The horror and mystery elements come very early in the book, which is something I really enjoyed. I was very intrigued with not one, not two, but three mysteries that were going on, all in the same town, and all not quite resolved. Those parts, where more clues would come, or something supernatural would happen would be my favorite scenes in this book, and I was eagerly waiting for more. The atmosphere was spooky and very uncomfortable at times. I mean, you only need to imagine a chapel, burning girls and paganism, and you get the idea.

I also liked the town setting, and their behaviour.
Everyone in the small town seemed to be hiding their own secrets, and doing their best to protect them, and this part reminded me a bit of Tana French’s The Searcher. You could feel the townspeople’s animosity in every interaction, and you can’t help but get the chills.

To conclude, this book did satisfy my needs for horror, mystery and plot twists. I definitely did not expect all of those plot twists that came my way, and the book just kept surprising me in a spectacular way. I definitely recommend it to all fans of horror, mystery and thriller, it’s a book that you will devour!

The Disappointment:

My disappointment at the end of the book was huge, and it was the only reason this book went from 5-stars to 3-stars. I can’t share my full thoughts, because of obvious spoilers, but I will do my best to do this right. If you have read the book and want the full notes, please send me a message.

As soon as I read the last few chapters, we end up finding an answer to a mystery that was lingering from the very beginning of the book, and throughout. But knowing what we know now, it feels as if the whole book was a lie, and I cannot really trust a particular character because of it. The knowledge made me question my whole opinion of the book and left a bitter taste in my mouth, and that’s the only reason why I can’t give this book a higher rating. I feel that many things could have been written in a different way, and from other people’s perspectives.

Holy smoke!

This is one glorious hot mess of darkness ignited by religion until it combusts in all things sinister. I mean this in the nicest way too, creepy twig dolls, exorcism kits and a sweary vicar are enough for me to even consider stepping foot in a church.

But before I had even stepped inside of Chapel Croft the author tripped me up. This is when I knew I was on to a winner, nicely played you got me. So already on the back foot I decided to pay more careful attention.

Like the author I grew up with a love of the macabre and Stephen King books made an appearance in my library piles from a very young age, thanks mum for never censoring my reading. It gave me the love of books I still have and I could see King’s influence throughout as well as some great pop culture references. I mean who doesn’t love Lost boys and Beetlejuice!

Religion plays a great part in horror and has been used with skill many times before. This book not only used it, it modernised it while still retaining the historic folklore elements and old fashioned traditions.

I’ve purposefully avoided the plot as the less you know going in the better, but let’s just say Reverend Jack was for me one of the best characters I’ve read in a while. This is atmospheric beyond belief and for someone who loves a prologue this one was epic. So if you are looking for a thriller that crosses the border in to Horrorville and crazy town then I highly recommend you pay a visit to Chapel Croft.

Fantastic book! I’ve read all CJ Tudor’s books which I’ve enjoyed immensely but to me, that’s the best yet.
Can’t wait for the next. Hurry up and write the next. So gripping a page turner hooked characters so good your pull into plot from first page just brilliant
Love this book. You have to read it!

Closed off town setting.. check, creepy ass vibes.. check, anxiety ridden and roller coaster of a ride... CHECK!!

What an amazing ride, this book can only be described as god tier for me..

Thanks for netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review. C J Tudor is already an auto buy author for me and my goodness I am so happy I picked this one up to read, I flew through it in two sittings over just one day - that's a good start for sure. I loved the anxiety I felt when I was reading and and I loved the atmosphere that Tudor is able to create. I rooted for all the characters and just loved the plot and the concept throughout.

I would probably say this is passing the line of thriller and getting right into the Horror genre so this was a great next instalment stand alone from one of the best thriller authors I read from. Thanks to the author, it was a wild ride.

If you love a pacy mystery with a high creepiness factor - go and buy this book!

I was drawn into The Burning Girls straight away and finished it within the day. It is a definite page-turner!

The writing was fantastic, the pacing is brilliant and I found myself hooked, almost instantly. There are even a few little surprises in the initial chapters too.

In terms of the plot, I didn’t read the blurb before diving in - so I had very little idea of what to expect. However, I ended up absolutely loving everything about it. It was constantly tense and really kept me on my toes, with lots of creepy and chilling scenes too (and a few more gorey bits).

This is such a gripping mystery/thriller and I really recommend you pick it up if you’re looking for something fast-paced and intense!

CJ Tudor’s The Burning Girls is one of those books that’s loaded up with a lot of stuff that looks like a story but isn’t and what it adds up to is a whole lotta poop! Boring poop. CJ Turd-or. Whahaha! Ah…

Jack Brooks is the new reverend of a small village - but wait, didja think this character is a dude just because they’ve got a dude’s name?! That’s so - logical. No, Jack Brooks is a woman with a pointlessly misleading name because Crap Novel! Anyway she and her generic teenage daughter Flo arrive in generic country village because Crap Novel gotta happen.

Centuries ago some martyrs were burned at the stake and today the braindead locals remember them with dolls. Why’s that important to mention? It’s not! Decades ago a couple of teenagers disappeared without a trace. Why’s that important to mention? It’s not! There’s pointless stuff hidden under the church. Why’s that important to mention? It’s not! There’s a creepy guy making his way to the village from somewhere. Why’s that important to mention? It’s not!

There’s really no story here. Jack bumbles around the village finding out dull things while her even duller daughter gets jiggy with an equally dull village bumpkin called Wrigley. Some intimations of spooky goings on happen - visions of burning girls, for no reason other than Title and pathetic literary jump scares! - and that’s it until the dismal final act.

The motivations of the baddie are feeble and the baddie is aptly named because they’re just bad and the reveal of why Jack was in this remote place was similarly unimpressive. If we don’t care about the characters then these “twits” (I meant to type “twists” but I think I like the typo better so I’m leaving it in) mean nothing. It’s CJ Turdor trying too hard to blow the reader’s mind and only shows how weak a storyteller she is instead.

I started off not really enjoying it and quickly ended up indifferent straight through to the yawntastic finale - I wouldn’t recommend this novel or this writer to anyone. Coming soon to a sleepy Sunday afternoon on ITV, where it’ll be watched by barely-cognisant old dears, it’s The Boring Girls!

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.