Cover Image: A Sliver of Darkness

A Sliver of Darkness

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Member Reviews

When I first received “A Sliver of Darkness” by CJ Tudor, I thought it was her new novel. When I realized it was short stories, I was a initially disappointed, but then started reading.
I throughly enjoyed all of them. Some were much stronger than others, but all had a fantastic twist.

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Thank you netgalley for this collection or short stories. Ive read this authors book the chalk man and i really enjoyed it and so when i saw this book i wanted to read it. I love that the author had an introduction before each story.

I will say this book i was going back and fourth about 3 stars and 4 stars i went with 4 because i did enjoy most lf these stories some were very far fetched but i enjoyed most of them and i will say the butterfly island story was the one i was most excited for and it lived up to my hype i loved that one so much and the first story was everything too. One part of this novel actually gave me chills because the story was so creepy and detailed.

I reallly hope this author makes the butterfly island story into a novella fingers crossed!

Also the cover of this novel is so cool.

Overall this was a good short story collection i enjoyed it

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Time slips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor’s novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination. This collection includes 10 short stories that run the gamut of mystery, thrills, chills and just outright weirdness (but in a good way). I started this with the intention of just reading one but a few hours later I was finishing the whole thing. This is really a brilliant collection. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

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Initially, the first half of the short stories I felt slighted. It is like I am being served a beautiful three course meal with the introduction but then I realize I can only take a bite of the appetizer, the entree, and the dessert. Even though it was good and tasty, it was not a satisfying meal. That is what it felt like reading these short stories.

Then the second half fell into a nice full rhythm. I got a full story in the short sense. There was some creepy moments, a touch of thrill, and a satisfying ending. Overall I truly enjoyed the servings and recommend it if you are in the mood for a variety.

Thank you Random House - Ballantine and netgalley for they arc in exchange for my honest review.

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Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book had several short stories that took you on a adventure, The stories were interesting and kept me on my toes. They left a lasting impression.

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Great collection of short stories from CJ Tudor! These were short enough to hold my attention in one sitting but long enough to get the stories message across. Very interesting read. I loved how Tudor introduced each story with a backstory about the writing process. Great read!! The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is because while there were stories that stood out as favorites while reading, there weren’t any that particularly stuck me as unforgettable. After reading, I had had time differentiating between stories.

Thanks NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This one was pretty twisty- some more obvious than others but still an enjoyable ride. I love this guy’s weird creepy books. Solid five.

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With CJ Tudor’s distinct style and customary creepiness, A Sliver of Darkness offers 11 stories perfect to read late into the night.

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A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor is a superb read with a well-drawn plot and vivid characters. A read well worth the time.

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Each short story has an intro of event that shaped that stoy into being. All-in-all these stories are dark, horrifying, gory, a bit sadistic and cynically funny and twisted in its own way. Thriller, horror, sci-fi all mixed into one book! I read it in one sitting, after putting the kids to bed! I really didn't think I could enjoy and quite honestly, devour, a book so quickly! Rating: 4.75 rounded to 5.

I've broken down all the stories with a separate star rating and short review. All stories are in order of appearance in the book.

End of the Liner - 4.5 stars
Sucked right in from the beginning, wish that would be a full book with more details of events and characters, etc.

The Block - 5 stars
That's f**ked up! I saw the ending coming wel before I got there, but I'm still here for this one!

*Runaway Blues - 5 Stars
Holy sh_t, this was amazing! I never saw that ending coming! It's also a Stephen King tribute!

The Completion - 3 stars
Not my favorite story, but still a good read. Kinda creepy.

The Lion at the Gate - 4.5 stars
The idea behind this story was really great. Very twisted.

Gloria - 5 stars
This is featuring a character named "Gloria" from C.J. Tudor's The Hiding Place. I must admit that I have never read that book, but having read Gloria, I think I'll have to track it down and do just that. This has mention of rape and child molestation/sexual assault.

I'm Not Ted - 5 stars
Short, sweet and to the point. I loved this one!

*Final Course - 5 stars
This is by far my favorite story in the book! I was hooked by the intro, to be honest. This has a perfect balance of suspence, mystery, Horror and it's deliciously macabre. I wasn't expecting the ending! Get ready for your skin to crawl and jaw to drop!

The Copy Shop - 5 stars
Modernized Pet Sematary without having an expiry date (or do you?)

Dust - 5
Villa de las Almas Perdidas (Village of the Lost Souls) ... Wow, that was f**ked up. Love the nod to Hotel California and Stephen King's The Shining.

Butterfly Island - 2.5
Ok, so I wasnt a fan of this one. It just didn't hold my attention, therefore I skimmed partway and skipped to the end.

*Favorite stories of the bunch.

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In “A Sliver of Darkness,” Tudor offers readers a superb collection of eleven short pieces of speculative fiction, each preceded by an introduction, often explaining the source of the idea for the plot. A number of these were written during that pandemic and display an end of the world sensibility. Indeed, the first one is set on an ocean liner, the last remaining habitat after the pandemic or some such thing wiped out everything else. It is kind of a reinvention of Logan’s Run, but without the jeweled palms. But, almost every story here has some otherworldly aspect to it. There’s one that takes us inside a haunted house where no one dares to go. There’s a story about life in a mansion when the rest of the world has fallen apart. There’s a story that even Joseph Heller would approve of with logic that ties you up in knots. The stories are all readily accessible and each one is a door opening a new world, that is if you can get through the gates without getting chewed apart. Tudor’s short fiction is unlike her full length novels, but they are great reads in their own right.

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Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor. This is my unbiased review.

After reading all of the short stories in this collection, I want to say bravo to the author! Not every great author can pull off short stories, C.J. Tudor can. I liked or loved every single one! What an amazing talent. We give accolades often to men who write a story from a woman’s POV, but rarely the other way around. C.J. Tudor writes perfectly for both sexes, which is rare. Obviously I’m a huge fan.

I will recommend this collection of short stories to every horror fan I know. It was terrific!

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Thank you for the opportunity to preview A Sliver of Darkness by CJ Tudor.
Tudor has done a remarkable job bringing several tales to readers that will have you thinking long after you finish each one. I liked these short stories and found her novel very engaging
I lol forward to full novels by Tudor but this was a pleasant change. Recommend!!!
4 stars

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A Sliver of Darkness is C. J. Tudor’s apology book – a collection of short stories released to make up for the delay in the publication of the author’s next novel. The format lets the author, well known for thriller mysteries with a slight horror fantasy element, explore other genres and their gray zones. The most interesting thing about the book is that each short story is introduced by the author, giving an insight into the writing process that is usually lacking from short story collections. In these introductions, we learn which are older pieces that Tudor has retouched, and which are new explorations into ideas raised in her other novels. Some of the introductions tell us about her inspirations, such as a graffiti lion on a fence, which I personally found quite endearing.
Overall, the stories were uneven. Some I loved, and continued to think about in the days following my read. Most striking is a post-apocalyptic story set on a cruise ship, which raises so many more questions than it answers. However, other stories feel dated and condescending. One is set in an abandoned block of apartment buildings, and the way the author writes about the surrounding neighborhood, complete with the tired idea that abandoned buildings attract crime, borders on offensive. The expected reader also varies, with some stories directed at a younger reader. These stories are certainly worth picking up, especially for fans of C. J. Tudor waiting on the next novel, but don’t expect to love each one.

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This anthology of stories were fun to read! There were definitely some creepy and scary ones thrown in there. I really liked how CJ Tudor gave an introduction before each story to give an idea of where her mind was at and how she though up each plot. My favorite stories were End Of The Liner, Runaway Blues, The Completion, I’m Not Ted and The Copy Shop. End Of The Liner was a great way to start this book off. Living on a cruise ship during the apocalypse was just such a cool idea and that ending was done perfectly for it being a short story. I recommend this book highly!

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A Sliver of Darkness is a collection of 11 suspenseful stories written by C.J. Tudor. Each story had a twist that I did not see coming and left off with me wanting more! In my opinon, some of the stories were just "good" like The Lion at the Gate and The Completion but others I wanted more of. If C.J. Tudor decides to write a novel about Gloria, Dust, or The Copy Shop, I'd be all for it! I also loved how there was a brief introduction before each short story that explained a little about how the story came to be or where C.J. Tudor got the idea for the story. It was kind of fun to see that side of writing.

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C.J. Tudor is one incredible author. I usually don't like short stories, but this was not the case. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. These stories were fantastic. I enjoyed every one.

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Just finished reading this superlative newest work by CJ Tudor. I have been so excited to realize I have a new fave writer! Have ordered all her books so far, and plan to stay cool in the Texas heat for the next few days catching up with all the jewels I have missed. Recommend her to fans of the old Twilight Zone--Stephen King-- your heir is here!

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CJ Tudor is consistently excellent and this is no different. A recommended purchase for collections where crime fic is popular.

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A Silver of Darkness is a whole lot of fun. Filled with tons of stories from different genres, mostly thriller and apocalyptic, every single one delivers. I love the short story experience and this one was a total blast. I can really see a few of these being drawn out into full novels, or second parts. For the most part though they were the perfect length, just enough to leave you wanting more. Scary, but not too scary, it was perfect for me!

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