This book did not disappoint. What a great thriller. I thought I had this all figured out but I was so wrong.

This was such an intense and gripping thriller! I found Joe's life and circumstances incredibly interesting right away. I really appreciated the slow reveal of Joe's personality and problems throughout the story. As much as I enjoyed reading about him and getting to know him, I did think his problems were solved a little too neatly and predictably. Despite this, I still really enjoyed The Hiding Place and would definitely recommend it to thriller lovers!

Awesome!!! Just Awesome C.J. !!!!

To have your past pull at you for 25 years, Joe had to go back and settle his issues. Is Joe a choir boy? I don't think he is. Joe must go the the past, so he can face the future.

C.J. wrote a truly amazing mystery, that kept twisting until the very end.

When Joe Thorne receives a mysterious email from an anonymous sender informing him that ‘it’s happening again’, he knows he must return to his hometown Arnhill, an old English mining town that has seen better days. He returns reluctantly, gets a teaching job at his old high school and soon finds out that no one is happy that he’s back. Joe Thorne, the protagonist in CJ Tudor’s new book The Hiding Place, is a damaged man, both physically and emotionally, and he knows he shouldn’t have returned to the town where so many memories haunt him. As we get to know this curmudgeonly Joe, we realize that he’s got many demons from his past on his trail, some of whom are still actively trying to hurt him.

I loved C. J. Tudor’s first thriller, The Chalk Man, and had high hopes for this second book and I was not disappointed. The old mining town has many secrets and powerful people who want those secrets kept buried. Joe’s very presence is a threat to them and they seem willing to do whatever it takes to scare Joe away. Yet Joe doggedly remains, harboring some vague hope that he can right some old wrongs. This book reminded me strongly of some of the Stephen King’s books I’ve enjoyed. I found myself rooting for Joe despite the fact that he isn’t a very likeable character. I just knew he was trying to do the right thing in the face of all sorts of opposition.

If you like books filled with long-held secrets and surprise twists in a dark setting filled with unexplained deaths and humorous moments, this is a book for you. I could not put this book down until the final satisfying page. Highly recommended. I could also recommend this book and Tudor’s first book, The Chalk Man, to older teens who enjoy thrillers.

I know I am in the minority, but I wasn't the biggest fan of The Chalk Man. At times, I felt the story was a little too "jumpy," and there were certain scenes that I wanted to be fleshed out more than they were. The synopsis of The Hiding Place intrigued me enough to pick it up, despite my feelings of ambivalence towards Tudor's writing style. I will say that I liked The Hiding Place more than The Chalk Man, but it still wasn't my favorite. The Hiding Place definitely seemed darker and more sinister than The Chalk Man. In some ways, it bordered on a horror story. The story started off a little slow for me, and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Joe's character. Throughout the story, I failed to truly connect with his story, and never had that feeling of being fully immersed in the story. I was hoping the ending would salvage some aspects of the story, but unfortunately, that was not the case for me. I don't want to give too much away, but the ending lacked the "wow" factor for me. I would probably suggest this one to some friends, but there are other thrillers I would suggest more. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book to review.

This was the first book I have read by C.J. Tudor and trust me, if will not be my last! She has such a way of writing that grabs your attention and demands it the entire way throughout the book.

The Hiding Place was such a creepy, addictive, and dark novel and I enjoyed every second if it! One heck of a ride as we explore small town happenings both past and present. Joe returns to his hometown and we get glimpses into his life as a child growing up with sister Annie who had disappeared when they were young. Why did Annie disappear? What happened to her all those years ago?

Joe was a complicated, troubled and unreliable character, which made for a great story as being told from his perspective. I couldn’t help but feel bad for him, as he tells his story about what happened to make him into the man he is today. As unreliable a character as he is, I enjoyed reading about his dark and tragic past. He had been through so much in his young and adult life.

And the fact that Joe returns to that creepy, old town mine years after the fact! How creepy is that!? It gave me chills reading about the mine and all the things that happened there. I loved the creepy vibes of this book and the mystery of it all.

I’ll be on the looking for Tudor’s other novels. Well done!

This creepy thriller switches between two timelines. In the present, it follows Joe Throne who is a so-so teacher, chain smoker, drinker, and gambling addict who is returning to his hometown which is a place filled with tragedy, mystery and secrets. The second timeline follows Joe and his friend group when they were young and some of the events that occur including the disappearance of Joe's young sister.

Joe is definitely a flawed protagonist; however, his snarky, quick whit inner dialogue was definitely humorous at times.

I felt like this novel did fall little flat with setting and atmosphere. It took me alittle longer than I would have liked to finish it because I did not find myself just waiting to pick it back up. I always felt like I was going to be more afraid by the building suspense than I actually ended up being.

I also did not find the character of Gloria to be believable as someone who would be this "enforcer" type person.

I had seen where many people were saying this book had similar themes to some of Stephen King's work. I have never read any of his books so I can not attest to this.

However, I did enjoy the book and felt like it was unlike anything I have read before. I liked trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. This was my first book from the author and would definitely pick up her work in the future!

3.5/5 stars

I want to say thank you to NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and C.J. Tudor for a free eARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!

Let me begin by saying that this novel is really well done, but it’s one of those slow burns. It’s a little hard to get into at the beginning, but the storyline really picks up if you’re patient enough. What I really liked about this book was Tudor’s ability to draw his reader in. He is so detailed in his writing that you almost feel present in the story. His knack of inserting humour into the novel really brings out the main character’s personality and the juxtaposition that he creates between the seriousness of the subject and the main character’s quick wit makes the story more memorable. I normally would have lost interest in a book like this, but Tudor’s effectiveness in the delivery of his storyline was what made this book so good.

This is more like 3.5-4 stars. Wow, what a weird book! I hadn't read anything by this author before and overall I liked the writing style. There are so many twists and turns in this book. It will keep you guessing still by the end of the book.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to think about this book at first, but I will say that the author did a great job. You have to piece along the information as it is given, but it starts to make sense by the end. Gambling, lying, deceit, bullying, and death are common themes throughout the book. I wasn't sure what exactly the hiding place would be, but I didn't expect it to be described as The Pit.

This is an odd but captivating book and very well done.

#NetGalley

I don't feel as if I represent the popular opinion on this one, but I just wasn't wowed by this book at all. I liked the set-up of the story about reluctantly returning to Arnhill many years after the disappearance of his sister, but I would say about 60-70% into this, I felt as if I was reading something that I had read before. This novel danced dangerously close to Pet Sematary, which is an issue in itself, but moreover, I just didn't expect the supernatural component to be thrown in, much less, not well explained by the conclusion of the story.

I applaud Tudor's imagery in his writing, especially with the setting, but characters and events became too far fetched for my taste through the progression of the novel. I didn't hate this book by any means, but it's not something that I would personally recommend.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing this review copy in exchange for my honest review.

*This review may contain spoilers

When Joe left his hometown, he never wanted to go back. While he was in high school, his younger sister, Annie, had disappeared. She eventually returned or perhaps something did because whatever it was, it was not Annie. Oh, it looked like her and sounded like her but it definitely didn't act like her. He blamed himself and the people he hung out with and with whom he'd fallen out over her. But now he has returned because it seems whatever happened back then is happening again and he may be the only one who can stop it.

The Hiding Place by author C. J. Tudor is sort of a horror/mystery hybrid and it reminded me of her last book, The Chalk Man. Don't get me wrong - this is a huge compliment. They are definitely different books providing their own compelling tale but she has found a formula that works amazingly well at keeping the reader glued to the page. But, like in Chalk Man, the story goes back and forth between before and after, in this case Annie's disappearance and Joe's later attempts to solve the mystery before more children die. We meet the main protagonist when he's an adult trying to solve a mystery from his youth. While doing so, he must deal with both his own weaknesses and accesses as well as people from his past who would prefer that past stayed in the past. He is both extremely likeable and flawed. They are also both real page-turners as the story builds to the twist at the end. And they are both as creepy as...well, they are both very very creepy.

If you are a fan of well-written, well-plotted, and wonderfully creepy mystery-slash-horror stories with great protagonists, this is definitely one for you. Personally, I can't wait for the next C. J. Tudor page turner. Loved it!

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This is the second book that I have read by C.J. Tudor, and this one, like the first , The Chalk Man , The Hiding Place is terrific!. From the beginning the reader is pulled in to the story. A sense of dread develops and new threads to the plot keep the reader wondering what happened previously, and how the protagonist is going to escape from the every growing threats surrounding him from all sides. As a somewhat jaded reader who easily puts books aside after 30 pages or so, I have to say that I couldn't stop reading this one!

Around this time last year I was raving about C. J. Tudor’s debut novel, The Chalk Man. I am delighted to be in the same position this year with Tudor’s second novel The Hiding Place. The Hiding Place is the perfect mix of mystery, folklore, and edge of your seat suspense.

Joe Thorne who returns to him hometown full of regrets and thoughts of retribution. He acknowledges his role in the tragic events of his past, but he believes others are to blame as well. His return to Arnhill unleashes something in the town which has been buried since Joe left. As Joe’s present and past come together he must face them both in order to move forward.

Tudor has an incredible ability to create complex and multi-dimensional characters. In The Chalk Man, one of the key characters participated in morally questionable behavior. However this character had some redeemable qualities which made him likable. In The Hiding Place, Tudor has done the same thing with lead character Joe Thorne.  Joe has some noble reasons for returning to Arnhill, but he also has some not so noble reasons. In spite of Joe’s poor choices, I still wanted him to overcome his demons and guilt. Tudor has mastered creating the shady yet lovable character.
 
The town of Arnhill is the costar of The Hiding Place. A former mining town, the residents are no stranger to hard work and tragedies. Many lives were lost due to collapsed mine shafts and lung diseases from working in the mines, leaving families in financial ruin. After the mine closed, Arnhill lost it’s central employer and has never really bounced back. Arnhill comes across as a very gloomy and desperate place, even the residents lack kind words to describe it.  Joe arrives on the heels of yet another tragedy in Arnhill ; a murder suicide involving a mother and her young son. These horrible events do not bring the town closer together instead they make the locals meaner and more suspicious of each other. This element is what made Arnhill such a huge part of The Hiding Place. Tudor exemplifies a town on edge just waiting for the next calamity to strike; filling the story with anxiety and a strong sense of dread.

Switching between Joe’s teenage years and present day the plot is filled with many cliff hangers, creating the much loved “I’ll just read one more chapter “ effect. Tudor’s descriptions are vivid, but do not weigh the story down. Instead each description is plotted carefully with word choices that allow readers to truly picture themselves in Arnhill. Readers will also understand and sympathize with Joe’s shame and guilt.

I am so happy to find myself in love with yet another novel by C. J. Tudor. I am now struggling to decide which of Tudor’s books I like best. While The Chalk Man is more of a coming of age story and The Hiding Place is a story of redemption; Tudor’s gritty and compelling writing style showcases her ability to be original yet consistent. Readers who loved The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton should add The Hiding Place to their list of must reads.

Murder and Moore Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars

This was definitely a clever read. Tudor’s ability to bring his characters to life was exceptionally executed. I had goosebumps whilst reading this book. Some hometowns are just so haunting and brimming with bad memories one would be a fool to back but what if it's to find out what happened to someone sear to you? Is it worth it?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

C. J. Tudor's writing only gets better and better. I went into this book with high expectations after Chalk Man, and let me tell you that I was not disappointed. Tudor has a way of wheedling you into the mind of a character, and making you chew on the tension in the air.

Joe Thorne is apparently desperate to move back to his hometown. So he gets creative with his resume and applies for a job as a teacher at his old school in Arnhill, a former mining town. It's not a very good school, the town is pretty sad and Joe rents a cottage where a murder/suicide had recently occurred. And he has a not-so-great history with a lot of the people in town. So what's this guy's deal?

We find out as the book progresses that Joe has his reasons for returning to Arnhill. He's both searching for something and hiding, or at least attempting to hide, from some of the problems in his past.

This book is extremely creepy. I would classify it as horror with suspenseful elements. I found it a little depressing but it's well written and the plot moves along well. It was a pretty fast read for me.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I was very excited about this book. I had heard this author's first book was amazing and was banking on this being nothing short of amazing as well. This story was well-written and the characters are developed well. The author did marvelously with making the settings feel real and creepy. I just found myself not a big fan of the story itself; it took a supernatural turn that I didn't particularly enjoy and I found that made me care less about the story. I would say if this book interests you, give it a shot!

For several reasons, most of them not noble, Joe Thorne moves back to Arnhill, his old hometown in Nottinghamshire, for a teaching position at Arnhill Academy, his alma mater. As Joe observes, Arnhill is not picturesque or quaint, but brooding and bitter. A dark cloud seems to lurk permanently over the town, and its center is a deserted coal mine where resurrection takes on a sinister, rather than miraculous, meaning. We learn the reasons for Joe’s return at the end of the book, but realize the dark cloud doesn’t dissipate after Joe’s departure.

Joe Thorne never wanted to return to Arnhill. He's back because he wants to settle a few scores at a school he once attended ... the same school he's just been hired to teach. He really had no choice in coming back ... the letter he received made it very clear. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SISTER ... AND IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN.

After the way things ended with his old gang--the betrayal, the suicide, the murder--and after what happened when his sister went missing ... well, he had no choice. And there have been more recent murders ... murders that don't make sense.

He will learn that the worst moment of his life wasn't the day his sister went missing .... it was the day she came back.

This was a blend of mystery, horror, and paranormal ... full of twists and turns. It starts with a murder/suicide and proceeds from there. The story premise was good, although I detected strands of Stephen King's IT and maybe just a tad of Pet Semetary. It was an entertaining read.

Many thanks to the author / Crown Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of THE HIDING PLACE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

3.5 stars

An enjoyable read that had a little bit of a Stephen King feel to it. Some nice twists in the end but also unanswered questions as well.