Thank you Crown Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of The Hiding Place by C.J. Tudor for review. Publishing February 5, 2019.

I will be honest and say this was a well written book that just did not suit my particular tastes. The paranormal horror element to the book was not my cup of tea and felt a little too much like something I had read before which allowed me to guess the “mystery” quite early in the book. Another reason it didn’t work for me was the main character was highly unlikable so there was really no motivation for me to get invested in the story.
But, the rest of the book was good. I liked the sense that the town was a whole other character in the novel. It had really good pacing too, which kept me reading despite not entirely loving it. I really liked the creepy vibe even when there was none of the horror element in the scene.
Overall, I think this was just not the book for me. But, I loved Chalk Man so I’ll be on the lookout for her next book!

I didn't love this story, and had trouble staying motivated to finish it. This is the first book I've read from the author, and I hesitate to say that I would read something else by her. Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me, which is sad because of the promising premise.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor, but was disappointed in this one. Didn't love it or hate it. Thanks for the opportunity.

Thanks to C.J. Tudor, Netgalley, and Crown Publishing for providing me with a digital advance copy of this novel.

C.J. Tudor follows up her exceptional first novel, The Chalk Man, with this layered and somewhat genre-bending mystery. The Chalk Man was one of my favorite books last year, so I had sky-high expectations for this novel. I’m happy to say that it exceeded those expectations – I actually liked it a good bit more than The Chalk Man.

In The Hiding Place, down-on-his-luck and desperate teacher Joe returns to his hometown to start a job at his old school. Joe is haunted not only by current problems of his own making but also by sinister secrets from his past, all of which crash together with devastating consequences. I don’t want to describe the plot in any more detail so as not to give anything away, but there are elements here that are evocative of Stephen King. This book seemed more akin to the horror/supernatural genre than strictly to mystery/thriller – and I loved that! Tudor has written another creepy, complicated, and clever novel. Highly recommend!

i was really excited to read The Hiding Place after I had enjoyed The Chalk Man so much. But I must say, I was disappointed with this one. It just couldn't hold my interest, and I never really did get all that invested in the story.

Wow!

What an atmospheric yarn this turned out to be! From the very beginning, I knew I was in capable hands!
Here’s my review from goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2654789907

An eerie story about a down on his luck teacher who returns to his hometown to evade a gambling debt and settle old scores. Something strange happens to some of the residents after they visit part of the old mine. A bit reminiscent of Pet Cemetery by Stephen King. Well drawn characters and a screwed up hero you can't help but like.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

Another great thriller by CJ Tudor,however I’m a little disappointed that it’s never clearly revealed what happened to the children who disappear for a few days and then reappear - where were they and what was done to them to make them so different when they returned? Otherwise great story.

Creepy good! This thriller mixes suspense with just right amount of possibly supernatural events. Joe Thorne has returned to his hometown, set on settling childhood scores and dogged by Big Trouble.

I selected C.J. Tudor's first book, The Chalk Man, when it was a Book of the Month Cub selection, and though I don't really remember the details of it, I know I liked it. So when I saw that C.J. Tudor has a new book coming out soon I was thrilled to receive an ARC via NetGalley.

I read the book over a period of about a week, which I think had more to do with the fact that I was reading it over the Holidays than with the story itself. Any other time of year, I bet I would have read it over a day or two. Some reviewers have said it was slow to start, but I found it paced perfectly. I felt myself settling into the world created by the author and getting to know the main character, Joe, and his hometown. Joe has had a pretty rough go of it lately, but his recent problems have nothing on the high school summer when his sister and father died in a car accident that left him partially crippled. So yeah, he drinks a lot and likes to gamble, which may or may not have led to his current "financial" problems and recent acquaintance with a certain woman who's mission is collecting on his debt.

To pay off this debt, Joe has a plan to return to his hometown and capitalize on his former relationship with an old "friend" of his from his childhood who is now a prominent figure in the community and who would prefer some information that Joe has to remain unsaid. As the story unfolds, we learn not only how this plan turns out for Joe but we also learn exactly what happened that summer that led to the death of Joe's beloved little sister and his father.

I loved the atmosphere the author created. At times I forgot the book took place in England, so I think the author did a great job immersing me in the world of her characters. Some readers seem to have been bothered by what they call the supernatural element to this story, but I liked it. It reminded me of Jennifer McMahon, another author that I love, in that nothing about the story seemed so outlandish as to take me out of the story or break the spell, if you will. I will be recommending this book to my husband, who also loved The Chalk Man, as I know he will love this book as well. I can't wait to see what C.J. Tudor writes next! I am hoping for a woman main character next time...

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for this honest review!*

I loved the author's debut novel, but this one left me a little underwhelmed.
I finished it but it didn'tdidn't really grip me as I expected.
It is dark and creepy with horror/supernatural element that felt really creepy for my taste.
It explores different time lines with surprising twists, but I dude's find the ending satisfactory.

My thanks go to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC to review this is my honest opinion.

I looked forward to reading this, but ultimately, was disappointed in it. It is very well written, but I'm not a big fan of the supernatural. If you are, then you might like this. #TheHidingPlace #NetGalley

Joe Thorne is a man with a history. There is a murky history in his hometown, too. Nevertheless, Thorne returns and begins work as a teacher at the local school. Bit by bit, layers are peeled away - from man and town - to reveal a terrible truth. Part mystery, part horror, completely original and compelling.

When Joe was a teenager, his sister Annie went missing and everyone assumed the worst, but then she came back. Many years later, Joe returns to his hometown to work at the now failing school he attended many years ago. Joe is desperate because he has debts to bad people, who will follow him everywhere he goes, but he came back because he got an email saying I know what happened to your sister, and it is happening again. Coming back means he has to face all the people he left behind and the things he did. Joe is about to find out that places have secrets too and the deeper you go, the darker it becomes.

I found this novel gripping right from the prologue and I couldn’t wait to get more into it and dig deeper into the story. I loved the dark and creepy atmosphere that Tudor seems to excel at! This novel wasn’t at all what I expected, but it a good way as I was unsure on where this book was headed and what had happened to the children in this novel. I found the character quite interesting and I enjoyed Joe’s character and all his flaws and I hated Stephen and how far he went to try to push Joe out of town. Some people are just written for you to hate them and I love to hate those characters. I did enjoy the novel more when it started to go back and forth between the past and present so that you can start putting the pieces together to solve this mystery. This one was totally different and a bit farfetched, but I loved that about it! Definitely give it a try if you enjoyed The Chalk Man!

Out February 5th!

A scary mystery with a paranormal connection. Stephen King-esque in style. The plot was good and kept my attention and most of the characters were well-developed. Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the characters. There are some surprising twists that I enjoyed and overall would recommend for anyone who likes a good horror story. I can't get the picture of those horrible beetles out of my head!

Thanks to C. J. Tudor and Crown Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Joe Thorn left Arnhill a long time ago, but now he is back, a disgraced teacher who owes a lot of money to a very bad man. He has returned to find out what happened to his sister all those years ago. Arnhill sits on top of coal mines. Most of the men in Arnhill worked in the mines, even Joe's father, until they all played out, years ago. Joe's dad and most of the other men took to drinking and Arnhill fell into disrepair. Now, Joe is back to teach English at Arnhill Academy and its seems as though he never left; the same bullying is being done by the same kids, except a generation younger, including the ringleader, Jeremy Hurst, who is the son of Joe's tormentor, Stephen Hurst. Years ago, Stephen and his gang found a secret hiding place among the coal veins and bad things happened there. Now Joe wants to avenge his sister and destroy Stephen, if possible. Switching between past and present, Tudor weaves a taut mystery about redemption and evil.

If you loved "The Chalk Man" or just kind of liked it or maybe you didn't like it at all; give #2 a try. Yes, it was retitled for the US but not because the story is not good. I think it is better than the first. Watch out for black bugs now. :)

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, C.J. Tudor, and Crown Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

After the great success of her debut novel, C.J. Tudor returns with another psychological thriller that straddles two time periods to bring readers an enthralling novel. Joe Thorne left the village of Arnhill after a problematic childhood that included some tragic personal events. Now, armed with a teaching degree and having fled his last posting under a cloud of suspicion, Thorne is back to teach at the local academy. While many years have passed, Arnhill seems to still be the same speck on the map, with the problems flowing through to the next generation. As Thorne tries to acclimate himself to old grievances, he is reminded about his sister and her desire to chum along with him when she was a precocious eight. As he has memories of the events that led to her disappearance, Joe sees things differently and remembers the great changes in Annie when she turned up two days later. This led to an Annie he did not recognize, which snowballed into a fatal car accident that left Thorne orphaned. Struggling with those memories and how to handle his new crop of students, Joe Thorne’s recent past catches up to him and creates a gaping void. However, someone holds the truth to his past and a deep secret that he has spent decades trying to hide. With nothing to lose, Joe Thorne forges to rectify some of the pains of his youth and avenge Annie’s disappearance at the hands of another, while burying everything else a little deeper. Tudor presents another masterful psychological thriller that keeps the reader guessing as the story unravels at break-neck speed. Recommended for those who enjoyed her debut, as well as readers who like a little chill in their novels.

I admit that I was not as enveloped in Tudor’s opening novel as some, but I did find there to be some redeeming qualities, which is why I was happy to return for another go. Tudor makes no excuses for her writing style, which mixes a well-balanced narrative and flashback chapters to fill in the backstory gaps. Joe Thorne has an interesting role in this novel, living in both the past and present, while offering the reader a smorgasbord of development and backstory on which to feast. While he is a loner of sorts, the reader can see a Joe who has a purpose, even if it is fogged in an odd connection to his sister who died in a horrible crash many years ago. Many of the other characters prove useful vessels, both to propel the flashback sequences forward and to offer sober revisiting in their older incarnations. Tudor does well to keep the reader involved while also keeping large gaps out of the narrative. The guesswork left to the reader is interesting, though there are some nagging aspects that plague the narrative until the final chapters, rectifying an entire story’s worth of confusing in a single reveal. Tudor paces her story well and keeps the reader on edge, only pushing the final piece into place in time for the reader to catch their breath and end the intense novel.

Kudos, Madam Tudor, for another winner. I quite enjoyed this piece and hope others will find as many chills as I did throughout.

Joe Thorne left his village of Arnhill and hoped to never return. An anonymous email and a murder/suicide as well as a need to hide from gambling debts lure him back to confront the past he never truly left behind. A murder, a suicide, and a mysterious pit which still seems to call to not only the weak but those who prey on them has changed the course of many lives and is not done.
CJ Tudor first book “ The Chalk Man” was one of my favorites of 2018 And She does not disappoint with this sophomore effort and this is a must read for all fans of mystery/thriller/horror. Definitely read with the lights on and doors locked and a can of bug spray nearby. Available Feb 2019 and may be The Taking of Annie Thorne.

Creepy with a hint of horror....
Joe Thorne returns to his hometown of Arnhill. A place he swore he would never return. And now, no one is exactly over-joyed to see him back in town. Joe is here looking for answers.
His sister disappeared at the age of 8, and when she returned days later she was never the same…there were others that also came back different.

This is the second book I’ve read by C.J. Tudor. While I wasn’t a huge fan of her previous work, The Chalk Man I was ready to try again. I really wanted to love this one. Unfortunately this book also ended up falling a little flat for me. I do like my thrillers dark but this one went just a bit too far over that line.

Even with an ending that was somewhat shocking, I was still left with too many unanswered questions.
I hope it will work better for you!

A buddy read with Susanne!

Thank you to NetGalley , Crown Publishing and C.J. Tudor for an ARC to read and review.