I'm a huge fan of C.J. Tudor as all of her books are so completely different but always a little creepy with plot twists you never see coming! This did not disappoint! Jack moves to a small town to be the new vicar as the last one committed suicide. Daughter Flo who is 15 is definitely not excited to be starting over in this "hick" town. But the town has a legacy as years ago, martyrs were burned at the stake and people still leave "burning girls" made of twigs on the anniversary of their deaths. But there is so much more to this novel--really layers and layers! And none of it you will guess as there are surprises everywhere! So settle in and just enjoy!

This book and its conclusion left me awestruck, speechless and chilled to the bone. The gruesome imagery of burning flesh, decapitation, and exorcisms is raw, powerful and unsettling. As is the underlying theme of the dangers of conforming to tradition.

Tradition is often used to defend things we'd otherwise condemn.

This is a story about Chapel Croft and its dark religious history.
In the 16th century, the Sussex Martyrs (two of which were young girls) were burnt at the stake during Queen Mary's purge of the Protestants. Chapel Croft commemorates this historical event every year by burning twigs dolls-The Burning Girls-every year on the anniversary of the purge.

In 1990, two teenage girls and a local vicar go missing never to be seen or heard from again. All after an exorcism goes horribly wrong. Despite the urgency of the situation, the police don't take serious action and the town tries to cover up the disappearances.

In present day, Rev. Jack Brooks and her daughter are relocated to a small church in Chapel Croft where the burning of the Sussex Martyrs took place. Even though she's not happy with the relocation, Jack is glad to leave Nottingham and her dark past there behind. But soon after her arrival, she'll find out that, not only did the vicar before her commit suicide, but she's not the only one with secrets. And the townspeople have a lot to lose if their secrets do come out.

All three timelines are intertwined and converge into a mind-blowing conclusion.

This is such a well-crafted story. And, as the daughter of a pastor in a small town, I relate to so many aspects of this story. I particularly felt a kinship to Flo, the awkward vicar's daughter, who often feels isolated, like an outsider and bitter about religion's role in her life.
Jack is also a powerful character. As a vicar, she understands the importance of religion but also sees the harm in many long-standing traditions within the church. She also understands the anonymity the clerical collar gives her.
She's a complex character that you will absolutely find yourself rooting for!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you C.J. Tudor for another fantastic novel!

I've been a CJ Tudor fan for years, and when I saw this available on NetGalley, I did a little happy dance, because really, in 2020, you have to celebrate every positive, am I right? I was thrilled to be pre-approved for this title and quickly dove in.

Following a tragic incident in her parish, Jack and her daughter Flo move to Chapel Croft where Jack has been reassigned as the interim vicar. Both are wary of the change, but the more they get to know the town--and the citizens who live there--their wariness transitions to doubt and fear. Centuries-old legends, strange happenings in the night, and a string of accidents lead Jack down a road of mysteries with devastating consequences.

I loved this book. Loved. Will be raving about it for months and months to come. Tudor proves yet again that her name is a genre staple, and I'd venture to say this is her best work yet.

Structurally it's told in alternating POVs, which took a few chapters to adjust to the switch from first to third, but ultimately, the switch added to the plot, so I thought it worked well.

Jack's character is utterly enigmatic. I love her voice, her relationship with her daughter, and the way she approaches the impossible. It kind of reminded me of the show Evil but with some underlying Schitt's Creek humor to alleviate the most dreadful of situations. Religion-centric narratives can be hit or miss for me. I was raised Catholic but have a difficult time with overly-religious rhetoric, which is one of the reasons why I appreciated Jack's reflection on religion, faith, spirituality, and belief. Overarching themes like good and evil, faith and doubt, love and hate are explored in honest, authentic conversations, and really, this is where the book shines. This isn't just a book about a woman of faith questioning her role; this is a book that shines a light on the gray areas, one that will push you to examine your own definition of what is morally acceptable while giving you a really entertaining journey on the way.

Indeed, more than the darker moments, The Burning Girls is thoroughly entertaining and creepy. The burning girl imagery and the story behind them is the stuff of nightmares. I had no trouble picturing the setting or the characters through the development of cinematic details, and I think this would translate well to a Netflix series.

Overall, The Burning Girls is a taut, smart, chilling read that'll sink its teeth into the deepest recesses of your mind. If you're looking for a thriller with some ghostly undertones, a good small-town legend, and a cast of unreliable narrators, this will be the book for you. Out in February, add this one to your TBRs ASAP.

Many thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Oh holy cow this is wicked good. There was more than one mystery going on here but it was really easy to follow as the writing just flows in and out each little story like vines braiding. For the most part it all comes together at the end but I felt enough was left open that we might see Vicar Jack again. God. I hope so.

Good luck trying to put this down once you pick it up.

I counted at least 5 separate mysteries/plots in Burning Girls. So much going on but everything is tied up
( pun intended) beautifully with still,a few surprises by the end of the book. Definitely a roller coaster suspense novel readers will devour.

Nail bitingly irritating, soul crushingly blood freezing, terrifyingly heart throbbing. Horror, thriller, whodunnit murder mystery genres captivatingly blend each other. And final unexpected twist seals the deal: take my five billion stars and give me more magnificent books like this!

What an unputdownable, bumpy, jumpy ride!

A badass, smart, quick witted female vicar Jack and her artistically talented, loner, smart daughter Flo move into one of the eeriest, creepiest and most haunted place named Chapel Croft where 8 Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake nearly 50 decades ago and two teenage girls vaporized into thin air 30 years ago. And let’s not forget what happened to her predecessor: last vicar on charge killed himself before they arrive.

A dangerous man who was recently released from the prison is coming for them. The ghosts of burning girls start to appear in front of mother and daughter in the middle of nowhere to warn them spiritually and all the town’s people act suspicious as if they’re keeping a big secret from them.

As vicar Jack Brooks (short for Jacquline, don’t get fooled MC is man, I made that mistake at first two or three pages and I’m still ashamed of myself! ) digs out more and gets closer to find the truth, she realizes she drags herself and daughter into one of the most dangerous place to look into the eyes of pure evil!

Yeap, I love this author’s works! She knows how to make me scare shitless and keep me in my toes! Especially her last surprising twist was another sucker punch against my face. I even wrote an emotional eulogy for my dying spidey senses.

As an ultra lucky cow I’m so grateful for this reviewer copy and special thanks to NetGalley, dear Kathleen Quinlan, Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine Books to send it to me in exchange my honest thoughts. I loved it soooo much!

Another fantastic creepy thriller from C. J. Tudor! I will gladly read all books by this author, no synopsis needed!

The Burning Girls is more of a slow burn but once it starts picking up, you won't want to put it down. Two missing girls, death of martyr's, twig dolls, burning girls, exorcism's, sound like your kind of book? A wonderfully creepy read perfect for this time of year! I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next. I will eagerly be waiting!

A huge thank you to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, greatly appreciated.

Wow...what a good, creepy story. And not at all what I thought....the ending was brilliant!! Not going to give too much away, but you know when you are reading a C.J. Tudor book you will stay up too late just to see how it ends. I actually went back and read some parts it was so good!

Jack Brooks is the new vicar in the Sussex hamlet of Chapel Croft. Along with fifteen-year-old daughter Flo, Jack has been persuaded to uproot from bustling city centre Nottingham to this quaint rural setting. On arrival Flo is quick to point out that the new chapel is ‘a dump’ and the dilapidated house next door, which is to be their home, does seem to be leaning somewhat precariously. It’s hardly inspiring. The locals seem a rather odd bunch too: there’s the rather creepy curate, a rude local farmer and a young lad called Wrigley who, not to put too fine a point on it, wriggles. If this weren’t enough, the place has a dark history as back in the rein of ‘Bloody’ Queen Mary two young girls who had hidden in the church which originally stood on the site of the present chapel were discovered, hounded out and burned. This act of religious persecution is still commemorated locally by the annual burning of wooden effigies.

Soon Flo is missing her friends and Jack is having a tough time transitioning to this very different environment. As we meet more of the locals and continue to learn about life in Chapel Croft it becomes evident that just about everyone seems to be hiding something. It’s clear that Jack, too, has a dark past that is hinted at but not yet fully disclosed. Events and discoveries now come thick and fast: there are ghostly sightings, a macabre package is delivered and Jack learns that thirty years ago two girls of a similar age to Flo went missing, their fate remaining a mystery to this day. The new role is quickly becoming part vicar and part detective as efforts become focused on trying to solve what feels like a rather grand puzzle.

Jack is a great character, at once as profane and as un-vicar like as you can imagine whilst at the same time possessing the deft people skills you’d associate with the role. And the relationship with Flo feels absolutely real, their interactions being deftly handled and often amusingly told. If I have a problem at all with this tale it’s that there are an awful lot of moving parts - interlocking storylines from the past and the present – and at times it just feels a little too busy. But ultimately the tension does rack up nicely toward a satisfying and surprising conclusion. It’s a story that held my attention throughout, made me smile and finally caused me to feel sad that my time with Jack and Flo had drawn to a close. I guess that’s a pretty good recommendation all on its own.

As I read this, I was reminded time and again of Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series. By the end of The Burning Girls, it must (?) be an homage to it. It’s just too similar otherwise.

It’s a good read. The main character is wonderful and the plot is both suspenseful and absolutely eerie. While it’s more a slow burn than an action packed read, once things start happening, you won’t want to stop reading.

If you are a fan of Rickman’s work (and you should read him if you aren’t), you find that this isn’t quite so dark or quite so edgy. It’s a more…polite read. But nicely creepy.

In the end, I really liked it. I did find that, upon finishing it, I wanted to do a reread of Rickman’s entire series – and I’m not certain that’s what the author intended here – but if she turns this into a series, I’m very much in!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Rating: 9.0/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of The Burning Girls for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

The Burning Girls is taut, unputdownable nail-biter of a story. A perfect blend of Stephen King and Harlan Coben with the style and panache that only Tudor can deliver. Another top-notch thriller from one of my favorite writers, and one I can definitely see lighting up Netflix in the next couple of years.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn’t exist.

You all know my love for C.J. ever since I cracked open the pages of The Chalk Man. She produces such unpredictable stories leaving cliffhangers at end of every chapter she writes. Her writing style just has a way of keeping you up late at night, devouring her works in single sittings and craving more MORE MOREEEEEEEEE.

With The Burning Girls, we are given a Coban-esque type thrill-ride where different POVs all play a role in the grander scheme, but just how much of a role is constantly being shifted behind the scenes. You think you have it all figured it and then BAM! DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING, DID YA? I love that about these books, and I think some of it is derived from years of watching Law and Order. Always attempting to figure out the “whodunnits” and “howdunnits” at the halfway point – 9 times out of 10 your choice is completely wrong – and then having that OH moment with 5-10 minutes to spare in the episode. But with Tudor’s novels, I’m blindsided at every turn and I LOOOOOOVE IT!

Tudor definitely upped the scale this go round by adding in more “dead end” avenues, on top of more stories within the story. Though, and I say this with a chuckle, all I could think about whilst reading was “The Greater Good” from Edgar Wright’s ‘Hot Fuzz’. Someone from the big city is uprooted and sent to a “quaint village” and tries to rile things up that shant be riled. I half expected people in cloaks to start chanting and then a massive firefight to ensue.

Low and behold, it didn’t happen. Sorry for the non-spoiler.

All in all, Tudor continues to get better and better and will always be at the top of my TBR when I see a new release coming soon. If you are a fan of hers, or maybe this is the first time you feel like trying one of her novels, you will not be disappointed.

The Burning Girls isn't so much a mystery/thriller/tale of intrigue as it is a dozen mysteries/thrillers/tales of intrigue all wrapped into one. I wasn't really sure, until the end, Tudor would manage to tie all of the threads back together successfully, but am happy to report that it was actually pretty well managed. Oh. And creepy. It was definitely creepy.