Joined in 2023 
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THE HIDING PLACE is her second novel just recently released and was just as good (for me) as her debut, THE CHALK MAN. Something festers there, an unease, something you can feel, under your skin and on the hair at the back of your neck.
From the Prologue to the very last sentence, I was gripped and nervous for what I would find out next.There are some great twists in this book but they come more from the characters than the plot, but that’s a good thing. The last 1/3 is where the story really picks up the pace, but unfortunately for me, I had just gotten there later at night and didn’t think it would be a good idea to continue reading now that the skittering and chittering had picked up in earnest. I admit that I did a really crappy job at explaining the whole synopsis but please believe me when I say this book is amazing. Tudor once again skirts the line between horror and thriller in this sophomore book, similar genre-wise to her breakout debut, The Chalk Man (a MUST read!
I found this to be a decent read but the lack of closure and the ill-defined genre left me feeling like the author is trying too hard to appeal to the masses. From page one, the reader is pulled in with a gathering sense of dread, and taken on an addictive, thrilling ride to the very last page. Joe wasn't a particularly likeable character, but he brought a lot to the table - mysterious with a dark past, a twisted sense of humor, and a fierce determination to uncover some wrongs. This is CJ Tudor's follow up novel to her brilliant debut The Chalk Man, and it is a fantastic macabre horror mystery featuring Joe Thorne, a has-been teacher whose gambling addiction has transpired to burden him with debts that he cannot afford to pay off to the scary and menacing Fatman. I think her writing style is very unique and she does an incredible job in setting a very nostalgic and mysterious tone in her books.Each and every novel pulls me into the strange and suspenseful storylines and has me completely consumed by the characters and mystery. What happened to his sister, the secrets at Arnhill, and all that has changed Joe’s life are enclosed in the shadows of that mine, and Joe will have to confront them. I could go on and on about this, and frankly these instances will be a matter of the opinion of the reader and how they react to them, but as a stated above it was an unnecessary distraction for me. The last part may not appeal to some readers, particularly as the supernatural aspect leaves loose ends. It happens through writing style, the characters on the page, and the perspective amongst other aspects.
My problem isn't with the insertion of the supernatural into what is being billed as a traditional mystery/thriller, although I know this will be a dealbreaker for some readers. He got a job at Arnhill Academy replacing Julia Morton, the teacher who shot herself and killed her own son, Ben. This led to an Annie he did not recognize, which snowballed into a fatal car accident that left Thorne orphaned.
The new spine-tingling, sinister thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Chalk Man.
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