The Taking of Annie Thorne by C J Tudor

The Taking of Annie Thorne by C.J. Tudor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over two days

Pages - 432

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

The thrilling second novel from the author of The Chalk Man, about a teacher with a hidden agenda who returns to settle scores at a school he once attended, only to uncover a darker secret than he could have imagined.

Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang--the betrayal, the suicide, the murder--and after what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn't have a choice. Because judging by what was done to that poor Morton kid, what happened all those years ago to Joe's sister is happening again. And only Joe knows who is really at fault.

Lying his way into a teaching job at his former high school is the easy part. Facing off with former friends who are none too happy to have him back in town--while avoiding the enemies he's made in the years since--is tougher. But the hardest part of all will be returning to that abandoned mine where it all went wrong and his life changed forever, and finally confronting the shocking, horrifying truth about Arnhill, his sister, and himself. Because for Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn't the day his sister went missing. It was the day she came back.



My Review

Meet Joe Thorne, our main character, heading back to the town he grew up in after lying in order to get a job. Lying about a job is the very least of Joe's problems, both what he is running from and what he is running to! Joe has issues from his past and present, both he must face and both are pretty horrific.

This is a thriller meets horror/supernatural to be honest and you can tell the author is a fan of master King, I hear echos of him in both this book and her last. The book splits really into two, what happened in his past and the now, why the town folk aren't happy to see him, what he is running from and the strange eerie happenings in his house.

Joe isn't a particularly likeable guy in my opinion, as a kid he wanted to be liked so bad he did some questionable things, with repercussions, that impacts his choices and decisions as an adult. The small town have a horrible attitude to outsiders yet Joe really isn't he is a returner. There is a horrific murder/suicide at the start of the book in the house Joe comes to live in on his return. As the book progresses we get a more in depth look at the house happenings, deaths and what bearing if any it has on Joe's past and present.

The throwback to when he was a child and some of the scenes in the house will have the hair on the back of your neck standing. Tudor has the knack of pulling in creepy alongside a seemingly normal tale and creeping you out whilst drawing you in. I enjoyed her last book and I liked this one too, I think Tudor is one for watching and look forward for her next offering which I hope she is penning now, 4/5 for me this time.

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The Devils Work by Mark Edwards

The Devil's Work by Mark Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time take to read - < 1 day

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer

Pages - 376

Blurb from Goodreads

A gripping psychological thriller from the bestselling author of Follow You Home and The Magpies.

When Sophie Greenwood returns to work after four years raising her daughter, she is ready for an exciting new challenge.

But after an unnerving encounter drags up memories she’d rather forget, things take a turn for the sinister. What is her ambitious young assistant really up to? And what exactly happened to Sophie’s predecessor? When her husband and daughter are pulled into the nightmare, Sophie is forced to confront the darkest secrets she has carried for years.

As her life begins to fall apart at work and at home, Sophie must race to uncover the truth about her new job…before it kills her.


My Review

Sophie Greenwood is taking a huge step in her life, going back to work after having her little girl AND it is her dream job. Head hunted for a prestigious publisher, Jackdaw Books, the world's most successful publishing company, Sophie is up for the challenge. However, Sophie has a connection to the head of the company, something from her past she would rather not revisit. Challenges arise in the form of her ambitious young assistant, work politics and soon it is evident someone is out to get Sophie. A spiral of events soon has Sophie on edge, questioning everything and putting her family and herself at risk!

So this is either my first Edwards book or it has been a very long time since I danced with this author. The opening chapter sets the hairs on the back of your neck up, we then go to Sophie's first day at work and drop in over a 50 odd day timeline from when her job began. With periods of throwback to Sophie's past we begin to get an insight into the connection with her employer and hints at what may have happened, building intrigue and mystery.

It begins as a slow burner well after the prologue, eerie and drawing an atmosphere where the reader holds their breath and the heart starts pounding. Particularly, for me, one office scene and I think those who know how bitchy an office environment can be and how quickly the tables can turn. Events transpire that set Sophie on edge, questioning who she can trust, impacting her relationships, behaviour and sanity. I think psychological thrillers are taking off right now, if you enjoy that genre you will love this book! Certainly won't be the last time I will be reading this author, 4/5 for me this time. Thanks so much to Thomas & Mercer for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. You can pick up your own copy on the 13/09/2017 from all good retailers.

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The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn

The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - <20 minutes

Pages - 79

Publisher - Weidenfield & Nicholson

Blurb from Goodreads

'I watched the house. It watched me back through long, baleful windows so tall a child could stand in the sill. And one was. I could see the length of his thin body: gray trousers, black sweater, a maroon tie perfectly knotted at the neck. A thicket of dark hair covering his eyes...'

A young woman is making a living faking it as a cut-price psychic (with some illegal soft-core sex work on the side). She makes a decent wage mostly by telling people what they want to hear. But then she meets Susan Burke.

Susan moved to the city one year ago with her husband and 15-year-old stepson Miles. They live in a modern Victorian house called Carterhook Manor. Susan has become convinced that some malevolent spirit is inhabiting their home. The young woman doesn't believe in exorcism or the supernatural. However when she enters the house for the first time, she begins to feel it too, as if the very house is watching her, waiting, biding its time...


My Review

The opening line refers to the main characters skill set which may offend some readers, she is a soft core sex worker as well as a "psychic". This is where she meets Susan, Susan doesn't believe in this stuff really but she must do something about her step son and home. What the main character doesn't realize is, there is a real threat at Susan's home and she herself may be in danger!

The protagonist gives us some insight into her life and how she came to be where she is however the main focus is on the here and now with Susan and her problem. The story really ends quite abruptly I felt and I suppose it is one of the reasons short stories is not my first port of call for reading choice. However the author does pack a punch with only 70+ pages, we have some twist and turns along the way considering how tiny the book is. I would have certainly liked more insight into both Miles and Susan, it would be good if Flynn revisited these characters. Overall a decent and surprising read as I thought it was about one thing but really went in a completly different direction, 3/5 for me this time, I have read this author before and I would read her again.

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