Just when you think you have a handle on what is happening, Tudor will throw you a series of curveballs to rock you off your foundation and out of your sensibilities ... There are enough plot twists, including one that most readers will not see coming, to keep you on your toes right through to the unexpected and highly satisfying finale of this consistently creepy psychological thriller.
If all small towns and villages had as many secrets as writers claim, it’s a wonder they haven’t murdered themselves out of existence; The Burning Girls is no exception. This story has more twists and turns than a corkscrew, and just when the reader thinks he’s figured it out, there’s one more turn of that screw ... As with C. J. Tudor’s other novels, there’s a great deal going on behind the façade of the quiet little village, with each character, from Jack herself to the persecuted and neurologically challenged Wrigley, having a plethora of dark and deadly secrets. It’s entertaining reading with chills of the 'sneaking-up-on-you' kind, with plenty of descriptions of dark and brooding graveyards with blasted headstones to set the proper scene. Anyone who has read The Chalk Man, or The Other People, will enjoy The Burning Girls. Those who haven’t read any of them definitely should.
Fans of Gillian Flynn, Tana French, and Jess Lourey will leap at the chance to read Tudor’s new psychological thriller ... Tudor is undeniably talented at producing a slow burn, weaving each piece of the story together to form a creepy yet satisfying conclusion. Jack is a relatable protagonist, stepping away from the stereotypical personality of a vicar by projecting a raw, yet still empathetic, exterior. Gruesome and haunting, The Burning Girls is worth every page turn. Readers will surely be eager for more.
... tautly suspenseful ... Tudor expertly doles out the plot twists, some of them small, some sizable, and one so shocking that it turns the entire story inside out. Jack, Flo, and the other fully realized characters and their eventual fates won’t be easily forgotten by any reader.
The author steadily cranks up the scares and the suspense while smoothly toggling between multiple narratives ... Jack is immensely appealing: She curses and smokes, and her faith, which she explores throughout, is complicated. Luckily, Jack and Flo share a strong bond, one they’ll need in order to face what’s coming, and readers will savor the final, breathless twists ... Top-notch and deliciously creepy storytelling.
