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 name...

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor What a horrifying title, especially because it's referring to two young girls being burned, after being tortured, all in the name of religion. This happened 500 years ago, when eight protestant martyrs were burned at the stake, in Chapel Croft. Now, Reverend Jack Brooks and her fifteen year old daughter are in Chapel Croft so that Jack can tend to the parish, after the last reverend hung himself. Although the location might have some slight resemblance to the TV s...

Happy Pub Day!!!"But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops."-Luke 12:2-3I didn't think it was possible for Tudor to top The Chalk Man, but this might be my new favorite of her books! The Burning Girls was actually a last minute whim read, one that I decided to toe into a bit while every...

Deceptive “Who says the devil has to be a man?”The Burning Girls is a creepy, atmospheric psychological thriller about an insular village with a dark past comprised of religious martyrs, missing girls, and exorcisms. In response to a scandal, Vicar Jack Brooks and her 15-year-old daughter Flo move from urban Nottingham to a small village in the countryside. As the new Vicar of Chapel Croft, Jack does not find a warm welcome, to say the least. The village is filled with eccentric residents who a...

Oh this is a difficult review for me to write. I really enjoyed “The Chalkman” and “The Other People” but with this new book I think that Ms.Tudor has crossed that line between thriller and horror.This was a bit of a shock to me. I’m fine with ghosts and supernatural elements. The burning girls I knew were trying to warn them of bad things that were going to happen. The descriptions and stories of the Sussex Martyrs’ from the 16th century were appalling but those were different times.What felt s...

"The greatest gift the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."  I am so happy to announce my first 5 star mystery-thriller of the year. This is exactly how a PERFECT atmospheric , engrossing, riveting, page turner, gripping , taut, unputdownable, nail-biter, well thought out ,pacy mystery thriller with plenty of creepy, spine-chilling moments is created. Some authors should take notes ( RS ) !🔥 Plot In short ⤵ ancient superstition + a decade old disappearance + some pr

"The greatest gift the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." - The Usual SuspectsThis book started slowly for me, and I found myself wondering what all the hype was about, but as I kept reading, I quickly realized what all the hype was about. This book will slowly creep up on you, tap you on the shoulder, and grab your attention and give you the creeps all at the same time. So, what I am saying is, if this book begins slowly for you, hang in there because the proverbia

City based Reverend, Jack Brooks, has been assigned a new posting in the little hamlet of Chapel Croft in Sussex. It’s a temporary posting, and not exactly a welcome one, especially for 15 year old daughter Flo. Flo definitely isn’t happy at finding herself at the back end of nowhere after living in the bustling city of Nottingham, especially as it means leaving all her friends behind.Neither of them are happy actually, the chapel is a dump, and the house dilapidated, but serving the church has

Single mom Rev. Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo move to a small village in the English countryside, where Jack will be the new Vicar. But it soon becomes clear Chapel Croft is far from the idyllic peaceful village they were expecting. The town’s inhabitants are a quirky bunch and don’t give them the warmest of welcomes.The village has a dark history involving the Sussex martyrs who were burned at the stake, the unsolved disappearance of two young girls 30 years ago, and the unexpected d...

CJ Tudor's latest offering is an atmospheric psychological thriller shot through with elements of horror and the supernatural, set in the Sussex hamlet of Chapel Croft, defined by its 500 year old history where 2 young girls, the burning girls, were amongst a group of burned martyrs, an event still commemorated with the burning of twig girls. 30 years ago, two 15 year old girls, Merry Lane and Joy Harris went missing, assumed to have run away. More recently, the Reverend Fletcher committed suici...

I have been hit and miss with this author since day one. Her first two books left me cold and I thought we would be parting ways. But no so fast.....I took a chance with her last book The other People since the reviews were amazing and I finally saw what all the fuss was about. It was amazing.So with this latest release by C.J. Tudor’s I went in with a slight case of nerves. Not knowing which side I would fall on. And.... I loved it! I think it’s safe to say I am now on the C.J. Tudor bandwagon....

‘By the pricking of my thumbsSomething wicked this way comes’It sure does. Reverend Jack Brooks and daughter Flo get a temporary posting to Chapel Croft in Sussex after some problems in the old parish in Nottingham. What unfolds will not only blow your socks off, it’ll ignite them too. This is very well written, I like the lively (oh boy, is it’s lively!) and engaging style and the humour between Jack and Flo which demonstrates their close relationship. I love the film references too and that th...

Mysteries are my favorite genre but it’s the rare mystery that I award five stars. That’s because very few dive deep and have me thinking about more than the whodunit. So, kudos to CJ Tudor for achieving exactly that. Some books start with a slow boil. And others start with a bang. This one is in the latter camp. Reverend Jack Brooks is forced to change her assignment after something goes wrong in her inner city parish. She’s sent to a small parish in the country, whose last minister committed s...

THE BURNING GIRLS STILL HAUNT THE CHAPEL...IF YOU SEE THEM, SOMETHING BAD WILL BEFALL YOU..Reverend Jack Brooks is a Vicar with Vices, a wicked sense of humor, and a 15 year old daughter named Flo.Transferred to Chapel Croft, on an interim basis, the two are greeted with replicas of the Burning girls-twig dolls made each year to commemorate the Sussex Martyrs-eight villagers burnt at the stake during Queen Mary’s purge of the Protestants (1553-8), which are set alight annually on the anniversary...

**4.5-stars rounded up**After a scandal at her church leaves a child dead, unconventional vicar, Jack Brooks, and her teenage daughter, Flo, are relocated to the village of Chapel Croft.This is quite a shift from their life in Nottingham, but they are both determined to make the best of it.The location is peaceful, remote and feels a million miles from their old life. Upon arrival, they are a little surprised by the untidy condition of the old chapel and their new residence, but still set on mak...

What started out as a rather s-l-o-w burn turned into a fast-paced, frantic conclusion!Jack Brooks is not your ordinary vicar and Chapel Croft is not your ordinary small town! Flo is Jack's 14 year old daughter and they both were hoping for a peaceful transition to their new fresh start, but the strange past and hidden secrets of the village begin to haunt them almost immediately.I found the beginning slow and hard to connect all the dots. There are a few secret POV's and confusing at first, but...

Review published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...Bewitching, Spooky, and Suspenseful! Jack Brooks is the new Vicar in Chapel Croft. She and her daughter Flo are new in town. Unfortunately for them, Chapel Croft has a history, and the community itself isn’t exactly welcoming. What is the town known for, you ask? Exorcisms; Burning Girls; Martyrs; Missing Girls; and Murder. Not exactly homey, if I do say so myself. Upon moving into the cottage next to the Chapel, both Jack and Flo...

The book is definitely 🔥 Shortest Summary Ever: There’s a new vicar in town bringing her teen daughter from the city to the sticks (Bwahaha pun points). 500 years ago some martyrs were burned and now the townspeople burn stick people annually (how quaint). Weird and horrible things happened to the last vicar and now Vicar Jack and teen daughter Flo are experiencing strange moments as well. The townspeople are secretive and quiet and Jack sets out to discover the story...no matter the consequence...

4 StarsC.J. Tudor has become a favorite author of mine when I'm in the mood for a creepy, unsettling read. Her debut The Chalk Man is still my absolute favorite so far, but this one settles in cozily at second place. Female vicar Jack Brooks accepts a temporary post in Chapel Croft, a small, rural British farming town. Its claim to fame is a gruesome one. During the short reign of Catholic "Bloody Mary" (eldest daughter of King Henry VIII), there were burnings of religious heretics. Some of thes...

3.5 ‘If you see the burning girls, something bad will befall you.’ Reverend Jack Brooks, widowed, with a teenage daughter Flo, reluctantly takes on the temporary position of interim vicar in a tiny Sussex village.Chapel Croft has seen its fair share of tragedy. The sixteenth century saw eight Protestants – including two young girls Abigail and Maggie – burned to death in front of the church. In 1990, two teenagers Merry and Joy, disappeared without a trace. They have never been found.And Jack'...

4 fiery stars and now available!This is my fourth book of C.J. Tudor’s and I was very excited to get the chance to read an early copy. It was also great timing for me to read this just a bit before Halloween as it is spooky!Picture the setting in the UK – Chapel Croft – with a rich history of religious martyrs burned at the stake and disappearances of local girls all amidst a troubled parish. To commemorate this history, villagers burn stick dolls once a year in celebration.The main character in...

This is a dark thriller set in a small village in Sussex with a dark history. Five hundred years ago, eight villagers were burnt at the stake for refusing to convert to catholicism during Queen Mary's purge of Protestants. Two of those burned to death were young girls and on the anniversary of their deaths the villagers make twig dolls which are thrown into a bonfire to commemorate the Sussex martyrs. It is said that the burning girls still haunt the village chapel and it's said if you see the b...

Oh wow.. I have a new favourite CJ Tudor book.! The Burning Girls is a creepy page turner and I couldn’t get enough of it. Once I started reading it I found it hard to stop thinking about it. If you love her books you are in for a treat with her new one, trust me.Reverend Jack Brooks and her daughter Flo have moved to Chapel Croft from Nottingham for a fresh start. But things are not always what they seem in this close knit village. The locals aren’t exactly welcoming and the town is proud of th...

This was fantastic! Tudor's best work yet in my opinion. 👏Jack Brooks is a vicar who is being transferred at a short notice to a small village in Sussex to escape bad press and gossipping in her old parish in Nottingham. Jack and her teenage daughter Flo are not keen on their new home which has a bloody history as 7 martyrs were burned alive here under the Protestants' persecution under the reign of Queen Mary. In addition, 30 years ago two teenage girls disappeared and were never found, and the...

C.J. Tudor has really made a name for herself over these last few years and I am so genuinely happy for her. BUT, her books never seem to wow me as they do others. There isn't anything inherently wrong with this book I just found it a little ... boring.I really like Jack and Flo as characters. My biggest reservation with reading this one was that I was afraid that the religion aspect would be front and center and I am happy to say that it isn't. While she is a vicar and there is a church setting...

Review originally published on mysteryandsuspense.comJack 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...

Review ** spoiler alert ** 4.5 stars. I have enjoyed all previous psychological thrillers by C.J. Tudor, and this newest one did not disappoint. In the Burning Girls, she has upped the mood and content, adding a heavy dose of horror and dread to this riveting mystery. There is an eerie atmosphere throughout with some creepy descriptions and a touch of the supernatural. The suspense was gripping with ongoing thrills, chills, and fear.The main protagonist, vicar Jack (Jacqueline), is transferred t...

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn't exist. C.J. Tudor is a clever, intelligent writer. I always enjoy her books. They each feel very different to me, which is a talent in and of itself. Many authors tend to fall into a rut after they've written several books, and use the same tired tropes over and over. Not C.J. Tudor. Right from the start, The Burning Girls grabbed my attention, despite the heavy religious themes, which is most assuredly not my thing. Thankfully

3.5 starsVicar Jacqueline (Jack) Brooks has to leave her Nottingham church after a tragedy occurs in her congregation. Jack is temporarily assigned to the Sussex village of Chapel Croft, whose pastor recently died. When Jack and her 15-year-old daughter Flo arrive in Chapel Croft they're dismayed by the small nondescript chapel and their cottage next door, which is dilapidated and uninviting. Moreover, Chapel Croft has a sinister vibe, in part because of its dreadful history. Five hundred years

Well, now....The Burning Girls is like a leather sack filled with crinkled, numbered envelopes. You follow along tearing into each one, number by number, only to have your head spinning in a completely different direction than the previous envelope's reveal. Maddening mayhem of the best kind.C.J. Tudor introduces us to Reverend Jack Brooks, a vicar currently residing in a Nottingham parish with her teenage daughter, Flo. (Flo is gonna steal your heart away in this one.) Bishop Durkin calls Jack