1.36k reviews for:

The Hiding Place

C.J. Tudor

3.48 AVERAGE


This was kinda good and kinda dumb. Extremely well written though. I feel like I thought the same thing about Chalkman. I do know that Chalkman was better. Joe was kind of an asshole, but he had a rough life so it can be somewhat excused. I just don’t know if like, the mystery was supernatural? Or were the characters just superstitious? I’d like to hear more about Lauren the bartender and Beth the teacher though. Three stars. Read it if it’s free and you’ve got some spare time, but if you can only read a few books this summer...I’ve got a list for you. #engelbrechtreads2019 #engelbrechtreads

3.5/5
dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
thaisfood's profile picture

thaisfood's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 8%

Had to return to library 
emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

“I don’t believe in ghosts. My nan was fond of telling me, “It’s not the dead you need to be scared of, love, It’s the living.”

This was my first C. J Tudor book and if I’m honest I didn’t expect to enjoy it, but boy was I wrong. I did enjoy this book, from beginning to end.

I went into The Taking of Annie Thorne not really knowing what the book was about, the synopsis had me thinking it was your average detective crime thriller, I definitely was not expecting the paranormal aspect to it.

I read this late at night and there was a few scenes that left shivers down my spine, not gonna lie. Tudor’s writing left me feeling eerie and the suspense was almost excruciating.

The reveal was not at all predictable to me mainly because the author leads you to believe one thing throughout the entire book but it is only at the very end that all of what you initially believed to be true is thrown out the window.

All in all I gave The Taking of Annie Thorne a 4.5/5 stars. I am interested in reading more of C. J Tudor’s novels in the future.
courtneyg1999's profile picture

courtneyg1999's review

3.0
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A good, fast-paced read. I enjoyed it
dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I really liked the book at the beginning but then it became a bit to similar to a cross between 'The Regulators' by Stephen King under the alias Richard Bachman and Stephen Kings Pet Cemetery for my liking. 

Release Date: February 5, 2019
Genre: Psychological Horror. Thriller. Suspense.
Actual Rating: 5 stars

The Hiding Place is a tense and original read that blew my mind! I got the chills, felt the tension, and wanted to scream in delight! I enjoyed reading the authors debut - The Chalk Man, but I LOVED this one. I actually devoured it in one sitting because I couldn't stop reading. If you are looking for a book the defies the genres, one that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and one with a brilliant and twisty ending, this is a must have for you! I have seen a lot of mixed reviews for this one, but this in itself should make you want to read it yourself to form your own opinion.

First and foremost, this book was very unexpected for me. I didn't go into it blind (although I think readers should) so I had some ideas floating around in my head as to what was going to happen. Boy was I wrong! This book is like a Stephen King book only shorter and a bit more character driven. You may be wondering HOW it's like a Stephen King book and I'll tell you as a spoiler (which I don't recommend reading until you have read the book yourself:
SpoilerYou know how the characters in Pet Semetary want the bring their loved ones back from the dead? Well, it's got similarities to that only we aren't sure WHY kids who go down in the mine come back differently
.

As for characters, I'll be the first to admit that the protagonist isn't the most likable or easy to connect with. He has a murky past, has gotten himself into some troubles, and doesn't seem to want to make his life any better. He's more set on revenge and bringing down people he feels wronged him. He's obviously also an important piece to the puzzle of the story, and not being able to fully like him will put some readers off, but for me, it's what sets the tone of the story.

Finally, the authors use of supernatural elements within the story is what MAKES the story. There are not many authors that can pull this off in a believable way but guess what? C.J. Tudor DOES IT. And quite frankly, does it well (superbly even).

All in all, I really liked this book. If it's getting a 5 star rating from me that means that it had me spellbound. It also holds a ton of originality (even though some may disagree with me), epic twists and turns, and a whole lot of chilling moments. I really am looking forward to seeing what others think of the novel once it is officially releases in February.

This book would be perfect for

➜ Anyone who enjoys psychological horror novels- heavy on the thrills and supernatural aspects.
➜ Fans of Sarah Pinborough- the one book that comes to mind when I think of doing a bit of a comparison between books is Behind Her Eyes
➜ Fans of Stephen Kings earlier works; Pet Semetary, The Shining, etc. (not everyone will agree with this and that's fine, but this is what I think).
➜ Those who enjoyed the authors debut novel, The Chalk Man