A review by outsmartyourshelf
The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

dark mysterious tense
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Rev Jack Brooks moves to the sticks with her teenage daughter, Flo. Brooks left her last parish, Nottingham, under a cloud and was requested to temporarily fill the interim position of vicar at Chapel Croft. The chapel and the vicarage are dilapidated, and supposedly haunted by the spirits of 'The Burning Girls'; two young religious martyrs who were killed in the reign of Queen Mary I and Jack discovers that the previous vicar committed suicide. Meanwhile Flo makes friends with Lucas Wrigley, a boy who is just as much an outcast as she is, something that is confirmed when they are bullied by two other teenagers from the village. When a horrifying discovery is made, Jack and Flo realise that a sleepy village is not necessarily safe.

Wow! It started off a little slow but once it got going it was a twisty dark tale. Jack is a realistic main character and you get to hear from both her and Flo about their lives in Chapel Croft. Everyone is keeping secrets and there are some shocking revelations as the book unfolds. I worked out the main twist, but there were a couple of others that took me by surprise. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes dark mystery thrillers with a dash of paranormal activity.

CW: mention of suicide, child abuse, bullying, sexual abuse, mention of paedophilia.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review. 
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