THE BURNING GIRLS

 

SYNOPSIS

500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death
30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace
Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide

Welcome to Chapel Croft.

For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it's supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn't easily forgotten.

And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft's history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.

Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.

Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls?
Who's sending them sinister, threatening messages?
And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?

Chapel Croft's secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn't touch them if not for Flo - anything to protect Flo.

But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft - and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest.

Title: The burning girls

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Michael Joseph

Publication date: January 21, 2021

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn’t exist”

“The Burning Girls” is the third book in my most anticipated reads for 2021 list that gets 5 glowing stars (do I have a great eye picking out books or what?). This book was my only company during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and I was so engrossed in it that not even Santa Claus knocking on my door (no chimney here), would have make me unglue from my Kindle.
First of all, look at that gorgeous red cover. Doesn’t it give you the creeps? Well, that’s only an appetizer for what’s waiting for you in this story. It has all the elements I ask for in a suspense/mystery book:
 
 - An eerie and creepy setting that I could perfectly picture in my head. You would not catch me dead visiting that cottage/chapel/graveyard combo, much less living there!
 - Multilayered characters, whom despite their faults and sometimes silly decisions, you can’t help to root for. I loved Jack’s duality and how, a character that on paper should be all goody-goody, had so many edges, specially when it came to protect her daughter. I also loved the banter and humor in the mother/daughter relationship. 


I’ve read some people saying that it starts off a bit slow but that was not the case for me. The tense atmosphere was palpable from the very first scene and it kept building till near the end, when the fireworks started going off. Twists and turns kept coming and it was so satisfying to find out how all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Some clues were given throughout the story, making some of the reveals not so surprising, but they were equally enjoyable.
 - A complex plot that although initially may seem quite straightforward soon starts revealing different layers. At first I thought the story was gonna lay more heavily into the supernatural elements, but as a bigger suspense than horror fan I was glad that it didn’t, although they added a nice touch to the background story.


Incredible writing and a very engaging plot made it very hard to put “The burning girls” down, and you know best of all? This was my first C.J. Tudor, so that means I still have three more books I can’t wait to delve into.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK and Gaby Young for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review and the chance to take part in the blog tour.