#BookReview-‘the Taking Of Annie Thorne’ by C.J Tudor

My grateful thanks to Netgalley and Penguin publishers imprint,Michael Joseph Books, for my copy of ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ by C.J Tudor.

Released as ‘The Hiding Place’ in America, this is C.J’s followup to the wildly successful debut novel, ‘The Chalkman’.

‘The Chalk Man’ was one of my favourite novels of last year so can she hit the mark again with her second novel? Let’s see…

About the book..

Then . . .

One night, Annie went missing. Disappeared from her own bed. There were searches, appeals. Everyone thought the worst. And then, miraculously, after forty-eight hours, she came back. But she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say what had happened to her.

Something happened to my sister. I can’t explain what. I just know that when she came back, she wasn’t the same. She wasn’t my Annie.

I didn’t want to admit, even to myself, that sometimes I was scared to death of my own little sister.

Now. . .

The email arrived in my inbox two months ago. I almost deleted it straight away, but then I clicked OPEN:

I know what happened to your sister. It’s happening again . . .

So many , many visceral reactions to this book! 

It took me a while to read as it was so scary I had to put it down and pick up it quite a lot till I had a stiff drink, a strong word with myself and went for it last night, pants and vest to the very last page!

Dolls, puppets and puppet dolls are terrifying. They are the reason I have yet to finish ‘House of Small Shadows’ by Adam Nevill almost 6 years after I bought it and ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ contains a doll named ‘Abbie Eyes’ that will possibly haunt your dreams if you are anything like me!

Joe Thorne has returned to his old town of Arnhill , ostensibly to lay some ghosts to rest but he is haunted by more than one of the elements of his past.

The sole survivor of a car crash which killed his father and sister, walking with a literal and metaphorical limp, he is going back to his inglorious past to try and right things before what happened to his sister can happen to another child. And before his present catches up with him in the form of a terrifyingly believable debt collector.

Opening with a shockingly brutal death, this story builds and builds to the crescendo of a finale but just when you think everything is resolved and you can breathe again,WHAM! you are knocked for six!

The cottage Joe finds to rent became available because the previous owner committed suicide,this also opened up a job vacancy at his old high school. Immediately recognisable to anyone who has lived, or is living, in a small town, C.J Tudor creates a dense atmosphere of unforgotten deeds, legends and myths that only small towns can generate and a creeping air of suspense. Places like Arnhill are always poised on the precipice of the latest disaster and this is what makes ‘..Annie Thorne’ so relatable.

A mining town whose collapse meant 4 lost and never recovered bodies, a child who went missing and returned days later not quite herself, teen suicides and the creepiest plot I have read in a long time entangle you in a narrative that stops you breathing until you realise you need to gasp for air.

Old sins cast long shadows and in the case of Arnhill there is something very rotten underground.

To say more is to risk giving away spoilers-an absolute no no to this bookblogger’s mind!-all I will conclude with is ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ could be said to combine the best elements of ,James Herbert, M.R James, ‘‘Pet Sematary’‘ and the creepiest doll ever.

Shudders!

About the author….

C. J. Tudor lives in Nottingham, England with her partner and three-year-old daughter.

Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voiceover and dog-walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much.

The Taking Of Annie Thorne is out in Hardback and EBook formats from 21/02/19 from all good bookshops

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