The Gathering - by C J Tudor

About the Book

"A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town ... Deadhart, Alaska. Population: 673. Living. In a small Alaskan town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven't seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who's responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods. Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing--and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn't so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than anyone. As the pair delve into the town's history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle one another for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster ... or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?"--

Book Synopsis

"Vampires are back, and C.J. Tudor's The Gathering comes to join the fun . . . The story's fast pace and numerous twists keep you hooked, and Tudor's witty dialogue beautifully punctuates the narrative's constant action."--The New York Times Book Review

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven't seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who's responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing--and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn't so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town's history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

Review Quotes

"C. J. Tudor is getting better and bolder with every novel, and the bar was pretty high to start with. The Gathering is an incredibly exciting novel, tightly plotted and brilliant tense, with an atmosphere you could eat with a spoon."--Stuart Turton

"C. J. Tudor is a genius. The Gathering kept me on the edge of my seat to the very last page. . . . A tour de force!"--Ava Glass

"My first vampire book but it definitely won't be my last! Really enjoyed The Gathering, a chilling and claustrophobic story set in the snowy wilderness of Alaska."--B. A. Paris

"Vampires, or 'vampyrs, ' roam the earth--and provoke heated political debate--in this wildly imaginative supernatural thriller from Tudor . . . This frostbitten procedural is a bloody good time."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

About the Author

C. J. Tudor is the author of The Drift, A Sliver of Darkness, The Burning Girls, The Other People, The Hiding Place, and The Chalk Man, which won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut Novel. Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice-over artist, 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. She lives in England with her partner and daughter.