C.J. Tudor | THE HIDING PLACE

Plot (via Goodreads):

Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang--the betrayal, the suicide, the murder--and after what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn't have a choice. Because judging by what was done to that poor Morton kid, what happened all those years ago to Joe's sister is happening again. And only Joe knows who is really at fault.

Lying his way into a teaching job at his former high school is the easy part. Facing off with former friends who are none too happy to have him back in town--while avoiding the enemies he's made in the years since--is tougher. But the hardest part of all will be returning to that abandoned mine where it all went wrong and his life changed forever, and finally confronting the shocking, horrifying truth about Arnhill, his sister, and himself. Because for Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn't the day his sister went missing. It was the day she came back

Review: 

When I first read the synopsis to The Hiding Place, I was a little intimidated. Being that The Chalk Man freaked me out so badly last year, I couldn't help but wonder if this one would be as creepy. Well, my fears were respectively accurate because this one is even creepier than The Chalk Man and easily got even further under my skin. 

I am saying this right now, with years to come people are going to be talking about C.J. Tudor the way that people did about Stephen King. Never have I read such vividly terrifying writing that flirts with the supernatural and exceeds my expectation of fear like I have reading a novel by Tudor. Every single aspect of this novel is more original and unique than anything else. The characters aren't cook cutter, they are real and they are flawed, and they are so much fun to read. The plot was brilliantly paced and sprinkled with elements of fear and anxiety. The setting was like Pet Cemetery combined with IT and I absolutely loved the small details that went into this novel to make it the electrifying gem that it is. 

As I approached the ending to this story, I found myself kind of reminiscing about some hints that were dropped or inklings of things that just hadn't sat well with me and did find one aspect a little confusing. Well, even though I was still trying to get a full grasp as to what was really going on with this one, C.J. Tudor was just relentless with the eeriness of this novel and then walloped me with one hell of a reveal and by the end I was in complete shock. As much as I enjoyed my time in Arthill, I think I may be too afraid to go back. Book three, though - I am ready for you.

Special thanks to Crown Publishing for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5