Audiobook Review: The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Random House Audio (April 9, 2024)

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrator: Lorelei King

C.J. Tudor and vampires? Surprising, but perhaps not unexpected. I’ve read and enjoyed all the author’s books to varying degrees, and it just seemed like a natural progression for her to take a familiar monster and reinvent it with a special twist.

The Gathering unfolds in Deadhart, a small Alaskan town where the discovery of a murdered teenager’s body drained of blood reignites the townspeople’s fear. Residents are already on edge with the establishment of a nearby Colony, a protected community of vampyrs settled into the old mine settlement, and they suspect that one of their members is the culprit. But led by the child vampyr Athelinda, who is in actuality hundreds of years old, the Colony vehemently denies any involvement.

Enter Detective Barbara Atkins, a vampyr specialist assigned to investigate the brutal killing. However, her arrival is met with a mix of apprehension and hostility. Some of the townsfolk believe her to be the answer to their problems, while others mistrust her intentions and fear that she may be vampyr sympathizer in cahoots with the creatures themselves. Unfazed, Barbara is determined to uncover the truth, partnering up with Jenson Tucker, Deadhart’s former sheriff who handled a similar murder decades ago. As the two of them delve deeper into the mystery, the case takes an ominous turn as bitter histories and hidden agendas are revealed.

Of all of Tudor’s novels, The Gathering reads the most like a police procedural whodunit, though the story also stretches beyond the boundaries of the genre. It begins with the characters themselves. Barbara is a refreshing protagonist, a lady detective who describes herself as middle-aged and overweight. Despite a childhood growing up in an abusive home and her own traumatic memories involving a vampyr in a Colony town, she’s come to Deadhart with an objective mind and commitment to truth over emotion, a clear head over mob mentality. Her team-up with Tucker adds another layer of intrigue, as the stoic ex-lawman is also haunted by his own demons.

As well, I love, love, LOVE settings like Deadhart, Alaska. This old mining town isn’t just a backdrop, it’s part of the whole novel’s vibe itself. The isolation and perpetual darkness turn the beauty of this snowy wilderness into a chilling prison for the town’s residents, pinned down by geography and weather, resulting in a chilling atmosphere that perfectly complements the story’s suspense. As desperation mounts, the tension builds like the pressure in a boiling kettle, and in this turmoil, Tudor throws a whole new rulebook at vampiric lore. In this world, Colony vampyrs are integrated, albeit uncomfortably, into human society. Despite being protected by law, they face prejudice and suspicion, a reflection of some of the issues faced by the real world, and are still vulnerable to “culls”, a sanctioned massacre of a Colony if a licensed authority like Barbara determines one to be a threat.

From start to finish, The Gathering also kept me engaged with its fast-paced plot made up of layers of secrets just waiting to be peeled back. Barbara and Tucker’s investigation takes unexpected turns, forcing her to confront not only the animosity of the town’s residents, who all seem to have something to hide, but the shady motives of Athelinda and her Colony vampyrs as well. I also have a thing for detective plotlines, and the numerous false leads and unexpected twists in this complex tale made it even more exciting to read.

All in all, C.J. Tudor once more weaves a web of horror and mystery in The Gathering, but I think it’s the police procedural aspect that I enjoyed the most and why I think it may be my favorite of her books yet. It was also a treat to listen to the audiobook, read by one of my favorite narrators. Lorelei King, who I love from her work on the Mercy Thompson series, is next-level amazing, and I believe a reader of her caliber needs no further comment.