The Hiding Place by C.J. Tudor - Starting June 5th 2023

[Maddie]

From the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man comes an unputdownable psychological thriller about a man who returns home to settle old scores—and uncovers a secret darker than he could have imagined.

Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang—the betrayal, the suicide—and 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, not after a chilling email surfaces in his inbox: I know what happened to your sister. It’s happening again . . .

Lying his way into a teaching job at his former high school is the easy part. Facing off with onetime friends who aren’t 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 the abandoned mine where his life changed forever, and finally confronting the 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.

[Sibil]

chapters 1-8
(view spoiler)[I bought this one blindly because I loved the first book I read by this author and I wanted more. I didn't really care for the plot or anything else, and maybe I have to say that there are a couple of things that I could do without, mainly linked to the school part. I am not so happy about the bullying (I mean, obviously it's a bad thing in general, a really really bad thing, but what I mean is that I am not in the mood to read about it), and the school setting in general is not making me so happy (but this is just a mood thing).
But even so, I am having a great time so far! It is hard to put down, and I need to read more to see what's happening. It is gripping! (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

9-20
(view spoiler)[ The prizes for this book say that it reminds Stephen King, and I was hoping for them to be wrong, or at least for me not seeing this, but... it really sounds almost like a King book.
I am not a King fan, I really do not enjoy his books, sadly, and my main problem is his writing, but Tudor is good. I see the similarities between this book and some of the old King ones, but at the same time, I could not put it down. I am not enjoying it as much as I was hoping, but it is still gripping, and I have still the urge to read page after page after page and not put it down!
And I really need to know what happened to Joe's sister and how things are linked, argh! Too much angst! (hide spoiler)]

[Sibil]

21-31
(view spoiler)[I can't say that I am really enjoying it, but I can't stop reading so... it's not so bad, right? But it is astounding like in such a small and bleak town there are so many mysteries and people who are not really like they appear. And I was really betting on Beth being the person who sent the e-mail!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Is it good so far?

[Sibil]

Really good! It is not the perfect fit for me but it is gripping and so hard to put down!!

[Maddie]

I'll get to it soon! It seems quick

[Sibil]

It is quick!

finished
(view spoiler)[I didn't see this coming at all! I mean, I was so ready to think that Hurst was the bad guy (because he is not the good guy, sure, but he is not as bad as he could be, and I am sorry for him, a bit) that I didn't think about Marie. Sure, I think she was hiding something since they told that she was throwing her weight around but... not that she was the mastermind behind it all, and not that she was the one who killed Joe's sister! Especially not this part!!
And also... the Fat Man is his best friend? This was just so strange!!!!
I loved these last chapters, but I did not like the Epilogue. I mean, it's the right one for this kind of story but it is also the most original choice ever!
(hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Wow that was speedy! Least I have comments to reply to :)

[Sibil]

I thought it would be a longer read, but it was addictive!

[Maddie]

Good to hear!