I recently finished reading ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ a chilling thriller by C J Tudor, which was recommended by Linda Hill, book reviewer extraordinaire. Visit Linda’s blog for fabulous book reviews, author interviews and lots of other bookish posts!
BLURB
One night, Annie went missing.
Disappeared from her own bed. There were searches, appeals. Everyone thought the worst.
And then, after 48 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.
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My Review
The Taking of Annie Thorne is a brilliant thriller and a compelling read. I started it on Friday evening and finished it on Saturday after lunch.
It’s difficult to write a review without giving anything away. There are plenty of twists and turns, and a few red herrings, too! Most characters are not who they seem to be.
The beginning is intriguing as the story unfolds. The events are mostly told from Joe Thorne’s first person point of view, in the present tense, with some flashbacks to his childhood and his sister’s disappearance.
Joe is a flawed, but likeable character. I’m not sure why, because he’s done some unlikable things! I appreciate his fierce honesty as he grapples with his psychological issues and moral dilemmas. He knows he’s the main actor in a tragedy, yet in spite of the hopelessness of his situation, he’s struggling to make amends, help others and be a better person. He’s also a genuinely good teacher, concerned with his students’ wellbeing.
Joe does a lot of lying, however, he’s honest with himself and consequently the reader. Unfortunately, Joe doesn’t know all the truth himself, so he occasionally misleads us, especially at the beginning.
Joe and the reader will gradually discover what happened to his sister, who wrote the anonymous email asking him to return, and who is responsible for what has happened to other children in Arnhill.
The atmosphere is chilling and sinister, with some scary scenes, which aren’t too gory, except for the creepy beetles, which I can’t stand.
The last third, where the whole plot is resolved, is fast paced, surprising and satisfactory. Although there are some supernatural elements in the story, the storyline and ending are believably wrapped up.
I’d recommend this novel especially for readers who enjoy engaging and bloodcurdling thrillers.
By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Armitage’s reading on Audible.
Amazon Author Page with book links
Rereading Jane Eyre 
I loved this book. Thanks so much for the mention Lucy. Needed cheering up today and the fact you enjoyed a book I’d recommended was just the ticket!
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Glad I cheered you up! I also enjoyed Our Life in a Day, which you also recommended on your blog, in spite of the sad topic and poignant ending.
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Hurrah! Glad you liked it too.
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I am intrigued by your book review…would you recommend it for a book club? Worthy of group discussion, or simply a good read? Adding it to my GoodReads list right now!
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There are some interesting topics for debate such as addictions (gambling), life after death and how far a person would go to avoid death (supernatural aspects), friendship, parenting, school bullying. I would enjoy discussing these topics with other readers, but it depends on your interests. It’s set in the UK. Hope that helps you decide. It’s certainly a fabulous read!
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Thanks for this extra info.
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I also enjoyed and I enjoyed the first novel by the author, although if you are a reader of Stephen King the story feels familiar.
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Yes, it has a SK feel to it. Children involved in a crime, as adults, and the supernatural aspects. I’m not usually too keen on his type of novel, but I thought this one was well woven.
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Hi Luccia – I’ll be looking for this one! I am always in the mood for a thriller!
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This is an interesting mix. Not purely thriller or even psychological thriller (with the supernatural aspects). Sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Luccia.
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Yes, it’s an interrsting mix of thriller genres. Some have compared it to Stephen King’s novels. I didn’t use the term psychological thriller, but there are some of these aspects, too. Thanks for dropping by and commenting!
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Write a review….good idea~
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I enjoyed you post. Do you have a review policy? I looked on you site but didn’t find one.
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You can write to me at luccia.gray@gmail.com and tell me about your novel.
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