The taking of Annie Thorne - CJ Tudor

For this weeks attempt to keep up this new reading hobby of mine, I went to buy 'The Taking Of Annie Thorne' by CJ Tudor - my second introduction to her work after gliding through the 'The Chalk Man'. Straight away I noticed similarities. Both protagonists are 40 year old teachers whose secrets often make it hard to see them as the heroes of these creepy tales. It's not long before the similarities wavered and I was left sucked into yet another dark tale. The new novel follows Joe, a gambling addict English teacher whose personal life is in shatters. He has a severe limp from a beating that his gambling debts supplied - as he hops back to his hometown, uncovering the true mystery of his haunted past. The story is set in the very unwelcoming Arnhill, an old mining town very set in its ways. Joe's return causes panic to some familiar faces - fearing the coal covered past they wish to stay buried. Piece by piece we start to learn the story of how Joe’s younger sister Annie went missing for 48 hours, before returning forever changed. Perhaps broken by what she had seen. Perhaps something else entirely. Joe’s sudden return Arnhill is due to an unknown email - as a similar case haunts the town once more. A teacher killing herself and her only son just weeks after a similar disappearance. Writing "NOT MY SON" in bold bloody letters on young Benjamin’s bedroom wall.

With a few lies here and there Joe lands a Job at this old school The Arnhill Academy - as unwelcoming figures of the past set to find any means to make him leave. He's not here for long. Joes only motive is uncovering the truth - as well as escaping the clutches of professional killer Gloria. Stephen Hurst - the main cause to Joe’s unwelcoming party to Arnhill, as he arranges brutal attacks on Joe and his new living quarters. He only happens to be in the same creepy cottage that the recent murder took place. With every new day Joe’s schemes come to fruition as he uncovers more of the towns dirty secrets. Mysteries directly connected to the old mines and the disappearance of his sister. It might have been alright - one if she hadn't of come back a shell of a human being and two, if both Annie and their Dad hadn't died in a car accident some weeks later. Well at least it looked like a car accident. The trips and turns of this new thriller explores the lies and deceit of an old mining town whilst touching on the supernatural. CJ Tudor builds from strength to strength culminating in major cliff hangers and huge plot twists. The only downside is I have to wait till next year till her next novel. Damn.