Tudor includes a b srief, though succinct, introduction in the beginning of each story, contemplating on what inspired her and offering valuable insights to the reader who is in a better position to assess what's coming next. Gloria is probably my least favourite as it’s a bit gross, definitely strange and different with a surprising end.

The book itself feels like velvet and is a delight to handle, while the tales inside are like meeting up with familiar, if slightly demented, old friends - Only in the most disturbing, nightmarish landscapes! There is also a bit of humor in some of these stories (I'm Not Ted being a personal favorite) and I loved the 'expect the unexpected' twists at the end of each story. In Dust we are welcomed to the Villa de las Almas Perdidas in Gran Canaria where the Calima wind blows through every crevice. This book is a collection of short stories that the author wrote during her life, but that might’ve not seen the daylight if not for this anthology. The Block will resonate with anyone who has lived with the sight of a towering grey urban monstrosity in their local town and wondered what’s gone on behind the decaying frontage and boarded-up windows.Tudor manages to pack so much into such a short piece of writing that really makes the reader feel uncomfortable and freaked out. Imagine the scene – A man with the most soulful, baritone singing voice, a stunning dancer who loves him beyond measure. Overall, if you like short stories with elements of horror which may give you the shivers then this collection should tick that box. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’ve never sampled one of CJ Tudor’s books before but I've heard a lot of good things about them, not least from Stephen King himself who is an admirer.

If you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of short stories and I only enjoy “ subtle horror”, but I am a fan of C. She firmly believes that there are no finer meals than takeaway pizza and champagne, or chips with curry sauce after a night out. The Lion at the Gate in which a strange piece of graffiti leads to a terrifying encounter for four school friends .

Runaway Blues – This was a story that Tudor dedicated to Stephen King, and it was very kingesque, especially in his Bachman era. Considering all the world has been through over the past 3-years, I don't think it is surprising that this is the type of creativity Tudor felt like expressing.

Each story has quite a bit of intrigue, scares, and immersion that I think just about everyone can enjoy.

A reunion of old friends at a country house seems to offer sanctuary, but no one expects the darkness to hide in plain sight. A Sliver of Darkness contains 10 different horror short stories with all sorts of evil lurking in the corners.

Although I wasn’t scared by each story, they were certainly creepy and I found myself completely hooked by every single one. The concept was interesting and it would make for a great full length novel where the characters could be more developed and the plot furthered. A pretty impressive first anthology from CJ Tudor, eleven stories (not sure why the blurb for the above cover says ten 🤔), and in my opinion, no duds, I was sorry when it ended! A Sliver of Darkness packs in oodles of moral ambiguity and in many cases I was left wanting more, even through the stories didn’t need fleshing out any further to make their point.Her second novel, The Taking of Annie Thorne, was also a Sunday Times bestseller as was her third novel, The Other People. A little introduction talking about the inspiration for each tale was a nice touch, and my library copy had a gorgeous cover too (not the one above).