Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book. Post contains affiliate links; I may earn commission if you make a purchase. Opinions shared are mine.

If you liked The Chalk Man and you’ve been musing, “Should I?” about The Hiding Place, the short answer is YES.  You should.

After spending every spare moment reading this book, I have to say that C. J. Tudor is now an auto-buy author for me.   Her second book has been on my wishlist ever since its UK title (The Taking of Annie Thorne) was whispered on Twitter.

Dark and creepy, The Hiding Place had just enough spookiness to weird me out, yet enough lighthearted wittiness to make me smile sometimes.  Joe Thorne was an excellent protagonist.  I did wonder, more than once, if Tudor spent time in an actual public school while writing this book because so many environment descriptors were spot on.  There’s a definite sense of hierarchy which most schools would like to deny, but it totally exists.

I tend to avoid Stephen King books because of the excessive profanity.  Tudor uses a similar supernatural element without making it completely R-rated, and I appreciate that.

The Hiding Place is a book I’d pass on to friends (if I had a hard copy) and recommend for those who enjoy a suspenseful, mysterious read.