Post written by contributor Caitlin Deeley
In this debut short story collection, we have eleven twisted tales ranging from a cruise ship at the end of the world to a story of love gone wrong. C.J. Tudor takes us on a journey into her dark world – a journey that readers will very much enjoy!
All the stories have their own little introduction by the author, which added that extra depth to them and it was interesting to see the inspiration and ideas that sparked these tales. Now, let’s talk more about each of the stories…
- End of the Liner
The first story follows an old woman on a cruise ship that is anything but a fun holiday and made for an excellent start to the collection. The story was unsettling and had an air of mystery around it, however it was a little predictable. 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.
- The Block
This was one of my favourites and it follows a group of teenagers as they break into an abandoned tower block near where they live. Unfortunately for them, the residents are not welcoming and not exactly human either. The main reason I loved this story was because of how creepy it was. Tudor manages to pack so much into such a short piece of writing that really makes the reader feel uncomfortable and freaked out. Since it was very weird, it worked extremely well as a short story rather than a novel.
- Runaway Blues
In this story, we are told about ‘the Fat Man’, a remarkable singer with some serious flaws. It’s a tale of love, revenge, and the lengths that people will go to. This one was not one of my favourites and although the plot was interesting, it was nothing new or special. The twist was predictable, but it was well written and thought out.
- The Completion
This story features a real estate agent, a creepy mansion, and an apocalypse and whilst all these things sound interesting, it unfortunately didn’t come together as well as it could have.
- The Lion at the Gate
The Lion at the Gate follows a group of boys who discover a graffiti lion that doesn’t stay as a painting for long. The plot was pretty straightforward, but it was strange and unnerving at times. My favourite part was actually the ending as it was a bit of a twist and a cliffhanger rolled into one.
- Gloria
In Gloria we are reunited with a couple of characters we previously met in Tudor’s other books, The Taking of Annie Thorne and The Other People. You don’t need to know them too much, but in this story Gloria, a cold-hearted hitwoman, meets a strange girl with unusual powers at a service station. This really felt like it was setting up a future book and I honestly hope it is!
- I’m Not Ted
This was a story of mistaken identity and its fatal consequences. It was really short which made it less impactful and a bit boring. The concept was interesting and I did like the way it ended. There was definitely a deeper meaning behind it of greed and honesty which could have been expanded on.
- Final Course
Another of my favourites, Final Course is the story of a group of college friends who come together for a reunion meal, but the world has gone dark and is in the midst of something very bad. This was incredibly creepy and really took the fear of what lurks in the dark to the next level. Being one of the longer stories in this collection, it went into more detail and we actually saw some character development. The ending was fantastic and this would definitely make a good full length book.
- The Copy Shop
This was a pretty simple concept featuring a shop that can ‘fix’ anything and make it better. I did like this because it was fun and the idea behind it was good as it shows the darker side of wanting more and is quite ambiguous, which is something I enjoy in stories.
- Dust
In Dust there’s a creepy hotel, a sandstorm that covers everything, and guests that are not what they seem. It had an interesting concept with themes of guilt and the story had similarities with I’m Not Ted, but as this is longer, it went into more detail making it more enjoyable. There was a good twist at the end too!
- Butterfly Island
This was a fantastic ending to the collection and follows a group of survivors as they try to reach a mysterious island with some unwelcoming inhabitants. I enjoyed this one the most out of all of them as it was the right amount of funny, creepy, and strange. Out of all the stories here, this one would work the best as a novella and hopefully Tudor will consider it in the future.
As someone who has read all of Tudor’s published works, this is a great starting point for those that have not read her books before! It’s also a fantastic collection to read if you love horror or want to dip your toes into the genre.
A Sliver of Darkness is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up A Sliver of Darkness? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The debut short story collection from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man, featuring ten bone-chilling and mind-bending tales
Timeslips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor’s novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination.
In Final Course, the world has descended into darkness, but a group of old friends make time for one last dinner party. In Runaway Blues, thwarted love, revenge, and something very nasty stowed in a hat box converge. In Gloria, a strange girl at a service station endears herself to a cold-hearted killer, but can a leopard really change its spots? And in I’m Not Ted, a case of mistaken identity has unforeseen, fatal consequences.
Riveting and explosively original, A Sliver of Darkness is C. J. Tudor at her most wicked and uninhibited.
wonderful review i absolutely loved it !! Clearly a well read reviewer indeed