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Richard Chizmar

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Chasing the Boogeyman: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Richard Chizmar (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 6,455 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Boogeyman

Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

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The acclaimed New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novel of small-town evil that “is genuinely chilling and something brand-new and exciting” (Stephen King) and “unforgettable” (Harlan Coben).

In the summer of 1988, the mutilated bodies of several missing girls begin to turn up in a small Maryland town. The grisly evidence leads police to the terrifying assumption that a serial killer is on the loose in the quiet suburb. But soon a rumor begins to spread that the evil stalking local teens is not entirely human. Law enforcement, as well as members of the FBI, are certain that the killer is a living, breathing madman—and he’s playing games with them. For a once peaceful community trapped in the depths of paranoia and suspicion, it feels like a nightmare that will never end.

Recent college graduate Richard Chizmar returns to his hometown just as a curfew is enacted and a neighborhood watch is formed. Amid preparing for his wedding and embarking on a writing career, he soon finds himself thrust into a real-life horror story. Inspired by the terrifying events, Richard writes a personal account of the serial killer’s reign of terror, unaware that these events will continue to haunt him for years to come.

A clever, terrifying, and heartrending work of metafiction, Chasing the Boogeyman is the ultimate marriage between horror fiction and true crime. Chizmar’s “dazzling work of fresh imagination and psychological insight” (Caroline Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of You) is on full display in this truly unique novel that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Chasing the Boogeyman is genuinely chilling and something brand new and exciting. Compulsive reading and scary…I thought often of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, but never to the story’s detriment. Ray Bradbury’s influence is all over it, but he never could’ve written that ending. Chasing the Boogeyman does what true crime so often cannot: it offers both chills and a satisfying conclusion.” —Stephen King

“Unforgettable and scary-ass.” —Harlan Coben

“Hammer in hand, Richard Chizmar’s come to shatter the idea that everything’s already been done. An absolutely chilling mash-up of styles, media, biography, and legend. Elastic, unsettling, brilliant. And here you thought you knew the names of every genre.” —Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie

“Brilliant…absolutely fascinating, totally compelling and immensely poignant. I dare you not to finish it in one sitting. This one will stay with me!” —C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of The Burning Girls and The Other People

“Riveting. Chilling. Chasing the Boogeyman is an unflinching look at a real-life monster and the ordinary heroes obsessed with stopping him.” —Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Final Girls and Home Before Dark

“Literature was invented around 3400 B.C. Approximately 5,419 years later, Richard Chizmar has invented an entirely new genre of literature with Chasing the Boogeyman. Compulsive, encompassing storytelling. Do not miss this one!” —Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Rising

“With Chasing the Boogeyman, Richard Chizmar demonstrates the full power of his impressive storytelling reach. A fascinating conceit paired with deeply human writing creates a thriller that conjures writers as disparate as Stephen King and Michelle McNamara. The result is a marvelous mind game of nuanced, layered storytelling.” —Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of Never Far Away

“Richard Chizmar, with Chasing the Boogeyman, presents himself as a print version of Norman Rockwell, if the artist had devoted himself to the creepy things that hide under the bed.” —Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author of Find You First

“If Ray Bradbury had written In Cold Blood it would probably look a lot like Richard Chizmar’s masterful Chasing the Boogeyman, a perfectly written and unnervingly suspenseful thriller about a series of murders that tear apart the fabric of a picturesque Maryland town and the writer who puts everything on the line to solve them. This is a mind-bendingly engaging book. Be prepared for the hairs on the back of your neck to be standing at attention as you devour every rich page.” —David Bell, bestselling author of The Request

“Chasing the Boogeyman pulled me down deep then buried me alive. Combining gritty true crime with the darkly imagined, Chizmar offers something unique—and uniquely frightening.” —Andrew Pyper, bestselling author of The Residence

“Absolutely riveting… Richard Chizmar’s keen ability to tell the small-town-tale, investigative insight, and captivating eye for detail, come together in this perfect storm of true crime horror.” —J.D. Barker, international bestselling author of She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be

“Richard Chizmar spins dark magic with Chasing the Boogeyman. A true crime masterpiece with Chizmar himself as a key player in the grisly mystery. Highly recommended, but not for the faint of heart.” —Jonathan Mayberry, New York Times bestselling author of V-Wars and Patient Zero

“Chasing the Boogeyman perfectly captures the feeling of growing up in a small town facing an existential threat from real evil. Chizmar’s Edgewood is post-Bradbury-esque, not as idyllic as that author’s Green Town...it’s grittier and more grounded in a reality contemporary readers will recognize and respond to. Richard Chizmar has invented a new literary genre—brilliant!” —Bev Vincent, co-editor with Stephen King of Flight or Fright

“Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman has been written upon missing person flyers and published on telephone poles. HAVE YOU READ THIS STORY? For your own safety, you should… The Boogeyman will soon enter the pantheon of suburban legends that fill our backyards like summer fireflies, his name whispered into ears all over. Pray you keep yours.” —Clay McLeod Chapman, bestselling author of The Remaking

“Chasing the Boogeyman is a dazzling work of fresh imagination and psychological insight...a rare read that brings that beyond words feeling of having slipped away into another world. The story has the most riveting unique pulse as if there is a real heart beating in there. I am in awe!” —Caroline Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of You

“Wonderful…a knotty mystery with an elegant resolution at its heart....It feels so original, dizzy-making in its expert layering of fact and fiction....A hymn to both innocence and to growing up.” —Catriona Ward, bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street

“A devastating, moving, and devilishly ingenious tale of murder lore, and an entire town’s loss of innocence….Brilliant and haunting.” —Eric Rickstad, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Girls

“Perfect for fans of true crime, meticulously orchestrated, and clever beyond measure, Chasing the Boogeyman will leave you guessing long after you've read the last page.” —Alma Katsu, acclaimed author of The Hunger and Red Widow

"We're all chasing the boogeyman, aren't we? The boogeyman's the past, the truth, our fragile memories that knit the two together. What Richard Chizmar's done for us in Chasing the Boogeyman is give that narrative a taut dramatic line he balances on, never quite tipping one way or the other, just stepping sure-footed all the way to the end—showing us that this is a walk we can all take, if we have the nerve." —Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians

“Chizmar takes creepy to a whole new level….A solid true crime facsimile, mixing background detail with action, suspense, and a compelling pace. As metafiction, the book excels: the proximity to reality adds an unshakable level of unease, and it is injected with just the right amount of self-reflection to forge an ironically honest, emotional connection with the reader. The result is strikingly original, a story that will thrill fans of intimately investigated nonfiction like Michelle McNamara's I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and self-aware, psychological suspense like Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister, the Serial Killer.” —Booklist

"This brilliant work of metafiction crafts a not-so-true crime story that feels ripe for a Netflix series….Chizmar’s novel isn’t just a clever riff on genre; it’s a meditation on the dangers and darkness of home, on what happens when the place where we grew up finally grows up itself—or at least when it discovers the violence it’s capable of….A meticulously remembered, beautifully crafted hometown nightmare that reminds readers that nostalgia cuts both ways; sure, it can keep our past alive, but it can also be the shadow man standing at the foot of your bed….For true crime and horror fans, this one’s essential.” —Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

Richard Chizmar is the coauthor (with Stephen King) of the New York Times bestselling novella Gwendy’s Button Box and Gwendy’s Final Task, and the solo novella Gwendy’s Magic Feather. Recent books include the New York Times bestsellers Becoming the Boogeyman and Chasing the Boogeyman, The Girl on the Porch, The Long Way Home, his fourth short story collection, and Widow’s Point, a chilling tale about a haunted lighthouse cowritten with his son Billy Chizmar, which was recently made into a feature film. His short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustees award. Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, speaker, panelist, and guest of honor. Follow him on Twitter @RichardChizmar, or visit his website at RichardChizmar.com.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08LDY63RX
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gallery Books (August 17, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 17, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 43610 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #83,227 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #578 in Small Town & Rural Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #1,437 in Supernatural Thrillers (Books)
- #1,589 in Serial Killer Thrillers

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4.4 6,455 ratings

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Richard Chizmar

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Richard Chizmar is the author of Gwendy's Button Box (with Stephen King) and A Long December, which was nominated for numerous awards. His fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and multiple editions of The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA's Board of Trustee's award. His third short story collection, A Long December, was recently published to starred reviews in both Kirkus and Booklist, and was featured in Entertainment Weekly. Chizmar’s work has been translated into many languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor. Please visit the author’s website at RichardChizmar.com.

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Desnie Czipka

Based on a true story. Very interesting

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024

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It's a good read. The information about the disappearance of the girls is very interesting and I like the fact that the writer is sharing their personal experiences during that time.

One person found this helpful

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Tina

Horror, Crimes and a Small Town

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2022

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I rated Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar 4 out of 5 stars.

The reader is introduced to recent graduate and author, Richard Chizmar, and his hometown of Edgewood as they reel with the terrifying events plaguing their community. Several young girls have gone missing, abducted right from their homes and neighborhoods, and found mutilated. The town is thrown into the grasp of a serial killer who taunts the police, Richard and his family. As a community grapples with the horrific events unfolding and are left with no answers from the police, Richard makes it his mission to collect as much of a personal account as possible of the events unfolding. The investigation soon consumes Richard, so much so, he is considered a suspect himself.

As Richard, and his close journalist friend, dig deeper into the crimes leaving his small town in a state of paranoia, he soon realizes the killer may be closer than anyone could’ve ever imagined. A realization that will haunt Richard many years later.

I cannot say enough about how thrilling, well-written and clever this book is. Richard Chizmar’s imagination and combination of horror fiction and true crime provided unique writing that it was refreshing to read. Chasing the Boogeyman leads the reader on the journey of a serial killer and the crimes being committed from start to finish, detailing all the trials and tribulations the families, communities, friends, and law enforcement officials are forced to grapple with. Chizmar perfectly captures the victims and their families as well as the mind of the serial killer. It is done so in a way unlike most other novels within the genre. Not only is the read unique from start to finish but Chizmar sets the reader up for the perfect twist at the end, one that was unpredictable, terrifying and, sadly, relatable today. I applaud Chizmar for his approach in this novel and how well thought out each chapter was, focusing on varying aspects of the crimes, from an emotional standpoint and scientific one. This coupled with Chizmar’s unique psychological insight, made the novel feel as though you were part of the investigation every step of the way with Chizmar and the detectives.

As an aside, there are some heavy topics dealt with in this book, not in super detail to make it gory, but enough which may be off putting to some readers. Be mindful of this before deciding to join Chizmar on the hunt for a serial killer.

I would highly recommend this book to lovers of horror, true crime, and thrillers! I will also advise you know to set aside a few hours because you’re going to have a very difficult time putting the book down

8 people found this helpful

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Katherine Y

A must-read mashup of true crime and crime fiction genres about a serial killer

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2022

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The atmosphere and detail in this novel seemed so real I was convinced I was reading about a series of actual murders. I had to go back to the cover to assure myself that the events described didn’t occur. The realism is due to the author, Richard Chizmar, blending his recollection of growing up in a small town with crime fiction about the murders of four teenage girls.
Richard is the main character, and readers experience the unfolding of events through his point of view. In the story, he has just moved back to his hometown to live with his parents shortly after graduating college. He plans to marry his steady girlfriend in the coming January, who is finishing her degree and still attending school. Richard is spending time with his parents doing chores and advancing his writing career by launching a magazine dedicated to horror stories. It is the summer of 1988, and Richard has no idea he will be directly involved in his own horror story in the next several months. Four innocent girls’ lives will be taken.
Richard’s parents are friends with several of the victim’s parents. Because Richard has just moved home and because of the proximity of his house to the murder victims, he becomes a person of interest interviewed by the police. He makes contact with a no-nonsense police detective with whom he forms an unlikely buddy relationship. His uneasy relationship with the principal investigator and his burning curiosity leads him to do some covert surveillance which lands him in hot water. With the assistance of a young female journalist eager to catch a big story, he tracks the clues.
There are plenty of false leads and red herrings. The killer molests his victims, cuts one of their ears off, and poses them. One intended victim got away and described him as wearing a burlap mask with the eyes cut out. Richard and his journalist friend become obsessed with finding the killer. They are convinced that the killer has intimate knowledge of the town and its residents. Richard suspects the monster is someone close, someone, he knows. He starts to get phone calls from the killer.
Because I like to read crime fiction and true crime, this novel gripped me and didn’t let go. Chizmar includes real photographs from his hometown and fabricates victim and crime scene photos using actors. This genre mash-up makes for a thrilling read with the suspense of a Stephen King novel and the gritty blow-by-blow details from authors such as Michelle McNamara and Ann Rule. Chizmar is a compelling writer. This story will appeal to all who are interested in crime stories.

12 people found this helpful

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Michelle Markus

Awesome book

Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2023

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The first in a wonderful series. This story will stick with me for a while. Definitely recommend and get "becoming the boogeyman" so you can continue the story!

One person found this helpful

alex grist

Fact and Fiction

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2024

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Chiz does something here that I've not seen done. Perfectly blend fact with fiction. Creating a narrative that takes very real occurrences and giving us a reason to care about the fiction. The people and who they are, allow us to become absorbed by the story. Simply a brilliant read.

BLUE MUSIC

Best in the last 15 years

Reviewed in India on November 22, 2023

Verified Purchase

This is a book which supercedes all other thrillers, Best in the last 15 years , a great read, i seriously wantbto meet this obnoxious boogeyman, so i can give him a taste of his own medicine 💊

Karine D.

Hitting all the boxes !

Reviewed in the Netherlands on July 28, 2023

Verified Purchase

Wow, Chizmar just hit all the boxes for me.

I really liked to read true crime in my younger years, but as time went on I felt more and more guilty of having a few hours of "entertainment" at the cost of other people's misery, up to the point that I just quit the whole genre. And then my path crossed this book, which is just a perfect true crime read, only without the guilt because it is just a bunch of brainwaves of a fantastic author!

During the first chapters, I was so captivated and so convinced that I started to doubt and I went back to Goodreads to make sure that it was fiction - as the story is based on true events, I just wanted to know what those events were exactly. Where there any real murders in the small town of Edgewood? That's how enthralling the story is, backed up by photos and all.

Chizmar's writing style is fluent and concise, and I am not surprised at all that he teamed up with Stephen King for some joint venture, as their art of capturing the kid or teenage spirit in small towns - whether they are American or elsewhere - is very similar. The character development is superb, and that is a crazy thing to say of a text that reads as true crime, right?

Just ... Bravo !

Lavender

Creepy and atmospheric

Reviewed in Germany on September 15, 2022

Verified Purchase

Richard Chizmar, where have you been in my life?
This is my first book from him and I loved it. I learned that he writes mostly short stories. Unfortunately I am not a fan of short stories. So I have to maintain the hope that he keeps up writing books like this in the future.

Chizmar makes himself the main character in his story. He mixes his own fond memories of his childhood and his home town with the made up story about a serial killer hunting young girls. The story is very detailed and has its lengths. But is also very atmospheric and creepy. I read it one time on my bus ride home after my late shift and for the first time I was frightened to walk along the short walk to my house in the dark on the lonely streets.

The concept of the book is really good and I loved his writing. It just made it easy to fly through the pages. It really felt like a true crime novel with its pictures and interviews intervened with really life facts from the author himself. That made it really a stand-out from your average crime thrillers.

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Chasing the Boogeyman: A Novel Kindle Edition

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