Chasing the Boogeyman: A Novel
The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Gwendy’s Button Box brings his signature “thrilling, page-turning” (Michael Koryta, author of How It Happened) prose to this story of small-town evil that combines the storytelling of Stephen King with the true-crime suspense of Michelle McNamara.
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. In the midst of preparing for his wedding and embarking on a writing career, he soon finds himself thrust into the 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 “brilliant…absolutely fascinating, totally compelling, and immediately poignant” (C.J. Tudor, New York Times bestselling author) writing is on full display in this truly unique novel that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.
In the realm of suspenseful thrillers, Richard Chizmar's "Chasing the Boogeyman" emerges as a haunting and gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This novel takes us on a journey through the darkest corners of human nature, exploring the depths of fear and the relentless pursuit of a sinister figure known only as the Boogeyman.
The story revolves around a group of childhood friends who are bound together by a terrifying experience they shared as kids. Decades later, their lives are once again intertwined when the Boogeyman, a malevolent entity that feeds on fear, resurfaces to wreak havoc and destruction. As the friends confront their past and the horrors that have haunted them for years, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish game of survival.
With each passing moment, the Boogeyman's presence becomes more palpable, leaving a trail of cryptic clues and disturbing encounters in its wake. As the friends delve deeper into the mystery surrounding the Boogeyman, they uncover a web of secrets and long-buried truths that challenge their beliefs and push them to their limits.
Richard Chizmar masterfully weaves a tapestry of suspense and dread, crafting a terrifying narrative that explores the fragility of human resilience. "Chasing the Boogeyman" is a chilling reminder that the monsters that haunt us are not always found in the shadows; sometimes, they lurk within the recesses of our own minds.
Rating:
