Chasing the Boogeyman

De: Richard Chizmar

Narrado por: Chris Andrew Ciulla

The acclaimed New York Times and USA Today best-selling 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 best-selling author of You) is on full display in this truly unique novel that will haunt you long after you listen to the final minute.

©2021 Richard Chizmar (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Unexpected

This book is definitely not what I expected; I was expecting a more faced paced story, and this is definitely not that. There was enough stuff to keep my interest once they started getting into the actual crimes, but the beginning was a slog,
I know it’s necessary to ground the story, but I don’t care about what his life was like as a kid, the pranks he used to do. Way too many irrelevant details, in my opinion. Also, this narrator is not my favorite, I feel bad but I wish someone else would’ve narrated this book. All this being said, I’ve enjoyed Chizmar’s short story collections, so I hope I like his next book better.

Lived on Hanson Road also.

So many good memories. I could see in my mind all the places, and things he did. We lived on the corner of Hanson Road and Cherry Rd. Great story!!

Absolutely awesome ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I saw an advertisement for this book somewhere other than Audible and thought it sounded good. It was so much better than good. This is one of those books that will stick with me for a very long time. The narration was amazing, and is one of the main reasons I enjoyed this book so much. I cannot more highly recommend this listen.

Fantastic

Amazing story. It was like I was there first hand. Excellent job at bringing the characters and town to life

Great read!

I am falling in love with Richard Chizmar’s storytelling. Reminds me of my favorite author Stephen King. Fantastic read.

Thoughts

in the beginning, I was bored to tears. I think the initial chapter about the town could've easily been condensed but it's clear it holds a dear place in the authors heart, which I can understand. He certainly liked to point out farts, burps and boogers in the story, which was... interesting. The last quarter of the book was enough to change my rating from a 2 to a 3. I guess the style of the book just wasn't for me but the ending was good.

Had me Hooked!!

This book had me hooked from start to finish. I couldn't put the book down when I sat and began reading it. I would definitely recommend this book, and would re-read it again.

Anticlimactic

The author is clearly a competent writer and I appreciate his work in creating Cemetery Dance, but I feel like he began writing this novel without a core idea or plot beyond the idea that there is a killer in a small town. There is no “and then X happens.” The main character is not involved in catching the killer in any way. I’m not exaggerating that point, he’s just interested in the case. For some reason he’s MAYBE getting anonymous calls from the killer but then there is no further connection or interaction. But even those stop. Why would the killer even bother singling him out? It doesn’t make sense. I kept thinking the “Boogeyman” would end up being the main character in some sort of crazy twist. Surprise, he isn’t. The discovery of the killer is anticlimactic. 30 years later it’s just some guy. It’s no one the main character suspected or had any interaction with. What?! Doesn’t the main character have to be “involved” in the plot beyond just observing from 30,000 feet? The novel is a thinly veiled description of the author’s charmed life, with a fictional series of killings thrown in, but other than that there isn’t much here. Literally nothing bad happens to him in relation to the plot. Or even outside of the plot. Perfect family, no financial issues in somehow launching a magazine immediately after college with no money, stable girlfriend who he ends up marrying immediately after college. Who paid for that wedding by the way? Must be nice. None of his friends or family are killed. He’s never suspected of the murders other than for the briefest moment. It’s madness!

The Boogyman,was a good read. It was never scary.

I like where the story took place. I live in Edgewood. But I didn’t like the part told about himself during the story. It should have been after the story at the very end.

Definitely gave me the creeps!

This book could not have been told in any other way then it was, the author did an amazing job giving you the how and why and everything in between. You feel chills and your heart races to the end.