The acclaimed New York Times and USA TODAY's bestselling novel of small-town evil that "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.
Author: Richard Chizmar
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 08/17/2021
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781982175160
Review Citation(s): Library Journal 06/18/2021 pg. 1
Booklist 07/01/2021 pg. 37
Publishers Weekly 09/27/2021
About the Author
Richard Chizmar is the coauthor (with Stephen King) of the New York Times bestselling novella, Gwendy's Button Box. Recent books include 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 written 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's 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, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.
