Chasing the Boogeyman

Written by Richard Chizmar

Narrated by Chris Andrew Ciulla

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781797124988

Richard Chizmar

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.

Reviews for Chasing the Boogeyman

[beth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Make sure to go into this knowing it is told like a true crime novel. I enjoyed it, definitely needed to finish it to find out how the case was solved.

[Real Facade · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not scary. Average and overrated. I knew who the killer was by the 2nd victim. Seriously needed a good editor to cut it down.

[Jetson Taylor · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It is nothing like you might imagine, it’s not scary there are 0 heart pounding moments, I had to force my way to to the finish, it is chapter after chapter of mind numbing detail. Sorry but I cannot recommend this book.

[neelu_reading · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Worth every anticipation of knowing whats next. Kept me engaged. Its an eerie feeling when story is in your small home town and suspect can be anyone. Perfect narration.

[Mike Tucker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is awesome, once you start it’s hard to put down.

[Lisa Ridge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed the fictional true-crime concept, as lived and written by the author. Seems like the Boogeyman still has a story to tell. The narrator was good and clear, and almost too...boisterous, but it works for an author telling his own story.

[Anj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Definitely enjoyed the metafiction approach but the narrator so often strayed from the main plot to gloat about their childhood or some other unnecessary information threw me off more than once.

[Norbert Condoros · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Incredibly boring. I gave up at chapter 5. Nothing important had happened. A snoozefest at best.

[Sean Bigard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is fantastic. Very true to life, you'll wonder the entire time you've never seen news coverage of the Boogeyman serial killer.

[Greatzel Unabia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed it. It was somehow soft and subtle, blended with the horror and thrill. Perhaps that was Richard's personality? But it was great.

[Cheyenne Tonkin · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Why? What was the point of this book? I don’t understand.

[RichardKevinWilson · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Slow burn, Snooze fest with no peaks at all of suspense or horror.......

With me not being a fan of Chizmar, i had heard so much buzz about this 'terrifying and suspenseful tale of evil in a small Maryland town'........I thought that I would listen to it here. Though I got thru it, it was nothing original AT ALL. It was more of a rip off of the story of how they caught the Golden State Rapist/killer. Skip it unless you are a fan of Richard Chizmar.

[vecharo · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I should have known better. When they first list Previous books and accolades and then start off the book talking about irrelevant events I should have known that this would be a non read.

[LiZa Sims · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable story, being told through a young person's perspective in reflection is a unique angle and interesting. Fear often feels so different to the young than to the more aged. I will probably read more Chizmar as I go through my list. The narration was a bit mechanical but certainly easy to listen to.

[Mercedes Hightower · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I’m very confused by the tone of this book it’s supposed to be a horror/suspense novel but the narrators tone gives none of those vibes he’s so upbeat and chipper it completely ruins any “eerie/horror” atmosphere. Going to try this again by reading it myself. I made it to the 1st murder and had to stop because the narrator was so so bad, at least for this genre. Will be sure to avoid him in the future.

[Scott Cheney · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow… it’s been quite some time since I have completely enthralled by a story. The honest and genuine narration captures the reader/listener from the opening pages and doesn’t let go until the very end.

Don’t miss out on this book! It deserves your eyes and ears. And… so do the poor girls…

[Brett Britton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sitting on the edge of my seat as I am constantly guessing unsuccessfully as to who the Boogyman was. Great story telling as well as story.

[Diane kravelick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent writing ! Loved this book ! Highly recommend !

[D Wade · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Started out like a Stephen king small town story, and amounted to nothing. So many unanswered questions

[Shawna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just reread this, and it gripped just as much the 2nd read.
This book blew me away. The story starts with the author walking you through the neighborhood he grew up in, and wow, did it take me back to my childhood. A young girl is missing and later found dead. Then again and again, bodies of young girls keep turning up. The way this book is told was the real win for me. It unfolds thru the eyes of the boy who lived in this neighborhood. And how it eventually leads to the capture of the killer. I truly believed it was a true story. I could not put it down.

[Heidi Sheehan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Overall this story was enjoyable. I liked the story and the way it is presented as something that happened while the author was growing up and how he was personally involved. It was like a journey down the rabbit hole if inception where you would find yourself questioning if this was true or not sometimes. That was fun. Even though I listened to this story, because of the way you lose yourself in the story and sometimes forget you are listening to a work of fiction, you can tell this book was well-written.
Now, the main thing about an audiobook is the narrator and well the narrator did a good job reading the story and presenting the story to us readers, I sometimes felt as if the narration was a little lacking. Sometimes when listening to the narrator it felt a little dry and unemotional in tone when there should have been a little emotion put into the narration.
Remember this is just my personal opinion.

[SherrillDaleTaylor · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book does exactly what it is intended to do and that is to make you think that you are listening to a True Crime Novel. I will tell you it had fooled up until I Googled the place and found out that nothing like that ever happened there.
He did a great job of turning fiction into fact, my hats off to you Mr.Chizmar.

[zack · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed and was surprised by this book. A very creative and unique take on the sometimes tired and cliche genre of who done it fiction. Strange set up and delivery was at first jarring but in no time I was enjoying the refreshing take. My only real criticism is that the book is a far cry from action packed, down right dull at times.

[Tayler Lacey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the book itself. I personally am just more of a fictional horror fan and not as much of a true crime fan. Though this books is fiction it’s read very much as a memoir and that just wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. It was a little slow at times but again that could be just because my tastes are different. If you like true crime this will probably be a great book for you!

[lostinpdx · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The writing is great but I found the narrator intolerable. I’ll be purchasing this in book form and reading it myself. The choices he makes with inflection and tone are strange to the point of distraction. It’s like he’s not paying any attention to what he’s reading. He should find a different job.