The Boogeyman

By Patti Petrone Miller

The Monster in your closet is real...the monster under your bed makes you scream in fear. You sleep with a nightlight thinking it will protect you from the evil that lies within your very soul.

Murray Thompson has nightmares.

Nightmares that stemmed from his childhood through the constant teasing by his older brother Jack, and his bullying. Murray knew the truth.

Murray knows deep within his soul that he has indeed met the Boogeyman and the monster in his closet was not a figment of his imagination.

The demon haunts his very being, his every waking moment, that instills fear like no other has. The thought of his red eyes and long pointed fangs is enough to point Murray toward the direction of his long time and trusted Psychiatrist, Doctor Rosen, who vows to make him forget what he has witnessed as a young boy.

As time passes, Murray begins to question his deep dark thoughts and wonders if the dreams are real, or is it just all in his mind like Dr. Rosen suspects?

Readers beware, you're in for a scare...in this mind blowing book. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: AP MILLER PRODUCTIONS
• Release date: Feb 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201833916

Book preview

RAVE Reviews for The Boogeyman

The Boogeyman is a mind blowing treat into the darkness

Creepy in a fantastic way...

The Boogeyman reads like the premise of a film noir. I could almost hear the ominous violins' warning crescendo in the background. Murray, the main character, is a young man plagued by nightmares. They have overtaken his life to the point where he is dependent on daily sessions with his psychiatrist just to keep from falling to pieces. The themes of repressed memories, murder and dangerous, almost experimental psychotherapy are not new, but they are so enjoyable all the same. The Boogeyman employs a writing style that is superficial in quality, showing the reader scenes and characters that are familiar such as the loving mother that cooks gourmet feasts for all, the strong but silent father, and the good doctor. In my opinion, this was the perfect choice for this story because it allowed the feeling of paranoia to really seep through the cracks of the familiar backdrop. There were a few inconsistencies that could be my error for missing, for example, what did Murray end up getting his doting mother for Christmas? And how long had he lived in Boston? These, I must stress, could be my mistake and they did not at all distract from the enjoyment of the story. Grammar errors were few and it is overall very cleanly written. The Boogeyman is well paced, intriguing and delivers a fantastic story climax that is well worth the read.

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I came across the opportunity to read and review The Boogeyman by Patti Petrone Miller from a group in Facebook. I was told that this book is in several schools and libraries, and I was grateful my review was wanted after offering it.

This book held my attention from page one, and it was packed full of thrills, terror, and spine-tingling suspense for a short read. I was a little disappointed when it ended. I do have to confess but I thought I had it figured out from Chapter One and I am very seldom wrong because I have a talent in predicting the ending to movies and books with little knowledge of them, usually just from the first chapter in a book to the first 30 mins of a movie. So, I was very pleased when I discovered I was in fact wrong about the ending.

This book although in schools, I don't think it would be for small children. The author showed brilliance in describing the inside of the mind of his character when allowed to be altered by medications. The wonderful imagination of Patti Petrone Miller set the stage for the reader to be pulled into the story therefore feeling the sheer terror of madness. I was able to feel what characters were feeling and going through, and sometimes it was a bit frightening. I loved it!!!

I highly recommend this book and give it five stars *****

Reviewed by

Nora Chipley Barteau

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Rosser's Relaxed Reviews

I have seven kids. That's right, count'em—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Do you know what that means? It means I've read just about every book written for people who haven't reached the age of majority. There's a weird dynamic. We start out reading books to them, like Andrew Lang's Fairy books and The Little Prince and Water Babies. Those are pretty fun. Then, they learn to read, so we're bored as heck watching and listening to them haltingly fight their ways through basic sentences. When they can read, most of what's available is complete junk. It isn't until Junior High or so that the kids reach an age where anyone is writing something they might actually enjoy.

And let's face it...ninety-nine percent of what's written for young adults is just crap. There, I said it. I'm serious, though. Most YA fiction isn't about the kids. It's written to a conglomerate vision of what we think the kids are. That's why every kid has the exact same challenges, hopes, and fears. That's why every kid falls in love the exact same way. That's why there's always one goody two-shoes character and one bad character. Really, the genre is so darn formulaic that you almost want to keep your kids illiterate until they can appreciate Hemingway Steinbeck, and Poe.

I'm happy to report that Patti Petrone Miller's book, The Boogeyman, doesn't fall into the trap. I liked it enough that it ended up a present for my twelve-year old to read. The book doesn't treat kids like feeble-minded idiots ready for emotional and intellectual manipulation. I really like that. It not only excites, but it provokes thought. Maybe I'm an old-fashioned kind of parent, but I find it important that a book make my daughter think.

The characterization is excellent. I quite like the interactions between Murray and Doctor Rosen. I also like the psychological horror element of the book. It's a far cry from most YA horror which, if anything, pays only lip service to the psyche side of horror. I think it's remarkable that a young adult book focuses so much on older characters as well. You never see that.

The pacing is great. It starts slowly and builds with each chapter. The beginning could have been a little quicker, but there's no harm done. The twists are unexpected, but they don't cheat the reader, and I was left wanting more, so I better see some more in the series, and I know my daughter will go on a Patti Petrone Miller hunt if she doesn't.

Pick the book up. it's a good one.

Books written by

Patti Petrone Miller

The Pendleton Witches

Welcome to Scarecrow Hollow

Peter and the Pumpkin Patch

Published by Patti Petrone Miller

AP Miller Productions

Copyright ©2022 Patti Petrone Miller

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by US. copyright law. For permissions contact: Patti Petrone Miller [e-mail]

Cover by Dawn Hite

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Printed in United States of America

First Edition

This book is dedicated to all things scary...BOO!

The Boogeyman

by

Patti Petrone-Miller

Chapter One

The clouds perforated the moonlit sky in a danse macabre. The lamplight flickered, followed by the bulb blowing out. 

The sound of a cat screeched through the nearby ally way as it knocked over the lid of the steel trash can it had been hiding under for shelter.

Along the heavily tree lined, dimly lit street, cars were neatly parked while

their owners nestled inside the safety of their homes; slept soundly.

Sixteen-year-old, Abigail Moorehouse, walked home as usual after her shift at the all-night diner. The headphones from her mp3 player plugged tightly in her ears while she moved to the beat of the music had soothed her. She never could get used to walking alone in the dark late at night. If she wasn’t forced to take a job after school to help her mother support her two younger brothers, she would be in the comforts of her own bed right now. Her feet ached as she continued her pace.

The music ceased in her ears. She knew the battery must have died. Irritated, she removed the earphones and placed the player in her apron pocket.  One more block to go she knew and quickened her pace. The night breeze began to blow a slight chill that surrounded her, so she wrapped her arms