Chasing the Boogeyman is a fictional novel, written in the style of a True Crime book. Richard Chizmar himself is the protagonist, and the novel follows his life in his hometown. He is back at home with his parents, just months before he is going to be married, and Chizmar "documents" the murders of several young girls in his neighbourhood.

We follow Chizmar as he becomes inextricably linked with the investigation, and we wonder who the killer is and when they will strike again.


I have read one novel by Chizmar before - his collaboration with Stephen King, Gwendy's Button Box, which I found charming. After reading this, Chizmar stayed in my mind. I didn't immediately run out and buy his back-catalogue, but I was intrigued. I followed him on Twitter and knew I would read more of his work some day.

Then I read Chasing the Boogeyman. This book is fantastic! Before the story, there is an Author's Note saying that the events are fictional, and yet I had to Google certain things to see if they were real. This is written as the most interesting True Crime book you will read.

Part of the reason that this novel is so real is that I believe Chizmar has allowed us into his life and soul. I don't mean the acts of the Boogeyman of course, but lots of the book feels like it was partly memoir. The parts of the text that describe his family life and the inception of Cemetery Dance feel like we have a snapshot of a real young artist's life. Chizmar has poured himself into the pages. Therefore when we are introduced to a terrifying murderer stalking the night, we have no reason to believe it is fiction.

I don't recall reading a book like Chasing the Boogeyman before. I was gripped from the first paragraph, and read it very quickly. This is the best book I have read so far this year.

I will now definitely be going out and reading Chizmar's back-catalogue. This is perfect for fans of Stephen King, True-Crime fans, and anyone who loves a thrilling dark tale.

Thanks to Richard Chizmar, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

Oh my god! What a ride this book was! I absolutely loved reading this book and finished it in a day. Chizmar writes evocatively and creates the atmosphere so well. I was lost in the storytelling and the world he created for his readers and i had to keep reading to know more.

The concept - of mixing fact with fiction, and writing a novel in the fashion of a true crime book - and its execution were both done brilliantly. There are so many thrillers that are based on the central trope of the serial killer, but this book stood out because of the twist it gave to the trope by going meta. Absolutely recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

OMG! This drew me in quickly and there was that instant tension of a drama unfolding. An incredibly well thought out, very original plotline and one I had not foreseen. I turned ever quicker and devoured this- the sign of a gripping, well written read. A captivating, rollercoaster of a book. Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! I could not put this one down. It was one of the best Ive read this year! I can not wait for more by Richard Chizmar. If you haven’t read him yet do yourself a favor and check this out!

Oh wow, this book is just absolutely incredibly written!
I was so engrossed in its brilliance and believability that I had to check numerous times to make sure it really was fictional!
I could not wait for its fabulously unpredictable conclusion.
I can’t give it less than 5 stars!
It’s the best book of fiction I’ve read so far this year.
Just brilliant!!

Chasing The Boogeyman is one of the most intelligent metafiction novels I have had the absolute pleasure of reading and is definitely in the running for my book of the year.

Richard Chizmar offers a fictional story that reads like a literary true crime novel, it is absolutely addictive with a beautifully crafted plot set in the author's own world and within his perspective, it is incredibly difficult to put down and has one of the best endings I've read in ages.

It's not all fact yet its not all fiction. With a foreword from James Renner and an author afterword that tells the real tale, Chasing The Boogeyman is a must read of 2021.

Highly Recommended.