Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar had been sitting on my to-read list for a bit now, but never found myself getting around to it. That is until this October. I finally cracked it open and found out what all the fuss was about. It’s a surprising mix of true-crime and horror that I had a hard time putting down.
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.
Although Chasing the Boogeyman is a work of fiction, it is written in the style of a true-crime story intertwined with a memoir of New York Times bestselling author Richard Chizmar’s own life. This clever approach allows him to blend fact and fiction seamlessly in a way where we are entertained with a terrifying tale, while also learning more about the life of Chizmar. A exceptionally unique concept I have not come across before.
The line between fiction and reality blurs so well in Chasing the Boogeyman that I am glad Chizmar added notes at the end to bring us back to the real world. The characters and storyline felt so real that it was easy to forget they were actually fictional. Reading this book gave me the same eerie feeling I had after viewing Paranormal Activity, the unsettling thought of, this could be real. It’s such a clever and unique concept.
Reading this book was a one-of-a-kind experience and I am glad I went along for the ride. Though it’s not your typical true-crime thriller or horror tory, it stands out as something special in its own right. There is this compelling mystery to unravel, while we also get to learn about the author himself along the way. The result is a surprising and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Chasing the Boogeyman technically falls under the horror genre, but reads much more like a true-crime thriller. For those readers apprehensive on reading a straight forward horror story, it’s worth noting this feels more like a fictionalized true-crime narrative, if that makes sense.
Richard Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman is a unique, gripping, and chilling story that blurs the lines between fiction and non-fiction. This clever work of metafiction had me gripped from the start while offering glimpses into Chizmar’s own life along the way.
Chasing the Boogeyman is available at bookstores everywhere from Gallery Books. The audiobook, narrated by Chris Andrew Ciulla, is available via Libro.fm!
