Chasing the Boogeyman

Product Information

His fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and multiple editions of The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories.

I just find it so strange that it’s a fictional story that reads like true crime and the author is the main character. Authentic-looking photos at the end of each chapter of such people as victims, police personnel, and ordinary residents of Edgewood reinforce the true crime conceit.With Chasing the Boogeyman, Richard Chizmar demonstrates the full power of his impressive storytelling reach. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA's Board of Trustee's award. My expectations were high and maybe I’ve watched and read enough true crime for this to fail for me, but there are plenty of readers who loved it, so please do read other reviews. Author Richard Chizmar grew up in Edgewood, Maryland, a town where each generation of children feared the “Rubberband Man” and where the “Phantom Fondler ” found his prey. When tragedy in the form of murder comes to town, it reverberates through the residents, and takes away their sought-after sense of peace and safety.

Fat jack-o'-lanterns flashed jagged grins from porch railings and windows, flickering orange eyes tracking your every move.

I actually stay away from true crime because I can't handle knowing about the ways that real people have suffered. This quote immediately popped into my head when reading a few of the scenes with the boogeyman, and I could not help but think that Chizmar drew upon Michael Myers as a sort of muse or inspiration when trying to flesh out his character of the boogeyman. 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). So, yes, for those inclined to pick this book up with the notion that it is a true crime tale, take note that this is not that book and this is, indeed, a work of fiction. Chizmar was living there at the time and had spent his whole life as a resident of the city, giving him a unique perspective of the people and locations affected by the murders.

And then my path crossed this book, which is just a perfect true crime read, only without the guilt because it is just a bunch of brainwaves of a fantastic author!This was especially the case with "Chapter One: The Town," which provides a detailed history of the town going back to colonial days and also includes random tidbits from the author's childhood, such as his house, favorite hangout spots, and even how many cracks are in certain sidewalks. when i first heard about this genre-blendy true crime/crime fiction mash-up, my first thought was "i wonder if james renner knows about this book? Chasing The Boogeyman is an engaging and cleverly told suspenseful mystery, and I look forward to reading more of Chizmar’s work. this one is just the opposite—it's a novel constructed to read like narrative nonfiction, and it is breathtakingly convincing.