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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
YOOOOOO
richard chizmar once again nails the tone of true crime while giving us a (mostly) fictional story. this is one of my favourite books to recommend to people because it is so well-told and addictive. all the true crime girlies out there need to dip their toes into this duo and enjoy how chizmar lets the mystery unfold.
adding photos to accompany these scenes makes this feel like you're in on the investigation. you feel all the anxieties of our main characters and especially in becoming the boogeyman, you feel this investment in figuring out the case alongside everyone else.
i rarely feel that 'couldn't put down'-ness of books when they're not romance or fantasy but in both cases with this duo, I really couldn't. and THE ENDING? DAMN. I'm really happy this held up to the first book and I can't wait to see where this takes us in book 3.
richard chizmar once again nails the tone of true crime while giving us a (mostly) fictional story. this is one of my favourite books to recommend to people because it is so well-told and addictive. all the true crime girlies out there need to dip their toes into this duo and enjoy how chizmar lets the mystery unfold.
adding photos to accompany these scenes makes this feel like you're in on the investigation. you feel all the anxieties of our main characters and especially in becoming the boogeyman, you feel this investment in figuring out the case alongside everyone else.
i rarely feel that 'couldn't put down'-ness of books when they're not romance or fantasy but in both cases with this duo, I really couldn't. and THE ENDING? DAMN. I'm really happy this held up to the first book and I can't wait to see where this takes us in book 3.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I actually liked this more than the first one. Wouldn’t call it terrifying, but certainly suspenseful and worth reading. Cool premise.
Richard Chizmar's *Becoming the Boogeyman* is a solid sequel that dives back into the creepy true crime world he first introduced us to. The book starts by revisiting the murders from the first story with newspaper clippings, setting the eerie atmosphere in Edgewood, Maryland, in the late '80s.
The opening clippings tell us about the terrifying discovery of Natasha Gallagher's body in the woods. The details—a broken screen, an open window, a smear of blood—pile on the horror. Then we learn about Kacey Robinson, found beaten and strangled at a playground. These bits from the papers instantly bring back all the fear and suspense.
As the killer gets dubbed "The Boogeyman" by the media, the whole town goes on edge. Chizmar's retelling feels real, especially since he grew up just two blocks away from Joshua Gallagher, the confessed serial killer, and went to the same high school.
*Becoming the Boogeyman* digs into the psychological impact of these murders on both the community and the individuals involved. You really feel for the victims' families, especially Kacey Robinson's mom, Evelyn. Her bravery in the face of such grief shows just how deep the fear and sadness run in the town.
After his first book *Chasing the Boogeyman* becomes a hit, Chizmar is suddenly thrown into fame, both the book and its film adaptation. But things take a dark turn when human remains are found outside his home, dragging him back into a real-life nightmare where his writing and reality blur.
The fame Chizmar enjoys comes with struggles—burnout, sadness, personal losses, and public scrutiny. This adds an emotional layer to the story that resonates deeply. A black bag full of human remains found near Chizmar's house cranks up the horror. His detailed, fear-filled descriptions heighten the suspense, and the quick police response adds to the tension.
While some think Chizmar leans too much on nostalgia, the book and its film adaptation have been hits. Martin Blevins of the Washington Post called it “The Wonder Years meets The Silence of the Lambs,” mixing innocence and horror, which hits hard.
I enjoyed the book, though not as much as the first one. The direction Chizmar seems to be taking, maybe even hinting at the supernatural, has me curious since there's talk of a third book.
The opening clippings tell us about the terrifying discovery of Natasha Gallagher's body in the woods. The details—a broken screen, an open window, a smear of blood—pile on the horror. Then we learn about Kacey Robinson, found beaten and strangled at a playground. These bits from the papers instantly bring back all the fear and suspense.
As the killer gets dubbed "The Boogeyman" by the media, the whole town goes on edge. Chizmar's retelling feels real, especially since he grew up just two blocks away from Joshua Gallagher, the confessed serial killer, and went to the same high school.
*Becoming the Boogeyman* digs into the psychological impact of these murders on both the community and the individuals involved. You really feel for the victims' families, especially Kacey Robinson's mom, Evelyn. Her bravery in the face of such grief shows just how deep the fear and sadness run in the town.
After his first book *Chasing the Boogeyman* becomes a hit, Chizmar is suddenly thrown into fame, both the book and its film adaptation. But things take a dark turn when human remains are found outside his home, dragging him back into a real-life nightmare where his writing and reality blur.
The fame Chizmar enjoys comes with struggles—burnout, sadness, personal losses, and public scrutiny. This adds an emotional layer to the story that resonates deeply. A black bag full of human remains found near Chizmar's house cranks up the horror. His detailed, fear-filled descriptions heighten the suspense, and the quick police response adds to the tension.
While some think Chizmar leans too much on nostalgia, the book and its film adaptation have been hits. Martin Blevins of the Washington Post called it “The Wonder Years meets The Silence of the Lambs,” mixing innocence and horror, which hits hard.
I enjoyed the book, though not as much as the first one. The direction Chizmar seems to be taking, maybe even hinting at the supernatural, has me curious since there's talk of a third book.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did you know the author is friends with Stephen King? The boomer energy was too much on this one
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn’t like this as much as the first one, but I did still enjoy the premise! Like the first book, it was fun to read a description of somewhere in HarCo and know where it was. I did feel like the excerpts from Edgewood Looking Back were unnecessary, but I think that’s because Chizmar and I have very different feelings about our home counties.