Reviews

Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar

crowbiz's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Overall the book is fine. It’s well written and so realistic I had to remind myself often that it is fiction. This was my first time reading something with a “true crime” feel and I’m thinking it’s probably just not for me. The entire time I was waiting for it to get crazy or reveal a twist but it never did. If this kind of book is your thing, it’s a great read! But if you want a little more excitement, it may not be for you. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

texassippiwill's review against another edition

The idea for this book is really good and I like the premise. The problem is that the narrator sounds very dated and does not do a good job of brining you into the story. Having a narrator who sounds that way isn't necessarily a problem, but I found myself treating the book like a commercial in the background. I would occassionaly look up and go "oh that's interesting, I wonder what this is about?" and then I would quickly realize they are dwelling on a storyline that seems to have little to no relevance to the story. It may factor in later but after a while the story has to actually start and not keep telling these side stories that unfortunaley weren't that interesting. Like I said, the premise of the book is good, but it feels like a chore to get to where the story possibly gets more interesting but I wasn't given enough early to give that attempt.

whatshaileyreading's review against another edition

4.0

*3.5
I love the real life pictures in this book made everything seem a bit more real. The audio though was a little slow to get into but overall I enjoyed myself.

sarahmiller's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

jthomas5117's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

lisbethssalamander's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

christieburke75's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

angus_mckeogh's review against another edition

1.0

Saw a BookTube video giving this novel a 5 star review and listing it as one of the best books of 2021. I also previously read Chizmar’s cooperative effort with King and considered the whole project mediocre. Needless to say, from the semi-autobiographical stance of the book down to the pseudo true crime slant, I found the whole effort boring and corny. Was not a fan.

redvelvetpenguins's review against another edition

3.0

Great mystery, weird but interesting writing style. Some parts really worked for me. The numbering within each chapter was something that really worked for my brain for some reason. The narrative storytelling was mostly good, the pace was slow and the details of the murder laid out in a laid back and casual way. Chapter 1 of him describing his hometown in painstaking detail was a miss for me. Almost stopped reading lmao but it redeemed itself

stefans_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0