CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN (A Novel) by Richard Chizmar
CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN (A Novel) by Richard Chizmar
First sentence…
When I first started clipping newspaper articles and jotting down notes about the tragic events that transpired in my hometown of Edgewood, Maryland, during the summer and autumn of 1988, I had no thoughts of one day turning those scattered observations into a full-length book.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Richard Chizmar just graduated college. He’s making plans to marry his girlfriend. He dreams of being a writer. The only negative is that Richard will have to live with his parents for some months until he’s married. Still, going back to the house he grew up in will provide time to strengthen family bonds and rekindle old friendships. At least that’s how Richard thought things would be.
That all changes when mutilated bodies of dead girls begin showing up. When Richard arrives home, there’s a curfew in effect. Everyone in his small town is jumpy. The F.B.I. has assisted local police, but there have been no solid leads. Because of the way the murderer butchers and eludes detection, rumors are flying that the killer isn’t human. When Richard learns that he knew one of the victims, his writer’s curiosity causes him to dig into the case. The killer begins taunting the police, the FBI and Richard. That’s when Richard realizes he has put himself and his family in danger.
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Richard Chizmar has written a novel that reads like a true crime story. In addition to placing himself in the story, Chizmar provides maps, newspaper photos, and more in regard to the case. You may find yourself double checking to make sure it is fiction.
Often true crime tales read like procedurals. Not this baby. It reads like one of the best true crime stories you could ask for. But remember, it’s fiction.
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