Chasing the Boogeyman

More about the book

The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Gwendy’s Button Box delivers a gripping tale of small-town evil, blending Stephen King's storytelling with Michelle McNamara's true-crime suspense. In the summer of 1988, a small Maryland town is rocked by the discovery of mutilated bodies of missing girls, leading police to suspect a serial killer is at large. As fear grips the community, rumors swirl that the malevolent force stalking local teens may not be entirely human. Law enforcement, including the FBI, remains convinced that the killer is a living madman who is toying with them, plunging the once-peaceful suburb into paranoia and suspicion. Recent college graduate Richard Chizmar returns home amid a curfew and the formation of a neighborhood watch, preparing for his wedding and a writing career. However, he soon finds himself entangled in this real-life horror. Inspired by the chilling events, Richard pens a personal account of the killer’s terror, unaware that these experiences will haunt him for years. This clever, terrifying work of metafiction marries horror fiction with true crime, showcasing Chizmar’s “brilliant…absolutely fascinating” writing in a unique novel that lingers long after the final page.