Becoming the Boogeyman (2024)

Becoming the Boogeyman” is the terrifying sequel to “Chasing the Boogeyman” in what promises to be a THREE part (or more?) series. You CAN read it as a standalone, but you SHOULD read them in chronological order for MAXIMUM effect!

Author Richard Chizmar gives a MASTER class, on how to insert a FICTIONAL serial killer, into his otherwise TRUE recollections of his childhood neighborhood and memories, and his current life as a family man and best-selling author.

Obviously, I can’t give spoilers for the first book, so it will have to suffice to say that this story picks up a few years after the other book ends, when a COPYCAT killer picks up the killing spree of “The Boogeyman” right where he left off, and the crimes are MORE GRUESOME than ever.

Suddenly, Chizmar has gone from “hometown boy makes good to what kind of monster has he invited into our community” as his neighbors and social media turn against him.

I remember the first book in the series read so much like TRUE CRIME, that I was googling to see what was real and what was imagined!

Lending authenticity to the narrative are “Goodreads reviews, excerpts from “The Boogeyman Lives” message boards, in person interviews, social media posts, and the author’s own memoir, complete with labeled photos of VICTIMS and crime scenes (which I was able to read on my kindle).

Pretty Creepy.

The impact of a second book written this way, may have lost a little bit of the shock value BUT this is still a 4 ⭐️ worthy sequel and you better believe that I am on board to see how it will all end in the next book of the series!

Recommended if you enjoy Fictional or TRUE Crime stories!

AVAILABLE NOW-just in time for spooky season!

SPOILER FREE Review for “Chasing the Boogeyman”: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thank You to Gallery Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I love Chasing the Boogeyman which is the first in a probable trilogy. Becoming the Boogeyman is a follow-up with the same format as the first. I remember it being highly original - true crime metafiction where the author inserts a serial killer into his neighborhood and gets mixed up with the investigation. Once again, Chizmar had me googling names, places, etc as I was not sure what was true and what wasn't.

The author has taken us back to Edgewood, Maryland his hometown. Although The Boogeyman has been arrested and doing time at Cumberland Maximum Security Prison since the 80s, similar atrocities are reoccurring in this small town. Chizmar is being blamed for drawing negative attention with his bestseller book Chasing the Boogeyman and now a copycat serial killer is amongst them.

Confused yet? LOL

I enjoy Chizmar's self-deprecating humor and snarky thoughts. Twitter posts and online community chats are the best and had me laughing out loud. Of all the characters, my favorite has to be Chizmar's friend and journalist Carly. The guy's long weekend getaway was funny as hell.

Chizmar's a great storyteller. I like his attention to detail with every victim. They all have depth to them and I feel bad knowing what's going to happen. With that being said, too often I feel the author veer off the path to tell every story and I was waiting... and waiting to find the killer. Also, I know the author and Stephen King are friends and have written books together and I like when authors name-drop or plug another author's work in their novels, but this is waaay excessive. It goes from cool to creepy.

Even though I didn't love the sequel as much as I did the first, I still enjoyed Chizmar's creativity and humor.

Thank you Gallery Books for this DRC.
Published Oct. 10, 2023!

“Becoming the Boogeyman” by Richard Chizmar is a novel I’ve been waiting to read for a while now. After the blockbuster read that “Chasing the Boogeyman” was for me back in 2021, I couldn’t wait to jump into the sequel. I still remember how incredible the first one was so I knew this one was probably going to be another hell of a read. Needless to say, this delivered beyond my wildest dreams.

Now, before I jump into my review, there are a bunch of trigger warnings I found while reading this novel. They are…

- Sexual assault
- COVID-19
- Cancer
- Rape
- Ukraine war
- Violence against animals (finding a dead cat and horses)
- Child abuse (parental)
- Killing small animals and runaway pets
- Stalking
- Necrophilia
- Cannibalism
- Serial killers

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I loved how this novel blurred fiction that felt like reality with horror in such a brilliant way. Chizmar is a phenomenal author and his writing style is incredible to be able to achieve this. It’s not easy to pull it off right but he accomplished it seamlessly. Right from the start, the way it continues on from the original novel was great. Catching everyone up with what happened through reading excepts of the impact of the original novel was a smart way to rekindle everything. I felt as if I didn’t miss a beat even after the few years it’s been since I read the original.

As I kept reading, I loved all the references that brought a huge smile to my face from authors, book characters, music, and horror. I’m talking references to Stephen King, Brian Keene, Pennywise, Cujo, John Carpenter, Michael Myers, ‘Salem’s Lot, and even the Ramones. It’s just a nice little extra touch that made this into an even better read.

This entire novel was such a powerhouse of a read that it simply checked all the boxes for me. Besides the usual horror I knew was coming, I enjoyed how it felt like a true crime novel with a heavy dose of suspense, mystery, and tension. It was even creepier since it involved Chizmar’s childhood, home, and everyday life. The fact that he even mentioned “Cemetary Dance” which is his very own publishing company he founded, added an extra layer of immersion. It just felt so real to me that I didn’t know what to believe. Again, just superb writing at the highest level.

It was a genuine pageturner from beginning to end with lots of twists and turns on top of creepy, horrific moments. The way Chizmar added transcripts of calls from a penitentiary, interviews, images, police photos, and even victims of the Boogeyman was beyond immersive. I truly felt as if I was on the case with him trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

It dramatically enhanced the overall reading experience and once again created such a unique way to keep me hooked just like the original did. It was also nice to see some recurring characters from the original novel, especially the Boogeyman. I particularly enjoyed the backstory of this serial killer, what made him tick, and what potentially made him unleash the sheer terror that he did in Edgewood.

All the little additional unique stories of the murder spree that was taking place with other characters while reading were wild and gruesome. Seeing everything unfold leading to the climactic ending was nothing short of incredible. Things got absolutely crazy right around the 60% mark and the build-up of tension, mystery, and pure madness was reaching insane levels. I could not stop reading and once a certain plot twist hit towards the end, it totally shocked me beyond belief.

Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but let’s just say my jaw is still on the floor. Then, just when I thought it was all over, everything made sense, and the big reveal hit me, I was about to finish and start writing this review. I was excited to just speak my mind about how much fun I had reading this and how it ended with that epic reveal. I honestly thought that was it but sure enough, Chizmar got me again right at the end. It was a ZOMG WHAT?!?!!? moment and I’ll just leave it at that.

I give “Becoming the Boogeyman” by Richard Chizmar a 5/5 as it’s everything you could ask for in a horror novel and then some. If you’re looking for a rollercoaster of a ride that hits you with crazy horror, a murder mystery, a serial killer running loose, creepy images throughout chapters, and an incredible plot twist toward the end, this is a perfect read. That ending is something I will never forget as this has been one of the best horror novels I’ve read in 2023. It’s clever, unique, and will keep you guessing until the very end. “Becoming the Boogeyman” is spectacular and a novel I will recommend for many years to come. Just make sure to read “Chasing the Boogeyman” beforehand and you will undoubtedly love what awaits in this sequel.

I wanted to wait and share my review closer to the pub date but I just couldn't contain my excitement!

Becoming The Boogeyman is the highly anticipated sequel to Chasing The Boogeyman. Part true crime and part fiction, the book delves deeper into Richard’s lifelong obsession with a serial killer who abducted and murdered several young girls in the late 80’s early 90’s.

Due to DNA evidence, the killer Josh Gallagher was found and sentenced to life in prison. But decades after the killings first began, the town finds itself again in crisis when more young girls come up missing. In the beginning, the crimes are all connected to the first murders but soon after, the murders begin to connect to Richard.
Who is this copycat killer and why is he targeting Richard?

Another phenomenal story from the king of suspense! Based on actual events, Becoming The Boogeyman keeps the reader guessing what actually happened and what's fiction. Just like Chasing The Boogeyman, this sequel also contains photos and local newspaper clippings. In Becoming The Boogeyman the author also includes transcripts from his interviews with Josh Gallagher.

As soon as I finished this one I passed it on to my husband and he agreed that Becoming The Boogeyman was nothing short of spectacular.
I've been a huge fan of Chizmar’s since Gwendy’s Button Box was released (the button box trilogy will always be one of my all-time favorites). I absolutely cannot wait for this one to be published and to hear everyone's thoughts on it!

Becoming The Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
will be available on October 10 from Gallery Books. A massive thanks to the author for gifting me a copy of this one!

Richard Chizmar has never made peace with his past involving serial killers even though his true crime book "Chasing The Boogeyman" had reached the pinnacle of success on the best seller charts and then a box office hit with a major motion picture based on his novel. So he is currently writing a book based on his hometown and coming of age drama including all the important people and times in his life that helped create the person he is today.

Life of course takes another turn when a gruesome murder takes place with all the signatures of the infamous "Boogeyman". Since Gallagher (aka Boogeyman) is in prison it can only be a copycat or has something else happened that the police missed in the past and they have the wrong murderer or was Gallagher working with someone else?

There will be many more murders unless the police with Chizmar's help solve this fearfest quickly since there are other crimes tied to this case that have Chizmar's name linked to whoever this copycat is. Richard knows his family and friends may not be safe and his marriage is showing cracks once again since it took time to recover from his involvement with the boogeyman the first time and now he is the only journalist of any media source who Gallagher will talk to and reveal more victims name from the past so Richard has no other choice than to help the wonderful detectives and police who need him now to help bring down another " Boogeyman" serial killer.

I loved this novel and only have positive things to say about it as so many other readers before me. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I haven't read the first book yet so this can definitely be read as a stand-alone but now I can't wait to read "Chasing The Boogeyman". The storyline and writing of this book was so clever and unique. Several times in the first quarter of the book, I would have to backtrack to make sure this was a book of fiction and not a true crime story since it was so believably written and also included pictures of victims, crime scenes, detectives etc. I was just so impressed with this novel and hope this will be a series because with " Richard Chizmar's imagination being put down on paper I can only foresee other great thrillers to be written hopefully in the very near future!

I highly recommend this fantastic crime thriller to anyone who enjoys true crime stories or murder mystery/thrillers or just wants to read a true to life horror book that is really fiction and it will really mess with your head in the best way!

Don't miss out on this ONE Of A Kind crime specialty in the world of thrilling books!

I want to thank the publisher "Gallery Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 5 STELLAR AND MESMERIZING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

For those that don’t know, this book is the sequel to Chizmar’s “Chasing the Boogeyman”, which in my opinion is one of the best books that I’ve read. So good in fact, that I could not wait to read “Becoming the Boogeyman”. Did this book live up to the hype and impress me like the first book? Unfortunately, no. I felt this book was way longer than it should have been, and all the references to “Chasing the Boogeyman” became too repetitive (yeah we get it, that book was a great best seller- and rightfully so). This book still had all the nostalgic flashbacks which I enjoyed in the first book, but I unfortunately never had that scared, creepy feeling like I did with the first book either.

In this book, Richard Chizmar is living through the success of his Chasing the Boogeyman novel and film. Chizmar is also in touch with Joshua Gallagher, the infamous killer who is in prison. Suddenly, what seems like pranks are being pulled on Chizmar and his family. Then there are the deaths of three teenage girls and an adult woman. Is Joshua Gallagher orchestrating these murders? Or is there a copycat killer on the loose?

I did enjoy the format of this book. There were interviews set up, and once again we had photographs of the victims and crime scenes. While I did not love this book as much as Chasing the Boogeyman, I will still be looking forward to reading the next book in this series- (the way this book ended, I have a good feeling one is coming).
3.5 stars ⭐️

3.5 stars, rounded up. I did like this sequel, though I agree with other reviewers that it wouldn’t work as a standalone read. Chizmar really excels at the “meta” aspects again here (loved the pics - read his author's note on them), but I found it very hard to keep up with the giant list of characters- (so much so that when the perps names were finally revealed, I had to keep reading to place them in the story!) Still I found it quite engrossing and of course, I will be reading the third installment as it’s quite obvious from the ending that we’ll have one.

EXCERPT: A Current Affair transcript (August 15, 1988)
MAURY POVICH: Edgewood, Maryland. A small, peaceful working-class town nestled on the shores of Chesapeake Bay. Little League baseball parades and Fourth of July carnivals. The kind of place where people don't bother to lock their doors at night. [in a deeper voice] Edgewood, Maryland . . . a close-knit community now held hostage in a death grip of terror and paranoia. Three young girls. Savagely beaten and murdered. The killer has been christened the "Boogeyman" because of his ability to strike close to home and vanish without a trace. As one frustrated lawman lamented soon after the discovery of the latest victim: 'It's like the guy sliced open a hole in the night and disappeared back into it.'

ABOUT 'BECOMING THE BOGEYMAN': Back in the summer of 1988, a young Richard Chizmar was catapulted into the centre of a living nightmare as the serial killer Joshua Gallagher - dubbed by the media as 'The Boogeyman' - stalked his tranquil Maryland town.

These days, Chizmar enjoys a certain level of notoriety himself as he is the only person to whom Josh Gallagher will talk, on or off the record. Chizmar likes to visit Gallagher in prison, as there are plenty of other nameless victims out there and Gallagher's confession would bring closure to grieving loved ones.

But when a masked figure leaves a horrifying calling card in the front of his home, Chizmar finds there is a price for dancing with the devil. It's clear that there is a new player controlled by the Boogeyman.

MY THOUGHTS: I have to say that when I began this book, I didn't like it. I really didn't like it. I didn't like the writing style; I didn't like the format - it reads like a true crime book and is accompanied by photos of the victims, the kill sites and various other pertinent people and places. But somewhere around the 20% mark, I became hooked and read the remainder of the book voraciously. By the time I got to the end, I was convinced that this was a true crime book and it was only the author's notes at the end which convinced me otherwise.

The author weaves a lot of his own life into the fabric of Becoming the Boogeyman which only strengthens the feeling that this isn't a work of fiction. I kept wondering where the truth ended and the fiction began, if it did at all - the lines are very blurred.

Richard Chizmar is a very clever writer making use of social media, interviews, book reviews, and message boards to add authenticity to his story. It works - almost too well! The only thing I found lacking was the 'creep' factor - it just didn't come across for me. But there is plenty of tension to carry the read.

One thing, Mr Chizmar - you refer to a joke about a horny nun and an alligator. I wish you'd shared it.

I haven't read the author's previous novel, Chasing the Boogeyman, but I didn't find that held me back at all. That's not to say, of course, that I'm not going to go back and read it because I probably will. I will also be standing in line for the next in the series. I am impressed!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#BecomingtheBoogeyman #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Besides writing, Richard Chizmar also edits anthologies, produces films, writes screenplays, and teaches writing.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

4.0 Stars
As someone who loved Chasing the Boogeyman, I am happy to report that I love this sequel just as much. This story is clearly reminiscent of Silence of the Lamb and the Ted Bundy Conversations. The author is clearly aware of this comparison and leans into it.

My favourite aspect of this series continues to be the meta blending of fact and fiction. While I knew this was a novel, I often found myself forgetting that this wasn't a memoir. The story was engrossing and even a bit scary.

I highly recommend this series but start back at the beginning with Chasing the Boogeyman. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Happy Pub Day! I’m excited for the re-read!

3.5 starts rounded up for this one! I might be an outlier for this somewhat lower review, but guys I’m just being honest here. I am a big fan of Richard Chizmar and I love reading his books! The Boogeyman books are both extremely original in their meta-fictional format.

This is what makes Chasing the Boogeyman and Becoming the Boogeyman so engaging and grabbing to us readers. These are both semi-fictional novels surrounding the life of the author himself, while also posing as a true crime story. We get a lot of personal characters and stories from Chizmar’s life all while getting an extraordinary serial killer narrative.

In this sequel, Richard has to deal with the fact that after decades of living in the shadows of the serial killer he put behind bars (that also made him famous, for better or worse), his past is finally coming back to haunt him. Eery pranks, distraught neighbors, and murdered girls practically show up at his doorstep. Is he to blame? Can he once again catch a killer?

We get pictures, interviews, and articles nestled into the storyline to give the novel a terrifying true crime feel, while also cementing the idea that these are real places and people that may exist. While reading this you always have to question, did these things actually happen to Chizmar? Are these real people he’s incorporating into his work?

While an entertaining and quick read that was definitely horrifying at times, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. I felt like this was more of a typical thriller, rather than the normal creepy and weird work that Chizmar frequents. The plot felt a bit messy and somewhat predictable, especially with the addition of these interviews and articles. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mind space? Who knows.

With the uniqueness of Chizmar’s writing style with both of these novels, I felt that this sequel didn’t stand up as well to the first. However, the ending is beautifully set up for another installment! It looks like the Boogeyman story will continue and I am excited to see what Chizmar comes up with.

A great thank you goes out to Richard Chizmar, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Chasing the Boogeyman and I couldn't wait to see what was new in the world of Richard Chizmar!

Chizmar delivers a story with enough suspense and mystery to entertain. However, in difference to Chasing the Boogeyman, this story dragged in some areas.

I do like his winning formula of inserting himself and his life into the world where a serial killer is out to get him. Chizmar gave us enough questions, including if there was a new killer and if he was someone he already knew. Was he just following orders from someone from prison? or if a copycat was lurking on his property just to create non-stop fear.

The ending gives a perfect place for book 3 which I would read without hesitation.

Cliffhanger: Yes

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Richard Chizmar does it again, I flew through this one in no time, a terrific follow up to Chasing the Boogeyman. I love the way the fictional characters interweave with the real characters, places and events in the author's life, very cleverly done. The ending hints to a third book, if so count me in Mr Chizmar, I'll be waiting.

A fictionalized “true crime” story is not for me. Give me real true crime.

I wasn’t a fan of the first book, and even less so with this one. Plus all his musings into his childhood was a bore and the name dropping ( yeah, we get that SK is a hero…) grew tiresome.

A case of it’s me, not the book….

* I received a digital copy of the book via NetGalley for review

Like its predecessor. Chasing The Boogeyman, this book reads like a non fiction. Using every detail that made the first book a page turner, Mr Chizmar, made his story seem real and authentic.

In this story it seems that the original boogeyman has a copycat that is following in his horrific footsteps and seems to be targeting the author and his family. There has been much furor after the publishing of the original book and the concept has caught the eyes of many a strange and frightening population. As Richard is targeted, he becomes immersed in the life of the original boogeyman, a person who delighted in murder and mayhem. Although he has been caught and is in prison, the circ*mstances of the current deaths, makes one wonder if perhaps he has found a way to escape.

Many of us, myself included, are fascinated by these true crime stories (although this one is not), and find the whole psych of a killer to be one that is not only scary but also one where we would never be aware of who might be wielding the terror at hand.

Well done story that has many fascinating details, plus pictures of the victims, the places where the murder occurred, and the police involved to make the story appear real and totally believable.

Thank you to Richard Chizmar, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book which will publish October 10, 2023.

Richard Chizmar has quickly become a new favorite author and I’ll be reading everything he writes now!

When I read the first book, Chasing the Boogeyman, I was really confused with the genre because even though I knew it was fiction, I had to google and then reread the author’s notes because the book is written as true crime.

I had the exact same experience with Becoming the Boogeyman, but even more so. The author would refer to his real current life and his real current family throughout this book which made it seem like everything about The Boogeyman was fact, not fiction. It was so dang hard to separate in my mind that this story wasn’t real. It’s actually such a brilliant concept!

And the twists were mind blowing! I saw none of it coming. I still have horrific scenes of this book in my head that I can’t seem to erase. There’s definitely got to be another sequel coming and I’ll be first in line.

In Becoming the Boogeyman, the author is now in his 40’s with 2 grown sons. He’s been extremely successful as an author with his true crime novel of Chasing the Boogeyman, and the serial killer is safely behind bars. But then… another woman is killed. And everything is pointing to The Boogeyman as the killer.

This book kept me on the edge the entire time, and while reading, I had to get up late at night to make sure my windows and doors were locked, it just felt so real. What a perfect spooky read for Halloween month!

*Thanks so much to the author for the gifted advance reader’s copy!*

3.5 stars

A clever sequel to Chasing The Boogeyman!

Chasing The Boogeyman was a fresh, unique, tension-filled, favourite read of mine last year. If you enjoy true-crime, horror/thriller, then that is a MUST READ! I was excited to get my hands on Book 2.

I enjoyed falling back into this storyline and spending time with the author (who is a character himself in this book). His snark and witty inner thoughts are entertaining and had me engrossed and invested.

The author does a great job pulling the reader into the small town atmosphere where the crimes are committed. The story is dark, eerie and mysterious, creating a sense of foreboding tension from start to finish.

I did find the story was longer than I would have liked as it dragged on and lost its grip on me after the halfway mark. There are a lot of side stories which were interesting and relevant most of the time but lost my attention at other times.

Overall, an entertaining sequel but not as powerful as the first book.

Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!

This work deserves five stars, mainly for originality. The second in a series, I am hoping to read the first book. Serial killings terrorize a small town, along with a writer who has chronicled similar crimes years before, and who has remained in contact with the incarcerated killer. Sad subject, but creatively handled. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the author, Richard Chizmar, and the publisher, Gallery Books, for my copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway

Another incredible book from Richard Chizmar that had me completely hooked. The sequel to Chasing the Boogeyman gave me chills and is not for those who may be slightly squeamish. Once again, I had to keep telling myself that this was a work of fiction and not a true crime novel. It reads as though it really did happen.

So now it is 2022 and The Boogeyman is behind bars and Richard is still writing and there is even a movie as well. His life is suddenly turned upside down when a copycat killer hits town with clear links to the writer. The town is scared, angry and grieving there lost one’s.

Told through mixed media again, it is a book that you just want to keep reading. Plenty of twists and turns and van we hope for a book 3?! Be warned though, you need to read the first book first, this cannot be read as a stand-alone as ai think you will be very lost. It got me through a long night in hospital, unable to sleep. Just brilliant once again.

Thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on October 10th.

I read Chasing and Becoming back to back. Still struggled believing it was fiction. The pictures. Sigh. They just add so much credibility. Honestly I liked the second one better - tones of author hiding secrets and wrong doing. Plus it just kicked off!

"Chasing the Boogeyman" is one of my favorite books I've read this year and this book is not far behind! I love the nostalgia and true crime mix, Chizmar has perfected it!

And I’m done!!! Took me longer than I expected because of work and life but whew. @richard_chizmar You did not disappoint! And yes I googled some locations and peoples names. I kept thinking there is no way this is fiction 😲 Great read …. Now what???!!!

I’ve never read anything like this before, and I read plenty of thrillers, horror novels, and mysteries. This felt chillingly real. The addition of photographs and the way the author wove himself into the story had me forgetting that I was reading fiction.

I’d recommend Becoming the Boogeyman to fans of:

💀True crime
💀Serial killer stories
💀Thrillers
💀Stephen King
💀Thomas Harris

Chizmar you truly creeped me out! This next installment was a lot more tense than the Chasing the Boogeyman.

I loved the influences shown here in terms of horror and true crime tropes. I can definitely see some Stephen King influences as well. All in all a very twisted story that will keep you up until your eyes get crossed.

Initial Thoughts
I really liked this book! It took me a very long time to make my way through this story but that had everything to do with my life and nothing to do with the book. I was a bit surprised to learn that there would be a follow up to Chasing the Boogeyman but I was eager to get my hands on it. This book is told from the same style of fiction written like true crime as the first book. I loved that the story kept me guessing until the very end. I would definitely recommend this one to other readers.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.

Sadly, this sequel didn't quite work for me. It was slow paced and Chizmar's perspective/headspace didn't capture my attention in any way. I also thought the investigation dragged and then was way too quickly, and conveniently, solved. Not even the format was that interesting to me and well explored this time around.

It's definitely risky when an author makes himself the main character. Here, as in the first book, it was used to make the book feel more realistic. But that comes with problems. The narrative instantly started off a bit rocky, with Chizmar opening his character’s story by telling us how huge and fancy his house is. Then, about 6% in, he had already brought up his friendship with Stephen King not once, but twice. The thing is, Sir, we know this already. You mentioned it in the first book. Do you want me to root for you or not? (If you’re reading this and thinking, “You’re just jealous of Chizmar’s success,” then you’re right! I’m not denying it. But I still don’t think it needs to be brought up constantly.) And the Stephen King factor ended up being a major problem in the book overall. Dude can’t write five pages without mentioning his buddy. It got old very fast and went from a humblebrag to something he relied on as if his life depended on it.

The interesting thing is, Chizmar as a character here IS difficult to root for, and it seems as though he wrote it this way on purpose. To go into too much detail would necessitate spoilers, but as a protagonist in this story, he is selfish and stubborn, putting his family at risk while his own desires are at the forefront. Nothing else is as important to him as being right or chasing the high of following this killer's clues. And if we are to buy into this grim story of murder and mystery, then the fact that Chizmar’s character is practically getting off on collecting the pieces of the puzzle and proving to Detective McClernan that he was correct, means he comes across as an absolute ghoul. He eventually gives his reasons for the fascination but in my opinion they don’t justify his behavior. (To be completely honest I kept waiting for the wife to leave him.)

While the first book legitimately read like nonfiction, this one felt more like fiction to me. The photos were a nice touch again but weren't as effective this time. What Chizmar IS good at is ending each chapter with a punch so that the reader is encouraged to keep going. Even when I found myself getting a bit annoyed with him as the main character, I was still interested in what was about to happen next because of how the sections concluded with decent bait. Also, there are some genuinely chilling moments throughout the story and decent frightening imagery. Credit where credit is due.

That said, I figured out part of the ending early on. I’m not a person that goes into a read looking for the twist or trying to solve the mystery. I just want to relax and enjoy. But this piece of the plot stood out to me. I’m not bragging about it. But then again, Chizmar spends most of the story gloating about being a master detective so maybe I should?

Surprisingly, there were a few glaring typos in this. Such as, “But I wrong” instead of “But I was wrong” as the final sentence for a chapter. I don’t know if it’s just the Kindle edition of the book or what. Some of the photos were also very small in the electronic copy, also. Might be best to read this one as a physical book if you can.

(Mild spoiler but not really?) I didn’t buy for a second that after everything Chizmar did, his BFF Detective friend still let him “work on the case” right up until the bitter end like that. By the last 1/3 of the book I was having serious plausibility issues. Also, by the conclusion I couldn’t stand Chizmar as a character. He came across as a childish, smug asshole. That “Chizapalooza” chapter was a 0 out of 10 and the book would’ve been stronger overall without most of it.

While I enjoyed the first book for the most part, this one left me with a bad aftertaste. The ending did indeed leave the door wide open for a third installment but I won’t be back. I think I’ll stick with Stephen King.

TW: Animal harm/death, Sexual assault

"His face… …now concealed behind a burlap mask. His eyes were the color of Hell."

The Boogeyman has haunted most of us when we were younger. He was in the closet, underneath the bed, and even in the backyard watching us through the window. Any way that we saw him, it terrified us enough to where we couldn't sleep as he consumed our lives. Then we grew up and found out that the real monsters disguise themselves as normal people.

Chasing the Boogeyman was one of my favorite reads last year, so it was a no-brainer that I had to read this one. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one, I still liked this a lot. It gave off that same haunting feeling that the first one did but we kind of knew where this one was going to take us.

The mystery was eerie and twisted. The way the killer just mentally screwed with Richard and his family made you uncomfortable in your own house. You felt uneasy as you continued to read this story. That's what I loved best about this. There was a scene where they found something in a tree and that will forever haunt me. I just love being scared.

Becoming the Boogeyman was a good read. The mystery surrounding the murders was eerie but the big reveal wasn't my favorite. But that end!!! Ahhh! What a freaking ending.

The Boogeyman is Back!

Set 30 years after Chasing the Boogeyman, life had moved on for the people of Edgewood until someone decided to finish what Josh Gallagher started. And once again, the author is right in the middle of it. Except this time, the stakes are much higher. He's married with kids, has a successful writing career, and has high-profile friends. How far will he be willing to go to help the police catch the killer? Will he become the next victim?

This follow-up to the first novel was fast past and exciting right from the beginning. The author brings realism to the story by once again immersing us in real places and events all over Harford County, Maryland. And Richard Chizmar (the character in the novel) is flawed and vulnerable which we all can relate to.

The author left some unanswered questions which I'm looking forward to being answered in the next installment. I can't wait to see what the boogeyman is up to next!

Becoming the Boogryman is the follow up to Chasing the Boogeyman, in which Chizmar created a serial killer and inserted him into Chizmar's hometown and wrote the book as if it were true crime, using real people and places of his youth. This book continues that style. Be sure to read Chasing the Boogeyman first, though.

The plot is best described by the publisher, so check out the blurb. I don't want to give away any spoilers. This book is fantastic, albeit with a little less wow-factor that Chasing the Boogeyman had because of the uniqueness of the premise. It was fun taking a stroll through Chizmar's memories and his life now with a wife, kids, and a successful writing career, and how he adds to that with his fictional characters. All the main characters are fleshed out, and the writing keeps you interested from the first word to the last. It looks like there may be a Book 3, and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Recommended for those who love a good mystery and/or true crime. Becoming the Boogeyman hits bookshelves on October 10th.

My thanks to Gallery Books, author Richard Chizmar, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is easily an all time favorite. I loved the first book CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN. But this second book is as good if not better than the first. The way it is written sucks you in and makes you believe you are reading a true story. I knew the book was fiction but actually had to look things up on google to make sure it didn’t really happen. The story hooks you in from the first page and doesn’t let go. The worst part of the book is that it sets up a third book. The bad part about that is that now I have to wait on the next book to come out. I highly recommend reading both books. I can’t even think of a book to compare it to because of how it is written. Mr. Chizmar is now in my top 10 favorite authors and I am looking to buy any other books he has written. I give it 5 stars because I can’t give it 6.