Chizmar has a wonderful way of writing and creating memorable scenes, places, characters, events, and well, murder. The character development is superb, and that is a crazy thing to say of a text that reads as true crime, right? at the time, he was a 22-year-old recently-graduated journalism major living back home with his parents waiting for his fiancée to finish her degree before embarking upon their espousèd life together.

His magazine “Cemetery Dance” is now in its 32nd year of publication, and he also co-wrote Gwendy’s Button Box, with his friend, Stephen King. It really felt like a true crime novel with its pictures and interviews intervened with really life facts from the author himself. because this book is also a love letter to edgewater, and chizmar knows every inch of this neighborhood; its geographical shortcuts and residents and history, and he brings it all to life down to the smallest details with the insights of someone intimately familiar with the physical terrain and social mores. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustees award. It is not until the author’s notes at the end when you find out exactly what is real, what is inspired by real events and what is completely fictional.There were, however, a few instances when that line between fact and fiction was more apparent, especially when Chizmar, just fresh out of college, became an essential part of the story and heavily involved in the investigation.

It's a harrowing tale, one that has people wondering with various supposed sightings if this boogeyman is truly something not of this earth. I really enjoyed it, the sequel has just been released (Becoming the Boogeyman) and it’s even better. Then Richard receives a message that a man has been charged, although a very unlikely suspect, he confesses all. Fat jack-o'-lanterns flashed jagged grins from porch railings and windows, flickering orange eyes tracking your every move. Let me tell you, this was an amazing read and an awesome way to finish my reading challenge for the year much earlier than expected.If the goal of fiction is to immerse the reader into a tale so bold and true as to feel authentic, then surely this must be the perfect tale. Black and white photographs of the crime scenes and key players are even interspersed throughout the pages.