You cannot outrun your past or your secrets, but you can learn to cope with them. They were best friends, twelve years old and growing up in a time that held the innocence of youth, the wonder of simple adventures and the intrigue of special secrets. They lost that cloak of sweet protection when murder came to their sleepy little village and they became caught up in a nightmare that wouldn’t let go, even as it destroyed the childhood bond they once shared.

The THE CHALK MAN knew what happened, but he wasn’t real, right? He was a game the kids played, a secret code only they knew, and yet…he left his messages, made his threats and gave his clues…and they were scared…

Eddie and his friends have all grown up now. Thirty years have passed, but the events are not forgotten, only buried. THE CHALK MANby C.J. Tudor is mystery and suspense at its most devious. What happened the night that girl was killed? Who did it? Why? And who has come back 30 years later to toy with the town, the killer and the one man who knew more than he let on? What happened to those innocent kids?

Someone is still out there, someone knows what happened that night in the woods, someone knows what happened to the missing head, but no one will suspect the answers to a crime that killed a town and its innocence decades before.

Dark, devious, filled with an atmosphere of fear, broken bonds and the pain of growing up and losing the innocence of childhood and friendships. Life will go on, death will come to many who were there in 1986, yes, life will go on…

C.J. Tudor has created a tale that is both chilling and so entangled in the webs of lies, half-truths and mystery that it is nearly impossible to guess the outcome of the next page, let alone the ending! What tale! What a fabulous read, but definitely not for those who seek the perfectly wrapped closure with the pretty bow all neatly tied on top!

I received an ARC edition from Crown Publishing in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Publisher: Crown (January 9, 2018)
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Genre: Adult Fiction | Suspense
Print Length: 288 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

I finished this book, but it was a mighty effort. The story and characters in and of themselves aren’t bad, in a vacuum — the plot is serviceable and the lead protagonists are fine. The writing is boring, without flair, pedestrian . . . but this is a debut novel. I didn’t expect this to be perfect.

The shameless ripping off of one Stephen King, though, I cannot abide. The story’s conceit is, to be charitable, familiar: the narrative switches between 2016 and 1986, and features a guy (named Eddie, wouldn’t ya know) dealing with dark events that happened in his childhood, events that shaped him and his friends into the people they are today. The gang is a nice hodgepodge of cliches ripped out of everything from <i>It</i> to <i>Stranger Things</i> to <i>The Goonies</i>. Add in an important character named Mr. Hallorann, a few references to something called “the deadlights”, a funeral scene featuring a casket falling to the floor, only for the casket’s latch to come undone and reveal the corpse’s hand, and you’ve got lukewarm reminders of everything the Master of Horror was doing better three decades ago. It’s not often I accuse authors of plagiarism, and I’m not calling into question this author’s character or intent — but damn, this story is anything but original.

It’s unfortunate, too. For a while I was mildly intrigued and wanted to like these characters. But I quickly found myself growing bored and frustrated. I was able to predict everything these jokers were going to say and do before they said and did it. That’s never good. Avoid this at all costs.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free review copy.

Eddie and his friends were just kids who liked to ride their bikes around their town to try to find something exciting happening. They communicated through a code consisting of little chalk stick figures. One day, they found a mysterious chalk figure that led them to a dismembered body.

Thirty years later, Eddie receives a letter with a single chalk stick figure. His friends receive the same message, and they believe it is just a prank. But then one of them turns up dead. Eddie is trying to figure out what really happened in 1986 before it’s too late.

This contemporary psychological suspense novel is full of surprise twists. The timeline alternates between the past in 1986 and the present in 2016. This is an excellent debut novel that surpasses most other first novels. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had difficulty putting it down. I hope it is the first of many thrillers written by C. J. Tudor. I highly recommend this one!

well HOT damn!!!5 BIG chalk drawn stars🌟

WOW! I cannot believe this is this authors debut book.... it was just so extremely well thought out, the characters were well-developed, the pacing of the plot was perfect, I really just can’t think of anything wrong with this book....

The story is told from the perspective of Ed.... with two different timelines his present life as a teacher in 2016 and his 12-year-old memories in 1986....

Ed and his buddies find a dead body in the woods, and the murder has never quite been solved (at least not in Ed’s mind).... The boys had used chalk drawings to communicate with one another back in the day.... so when Ed receives a drawing and a piece of chalk in the mail, he begins his quest to figure out what really happened all those years ago.... I don’t want to say any more than that and ruin it... just know you will go on a wonderful adventure with Ed filled with twists and turns and revelations you never will see coming.....

In addition to this fantastic mystery filled with these wonderful characters, was the nostalgia of the 1980s....as somebody who spent all of her teenage years in the 80s, I thought the author did such an amazing job of making me long for those good old days.... A time when you could ride your bike to the playground, hang out with your friends all day, and didn’t need to come home until the street lights came on.... I didn’t grow up near woods, I never found a dead body, but this book did definitely make me feel a little nostalgic for my childhood....

Can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!

*** thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

Initially a little slow-going for me at first, once I got into the story I couldn't stop. The storytelling teases out questions and answers perfectly, enough to satisfy readers but keep them guessing along the way. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with twists around every corner.

Loved this book!! It had just the right formula of creepy and mystery. It reminded me a little of The Long Walk by Stephen King. It does flash back and forth but the author does a great job with this so you aren't confused. This is a quick read and is hard to put down. The ending is soooo worth it!!

Here is another great book that I discovered since so many of my Goodreads friends loved it and they are seldom wrong!!!! I really enjoyed this book as well.

At first I was a little put off by the fact that it seemed like yet another story about a small group of pre-adolescent boys and one intriguing girl in a summer in the 1980’s, I’m thinking The Goonies and now Stranger Things, but this was unique. While explaining his 12 year old summer, Ed who is now an adult and teacher in his hometown, recalls all of his best buddies while unraveling a mystery which started that summer.

The summer of 1986 would change Ed’s life forever, he will be haunted by what he and his friends did, saw and were a part of. The story is told in both past and present which can get a little confusing but for the most part the story flowed smoothly. There are many plots and subplots and the use of the “chalk man” drawings was a clever tool which the author used in several different ways. First it was a way for the boys to communicate with one another during the summer, then later it became something fiendishly different, messages from a murderer!
The summer that the boys turned 12 and the annual fair came to town a terrible accident occurs when a carriage from a ride loosens and flies through the air leaving several people injured and one girl changed from what looked to be a charmed life to a life of solitude and disability.

I would like to tell the readers a quote from the book which will help them to solve this mystery: “Never assume, my dad once told me. To assume makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me” Question everything that you read and every character, everyone! “Assuming can trip us up in other ways, too. It can stop us seeing people for who they really are and make us lose sight of the people we know”.

The only boy from the old group of Ed, Gav, Hoppo, Mike and Nicky, who moves away is Mike and when he reappears many years later he has a proposition for Ed, he wants to make a movie about that terrible summer and he wants Ed to help him. Before Ed even has a chance to make up his mind, explain to Mike about the continuing appearance of the chalk men, Mike disappears. What has happened to him is yet another piece of this intricate puzzle.

I urge you all to pay close attention to everyone and stay sharp, the ending will have you shaking your head in disbelief, as it did me!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
Will also post to Amazon upon publication

3.5 stars--somewhere between liked and really liked.

This is a tricky book that I enjoyed more than most thrillers. The plot might not entirely hold up to close scrutiny, but that didn't decrease my enjoyment--I devoured this book in two nights because I was so engrossed.

The story is spooky, with an nostalgic 80s setting and a cast of messed-up and intriguing characters. Highly recommended for thriller readers.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

I nearly passed up the chance to read this book. With it's simple unassuming cover, written by an author I had never heard of... I nearly passed it by without a second glance. Especially as it claimed to be "The Must Read" of 2018. So many make that claim. Too many make that claim. I nearly passed it by. What a loss that would have been. What a flaming pile of Buckaroo indeed that would have been on my part to miss out on reading this novel. I just this minute finished it. I'm still stunned. Pardon me if it shows. I began this book a day or so before Thanksgiving. I kicked myself over that repeatedly. So much to do and so little time to read. It took me more than a week to finish it. I thought about it day and night when I wasn't reading. All through the holiday preparations I could not wait to get back to this book. Looking at that claim now "The must read thriller" I am nodding my head in approval. I'm applauding. Heck I'm cheering out loud. This was an incredible read. 5 out of 5 stars from me, and if I could I'd give it 10.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital ARC of this book. This book is true to its title description. The reader won't be disappointed when reading this book.

A great read! Enjoyed this entertaining book from start to finish. The suspense will keep you on your toes trying to guess whodunit. I definitely recommend.

I love a good mystery and THE CHALK MAN had a lot of potential: interesting, flawed characters and a plot and subplots galore. So why the frequent use of foreshadowing? None of the mysteries were that difficult to solve, but I felt like I was being lead from clue to clue. Personally, I find it a much more satisfying journey (read) if I’m allowed to explore on my own. My thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy..

Here is a book that has been getting a lot of hype. Like with any other highly anticipated and talked about book, I went into THE CHALK MAN with an open mind. I didn’t want to build it up too much before reading it. Well, let me tell you, this book completely deserves all of the hype and praise it’s been receiving!

First of all, the beginning of the book, that grabbed me right away. We follow Eddie throughout the book (and it’s told from his perspective), but the reader goes back and forth from 1986 to 2016. In 1986, Eddie and his friends are all close and growing up, but they still have their secret code they speak in. They call them the chalk men – as you’d suspect they’re chalk stick figures used to communicate with one another. Until one day, when a chalk man leads them to a body, their lives are forever changed.

Fast forward to 2016, Eddie is grown up and has his past behind him. One day he gets a letter in the mail containing a single chalk man. He finds out that his friends have also received the same letter. When one of them turns up dead, Eddie and his friends realize they need to figure out what happened all those years ago in order to save themselves.

This was a fantastic read. Really dark, gloomy, and at times graphic. I read this book in one sitting and I could not put it down. The ending was crazy! I found myself thinking, what the hell did I just read?? I completely agree with my buddy reader, Chandra, that it is so hard to believe that this is a debut novel. There’s no way. I will definitely be picking up more by CJ Tudor in the future.

Overall, if you want a dark and graphic crime read, then you need to get this on your TBR. If you’re a crime fiction or mystery fan, then you need this in your life. It lives up to the hype, 100%

I give this a solid 5/5 stars!

This book was very engaging and kept me guessing until the end so I liked it in that regard, but where it lost me was with the characters. I just didn't care about them. Even though Eddie is the one telling the story, there was nothing about him that made me want to get to know him better. He's a good unreliable narrator though, which is the whole point.

Overall, it was a quick and entertaining read and while I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted, I still liked it enough to want to figure out the ending.

In this thriller meets coming of age tale, readers follow young Eddie Adams and his close-knit group of friends as their innocuous practice of leaving chalked stick figure based codes for each other is unknowingly commandeered by someone with dark intentions. After innocence is lost, decades pass before the now grown men are pulled back together by an anonymous note and a need to finally come to terms with the tragedy of the past.
The Chalk Man includes plenty of twists and thrills, but it is even more so an examination of the splintering of friendships, a child's realization of adult imperfections, an unveiling of the devastating consequences of seemingly inconsequential mistakes and poor choices.

Debut novel, my ass!

As an extremely hyped up book, I went in with a little bit of trepidation.. hoping beyond hope that the hype wouldn't let me down. You know those books that are SO hyped up you go in and while it's good, you don't quite get why everyone is RAVING about it? It's great but you just expected THAT much more because of all the hoopla? Yeah, well this one delivers!

Going from 1986 to 2016, we see through Eddie's eyes. We get that Losers Club feeling with him and his guy friends back in the 80s with their token girl, Nicky. Running away from bullies and just otherwise being kids trying to find fun in their every day lives. Cue tragedy. Fully grown in 2016 they end up reconnecting somewhat while another death brings their past up to the surface.

Where do I even start? I fear saying too much as I don't want to spoil anything for you all. I will admit that at the beginning I couldn't quite understand the hype. It's great.. I kept turning the pages, but it didn't WOW me like I thought it would. AT FIRST. Then I kept turning each page and ended up reading it in one sitting. Each time I thought it made sense, nope... not it! And then the ending. WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING HELL JUST HAPPENED? I totally did NOT see that coming. And THAT ladies and gentlemen, is what made it a 5 star rating for me. Plus, a debut novel that reads like the author has been pumping out amazing thrillers since birth? I mean......

In a gist - PUT THIS ON YOUR TBR. It's gloomy, a bit graphic in some instances, not a happy read in any sense of the word, but absolutely worth your time.

There’s a subtle creepiness that runs all the way through this book. Sometimes you feel like you know the answers, and then sometimes you don’t. That’s what makes it a great mystery. I suppose some readers will figure it out, but I didn’t (and I won't spoil it!). Ed is an interesting character—I sympathize with him, but another part of me isn't quite sure what to make of him. Should we be more wary of him or not? The author does a commendable job keeping the reading guessing. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys slow-building mysteries with a good twist.

The Chalk Man is psychological suspense at its finest. It’s destined to be the next ‘must read’ book with all the elements of a bestseller.

The Chalk Man opens with 4 young friends, 3 boys and 1 girl. The year is 1986 and the feeling of that time is filled with the freedom of bike riding, playing in the park, in the woods, and secret chalk messages only they know. Fun times that summer until something tragic happens and someone is leaving chalk drawings, but it isn't any of them. The dynamic between these friends changes and they hold secrets.

Fast forward to 2016. Ed our narrator is now a teacher and living in the same house he grew up in. Nothing much has changed except for that one little secret haunts him and now they are all receiving letters with chalk in them. At first, they dismiss it as joke, but what if there’s more to it. Does someone know their secret? One of the friends from the past appears at Ed’s house and asks a favor from Ed. He leaves Ed’s house and is suddenly missing. Strange things are beginning to happen and Ed tries to put the pieces together.

There is plenty of suspense and creepiness in the characters and the plot to keep you engaged until the end. I only rated this lower because honestly, (for me) the ending didn’t match the build-up of getting there. It was still a good read!

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35356382-the-chalk-man" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Chalk Man" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498902366m/35356382.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35356382-the-chalk-man">The Chalk Man</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15754327.C_J_Tudor">C.J. Tudor</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2142695637">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
4.5 for this one!<br />A wonderfully written debut! Shock full of nightmares, terror, mystery,and murder.<br />I love the interaction of the group of 12 yr olds we meet from 1986 (reminiscent of the Stand by Me kids).<br />Every other chapter is from 1986, to present day being 2016, with chapter-ending cliffhangers. You will be completely taken in at the first page!<br />Highly recommended!!<br /><br />Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced reading!!
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/12851291-karen">View all my reviews</a>

Excellent story telling, character development, use of dual timelines and nostalgia at its best! Have a feeling this will be a hit when officially released!