Exciting sequel to the author's previous book "Escaping the Boogyman" and containing the same original mix of fiction and real life content. Chizmar has a very original way of writing and this book reads like a true crime novel complete with photographs, yet it is fiction. Chizmar once again uses his own memories and background as well as his real life friends, neighbors and family to help create this fast paced thriller about a serial killer haunting Chizmar's neighborhood. Joshua Gallagher is in prison and Chizmar visits him to try to get some information for his book and then because some murders have started happening again-murders that are very much like the ones completed years earlier by Gallagher. The previous book was about Chizmar's teenage years and this book is set in current time with the same type of murders happening all over again.

Three women are kidnapped and found murdered with dismemberment and bite marks and each missing an ear. Chizmar at this time is famous about writing about Gallagher and the local police are seeking his help, especially since some body parts have been left in front of his house. Along with the current story, Chizmar gives us some bits about his childhood which he is including in another book and provides pictures of the victims and key players. I found myself wondering who these pictures were really of and the author explains in the ending author notes. Someone is stalking the author and his family and leaving things associated with the murder on his property; is it a neighbor or friend? This one is truly scary and leaves an opening for another book about Gallagher and his creepy followers. Chizmar is a terrific writer with a knack for providing just enough scary details to make you think twice about going out after dark. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Richard Chizmar is back at it with this small town mystery thriller sequel, “Becoming the Boogeyman.” Having read Chasing the Boogeyman not too long ago, I was almost jumping out of my seat when I was asked to review the sequel.

I’ll have to be honest and say I believe I may have enjoyed this a teeny bit more than the first installment! The way the author made the book feel like it was multiple povs, through just his eyes, truly gave dimension to the storyline.

The infamous boogeyman is back at in in Richard’s hometown when new victims start surfacing, causing public outrage, and 24/7 police surveillance. Richard can only accomplish so much as one man, so when he and Lt, McClernan agree to increase his penitentiary visits to see if Joshua Gallagher can give them the inside scoop to the “new” boogeyman, that’s when things really start coming to light.

Keep your eyes peeled this October for this next creepy installment

Definitely a page turner. I couldn’t put it down! It felt so realistic I caught myself googling information on the residents in the town. I highly recommend this book to any crime/ mystery/ suspense reader. Ten stars if I could!! I have to go find the other book now and read it! I have found a new author to binge!!

Let me catch my breath and check under my bed again.. Ok, whew. What a ride! This sequel to Chasing the Boogeyman surpassed my expectations. Great character development and great suspense. I had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction, not true crime. Highly recommend.

Wow what to say about the sequel to chasing the boogie man. This read like true crime but is totally fiction book was I almost say better than the first. The flow was spot on and kept me engaged. It did give some back story to seamlessly move you into the story happening now. I am extremely happy to hear of a possible 3rd book.

This is a fantastic follow-up to chasing the boogeyman. I love the faux nonfiction feel of the writing style. The characters are well-developed and the plot flows great!

With the success of his True Crime novel “Chasing the Boogeyman” Richard is finding himself at a crossroads. Grateful for the success, yet he doesn’t love the attention. Furthermore, Richard is the only one the Boogeyman Josh Gallagher will speak to, further pulling Chiz into the investigation that is now underway. When a masked man is caught lurking around his neighborhood, Chiz and his family become nervous. With the infamous “Boogeyman” behind bars, could there be a copycat?
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THOUGHTS:
I absolutely loved Chasing the Boogeyman so I was beyond thrilled when I was able to receive an early copy of the newest installment. I love how real the book feels. With Chizmar ties to the Edgewood community and his unique writing style, it really feels like a true crime novel. I was scared every night before bed LOL but I kept turning the pages because I wanted to uncover the truth. This is one to add to your TBR come this spooky reading season.

I'll admit I hadn't read the first book when reading this, but I was able to still enjoy it. I loved trying to decipher what was true and what was fiction in this book. It was intriguing, suspenseful, and an overall great read.

A solid sequel to the First book that I enjoyed very much. Chizmar is a very talented writer. Look forward to so much more.

Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar is the follow up to the wildly popular Chasing the Boogeyman. I didn’t think he could outdo the first book but he has! I know this is fiction, but he is such a great writer that once again, I found myself thinking this was a true story. I love the pictures of the characters and places that are at the end of each chapter. That just adds to the realness of the story. I cannot wait for Chizmar’s next book! Do yourself a favor and read both of his books and read them now! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely LOVED everything about the book from the plot to the true crime memoir motif to the photos to the characters...everything.

Overall I didn't love this book as much, but I did still really enjoy it. I think this book seemed less reflecting on something from Rich's (the character's) past and more writing as it was happening so that at times it seemed more ambling on, less clues for you to solve the crime, etc. Again the atmosphere in this book was impeccable and it was very readable, I just think compared to the first book it is a lesser than sequel.

In the author's note, Chizmar states he didn't intend for there to be a sequel to Chasing the Boogeyman and I felt I could tell there wasn't meant to be a sequel at the onset. It wasn't really needed or set up and maybe that has something to do with my feelings towards this book; meanwhile the ending of Becoming the Boogeyman sets up a perfect sequel and I can already see that being better than this one.

So all in all, I liked this book well enough, but won't encourage people to read it as much as CtB. Still a solid read, but simply doesn't compare.

My thanks to Gallery Books for supplying me an e-arc on NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved Chasing the Boogeyman and thought there was no way this sequel could live up to it's predecessor. I was wrong! It's just as good, and Richard Chizmar is a writing genius. Once again, he's written a work of fiction that feels like a true crime novel. We are immersed in the lives of the town and the people and don't want to leave. It's a chilling story, fun to read, and has some beautiful, almost lyrical, writing. Read this book! Many thanks to Mr. Chizmar and NetGalley for the advance readers copy.

This was awesome and a great sequel to "Chasing the Boogeyman"! Chizmar does an awesome job making this feel like a real story, not fiction. High praise and I definitely plan to read more of his in the future!

Richard Chizmar has done it again. Becoming the Boogeyman may be a work of fiction, but it reads like an episode off ID Channel. At times, I forgot this was not a real case! Chizmar uses his writing expertise to submerge you in the story by using little details of real life, like when he mentioned getting a text from the great Stephen King.

Sequels can have the habit of not comparing to the original, but that is not the case here, as Becoming the Boogeyman was just as excellent as Chasing the Boogeyman.

Wow! So I just finished this book and I’m still thinking wow!! I really loved this book. I couldn’t believe the ending of this book!! Like I can’t wait to read more of it. I’m sitting here and I just want to continue and find out what happens next!! When I read the last page I was glad to see that there will be another book coming!! Im just so anxious to get my hands on it to read more!! Richard Chizmar has become a favorite author of mine and I can’t wait to see what the other book will be like.

Thank you to Richard Chizmar and to Gallery books for my early copies of this book!! They both earned spots in my home library next to my 2 copies of chasing the boogeyman.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. If I had skipped A NOTE TO READERS at the very beginning, I would not have known this was a work of fiction disguised as true crime. I found Richard’s writing creative in so many ways. Excerpts from in person prison interviews gave it that true crime feel, but I have to say the photos clinched it for me. They were so realistic that even knowing this is a work of fiction, I still believed I was reading a true life crime. Great cliffhanger. Excited for the next novel in the series.

Kudos to Richard’s originality! Always great to read something fresh & new.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books & Richard Chizmar for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite line: “You’ll never forget this moment. For the rest of your life, you’ll remember what this feels like, you’ll remember every last thing about it and sometimes late at night when the world is still and quiet, you’ll taste it’s bittersweet memory in the center of your heart, and you’ll yearn to travel back…”

“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!

Expected Publication Date: October 10, 2023 just in time for spooky season.

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

The minute I found out that Chizmar was releasing another Boogeyman novel, I jumped on Netgalley and requested his book right away. I LOVED book one and the nightmares I had while and after reading it! This book was no different! I loved the attention to detail like the photos of the crime scenes and the victims. I loved all the references that he gave of SK's work! I am so excited to purchase a copy of this for my library and I cannot wait to post my review closer to the pub day!

Amazing! Just as brilliant, captivating, addicting and filled with suspense as Chasing the Boogeyman was! I just fell right back into the world of Edgewood and and could not wait to get back to reading every chance I got. This is a must read! I thank Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy to read and review. Richard Chizmar's "Becoming the Boogeyman" is every bit as good and creepy as it's predecessor. Chizmar is firing on all cylinders here and you can tell this is a story he loved writing. I was was downright freaked out reading this late into the night. It's a compulsive "potato chips on a page" type of book. You don't want to stop and for good reason. Chizmar continues to be one of the best writers in the horror genre, today.