MEMORIALS is a gripping tale of Billy Anderson, Troy Carpenter, and Melody Wise, three college students in Pennsylvania who are taking an American Studies class together in the 80s. Their assignment is to film a documentary, choosing to frame theirs around the roadside memorials placed after vehicle accidents. They will film in the Pennsylvania Appalachians, Billy’s home, where he lost both parents in a car accident. As they venture deeper into the mountains, they notice a mysterious symbol on some of the memorials. What does it mean? Paranoia sets in. The tension continues to mount as the three friends become increasingly unnerved by real or imagined events. They begin to believe they are being followed and watched. None of them will be the same after this trip.

Richard Chizmar succeeds in evoking more than fear as we wait to discover the students’ fates. The three main characters were perfectly developed, immediately drawing me into the story. I loved all the 1980s references, the folklore, and the friendship. The horror aspects of the book are well done, with the urban legends and many bumps in the night maintaining tension throughout. It is eerie and very much a book that will give you nightmares—a great read for the spooky season.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review! I’ll be reading more of Chizmar’s work, for sure!

Richard Chizmar continued to expand the horror genre wand that this clever and creative tale. I appreciated the use of suspense, as well as the exploration of Appalachian settings. Highly recommended.

THIS. BOOK! Good grief, it was so good. I cannot stress enough how masterfully crafted this story is. The whole mystery as to "where is this going" is paid off tenfold. I will be thinking about this book for a while. When a book can give us everything we need so effortlessly, it is a true testament to the author's talent. Richard gave us a true masterpiece with this one. Thank you to Gallery Books & NetGalley for the ARC. Check this one out when it publishes October 22, 2024!

Some isolated areas are not to be disturbed, and their residents may not bid you welcome. Dark and twisted, claustrophobic in it's paranoia and insidious horror. Lovers of dark folk lore and mountain superstitions, rejoice! Creepy, creepy, and yea, creepy ...

I was genuinely excited to read Memorials by Richard Chizmar after reading and absolutely loving his previous titles!
This was one of those compelling novels that I didn’t want to put down! Right from the start, I was absorbed by the suspense and the intriguing story-line.
Chizmar is magnificent at creating characters that leap off the page.
Chilling and extremely suspenseful I devoured this book.
This proves one again why he is a favorite of mine in the thriller/horror genre!
Never disappoints!

I give “Memorials” by Richard Chizmar a perfect 5/5 as it was a great story and was incredibly suspenseful, thrilling, and had a bit of horror thrown in to check all the boxes.

Thank You NetGalley and Gallery Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book has one of the characteristics I hate in a suspense novel. It's too long. I think cutting it down 50 or even 100 pages might do some good. Maybe the final product will reflect that, but I doubt it.

That being said, the suspense element of the story is done very well. I liked all the little details coming together bit by bit (even if it took forever). The elements of paranoia and guesswork were excellent. I even gasped at the conclusion I was so surprised.

This book is about three college students who embark on a 5-day road trip through rural PA to film a project on roadside memorials. You MUST keep in mind this book is written as if it were 1983, so if you're a Gen Z'er some of this stuff might go over your head. I had to keep reminding myself of that when the characters have to find a pay phone (gasp!) or wait for film to develop! I was born in 83 so I got the gist of things but it certainly made me appreciate some of the updated technology more.

A pattern emerges as they film more and more memorials and it all leads back to the main character, Billy's, hometown of Sudbury where the small-town America feel is not at all what it appears. Something far more sinister is going on and the journey there will make you white knuckle your reading device of choice.

Chizmar is an excellent web weaver and I enjoy his books. If writing longer fiction is his new gig, I look forward to what else he produces.

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be very reminiscent of Stephen King’s style of writing. It makes sense that the two authors have been able to collaborate so well together on “The Button Box” series together (on my neverending to-read list!).

This was great. I thoroughly enjoyed going back in time to 1983 and embarking on a road trip with Billy, Troy and Melody, as they research roadside memorials in rural Pennsylvania. The three main characters were very well-written, and we get to know Billy especially well. All three characters are suffering from grief in some matter, so the class assignment is therapeutic for them, in a way.

And then stuff gets really weird and spooky, really quickly. Are the Three Musketeers being followed? Why does it seem like everyone is staring at them? Why is there an air of hostility wherever they go? Is someone sabotaging their project…and why?

While I really liked the journey, the story did not come to a satisfactory resolution, though, in my opinion. I’m kinda miffed at Richard, to be honest. Then again, this is a horror novel, and it thoroughly lives up to the expectations of that genre.

I’ll be reading more of Chizmar’s work, for sure! I want to see what else is in that mind of his.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of the ebook. All opinions are mine alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I have to admit that it was really hard for me to get into this book. The first 50% was so sloooow. The middle bit was good, but the last 25% was absolutely insane and phenomenal! I loved how this ended. A sequel could post be done, but if it’s not that’s ok too.

memorials - richard chizmar

rating: 5 stars

thank you so much to @gallerybooks for letting me read this early. it’s been one of my most anticipated releases for the year.

right off the bat, it gives found footage, Blair witch energy. if that doesn’t rope you in… you might not be into the same horror vibes as me, because I was immediately hooked. and what an interesting premise to start with - roadside memorials and three college students striving to make a documentary film about them and their stories.

the way chizmar can create a character is just 👩‍🍳💋. they all feel so real and well developed, the ones in this book are no different. really makes the difference in keeping horror novels from becoming too cheesy and predictable.

the real humanity in this especially behind the roadside memorials themselves was, at times, gut wrenching. you can really feel the grief and the love behind some of the stories sprinkled throughout as the three main characters interview various people connected to the ones at the center of the memorials.

another thing chizmar has down pat as evidenced by this book - the slow burn. so scary at points, I had to stop myself from reading before bed, and that was just st the build up to the real stuff.

highly recommend this one & the other novels by chizmar as well !!

US pub date : October 22, 2024


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🏷️: #memorialsrichardchizmar #bookstagram #arcreview #netgalleyreads #readersofinstagram #readmorehorror

"A group of students encounter a supernatural terror while on a road trip through Appalachia in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the "unforgettable and scary" (Harlan Coben) Chasing the Boogeyman.

1983: Three students from a small college embark on a week-long road trip to film a documentary on roadside memorials for their American Studies class. The project starts out as a fun adventure with long stretches of empty road and nightly campfires where they begin to open up with one another.

But as they venture deeper into the Appalachian backwoods, the atmosphere begins to darken. They notice more and more of the memorials feature a strange, unsettling symbol hinting at a sinister secret. Paranoia sets in when it appears they are being followed. Their vehicle is tampered with overnight and some of the locals appear to be anything but welcoming. Before long, the students can't help but wonder if these roadside deaths were really random accidents...or is something terrifying at work here?"

I mean, hell yeah, this has some Evil Dead vibes going on.

This was certainly a dark and creepy book.
There were parts I liked and parts I didn’t. It was a long book, in fact too long. I felt like it rambled on and on.
I sorta liked the book and wanted to find out what happened. I thought the last part of the book was a bit predictable. It’s still a good book to add to your spooky book list

I just finished Memorials by Richard Chizmar, and honestly, I was hooked from start to finish. The story kicks off with three college students—Billy, Troy, and Melody—who decide to make a documentary about roadside memorials in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania. Now, this might sound pretty harmless at first, but it doesn’t take long for things to get seriously creepy.

Chizmar does an amazing job of slowly building tension. It starts with small, unsettling moments—a biker smiling through a blood-covered face, someone possibly spying on them, and strange symbols at the memorial sites. The tension builds and builds until you’re just waiting for something horrible to happen. And boy, does it ever.

What I loved most is how Chizmar captures the mix of youthful curiosity and impending doom. The characters feel so real, and their relationships add layers of emotion to the story. While they’re dealing with these terrifying, supernatural elements, there’s also this underlying theme about the fragility of life, making the horror hit that much harder.

There are some definite Blair Witch Project vibes here, especially with the whole documentary aspect, but Chizmar makes it his own. He’s great at creating that slow-burn kind of horror, where the fear just creeps up on you. By the end, I felt like I’d been through the wringer, but in the best way.

If you’re into atmospheric, unsettling horror that feels real and raw, I highly recommend Memorials. Chizmar knows how to pull you into a story and keep you there until the very end. It’s a wild ride, and I’m still thinking about it days later.

Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of literary horror with depth and tension.

Richard Chizmar has a way with nostalgia-laced first-person narratives and in Memorials, he's in his element. The beginning of this novel meanders a bit, taking the shape of the roadtrip in the synopsis, and it's not until nearly the halfway point that things grow weird and creepy. Some readers may take issue with the length of the book and the amount of time Chizmar uses to build character, but others will find it's necessary to his character-driven narrative, and goes a long way toward endearing the reader toward our traveling trio. I find myself in the latter camp. For the patient, once things start to get strange, Chizmar leans on the throttle and propels the story toward an ending where no one is safe and nothing is off limits. A fun, frantic book with the charm of the Boogeyman novels that takes a wholly unexpected path, and drags the reader along. Whether they want to go or not.

Once again, Richard Chizmar has left me amazed.
His writing brought those characters life and I was happy to take that road trip with them! I read a good portion of this book out loud to my husband because I simply HAD to share it with him! Another brilliant story told by Richard Chizmar! What an incredible tale of friendship, grief, sadness, love, and horror! This is the best thing l've read all year!

Memorials starts out as a slow burn and builds menacingly into a raging inferno of dread. The novel, set in 1983, is narrated by Billy, who – along with two friends – embarks on a week-long trip to film and document roadside “memorials” for their American Studies class. However, Billy and his friends, Melody and Troy, have more in common than just a college assignment. Each of the three has lost someone dear to them. Billy, at age sixteen, lost his mother and father in a senseless automobile accident. Melody lost her mother to an accidental overdose. And, Troy lost his little brother to gun violence. Thus, these three diverse individuals have become bonded by shared grief.

The trio borrow Melody’s sisters VW van and set out on the backroads of Pennsylvanian Appalachia, stopping at memorials along the way. Their first real stop will be in Sudbury, Billy’s hometown, where a memorial to his late mom and dad sits by the side of the road. The journey starts out pleasantly, the three comrades joking and teasing each other. But, soon, Billy discovers a strange symbol carved into the memorials and, examining one of his photos, thinks he can see a man watching them. Tension mounts as the three friends become more and more freaked out by events, real or imagined. They begin to believe they are being followed and watched. At one stop, they come back to their vehicle and find a tire flat. Two nails have punctured it. Was it just a random occurrence? Or something more sinister.

Memorials is an enthralling read. Creepy and twisted, it is a novel that is hard to put down. Chizmar has mastered the art of character-drawing, much like Stephen King. The three protagonists, Billy, Melody, and Troy, are real, three-dimensional, and, as the novel progresses, etch their way into your heart. Not only a tale of supernatural suspense, Memorials is also a coming-of-age novel and a tale of overcoming grief. Simply put, it is one of the best occult horror novels I have read this year.

I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced reader copy of Memorials in exchange for this honest review.

Holy smokes. Another crazy ride that is just in time for spooky season. Three college students go on a roadtrip to make a documentary about roadside memorials. On their journey, they begin to feel as though they’re being followed and things start to get creepy.

If you enjoy horror stories that involve the supernatural and you never, ever want to walk into the woods ever again in your life, then this is the story for you!! You will question who to trust. It’s a truly crazy story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Gallery Books, and the author for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am a HUGE Richard Chizmar fan, and am always excited when a new book of his comes out. The premise of this one, Memorials, had me very intrigued and interested, and I couldn’t wait to read it!

Memorials follows 3 college students — Billy, Melody & Troy — as they travel the backroads of small towns looking for roadside memorials to capture the stories for for a school project. While their intentions are good and pure, the photos and videos they capture and the interviews they do with friends and family of the deceased seems to stir up a lot of trouble. Their innocent school project takes a dark turn to the occult and becomes a deadly game of survival. Having grown up in a small town myself, the author does a great job of setting the “small town” vibes and atmosphere.

Whew, this book was GOOD! There was a nice slow burn build-up, with increasing tension and a looming sense of dread and danger. One of my biggest fears is getting lost in the forest at night, and parts of this book seriously gave me the creeps. I will definitely be recommending this book to my Mystery/Thriller/Horror book club for October!

I am also excited that the author is coming to a Austin for a book signing later this month, and have my book ordered and tickets ready to go! If you like occult thrillers and/or small town horror, I highly recommend this book (and Chizmar’s other work as well). You definitely won’t be disappointed!

I absolutely loved this book! First, the setting in Appalachia was perfect for a folk horror book! Set in the 80s? Yes, please! Three college students on a road trip to do a class project as they notice memorial signs on their journey. When the memorial signs start to get more numerous, weird things begin to happen. This was the perfect spooky season read and now I need to read Richard Chizmar's other works like, Chasing the Boogeyman. I was first introduced to Chizmar through Stephen King by way of the Gwendy books. Memorials is an absolute must read for folk horror fans.

1983: Three students from a small college embark on a week-long road trip to film a documentary on roadside memorials for their American Studies class. But as they venture deeper into the Appalachian backwoods, the atmosphere begins to darken. They notice more and more of the memorials feature a strange, unsettling symbol hinting at a sinister secret. Paranoia sets in when it appears they are being followed. Their vehicle is tampered with overnight and some of the locals appear to be anything but welcoming.

We've all seen them at some point, on the side of the road, pinned to trees, or hanging from fences. Faces of strangers that met their untimely end on that very spot.
I always found them to be so very sad. To mark the spot someone you loved breathed their last seemed... ghoulish.
Why would you want the last memory to be a spot of pain and fear?
But I also understand the need for these memorials. Sometimes the place they pay to rest just feels wrong. They never lived there or smiled and laughed there. They had no connection with the place they were laid to rest unlike the spot they lost their life. Maybe the moment before it all went wrong they were laughing, singing, or thinking of someone they loved. That would be a good memory to have wouldn't it?
Memorials tries to explain these roadside dedications and then adds a spooky, haunting use they were never intended for.

This book has a bit of a slow start, but the uneasy, creepy feeling starts to grab hold and you just can't stop until you know if our heroes have a happy ending or not.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to @netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I hope Richard Chizmar won’t be insulted when I say my immediate thought when I started reading this one was that this was a spin on The Blair Witch Project. After all the story revolves around some college students making a documentary, their’s focused on roadside memorials. (Sure not about haunted woods, but the rural locales still give a similar feeling.) For one of them this project holds a very personal means as his parents died in a roadside accident. With his unique style if Chizmar had just written a straight up story about the trio making their documentary I would have still found it fascinating. But of course there is way more to it than that. Set in the early 80’s (yes, that is in fact a time I can still remember fairly well, lol), Chizmar does a wonderful job of capturing the feel of that time, and he totally brings these three characters to life. As for the story, Chizmar does an incredible job setting the atmosphere, slowly ratcheting up the unease, increasing the tension/paranoia. This is an excellent pick up for anyone looking to get into the spirit of the season. I’d like to thank Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Memorials.