***A BIG THANK YOU TO THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER FOR PROVIDING ME WITH AN ARC OF THIS UPCOMING BOOK***
This is the tale of 3 college friends in the 80's that embark on a road trip to film a documentary about a very interesting topic: roadside memorials. I did not read the synopsis of this before going into it so I was not expecting the creepy directions that this one took. I should have known better, this is Rich Chizmar baybeeeeeee!

This is a very engaging, if just a wee bit too long, thriller that goes in some truly dark directions. The ultimate mystery unravels nicely with plenty of fake outs, twists and turns. The main characters are all likeable and Chizmar writes in a comforting style that goes down like your favorite refreshing beverage. I classify him in the group of authors that I consider the true disciples and heirs to the GOAT, Mr. Stephen King himself.

You may be a little put off by the length, but don't let that put you off of this one when it hits shelves. You'd be hard pressed to find a better spooky story than the ones that come from the mind of Richie Rich Chizmar!

Chizmar does it again with this scary roadtrip story. The first half of the book I found to be very slow, though I could almost feel myself in every single scene. Upon finishing the story, I realized how important every single line was in the beginning to create the full picture and give hints of what was to come; however, it was exhausting to read. As I neared the end, I was ripping through every page at the speed of light because I could not wait to see what was next. I appreciate that it was not a happy ending but what made sense for the plot. My only displeasure with the end portion was how the sexually graphic scenes felt so forced and unnecessary; I believe the goal of those scenes could have been achieved without that. As always, I will continue to purchase every single book Richard Chizmar puts out.

As a fan of Chizmar’s recent Boogeyman series, I was excited to get into this one too as the premise, and the 1980s time period, appealed to what I like about his other work. Chizmar is perhaps one of the best authors today in establishing context, mood, and vibes. He establishes the context of time and place better than most authors without relying on “remember this” referential crutches. Also, “Memorials” has a well-developed underlying sense of paranoia and distrust. Like in his Boogeyman books, Chizmar proves he is adept at building this tension and suspension throughout his work.

He also writes and develops his main characters well. Each of his three main characters feel like real people, avoiding stereotypes and common archetypes. By the end, you will definitely care about Billy, Troy, and Melody. To me, he was less successful at developing the depth of his secondary characters, especially Naomi, but the villains of this particular work seem particularly underdeveloped. So if there was one letdown in this book, it is not only that the motivations and lore behind the villains was a bit convoluted, but also that there is an expository section that explains them only after the main action has concluded that causes the book to drag a bit by the end. Despite that, the suspenseful and mysterious ride that gets you to that endpoint is certainly one worth taking.

3.5 stars

I was super impressed by Richard Chizmar's CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN, but his latest MEMORIALS (publishing October 22, 2024) didn't land as successfully with me.

The premise of this novel was so interesting. Three college students (Billy the narrator, Melody, and Troy) embark on a week-long trip in western Pennsylvania in May of 1983 documenting roadside memorials, including a memorial dedicated to one of the filmmaker's own parents, for a class project. They see strange symbols on these memorials, and people act oddly toward them during their travels, creating an unsettled feeling throughout most of the novel.

PROs
1. Great premise
2. Feeling slightly unsettled (what's going on?) throughout most of the novel
3. Lots of dialogue - allows the reader to be in the novel
4. Documentary filming set apart in different font
5. Would be a good movie

PRO and CON
1. Liked how it incorporated racism toward Troy but it had a 2020s sensibility to it that pulls you out of the 1983 setting.

CONs
1. Reads young adult instead of as an older narrator reflecting on 1983 self
2. A lot of repetition in the middle with different roadside memorial scenes, dragged down the pacing A LOT
3. Didn't buy into one of the big scenes at the end
4. Not as many 1983 vibes as I wanted

I found this to be a decent read due to its premise and some more novel inclusions into the narrative, but I didn't find this to be as compelling as other works by this author.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this thanks to @netgalley @gallerybooks @simonbooks The book takes place in 1983 and follows 3 college students who go out to film a documentary on makeshift memorials on the sides of the road where people have died. The book is told from the point of Billy, who lost his parents to a car crash and their memorial is the first one on their journey. All 3 characters have death with the death of a loved one and they bond over it as they drive over the course of a week. Then things start to get creepy. Strangers staring them down, weird dreams, a symbol that starts popping up everywhere and the legends of Appalachian cults. The book has some great twists I didn’t see coming and debunked my guesses along the way. Part "Stand By Me", part "The Blair Witch Project". Great read for people who liked his previous books, coming out this Fall.

#memorials #richardchizmar #fiction #novel #scary #horror #mystery #gallerybooks #netgalley #simonandschuster #books #bookstagram #pennsylvania #appallachians #folklore #occult #shareddreams #creepy #readingisfundamental📚

This is the third book I have read by Richard Chizmar. I absolutely loved Memorials just as much as I loved the previous two. I was instantly intrigued after seeing the book was about college students; Billy, Troy, and Melody going on a roadtrip to film a documentary. Their documentary is set to be about roadside memorials that at first seem like were unfortunate accidents. As they make their way through Appalachia things take a darker turn and at a closer look the trio begin noticing a symbol on the memorials. We begin to see fear take over between the three while they try to figure out what it is they’ve stumbled upon. Chizmar had me guessing throughout the whole book. I didn’t know who to trust or which side I should be on! I was forced to stay awake longer than I cared for because his story throughly creeped me out! The relationship between the three main characters didn’t feel forced or that it lacked in any way, I loved their dynamic. I thought I had the ending figured out but I was very wrong and I couldn’t have been more pleased by it! A definite must read for anyone who loves a good thriller!

I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! I love this terrifying book I believe it’s Chizmar at his best (which is saying something because he never misses) I am going to read it again.

I was really excited to read this book. The premise was right in line with my interests and I've had good experiences with Richard Chizmar before. Unfortunately I don't think that this book lived up to my expectations. It read more like a young adult novel but came in at the length of an adult novel. I had a lot of issues with the pacing of this book and I felt like a lot of time and energy was spent jumping from one memorial site to another when it felt like one or maybe two would have been sufficient. In fact I think a lot of scenes from this book could have been cut to make it tighter and to fix the pacing issues. I was also really disappointed in the ending. It felt like a bit of a slog to get to the climax of the novel and when we finally got there it ended so abruptly only to be followed up by a tell instead of show sort of denouement where he just described what happened to everyone in the aftermath of the big event.

Over all I was pretty disappointed in something I was really looking forward to. I might be one of the few people that feels this way, it looks like this book has a lot of high ratings and very few lower ratings.

I give this a 2.5 and round it up to 3.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Memorials is a great road trip book that follows three college students who, in 1983, drive across Pennsylvania to complete a documentary for an American Studies course. Billy, Troy, and Melody travel through Appalachia back county to film roadside memorials and research the back stories of the people who died. As they delve into the information the trio finds themselves being trailed by satanic worshippers who demand they end the project. Memorials is an entertaining novel with great appeal as a regional history and thriller.

Terrific book -- in addition to scaring the living daylights out of me, it took me back to my own college years in the 1980's (oh, to be young, when the road ahead is still misty and unclear). I have already pre-ordered several copies as Christmas gifts. Great piece of storytelling!

So good! Reminiscent of Becoming the Boogyman but still its own unique story. Certain parts actually gave me the chills. Cannot recommend enough to horror/thriller fans. This is the best book I’ve read this year.

Chizmar did it again and I loved every minute of this book. This is definitely on the longer side but worth every page.

This story follows a trio of college students in the 80s who are traveling in the Appalachia region to make a documentary for their American Studies class. Most of the book has a found footage feel perspective which I loved. I loved all the characters and found myself being so creeped out by what they were going through that I even scared myself to the point I couldn't fall asleep in my dark room. Woops.

Chizmar is one of my favorite horror writers and so happy that this one did not disappoint in the least!

I am a big fan of Chizmar, this book didn't let me down at all. I was a bit worried when the start was very slow but the second half ended up making up for it, I can honestly say I didn't see a lot of that coming even though there was one twist that I thought was going to happen involving a certain sheriff but thankfully it didn't happen, instead more surprises came from there.

Richard Chizmar’s spooky novel Memorials is a well written, very long tale. Once I reached the thrilling ending of the story, I could see where all the pieces fit together. While in the midst of reading, I had no clue why so many rotten things were happening to the three main characters.

This was another hit from the author. It is a book filled with the authors signature horror and supernatural. The suspense keeps the reader interested and page turning. This is a book which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this upcoming book!

This was my first Chizmar read, with that being said, it will not be my last. I was so intrigued by the premise, that the build up stage was a breeze. I just knew as I progressed in the book, that he was leading me to something bigger and darker. Jeez, to pick apart his brain would be such a delight too! My favorite horror I have read on netgalley in a while.

Sure it could have been bloodier or gorier. All horror could, and truthfully horror is so subjective that most reviews can either be loving it or hating it. But this is something that I think alot of horror readers will enjoy. From its narrative style, to the cast of characters and ultimately what they are chasing ( or rather what is chasing them), I think this is one I will highly reccomend.

4.5 stars!

Set in 1983, Memorials features three students from a small college planning a week-long road trip to document a class project based on roadside memorials left at the places of tragic accidents. As they trek into the Pennsylvania Appalachians, home to Billy, the proposer of the project, they initially have success locating a number of memorials and finding friends, family members or just locals who can give them background on the memorials. But soon they also encounter unexpected hostility to their filming and get the eerie sense that they're being followed. As they go further along, Billy not only trying to film his project but find some personal answers to the loss of his parents, the trio discovers something may tie all the sites together. The more they dig into the memorials, the deeper the danger they find may be right around the corner.
This is a massive novel that feels like it could have been written in its early 80s time period. It absolutely captures the atmosphere and culture of the time, and has a plot that reads very much like the popular horror of the 70s and 80s. You would not be remiss in finding some similarities to The Blair Witch Project, as the plot does feel more than a bit Blair Witch-y, but instead of traipsing through the woods in search of a mythical witch, Memorial feature an unlikely trio driving through the back roads of Pennsylvania and encountering their residents and a possible deeply ingrained Appalachian set of beliefs. The story is somewhat of a slow burn, but once the kids get on the road creepy things begin happening more and more, with increasing ominous and spooky occurrences. My only contention with the book is where the story ultimately goes. For most of the story, it's more horror literature, reminiscent of the early and best works of Peter Straub, Stephen King and the more literary works of that era. However, as sometimes happens in a novel like this, the set up is so spectacular that the resolution just won't ever quite match up. As the book finally starts revealing what's really going on, it takes somewhat of a turn into the more lurid and fantastical types of stories of that time period. While some of the turns in the narrative are fairly predictable there do remain a few surprises, keeping it from going downhill. Where everything ultimately goes isn't that far fetched for the type of story and time period in which it's set, but the first 3/4 of the book just didn't lead me to think it would go where it ultimately did. 4.5/5*

Three college classmates travel through Pennsylvania Appalachia to film a documentary for a project. The subject of the film are roadside memorials, erected to commemorate the death of a loved one that occurred on that spot. What starts off as an innocent road trip soon turns into a nightmarish adventure when the classmates experience several bizarre events and find mysterious symbols at several of the roadside locations. Memorials makes for an interesting plot for a horror book. The memorial sites are unfortunately, ubiquitous, and every reader can relate to seeing them. Sadly, the chills are few and far between for a horror novel, and only at the very ending do we get some spine-tingling, creepy scenes. Most of the book (except the climatic final scenes) read like a YA novel, as the dialogue between the college-age friends are middle-school deep and juvenile, and that just throws off the whole ghost story vibe that you’re expecting and totally diminishes the reading experience. This was a disappointment, as the plot totally grabbed my attention, but I just couldn’t overcome the childishness of the characters. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you need a good new horror book for the month of October, this is it! Richard Chizmar manages to write another spooky and believable book that intertwines Appalachian folklore and dark history. Although slow in some parts, it makes up for it in ending!

Solid 5/5 star read

Three students from York College embark on a road trip through Appalachia to do a video project on roadside memorials and their importance. The trip starts out innocently, but strange things start happening. They get the feeling they're being followed, things start to go missing, and strange symbols show up at the memorials. What is happening to them, and why? Ohh man, this book was a ride. I was all in from the beginning, and I really loved the characters. If you like character driven books, this is for you. It was sad though, and really described how hard grief and depression are. I'd rank this as a top horror book for 2024. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.