In the summer of 1988, a predator began abducting and murdering teenage girls in the small town of Edgewood, Maryland. Richard Chizmar, a recent college graduate returned to his childhood home, chronicles these events through a narrative that blends his personal life with a local investigation. He tracks the escalating police efforts, the mounting panic within his neighborhood, and his own involvement in the pursuit of the killer. The book utilizes fictionalized police reports and photographs to recreate the atmosphere of a community under siege by a calculated serial killer.
This book is intended for enthusiasts of true crime and psychological thrillers who appreciate meta-fiction that mimics documentary styles. Readers find a detailed examination of how a specific geography and social climate can be permanently altered by violence. Instead of typical genre tropes, the audience receives a logistical breakdown of a small-town manhunt and an analysis of how shared trauma linger in a person's memory. The reader walks away with a precise understanding of the fragility of suburban safety and the mechanics of local fear.
Escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
Insights from Chasing the Boogeyman
“Fear has a way of changing a person’s face.”
Small towns feel safe until a neighbor starts locking their doors. Edgewater went from porches to padlocks in one summer.
Richard found those Polaroid photos in the grass. It made me realize how easily we overlook the evidence of evil right under our feet.
“The ghost of a child is a heavy thing to carry.”
Carly Albright was just a girl trying to get home. Her empty bedroom became a monument that haunted the entire neighborhood.
“I was a young man in love with the dark.”
True crime obsessions usually start with a sense of wonder. Then you realize you're just documenting the worst day of someone's life.
- Published
- 2021
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster
- ISBN
- 9781982175184
- Language
- EN
