Chasing the Boogeyman: A Novel

In the summer of 1988, mutilated bodies of missing girls begin appearing in a small Maryland town. Police and FBI investigators conclude a serial killer is operating in the quiet suburb, though rumors spread that the evil targeting local teens may not be entirely human. Law enforcement remains convinced the killer is a living person playing games with them. The community descends into paranoia and suspicion. Recent college graduate Richard Chizmar returns to his hometown as a curfew is enacted and a neighborhood watch formed. While preparing for his wedding and starting a writing career, he becomes caught up in the real-life horror unfolding around him. Inspired by these events, Chizmar writes a personal account of the serial killer's reign of terror, not knowing these experiences will affect him for years to come. Chasing the Boogeyman blends horror fiction with true crime through metafiction, combining a terrifying narrative with psychological depth and emotional resonance.