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Chalk Valley
In a remote mountain valley in British Columbia, a human monster preys on innocent lives. After teenagers discover the body of a missing girl in Chalk Valley, searchers find the remains of two more victims secreted deep in the woods. A serial killer is at work.
Chalk Valley police detective John McCarty is picked to lead a task force to find the murderer but inexperience, politics and McCarty's own inner demons quickly overwhelm him and the investigation falters.
Meanwhile, on a dark, lonely highway many miles away, RCMP Sergeant Dave Kreaver comes across a van crashed at the side of the road. The driver is anxious to leave the scene but Kreaver discovers an unconscious teenaged girl in the van. Kreaver feels in his gut that the driver could be the serial killer everyone's looking for, but his inquiries are ignored.
The task force is in well over its head, buried by thousands of leads and potential suspects. Kreaver’s supervisors tell him to back off and let the task force do its job.
Kreaver is in a deadly cat and mouse game with a murderous psychopath, a race against time with innocent victims in play. Operating alone and without official sanction, can he stop the Chalk Valley Killer before he claims more lives?
Chalk Valley police detective John McCarty is picked to lead a task force to find the murderer but inexperience, politics and McCarty's own inner demons quickly overwhelm him and the investigation falters.
Meanwhile, on a dark, lonely highway many miles away, RCMP Sergeant Dave Kreaver comes across a van crashed at the side of the road. The driver is anxious to leave the scene but Kreaver discovers an unconscious teenaged girl in the van. Kreaver feels in his gut that the driver could be the serial killer everyone's looking for, but his inquiries are ignored.
The task force is in well over its head, buried by thousands of leads and potential suspects. Kreaver’s supervisors tell him to back off and let the task force do its job.
Kreaver is in a deadly cat and mouse game with a murderous psychopath, a race against time with innocent victims in play. Operating alone and without official sanction, can he stop the Chalk Valley Killer before he claims more lives?
376 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2012
67 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
D.L. Johnstone
4 books13 followersD.L. Johnstone lives with his family north of Toronto. When he’s not writing, or walking his aggressively friendly goldendoodle, he works as a strategy and leadership consultant. He’s the author of best-selling thrillers Chalk Valley and Furies. His latest thriller, Cold Panic, will be published fall 2025.
If you’d like to contact him, please drop him an email at: dljohnstonewriter@gmail.com.
If you’d like to contact him, please drop him an email at: dljohnstonewriter@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 23, 2012
Review originally featured on Bookluvrs Haven
If some creepy dude approaches you and offers you a job that sounds too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true.
But then he goes to his creepy white van to get applications for you to fill out, and figures out that he left them at his office. He then tells you to get in the van, his office is only minutes away, and if you want the job you better get in the van.
DON'T. GET. IN. THE. VAN.
Just don't do it. Because you will probably end up at the bottom of a ravine, in some dense forest, looking not so pretty anymore, and very dead.
That is how this psychopath killer lured his victims. And the police forces that joined together to find him, had one rough time nailing this guy down. Even though they had him in their clutches, and Sergent Kreaver was CONVINCED he had the guy, there was never enough evidence to arrest him.
The writer really projected well how intense the pressure is for the police, how time consuming it is to weed through tips and potential suspects, and how frustrating it is to build a strong case. Even the 'rape kit' this guy had in his van wasn't enough to nail him, as he had ready, plausible explanations for each item... but come on!!! The Canadian Criminal Code needs some updating in my opinion, after reading that part!!
This was a great thriller that was told from different POVs, including the killer's which I found the most interesting. Especially once he starts to mentally deteriorate as the police draw closer and closer.
The writer was amazing with the character development and suspense building. From police detective John McCarty's obsession with the case, and downward spiral with his personal life, to RCMP's Dave Kreaver's immense determination to nail the killer, to even life as seen through the eyes of the killer's wife, Susan. It was very intricate and detailed, and all their lives interconnected flawlessly.
The story was raw and gritty from all angles, and a truly intense read. So if you are into these types of thrillers, you need to give this novel a chance.
*I received a eBook copy of this book for free to review from the author; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.*
If some creepy dude approaches you and offers you a job that sounds too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true.
But then he goes to his creepy white van to get applications for you to fill out, and figures out that he left them at his office. He then tells you to get in the van, his office is only minutes away, and if you want the job you better get in the van.
DON'T. GET. IN. THE. VAN.
Just don't do it. Because you will probably end up at the bottom of a ravine, in some dense forest, looking not so pretty anymore, and very dead.
That is how this psychopath killer lured his victims. And the police forces that joined together to find him, had one rough time nailing this guy down. Even though they had him in their clutches, and Sergent Kreaver was CONVINCED he had the guy, there was never enough evidence to arrest him.
The writer really projected well how intense the pressure is for the police, how time consuming it is to weed through tips and potential suspects, and how frustrating it is to build a strong case. Even the 'rape kit' this guy had in his van wasn't enough to nail him, as he had ready, plausible explanations for each item... but come on!!! The Canadian Criminal Code needs some updating in my opinion, after reading that part!!
This was a great thriller that was told from different POVs, including the killer's which I found the most interesting. Especially once he starts to mentally deteriorate as the police draw closer and closer.
The writer was amazing with the character development and suspense building. From police detective John McCarty's obsession with the case, and downward spiral with his personal life, to RCMP's Dave Kreaver's immense determination to nail the killer, to even life as seen through the eyes of the killer's wife, Susan. It was very intricate and detailed, and all their lives interconnected flawlessly.
The story was raw and gritty from all angles, and a truly intense read. So if you are into these types of thrillers, you need to give this novel a chance.
*I received a eBook copy of this book for free to review from the author; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.*
September 12, 2015
I really quite enjoyed this story but would have preferred it had been better edited first. There were some oft-repeated mistakes throughout that drove me nuts.
The tale is set in Canada where a serial killer is on the loose. It rightly quoted Ted Bundy at the beginning remarking on the way law-enforcement made his chosen career path an easy one to take seeing as they didn't communicate with each other. So as a transient murderer he got away with it for many more years than he rightly should have.
This was the case with the murderer Phil of the story. He crossed boundaries and the differing police agencies used differing systems, even in this 21st century. As we learned here in the UK to our cost after a massive scale set of killings with the Yorkshire Ripper you could be totally bogged down with information and tips to follow up, however well-meaning, if those in pursuit don't have a clear method of cross-checking suspects. It was around 5 times I think they interviewed Sutcliffe without realising it !!
There were lots of "little" words lost in sentences in this-such as be/the or a.
In one line 'they weren't' was repeated twice for no reason as was 'go to' in another.
There were apostrophe mistakes and words running into each other like afterall or moreso. A proper proofread would have easily picked these up. Annoyingly, superintendent was misspelt as superindendant every single time it was used. Muesli had a random x added thus became mueslix.
ALL these mistakes easily meant I knocked one star down.
The tale is set in Canada where a serial killer is on the loose. It rightly quoted Ted Bundy at the beginning remarking on the way law-enforcement made his chosen career path an easy one to take seeing as they didn't communicate with each other. So as a transient murderer he got away with it for many more years than he rightly should have.
This was the case with the murderer Phil of the story. He crossed boundaries and the differing police agencies used differing systems, even in this 21st century. As we learned here in the UK to our cost after a massive scale set of killings with the Yorkshire Ripper you could be totally bogged down with information and tips to follow up, however well-meaning, if those in pursuit don't have a clear method of cross-checking suspects. It was around 5 times I think they interviewed Sutcliffe without realising it !!
There were lots of "little" words lost in sentences in this-such as be/the or a.
In one line 'they weren't' was repeated twice for no reason as was 'go to' in another.
There were apostrophe mistakes and words running into each other like afterall or moreso. A proper proofread would have easily picked these up. Annoyingly, superintendent was misspelt as superindendant every single time it was used. Muesli had a random x added thus became mueslix.
ALL these mistakes easily meant I knocked one star down.
November 14, 2012
Chalk Valley, the debut novel from author D.L. Johnstone, is an amazingly well-crafted piece of crime fiction. On its face, the serial killer trope has been done to death. Where Johnstone absolutely shines and sets Chalk Valley apart, however, is in his characterizations. The story may be built around the skeleton of a serial killer, but it is fleshed out by the struggles and frustrations of the two men leading their respective investigations for the killer. Who “the guy” is - Phil Lindsay - is known from the outset; this isn’t a mystery. Rather, the portrait Chalk Valley paints is that of an intricate, painful examination of how the lives in the path of such an investigation are twisted and ripped apart.
Chalk Valley, British Columbia Detective John McCarty simply does not have the experience or the resources to handle an investigation of the magnitude he finds himself in charge of, yet at the same time his pride won’t allow him to ask for the outside assistance he needs. It doesn’t help that his boss is also adamant that the Mounties not swoop in and take things over, thereby making the Chalk Valley police department look small-time and incompetent. The pressure causes McCarty, who already had a drinking problem, to slip into a downward spiral that affects both his job and his marriage. The question isn’t if he’s going to implode, but when.
Baywater, British Columbia Sergeant Dave Kreaver, recently divorced and still coping with the death of his young son, doesn’t have the ego issues that are tripping up McCarty. Quite the opposite, actually. Kreaver is trying desperately to get anyone and everyone he can on the same page to help bring the case to a conclusion. He knows who the killer is, he just can’t find a way to nail the guy. At every turn he runs into some sort of stumbling block. Be it the innocent failure of officers to follow up on tips, the deliberate refusal of people like McCarty to cooperate, or simply the miles and miles of red tape inherent in the system, Kreaver just can’t seem to catch the break he needs to turn the tide. He gets tired of waiting, however, and decides to take measures into his own hands.
Not even Lindsay’s family is immune to the pressure. In fact, they may actually be the ones most traumatized by events. Though his wife has always known her husband has his secrets – what exactly is in that locked room in the basement she’s never supposed to enter? – she can’t bring herself to believe he could be capable of anything truly evil, not even when evidence to the contrary starts to mount. Even Lindsay himself starts to unravel as the story progresses, a process made all the more deadly by the inefficiency that is the morass of interjurisdictional law enforcement, a sieve that continuously allows Lindsay to wiggle free.
And throughout it all, Johnstone incorporates first-rate scenes of boots on the ground police investigation, forensic examinations, and behavioral profiling. Quite simply, Chalk Valley presents a balance of action, police technique, and character development that is incredibly rare to find period, and damn near unheard of in a debut. The year’s not over quite yet, but I highly expect Chalk Valley to be among the books making a strong play for a spot on my Top 10 Reads of 2012 list when January 1st rolls around.
Chalk Valley, British Columbia Detective John McCarty simply does not have the experience or the resources to handle an investigation of the magnitude he finds himself in charge of, yet at the same time his pride won’t allow him to ask for the outside assistance he needs. It doesn’t help that his boss is also adamant that the Mounties not swoop in and take things over, thereby making the Chalk Valley police department look small-time and incompetent. The pressure causes McCarty, who already had a drinking problem, to slip into a downward spiral that affects both his job and his marriage. The question isn’t if he’s going to implode, but when.
Baywater, British Columbia Sergeant Dave Kreaver, recently divorced and still coping with the death of his young son, doesn’t have the ego issues that are tripping up McCarty. Quite the opposite, actually. Kreaver is trying desperately to get anyone and everyone he can on the same page to help bring the case to a conclusion. He knows who the killer is, he just can’t find a way to nail the guy. At every turn he runs into some sort of stumbling block. Be it the innocent failure of officers to follow up on tips, the deliberate refusal of people like McCarty to cooperate, or simply the miles and miles of red tape inherent in the system, Kreaver just can’t seem to catch the break he needs to turn the tide. He gets tired of waiting, however, and decides to take measures into his own hands.
Not even Lindsay’s family is immune to the pressure. In fact, they may actually be the ones most traumatized by events. Though his wife has always known her husband has his secrets – what exactly is in that locked room in the basement she’s never supposed to enter? – she can’t bring herself to believe he could be capable of anything truly evil, not even when evidence to the contrary starts to mount. Even Lindsay himself starts to unravel as the story progresses, a process made all the more deadly by the inefficiency that is the morass of interjurisdictional law enforcement, a sieve that continuously allows Lindsay to wiggle free.
And throughout it all, Johnstone incorporates first-rate scenes of boots on the ground police investigation, forensic examinations, and behavioral profiling. Quite simply, Chalk Valley presents a balance of action, police technique, and character development that is incredibly rare to find period, and damn near unheard of in a debut. The year’s not over quite yet, but I highly expect Chalk Valley to be among the books making a strong play for a spot on my Top 10 Reads of 2012 list when January 1st rolls around.
August 15, 2012
Chalk Valley grips the reader from the opening page. The book is filled with action and suspense, moves quickly, and concludes with a satisfying ending. The author has clearly done his work in researching his field - it shows in his writing. His characters are all flawed, believable and well developed. The story is told from several points of view, which gives the reader a better insight into the horror, the struggles, and the desperation. The author also exposes the frustration of the officials : even when they are certain they have their guy, they are hampered by legal red-tape, which gives the killer the freedom to continue his rampage. Excellent thriller. I would read more by this author.
Disclaimer: I read a review copy and found a number of errors, which may be due to having received a pre-edited version. For this reason, I gave 4 stars, otherwise I would give 5 stars for the story and the content.
Disclaimer: I read a review copy and found a number of errors, which may be due to having received a pre-edited version. For this reason, I gave 4 stars, otherwise I would give 5 stars for the story and the content.
January 28, 2014
THIS WAS A VERY WELL WRITTEN BOOK ON SOME VERY TERRIBLE SUBJECTS. IT WAS ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER BUT SO MUCH MORE WAS GOING ON. IT SHOWED THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO CAPTURE AND PUNISH A CRIMINAL. I WAS ANGRY MOST OF THE BOOK, I WONDER HOW DO CRIMINALS EVER GET CAUGHT, WHEN ROAD BLOCKS LIKE RED TAPE, POLITICS AND BUDJET CUTS ARE USED AT EVERY TURN. HOW CAN ONE DO THEIR JOB WHEN IT SEEMS ALL THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALL IN A STUPID "PISSING CONTEST" AT OUR EXPENCE. ALSO HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSE TO PROTECT US ARE SICK IN SO MANY WAYS THEMSELVES. THIS BOOK MADE ME NOT HAVE MUCH RESPECT OR FAITH FOR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS LOCATED. GEE-WHIZ! WHAT A BUNCH OF IDIOTS. SUPER SCARY SHIT!!! ;0
March 21, 2015
Excellent book.
May 6, 2020
D. L. Johnstone's Chalk Valley is a fictional thriller about three young brutalized murder victims who are found deep in a forest of a remote town in Western Canada. Detectives and police are in a struggle against time to find the merciless fugitive before he strikes again. Will they be successful in finding the murderer or will the labyrinth of police jurisdictions obstruct justice before the culprit takes another life?
Chalk Valley is a dramatic and enjoyable adventure told mostly through the angle of multiple law enforcement workers. I enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice back to back. Other than one detail of the ligature on a murder victim that seemed to be mentioned in passing before it was officially revealed by the appropriate source, Chalk Valley intricately weaves together characters and evidence to create an incredibly realistic story. Johnstone shows fantastic character development with a layered plot of personal situations and police investigations with enough detail that it makes you feel like you are alongside for the investigation. The book escalates in suspense with twists and turns until the satisfying end.
Although there is mature language, sexual scenes, and violent situations, the abusive elements are respectfully described and not exceedingly detailed or graphic. Chalk Valley takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions and suspense during a fight to bring a killer to justice. I found this tale similar to the general story of Gary Leon Ridgway, the Green River Killer, portrayed mostly from a law enforcement point of view. I would definitely recommend Johnstone’s Chalk Valley to anyone who has an interest in true crime, serial killers, and criminal justice.
Chalk Valley is a dramatic and enjoyable adventure told mostly through the angle of multiple law enforcement workers. I enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice back to back. Other than one detail of the ligature on a murder victim that seemed to be mentioned in passing before it was officially revealed by the appropriate source, Chalk Valley intricately weaves together characters and evidence to create an incredibly realistic story. Johnstone shows fantastic character development with a layered plot of personal situations and police investigations with enough detail that it makes you feel like you are alongside for the investigation. The book escalates in suspense with twists and turns until the satisfying end.
Although there is mature language, sexual scenes, and violent situations, the abusive elements are respectfully described and not exceedingly detailed or graphic. Chalk Valley takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions and suspense during a fight to bring a killer to justice. I found this tale similar to the general story of Gary Leon Ridgway, the Green River Killer, portrayed mostly from a law enforcement point of view. I would definitely recommend Johnstone’s Chalk Valley to anyone who has an interest in true crime, serial killers, and criminal justice.
August 3, 2017
Too much, too long
I didn't follow half of the initials the author put in the story as to what law enforcement group was being talked about. This book was surely written for Canadians to understand, not Americans.
I didn't follow half of the initials the author put in the story as to what law enforcement group was being talked about. This book was surely written for Canadians to understand, not Americans.
December 18, 2018
WOW!!! I loved the book! My favorite genre..serial killers; realistic characters, fast paced, scary!! Could not stop turning the pages even had me saying, don't listen to him girl, run. Boy! What a read! GREAT JOB D.L. Johnstone💖👍
January 20, 2017
Valley
That was a wonderful suspense and awesome book. I couldn't stop reading it..I really enjoyed it...can't wait to read the next one
That was a wonderful suspense and awesome book. I couldn't stop reading it..I really enjoyed it...can't wait to read the next one
June 18, 2017
Good crime thriller
Kept me glued to the screen with suspense. I felt the angle of the story was fresh. Kinda gruesome with detail.
Kept me glued to the screen with suspense. I felt the angle of the story was fresh. Kinda gruesome with detail.
June 30, 2018
Other than the horrible alcoholism and drugs and the annoying journalist side plot, this book was really good. I liked seeing the story from the killer's pov as well as the police's.
October 8, 2012
CHALK VALLEY is quite long for a first novel but Dan holds it all together quite well. It really is a police procedural commentating on the way cases are often bigger than the resources devoted to them. There are frequently disparate repositories of knowledge and slavishly following strict procedures and protocols often doesn't bring them together in a meaningful way.
The novel highlights the way Canadian jurisdictions often compete with each other, but also that local policemen are often not equipped either through knowledge of experience to run a more complex case.
Lead investigator John McCarty really doesn't have the capacity for the bigger picture. He is convinced the way to go is to sift all the evidence from phone ins etc, categorise the data, and then proceed. The problem is that this is time consuming, and doesn't really ask the investigators to think too much.
This was indeed turning out to be a very different kind of murder case than the domestics and drug murders Chalk Valley was used to.
He thought through how he would run the meeting. Just keep it under control; it’s my case, and no Vancouver Metro shit for brains is going to take it over or tell me how to run it. Cases are built up of a delicate web of leads, evidence, information known only to the cop and the suspect, fragile strands to be protected at all costs. The last thing any cop wanted would be for some numbnuts to fuck things up and taint their witness by asking the wrong question, backing them into an error or even a lie, making it inadmissible in court, which in turn could basically shoot a case all to hell. When you share, you lose control.
Ironically, there was a time, early in the novel, when, if McCarty had been carrying out his duties as he should have been, he would have nipped a crime in the bud and been able to take the serial killer before he killed another woman.
Add to that the fact that McCarty has personal problems.
In fact it takes a persistent RCMP Sergeant following his gut feeling and an experienced observer from Metro to set the ball rolling. Meanwhile the reader has always known who the murderer is.
A novel with this structure, where the characters don't make all the connections, but the reader is omniscient, is not easy carry off and the author does it pretty well.
I particularly liked the characterisation, the occasional touches of irony, and real human interest that surfaced.
The novel highlights the way Canadian jurisdictions often compete with each other, but also that local policemen are often not equipped either through knowledge of experience to run a more complex case.
Lead investigator John McCarty really doesn't have the capacity for the bigger picture. He is convinced the way to go is to sift all the evidence from phone ins etc, categorise the data, and then proceed. The problem is that this is time consuming, and doesn't really ask the investigators to think too much.
This was indeed turning out to be a very different kind of murder case than the domestics and drug murders Chalk Valley was used to.
He thought through how he would run the meeting. Just keep it under control; it’s my case, and no Vancouver Metro shit for brains is going to take it over or tell me how to run it. Cases are built up of a delicate web of leads, evidence, information known only to the cop and the suspect, fragile strands to be protected at all costs. The last thing any cop wanted would be for some numbnuts to fuck things up and taint their witness by asking the wrong question, backing them into an error or even a lie, making it inadmissible in court, which in turn could basically shoot a case all to hell. When you share, you lose control.
Ironically, there was a time, early in the novel, when, if McCarty had been carrying out his duties as he should have been, he would have nipped a crime in the bud and been able to take the serial killer before he killed another woman.
Add to that the fact that McCarty has personal problems.
In fact it takes a persistent RCMP Sergeant following his gut feeling and an experienced observer from Metro to set the ball rolling. Meanwhile the reader has always known who the murderer is.
A novel with this structure, where the characters don't make all the connections, but the reader is omniscient, is not easy carry off and the author does it pretty well.
I particularly liked the characterisation, the occasional touches of irony, and real human interest that surfaced.
September 30, 2012
In bucolic Chalk Valley, a body is discovered. A grisly find that launches a murder investigation and from the start stumps the investigators. When two more bodies are found awhile later, it now begins to look like a serial killer is at work.
Meanwhile, police officer Dave Kreaver, from Baywater, BC, is still trying to bring a would-be abductor to justice. A man who has evaded charges because the evidence did not add up to anything substantial. But Kreaver has a strong feeling about this one....
As time passes and as tips flow into the call lines, those in pursuit of their killer keep dropping the ball, losing out because of their inability to link the evidence to any one suspect. And the investigators working on their separate cases will not realize for quite awhile the connections that bind them together.
Readers know almost immediately, of course, as the obvious perpetrator is introduced on the very first pages as he is abducting a young girl who happens to be the very one discovered dead in Chalk Valley. But the cops don't know it. And even when they begin to suspect his connection, it takes a long time and a great deal of effort before he is finally captured.
"Chalk Valley" was a captivating read that had me hooked almost immediately. There were details in the opening pages that were quite grisly; and there were so many characters introduced that it felt a bit confusing. But as they were fleshed out and as we begin to see the toll this case was taking on each of them, the story seemed to be about a lot more than capturing this killer. It was about how police work is often stymied and even stalled by minutiae; how connections and links are almost lost because of poor communication; and how lives are destroyed by the sheer stress and toll that the job requires of those on the case.
As much as I enjoyed the story, which picked up its pace drastically toward the end, the overwhelming detail did impede my enjoyment at times. However, I would recommend it for anyone who loves a good serial killer pursuit, especially when the police finally are able to capture the elusive perpetrator. Four stars.
Meanwhile, police officer Dave Kreaver, from Baywater, BC, is still trying to bring a would-be abductor to justice. A man who has evaded charges because the evidence did not add up to anything substantial. But Kreaver has a strong feeling about this one....
As time passes and as tips flow into the call lines, those in pursuit of their killer keep dropping the ball, losing out because of their inability to link the evidence to any one suspect. And the investigators working on their separate cases will not realize for quite awhile the connections that bind them together.
Readers know almost immediately, of course, as the obvious perpetrator is introduced on the very first pages as he is abducting a young girl who happens to be the very one discovered dead in Chalk Valley. But the cops don't know it. And even when they begin to suspect his connection, it takes a long time and a great deal of effort before he is finally captured.
"Chalk Valley" was a captivating read that had me hooked almost immediately. There were details in the opening pages that were quite grisly; and there were so many characters introduced that it felt a bit confusing. But as they were fleshed out and as we begin to see the toll this case was taking on each of them, the story seemed to be about a lot more than capturing this killer. It was about how police work is often stymied and even stalled by minutiae; how connections and links are almost lost because of poor communication; and how lives are destroyed by the sheer stress and toll that the job requires of those on the case.
As much as I enjoyed the story, which picked up its pace drastically toward the end, the overwhelming detail did impede my enjoyment at times. However, I would recommend it for anyone who loves a good serial killer pursuit, especially when the police finally are able to capture the elusive perpetrator. Four stars.
October 29, 2012
This was a chilling read. I’m glad my kids are older, because I don’t think I’d let them go on any more sleep-overs ever again. It’s a great police thriller, with an extremely creepy serial killer. I loved this story, even though some of the characters rubbed me the wrong way.
Right from the beginning, we’re introduced to the character Phil as he is abducting a young girl. Phil’s dark side is evil, but what totally creeped me out about his character, is that he is just an average guy. He could be your neighbor, co-worker or your best friends’ husband. I think why his character bothered me so much, is because he’s a family guy, with a young step-daughter. It was just a bit too real for me. I enjoyed watching his character unravel as the story went on.
Meanwhile, the lead investigator in the Chalk Valley murders is John McCarty. I could not stand this detective, his character was too flawed. I have too much respect for law enforcement officers, so I really disliked this character. I just wanted him off this case. He was in over his head with the murder case, too stressed out, a drunk and cheating husband. Not the best role model, but definitely kept the story interesting, to say the least.
Officer Kreaver, on the other hand, I loved. He was working on keeping an eye on Phil, because he just had a gut feeling there was more to him than anyone thought. I loved the fact that he didn’t give up and followed through with things and went above and beyond to get the answers he needed.
The final character I’ll mention is the reporter, Jamie Straka. When she was first introduced, I thought ‘Ugg, another bad-assed female reporter”. But I was pleasantly surprised that she turned into a decent character with morals. She ended up being my favorite character of the book.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good police/serial killer suspense story. This book has some gruesome and disturbing parts, but it’s a fast-paced and action-packed enjoyable book.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for an hones review, and all opinions are my own.
Right from the beginning, we’re introduced to the character Phil as he is abducting a young girl. Phil’s dark side is evil, but what totally creeped me out about his character, is that he is just an average guy. He could be your neighbor, co-worker or your best friends’ husband. I think why his character bothered me so much, is because he’s a family guy, with a young step-daughter. It was just a bit too real for me. I enjoyed watching his character unravel as the story went on.
Meanwhile, the lead investigator in the Chalk Valley murders is John McCarty. I could not stand this detective, his character was too flawed. I have too much respect for law enforcement officers, so I really disliked this character. I just wanted him off this case. He was in over his head with the murder case, too stressed out, a drunk and cheating husband. Not the best role model, but definitely kept the story interesting, to say the least.
Officer Kreaver, on the other hand, I loved. He was working on keeping an eye on Phil, because he just had a gut feeling there was more to him than anyone thought. I loved the fact that he didn’t give up and followed through with things and went above and beyond to get the answers he needed.
The final character I’ll mention is the reporter, Jamie Straka. When she was first introduced, I thought ‘Ugg, another bad-assed female reporter”. But I was pleasantly surprised that she turned into a decent character with morals. She ended up being my favorite character of the book.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good police/serial killer suspense story. This book has some gruesome and disturbing parts, but it’s a fast-paced and action-packed enjoyable book.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for an hones review, and all opinions are my own.
December 16, 2012
For a debut novel, Chalk Valley is exceptionally well written and very fast moving all the while keeping the reader interested and fascinated at the same time.
The story is told from several points of view which gives the reader a great overview of every facet that is going on, especially since you get to see the criminal's side of things as well. I really enjoyed this angle as it's not often you get to read a crime novel which shows you behind the scenes of the killer's world, normally you just get the point of view of the investigator or police officers involved and don't really get told much about the culprit until the end when they discover who it is.
There was also a lot of outlining of police procedures and the subsequent red-tape involved in an investigation in this novel which made it seem a lot more realistic. It wasn't your typical perfect 'Law & Order' crime where all the evidence matches up too perfectly and the criminal is caught within a week. There was a lot of waiting and lagging of time before many developments eventuated which I quite enjoyed as it made the story all the more real and interesting.
You could definitely tell an awful lot of research and time has been put in by the author to replicate how a proper investigation can go down and this effort certainly shows.
My favourite thing about this story was just how real and flawed all of the characters were. You really got a sense of who they were and felt for them through their struggles and frustrations throughout the novel.
Overall, Chalk Valley is probably one of the best crime novels I have read in a very long time. At no point was I bored with the story, in fact it was usually the opposite where I was disappointed if I was too tired or didn't have the opportunity to continue reading it for whatever reason. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this novel to anyone interested in stories of this nature and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
The story is told from several points of view which gives the reader a great overview of every facet that is going on, especially since you get to see the criminal's side of things as well. I really enjoyed this angle as it's not often you get to read a crime novel which shows you behind the scenes of the killer's world, normally you just get the point of view of the investigator or police officers involved and don't really get told much about the culprit until the end when they discover who it is.
There was also a lot of outlining of police procedures and the subsequent red-tape involved in an investigation in this novel which made it seem a lot more realistic. It wasn't your typical perfect 'Law & Order' crime where all the evidence matches up too perfectly and the criminal is caught within a week. There was a lot of waiting and lagging of time before many developments eventuated which I quite enjoyed as it made the story all the more real and interesting.
You could definitely tell an awful lot of research and time has been put in by the author to replicate how a proper investigation can go down and this effort certainly shows.
My favourite thing about this story was just how real and flawed all of the characters were. You really got a sense of who they were and felt for them through their struggles and frustrations throughout the novel.
Overall, Chalk Valley is probably one of the best crime novels I have read in a very long time. At no point was I bored with the story, in fact it was usually the opposite where I was disappointed if I was too tired or didn't have the opportunity to continue reading it for whatever reason. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this novel to anyone interested in stories of this nature and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
December 6, 2012
A serial killer’s work has been discovered in Chalk Valley, BC and the town is crying out for blood and a quick resolution. Yet the task force created to catch this monster is bogged down in political posturing, intra-departmental communication issues, and a man who cannot overcome his demons. Thus the investigation is failing to discover important clues and patterns while the psychopath continues to abduct and kill young girls. When Sergeant Kreaver makes an important discovery, it is pushed under the rug and he’s forced to go rogue and investigate on his own. Can he take down the serial killer without back-up or will he succumb to the deadly game they play?
‘Chalk Valley’ will give you the major creeps! I am a big fan of serial killer movies, TV shows, and books. ‘Chalk Valley’ does not disappoint! The author has created beautifully flawed characters who are very believable. We are introduced to the killer in the beginning, but we have to watch painful time tick away as the police are unable to see the connections and put them together to discover the killer’s identity. Mr. Johnstone is devilishly creative and has done extensive research to create the terrifyingly macabre and realistic story. Definitely keep the lights on when reading ‘Chalk Valley’!!
‘Chalk Valley’ will give you the major creeps! I am a big fan of serial killer movies, TV shows, and books. ‘Chalk Valley’ does not disappoint! The author has created beautifully flawed characters who are very believable. We are introduced to the killer in the beginning, but we have to watch painful time tick away as the police are unable to see the connections and put them together to discover the killer’s identity. Mr. Johnstone is devilishly creative and has done extensive research to create the terrifyingly macabre and realistic story. Definitely keep the lights on when reading ‘Chalk Valley’!!
January 3, 2014
A definite thumbs up.
This was a story about a serial murderer, and the problems that law enforcement must deal with when investigating such a horrific crime. Having to work across different law enforcement agencies, territories, and the like, and the problems that can cause, giving the murderer time and opportunity to do even more harm before enough information and evidence can be gathered to make a case that will actually stick, and convict.
I have a completely new respect for any police officer, from any agency, trying to solve such crimes, because it seems to me that so much is stacked against them, it's a wonder they "get the guy" at all, at times. I guess we could say that the best thing is when the criminal gets so cocky he/she gives themselves away, by doing something so stupid or so obvious. It also made it much clearer (for me) to understand exactly why a person committing such crimes, does manage to get away with it for as long as some of them have.
This was a story about a serial murderer, and the problems that law enforcement must deal with when investigating such a horrific crime. Having to work across different law enforcement agencies, territories, and the like, and the problems that can cause, giving the murderer time and opportunity to do even more harm before enough information and evidence can be gathered to make a case that will actually stick, and convict.
I have a completely new respect for any police officer, from any agency, trying to solve such crimes, because it seems to me that so much is stacked against them, it's a wonder they "get the guy" at all, at times. I guess we could say that the best thing is when the criminal gets so cocky he/she gives themselves away, by doing something so stupid or so obvious. It also made it much clearer (for me) to understand exactly why a person committing such crimes, does manage to get away with it for as long as some of them have.
October 19, 2013
This complex, multi-agency and multi-location police procedural has the big picture feel of a television show like The Wire. Told through the point of views of a range of characters involved in the case - including police officers, journalists, victims and the killer - it shows how incidents that at first seem unconnected all fit together into a web of violence and terror.
The twists and turns of the story sprint along but there's still plenty of procedural detail to satisfy fans of the sub-genre. With the killers point of view included, readers discover their identity before the police have collaborated all of the evidence - this ups the tension for the reader as you will on the various police departments, hoping that they’ll find the connections before it’s too late.
With a dramatic finale and a poignant ending this is a story well worth checking out.
The twists and turns of the story sprint along but there's still plenty of procedural detail to satisfy fans of the sub-genre. With the killers point of view included, readers discover their identity before the police have collaborated all of the evidence - this ups the tension for the reader as you will on the various police departments, hoping that they’ll find the connections before it’s too late.
With a dramatic finale and a poignant ending this is a story well worth checking out.
November 7, 2015
I found this book interesting in that it is a police procedural placed in Canada. I'm assuming (and I know all about the word "assume") that the basics regarding police procedures in Canada are based in the current reality. If so, Canada is very far behind the States (and a lot of the rest of the world) - in that they are still working with little and/or ineffectual cross-regional / cross-entity cooperation and sharing of information. To me, this is the real story; and it is unresolved so I found the book kind of unsatisfying. The story put forth (a serial killer) and the people dealing with the case is pretty good; the characters are not as developed as much as I would like. We get glimpses but I would like to delve deeper into what is making these characters react as they do. So, it's an okay book - it just could have been so much better.
October 4, 2012
In the begining there seemed to be a new character introduced in each new chapter... At first it was a bit over whelming to understand what was actually happening. After a few chapters tho it leveled out and started to come together.
This story is a tragic story on many levels. Not only because of the work of a serial killer but also because of the personal lives of all the people involved! A lot of different aspects of different stories involved.
Very believable plot, I can see how this could effect the people involved as the story was told!
Very well written and enjoyed this book very much.
This story is a tragic story on many levels. Not only because of the work of a serial killer but also because of the personal lives of all the people involved! A lot of different aspects of different stories involved.
Very believable plot, I can see how this could effect the people involved as the story was told!
Very well written and enjoyed this book very much.
January 2, 2014
Chalk Valley, is one of those rare gems one stumbles unto by accident, that gives you new hope that excellent writers are still to be discovered. Well developed characters and great hook. Evenly paced and written in a third person subjective, fully omniscient, viewpoint that lets us see all the players in real time. The author let his characters move you through the plot and many times you will be holding your breath.
Great good, good guys and a really great, creepy bad guy.
Read this one and read any thing else this author has written. I think you won’t go wrong.
I am really liking D.L. Johnstone.
January 11, 2019
A great blend of seat-shifting, wince-inducing suspense and deeply appealing character-driven Canadiana. The story shifts between multiple main characters' unique perspectives, all struggling under the weight of their own personal problems and attempting to keep their lives from fraying apart completely in the face of their responsibilities - as cops, reporters, kin and culprit - to the horrific crimes terrorizing the province.
I've read Chalk Valley three times now and find myself drawn back to it almost every year when Canadian autumn begins its cold and rainy descent into winter proper.
I've read Chalk Valley three times now and find myself drawn back to it almost every year when Canadian autumn begins its cold and rainy descent into winter proper.
June 13, 2013
Girls are being murdered and dumped in the woods and no one has answers. Officer John Mcarty may have just arrested someone that could be a suspect but is forced to release him. McCarty doesn't give up and continues to look into his one suspect as more girls come up dead.
Ah!! Great book! Its one of those that you want to jump into the book and slap people into the right direction. I felt like screaming, "You're so close!!! Keep going!!" I suggest this book for a good crime novel.
Ah!! Great book! Its one of those that you want to jump into the book and slap people into the right direction. I felt like screaming, "You're so close!!! Keep going!!" I suggest this book for a good crime novel.
March 3, 2015
I don't read a lot in this genre, but I found Chalk Valley a tightly plotted page-turner of a procedural thriller. The writing could have been trimmed here and there, and the characters went a little cliche at times, but they were still compelling. Even though you know the killer from Page One, you're still happy to follow the story of his capture through to the end.
I could see this as a short TV series (like Durham County, which was also Canadian), or a David Fincher movie.
I could see this as a short TV series (like Durham County, which was also Canadian), or a David Fincher movie.
October 8, 2012
This book kept me interested and turning the pages. It is a suspense, thriller about a serial killer in Canada. You definitely dislike this man shortly after you are introduced to him. The characters came to life and when I finished the book I had to check to make sure it was fiction! For anyone that enjoys this type of book, I would recommend it.
December 18, 2012
Fantastic book that will keep you turning the pages. Rich character development and a new approach to the classic crime novel. This book was so realistic at times it felt like you were reading something taken from the headlines. For anyone who loves crime books this is a must read.
January 5, 2014
A psychotic serial killer is the focus of a manhunt in Vancouver. While the killer terrorizes the city and outskirts, the police fumble their way through weeks of infighting and sloppy investigation. Pretty good book, especially the development of the personalities in the story.
October 16, 2012
At 45% the 2nd time around, I still couldn't finish this one =(
October 10, 2012
Very interesting thriller that moved quickly and kept my interest. The characters were refreshingly realistic.
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