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Memorials
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?
472 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2024
1356 people are currently reading
26007 people want to read
About the author
Richard Chizmar
252 books3,437 followersRichard Chizmar is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author.
He is the co-author (with Stephen King) of the bestselling novella, Gwendy’s Button Box and the founder/publisher of Cemetery Dance magazine and the Cemetery Dance Publications book imprint. He has edited more than 35 anthologies and his short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including multiple editions of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustee’s award.
Chizmar (in collaboration with Johnathon Schaech) has also written screenplays and teleplays for United Artists, Sony Screen Gems, Lions Gate, Showtime, NBC, and many other companies. He has adapted the works of many bestselling authors including Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Bentley Little.
Chizmar is also the creator/writer of the online website, Stephen King Revisited. His fourth short story collection, The Long Way Home, was published in 2019. With Brian Freeman, Chizmar is co-editor of the acclaimed Dark Screams horror anthology series published by Random House imprint, Hydra.
His latest book, The Girl on the Porch, was released in hardcover by Subterranean Press, and Widow’s Point, a chilling novella about a haunted lighthouse written with his son, Billy Chizmar, was recently adapted into a feature film.
Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.
He is the co-author (with Stephen King) of the bestselling novella, Gwendy’s Button Box and the founder/publisher of Cemetery Dance magazine and the Cemetery Dance Publications book imprint. He has edited more than 35 anthologies and his short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including multiple editions of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustee’s award.
Chizmar (in collaboration with Johnathon Schaech) has also written screenplays and teleplays for United Artists, Sony Screen Gems, Lions Gate, Showtime, NBC, and many other companies. He has adapted the works of many bestselling authors including Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Bentley Little.
Chizmar is also the creator/writer of the online website, Stephen King Revisited. His fourth short story collection, The Long Way Home, was published in 2019. With Brian Freeman, Chizmar is co-editor of the acclaimed Dark Screams horror anthology series published by Random House imprint, Hydra.
His latest book, The Girl on the Porch, was released in hardcover by Subterranean Press, and Widow’s Point, a chilling novella about a haunted lighthouse written with his son, Billy Chizmar, was recently adapted into a feature film.
Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,342 reviews
October 29, 2024
My thanks to Gallery Books, Richard Chizmar and Netgalley.
Short review.
Loved it.
Up until the end.
Sadly, Chizmar is still at a loss of how to end a book.
Doesn't matter if he can't, we are the losers when he ends anything.
Mr. Chizmar sometimes writes decent stories. What Chizmar doesn't do is great stories. Think otherwise? Where would he be without the Stephen King stories? You know....the ones that King decided was crap and instead gave to Chizmar? The suck up! Kidding! Kinda.
No recommendations. Its Chizmar!
Short review.
Loved it.
Up until the end.
Sadly, Chizmar is still at a loss of how to end a book.
Doesn't matter if he can't, we are the losers when he ends anything.
Mr. Chizmar sometimes writes decent stories. What Chizmar doesn't do is great stories. Think otherwise? Where would he be without the Stephen King stories? You know....the ones that King decided was crap and instead gave to Chizmar? The suck up! Kidding! Kinda.
No recommendations. Its Chizmar!
October 22, 2024
Richard Chizmar has been one of my favorite authors since the Gwendy Trilogy. So as a longtime reader and fan of his, I was stoked to begin reading his latest work, Memorials.
Richard Chizmar has a remarkable talent for combining nostalgia and horror. Memorials made my heart ache for the 80s but as the same time gave me nightmares. Filled with plenty of creepy moments, the story is also very atmospheric. All the characters were very dimensional and I loved the setting of rural Appalachia.
Like his prior works, Memorials had me on the edge of my seat. I stopped guessing what was going to happen next so instead I just sat back and enjoyed where the story took me. Not only do I highly recommend Memorials, but I also recommend the Boogeyman series as well as Gwendy’s Button Box Series all by Richard Chizmar.
I alternated between reading the book myself and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch and Jonathan Todd Ross who both did a fantastic job.
Memorials by Richard Chizmar was published on October 22 (today) so its available now. A massive thanks to the author and to Simon Audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!
Richard Chizmar has a remarkable talent for combining nostalgia and horror. Memorials made my heart ache for the 80s but as the same time gave me nightmares. Filled with plenty of creepy moments, the story is also very atmospheric. All the characters were very dimensional and I loved the setting of rural Appalachia.
Like his prior works, Memorials had me on the edge of my seat. I stopped guessing what was going to happen next so instead I just sat back and enjoyed where the story took me. Not only do I highly recommend Memorials, but I also recommend the Boogeyman series as well as Gwendy’s Button Box Series all by Richard Chizmar.
I alternated between reading the book myself and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch and Jonathan Todd Ross who both did a fantastic job.
Memorials by Richard Chizmar was published on October 22 (today) so its available now. A massive thanks to the author and to Simon Audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!
June 30, 2025
Black Magic...
As Old As Time Itself
MEMORIALS
by Richard Chizmar
3 stars. The project due 4/18/83 for American Studies 301 was on roadside memorials...
A Study of Grief and Rememberance...
Wherever you may roam, we've all seen crosses, candles, photos, stuffed animals, and flowers...
Memorials keeping a lonely vigil...
People slow down to look, then drive away, the memorial forgotten...
Roadside memorials originated in the early 1800s, mainly in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas...
Behind each of them is a story...
Billy Anderson, Troy Carpenter, and Melody Wise will travel by car to parts of Pennsylvania on a five mile road trip...
They will take photos, film, and video to make a documentary...
They will interview family and close friends of the accident victims as they travel the I-83, a network of backroads...
Their travels will take them deep into the heart of Appalachia...
Where people have strange beliefs...
They will wander without a designated route in their search for roadside memorials...
Looking for the stories they have to tell...
But was it an exercise in bad taste? It may have been best to leave the dead alone...
For the trio had stumbled onto something very bad. A black magic as old as time itself...
Never judge a book by its cover or by its introductory chapters. That is the lesson I learned while reading this book.
What I liked about the book was its subject matter, and this would have been a stellar tale if only it had stayed on that track instead of veering off course into a trivial pursuit.
The subject matter sounded interesting, but the sheer volume of words used to tell the story was unnecessary. It reminded me of the later tomes written by Stephen King. Another King-like trait was writing long chapters filled with minutiae, as if to buff up a word count. Finally, the dialog between the students was cringeworthy.
When I started the story, I thought I had stumbled upon something interesting, the likes of which I'd never read before, but after the story got underway, I was soon ready to be done with it, but that didn't happen quickly. I slogged toward the finish line for days, thinking I'd never make it across.
Overall assessment: A very slow burn
As Old As Time Itself
MEMORIALS
by Richard Chizmar
3 stars. The project due 4/18/83 for American Studies 301 was on roadside memorials...
A Study of Grief and Rememberance...
Wherever you may roam, we've all seen crosses, candles, photos, stuffed animals, and flowers...
Memorials keeping a lonely vigil...
People slow down to look, then drive away, the memorial forgotten...
Roadside memorials originated in the early 1800s, mainly in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas...
Behind each of them is a story...
Billy Anderson, Troy Carpenter, and Melody Wise will travel by car to parts of Pennsylvania on a five mile road trip...
They will take photos, film, and video to make a documentary...
They will interview family and close friends of the accident victims as they travel the I-83, a network of backroads...
Their travels will take them deep into the heart of Appalachia...
Where people have strange beliefs...
They will wander without a designated route in their search for roadside memorials...
Looking for the stories they have to tell...
But was it an exercise in bad taste? It may have been best to leave the dead alone...
For the trio had stumbled onto something very bad. A black magic as old as time itself...
Never judge a book by its cover or by its introductory chapters. That is the lesson I learned while reading this book.
What I liked about the book was its subject matter, and this would have been a stellar tale if only it had stayed on that track instead of veering off course into a trivial pursuit.
The subject matter sounded interesting, but the sheer volume of words used to tell the story was unnecessary. It reminded me of the later tomes written by Stephen King. Another King-like trait was writing long chapters filled with minutiae, as if to buff up a word count. Finally, the dialog between the students was cringeworthy.
When I started the story, I thought I had stumbled upon something interesting, the likes of which I'd never read before, but after the story got underway, I was soon ready to be done with it, but that didn't happen quickly. I slogged toward the finish line for days, thinking I'd never make it across.
Overall assessment: A very slow burn
December 12, 2024
3⭐️s
For the love of god, just leave already. Give up and go home. Why are you all being so dumbly stubborn? Your decisions are infuriatingly perplexing and nonsensical. Why are you still here?
These thoughts pinged off of each other inside my head the entire time I was reading this book. They completely distracted me from the plot. I am usually really good at suspending disbelief to savor the story, but I couldn’t overcome my own incredulity in this case.
The good…
Chizmar is an excellent writer, and this story had bones. There were definitely some creepy ass moments, but unfortunately they were outweighed by my constant head scratching over character choices.
Oh, the characters were lovable too. Except for the Aunt. She drove me crazy
The less good…
This should have been a 300 page book. There were a lot of redundant plot points that could have been consolidated to make this a more propulsive experience.
For the love of god, just leave already. Give up and go home. Why are you all being so dumbly stubborn? Your decisions are infuriatingly perplexing and nonsensical. Why are you still here?
These thoughts pinged off of each other inside my head the entire time I was reading this book. They completely distracted me from the plot. I am usually really good at suspending disbelief to savor the story, but I couldn’t overcome my own incredulity in this case.
The good…
Chizmar is an excellent writer, and this story had bones. There were definitely some creepy ass moments, but unfortunately they were outweighed by my constant head scratching over character choices.
Oh, the characters were lovable too. Except for the Aunt. She drove me crazy
The less good…
This should have been a 300 page book. There were a lot of redundant plot points that could have been consolidated to make this a more propulsive experience.
November 1, 2024
Happy Halloween !!🎃 👻 I can’t think of a better book to ring in Halloween with!!!🤩 This is my second @richard_chizmar book in the past month…and I am a total fan!! 👏👏 Five creeptastic stars!! Thank you @richard_chizmar @gallerybooks for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🥰Why did I love it?? Listen to this… 🔽
I don’t think anyone can nail the whole 80’s vibe like @richard_chizmar… he has it perfected….and I love a book set in the 80’s. I grew up in the 80’s and his writing literally takes me back in time. In fact.. I can’t even count how many times I said OMG 😳 I forgot about that! 😂 Loved it….anyways…
We are going on a road-trip my friends… with Billy, Troy and Melody…staying in a van 🚐 and visiting a bunch of… memorials.. 😬…all alone out on the backroads.. nothing creepy there right?? I mean..what could possibly go wrong? 🙄 EVERYTHING… 😳
Guys.. this was SO good!! The characters were so well developed. The author literally makes them feel so real. The entire book was so creepy… I kept feeling that I should be looking over my shoulder.😬
OMG the ending was phenomenal. 🤯 When the twists hit and I realized what was REALLY going on.. I literally said OMG Holy Sh**!!! I really did.😂 I NEVER saw that ending coming!! 👏👏I also never read books this long… but I flew through this one!! I didn’t want it to end!! 🤩
I don’t think anyone can nail the whole 80’s vibe like @richard_chizmar… he has it perfected….and I love a book set in the 80’s. I grew up in the 80’s and his writing literally takes me back in time. In fact.. I can’t even count how many times I said OMG 😳 I forgot about that! 😂 Loved it….anyways…
We are going on a road-trip my friends… with Billy, Troy and Melody…staying in a van 🚐 and visiting a bunch of… memorials.. 😬…all alone out on the backroads.. nothing creepy there right?? I mean..what could possibly go wrong? 🙄 EVERYTHING… 😳
Guys.. this was SO good!! The characters were so well developed. The author literally makes them feel so real. The entire book was so creepy… I kept feeling that I should be looking over my shoulder.😬
OMG the ending was phenomenal. 🤯 When the twists hit and I realized what was REALLY going on.. I literally said OMG Holy Sh**!!! I really did.😂 I NEVER saw that ending coming!! 👏👏I also never read books this long… but I flew through this one!! I didn’t want it to end!! 🤩
July 9, 2024
ARC for review. To be published October 22, 2024.
I have absolutely adored Chizmar’s “Boogeyman” books so I was hoping for great things from this standalone and he mostly delivered…mostly. It’s 1983 and I have feathered hair and a spiral perm (and I DO look gorgeous, thanks so much!)
Oh, and also, in this book, three students, Billy Anderson, Troy Carpenter and Melody Wise from York College in Pennsylvania are taking an American Studies class together. Their assignment is to film a documentary and they have decided to frame theirs around the roadside memorials placed after vehicle accidents. They plan to make a week long road trip to film the memorials and to find loved ones of the deceased to interview. They will film in the Pennsylvania Appalachians, Billy’s home. This is personal to him; he lost both parents in a car accident and they have one of the memorials the trio will cover.
As they go deeper into the mountains they start to notice a symbol on some of the memorials. What does it mean? Paranoia sets in. They feel the locals are treating them oddly. Strange things begin to happen. What is the mystery surrounding the memorials?
The book starts off with a great first sentence, “Later, when the trip went bad, I would remember the bleeding man on the bicycle and wonder if he was a sign of things to come.” I hope Chizmar doesn’t feel it’s an insult to say this is very reminiscent of Stephen King for me, in a good way. And I’m guessing Chizmar would not be miffed in the least, for there are little shout outs and Easter eggs to King throughout the book…I won’t spoil them as they are fun to find for King fans.
The three man characters, narrator Billy, Troy and Melody are all richly drawn. I love that Troy reminds us of the casual racism that was still very much present in the early 1980s (well, OK, is likely still present, but less obvious, now).
The horror aspects of the book are well done. I wasn’t exactly surprised by what went on, as I had called it (to myself) early on, but it was still very strong throughout, and if it dropped off a bit at the end, I can honestly say that probably only speaks well to the tension Chizmar maintains throughout. There were a few things I thought just didn’t make much sense, but, hey, it’s a horror novel, so expecting people to act rationally is probably a little much.
My one problem, and this takes the book to four stars for me instead of five….I have lived in the mountains all my life, not Pennsylvania, but Virginia and West Virginia, so we’re likely considered even more backward than your hoity-toity Pennsylvania hillbillies. The Appalachian stereotypes were a little much. Chizmar plays it as if every mountain town is filled with backwoods lunatics, howling at the moon. Only Billy’s aunt, and the police office escape his glare. There are actual doctors and lawyers and such, even in some of the small towns. Allegedly. I live in a city. You think I go to those small towns? People are crazy there.
That was a joke. Well, I do live in a city, but I just wasn’t crazy about the Appalachian stereotypes. We get a hard enough time.
Other than that, really loved the book. Chizmar is rapidly becoming a “must read” author for me. Now pick on somebody else next time!
I have absolutely adored Chizmar’s “Boogeyman” books so I was hoping for great things from this standalone and he mostly delivered…mostly. It’s 1983 and I have feathered hair and a spiral perm (and I DO look gorgeous, thanks so much!)
Oh, and also, in this book, three students, Billy Anderson, Troy Carpenter and Melody Wise from York College in Pennsylvania are taking an American Studies class together. Their assignment is to film a documentary and they have decided to frame theirs around the roadside memorials placed after vehicle accidents. They plan to make a week long road trip to film the memorials and to find loved ones of the deceased to interview. They will film in the Pennsylvania Appalachians, Billy’s home. This is personal to him; he lost both parents in a car accident and they have one of the memorials the trio will cover.
As they go deeper into the mountains they start to notice a symbol on some of the memorials. What does it mean? Paranoia sets in. They feel the locals are treating them oddly. Strange things begin to happen. What is the mystery surrounding the memorials?
The book starts off with a great first sentence, “Later, when the trip went bad, I would remember the bleeding man on the bicycle and wonder if he was a sign of things to come.” I hope Chizmar doesn’t feel it’s an insult to say this is very reminiscent of Stephen King for me, in a good way. And I’m guessing Chizmar would not be miffed in the least, for there are little shout outs and Easter eggs to King throughout the book…I won’t spoil them as they are fun to find for King fans.
The three man characters, narrator Billy, Troy and Melody are all richly drawn. I love that Troy reminds us of the casual racism that was still very much present in the early 1980s (well, OK, is likely still present, but less obvious, now).
The horror aspects of the book are well done. I wasn’t exactly surprised by what went on, as I had called it (to myself) early on, but it was still very strong throughout, and if it dropped off a bit at the end, I can honestly say that probably only speaks well to the tension Chizmar maintains throughout. There were a few things I thought just didn’t make much sense, but, hey, it’s a horror novel, so expecting people to act rationally is probably a little much.
My one problem, and this takes the book to four stars for me instead of five….I have lived in the mountains all my life, not Pennsylvania, but Virginia and West Virginia, so we’re likely considered even more backward than your hoity-toity Pennsylvania hillbillies. The Appalachian stereotypes were a little much. Chizmar plays it as if every mountain town is filled with backwoods lunatics, howling at the moon. Only Billy’s aunt, and the police office escape his glare. There are actual doctors and lawyers and such, even in some of the small towns. Allegedly. I live in a city. You think I go to those small towns? People are crazy there.
That was a joke. Well, I do live in a city, but I just wasn’t crazy about the Appalachian stereotypes. We get a hard enough time.
Other than that, really loved the book. Chizmar is rapidly becoming a “must read” author for me. Now pick on somebody else next time!
October 29, 2024
2.5 rounded up for Halloween season. Disappointing, slow AF, only hung in for the 80's vibes. Not up to the "Boogeyman" level.
November 12, 2024
Yikes! Talk about a slog of a read. Some absolutely thrilling moments mired in descriptive and unending prose. Plus a let down of an ending, really??? It just ties together like that??? That’s what all these unnecessary pages led up to???
Seriously though- if you want an example of how much fluff is stuffed into this story I skipped from page 150-250 and was able to pick up pretty much where I left as still barely anything was going on.
There is also no context or resolution to a lot of little things that seem highlighted throughout the story. For example, were the selected memorials connected (did the people who died have any significance to each other or the hills, or were they chosen at random? Why did they choose abandoned memorials as well as active ones- the reasoning makes no sense if the chosen sites that no one visits or are falling apart). Also, all the missing women signs- were they taken by the same people? It seemed somewhat vaguely implied. Why the focus on the hitchhikers? Why was there a whole ramble about Troy’s nickname and then it’s barely used?
This seemed like A LOT of book for the small amount of actual meat in the story. If you want a scenic, rambling, character driven thriller with some supernatural themes, then grab this story.
I will say that Mel, Troy, and Billy’s project idea has made me reflect on the roadside memorials I pass by. The ones I see often, and the ones I find on new routes. The ones that are new on familiar roads are always intriguing as often there is more online information these days on what happened, who was involved. I can’t imagine trying to find out that info easily in the 80s.
Seriously though- if you want an example of how much fluff is stuffed into this story I skipped from page 150-250 and was able to pick up pretty much where I left as still barely anything was going on.
There is also no context or resolution to a lot of little things that seem highlighted throughout the story. For example, were the selected memorials connected (did the people who died have any significance to each other or the hills, or were they chosen at random? Why did they choose abandoned memorials as well as active ones- the reasoning makes no sense if the chosen sites that no one visits or are falling apart). Also, all the missing women signs- were they taken by the same people? It seemed somewhat vaguely implied. Why the focus on the hitchhikers? Why was there a whole ramble about Troy’s nickname and then it’s barely used?
This seemed like A LOT of book for the small amount of actual meat in the story. If you want a scenic, rambling, character driven thriller with some supernatural themes, then grab this story.
I will say that Mel, Troy, and Billy’s project idea has made me reflect on the roadside memorials I pass by. The ones I see often, and the ones I find on new routes. The ones that are new on familiar roads are always intriguing as often there is more online information these days on what happened, who was involved. I can’t imagine trying to find out that info easily in the 80s.
October 27, 2024
3.5 Stars
This was a slow burning supernatural thriller mixed with coming of narrative. I liked this one but I will admit that it didn't entirely grabbed me.
I am obsessed with Chasing the Boogeyman and its sequel, Becoming of the Boogeyman, so I was disappointed when this one did not hit those same heights.
It's still a solid novel but I found it very predictable and safe. Readers who don't mind a familiar story will likely enjoy this one more so I would certainly recommend trying it for yourself.
This was a slow burning supernatural thriller mixed with coming of narrative. I liked this one but I will admit that it didn't entirely grabbed me.
I am obsessed with Chasing the Boogeyman and its sequel, Becoming of the Boogeyman, so I was disappointed when this one did not hit those same heights.
It's still a solid novel but I found it very predictable and safe. Readers who don't mind a familiar story will likely enjoy this one more so I would certainly recommend trying it for yourself.
November 19, 2024
Too long, too clearly written by a man… but most importantly too many stupid decisions were made
September 13, 2024
I liked this book at first because it reminded me of the Blair Witch Project. This book is entirely too slow. It’s arguably more slow than the slowest Stephen King books. The only parts that were good were the last 2 pages of each chapter which there are very little of those. The rest of the chapters wouldn’t even really be a build up of ominousness. It was just conversations that I absolutely didn’t care about. This is my first Chizmar novel and it by no means made me a fan.
December 13, 2024
Chizmar's brilliant at generating such plausible storylines which are ultimately truly terrifying because they are so believable. His characters feel so genuine that they seem like people you know and would be friends with if they were in your life. Memorials is a story of friendship, a trauma narrative, a love story, a good old fashioned "tall tale" and a horror novel all at once--a combination that reminded a good deal of A Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. The terror slithers up slowly as stranger and more concerning experiences build up incrementally until the threat is undeniable and striking. The last one hundred pages or so of this beautifully written novel read like wildfire. But what's truly notable is that I never felt rushed to get to the most frightening parts. The banter among the main characters is so enjoyable that I cherished every moment of the journey they make across country. I honestly think that's what separates a great horror novel from the ones that are fairly average--the strength of story before and around the suspense.
The premise of the primary storyline involves three friends working on a college assignment, driving the backroads of West Virginia/Pennsylvania, looking for roadside memorials and analyzing there roots. The students are filming social commentary when the first odd event occurs. They've also noticed that several strangers may be following them, something that seems so unlikely as they haven't publicized the route they plan to continue on. Slowly these students become more and more paranoid and so do readers. I was so surprised by how all events unraveled--I was entirely shocked by the ending. Usually I can predict aspects of a narrative, but not this time. I read most of this book at night, and I certainly left the light on afterwards.
This is a fantastic read. I enjoyed it even more than Chizmar's prior novels. I certainly recommend it to lovers of horror books, thrillers and crime novels.
A Few Further Thoughts:
***As a side note, the "penis bandit" story that Troy shares had me laughing for at least ten minutes. Does every school have one of these? I thought it was just mine--and that was decades ago. Perhaps this is a character archetype of youth...how unfortunate.
***In his author's note, Chizmar says that as he was writing, he fell so in love with his three protagonists that he truly wanted to give them a happy ending. I could completely feel that love as a reader. They felt extremely real to me. It's not quite a happy ending, obviously, as that wouldn't have made sense for the story. But it's not a fully unhappy ending either and I definitely found it satisfying.
The premise of the primary storyline involves three friends working on a college assignment, driving the backroads of West Virginia/Pennsylvania, looking for roadside memorials and analyzing there roots. The students are filming social commentary when the first odd event occurs. They've also noticed that several strangers may be following them, something that seems so unlikely as they haven't publicized the route they plan to continue on. Slowly these students become more and more paranoid and so do readers. I was so surprised by how all events unraveled--I was entirely shocked by the ending. Usually I can predict aspects of a narrative, but not this time. I read most of this book at night, and I certainly left the light on afterwards.
This is a fantastic read. I enjoyed it even more than Chizmar's prior novels. I certainly recommend it to lovers of horror books, thrillers and crime novels.
A Few Further Thoughts:
***As a side note, the "penis bandit" story that Troy shares had me laughing for at least ten minutes. Does every school have one of these? I thought it was just mine--and that was decades ago. Perhaps this is a character archetype of youth...how unfortunate.
***In his author's note, Chizmar says that as he was writing, he fell so in love with his three protagonists that he truly wanted to give them a happy ending. I could completely feel that love as a reader. They felt extremely real to me. It's not quite a happy ending, obviously, as that wouldn't have made sense for the story. But it's not a fully unhappy ending either and I definitely found it satisfying.
October 28, 2024
4.5 stars
Memorials follows three college students producing a documentary style project on roadside memorials in rural Pennsylvania. As they start documenting each one, they begin to notice something that might be tying all of these memorials together. This is where things start to turn creepy. A bit of backstory is revealed of each of the different memorials through the interviews of friends and relatives of the deceased.. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and thought it was really well done. It had a bit of horror elements as well as just that creep factor that you would expect to happen just due to the nature of the memorial project itself. When the reveal happened, I was a little taken a back as to where it went. It was certainly over the top and While I understand what happened it just seemed like I was reading a whole other book compared to the first 3/4. I think I would’ve preferred a more scaled down ending that kind of fit with the tone of the rest of the book. But hey, that’s just me it did have certain elements I liked, I really enjoyed the idea of exploring the memorials and the effects it had on the friends and relatives as well as the creepy factor of what intertwined them. I also think the setting In Appalachia was perfect. Overall, if you’re looking for a creepy atmospheric read with a bit of horror this is probably for you. I am a huge fan of this author and I can’t wait to read future books!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Memorials follows three college students producing a documentary style project on roadside memorials in rural Pennsylvania. As they start documenting each one, they begin to notice something that might be tying all of these memorials together. This is where things start to turn creepy. A bit of backstory is revealed of each of the different memorials through the interviews of friends and relatives of the deceased.. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and thought it was really well done. It had a bit of horror elements as well as just that creep factor that you would expect to happen just due to the nature of the memorial project itself. When the reveal happened, I was a little taken a back as to where it went. It was certainly over the top and While I understand what happened it just seemed like I was reading a whole other book compared to the first 3/4. I think I would’ve preferred a more scaled down ending that kind of fit with the tone of the rest of the book. But hey, that’s just me it did have certain elements I liked, I really enjoyed the idea of exploring the memorials and the effects it had on the friends and relatives as well as the creepy factor of what intertwined them. I also think the setting In Appalachia was perfect. Overall, if you’re looking for a creepy atmospheric read with a bit of horror this is probably for you. I am a huge fan of this author and I can’t wait to read future books!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2025
Conceptually? This book had everything going for it: spooky Appalachian folklore, eerie VHS throwback scenes, and a young cast that felt like the main characters of Outer Banks blended with Stranger Things.
When it came down to the actual execution? The novel fell off the deep end, failed to really "hook" me... and felt like it was constantly toeing the line between thriller and horror without committing fully to either genre (aka the inherent campiness/suspension of reality required for a thriller, or the full on scary af creep factor of a truly phenomenal horror).
Pacing wise, this book put the "slooooooOoooooOw" into slow burn. I kept reading in hopes that it would pick up... but every time the reader was given the barest, tiniest, MOST REMOTE morsel of intrigue, we were immediately dumped back into one of Chizmar's winding expositions on suburban Hell (so. much. exposition smh 🤦♀️).
Because of the lengthiness and overindulgent narration (often rambling thoughts and memories that led nowhere), I felt bored for most of the novel. The last 1/6th of the book (by far the most exciting portion) is really what a majority of the book should have actually been centered on. The road trip itself felt very monotonous, and because of the lack of buildup and action, the end reveal just felt very...camp? Instead of actually scary (as I'm sure was intended given Chizmar's open admiration of Stephen King).
Lastly... my final critique: the male gaze in this book was STRONG. As a 27 year old woman reading this in the 21st century, there were some scenes and descriptions that, quite honestly, gave me the ick. Overall the book had SOOOOO much potential and I was SO excited for this one but left feeling so disappointed instead 🥴
When it came down to the actual execution? The novel fell off the deep end, failed to really "hook" me... and felt like it was constantly toeing the line between thriller and horror without committing fully to either genre (aka the inherent campiness/suspension of reality required for a thriller, or the full on scary af creep factor of a truly phenomenal horror).
Pacing wise, this book put the "slooooooOoooooOw" into slow burn. I kept reading in hopes that it would pick up... but every time the reader was given the barest, tiniest, MOST REMOTE morsel of intrigue, we were immediately dumped back into one of Chizmar's winding expositions on suburban Hell (so. much. exposition smh 🤦♀️).
Because of the lengthiness and overindulgent narration (often rambling thoughts and memories that led nowhere), I felt bored for most of the novel. The last 1/6th of the book (by far the most exciting portion) is really what a majority of the book should have actually been centered on. The road trip itself felt very monotonous, and because of the lack of buildup and action, the end reveal just felt very...camp? Instead of actually scary (as I'm sure was intended given Chizmar's open admiration of Stephen King).
Lastly... my final critique: the male gaze in this book was STRONG. As a 27 year old woman reading this in the 21st century, there were some scenes and descriptions that, quite honestly, gave me the ick. Overall the book had SOOOOO much potential and I was SO excited for this one but left feeling so disappointed instead 🥴
March 17, 2025
I think overall this was a great book. For some extra ambiance, it was perfect for inducing paranoia at night, especially in the first half of the book. After the first half the pacing starts going down hill enough that with the conclusion, I was left slightly disappointed. If you go into this book hoping that all the loose ends are going to get tied up then you won't enjoy the story as much. I'd still suggest this book to readers of the thriller genre.
March 26, 2025
"What I didn't know was that the world had teeth. And was forever hungry"
⭐⭐⭐⭐
85 / 100
Wow, what an experience!. Previously I have to say that I discovered Richard Chizmar from Gwendy's Button Box trilogy (co-written with Steve King, of course). Later, I read Chasing the Boogeyman (which I loved) and next Becoming the Boogeyman (which I fucking loved!). OK, let's go with Memorials.
Initially, I was a little annoyed with the book extension, because I'm a fucking anxious and I prefer shorter readings (yes, I know, 480 pages isn't a large book 😜). It takes time to get to the point of the plot, but the 3 main characters are so splendid, charmed, and fucking adorable, that no matter how much time it needs to get to the climax, they are AWESOME. I fall in love with The Three Musketeers, with all my heart 💘💘💘💘
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.
The atmosphere all over the book is very intense and so well-written, do you feel the woods, the campfire spots, the weird people, the memorials, all. And the last 100 pages, are A M A Z I N G. And the final, EPIC!!!!
I know maybe a few of you'll want to, like me, have some more big scares or, you know, a most terrifying story, but let me tell you the mix between the charming characters and the very source of fear and creepy environment it's there, in every page.
Thank you Richard Chizmar we love you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
85 / 100
Wow, what an experience!. Previously I have to say that I discovered Richard Chizmar from Gwendy's Button Box trilogy (co-written with Steve King, of course). Later, I read Chasing the Boogeyman (which I loved) and next Becoming the Boogeyman (which I fucking loved!). OK, let's go with Memorials.
Initially, I was a little annoyed with the book extension, because I'm a fucking anxious and I prefer shorter readings (yes, I know, 480 pages isn't a large book 😜). It takes time to get to the point of the plot, but the 3 main characters are so splendid, charmed, and fucking adorable, that no matter how much time it needs to get to the climax, they are AWESOME. I fall in love with The Three Musketeers, with all my heart 💘💘💘💘
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.
The atmosphere all over the book is very intense and so well-written, do you feel the woods, the campfire spots, the weird people, the memorials, all. And the last 100 pages, are A M A Z I N G. And the final, EPIC!!!!
I know maybe a few of you'll want to, like me, have some more big scares or, you know, a most terrifying story, but let me tell you the mix between the charming characters and the very source of fear and creepy environment it's there, in every page.
Thank you Richard Chizmar we love you!
September 27, 2024
A road trip story is the perfect vehicle for the combination of folk horror and Americana, and this novel does a splendid job of highlighting so many of the celebrated aspects of both those story-telling modalities while keeping some tricks of the contemporary horror genre up his sleeve. The collision of the modern and the traditional is explored in an interesting way. There is the stereotypical clearing in the woods that almost every folk horror story employs, the clearly delineated boundary between the civilized and the unknown, but that boundary keeps moving, following the backroads as we move from one roadside memorial to another, which asks interesting questions about the in-between spaces, and how to avoid them. Our trio of central characters feel genuine and interesting, each feeling rounded in their own way, and they complement each other well. They make sense together in ways that doesn't always happen when assembling a dynamic group of personalities, letting them all develop as more than just a collection of their quirks. There are a few supporting characters that were memorable as well, and while some of them felt a little more expected and stereotypical than our primary cast they were still fun, and they fit into the narrative well. The overall story itself is a fun take on a pretty traditional story, playing with tropes and expectations to come to a mostly satisfying conclusion.
I have to admit, though, this novel was long, and it really felt it. There is almost no spooky action until 40% of the way into the story, and everything before that point drags. I suppose that time is supposed to be deepening our understanding or appreciation of the characters while also setting tone and setting, but it really felt like a good amount of wheel spinning. Even when the scary things start happening it still feels like a far more languid pacing than I would want in this kind of story, where a more frantic and unsettled pacing would match the characters’ anxieties and growing dread… a hundred pages could be cut out and the story would be stronger for it. The writing style was saturated in an intimate nostalgia that can only come with a first-person narration. I liked that entry way into the story, I liked it feeling personal, but the whole story was framed as a recollection of past events. We get a foreboding line as the first sentence, the narrator saying he should have seen the warning signs from the start. Similar things are sprinkled throughout, just throwaway lines at the end of paragraphs, “little did we know we wouldn’t be smiling again any time soon” kind of lines. This is one of the parts of Chizmar’s style that wears the heavy influence of King, to be honest, and I was torn on it here. When those kinds of lines are used in a close third-person or omniscient narration they create a sense of foreboding and doom, with a little wink to the audience while you’re at it. But when it is used in first-person narration it is telling the audience not only that our narrator has survived whatever events are about to happen but also that they are in control of the narrative in a way that often lessens the tension, I find. Of course, it is a common literary trope within folk horror for the narrative to be presented as a story told by one of the characters, giving the feel of a campfire story, an urban legend, the tumultuous veracity of folklore. With that in mind I understand why this framing was employed, it fits with the mood of the folk horror mode, but it just didn’t work for me here.
The unapologetic saturation with nostalgia feels like another King influence, and it didn’t do a lot for me here, especially the halcyon descriptions of his hometown that feel like they take up endless pages somewhere around 2/3 of the way through the story. The writing itself was strong, it felt competent and curious in ways that I enjoyed. Disregarding the knowing asides, I thought the first-person intimacy was used to great effect. The dialogue felt genuine and real, never falling into the uncanny valley of stilted dialogue that can plague authors reminiscing on how young people speak. Sometimes the dialogue did feel a little juvenile given the characters’ ages and experiences, but for the most part it added to my appreciation for the depth of the characters. This is all to say the writing was strong, but it felt too stretched out and burdened by nostalgia to be entirely effective. I don’t think there was anything bad about the writing, it just didn’t seem to fit the story being told here, or at the least, it didn’t elevate it. Every scene where we interacted with a supporting character, be they a one and done character or a repeat supporting character, felt like a breath of fresh air. I don’t think this is because I didn’t like our main trio, as I did like them, I just think it points to what I felt was a pacing problem.
I have really enjoyed Chizmar’s Boogeyman novels, which did raise my expectations for this novel. Some of the writing and narrative techniques that contributed to the strengths of those novels are used here, but since the tone and subgenre is so wildly different they weren’t as effective, that’s what it comes down to. I still had fun with this story, I thought it was a clever take on a common story. Road trip stories have their own unique potential, a special type of energy, and it was genius to combine that with the folk horror mode or genre. I certainly recommend this novel, it was fun, especially if you’re interested in contemporary folk horror stories. If you go in expecting the story itself to take its time, and you enjoy luxuriating in that nostalgia, are happy to sit with a story that takes its time, then you will find even more enjoyment here.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Gallery Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have to admit, though, this novel was long, and it really felt it. There is almost no spooky action until 40% of the way into the story, and everything before that point drags. I suppose that time is supposed to be deepening our understanding or appreciation of the characters while also setting tone and setting, but it really felt like a good amount of wheel spinning. Even when the scary things start happening it still feels like a far more languid pacing than I would want in this kind of story, where a more frantic and unsettled pacing would match the characters’ anxieties and growing dread… a hundred pages could be cut out and the story would be stronger for it. The writing style was saturated in an intimate nostalgia that can only come with a first-person narration. I liked that entry way into the story, I liked it feeling personal, but the whole story was framed as a recollection of past events. We get a foreboding line as the first sentence, the narrator saying he should have seen the warning signs from the start. Similar things are sprinkled throughout, just throwaway lines at the end of paragraphs, “little did we know we wouldn’t be smiling again any time soon” kind of lines. This is one of the parts of Chizmar’s style that wears the heavy influence of King, to be honest, and I was torn on it here. When those kinds of lines are used in a close third-person or omniscient narration they create a sense of foreboding and doom, with a little wink to the audience while you’re at it. But when it is used in first-person narration it is telling the audience not only that our narrator has survived whatever events are about to happen but also that they are in control of the narrative in a way that often lessens the tension, I find. Of course, it is a common literary trope within folk horror for the narrative to be presented as a story told by one of the characters, giving the feel of a campfire story, an urban legend, the tumultuous veracity of folklore. With that in mind I understand why this framing was employed, it fits with the mood of the folk horror mode, but it just didn’t work for me here.
The unapologetic saturation with nostalgia feels like another King influence, and it didn’t do a lot for me here, especially the halcyon descriptions of his hometown that feel like they take up endless pages somewhere around 2/3 of the way through the story. The writing itself was strong, it felt competent and curious in ways that I enjoyed. Disregarding the knowing asides, I thought the first-person intimacy was used to great effect. The dialogue felt genuine and real, never falling into the uncanny valley of stilted dialogue that can plague authors reminiscing on how young people speak. Sometimes the dialogue did feel a little juvenile given the characters’ ages and experiences, but for the most part it added to my appreciation for the depth of the characters. This is all to say the writing was strong, but it felt too stretched out and burdened by nostalgia to be entirely effective. I don’t think there was anything bad about the writing, it just didn’t seem to fit the story being told here, or at the least, it didn’t elevate it. Every scene where we interacted with a supporting character, be they a one and done character or a repeat supporting character, felt like a breath of fresh air. I don’t think this is because I didn’t like our main trio, as I did like them, I just think it points to what I felt was a pacing problem.
I have really enjoyed Chizmar’s Boogeyman novels, which did raise my expectations for this novel. Some of the writing and narrative techniques that contributed to the strengths of those novels are used here, but since the tone and subgenre is so wildly different they weren’t as effective, that’s what it comes down to. I still had fun with this story, I thought it was a clever take on a common story. Road trip stories have their own unique potential, a special type of energy, and it was genius to combine that with the folk horror mode or genre. I certainly recommend this novel, it was fun, especially if you’re interested in contemporary folk horror stories. If you go in expecting the story itself to take its time, and you enjoy luxuriating in that nostalgia, are happy to sit with a story that takes its time, then you will find even more enjoyment here.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Gallery Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 12, 2024
What a dark and creepy book this was, perfect for spooky season. Be warned though, it is very long. It took me a little to get into this story and 5 days to read which is a long time for me. Once I got into the story I was hooked and wondering what direction it would take us. It did not disappoint.
I loved the 1980s setting, no social media, no internet, no mobile phones. Research was done at the library, you had to use the home phone or a phone box to call people. It was a different time and I loved the step back.
This is a story of 3 college kids who embark on a road trip to visit roadside memorials and film them for a documentary for their American studies class. All. 3 of them have lost someone close to them and they bond over their grief. They learn more about each other as the days go on, and really they learn a lot about themselves. None of them will be the same after this trip. As their journey through the back roads continues, they start to feel they are. Being watched, and notice strange symbols appearing at the sites.
It is eerie and very much a book that will give you nightmares. It is very well,written and has characters that you will have strong feelings about one way or another.
Thank you to Gallery Books for my early copy of this book to read. Out on October 22, it would be the perfect Halloween read.
I loved the 1980s setting, no social media, no internet, no mobile phones. Research was done at the library, you had to use the home phone or a phone box to call people. It was a different time and I loved the step back.
This is a story of 3 college kids who embark on a road trip to visit roadside memorials and film them for a documentary for their American studies class. All. 3 of them have lost someone close to them and they bond over their grief. They learn more about each other as the days go on, and really they learn a lot about themselves. None of them will be the same after this trip. As their journey through the back roads continues, they start to feel they are. Being watched, and notice strange symbols appearing at the sites.
It is eerie and very much a book that will give you nightmares. It is very well,written and has characters that you will have strong feelings about one way or another.
Thank you to Gallery Books for my early copy of this book to read. Out on October 22, it would be the perfect Halloween read.
November 21, 2024
I’m sorry but this was a stinker for me. It combined elements of satanic panic, Lovecraft and even the movies by John Hughes and Simon Pegg’s “Hot Fuzz”. Over all this was largely boring and the ending was completely unsatisfying. People say it’s a slow burn but this instead was straight up wet wood. Didn’t burn at all. The characters were annoyingly precocious and talked as if they were grizzled journalists instead of 18 year olds in college.
June 29, 2025
i will admit i devoured this once i actually had time to sit down and read it. this was unnerving!! slow paced but built up the scares and paranoia so well. i love small town cult horror, and this really made you question who was in on it and who wasn’t. this author had a way of writing that flowed so well for me. just wish it was shorter with a faster pace lol
November 2, 2024
This was slow for me but I hung on until the end, which probably wasn't a great idea. This is my first Richard Chizmar book and it seems as though his Boogeyman series is well liked, so perhaps I will give those a try. I am actually a big fan of horror, so I was surprised at how hard this was to finish.
I enjoyed the 80s vibe and the PA setting, but beyond that I was just trying to finish this. There is so much that could have gone right with the premise, especially with all of the Appalachian lore, but I just couldn't get into it.
I enjoyed the 80s vibe and the PA setting, but beyond that I was just trying to finish this. There is so much that could have gone right with the premise, especially with all of the Appalachian lore, but I just couldn't get into it.
March 19, 2025
Appalachian, creepy, 80’s-core Americana meets Blair Witch Project. Staying snugly in his Stephen King lane, Chizmar delivers a horror story that will tickle the fancy of King fans.
It didn’t really knock my socks off. It doesn’t offer much that is new or modern, and the pacing in the first half though suffers from a lack of pacing, but picks up towards the conclusion.
It didn’t really knock my socks off. It doesn’t offer much that is new or modern, and the pacing in the first half though suffers from a lack of pacing, but picks up towards the conclusion.
October 13, 2024
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.
CW: Satanism and the occult, a couple of super-explicit sexual scenes.
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.
CW: Satanism and the occult, a couple of super-explicit sexual scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
GIVE IT TO ME
*just for clarification I haven't read this yet (I thought I made that clear don't want to MISLEAD ANYONE) but I rated it 5 stars because, I know it's gonna be 5 stars, love this author, love this book already, how dya know im not a psychic, a regular old mystic meg, apparently that upset someone, I'm a criminal what can I say, lock me up , throw away the key I deserve to be banished from society for my heinous act*
Still 5 stars though
*just for clarification I haven't read this yet (I thought I made that clear don't want to MISLEAD ANYONE) but I rated it 5 stars because, I know it's gonna be 5 stars, love this author, love this book already, how dya know im not a psychic, a regular old mystic meg, apparently that upset someone, I'm a criminal what can I say, lock me up , throw away the key I deserve to be banished from society for my heinous act*
Still 5 stars though
January 8, 2025
⭐️ Synopsis:
It’s the early 1980’s. Billy is a young university student who has recently lost his parents in a car crash. He is emotionally healing from this trauma when he is assigned a class project. Not only is he assigned a class project he is also assigned two more students to do the project with him: Melody and Troy. Together they form The Broken Hearts Club, and head into Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains to document roadside memorials.
⭐️ What I thought about this book:
I was excited to read this book. I am not a die hard Richard Chizmar fan( but I do think he is a talented writer) and he defiantly hit it out of the park with this plot. Here I go again, saying the same things that I always do about excellent horror books. Here are the magic ingredients: solid complex characters (the majority of which should be likable so you care deeply about whether they die), a rich everyday world, then a truly scary thing that happens in a way that the reader totally buys that it could happen on any Tuesday.
This is also one of those young people in a friend group, hometown, coming of age nostalgia stories. When done right (think Steven King’s The Body) these stories are strong. Tug on your heartstrings. The problem is that they are very hard to get right. Chizmar comes close (as usual) but he keeps on hitting the wrong key in an otherwise flawless passage. The story ALMOST has it ~ but never reaches the complexity that it needs to. Characters stay a bit too wooden. Scenes stay a bit too one dimensional. If you are going to set your story firmly in a certain decade ~ then really make me feel it. There is a great running gag about United Colors of Benneton ad, a Reagan joke, and song references, but I wanted more. Give me that setting. I want to be living in it when the bad thing crawls out of its hole.
The pacing of this book is slow. The characters and the story were good enough that I was happy to flow along at a snail’s pace and take in the scenery. Not everyone wants to do that in a horror novel. Something to consider.
It’s the early 1980’s. Billy is a young university student who has recently lost his parents in a car crash. He is emotionally healing from this trauma when he is assigned a class project. Not only is he assigned a class project he is also assigned two more students to do the project with him: Melody and Troy. Together they form The Broken Hearts Club, and head into Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains to document roadside memorials.
⭐️ What I thought about this book:
I was excited to read this book. I am not a die hard Richard Chizmar fan( but I do think he is a talented writer) and he defiantly hit it out of the park with this plot. Here I go again, saying the same things that I always do about excellent horror books. Here are the magic ingredients: solid complex characters (the majority of which should be likable so you care deeply about whether they die), a rich everyday world, then a truly scary thing that happens in a way that the reader totally buys that it could happen on any Tuesday.
This is also one of those young people in a friend group, hometown, coming of age nostalgia stories. When done right (think Steven King’s The Body) these stories are strong. Tug on your heartstrings. The problem is that they are very hard to get right. Chizmar comes close (as usual) but he keeps on hitting the wrong key in an otherwise flawless passage. The story ALMOST has it ~ but never reaches the complexity that it needs to. Characters stay a bit too wooden. Scenes stay a bit too one dimensional. If you are going to set your story firmly in a certain decade ~ then really make me feel it. There is a great running gag about United Colors of Benneton ad, a Reagan joke, and song references, but I wanted more. Give me that setting. I want to be living in it when the bad thing crawls out of its hole.
The pacing of this book is slow. The characters and the story were good enough that I was happy to flow along at a snail’s pace and take in the scenery. Not everyone wants to do that in a horror novel. Something to consider.
December 9, 2024
I wanted to like this more, I love the Boogeyman books, but this didn't quite hit the mark. Way too long and the pacing felt off, it didn't really get going till about two thirds of the way. I love vivid descriptions and scene setting, but I found it a little overdone here, at one point a view of the town is bafflingly described as "dawn lit" at 10 am 🤔. I wasn't keen on the first person narrative and never really fully invested in the characters deeply enough, neither was I particularly moved emotionally when I should've been and I can't really put my finger on why.
I've been quite negative here but it's really not a bad book, it was entertaining and I liked the 80s vibe. Overall though, it felt like Chizmar wanting to write like King but not quite getting it right, there was just some vital spark missing for me, 3 stars.
I've been quite negative here but it's really not a bad book, it was entertaining and I liked the 80s vibe. Overall though, it felt like Chizmar wanting to write like King but not quite getting it right, there was just some vital spark missing for me, 3 stars.
November 11, 2024
This was fun.
Chizmar is an excellent storyteller. In memorials, you hang onto every word, page, and chapter.
1983, Three students, embarked on a week long journey to film a documentary on roadside memorials for their class project. What awaits them is something sinister.
Founded this to be unforgettable, dark, at times tensed, and gripping. A lot of creepy undertones, very adventurous, great characters, very atmospheric as well.
The backwoods of the Appalachians can be very dark and haunting. This was a suspenseful treat and Definitely worth checking out!
4.5 stars for me.
Likes: The characters, the creepy undertone, suspenseful plot, the writing, felt very atmospheric, and adventurous too.
Chizmar is an excellent storyteller. In memorials, you hang onto every word, page, and chapter.
1983, Three students, embarked on a week long journey to film a documentary on roadside memorials for their class project. What awaits them is something sinister.
Founded this to be unforgettable, dark, at times tensed, and gripping. A lot of creepy undertones, very adventurous, great characters, very atmospheric as well.
The backwoods of the Appalachians can be very dark and haunting. This was a suspenseful treat and Definitely worth checking out!
4.5 stars for me.
Likes: The characters, the creepy undertone, suspenseful plot, the writing, felt very atmospheric, and adventurous too.
October 23, 2024
Well consider me let down, I had such high hopes but this was so LONG and drawn out and just absolutely lacking in all the things when you call this a horror.
September 7, 2024
2.5 stars, rounded up
I was super excited to get an ARC of Richard Chizmar's Memorials since his Boogeyman series were among my favorites last year. The premise - a college road trip to film a documentary about roadside memorials - seemed like the perfect way to kick off Spooky Season. I was also looking forward to another dose of Chizmar's well-crafted nostalgia since this book takes place in the ‘80s.
Unfortunately, Memorials didn't quite live up to my expectations and is shaping up to be one of my biggest book disappointments of 2024.
The pacing of this novel felt off, and the first half of the nearly 500 pages felt incredibly slow as the story unfolded in painstaking (and somewhat repetitive) detail; however, I was invested in the characters and their journey, and as I had hoped, there were lots of wistful bits of nostalgia coupled with plenty of unsettling and creepy moments. Even though it was a slow burn, I was sucked in, and I thought for sure that this book was going to be a solid 4+ stars…until I hit the 75% mark, and it wasn’t.
The ending spiraled into chaos with a climax that seemed disconnected and shallow - the “bad guys” were underdeveloped and their motivations unclear, which made the dramatic scene fall flat. This confusion was followed by over thirteen chapters of backstory that, instead of being integrated throughout the narrative, were dumped on the reader post-climax. If the elements of the backstory had been better woven into the main story - for example, if Billy had stumbled across this history during one of his many library visits - it would have been a much more immersive and enjoyable experience. As it stands, it felt jarring and disjointed, and I was left feeling disappointed with the way things wrapped up.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was super excited to get an ARC of Richard Chizmar's Memorials since his Boogeyman series were among my favorites last year. The premise - a college road trip to film a documentary about roadside memorials - seemed like the perfect way to kick off Spooky Season. I was also looking forward to another dose of Chizmar's well-crafted nostalgia since this book takes place in the ‘80s.
Unfortunately, Memorials didn't quite live up to my expectations and is shaping up to be one of my biggest book disappointments of 2024.
The pacing of this novel felt off, and the first half of the nearly 500 pages felt incredibly slow as the story unfolded in painstaking (and somewhat repetitive) detail; however, I was invested in the characters and their journey, and as I had hoped, there were lots of wistful bits of nostalgia coupled with plenty of unsettling and creepy moments. Even though it was a slow burn, I was sucked in, and I thought for sure that this book was going to be a solid 4+ stars…until I hit the 75% mark, and it wasn’t.
The ending spiraled into chaos with a climax that seemed disconnected and shallow - the “bad guys” were underdeveloped and their motivations unclear, which made the dramatic scene fall flat. This confusion was followed by over thirteen chapters of backstory that, instead of being integrated throughout the narrative, were dumped on the reader post-climax. If the elements of the backstory had been better woven into the main story - for example, if Billy had stumbled across this history during one of his many library visits - it would have been a much more immersive and enjoyable experience. As it stands, it felt jarring and disjointed, and I was left feeling disappointed with the way things wrapped up.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 22, 2025
This book is a wild experience.
I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Chizmar's previous books did not impress me. I read Gwendy's Button Box a while back. That was an interesting book, but Chizmar's writing didn't hit the flow and tone for me.
Experience horror, adventure horror, road trip horror, cult horror, 80's horror, all included in these pages. These are many of my favorite themes, and I believe they are are under-used in the genre.
Memorials is a clear evolution of Chizmar's work and I am pleased, actually, for the most part. The concept of Appalachian horror is classic, but he has presented an original story that is rich with layers of depth: lore, emotion, description, tone.
I appreciated the level of character depth and emotion written into each character. This is not done enough in horror books, which is a shame because reading horror is an experience in itself, so if you can feel it, then you know you got something good.
By the second half of the book, I was locked in and couldn't put it down, Stephen King style. My criticism at this stage, is that the writing became more choppy and chaotic. If Chizmar had kept up his level of detail, expanding the depth of his climactic scenes, the book would have been even better. For the level of complexity in this story, I wanted something more substantial by the end.
I will say, the ending is good.
It's not a typical ending, which was so appropriate for this story, lending to its uniqueness. It made the story feel plausible. Also, the use of writing scenes depicted through a video camera was interesting. Awkward at first, but by the end, I felt it added to the experience, diverting the reader's perspective of the same events. I found that curious.
In the author's note, Chizmar mentioned considering a sequel. While I don't think that he should do a sequel for this story, I do think that he has done great work here and that he should build on his 80's horror writing style and bring more unique horror concepts to the table. I look forward to his next book.
I highly recommend Memorials to all horror fans.
I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Chizmar's previous books did not impress me. I read Gwendy's Button Box a while back. That was an interesting book, but Chizmar's writing didn't hit the flow and tone for me.
Experience horror, adventure horror, road trip horror, cult horror, 80's horror, all included in these pages. These are many of my favorite themes, and I believe they are are under-used in the genre.
Memorials is a clear evolution of Chizmar's work and I am pleased, actually, for the most part. The concept of Appalachian horror is classic, but he has presented an original story that is rich with layers of depth: lore, emotion, description, tone.
I appreciated the level of character depth and emotion written into each character. This is not done enough in horror books, which is a shame because reading horror is an experience in itself, so if you can feel it, then you know you got something good.
By the second half of the book, I was locked in and couldn't put it down, Stephen King style. My criticism at this stage, is that the writing became more choppy and chaotic. If Chizmar had kept up his level of detail, expanding the depth of his climactic scenes, the book would have been even better. For the level of complexity in this story, I wanted something more substantial by the end.
I will say, the ending is good.
It's not a typical ending, which was so appropriate for this story, lending to its uniqueness. It made the story feel plausible. Also, the use of writing scenes depicted through a video camera was interesting. Awkward at first, but by the end, I felt it added to the experience, diverting the reader's perspective of the same events. I found that curious.
In the author's note, Chizmar mentioned considering a sequel. While I don't think that he should do a sequel for this story, I do think that he has done great work here and that he should build on his 80's horror writing style and bring more unique horror concepts to the table. I look forward to his next book.
I highly recommend Memorials to all horror fans.
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