The Chalk Man discussion

This is where I setup our thread for the buddy read. Anything we have that could be a spoiler.. just use the (view spoiler)[ code. (hide spoiler)]

Love it!! I'm going to crack open this baby today :) And, it's brand spanking new from the library!

OK, great! Me too..I have an ARC.. this is going to be fun!

So.. I'm on pg. 43
I really don't feel like too much has happened thus far..
(view spoiler)[Just found out about why fat Gav is in a wheelchair and Eddie just received a message in an envelope with a single piece of chalk. (hide spoiler)]

Crumb wrote: "So.. I'm on pg. 43
I really don't feel like too much has happened thus far..
[spoilers removed]"

a decapitation and a freak accident at the fair? Yikes, your expectations are higher than mine :D I'll not look at chalk the same way again

Jen wrote: "Crumb wrote: "So.. I'm on pg. 43
I really don't feel like too much has happened thus far..
[spoilers removed]"

a decapitation and a freak accident at the fair? Yikes, your expectations are higher ..."

OK i'm on page 55. I like how it goes back and forth in time - it's easy to follow. another reader said it was similar to IT but I haven't read that or seen it....

Heh.. I guess you are right! Do you think the decapitation might be a precursor to something that is going to happen later in the book?
Yes, I agree I feel like it is easy to follow.. I haven't read IT either, so I wouldn't know.
(view spoiler)[I feel like something weird is going on with Mr. Halloran. I can't really put my finger on it. Also, I knew that something bad was going to be in that package that got delivered to Eddie's house. Oh God, a pig foetus. (hide spoiler)]

I got through a lot of it last night.. I'm on Pg. 119

Ok I'll have to try to catch up with you!! It's -17c here so a good day to bundle up and read!
Where are you located?

I love days where you can be cozy and read! They are the best.

Washington state? Or DC? I'm in Toronto, ONtario. It's freaking -25c here brrrr - we were just at 13C on Thursday. Crazy weather. Can't wait to go down south next month and be beach bound - with a book of course!

I'm in DC.. yesterday it was 70 F and today it's 30! It definitely is crazy weather. I'm jealous of you going to the beach.. but in March I'm going to Disney World. I think that will be so fun..

I haven't read anymore since last night.. so you'll probably have no problem catching up to me!

I've had to go get one of my dogs who had knee surgery. Now I've got to keep the other on away from him and he's just a pup. Gotta go out in this frigid air and walk him.
I'm reading in between:)
Disney will be fun although I haven't been - my brother and sis in law live in Beaufort, SC and we usually head down there for March break. But kids are older and don't want to hang with us so just my husband and I are going to Cuba for 5 days and we are leaving them to fend for themselves. Should be a disaster! Lol and we are going in February as it's my daughter's university break so she's coming home to watch her irritating brother who is still in school :))

It sounds like it will be a disaster! Ha.. but, going to Cuba sounds wonderful. You'll have a great time..

I haven't been to Disney World for a very long time and I haven't seen the Harry Potter World attraction yet. Although, I'm not a Harry Potter fan..it is supposed to be fantastic.

The book is getting really interesting.. These comments below are on pages 90-100
(view spoiler)[Nicky's dad is up to no good as a vicar..and there has been insinuations that he is hurting her. It was really ironic that Mr. Holloran had said (after he saw that horrific act Sean made Eddie do) "don't worry, bullies usually get what is coming. Karma.." And then, Sean gets killed.. Ironic? Or planned? Hmm.. what are your thoughts? (hide spoiler)]

Crumb wrote: "It sounds like it will be a disaster! Ha.. but, going to Cuba sounds wonderful. You'll have a great time..

I haven't been to Disney World for a very long time and I haven't seen the Harry Potter W..."

I'm just on page 88 so I'll come back and read your comments. Disney will be fun - anywhere there is sun and warmth will be good!!

Jen wrote: "Crumb wrote: "It sounds like it will be a disaster! Ha.. but, going to Cuba sounds wonderful. You'll have a great time..

I haven't been to Disney World for a very long time and I haven't seen the ..."

I will definitely agree with you on that!

For each comment, I will let you know what pages I will be discussing within the post.. I don't want to spoil anything.

Pg 147
(view spoiler)[ WHAT?! Mickey killed Sean?? Plot twist! (hide spoiler)]

Crumb wrote: "It sounds like it will be a disaster! Ha.. but, going to Cuba sounds wonderful. You'll have a great time..

I haven't been to Disney World for a very long time and I haven't seen the Harry Potter W..."

I thought it might be Nicky that was dead but turns out not. Hollaran is creepy - and the dreams Eddie is having almost seem to be his subconscious and he may not be able to face what happened so it is coming to him in snippets. But, i could be totally wrong too!

That's a good point you brought up.. about Eddie's subconscious. It would be totally understandable if he is having a hard time processing what has happened to him.. I mean.. the kid has been through a lot!

I never thought Nicky was the one who was killed.. but then again.. I really haven't been sure of anything in this book.

What page are you on?

By the way, how is your dog doing? Did he get his surgery, yet?

I tried to catch up but am only on 140. My dog didn't do too well -
He was up at 4:30 am crying so I fed him breakfast and his meds and just now took him out.
Poor you but he seems to have peeked up a bit after he slept.
I've got some errands to do but will try to get 180 today. I still need to read your other note from 147!
Mickey has just been found yet Eddie has still not said boo to the the police about the info he has which seems odd too.

the plot thickens....Now the vicar is in an insane asylum...creepy old woman says he has them all fooled. This is getting very interesting....!

Jen wrote: "the plot thickens....Now the vicar is in an insane asylum...creepy old woman says he has them all fooled. This is getting very interesting....!"

I tried to put spoiler on so hopefully, if you haven't gotten here yet you can't see this.

I hope your dog feels better. I really do. My cat was sick a few weeks ago and it was so scary.. so I am sending warm wishes your way..

I just finished! I don't know where you are.. you must be pretty far along though, considering your last comment.

I don't think I really liked this as much as some other people did.. I wanted to ask if you were OK with me posting a review and including that we did a buddy read together?

Crumb wrote: "I hope your dog feels better. I really do. My cat was sick a few weeks ago and it was so scary.. so I am sending warm wishes your way..

I just finished! I don't know where you are.. you must be pr..."

Yes - go for it. I am only on page 170 so will take me a couple of days yet. I'll read yours after!
thanks for the warm wishes :) Keeping him in the crate for the next 2 weeks is going to be the biggest challenge. He's never been crated before and he's 8 1/2!

I am very interested to know how you your thoughts once you've finished, Jen. I know I am outnumbered.. most of my GR friends really liked it.

Ok I'm going to finish it tonight. I saw your 2⭐️ :(

Yes.. I think I was expecting something else.. or more.. but I really liked doing this read with you! Let me know what you think.. I know I'm in the minority. 😔

Well that was disturbing and I didn't see it coming!!
Ok question as I obviously missed something- was it the cop who out tattooed the wings on the reverend?
Overall, I thought it was well done. Lots of twists and had me guessing pretty much to the end even with the spoiler of that old lady saying the reverend is a liar. Made me think but then I just moved on.
Maybe too many characters as by the end I felt like i had Alzheimer's!!

I am so confused lol. I am having a hard time with this book. I am listening to it and have to keep going back and re listen at times.

It's a lot of characters!!

Jen, I'm sorry! I just saw your comment about the tattoo.. I'm trying to remember and I was a little confused about that too, I think hence my two star rating, There were a couple things that confused me.

I think it was the cop and I liked the ending, despite my rating.. I never saw that coming!

Crumb wrote: "I think it was the cop and I liked the ending, despite my rating.. I never saw that coming!"

There were some twists in this one, that's for sure!

anyone have any idea what happened to Hannah?

I have read the entire book. At first it didn't seem too interesting. I was interested that this book was narrated by Eddie and his point of view.
I agree with a lot of you all when you say it was very hard to follow. At times I got the girls who were killed confused and there were so many backstories and the discussions at times were hard to follow.
Overall, I liked that the one that was murdering and drawing the chalk man was the vicar. The vicar was able to fool everyone but Eddie and one of the nurses. It was only Eddie that the vicar actually spoke to when he said "confess".

Alison wrote: "anyone have any idea what happened to Hannah?"

I think Hannah died. I trying to remember but I think Chloe had told Nicky that her mother was dead.

Diane wrote: "I have read the entire book. At first it didn't seem too interesting. I was interested that this book was narrated by Eddie and his point of view.
I agree with a lot of you all when you say it was..."

The Vicar did the murder but Eddie revealed at the end that he drew the chalk man. He found the body & drew the chalk man figures to bring his friends there so at would look like they found the body together

Thanks for the clarification, Cindy!

Anyone else think Eddie is a bit bonkers? Not just his Alzheimer's worries, but overall just a "little" bit weird??

Yes, I definitely had those same feelings, Candy!

Cindy, I thought I read where Eddie did some of the chalk men but so did the vicar. I might have to reread this book. 😀

Candy, I loved the Eddie character! I guess I just like a little crazy! Lol

Diane wrote: "Candy, I loved the Eddie character! I guess I just like a little crazy! Lol"
So many things with him though!! His collections... his dreams. I'm just not sure that I could figure him out. I liked him, but then, (I'm not going to post any spoilers...), I mostly ended up thinking "wtf, Eddie, wtf???"

Cindy wrote: "Alison wrote: "anyone have any idea what happened to Hannah?"

I think Hannah died. I trying to remember but I think Chloe had told Nicky that her mother was dead."

Chloe lied, Hannah wasn't dead. Chloe went into foster care as Hannah "found booze, weed and any bloke who would buy her vodka and coke".

I’d love to do a buddy up read. How’d you go about it and how’d you set up a thread for it ?

Hi Sharon! It's easy.. you can do it with anyone and as for setting up a thread.. you go to community-->discussions--->add new thread.

And then you and your buddy can discuss the book in that thread.

Thanks Crum. Looking forward to your next review

Guys I just finished the book and I have only one question: who drew the chalk figures in the church when the vicar got beat?