C. J. Tudor

"A mystery set in 1986 and 2016" -- Publisher's note.

The Chalk Man

Katheryn

Mum always told me I had a really vivid imagination. It got me good grades in English, but it also gave me some pretty full-on nightmares.

A riveting and brilliantly plotted psychological suspense, this razor-sharp debut will keep readers guessing right up to the shocking ending. In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy little English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code; little chalk stick figures they leave for each other as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing will ever be the same. In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he's put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out his other friends got the same messages, they think it could be a prank . . . until one of them turns up dead. That's when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago. Expertly alternating between flashbacks and the present day, The Chalk Man is the very best kind of suspense novel, one where every character is wonderfully fleshed out and compelling, where every mystery has a satisfying payoff, and where the twists will shock even the savviest reader.

Jackie Cunningham

Such a compelling read, I couldn't wait to return to it once I started - which is why I devoured it in two sittings. Unpredictable and engaging. Two of my favourite things in a thriller.

tori 👻

** spoiler alert **
           Ok, so I wanted to sleep on this before I made an actual review. On the other hand, I couldn't help with the rating.

Before I go on, I know that everyone that is going to read this has probably already read the book, but i'm gonna give you this warning either way: TW sexual assault/rape.

Going into the book I wasn't as excited as I usually am and when first introduced to main character Eddie and his friends I seriously considered putting the book down (and that's something I rarely do). Eddie and his groups of outcasts is obviously inspired by The Losers Club from IT, by Stephen King, but not in a good way, we have a kid that likes doing voice imitations (which he only does like twice in the book and just felt completely irrelevant to even mention) and a girl, a redhead, who would show up covered in bruises from time to time (I mean seriously? Beverly Marsh much?). But yeah, despite my irritation with the kids characterizations, I decided to keep reading. Tudor had set up a story that I was very much intrigued by.

Oh hell was I wrong deciding to keep going.

If you are familiar with Stephen King's books, do NOT read this. You are constantly reminded of his stories and not in a good way, you are reminded of his stories because this one is complete rip off. Aside from IT, you can find Pet Sematary and Insomnia in there as well.

Now putting my anger towards this subject aside, the story I felt so compelled to keep reading just felt flat to me. The twists (if you can even call it that) were boring, the mystery was boring. I couldn't make myself fond of even one of the characters, I didn't care about Eddie, I didn't care about his friends, I didn't care about Chloe. The only one I cared about was Murphy and that's because he is a dog.

And honestly? The whole thing with the reverend in this end? I mean, no. You seriously want me to believe that he keeping an axe and overalls hidden in the woods for 30 years is a plausible thing? Oh no, sir, it isn't. All in all, Tudor doesn't really try to hide her so called twists, you know from the beginning that Eddie has Elisa's head. You know the second that Murphy comes along to the funeral that he is going to die.

Another thing that irritated me a lot was how convenient the solution of the mysteries were. Yeah, Gav was responsible for the death of the Sean kid, sure, Hoppo was the one to spike Mickey's drink (even though Mickey couldn't tell he was even intoxicated in the first place) and of course killed him later on because he didn't want Gav to find out he was responsible for the accident (Seriously?). And yes Hoppo's mom was the one to poison Murphy by mistake. So convenient, you guys, I can't even.

Honestly, I wanted to like this book, I really did, it cost me 30 bucks for Christ's sake, but it just didn't happen. And i'm not one to write reviews a lot, but I was so incredibly annoyed by this book that I needed to get this all out of my system. If you are still here, thank you for reading my angry ramblings.

Sandrin

well that was disappointing and underwhelming

haven't felt this annoyed by a protagonist in a very long time

literally made me cringe. if that was the author's goal then well done. other than that? meh

Got to the end and was like no way?? A lot of character development and overlapping stories that kept me on the edge of my seat. Loved It!

Lacee Foutch 

Shocked. 

Got to the end and was like no way?? A lot of character development and overlapping stories that kept me on the edge of my seat. Loved It!

Denaiir

An excellent thriller! I enjoyed the dual timeline, the main character was quite interesting to follow even though he wasn't completely likeable, I liked the various twists and the fact that not everything is as it seems. And that ending! 
But if you listen to the audiobook, make sure you purchase the version read by Euan Morton, the other is horrible.

Wynter

Magic Square Challenge 2018 - #3 - A Debut Book

I am currently on the hunt for the next exciting thriller - something to keep me up all night, while I bite my nails and get tangled in my own guesswork. Chalk Man promised to be all of that with its dual timeline, sinister woods, ominous chalk symbols, and dark secrets. But my search unfortunately continues...

To put it front and centre, C. J. Tudor can write. Her narrative and descriptions of childhood marked by small-knitted groups and harsh rights of passage into adulthood remind me a lot of Stephen King. The tone, the lexicon, everything. Engagement isn't an issue here. Her characters are wonderful too, maybe not as tangible as those of King, but still very well-rounded. Eddie carries the plot on his shoulders quite convincingly, and even harbours a little darkness himself.

Though I really enjoyed getting lost in the twists and turns in this one, I cannot say the ending made it worth the wait. I sorta wish Chloe could be written out of it, and maybe the whole church-y thing was handled a bit less clumsily. Plus I wish the last few paragraphs didn't confused the heck out of me. All the good ingredients are there, but I just have no appetite for this one.

Victoria

3.5 rounded up to 4

I read it all in a day and enjoyed it and I can definitely say that I was not expecting that last chapter at all but it worked so well

Rachel Kanyid

I found the beginning of this a little slow but over all loved the storytelling and how the story played out.

Cheri McElroy

I am of two minds about this book. The author’s depiction of Christians is unkind and unoriginal.But the story itself was twisty and interesting. And that last chapter? Genius. So I will give it 4 stars for enjoyment and will give the author one more try.

Alfredo santos

This was a very entertaining book, more of a mystery than actual horror or drama. 

This books reminds me of a mix between Stephen King's Stand by Me and a bit of Gone Girl. It also adds a splash of humor to the voice of the narrator from To Kill a Mockingbird. 

The novel is interesting, love the time lapse between present and past, giving it a bit of an IT vibe. But i felt the characters weren't that developed and the ending was mild compared to the build up.

I think 3 stars is more than enough for this new writer and I'm very interested in what will come after this.

Maggie Gordon

A fairly standard, but serviceable horror-thriller that flip flops between the past and the present. Doesn't stand out among all the other great books in its genre at the moment, but it's a quick summer read that provides sufficient amusements.

I was a bit disapointed in major twist but the smaller ones I didn't see coming, it had me hooked anyway. Easy read and easy imaginable. I enjoyed it very much

Gabi🌸🌷

Eliza Gonzalez

Non-comprehensive list of TWs for this book outside the murder stuff: graphic animal death, sexual assault, predatory adult/minor relationships, statutory rape, suicide.

Giving this book 2 stars solely on the fact that while it wasn't what I'd call good, I also didn't have much of an issue reading it. That said, I can easily see why someone would DNF this. And they'd be right to.

The story that is promised is of a murder mystery and psychological thriller. You can expect a bit of buildup before that happens in any book, but this one takes it to the extreme. Pretty much the entire first half of the book is just an IT knockoff minus anything interesting or murdery going on. Eddie goes around compulsively stealing things while he and his friends are harassed by the local bully group. It switches back and forth between childhood and adulthood, attempting to put together the pieces of a murder as the friend group is pulled back together and another death rocks the boat.

The murders, I'll have you know, are extremely boring and scarcely focused on. So much of this novel just meanders around in Eddie's life, forgetting the plot that people are actually reading for. The mystery reveals are anticlimactic. You stick it out because you are never given quite all of the information, so you want to know what really happened, but when you find out, you're just like ... oh. At least that was my reaction.

I will say that the writing was well done, I really didn't mind reading this even though there was no character to connect to and nothing much happening. If anyone knows a book by this author thats truly good, I'd be willing to try it.

My only other complaint is about the animal death and sexual assault. It was wholly unnecessary. I hate when people use animal deaths to basically set the mood in horror stories. Just tell a better story and leave the damn animals out of it. The sexual assault was so surprising that it really jerked me out of the scene and I immediately ran to tell my buddy reader. It was never really discussed in a meaningful way, just put there, I assume, to underline how bad a person the assaulter was. Also I will not be letting it slide that of course the person doing the sexual assaulting is implied to be gay. :| Fuck off. 

Also the predatory nature of some of the ""good"" guys was really fuckin questionable. A 30 some year old guy does not need to be getting into a relationship with a high schooler. I don't want to hear "you cant help who you love" or whatever. You can help not dating a teenager.

Anyway, pretty boring book, not worth the read. The ending scene was real wtf but that still doesn't make it worth it.

Sarahi Flores

For being a debut novel, the author certainly knows how to write something so twisted. I love having to read present and past scenes. It’s a better way to understand the plot and a better way to understand the character. 

 It was well though out and it it kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading it. In a way it was sorta nostalgic because it made me think the Losers Club from the novel IT. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. 

 I would have gave it 5 stars but it was one thing that kinda left me iffy. I’m left with so many unanswered questions that i still didn’t understand and feel like something isn’t right. 
 
 Great book! Definitely would recommend if your into suspense and mystery.

Looking back, it all started on the day of the fair and the terrible accident. When twelve-year-old Eddie first met the Chalk Man. It was the Chalk Man who gave Eddie the idea for the drawings- a way to leave secret messages between his group of friends. And it was fun, to start with, until the figures led them to the body of a young girl. That was thirty years ago and Ed thought the past was behind him. Then he receives a letter containing just two things- a piece of chalk, and a drawing of a stick figure. As history begins to repeat itself, Ed realises the game was never over... Everyone has secrets. Everyone is guilty of something. And children are not always so innocent.

Madhuri Sridhara

What a book!

Twists, turns, and bloody good characters. It only gets better from the beginning and keeps you hooked.

All of the main characters are flawed and that's what I loved about this one. 

If you have to read a thriller, read this one.

Best book I've read in recent times :D

Leah Patton

This one definitely needs reviewed but I need to mull it over a little first. Check it out soon at www.theleafd.com!

C. J. TUDOR

"Want to read something good?. . . If you like my stuff, you'll like this."--Stephen King * WINNER OF THE ITW THRILLER AWARD * WINNER OF THE STRAND MAGAZINE AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT NOVEL A riveting psychological suspense debut that weaves a mystery about a childhood game gone dangerously awry, and will keep readers guessing right up to the shocking ending In 1986, Eddie and his friends are on the verge of adolescence, spending their days biking in search of adventure. The chalk men are their secret code, stick figures they draw for one another as hidden messages. But one morning the friends find a chalk man leading them to the woods. They follow the message, only to find the dead body of a teenage girl. In 2016, Eddie is nursing a drinking problem and trying to forget his past, until one day he gets a letter containing a chalk man--the same one he and his friends saw when they found the body. Soon he learns that all his old friends received the same note. When one of them is killed, Eddie realizes that saving himself means figuring out what happened all those years ago. But digging into the past proves more dangerous than he could have known. Because in this town, everyone has secrets, no one is innocent, and some will do anything to bury the truth. Praise for The Chalk Man "Wonderfully creepy--like a cold blade on the back of your neck."--Lee Child "An assured debut that alternates between 1986 and 2016 with unpredictable twists. The Chalk Man fits well with other stories about troubled childhoods such as Stephen King's novella Stand by Me. . . . Tudor never misses a beat in showing each character as both a child and an adult while also exploring the foreboding environs of a small town."--Associated Press "Utterly hypnotic. The Chalk Man is a dream novel, a book of nightmares: haunted and haunting, shot through with shadow and light--a story to quicken the pulse and freeze the blood. A dark star is born."--A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window "If you can't get enough of psychological thrillers with sharp twists and turns, you need to read The Chalk Man"--Hello Giggles "I haven't had a sleepless night due to a book for a long time. The Chalk Man changed that."--Fiona Barton, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow

Sammie Russell

Took a break from fantasy and romance and threw myself into this thriller and absolutely devoured it. Some aspects i feel could have been more advanced but overall loved the plot and suspense. 

Sarah S

The Chalk Man is the full package; creepy enough to twist your stomach at times, confusing enough to push you to the next page just to find out what could come next, thrilling enough to make your heart race as it all comes together. This book kept me guessing with some really great twists that didn't make me strain to try and figure it out. It was one of those "relax and enjoy the ride" kind of novels. 

C.J. Tudor executed the alternating timeline perfectly jumping between 1986 and 2016. I found it to be so helpful to keep the story moving  rather than falling stale. Plus, I am a sucker for an unreliable narrator! The ending tied every loose endThe ending tied every loose end up and left me perfectly satisfied.

chloe mcpherson

** spoiler alert **
           I AM SHOOK!!!

honestly this is he type of book you dont want to know anything about going into it, because this book has so many twists and turns. 
In most thrillers, the story centres around one major thing and goes from that where as this book I felt was different. 

This book essentially is centred around a mystery that happened a while back, however it is also centred around the secrets everyone in the small town has. 
Like you literally couldn’t trust anyone because each character had their own dark secret, like trying to kill your best friend, keeping a head of a corpse, being responsible for an accidental death. 

When the story was told from the past, following a bunch of kids I had major Stephen King vibes. The fat kid, the red haired girl. Basically IT just without the scary clown and instead an actual murderer. 

The ending was actually perfect. It left a few things open, like did that person really try sabotage his friend or not? 
And the main character, Ed, showing the first sign of dementia, which his father suffered from. Which I thought was a nice sad touch to the ending. But I loved it. 

Everything in this book I was not expecting, most chapters ended on a cliff hanger. ‘Like how dare you just stop when you are about to reveal something big’
This book definitely highlights the secrets that kids keep from their parents and the secrets they keep from their friend. And even the secrets the parents hide from their kids. 

In all honestly I didn’t even suspect the person when they revealed who the chalk man was. In both past and present times and I love that. I loved being kept on my toes and being surprised!

I don’t know how to fully explain the feeling this book gave me but I would highly recommend picking this book up!

Jennifer Dieter

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway but had it on my radar thanks to Book of the Month. I tend to find the “thriller” genre tired since it does a poor job of drawing characters and puts a heavy emphasis on violence against women. C.J. Tudor did a decent job of weaving a story told from the perspective of a 42 year old man who lived through some traumatizing stuff in his childhood that’s still affecting him in 2016. The back and forth between the two eras compelled me to keep reading since chapters often ended and made me wonder “what happens next?!” Parts of this book felt incredibly cliched and I wasn’t “thrilled” or “scared” while reading, but it still felt fresh, well written, and I had trouble putting it down. And like usual (I don’t play detective much when I read), I found the ending surprising and unexpected.

ghost girl in satin

This was addictive, a quick read, and I liked the "kids on bikes" vibes and the mysteries surrounding the Chalk Man and Elisa. I also loved that Ed was an unreliable narrator.
But: women in this book? Huh. The narrator says it's weird for a man who's in his 30s to be attracted to a younger girl, and then he does exactly the same thing? Also, I wasn't a huge fan of the way women were described in the book. Chloe, Nicky, Angie, even Hannah... Mmmh. Not convinced. 
I also wish we could have had more "friendship background", but the little group of friends quickly dissolves. It served the purpose of the story, but I would have loved to know more about Hoppo, Metal Mickey, Fat Gav and Nicky...
I enjoyed it anyway. :)

Dani Edgin

The Chalk Man is coming . . . PREORDER NOW. IF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS YEAR MAKE IT THIS ONE. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER . . . 'If you like my stuff, you'll like this' STEPHEN KING 'Wonderfully creepy - like a cold blade on the back of your neck' LEE CHILD 'A tense gripper with a leave-the-lights-on shock ending' Sunday Times 'There are shades of Stephen King when the reality bends into the sinister, and a deliciously creepy finale' Daily Mail --------------------- You can feel it in the woods, in the school and in the playground; you can feel it in the houses and at the fairground. You can feel it in most places in the small town of Anderbury . . . the fear that something or someone is watching you. It began back in 1986, at the fair, on the day of the accident. That was when twelve-year-old Eddie met Mr Halloran - the Chalk Man. He gave Eddie the idea for the drawings: a way to leave secret messages for his friends and it was fun, until the chalk men led them to a body. Thirty years later, Ed believes the past is far behind him, until an envelope slips through the letterbox. It contains a stick of chalk, and a drawing of a figure. Is history going to repeat itself? Was it ever really over? Will this game only end in the same way? '[I] haven't had a sleepless night due to a book in a long time. The Chalk Man changed that' Fiona Barton, bestselling author of The Widow and The Child 'Completely engrossing. Reminiscent of those unsettling Stephen King stories of childhood' John Boyne author of The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas 'A must-read' Daily Express 'Deliciously creepy with a side order of Eighties nostalgia' Good Housekeeping 'Plenty of plot twists and an evocative portrait of small-town-life in the 1980s . . . a riveting read' Guardian Now in chilling audio, narrated by the acclaimed actor ANDREW SCOTT, known for his roles in Spectre and Sherlock. ASA BUTTERFIELD known for Hugo and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas also stars as twelve-year-old Eddie.

Lennox Johnson 

This was not a planned book purchase. I had planned, actually, to buy The Chestnut Man. I’d been eyeing The Chestnut Man for at least a couple months, actually. I started to second-guess it the more I saw people talking about the gore factor. I am not too big on gore. 

It all came down to that moment in the bookstore, when I picked up The Chalk Man instead. For one thing, I kept mixing the two up in my head anyway, because of the similar titles and cover designs. Secondly, I’d been seeing The Chalk Man all over my Bookstagram feed. So, after reading the backs of every C. J. Tudor novel the store had on display, I decided The Chalk Man was it. 

I have never felt so glad about changing my mind last minute, because I freaking loved The Chalk Man. This is not a review, honestly, this is a fanboy rant.

I really can’t find anything to pick apart and criticise because the writing camouflages anything I would’ve scoffed at otherwise. Anything that I could argue is contrived or pushing it almost into soap opera level dramatics just... works… because Tudor weaves the story so well. The characters come alive, there is absolutely nothing that’s wasted. Every detail about the characters feeds into the bigger picture of the plot. The creepy factor is nice and creepy.

Just… *screeches*

I have plans now. Plans to read everything C. J. Tudor has out.

Patti Reinheimer

The premise was intriguing and the ending made an impact, but the story itself was slow moving. The narrative was convoluted, I didn’t care for the main character, and I felt like the payoff wasn’t worth the investment to get there.

The Chalk Man

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