The Chalk Man: A Novel

I found The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor to be a riveting novel of psychological suspense that kept me hooked right through. Although the author planted some red herrings and misdirection I did figure out who the murderer was, but there was so much more going on in the story that knowing didn’t

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really take away from much of the suspense.

The story jumps back and forth in time from 1986 to 2016. In the past we are introduced to a group of pre-adolescence kids that live in a small English village and leave chalk stick figures as messages to one another. Someone else suddenly starts leaving chalk messages that are far more ominous. As the kids follow these messages one day they are lead into the forest to a dismembered body. When the action moves to 2016, we find these kids grown up but still dealing with issues from their childhood including still wondering who the Chalk Man was. When they are confronted with another death and newly drawn chalk images, the hunt for The Chalk Man is resumed.

Every character carries a secret or two that are revealed throughout the course of the story so the reader is treated to layers of revelations that slowly bring focus to the plot. With it’s tight and edgy atmosphere, The Chalk Man is a sad, tragic and dark coming-of-age story that was a very good read.

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Why am I always so contrary? The Chalk Man arrived with a lot of pre-hype. I'm finding, with some exceptions, the books the mainstream world tells me I should love are inevitably the books that make me shrug indifferently at the end. I certainly didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it

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either.

Let's start with the genre. The pre-release hype claimed this book to be a serial killer thriller. It's really not, at least not in the traditional sense. This is more literary suspense with a high creepiness factor. The serial killer aspect is an often obscured undercurrent. For the most part, the focus is on the oddness of the characters in their day-to-day lives.

The story is told in alternating timelines, both from Eddie's perspective. The present timeline is written in first person present tense, and the past timeline is first person past tense. The transitions are clear and work well for the story's purposes.

The past timeline is a coming of age story, centered around childhood friends in a town where everyone is a little strange. (Putting it mildly.) These parts, to me, felt more fluid and compelling. The present timeline didn't fully engage me until right near the end. I found the characters, as adults, totally unlikable. Mostly, they annoyed me more than they intrigued me.

While reading, you need to pay close attention to the little details in order to put the story together. Yet, some details are irrelevant, tossed in for no particular reason at all. And some things wind up feeling unfinished or, as Eddie admits about his own story, there are plot holes.

I have immense respect for the author's vision with this story but I just can't jump on the bandwagon with the other readers who have loved it.

*I received an advance ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*

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12 year olds and summer – what a perfect combination. Eddie and his friends, Fat Gav, Metal Mickey, Hobbo and the only girl in the gang, Nicky, are enjoying every minute of it. They like to leave each other messages with little chalk stick men drawings. They’re having a great time of it until

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they’re led to a dismembered body. And what has led them to this body? Little chalk men drawings. Now they’re grown up and each have received mysterious letters with a chalk stick man. That’s when they realize that the past isn’t over after all.

The book fluctuates between 1986 and 2016. I loved the atmosphere that this author created and was pulled right back to the 80’s. Such fun running all over this English village with these kids, seeing what excitement there is to find on those hot summer days. This book is reminiscent of Stephen King’s novella, “The Body”, which was made into the film, “Stand By Me”, and is impressive for a debut. To me, King’s novella is a classic and Ms. Tudor has a way to go before her work can truly be compared to King’s but it did remind me of it but without the deep sadness that King’s book invoked. It has a spooky feel without anything supernatural going on and I liked that the author didn’t feel the need to include gory details to make her book suspenseful. Unfortunately, the end didn’t come as a surprise to me and I’m not that quick to pick up on clues. These clues seemed to be a bit too obvious. I almost felt like I was a step ahead of the author throughout the book and knew what was coming. But the book is very addictive, the characters are likeable (at least when they’re children) and it was a fun read.

This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.

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This book was just fine. If you're a big fan of thrillers and want another one to read, that's not slow or challenging, this will be a good addition to your shelf. But nothing in it wowed me; there were a few good lines and moments, but not enough to lift the book above the middle of the pack. I

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probably would have rated it 3.5 stars if GoodReads allowed it, but it's definitely not a 4. Shame though; nice cover, plenty of hype--it's entirely possible thus was just a miss on me as an audience. Although I really enjoyed Dan Chaon's "Ill Will" (a similarly styled book) which only has a 3.4 rating on GR, compared to this book's 4.3. So what do I know? I think I just enjoy more literary novels.

**I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book set to release January 9, 2018, and have provided this unbiased review. **

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“The Chalk Man” tells the story about five friends who enjoy their summer holidays back in 1986. At one point they start communicating by leaving little chalk stick figure men in front of each other’s houses. Suddenly, however, the stick men pop up out of nowhere and lead them to what can

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only be described as one tragic and horrifying event after the other. Told from the story of Eddie, both in 1986 and thirty years later in 2016, “The Chalk Man” is an intriguing debut novel by CJ Tudor that I could not put down!

It is really hard to explain what “The Chalk Man” is about without giving away anything of the story. Though a lot of things are hinted at in the beginning chapters of the thriller, they are not fully explained and explored until much later so even just mentioning them would spoil the fun. The book functions like a giant puzzle with each chapter being a small puzzle piece. Yet instead of getting pieces that fit together, the reader gets one for the upper left corner, then another for the lower right corner, and yet another from the middle and it isn’t until the very end that they get those puzzle pieces that bind all the other pieces together and create an actual image. Bit by bit the story is told and it isn’t until shortly before the end that you understand what is going on. Great read that is fantastically written! Four stars!

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A little bit Stand By Me, a little bit Mystic River, The Chalk Man delivers mystery, suspense, and horror in a tight story with no loose ends.

Alternating between 1986 and 2016, the protagonist, Eddie, is still haunted by violence that he witnessed the summer when he was 12. He and his friends

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discovered the body of a dead girl in the woods, and chalk drawings of stick men lead them right to the site of her murder. The circumstances of the crime seem obvious to police, but evidence comes to light 30 years later that puts all of the pieces together, and Eddie figures out the police had it all wrong. There is also the added nightmare of Eddie seeing the chalk men. When the drawings of chalk men appear, something bad is going to happen.

It’s suspenseful, often frightening, and always exciting. The Chalk Man is a captivating thriller with enough drama to give it some substance. The pacing makes the pages fly, and I looked forward to reading this book every time I had the chance to crack it open.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to bloggingforbooks.com for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I found this to be an enjoyable psychological suspense novel. I liked the dual timeline, especially the feel of the one from the 1980s. I read a lot of suspense novels and usually speed through and then quickly forget them. To me, there was nothing outstanding about this one, just an overall

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enjoyable read.

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This was a fabulous read! Alternating between 1986 and 2016 it follows a group of early teens through a horrific accident and then an even more horrific death. I thought the alternating chapters and the overall pacing was really successful at creating great suspense and the clues were meted out

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perfectly along the way allowing me to slowly work through them myself. I am so glad to have read this and want more from this debut author! I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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In 1986, Eddie Adams and his friends are spending their time racing around on their bikes and enjoying their school holiday. One fateful day they head for the county fair where Eddie meets the new teacher at the scene of a horrific accident.

Gav receives a tin of chalks for his birthday and soon the

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group decides to send messages to each other without talking and they use Gav’s chalks to create the secret message Chalk Men. But someone outside their group uses the Chalk Men to trick one of the boys, an event that ultimately ends in tragedy.

In 2016, the boys, now grown, retain a nominal friendship. But, like autumn leaves, some have scattered.
Then the letters arrive. Letters bearing a crayon-drawn stick figure with a noose around its neck . . . and a single stick of white chalk.

The twisty plot and the mounting tension draw readers into the mystery from the first page. The story is often grim and gritty; many of the events that color the boys’ lives are horrific. Chapters alternate between the boys’ growing-up years in 1986 and the present [2016]; although this is effective in showing the evolvement of the characters, some readers may find it difficult to find continuity or to become fully involved in the unfolding story.

The writing is often moody and atmospheric; the characters well-drawn and believable. Readers are likely to find it difficult to set this one aside before the final unexpected reveal.

Highly recommended.

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I loved this book! Once I started reading this book, I didn't want to put it down. I ended up reading the whole book cover to cover in a single evening. This was a pretty fast paced novel that kept me guessing. I may have figured a few things out but there were a whole lot of things that really

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surprised me. I was truly impressed by this thriller.

This book is told in two timelines, 2016 and 1986, so we get to see Eddie and his friends both as children and adults. Both of the timelines worked together to tell the story and I really enjoyed both of the equally. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I was incredibly eager to know what had happened when they were kids and what was happening to them in their adult life.

I thought that the opening pages were incredibly strong and set the stage for the novel. I wanted to know how that body ended up where we see it at the start of the novel and needed to know its identity. When everything was eventually revealed, I found it to be a somewhat surprising and satisfying conclusion.

I thought that the characters were well developed. The story is told from Eddie's point of view so we see everything from his own perspective. There are things that the boys do that made me cringe a bit but I thought that they all felt very realistic. This group of boys go through a lot together and it was interesting to see how some of those things impacted their relationship with each other over the years.

I would highly recommend this book to thriller fans. I found this to be a really exciting read that kept me guessing. I am really impressed by that fact that this is C.J. Tudor's debut novel. I will be eagerly waiting for more books from this new author.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from Crown Publishing Group via First to Read and Blogging for Books.

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I was very much looking forward to reading this book. My excitement quickly disappeared not long into this book. There was nothing interesting about the characters or the storyline. It was like I was in a reading daze just going through the motions. The alternating storylines with the past and the

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present were alright but they didn't lend any answers or excitement to the story. Just some more questions. In fact, I thought this book was a bit depressing in the regards of the characters. After getting half way, I jumped right to the last two chapters to find out the big reveal. To quote Shania Twain "That don't impress me much.".

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Book Description:

In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy 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 one

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another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever 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 that his friends got the same message, 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.

Hardcover, 280 pages
Expected publication: January 9th 2018 by Crown Publishing Group (NY)
ISBN 1524760986 (ISBN13: 9781524760984)
Edition Language English
MY BOOK REVIEW:

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And you are about to get just that! THIS is how to write a thriller. Has the premise been done before? Not exactly, but whatever had been done that some may claim is the same, didn’t have this quality of writing! It’s so hard to believe that this is C.J. Tudor’s debut novel.

The Chalk Man is a twisting, twisted odyssey as seen from inside the mind of a fractured adolescent, whose past incidents shaped his future self. It felt as though I was reliving his painful memories alongside him. The author manages expertly, the cruelties of a bullying act that changed a boy from a sweet innocent to something damaged and corrupted emotionally. Her skill to maneuver around controversial issues leaves you mesmerized and riveted to the pages. I found Tudor’s voice refreshing, brilliant and compelling and her story will leave you panting for more.
This narrator is in full control of mesmerizing characters, stunning twists and an easy, beautiful writing that is full of psychological suspense. I devoured each page.

The only itsy bitsy problem I had with the book is the Protagonist’s handling of what happened to him in the park… it fell a little short to me. However, the incident would be enough to propel the Protagonist forward and down a different road/character arc, so this may just be me being picky, picky, picky! lol

If you want a book that will hold you in its thralls from beginning to end, this is the next thriller to read!

Well done!

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As soon as I was able to read 'The Chalk Man', I raced through it, and especially so, to give recommendations in time for all my book friends to make their 'Book of The Month' picks. It wasn't hard to force me because as soon as I started reading, I was captivated by the tale of a group of young

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English boys (and girl), back in 1986, and then, their lives three decades later in 2016.

The story centers around Eddie who is still trying to put a difficult past behind him, a past that involves the group finding a dismembered body in the woods. Cut to the present day, and the group of friends all get the same mysterious message in the mail, and one of them turns up dead. And what about the mysterious chalk figure code?
*I actually found some amusement reading the story as I'm the same age as the protagonist Eddie, and being from England, found it fun to read little things like the kids going to spend their money at the corner shop (note: some lingo might get missed by some American readers).

I personally found this novel to be one of a kind, and because I got to read it in 2017, it was actually one of my favorites of the year. Start your 2018 with it, and I expect this will be one of those books that will stay the course of books (and authors) that people will still be talking about at year's-end. I can't wait to see what C.J.Tudor writes next!

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The Chalk Man is such a fantastic book that it's hard to believe that it's a debut novel. I can't wait to see what this author writes next. She's definitely on my list of authors that I enjoy.

This book is told in two time periods - 1986 and present day. In 1986, Eddie and his 4 friends (3 boys and

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I girl) are adolescents, spending their time riding their bikes, making forts in the woods and just goofing around. They come up with a plan to use chalk drawings to send private messages to each other - like 'meet in the woods - now'. It's a harmless little game until a chalk drawing left by someone leads them to a dead body in the woods. After that, the small group of friends breaks up and never talk about the chalk drawings again. That is until present day when they all get a letter in the mail with the drawing of a chalk man. Their earlier discovery of the body has haunted them for their entire lives and they know that the chalk man drawings mean something but have no idea what it is and are determined to find out.

This is a wonderful well written novel full of likable characters that will pull you in from page 1 and keep you rapidly turning pages until the end. I expect to see this book be listed as one of the top suspense novels of 2018.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

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In 1986, Eddie Adams is trying to live life like any other adolescent boy. Eddie and his friends are filling their summer vacation days with adventures and activities. The gang of friends decide to create a secret code for where to meet with chalk men drawn in colors corresponding to each kid. One

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day a mysterious set of white chalk men show up and lead the group of kids straight to a dismembered body. Who is responsible for this crime and who drew these chalk men?

The Eddie of 2016 still lives in his childhood home, where he watched is father die and his mother leave him to explore a new life. He is actively trying to put his past behind him, but with the arrival of a letter containing a chalk man drawing the summer of 1986 comes flooding back in to his life. In order to make things right and finally put the past to rest Eddie must face his fears. Who really killed that girl in the woods 30 years ago? Who is responsible for these chalk men drawings?

C.J. Tudor absolutely kills it with her debut novel THE CHALK MAN. Alternating timelines between 1986 and 2016 walk the reader through the mind of Eddie Adams and the crimes haunting his past. Eddie is a flawed narrator and his group of friends are no better. Tudor gives the reader a story that radiates 80's nostalgia with a gripping crime and fascinating cast of characters. In order to get to the bottom of the mysterious chalk men the reader must trust Eddie's meandering mind and unlock a chest of long held secrets. THE CHALK MAN is the perfect read for fans of crime fiction, thrillers, and 80's era nostalgic shows like Stranger Things.

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Four teens find creative ways to entertain themselves in summer of 1986. Chalk figures are the secret code that Eddie and his friends have come up with to communicate with each other. Detailed figures are drawn near their homes as a way to announce their plans. This method ensures them privacy from

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parents and the neighborhood bullies. One day a mysterious chalk message leads them to a disfigured body in the woods. It chills them to know that the murderer has been watching their activities.

Twenty years later Eddie receives a random chalk figure in the mail. It has been many years since he has connected with his childhood friends. He has tried his best to bury the painful memories of the unsolved murder. Eddie is not the only member of the crew to receive a chalk figure and this brings the friends back together. United, they try to solve the mystery of the notes and how they are connected to events from their past.

The Chalk Man is a debut novel by C.J. Tudor. This is a well-executed mystery with great characters and surprising twists and turns. I impatiently wait for future works from this author.

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This book has gotten mixed reviews but I am a fan, I liked it. If Tudor comes out with another novel I will certainly read it. There were places where the author would leave you with a cliffhanger but didn’t make you wait 50 pages to get back to it. Set in England and reminiscent of Stand by Me,

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five friends experience childhood pleasures of riding their bikes, exploring the woods, getting into scrapes, playing games and the usual.

This was before the cruel introduction of the internet and cell phones so kids actually played. And talked. Amazing, huh?

The mystery starts with chalk figures drawn around the village. Colored chalk was gifted to Fat Gav at his birthday party and this starts the appearance of chalk figures and coded messages. If one of the friends exited their house and the sidewalk was adorned by a blue chalk man with a circle, it meant to meet your friend in the playground. That sort of thing.

One day a chalk figure directed the five friends to the woods, leading them to a grisly discovery. A young woman was dismembered, the head missing, her body parts strewn and half hidden by the leaves. The kids flip out, understandably, go for the police and were never quite the same afterwards. There are many other supporting characters in this story such as our narrator David (one of the friends), the Reverend Martin, David’s mother who is a doctor and the subject of controversy for her clinic, David’s father who decks the preacher at Fat Gav’s party and bloodies his face over “inappropriate conversation” and Chloe (a character from 2016) who plays a part in the mystery.

There is actually more than one mystery and the people and actions all seem to tie together eventually. I had a few surprise sin there and that’s always pleasant. No one wants to figure out the whodunit within the first quarter of a book. Not so for me.

The time period shifts between 1986 and 2016. It’s a creepy book yet a page turner.

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Finally! A decent book recommendation! A review in a Sunday paper piqued my interest, and unlike most trusting purchases that usually follow similar prompts, this novel didn't disappoint. The 1986 narrative, which reminded me of Stephen King stories like It and The Body(Stand By Me), is funny and

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relatable, with all the 'Remember this?' type references (yes, I do!), but also suitably sinister. The 2016 plotline, tying (most) of the past plotlines together, is equally gripping, even though grown-up Eddie is far from charismatic. I was completely hooked. Murder, abortion, creepy older men with an unhealthy interest in young girls - and yet only poor old Murphy's fate had me almost crying on the bus home (don't do that!)

Also - sidenote - I've just discovered that the author is a woman, which surprises me - male readers might disagree, but C.J. has written such a convincing sad sod in Eddie that I thought I was reading a bloke's book! Maybe women can just write men better than men write women, but damn! Had me fooled. I will definitely be waiting for her next novel.

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I grew up on Stephen King's books, so if you're gonna do the whole, gang of adolescent boys with the (obligatory) tomboy (whose being abused by her single father), then you better bring your A-game (and something original) because it's the rare author who can capture and evoke that feeling of being

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12, relishing summertime with your mates, stirring up mischief, avoiding bullies, and oh yeah, finding dead bodies. Unfortunately, for me, The Chalk Man fell flat. No nostalgia. No suspense. And the mystery was of the everything fits together a little too neatly in a (so-called) tour de force ending. What a bummer. I had high hopes for this one -- I mean, read all those fantastic jacket blurbs!

Recommended only to those who don't read many thrillers. (Or maybe just those less jaded than this reader.)

3 stars

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This is one of those books that simply grabs you with the first chapter. A body is found. She is dismembered. Someone finds her. Someone takes her head. The police come. The action begins. Bouncing back and forth between the past and the present, we discover who all the players are, what their

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secrets are and why things are never as they seem. This is one of those books you just have to read until the end as quickly as possible to find out the answers to so many questions, some of which you never even think to ask until the answers are provided. This was a great book!

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The Chalk Man is one of those books. You know, you keep seeing them everywhere, everybody is raving about them, there's a lot of hype surrounding them. Mostly, that hype is well-deserved and The Chalk Man is firmly in that category. I absolutely loved it.

The story is very much Eddie's. He's 12 in

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1986 and 42 in 2016 and the story is told in alternate chapters set in each different time. Something about the 80s sections seemed so 80s-ish without it being signposted in a really obvious way. It's probably because I was almost the same age as Eddie and his friends in 1986 so it was easy to put myself there.

1986 is the year that one of his friends receives a load of chalk for his birthday and they start using it to leave each other messages. But the innocence of this soon gets lost amongst some sinister events that take place. In 2016, Eddie is looking back on past events, his memories jogged by the reappearance of an old friend.

This is a perfectly plotted story. Going backwards and forwards between the two years provides the ideal device for cliffhangers, leaving me desperate to find out what happened next. The lives of the children come across so well, the long summers riding around on a bike, eating penny sweets, hanging out with friends.

This book didn't exactly scare me, but it certainly invaded my dreams and I had some very odd night-time experiences. It has eerie bits, segments in the woods, the idea of being watched. The scary part about it is what the mind is capable of conjuring up.

This is such a brilliantly written book, an addictive read. I loved it and can't wait to see what this debut author comes up with next.

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In 1986, 12-year-old Ed and his friends, Mickey, Hoppo, Fat Gav, and Nicki are just hanging out. But this summer is different. It will, in fact, prove to be the end of their childhood innocence. It all starts with a visit to the carnival. While there, two things happen: Ed meets Mr Halloran, later

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known as the Chalk Man and he witnesses a horrific accident. These two things will have far reaching consequences that will follow the group of friends into middle age.

Now, it is 2016 and Ed still lives in his childhood home. He’s a supply teacher, drinks too much, and has a young border, Chloe, to help pay the bills. The old gang has been long broken up. But when they all receive a mysterious letter about the incidents of that long-ago summer, it starts a string of actions that, again, will have dire consequences for the group.

The Chalk Man is the debut novel by C. J. Tudor and, oh, what a debut it is. The narrative is told in the first person by Ed and alternates between 1986 and 2016. The story is full of twists and turns and unexpected side forays and it grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let up until the end. Although a thriller and a well-written and –plotted one, it reminded me of Stephen King especially Stand By Me. I mean this as a compliment. First, it begins with a middle-aged man looking back on the summer that changed everything for him and his friends. Second, it’s the kids. No one writes kids like King and Tudor has clearly taken a page from his book – these are not child geniuses talking and acting like characters from some B&W classic film. They are real kids who do the kind of things that kids did in the ‘80s, ride their bikes all over town looking for adventures, trying to avoid the older bullies, and never quite understanding the possible consequences of their actions. And who find a dead body. Because I could relate to these children, I cared about the outcome.

I gotta say, as a debut, The Chalk Man is a real standout. It is definitely on my list of top ten books I have read so far this year and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a well-written and exciting mystery with great characters and just an all-round engrossing story. This is the kind of book you need to put time aside for because, once started, it’s impossible to put down.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin random House Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

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Thank goodness I listened to my Goodreads friends. The review for this debut thriller were very positive, and it sounded intriguing so I decided to read it. I try to be very careful with the thrillers that I decide to read, but even then I manage to find some that really don't measure up. This one

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did in spades. The book is told in the first person and the narrator is Eddie Adams. We see him at 12 years old in 1986 and at 42 years old in 2016. The chapters flip back and forth between the two time frames. This method is very effective for building up and maintaining the tension throughout. Ms. Tudor very kindly (?) leaves little and not so little cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, so it made me want to continue to read as more of the story is revealed. I must admit that Eddie is not a likeable character. He wasn't too bad at the age of 12, but he was developing some of his peccadilloes even at that early age. Eddie at 42 is a strange individual. He has been forced by outside influences to look back to 1986 when "the body was found" and to try to determine what exactly happened at that time. As he digs, more and more is revealed about his disturbingly bizarre behaviour. In the end he determines that nothing is what it seems and we as readers also learn that is true in Eddie's case too. I highly recommend this book. It's a winner.

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This was an excellent book that had me guessing throughout. At one point, maybe twice, I had reason to point a finger at all the boys involved in the book. I just kept going back and forth. It was crazy!

The author did a great job including into this book, suspense; intrigue; much creepiness with a

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huge thrill factor. It reminded me of "Stand by Me" (the movie) where adolescent boys are trying to grow up and be boys when a murder rocks their town.

Utterly mesmerizing and unputdownable!

Thanks to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

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