The Chalk Man
A Novel
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The Chalk Man
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Narrated by:
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Euan Morton
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Written by:
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C. J. Tudor
About this listen
“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, number-one New York Times best-selling 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 best-selling author of The Widow)
©2018 C.J. Tudor (P)2018 Random House AudioWhat the critics say
“Readers will undoubtedly be reminded of the kids of Stand by Me and even IT. . . . [The] first-person narration alternates between past and present, taking full advantage of chapter-ending cliffhangers. A swift, cleverly plotted debut novel that ably captures the insular, slightly sinister feel of a small village. Children of the 1980s will enjoy the nostalgia.”—Kirkus Reviews
“[A] promising debut . . . with the nightmarish inevitability of the Grimmest of tales . . . her storytelling prowess is undeniable.”—Publishers Weekly
“CJ Tudor has written an utterly original novel—a thriller in which the suspense comes not simply from what happens, but from that dark place within the human mind from which all the greatest mysteries and terrors emerge. This one will hold you in its grip to the last page.”—Joyce Maynard, New York Times bestselling author of Under the Influence and To Die For
What listeners say about The Chalk Man
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- pnogas
- 2022-10-30
Decent book
Read this for a book club for Halloween. I expected it to be more spooky or scary, but it wasn't. It's much more of a mystery than a horror. There's nothing I particularly disliked about the book, but I also didn't find myself too invested in the characters or the stakes. I think part of the reason is having the two timelines means you know that Eddie & his friends all survive, if not for that I think I would feel much more suspenseful. Amazing final chapter though!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-03-11
Slow
Not as good as the burning girls, okay overall but the killer reveal wasn't dramatic and the story moved slowly.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ali from the Hunted Shelves
- 2019-11-22
Very entertaining read
This is a very very honest review (my opinion)
Spoilers might be ahead (not sure)
I was very happy with this book it did everything a debut novel should do. It made what to add C. J Tudor to my list of Authors I want to read more from in the future.
I had Stephen king IT vibes when I first read it and I was like oh no the fat kid the red head the awkward kid the “losers” BUT THEN it started to shape its own identity it’s own vibes. I believe it’s a complement to be compared to Stephen King IT but with all honesty it’s not a fair statement and just keep reading The Chalk Man will had his own identity trust me he will mess up your mind.
Some characters you have a question marks about them and you keep guessing who is the chalk man is he a ghost is he a real person is he only one person?
Last 2 chapters were beautiful only small issue I felt like was told the informations instead of revelling it as written notes or something like that rather just the character telling you in the first person what had actually happened sorry if I am being harsh.
That been said... Pleas read this book it’s a beautiful enjoyable read I was upset at times to leave for class or go to work and not just keep reading.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-07-13
Fantastic!
Fantastic book, great narration. Definitely worth a read! I had a hard time putting it down.
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