Becoming the Boogeyman

By: Richard Chizmar

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

The electrifying New York Times and USA Today bestseller—“a worthy and frightening sequel to Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman. Terrific storytelling. You won’t be disappointed” (Stephen King).

Back in the summer of 1988, a young Richard Chizmar was catapulted into the center of a living nightmare as the serial killer Joshua Gallagher—dubbed by the media as “The Boogeyman”—stalked his tranquil Maryland town. A lot has changed in the intervening years.

These days, Chizmar enjoys a certain level of celebrity and notoriety himself, being the only person that an incarcerated Josh Gallagher will speak to on or off the record. Chizmar likes to believe that he’s doing the world a public service by visiting Gallagher in prison, as there are plenty of other nameless victims out there who Gallagher might finally admit to killing and bring closure to grieving loved ones, and a dark rhythm and routine begin to take hold. But Chizmar eventually finds there’s a price to be paid for dancing with the devil, when a masked figure with all the hallmarks of Gallagher’s reign of terror from thirty years ago now leaves a horrifying calling card in front of Chizmar’s home, and it’s clear there’s a new player on the board in the ongoing game that the Boogeyman controls…

A riveting, haunting sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller Chasing the Boogeyman, this is a tale of obsession and the adulation of evil, exploring modern society’s true crime infatuation with unflinching honesty, sparing no one from the glare of the spotlight. Will those involved walk away from the story of a lifetime in order to keep their loved ones safe? Or will they once again be drawn into a killer’s web? As the story draws to its shattering conclusion, only one person holds all the answers—and he just may be the most terrifying monster of them all.

Critic reviews

“Becoming the Boogeyman is a worthy and frightening sequel to Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman. Terrific storytelling. You won’t be disappointed.” —Stephen King

“Becoming the Boogeyman is a compulsive, utterly immersive twist of fact and fiction. Richard Chizmar masterfully blends reality and imagination to deliver something wholly original and totally gripping from start to finish. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, even when I wanted to turn away. Don’t miss this edge-of-your seat chiller that will keep you guessing—and guessing again.” —Lisa Unger

“Becoming the Boogeyman is at times almost unbearably suspenseful and at times incredibly poignant. Richard Chizmar delves deep into our worst fears and touches the darkness that lives there. An amazing book.” —S. A. Cosby

“Becoming the Boogeyman is Richard Chizmar at his most original and creative. A book that is as fun as it is smart and scary. I love the Boogeyman books so much!” —Caroline Kepnes

“A deliciously chilling follow-up to Chasing the Boogeyman—suspenseful, unsettling, and absolutely compelling. I couldn’t put it down.” —Meg Gardiner

“Richard Chizmar has pulled off one hell of a sequel, delivering the rare thriller that is truly original and unlike anything else you’ll read this year. While the tension is high and the chills plentiful, it is the human heart of the book that lingers once the tale is told.” —Michael Koryta

“Sinuous and twisting and utterly unputdownable, Becoming the Boogeyman slices deep from the start and twists the knife until the very end. I was terrified, moved, and gripped by turns. A tour de force.” —Catriona Ward

“Chizmar’s vast talents as a masterful and singular storyteller are on full display in Becoming the Boogeyman—an ingenious, terrifying, and supremely suspenseful novel that seeks answers for the roots of evil and obsession, while remaining grounded in humanity and a love for family and friendship. It has the ring of classic horror and suspense while remaining wholly original. A must-read.” —Eric Rickstad

“Chizmar’s Becoming the Boogeyman, a uniquely blended tale of fact and fiction, has you asking yourself, did this really happen? And even if it didn’t, it feels like it could, and that will chill you to the bone.” —Linwood Barclay

The next chapter of mystery

Becoming the Boogeyman was another delicious romp in the “true” world adventures of Richard Chizmar, a great and entertaining adventure that stills pulls you in and tricks you into believing it is real. Well done. Looking forward to the next one!

Really does feel like a true crime book.

I watch true crime content on YouTube. The BOOGEYMAN series is a must read for fans of Kendall Rae.

Moderately better than chasing the boogeyman

The story was more entertaining and not such a slog though but the narrator is still just as hard to listen to. Overall I enjoyed this one more than Casing the Boogeyman but I can't say I'll bother to listen to or read it again.

Fantastic Read

I absolutely loved the blurred line between fact and fiction. The book kept my mind leaping from one conclusion to another. The book was as scary as any individual could imagine. I look forward to more of the Boogeyman to come.

Becoming the Boogeyman

What a true thriller. Loved this follow up to Chasing the Boogeyman. Very highly recommended!