The Chalk Man

A Novel

By: C. J. Tudor

Narrated by: Euan Morton

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

“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 Audio

Critic reviews

“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

Sufficiently interesting and fast paced

After listening a while I almost felt like it was paying a bit of UK homage to Stephen King's IT. Lots of story similarities with regard to the characters. No clown and horror but I kept having that same vibe throughout the story. Plenty twisty and turny with a bit of surprise supernatural thrown in there. There was great character development too. I was made to believe the end was going to be holy-cow didn't see that coming but I was left a little - eh - ok, that makes sense, sounds reasonable. Welllll the last little bit WAS a bit of a shocker I guess but it was almost a second thought.

Overall decent suspense mystery. Not mad at spending the credit. Interested in seeing what else the author has to offer.

couldn't not put it down

great narrator, story and I got nothing done till I finished the book. highly recommend this book

The Chalk Man

Lots of loose ends in this one. Cool title , although little to do with the book . I enjoyed parts of it . Good setting , characters .. but author had too much to tie together at the end .

Decent

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would make the main character a little less creepy. But it’s one of those stories you are not in doubt who done it.

Do you think The Chalk Man needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

Reminded me of Iain Banks

A little too much like Iain Banks' novel Complicity for my taste as Complicity is one of my favorites.

Narration was the best part, story was eh!

I’ve been hanging onto this book 4ever and never seemed to get to it but I saw so many rave reviews that I really just had to listen to it. So I grabbed the audiobook and jumped in. This was a decent mystery but there was absolutely zero of a suspense feel to it. Even then, I feel it was way longer than was necessary and in my opinion the length made it even less appealing to me. It just seemed to drag on. However, I have seen the author is coming out with another book soon, The Hiding Place. I do plan to give that one a go. Even though this story was on the line of good and bad, Tudor’s writing is great. His discriptions are thorough and he paints a vivid picture. I’m just hoping for more development in the story and characters and a bit more from the storyline.

The narrator Euan Morton was the best part of it. His voice was pleasant and seemed to fit in nicely with the storyline. I enjoyed his British accent immensely. It definitely wasn’t as strong as most of the accents but I’m ok with that. I could really go either way there since I dig heave British accents. I’d seek this narrator out in the future and happily listen to him.

Good listen

The narration took some getting used to and do make the story drag a bit. Otherwise quite entertaining.

Stephen King was right!

What a wonderfully scary story. Coupled with the depth and honesty of the boys and the difficulty of their lives. Can't help but to compare with The Sand Lot, or perhaps the children we've come to know on King's IT. I do not compare to King as a rule. Frankly there is none in my opinion. This author is an exception. She is remarkable! I look forward to next book. Amazing.

Had potential

The story had potential it just didn't get there. Performance was good. I was dissapointed

Yawn, there’s some substance here in between putting me to sleep.

I had high hopes for this book but all it seemed to do was practically put me to sleep. It’s a sort of “Wonder Years” kind of story that bounces back and forth from past and present. But it was. It engaging for me; very dull.