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There are currently 22 member reviews
for The Chalk Man
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Patricia D. (Woodland Hills, CA)
Can we hide the secrets of our youth?
How happy I am to receive an exciting book written by a new author! Tudor gave me a whole day of reliving my childhood through the lives of some young twelve-year olds. Then, in addition, I was able to view these same individuals thirty years later.
When a book starts with a murder and makes me hold my breath, I know I'm in for a wonderful diversion to an ordinary day. Through Eddie and his gang we learn about the bullies, the dramas and tragedies of their lives, the made-up games and the affluent families who also have their own problems. There was no way I could guess the ending to this creative thriller. As we learned from Eddie, questions we have in our childhood never actually give us satisfactory answers even when we become adults. We put them away and move on. Secrets are put on hold and a new part of our life begins. Who is the Chalkman? Can you discover his secrets before death catches up with you? Perfect characters, an involved storyline and a surprising ending. One of those books you'll reread many times.
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Valerie C. (Chico, CA)
Definitly engaging
This book grabs your interest right from the start - a great thriller.
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Madeline (Florida)
Solid suspense
The Chalk Man is a solid suspense novel that pulls the reader in from the first page of the Prologue. It's a twisting tale of secrets told with an underlying old-school creepiness. Looking forward to more from the author!
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Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Engaging Thriller by New Author C. J. Tudor
The Chalk Man pulled me into the story from the Prologue on Page 1 which begins "The girl's head rested on a small pile of orange-and-brown leaves." The narrative then shifts immediately from 1986 to 2016 when the narrator, Eddie "Munster", reflects on the series of horrific events in the small English village that would haunt him and his childhood friends Hoppo, Metal Mickey, Fat Gav & Nicky for the next 20 years.
I found the story creative with the characters at 12 years age using bits of colored chalk to send one another messages in code. Each member of the gang used a different color to identify who had written the code. Of course, someone discovered the code and began to create mayhem.
There were a couple of Twin Peaks moments that didn't quite ring true for me; and I did not find Eddie to be a sympathetic narrator. Instead he seems a bit of a creepy, dysfunctional alcoholic.
I also found the repeated reference of a Waltzer confusing since I was unfamiliar with the term. I figured out that is must be a carnival ride. But I had to Google the term for confirm that.
C.J.Tudor is an engaging writer. I found it hard to put down for the first 3/4 of the book. Towards the end, however, the story seemed to lose a bit of steam. Ultimately, the ending for me was a bit contrived and unconvincing.
The Chalk Man is one of the better master/thrillers that I have read in quite some time. Despite its flaws, the book is a solid read in the genre and I will happily look forward to reading the next book by Ms. Tudor.
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Samantha H. (Golden, CO)
Creepy with a twisting plot
CJ. Tudor does a great job building an unsettling and creepy atmosphere in the Chalk Man. Menacing events launch the protagonist, Eddie, into a remembrance of unsolved crimes of the past. I had a hard time getting invested in the characters, however, and found some of the plot twists nonsensical. Not my favorite book this year.
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Sunset, SC
The Chalk Man
My initial reaction to The Chalk Man was hopeful, that it would be as suspenseful as "Girl on the Train". With a cast of characters reminiscent of "Stand By Me" and the Faulknesque setting in a small-town, the story unfolds between 1986 and today -- a story telling device now popular in current literature.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was short lived. The central character of Eddie Adams, the only child of two unconventional people...Eddie's mum is a doctor in a controversial women's clinic and his dad a struggling freelance writer, are good parents and easily win the reader's sympathy and approval.
The opening scene finds Eddie and his four friends at the County Fair where a horrific accident has a lasting impact on all. Fast forward thirty years and Eddie discovers that the unsolved murder of the injured girl from that long ago fair is a real fear again. From there until the story's conclusion, numerous other characters are introduced, twists and turns in the plot ultimately do not lead to a very satisfactory ending.
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Mary G. (Purcellville, VA)
Not Very Enjoyable
I just did not really like this book. The story was not compelling enough to distract from how overwhelmingly depressing the characters in the book are. I am not sure why the author felt it necessary that every character have some kind of psychological issue or character flaw. Not a book I would particularly recommend.
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