Those who’ve stayed with Richard Chizmar’s Boogeyman series have been on a special faux-true crime ride. The first two books, Chasing the Boogeyman and Becoming the Boogeyman, follow a fictionalized but still recognizable version of Chizmar (who gave himself the main character role) as he investigates a serial killer that left behind a trail of bodies in his hometown of Edgewood, Maryland. Once the killer’s caught (first book), the possibility of a copycat killer emerges after new victims are found (second book).
Book 3 just released, titled Killing the Boogeyman, and it’s available at the Simon and Schuster booth at New York Comic Con (#3425). Discounts and giveaways are in constant flux throughout the event, so stick close to the book area for a chance to win something or get something for cheap.
Fans of the first two books know that the Boogeyman series operates as a love letter to both Chizmar’s hometown and true crime. There’s a sense of wonder regarding childhood memories and what safety and security meant as a kid in an American small town. And then there’s the darkness, the kind that is only acknowledged in private. It’s as if saying the bad things out loud means giving death an open invitation into one’s home.
Killing the Boogeyman picks immediately after book 2, where it’s revealed that the Boogeyman has escaped from prison. He leaves a cryptic hangman puzzle on the wall of his cell along with a simple message. It reads “IT’S TIME.”
As was the case in the first two books, Chizmar builds his story around a series of interviews, newspaper articles, Amazon book reviews, Reddit threads, and live stream excerpts. The point is to experience the more current trends in true crime, to interrogate them even. In doing so, Chizmar challenges the idea that advances in technology render serial killers helpless. In fact, it’s the opposite. They can hide way better in the mess of information that circulates online on a daily basis.
Killing injects a bit of John Carpenter’s Halloween into the story as well, especially in how it approaches its escaped serial killer. Readers can expect to explore classic slasher themes this time around, with the idea of homecoming standing front and center. Turns out Michael Myers isn’t the only killer with a desire to return to his old hunting grounds. Other influences will surely emerge as the story unfolds.
The Boogeyman series easily sits as one of the best new horror projects to emerge in some time. Fans of Chizmar, true crime, serial killer horror, and media studies will find a fitting finale in Killing the Boogeyman. Get your copy at NYCC while you can.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more news from NYCC ’26.
