The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor is a debut thriller that’s gotten a lot of attention since its initial publication in 2018. Usually, I’d have been on this book like a bad rash the moment I heard about it, but seeing as I found myself in a bit in a reading slump, I never purchased a copy … That is, until recently. 😉 What’s more, this book actually inspired me to go back to my roots and bring back Book Reviews on my website!
So, here’s the first of (hopefully) many reviews:
The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
In the summer of 1986, twelve-year-old Eddie Adams and his friends spend their days like most kids of the time—they bike around the sleepy English village they live in, play in the wooded area near a development, and devise secret codes to communicate and draw them with chalk on the street. This, however, soon becomes a killer’s calling card, taunting the friends as bodies pile up.
Fast forward to 2016 (thirty years later), and Eddie is a disenchanted English schoolteacher, living in his childhood home with Chloe—a young, pretty, lodger who also happens to be his companion. Things go on as usual, until he receives a letter in the mail with a chalk figure inside. He’s not the only one who got one, though, and things quickly spiral as new bodies are found.
A Debut Thriller Worth the Hype
This debut novel is filled with a gripping suspense that keeps you turning the pages: Who is the killer? Why use chalk men? Is Eddie, perhaps, also developing Alzheimer’s? Or was it Mr. Halloran behind all the deaths? These questions continuously pop into your mind as you read, and the inherent need to know the truth keeps you glued to your seat. I love this about any thriller, but C.J. Tudor truly went out of her way to keep me from figuring out the mystery until the very end.
I also quite enjoyed the characterization, which—in some ways—felt reminiscent of Stephen King’s It. The characters have their own unique personalities, but I became invested in them because of how real they were. We’ve all known an Eddie or Sean Cooper or Fat Gav or Nicky at some point. Yes, in The Chalk Man, these characters were thrown into the deep end, but they are the tragic, completely ordinary, utterly realistic people that in some way have shaped who we’ve become in our own lives.
Twists and Turns
A good thriller knows how to keep a reader enthralled from the first page to the last, but a great thriller … Well, a great thriller throws in some twists and turns that the reader never saw coming. As a writer and editor, I annoy myself (and everyone around me) by being able to figure out the plot way too fast. This was not the case with The Chalk Man. I had my theories, of course, but I can honestly say I did not see that ending coming. I also didn’t figure out who the killer was until the ending, which really doesn’t happen often with me.
What’s more is the way that the author showed the imperfections of these characters—we all have secrets, we all have flaws.
The subtle subplots really did make the book a memorable, thought-provoking tale, though. It’s expertly crafted, playing on very human fears. Forgetfulness, mental illness, our mortality is all touched upon and shows that we’re all fallible. The scariest part? It’s not just in the big cities where these things happen—even in a small, sleepy town where everyone knows everyone, we aren’t safe.
Conclusion
This is a must-read novel for anyone who loves getting comfy with a thriller or horror. I cannot recommend The Chalk Man enough, and I certainly can’t wait to delve into the next book by C.J. Tudor.
Bravo on making me a new die-hard fan of your work!
About C.J. Tudor
C. J. Tudor is the author of The Burning Girls, The Other People, The Hiding Place, and The Chalk Man, which won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel and the Strand Magazine Award for Best Debut Novel. Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice-over artist, and dog walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much. She lives in England with her partner and daughter.
Priscilla Bettis
2022-01-07 - 11:23 am ·OMGosh, it sounds fantastic. I, too, love twists and turns and not being able to figure out the plot too quickly. Good review, Monique!
moniquesnyman
2022-01-07 - 2:34 pm ·I think you’d like this one then. 🙂 I’m also looking into making time to read the rest of C.J. Tudor’s work. Those books have come highly recommended, so I think I may review one a month at this point. LOL!