Ahoy there me mateys! Though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were. I received this thriller eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

the chalk man (C.J. Tudor)

Title: the chalk man

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Publication Date: TODAY!! (hardback/ebook)

ISBN: 978-1524760984

Source: NetGalley

The title and cover are what led me to this very engaging thriller. I enjoyed playing the game of hangman when I was a wee lass. Trying to guess the word before me person died was always fun. Plus it (and other games like boggle and scrabble) led to a lifetime love of word games. So when I saw this cover with the hangman and lovely addition of a noose, I just had to see what it was about.

So the very toned down premise is that a group of children in the 80s hang out looking for adventure. One of their many activities is leaving chalk messages for each other in code. That game abruptly ends when chalk messages lead them to a body in the woods. Thirty years pass and the group has grown up and put the past behind them as best they can. Until the day that Eddie gets a message in the mail with a figure and a single piece of chalk. Is it a prank? Eddie hopes so . . . but one of the old gang turns up dead. The past is back in a haunting way and Eddie finds himself tracking down a killer and reanalyzing what he thought he knew about a murder from 30 years ago.

This book was suspenseful and hard to put down. Lots of me crew are raving about it and it is easy to see why. It is extremely character driven with superb use of flashbacks. The plot is complex, yet easy to follow. Eddie drives the plot forward as most of the story is told from lens of his thoughts and memories. It is wonderful to see how that one summer in 1986 has far-reaching consequences in unexpected ways - big and small. The repercussions are both logical and fun while being surprising as well. That is quite the combination. And the last page was perfect.

The only minor issue I had was the resolution of one character's plot line that I thought was truly implausible and made me incredulous. That scene I could have done without. But if ye love thrillers then I would certainly get this one.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Crown Publishing!

Netgalley's website has this to say about the novel:

In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code: little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same.

In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he's put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank . . . until one of them turns up dead

That's when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

Expertly alternating between flashbacks and the present day, The Chalk Man is the very best kind of suspense novel, one where every character is wonderfully fleshed out and compelling, where every mystery has a satisfying payoff, and where the twists will shock even the savviest reader.

To visit the author’s website go to:

C.J. Tudor - Author

To buy the novel go to:

the chalk man - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

In 1986, a group of pre-adolescent boys are following clues to find a dead body. I'm picturing Stand By Me (fyi, one of my favorite movies). You also got the big brother bullying his little brother and his friends.

The chapters alternates between 1986 and 2016. Nostalgia at its best. Riding bikes, laying in the grass being lazy, bbq birthday party, carnivals, secret hideouts and secret codes.

The book was well-written, had a full cast of great characters and the author did a great job with the storytelling. But at times I felt it was a bit slow. It even had a Stephen King vibe to me with the dream sequences. I look forward to reading more from this new author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Crown Publishing and C. J. Tudor for a copy of "The Chalk Man" in exchange for an honest review.

What a crazy book. I loved it from start to finish

This was a solid mystery thriller...definitely turned into more of a mystery than a thriller, but I still enjoyed it. I am a big fan of mysteries where they take place during 2 different time periods and they rotate between the two. I think it makes for a more interesting and developed story. Like many mystery thriller this one had plenty of plot twists, and while I saw many of them coming, the last chapter got me! I had suspicions but not that. Overall, it was a fast-paced quick thriller to get out of a reading slump.


I received an ARC of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story is primarily told through the voice of Eddie. It is his journey we follow, and his observations that we must trust. The author does a wonderful job flipping between 1986 and 2016. I do confess that I enjoyed young Eddie much more than his sad sack adult version. I did think that 1986 did not feel very 80's. I did not see much difference between how the time periods were written other than the age of the protagonist, but I don't feel like that detracted from the book because of how strongly the characters were written. They were realistic and helped drive the mystery. I also loved the very creepy ending. It plants a seed of doubt that keeps growing long after the book has ended.

New authors can be hit or miss. There is always a risk of disappointment, but the risk can be very rewarding as in the case of The Chalk Man by C.J Tudor. This is a very well crafted thriller with fully developed characters and an intriguing mystery. I literally read this book in 3 hours, and I look forward in reading much more from this author.

Favorite Quotes:

My hair is still thick and mostly dark, but my laughter lines lost their sense of humour some time ago.

Many of the kids I teach at Anderbury Academy are what we call “challenging.” In my day, they would have been called “a bunch of little shits.” Some days, I need to mentally prepare myself to deal with them. Other days, the only preparation that helps is a shot of vodka in my morning coffee.

I knew she didn’t really like Fat Gav’s mum and dad. I heard her once tell Dad that they were “often-contagious.” When I got older, I realized she’d actually said “ostentatious,” but for years I thought she meant that they harboured some strange disease.

None of it was true, but rumors are like germs. They spread and multiply almost in a breath and, before you know it, everyone is contaminated.

BEING AN ADULT is only an illusion. When it comes down to it I’m not sure any of us ever really grow up. We simply grow taller and hairier. Sometimes, I still feel amazed that I am allowed to drive a car, or that I have not been found out for drinking in the pub.

No one ever found any answers at the bottom of a bottle. Not the point, of course. The point of reaching the bottom of the bottle is generally to forget the questions.


My Review:

The Chalk Man was a brilliantly paced and multi-layered tale with gripping storylines dripping with intrigue, and a riveting plot packed with odd and compelling characters. What more could you ask for? Not a damn thing says my stunned and addled brain. I was quickly sucked into the vortex of this enthralling story and had an extremely difficult time putting my Kindle down. Peculiar and distressing incidents, gruesome nightmares, and mysterious events were observed and cataloged by a sticky-fingered pre-teen which continued to haunt the forty-two-year-old man thirty years later. I devised theories I hoped would be incorrect as it would have hurt my heart, but I never saw this ending coming. I am awestruck with the knowledge this ingeniously crafted and insightfully written book was the author’s first. She must be an evil genius and her family should be advised to count the empties, sleep with one eye open, and always remain in her good graces.

This clever novel first caught my attention as a number of my Goodreads friends gave it high marks. Since I was in the midst of record cold temps, I hunkered down and read, read and read some more. A perfect choice for a few dark, gloomy days - creepy, imaginative, with an abundance of mystery! CJ Tudor is a fresh writer with a good sense of time and place and in building suspenseful escalation. She captures teenage angst brilliantly. Her “chalk man” is an inventive and sinister hook. When another chalk man was drawn, I braced myself - it wasn’t going to be good news. The story alternates between past and present, and I especially enjoyed the past storyline that involves the coming-of-age group of teen friends growing up in a small town - pushing the limits with some pretty intense moments. An impressive and addictive debut.

*will post in additional online venues upon publication.

The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor is a very highly recommended debut novel of psychological suspense. Read this novel.

The year is 1986 and 12-year-old Eddie Adams is close with his group of friends: Fat Gav, Metal Mickey, Hoppo, and Nicky (the lone girl in the group). They spend their time hanging out in the playground and riding their bikes around Anderbury, the English town where they all live. They are growing up and this is the first year they get to attend the fair by themselves. At the same time, they are still children who invent a secret message system to use between themselves with sidewalk chalk. It is also a time of controversy in the town. This is the year that marks great traumatic events for the whole group, the most shocking being the chalk messages that lead them to a dismembered body.

Thirty years later. in 2016, Ed is a teacher and still lives in the house where he grew up in Anderbury. He drinks too much and has a slight crush on his younger boarder, Chloe. While he vividly recalls the traumatic events of 1986, he is not eager to revisit them. When he gets a letter in the mail with a single chalk stick figure and then Mickey returns to town claiming that he is going to write a book and he knows who the murderer was, Ed knows that he needs to finally figure out what happened thirty years ago.

Excellent debut novel! This is one of those perfect novels with a first person narrative that alternates between the past and present and captures young people on the cusp of adolescence handling some things with which even adults struggle. There are some stories that succeed in doing this - Stephen King's Stand by Me (The Body) comes immediately to mind, as well as a hint of Robert McCammon's Boy's Life. There is a loss of innocence that occurs in The Chalk Man and is experienced by this group of young people as they come of age. The characters all have things they are ashamed of and secrets they try to keep hidden and private. What happens during 1986 has lifelong consequences for the group.

The writing in The Chalk Man is outstanding. This is a novel I had a hard time putting down once I started reading. The plot in both timelines will vie for your attention and hold it with equal vigor. The chapters are as compelling in the present as in the past. The narrative is clever, and moves smoothly and quickly. The mystery is unsettling, the suspects indecisive, and the mood can be dark and sinister. There are some hard topics covered; lies, abuse, and prejudices are eventually revealed. The twists caught me by surprise.

All the characters are well developed and fleshed out. Tudor takes full advantage here of the dual time line, covering events that happened in the intervening years and, well, just the trials and tribulations of thirty years. They had to handle a lot as adolescents, but adults have to handle some tough situations too - aging parents, accidents, stress. Having the characters developed over both timelines is a plus here. With the gift of the well-written dual timelines, Tudor can out some things that would have been hidden from the children and reveal the bigger picture.

If you enjoy mysteries, read The Chalk Man. Read it, and you will thank me later.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the Crown Publishing Group for TLC Book Tours.
on 1/10/18: http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2247970685
https://www.librarything.com/work/19953676/reviews/149904218
https://twitter.com/SheTreadsSoftly/status/950102044559446016
on AMZ & B&N after publication

I enjoyed the writing style of the book most of all. The narrator's voice and the back and forth between present day and the narrator's childhood was compelling to me. However, I was disappointed by the ending. I expected more after all of that build up.

Firstly, thanks to PENGUIN GROUP VIKING for giving me an advanced readers copy!

"The Chalk Man", follows Eddie and his friends in 1986. They spend their days biking around their sleepy English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code: little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same. The story flashes forward to 2016, Eddie is fully grown and thinks he's put his past behind him, but then he gets a letter in the mail containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank--until one of them turns up dead. That's when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

Aside from the over use of foul language, I thought this book was very gripping and at times very heartfelt. The story had a bit of a "Stranger Things" and "Stand by Me" feel. It is a coming of age story mixed with thriller elements; very exciting and told with a storyteller's voice. Sometimes reading from first person perspective can be boring and not as interesting, but I thought the character and words of Eddie was beautifully written. The whole idea surrounding the drawings of the chalk men was captivating and showed an innocent side to the young boys wanting to just have a secret code. It was a great way to bring something from their past that started out just being a game and ended up being the center and gravitational pull as them as adults.

"Ideas when you're a kid, are a bit like seeds scattered in the wind. Some don't make it; they get carried away on the breeze, forgotten about and never mentioned again. Others take root. They dig their way down, they grow and they spread. The chalk drawings were one of those weird ideas."

Very happy I decided to read this one! You can pick up your copy on January 9th, 2018!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I found this scary and chilling! I also loved the 80’s Stranger Things vibe with Eddie and a group of his friends who bike around their small town getting into all sorts of adventures. They had a secret code, as kids often do, using chalk figures drawn on the sidewalk. Everything seems very innocent and wholesome until a chalk drawing appears that leads the kids to a dismembered body in the woods. The year is 1986 and the murder is never solved. This event will haunt the kids into adulthood.

Fast forward to 2016 and Ed (Eddie) receives a package with a chalk man drawing in the mail. From here, the story line alternates between 1986 and 2016. The past haunts Ed and the mood is very atmospheric and creepy. I felt a mounting sense of dread as I read and was kept guessing throughout. I was even unsure if there was something alien/supernatural going on or if the sinister happenings were due to a more tangible danger, with a madman was on the loose.

There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me flipping the pages and on my toes. The reader should assume nothing and trust no one. I didn't find the ending entirely satisfying but the journey getting there was fun.

I came close to deducting a star for resorting to stereotypes: the hypocritical 'religious nuts' vs the woman performing a service to the community. I can't say more without spoilers but it was a disappointment and I hope the author avoids it in the future.

In all, a wonderful debut and an author I will be watching.

*many thanks to Netgalley, Crown Publishing and C.J. Tudor for an advance e-galley of the book. The opinions are my own.

Review posted on Goodreads on 1/5/18 and will post on Amazon 1/9/18

WOW! This year's thriller list just gets better and better. This whole week I have been engaged in this book, to the point I was late for work. Very very good. Great debut!!!

"We think we want answers. But what we really want are the RIGHT answers. We ask questions that we hope will give us the truth we want to hear."

In 1986, Eddie's world was a snowglobe. He and his mates were 12 years old and spent their days doing what young boys do. Hanging together, going to school, enjoying holidays. The boys even created a secret code using different colors of chalk to send messages to each other. Until "the day some causal god came along, shook it hard and set it back down again." A series of events transpired that year that changed everything forever.

Part coming of age story, part mystery, this stellar debut opens strong and finishes with a very fitting conclusion that is no less satisfying because of its painful revelations. Told in Eddie's point of view but alternating between 1986 and present day, the prose is so well written that it evokes all the feels. I found it impossible to put down while frantically highlighting all the great lines that sum up so many truths, even as some are cliches, they aren't trite within the pages. The characters are all very well-drawn but still retaining some mystery and unknowningness -- as no one fully can know even their best friends. NO SPOILERS, but definitely a suspense thriller that I will not soon forget. I definitely look forward to seeing what CJ Tudor has coming up next.

Don't miss this one, it's sure to make a lot of lists! Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I only got this one because I kept hearing good things about it. I had found the summary a little confusing, to be honest. I couldn't figure out the exact genre the story wanted to follow. I'm glad my friends were right, this books was really good!

The story follows Ed after he receives a letter with the stick figure of a hangman, much like the chalk men drawn during incidents many years before when he was still a twelve-year-old. When one of his childhood friends disappears, Ed feels anxious the mysterious culprit could come back to get him this time.

This seemed largely inspired by Stephen King—including how Ed is an English teacher. I haven't read enough by him to say whether his fans would enjoy but I'm familiar enough with The Body (a short story about four boys who find a body) to say you won't be guessing much going by it. Like Stranger Things, this felt more like a tribute, with a number of similar elements but a whole different focus.

Ultimately, this is a mystery, and a complex one, with repercussions in the present. We have the five childhood friends of around twelve years old, a suspicious new teacher—an albino known as The Chalk Man—and some strange incidents resulting in three deaths, if I'm counting right. Back in the present, Ed is still visibly traumatized but tries to investigate the disappearance of one of those friends and to do that he needs to talk to the other three.

It's also eerie. The narration happens from Ed's point of view, and we get firsthand the effects those events caused in him—he has very real, stinky and bloody visions of the dead prompting him not to forget him. Is he going crazy? Are those superpowers? And why does he feel so guilty?

The Chalk Man isn't a long book, but the style of writing being prolix at times and even too unstable could scare some readers before they get used. I found it contributed both to the atmosphere and to showing Ed's character, but I do feel the writing is the one thing that could also be a negative to some. On the other hand, I didn't feel bothered and I'm usually sensitive to those things. In fact, I read it rather quickly, since I couldn't end a chapter without checking the next and the following and...

In sum, this was a great thriller; even though 2018 is just beginning, I think it'll be one of my favorite this year. My minus one star was due to not being a super book. It was enjoyable, it was planned, it was rather clever, but it still wasn't all that. I don't give stars to many books, only to my all-times favorite. I could read a hundred books and not find one. Still, I'm sure this could be a five-star to many, and was. A solid four to me; I don't say that of many.

C. J. Tudor’s debut is an extraordinary debut! When I read it, it was hard for me to believe it was written by a first time author! I stayed up all night to finish reading it - it is impossible to put down once you start reading. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who likes to read thrillers. I was also glad to see C. J. Tudor breaking the recent "Girl" in the title trend!

The Chalk Man is an excellent debut thriller - this genre is the one I read the most, and have been underwhelmed with most that came out in 2017. We have one narrator, switching back and forth between 1986 as a 12 year old, and the present day. We have a group of friends, a few unsolved murders, and strained relationships. It had me guessing all the way to the end. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Wow! I was glued to this book from start to finish and that doesn't happen very often. The dual timeline is done perfectly. The flashbacks are written from the Ed's current day point of view which added to the feel of the story. There are also just the write amount of 80's references to fashion and entertainment that made it feel realistic.

Great writing. Great pacing. Great character development of the main and side characters. I can see this becoming a movie. It was just great!

The ending left me thinking, Whaaaaaat?!?!?

I loved it and highly recommend reading it. I give it all the stars!!

The Chalk Man by C.J Tudor

Clues to describe this book: Present day and flashbacks to the ‘80s, Murders, Karma, Secrets, Consequences

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced digital copy of this book from Crown Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.

Review: The Chalkman is C.J. Tudor’s debut mystery thriller novel. This creepy twisted psychologically-driven tale revolves around Eddie and his friends trying to figure out how to solve the gruesome chalkman murder that happened during their adolescence, but that is now impacting their lives as adults. Some parts in this novel seem to have way more graphic content than I anticipated which doesn’t fit my tastes, however, the insanely addicting story lines definitely make up for this. Without giving too much away, there are so many moving parts and missing puzzle pieces at the beginning of the story that the author does an excellent job tying everything together at the end. The narration is from the perspective of the main character Eddie. The chapters alter from his present day adult life to flashbacks of him recalling events in his childhood in the ’80s. By doing this type of writing style, the author is successfully able to keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat throughout the novel. The tragically flawed characters are well-thought out and it’s clear to see how they’ve grown from adolescence to adulthood. Some of the lessons that the author brings up are often relatable and resonates with you well after finishing the story. If you love mystery and suspense, then this is a must read and won’t disappoint! The Chalkman comes out on Tuesday, January 9th.

This book was below my expections from what I thought after reading the description. I can not give a good review since its not my type of book. Thank you for letting me try the book.

Never ever think you know somebody. They always have secrets, hidden ideas, and possible agendas that differ from what you have believed them to be. Never assume! "“The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”

Ed Adams and his posse of friends in 1986 are doing things kids do on vacation, biking, swimming, running the whole gauntlet of activities one can find in a fairly sleepy English village. To overcome their boredom they make up a game and establish a secret code. The chalk man becomes the game, a secret between friends. Everyone has a different color chalk and sending messages through their drawings becomes fun and a way to while away the lazy hours of summer days. Never do they expect the game to go beyond just that of being a game, but it does. Suddenly their sleepy village seems to come alive with things frightening, things that die, things that go bump in the night. The town and the friends all are affected but as time moves on their lives grow, the past seems to be forgotten. However, years later, in 2016, Ed who has seemingly put the past behind him, receives a letter in the mail that has a chalk stick figure. The memories, the scares, the consciousness of what occurred is back front and center in Ed's mind and heart. His friends have received a letter too! Can these grown boys piece together what happened? Can they, especially Ed find peace and an escape from the nightmares that haunt his dreams?

Ed can't ignore it. He needs to confront the past, find out what really happened, and find those friends of long ago. It is the only way Ed can find a way to save himself, to escape those nightmares that have followed him over the years, to become whole again.

This was a wonderfully thought out psychological thriller, one that kept you fully engaged in the well drawn out characters. The story line had you continually guessing as to who the murderer might be. The twists and turns that the novel takes, the shock value of its ending, and the sheer creepiness makes for a read that is delightful for those who so enjoy all the best in what a thriller can be. "On many levels, I think a thriller can be a journey into the heart of darkness." The reader will find plenty of darkness present in the pages of this book.

Thank you to C.J. Tutor, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for granting me early access to this novel.