In the summer of 1986, 12 year old Eddie, and his four best friends, come up with a cool way to send secret messages. Inspired by a new albino teacher, who gives Eddie the idea, Eddie and his friends use chalk in different colors to talk to each other. The summer starts off with an accident that maims a local girl. Eddie and the albino teacher are the ones to find and save her, leading to a sort of friendship. Eddie and his friends are the victims of a group of bullies and the albino man, known to the kids as The Chalk Man, assures Eddie they will be punished one way or another in time. It seems odd when the head bully actually drowns. Even more strange is when a bunch of chalk man drawings lead Eddie and his friends to a dismembered girl in the woods.

In 2016, Eddie and his friends are all grown. Ed (as he is now known) is an English teacher living a solitary and quiet life. Eddie finds himself faced with his past and the events of that summer when he receives a letter that he hopes is a joke. When an old friend comes knocking and then goes missing Ed learns that something in his past doesn’t want to be left behind.

This story flips between now and then giving us a good idea of why Eddie is single and trying to live a quiet life. I liked both his present and his past story-lines equally. This story captures being a kid in the 80’s pretty well with riding bikes and hanging out without really doing much. The meet-ups were the most important thing about being a kid and these chalk drawings allow them to tell each other where to meet without letting the bullies (and their parents) know where they were going.

There were a few scenes in this story that really shocked me. I mean, these bullies are the real deal and why we are all so scared for our kids now-a-days. I can’t imagine a childhood that includes a dead body, but just like in The Body (by Stephen King), all of these kids are changed after the discovery.

My only issues with this story would be the reveals right before the end that happen surrounding Ed’s current residence. There was one too many coincidences there. I would have also liked to learn more about the chalk drawings themselves. I was all sold on the idea, but I would have liked more descriptions of how the kids used them to communicate.

I think this is a solid psychological thriller that is really intricate. The characters in this story are well fleshed out and each one is important to the story. THE CHALK MAN is almost a must read for thriller fans. All of those twists and the big reveal at the end really surprised me. They kept me thinking about this book long after I finished the last page.

2.5-3 STARS!
I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either... I just felt meh.

For a debut novel, I thought that this was really well written. C.J. Tudor is a new to me author that I will definitely keep an eye on.

"Sometimes, Ed... it's better not to know all the answers."

Everything you need to know about the book is in the blurb... I enjoy thrillers when they keep you guessing and thinking and wondering throughout.

Things I liked...
I enjoyed the alternating time POV's from 1986 to 2016 and thought that the use of the chalk men as messages was different. I really enjoyed their friendship and watching them as children to how different they were in 2016—how their past and everything that happened shaped who they would become as adults.

As far as things I didn't like... The reason I feel so meh is because it didn't WOW me... it was just okay. I guess I was hoping for more heart racing scenes, more scenes that evoked fear in me or maybe that whole shock and awe feeling that I felt was missing. Maybe if the pacing was a little faster, it wouldn't have felt so flat in some parts of the book. I think when it comes down to it, I wish that some things weren't as predictible and that there were more twists—that the reader was able to experience more of the surprise effect to the very end.

OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE WHOLE TIME !

So I just realized i was supposed to come back and do ACTUAL review of this but I forgot so here I am.

THIS BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITE READS THIS YEAR ! It follows Eddie in the years 1986 and 2016. In the summer of 1986 Eddie and his friends used chalk mans to communicate with each other and Thank one of these chalk men leads to a dead body.

I enjoyed the back and forth of the times I know a lot of people don’t like when books are like that but those are my favorite parts in books.

This book had so much suspense. I didn’t have any clue on who did what literally until Eddie found out and when we both did I was so SHOOK ! (Idk why I just used that saying I don’t even like it ) I was so shocked and was not even expecting the person who was the accused.

If you love thriller , suspenseful books THE CHALK MAN is the one for you. I didn’t go into much detail because I don’t want to spoil anything but for sure this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I had to keep reading and finding out what happens next. There were so many plot twists ! Must read guys. Get your copy on JANUARY 9, 2018

I waffled a bit on what rating to give Chalk Men, but in the end decided on 3.5 stars, which puts me in the clear minority of this book. I was REALLY excited to read this (maybe the hype was too great?), but in the end, I was like “Ok, that was good, but definitely not as great as other readers are gushing about”. There are things that I really liked, and some things that I felt were just there. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. Just not as much as others, I suppose.

Let’s start with the good. I really liked the writing and look forward to more books by Tudor. This was a debut novel, and there is some serious potential happening here. The characterization was amazing. I felt like I knew Eddie, Fat Gav, Hoppo and Metal Mickey. They were just so real. I also really, really liked Eddie as the narrator. I found him rather humorous and often found myself laughing at this dark, twisty tale. Finally, the story was original and most of the twists and turns were surprises. This always earns bonus stars with me because I read so many books in this genre that it is very hard to keep me guessing.

Now, onto the “less good”. For such a short book, this story took entirely too long to develop. For 288 pages, this one should have come out of the gate swinging and never let up on the gas until the end. Some may classify this as a “slow burn” but it felt more “dragged out” to me. And I do like myself a slow burn, but Chalk Men needed more “petal to the medal”. Then, when you really got to the meat and potatoes of it all and the whodunit, it was a bit of a letdown, although there was a nice little surprise at the end that made me smile and nod knowingly.

I do believe that most readers will find this book to be a 4-5 star read and while I did enjoy it, it just wasn’t as strong as I would have hoped.

So, The Chalk Man. What can I say? The concept sounds great. When I Read the blurb for this, I was excited. Everyone's reviews were great. "The twist." That's actually what got me to finish this book. The twist at the end. Well, in truth, for me at least, just getting through the first 40% of the book took me weeks. It was BORING. I love a coming of age story. Why? The kids. Boys or girls. Doesn't matter, because I was a tomboy. So I identify with both. Maybe not the whole doll thing, because they're just creepy, but everything else...yeah! These kids were not brought to life by the author. She tried. Lord knows she stole bits and pieces from every Stephen King book that she could think of, but alas! Nope. It just came across as second or third rate thievery. I always try to give people the benefit of doubt when it seems they may be stealing from King. Mostly because he's written everything about all things. But the comparison was obvious, and poorly done. I knew who the bad guy was from almost the beginning. Although nobody really walked away clean in this story. I also knew immediately who had the head. Way too obvious! Thing is, either as kids or adults nobody was likable in the whole book. "Maybe Ed 's dad." About 35% into this book, I was hating it so much, that I finally had to tell myself to either shit or get off the pot! I should have got off the pot. I'd probably read another book from this author, but I'll wait a few years, and let her develop more. Oh yeah, as for the twist? If you saw it coming from miles away and dismissed it as too obvious? Just don't. It really was that easy.

Started this morning and could not stop picking it back up all day. A very addicting mystery with a lot of surprises. Loved how the story alternated between the characters as kids and now as adults. Well worth the read!

Chalk Man is the US version of Stephen Kong's IT and The Body.
Twisty and dark it kept my interest. Surprise ending!

Hmm...I don't know about this one. The thing is, this book didn't have any egregious errors. The story made sense. I liked the jump from the 1986 timeline to 2016. Even so, I just couldn't get into it or find myself engaged with the plot. The fact that the beginning seemed like a rip off of Stephen King's IT didn't help either (i.e. the 12-year-old gang of outcasts, the pretty red haired girl of the group, the intense bullying, the 1980s, the 30 year time gap...).

Occasionally the story felt a little too perfect with a whole bunch of coincidences. Sure, thrillers nowadays are rarely believable, but various events were wrapped up a little too nicely and thus making it feel rather formulaic.

I didn't love The Chalk Man, but I think I'm probably in the minority on that one. There were certainly some good points (don't skip the acknowledgments in the end!), so I'm sure lots of people could find enjoyment out of this book.

A thriller no, but definitely suspense. As a first book i would say well done. I wasn’t crazy about the back and forth chapters but do see the necessity of it. Twists and turns abound and the who was a surprise but not a great one. I did like how all the puzzles were answered and how is made sense, but the best was the absolute end, priceless. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this new author.

The suspense never ended for me, because each time I thought I had figured things out; I was wrong! I really appreciated that Eddie was such a complicated character, so many flaws but still someone you pull for as a child and as an adult.

For a début novel The Chalk Man was very good. The book was a mixture of Kate Atkinson and Mo Hayder, two very skilful storytellers to my mind. I like books that move from past to present, the author did a good job of moving gracefully between the periods.

You get the sense that not everything is as it seems. Not really sure whats what, Eddie, who is recounting the story tends to neglect telling you all, leaving a bit for later. So do not get comfortable while reading cause you never know what is right around the corner.

C.J. Tudor has created quite the twisty, creepy page turner with The Chalk Man. Switching time periods between Eddie’s younger years and his life now thirty years later, the novel focuses on a crime scene that Eddie and his friends had stumbled upon when they were twelve. A twisted web of sinister acts happened back when they were growing up, and it seems as though Eddie had grown beyond those events, the case was solved and everyone moved on. Until Eddie gets a letter with a stick figure and a piece of chalk, flooding back the memories of the details and events leading up to the crime. Who sent the message? How did they know about the childhood game and the role those chalk figures played? Was this an open and closed case, or is the real killer still out there?

Once I started, I could not put this book down. Tudor continued to leave little hints and cliffhangers in just the right places that made me stop and think, wait a minute. And when I thought I had something figured out, she turned it into a new direction, leaving me to question someone else once again. This thriller has a great flow to it. The switching of time periods helps to create suspense, while gradually pieces new information together richly.

My only issue with the book was that I felt that there was a little too much of Murphy’s Law going on. It seemed that anything that could possibly negatively impact the characters continued to happen, almost to an unbelievable amount. I found myself rolling my eyes thinking, seriously? a few times. Though, I didn’t let this bother me too much.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. I am hoping C.J. Tudor is working on a second novel. As a debut novel, I was very impressed with her work. Looking forward to reading more from her.

In 1986, 12 year old Eddie and his friends spend their summer riding their bikes and exploring town. A couple of experiences that summer change the children and their friendships including meeting a strange new man in town, creating a code made of chalk drawings and finding a dead body. Thirty years later, the group of friends begin receiving a strange letter and when one of group ends up dead, Eddie tries to solve the mysteries from the summer of 1986. There are a lot of mysteries along the way and the way the book is written alternating between 1986 and present days keeps up the suspense.

Eddie and his friends -- Fat Gav, Metal Mickey, Nicky and Hoppo -- do everything together. Summer break in 1986 is filled with bike rides, innocent mischief, and playing. All the things 12 year olds enjoy. They even draw secret code messages in chalk to each other. But then the chalk drawings turn much darker.....someone leaves a message that leads to a dead body in the woods. Flash forward to 2016....much has happened in their lives. Then Eddie, now a teacher, receives a letter in the mail. The only thing on the paper is one figure drawn in chalk. Turns out, they all received the same letter. Eddie starts dredging up old memories and investigating to see if he can finally uncover exactly what happened that summer 30 years before. The summer of The Chalk Man.

A great suspense story has moments that totally catch a reader by surprise. For me, this book had several of those surprising moments. I really wasn't expecting this story to be this good. I am always wary of books that have a lot of hype.....I get all excited, looking forward to really being wowed....only to usually feel disappointed when the story doesn't' match the hype. This time, I am glad to report that the book totally lives up to the hype and great reviews. I was totally taken in by this story from the beginning....and it had shocks in store for me clear up to the very last page. Normally I don't like novels that jump around in time. It just becomes too confusing. This book manages to leap back and forth from 1986 to 2016 with ease. It never became confusing, but added to the suspense of the story. The writing and the story are just top notch! The Chalk Man is an awesomely chilling and creepy story! Great debut novel! I can't wait to read more by this author!

To learn more about the author, check out her facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CJTudorOfficial/?ref=br_rs

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crown Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

A little McCammon, a little King, 100% Tudor.

For me, The Chalk Man absolutely lived up to every bit of the hype surrounding it. I'm still shocked that this is a debut novel! Tudor captures perfectly the tangles of adolescent friendships, and just how easily those tangles can become knots. Twisted, gnarled, and binding.

The characters feel both relatable and unique. You can certainly feel influence from many great coming-of-age novels, as well as thrillers from across decades.

The plot feels like sifting through a pile of autumn leaves, certain that what you seek is at the bottom. Only to reach the bottom and find dead grass and dirt. Leaving you to move on to the next pile.

She effortlessly twists the path, leading the reader in one direction only to whip the trail and send you hurtling into another.

Lies, distrust, small-town secrets, and murder. Everything you could possibly want from a novel of this nature.
I had so much fun with this read, and I absolutely cannot wait for more work from this amazing author!

.I decided to get this book in my BOTM box, changed my mind, instantly regretted it, and then waited what seemed like months to hopefully be able to review it via NetGalley.
I am so freakin' glad I was approved for this book.
I really really liked this book.

It's hard to write a review without spoilers, so I'll just cover the basics.
Did Like:
You could definitely see the parallels between adult Ed and his friends and their childhood counterparts. Tudor did a great job with this.
There were multiple deaths/accidents/tragedies spilled throughout these guys lives. It definitely made it more interesting to read when there's more than one horrible situation going on.
The alternating time periods. I'm a sucker for stories told from two different times, and it definitely made this story that much better.
The ending. I had a hunch about the whodunnit, and even though I turned out to be right there was still a lot that I missed, plus a lot of other surprising facts were thrown in at the end that made it that much better.
What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.
Didn't Like:
Alcoholism. I swear there's a rule in new thrillers where the main characters has to have a drinking problem of sorts. It pisses me off and adds absolutely nothing to the story.
Lots of loose ends. Even though most of the plot elements were tied up at the end, I still had a lot of questions and pretty frustrated that I didn't get answers.
Mental illness. Too many characters had some sort of mental illness to be believable and seemed like they were written just to make the story a little more convenient.
This particular route is dark, overgrown with tangled knots of lies and secrets, and full of hidden potholes.

Overall I definitely recommend this novel. It's a fast-paced easy to read thriller that will have you hooked from the very beginning.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

1986, Eddie and his friends are 12 yrs old. A girl they all knew is killed, chopped to pieces and left in the woods. 2016, Eddie is haunted by what happened and now they are receiving messages from The Chalk Man.

Overall, the book was interesting and the mystery had a decent twist at the end. I can see Colin Farrell playing the lead, lol.

3.75☆

I really liked this book. Well written, excellent character development, intriguing, I read it in two sittings as I didn’t want to put it down. The author’s wry humor and astute observations of life were a joy to read. Moving and and forth between past and present was a successful device in the unfolding of the story. And the final ending…WOW!

I don’t often rate a book five stars, but this one deserved it. This should be one of the first books you read in the new year.

This classic storyline concept of childhood friends, a murder, secrets and then unearthed secrets many years later started off fairly strong for me. I love the setting of the small town English village and the time frame of the late 1980s. The tidbits of nostalgia from the 80s was actually one of my favorite parts of the whole book. 

The story is told in alternating timeframes, shifting back and forth from the kids' childhoods in 1986 to 2016 when they're all living very different lives. I have to say I found the present storyline more engaging than the past but overall I didn't enjoy the alternating timeframes structure. I felt like just when I was immersed in the present and trying to build connections with the characters, the chapters would end abruptly leaving me feeling disconnected.  I appreciate that the author was trying to build suspense with cliffhanger chapter endings and an abrupt time change but it left me feeling frustrated. 

In terms of the characters, I found Eddie to be very odd and hard to connect with, in fact, I didn't really connect with any characters which made it hard for me to care about what happened to them. I did find the pace to be steady and I didn't have the mystery figured out but I also didn't have a compelling urge to try all that hard to decipher the clues. When I reached the end my first thought was that the reveal was underwhelming and my next thought was that something that we find out about Eddie made no sense whatsoever. I absolutely know others are loving this mystery so take my review as just one opinion and try this for yourself, especially if you're a fan of alternating timeframes and stories set in the 1980s.

“NEVER ASSUME. QUESTION everything. Always look beyond the obvious.”

Creepy psychological thriller about a group of teenagers who find a dead body buried in the woods in 1986. While the killer was apprehended, all was not as it seemed.

When they were 12 years old, Eddie, Hoppo, Metal Mickey, Fat Gav, and Nicky were playing in the woods when they notice drawings of chalk men. The drawings lead them to make a gruesome discovery. This event haunts them for the rest of their lives.

In 2016,“Chalk Man” drawings begin to appear once again, causing a great deal of unease amongst the former group of friends. Events are shared from Eddie’s POV, flashing back and forth between 1986 & 2016. Secrets are slowly uncovered and friendships are tested, as Eddie tries to unearth the identity of “The Chalk Man.”

This is a well-written, multilayered thriller with an element of mystery that slowly unravels. I loved reading about the complicated dynamics of the friendships between the group, especially when they were young. The twisted ending and the strong writing is what took The Chalk Man to the next level for me. The ending worked to undo all I thought I knew, leaving many questions about Eddie’s reliability as a narrator, causing me to question everything and look at the events that unfolded in a different light: “I suppose it felt, even though we had an ending, that it wasn’t the right one.”

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.