In 1986, 12-year-old Ed and his friends, Mickey, Hoppo, Fat Gav, and Nicki are just hanging out. But this summer is different. It will, in fact, prove to be the end of their childhood innocence. It all starts with a visit to the carnival. While there, two things happen: Ed meets Mr Halloran, later known as the Chalk Man and he witnesses a horrific accident. These two things will have far reaching consequences that will follow the group of friends into middle age.

Now, it is 2016 and Ed still lives in his childhood home. He’s a supply teacher, drinks too much, and has a young border, Chloe, to help pay the bills. The old gang has been long broken up. But when they all receive a mysterious letter about the incidents of that long-ago summer, it starts a string of actions that, again, will have dire consequences for the group.

The Chalk Man is the debut novel by C. J. Tudor and, oh, what a debut it is. The narrative is told in the first person by Ed and alternates between 1986 and 2016. The story is full of twists and turns and unexpected side forays and it grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let up until the end. Although a thriller and a well-written and –plotted one, it reminded me of Stephen King especially Stand By Me. I mean this as a compliment. First, it begins with a middle-aged man looking back on the summer that changed everything for him and his friends. Second, it’s the kids. No one writes kids like King and Tudor has clearly taken a page from his book – these are not child geniuses talking and acting like characters from some B&W classic film. They are real kids who do the kind of things that kids did in the ‘80s, ride their bikes all over town looking for adventures, trying to avoid the older bullies, and never quite understanding the possible consequences of their actions. And who find a dead body. Because I could relate to these children, I cared about the outcome.

I gotta say, as a debut, The Chalk Man is a real standout. It is definitely on my list of top ten books I have read so far this year and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a well-written and exciting mystery with great characters and just an all-round engrossing story. This is the kind of book you need to put time aside for because, once started, it’s impossible to put down.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin random House Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

I was provided this book by NetGalley for an honest review (thanks NetGalley!)

Well... where should i begin. The hype about this book was tremendous. I have a bad habit of looking at reviews before i want to read a book to make sure that i got a good one. I need to stop doing that. The reviews i read for this book were amazing and i was anxious to get it. I'm not a fan of going back and forth in time, i seem to be getting alot of those recently, but it wasn't that bad. This book gave me the douche chills once in a while and i was hoping the suspense would keep up and really spook me (I'm a big chicken so it doesn't take much) but i felt like it was a mild roller coaster. It was a good book but i don't think that it is standing to its hype. Don't get me wrong it had some pretty nice parts in it but most of the book was ok. I was intrigued enough to keep going but not bored enough to stop.

4 stars! This was a highly suspenseful, intriguing, creepy and mysterious thriller.

This novel caught my attention from the prologue and I found myself growing more attached to this story as I turned each page. The characters were well-developed – some likeable, others not. Each character had an element of mystery about them which I really enjoyed. My suspicions were flip-flopping all over the place trying to determine what had happened and how things would all end. The author did a fantastic job slowly revealing clues, secrets and lies which kept the suspense high and pace flowing.

I really enjoyed the mysterious and puzzling references surrounding ‘the chalk man’ throughout this entire book. It was a unique and clever piece of the story.

Overall, this was an additive, highly intriguing, suspenseful, fast-paced novel that I would definitely recommend! This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Norma, Diane, Rita, Susanne and Melisa. It was a great book choice for us as we all ended up loving it! We look forward to the next novel from this author - C. J. Tudor!!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and C. J. Tudor for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Expected Date of Publication: January 9th, 2018.

**I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review**

It has been said that C.J. Tudor has written the thriller for 2018. From everything I read in The Chalk Man I can’t dispute the claim. This book was mesmerizing and I can’t thank the publisher enough for giving me an early look at it. I’m floored this is the author’s first book!

The story is written in first person present tense, and while it may throw you for a bit, this tense works extremely well for the story. I will admit that it started slow, but once it got going it never let up. Even the balance between the chapters set in 2016 and those set in the 1980s was spot on. In a lot of books that attempt this flashback structure the reader develops a preference for one over the other and thus grows to dread the switch back to the setting that doesn’t work as well for them. Not the case here! There are more than enough genuine jaw-dropping moments within both settings to keep you turning the pages. And, as with all great thrillers, there are moments of pure fright as well.

Characterization was strong throughout. This story is populated by a collective of fascinating characters that weave in and out of the central narrative. It kept me guessing until the end, and I had no clue who the killer was. I loved the twists and turns in this book and won’t spoil anything for future readers by giving anything away here.

I strongly recommend this read to any thriller fans out there. You won’t be disappointed!!

5 stars.

This was a hard read for me. While I was reading it, I was really into it. But when I wasn't reading it, I wasn't at all eager to get back to it. I know, confusing.

There were so many Stephen King similarities/references in this book. I dont know if that was done as an homage or not, but they were fun to find. Mr Halloran, the fight at the funeral, and there are are a couple more.

The story itself was ok, but I wasn't as thrilled with the ending as I had hoped I'd be. Solid 3 stars.

Thirty years ago, five misfits banded together while growing up in the small town of Anderbury. Eddie, Mickey, Hoppo, Gav, & Nicky weren’t cool or popular. And sometimes they didn’t even like each other all that much. They shared adventures, pranks & secrets. They even had their own way of communicating by leaving chalk stick figures for each other on pavement & fence posts.

Looking back, it’s hard to pinpoint when it all began. Maybe it was the summer of 1986. That was when new teacher Mr. Halloran came to town. And when Eddie, Mickey, Hoppo & Gav found the body.

In the present, Ed is a bachelor still living in the same house. His days are spent teaching at the local school & occasionally meeting Hoppo & Gav for a pint. He’s a quiet, solitary man who rarely thinks about that summer. But someone wants to jog his memory. Ed receives a letter with only the drawing of a stickman in a noose & a piece of chalk. Then Mickey suddenly reappears on his doorstep after a long absence. And he’s got a proposition. Somehow you know this won’t end well.

Not another peep about the plot. It’s layered with so many twists that it’s better you go in blind to get the biggest bang for your buck. All you need to know is this is a fabulous read. The past & the present are told in alternate time lines. As we follow Ed the adult, we slowly learn what happened to those kids 30 years ago. And it’s quite a tale.

Chapters set in the past will feel familiar to anyone who grew up in a small town. There’s a clannish culture where everyone knows your business & outsiders are viewed with suspicion. We get to peek over their shoulders as the kids struggle to fit in & deal with family problems while something sinister stalks them from the shadows. Each character has such a distinct personality that they pop off the page fully formed as you meet.

There’s a definite Stephen King vibe to the story & it reminded me of the movie “Stand By Me” which was based on on his novella “The Body”. But the creepiness is balanced by humour, heartbreak & poignant moments that resonate as they remind you what it was like to be 12. With the possible exception of finding a body…you probably missed out on that.

After the chalk man arrives, Ed is forced to remember what it was like to be Eddie. As he sifts through events from that pivotal summer, he reexamines his own actions & how they affected the terrible crimes. Looking back with adult eyes, he sees things he couldn’t understand as a child. And he realizes he is surrounded by people who have kept their own secrets for decades.

This is a spooky, addictive read that forces me to trot out that tired old phrase….I couldn’t put it down. It’s a gripping mix of chilling suspense & coming-of-age. And it’s not just great story telling. Once finished, I found myself thinking about memories & how they can be coloured by a specific place & time. Why I can remember a throw-away moment so clearly while something others would deem significant is a blur. It’s a running theme on several levels from beginning to end where the author takes one final jab at your heart on the very last page.

I’m now officially freaked out by stick men. And…sorry kids…henceforth, all chalk is banished.

This book was slow moving, but interesting enough that it kept me reading. The characters were hard to like, but I didn’t mind - it felt very ‘Girl on the Train’ (only I liked it more). I felt like the ending was pretty rushed - and everything came together/climaxed way too quickly. I felt like all the more interesting/dramatic parts felt a little rushed, but the slower parts dragged on a bit.

This was a pretty fast read - I read it on the train, over the course of a few days. It wasn’t my favourite thriller - I didn’t connect with any of the characters, or enjoy the writing style - but I did like it, and I thought the concept and the story were really interesting.