Losing his parents sent York College student Billy Anderson into a tailspin. Even though he eventually managed to pull himself together, he can’t help still feeling haunted by their senseless deaths. His dad was a cautious driver, but had suddenly veered off the road to crash into a tree near their hometown of Sudbury, Pennsylvania, killing himself and his wife instantly. The entire community, including Billy, mourned.

So when Billy joins an American Studies class and finds himself grouped with Troy Carpenter and Melody Wise, people who’ve also suffered grievous loss in their young lives, the trio quickly bond. Equipped with audio-visual technology considered advanced for 1983, the three of them decide to embark on a class project through central and northwestern Pennsylvania, documenting the makeshift and usually roadside memorials that have spontaneously sprung up to honor the places where people have violently died. Their ostensible goal is to create a documentary focusing not only on those who lost their lives, but also on the people who built the memorials in their honor. Not so secretly, though, it’s a way for each of the students to work on their ongoing grief.

Their progress quickly starts deviating from their plan, even if that’s not necessarily for the worst. Billy, for example, had originally wanted to stay off-screen but soon realizes that that’s not a reasonable option:

QUOTE
He shakes his head emphatically. “No. It’s gotta be me. My aunt’s tough as nails, but you saw her once the camera turned on. She was a mess. If her interview taught me anything, it’s that I have to be willing to put myself in the story.” He gazes up and down the desolate road. “This part of the film is my story. I have to own that. I can’t expect other people to share what they’ve experienced if I’m not willing to do it myself. I owe them that, at the very least.”

“I think we’re just surprised you changed your mind,” Troy says, appearing at Billy’s side. “You were pretty adamant that you didn’t want to be on camera.”

“Well, you can thank Aunt Helen for that.” He gives Troy a nudge on the shoulder. “And besides, it’s only this one time. The other intros are all you and Mel.”
END QUOTE

The students are grounded enough to fully expect to deal with tragedy and grief on their trip, whether their own or that of their subjects. Melody and Troy, both being people of color, are also prepared to face bigotry. But none of them know what to do when truly creepy things start happening to them. At first it’s the strangers who show up and take a little too much interest in what they’re doing. Then it’s a weird symbol that keeps appearing when they least expect it. When their efforts are outright sabotaged though is when they realize that they’re not just being paranoid. Someone really is out to get them.

Answers seem to lie back in Sudbury, as the friends begin to wonder whom they can believe in and whom they can trust. Worst of all is the sneaking suspicion that what’s menacing them isn’t actually from this world and is very much targeting the three of them for a reason:

QUOTE
I pushed those thoughts away, and they were immediately replaced by the memory of our first interview–Jennifer Harper saying that she often felt her late husband’s presence in the room with her–and what I’d experienced firsthand at Chase’s memorial. That unpleasant sensation had only lasted seconds–and then vanished. My oversized imagination again? A surge of adrenaline from initially stumbling upon the memorial? A genuine presence? But if that was the case, why Chase Harper–a complete and total stranger? And why had it felt so damn awful?

“All I can tell you is… we’ve all lost someone close to us,” I finally said, rubbing my forehead with my thumb.
END QUOTE

As the wannabe documentarians struggle to figure out who so badly wants to stop their filmmaking, they’ll encounter monstrous, impossible forces. Will they be able to outwit the very mortal mind behind it all, or will they all fall victim to terrors beyond their imagining?

This horror thriller by famed writer Richard Chizmar pulls no punches as it explores 1980s Pennsylvania, deftly showcasing the emotions and conflicts of three college students on a journey that not all of them may survive. The semi-epistolary format of the novel heightens the immersive nature of the narrative, as Billy, Melody and Troy attempt to piece together their fragmented clues in order to unmask and stop whomever is hunting them. The mystery is solidly constructed – I was surprised and impressed at the big reveal – with a bittersweet ending capping this truly chilling tale of mystery and terror.

Very interesting and creative topic for a book. I liked the writing style and set up of the book. I was looking for more spookiness.’ Halfway through it dragged quite a bit.

I was really craving a great horror story for the Halloween season and thought this would hit the spot. Unfortunately it fell short of my expectations, moving slowly and not holding my attention. There was way too much fluff (additions with no bearing on the story) and not enough suspense. The ending fell flat as well. I will have to keep searching to find my engrossing horror tale. My thanks to Gallery Books for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The New York Times gave Memorials by Richard Chizmar a great review and I am attesting to that, whole heartedly. What a book..I couldn't put it down...For me, it was as frightening as Rosemary's Baby...and that book scared the you know what out of me. This book did as well....The buildup to the end was the most incredible and scary ride..(no spoilers here)...but, the finale was a WHAT? Really?
Yet, as I continued the odyssey of the story of Sudbury, Pennsylvania, and Aunt Helen, Billy, Troy and Melody, I thought..ok...that actually makes sense...again no spoilers, you'll have to read the book, to which I recommend to you, readers, with the very highest accolades..

Bravo on an incredible and indelibly scary story, Mr. Chizmar!!!
It could happen??? Oh, and I will NEVER look at highway memorials the same way, EVER AGAIN!

I loved Chizmar’s Boogeyman series, so I was eager to read this one and it did not disappoint. First, can I say that 1980s Appalachian horror is my new favorite thing. I loved being transported to the not so
distant past and an underutilized setting. The atmosphere Chizmar created here is everything and I could not get enough.

This book is a slow burn but it works. The characters were really well crafted and their slow dawning horror is terrifying and gave me Blair Witch vibes. Chizmar is a gifted storyteller and this one kept me on the edge of my seat and I had no idea what direction it would take next. I found myself being repeatedly surprised. I’m still not sure about the ending but the journey getting there was fantastic. I highly recommend going on this terrifying road trip of a novel.
Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks books for an e-arc of this book.

ARC provided by NetGalley for Honest Review

This book builds intensity very slowly and I was completely blindsided by the end. While for the most part the book reads slowly, tidbits of creepy and unexplainable circumstances grow to an undeniable level. What starts as a road trip and group project for a group of three friends, ends with none having a clue how the chain of events will impact their lives and futures. After MC Billy's parents are killed in a car accident, he's inspired by the roadside memorial built in their memory to travel the coast and find as much information as possible on the memorials and the people behind them: both the victims and those left behind. Once he spots a strange and eerie symbol like something out of the Blair Witch Project the gang is determined to find out what it means and why it's turning up at so many memorials. Surely there can't be a cult or coven behind all this as that only happens in movies. Sadly for the trio the book is set in the 80s and unfortunately for them cell phones and the internet are not handy accessories making their roadside traveling much creepier as help seems so much farther away. The end took me by surprise as I was not expecting things to go down as they did and I certainly didn't expect any of the events that occurred or the after effect. No one remains unharmed and it's so hard to fathom the good intention they all had that goes up in smoke. While the end does it's best to wrap everything up nicely I still have questions about things yet I'm not sure all is meant to be understood such as the repeated sighting of a hitchhiker or the common dreams. Needless to say this was a very good read and I was sucked in.

This is a chilling supernatural horror novel and had I not needed to get up early when I was in the middle of reading I would have stayed up all night to read it! So good!

A truly eerie and nostalgic take on grief and a beautiful addition to my list of favorite grief horror.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! I have loved Chizmar since his first novel. This one does not disappoint. I actually like it better than “Chasing the Boogeyman”. You can never go wrong with Chizmar knowing that he is so close with Stephen King and has his support.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review Memorials from Richard Chizmar.

First off, I am a Richard Chizmar fan. Loved both of the Bogeyman books and hope to read others by him in the future. This go around I was approved to read Memorials and was very thrilled to do it. Memorials is about a group of college students that go out in rural areas to create a documentary about roadside memorials in the 1980s. I was a teenager in the 80s and appreciated all the nostalgia that took place in the book. This road trip starts out as group of friends that have similar backgrounds of grief and interests because of a popular lecturer in a shared college class. As the trip continues, odd, creepy situations arise. Think Appalachian folklore and ancient magic.

I did enjoy this book, but felt coming in at 480 pages it didn't need to be this long. Spookiness and supernatural circumstances didn't start till 40 - 50 percent into the book. I was bored at times where it felt long winded looking back at Billy's life and things he did or saw or learned while growing up in Sudbury. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first and once the plot really got rolling and couldn't put the book down until I knew all. The way the book ended made me curious about a sequel. I would definitely recommend this to readers that are okay with a slow burn, folklore enthusiasts, and for Chizmar fans. Memorials is now available at all major book retailers. Happy Reading!

I am so thankful to Gallery Books, Simon Audio, Richard Chizmar, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

In 1983, 3 college students, Billy, Troy, and Melody, set out on a road trip to make a film documentary about roadside memorials. All 3 have been touched by death in some way, having lost immediate family members, though this project is directly inspired by the loss of Billy's parents in a car accident not too long ago. The group will be visiting his parents' memorial in Pennsylvania to kick off their project. As they travel the back roads of Appalachia the trio begin to suspect they're being followed and note odd symbols incorporated into the roadside memorials. As they begin digging strange occurrences happen: their vehicle is tampered with, they experience shared nightmares, and locals don't want to answer their questions. Is it some sort of collective paranoia, or is something more sinister afoot?

Memorials reminds me of Stephen King meets The Blair Witch Project in the best way. The 80s vibes are on, the backwoods Appalachian setting is *chef's kiss*, and the real life tie-in involving roadside memorials, which happen to be everywhere ::side-eye:: is brilliant. Though this book tends to run a little long in my opinion (part of the aforementioned Stephen King effect) it doesn't dull the enjoyment of the slow, creepy burn with big payoff.

What an interesting plot. Three college students set out to visit as many roadside memorials they can find in a week. The route they chose is through the Appalachian backwoods. It will also take them to one of the student’s hometown where there’s a memorial for his parents, who were killed in a car accident. Along the way they plan to document the memorials and also interview people who have knowledge of the deceased. As it turns out, it will be much more of an adventure than any of them anticipated.

Memorials by Richard Chizmar has great character development. The characters are described so well that I think I would recognize them if they walked through my front door. The three students are good friends, even though they haven’t known each other very long, and their interactions are realistic and entertaining.

The plot is well-written and, even though it’s a long book (nearly 500 pages), it maintains a good pace. The ending was unexpected with a couple of twists. I’m not a huge fan of horror stories, so I was happy it wasn’t as terrifying as I had anticipated.

I like the premise of this book – imaginative and different – and I enjoyed it. I will definitely read more books by this author. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

I became a Chizmar fan through his Boogeyman books, which are very creepy and have a really unique hook. I was excited to read this latest novel, Memorials, in which 3 young college students embark on a trip to different roadside memorials for a documentary project.

Memorials took awhile to get going for me. It was good to have time to get to know the three main characters, but I did feel the suspense would have worked better with sharper editing. That being said, there are some truly chilling scenes that will stay with me for a long time. 3/5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the review copy.

This was the fourth book I read by this author and I'm really sad to say that this is now my least favourite. :(
I loved the plot and the setting (I would definitely loooove to watch a movie based on this book) but even though I empathised with the group of characters, I never truly related or connected with any of them. Because I've read Chizmar's previous novels (the Boogeyman duo novels) I'm already used to his writing style and how slow burn his books usually are, but MEMORIALS go to another level, in my opinion. This one ended up being way slower than I expected (or wanted to be), and this book is not short at all. I felt the weight of a slow-pacing. And I struggled with it.
The ending was satisfactory to me, I have absolutely no regrets reading this book, but I wished this book was more fast-paced.
My favourite Richard Chizmar book still is Chasing the Boogeyman, but I can recommend Memorials to readers who have read from this author before and enjoyed it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Memorials by Richard Chizmar’s retro horror/thriller hooked me from the beginning. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author., and I’ll definitely be reading more, in the future. I’m looking forward to reading the Boogeyman novels in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the poor to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Richard Chizmar really never misses, but this is one of his best. This scared me because it felt SO REAL. He is the next Stephen King, no doubt.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Chasing the Boogeyman and the Gwendy series (a collaboration with Stephen King) by this author, so I was excited to read a new book by him. Unfortunately, this was not a favorite. The premise sounded so interesting, but the book itself was a bit (unnecessarily) long and the ending fell flat.

The story of three students who set out to film a project featuring the roadside memorials set up after fatal accidents. But there is something more going on as they venture deeper into the Appalachian mountains. The books is a bit horror and a bit psychological slow burn.

The story is interesting; the writing is good; there are some subtle but poignant themes in the story, but it just did not grab me, like I had hoped. That being said, I would definitely read other books by Chizmar

3 stars.

I was eagerly anticipating Memorials after thoroughly enjoying Chizmar’s Chasing the Boogeyman. Set in the eighties, this novel follows three university students, brought together by their dark or traumatic pasts, as they collaborate on a documentary about roadside memorials in Appalachia for their American Studies class. As their journey unfolds, they begin to notice a strange symbol appearing at many of the sites, along with the peculiar behavior of local residents. They soon feel as though they are being followed. What ensues is a classic confrontation with the occult—predictable yet enjoyable, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

Memorials has a distinct King/Straub flavor in its writing style, striking a balance between heartwarming friendships and the darker underbelly of small-town life in America. This interplay weaves a rich tapestry that highlights both the warmth of human connection and the unsettling realities lurking just beneath the surface. The novel is pacey and well-written, and I particularly appreciated the concept of roadside memorials and the incorporation of documentary footage into the narrative. The three friends are well-developed and genuinely likable.

The downside is that the story felt somewhat… safe. It relied on familiar tropes regarding the developing threat and the final confrontation, making it less gripping and fresh than Chasing the Boogeyman. Memorials offers a fun experience if you’re in the mood for a classic occult tale featuring well-developed, sympathetic teen characters. However, it may not satisfy readers seeking something a bit more unconventional.

In Richard Chizmar's novel "Memorials," three college students go on a road trip through Appalachia, and it turns into a thrilling story about fear and the unknown. The story is set in 1983 and starts off pretty innocently as the students set out for a week-long adventure to make a documentary about roadside memorials for their American Studies class. At first, it’s all about fun and friendship as they drive along empty roads and gather around campfires, sharing stories and getting closer to each other. This happy beginning sets up the scary stuff that comes next.

As they travel deeper into the Appalachian wilderness, things start to feel creepier. They find more and more roadside memorials that have strange symbols on them, suggesting there’s something dark hiding behind their journey. Chizmar does a great job of creating tension, mixing supernatural horror with psychological suspense. The students start to feel paranoid, sensing that someone might be following them. Their car gets messed with overnight, and some locals they meet seem unfriendly, which just makes everything feel more tense.

The way the novel explores fear is really intense. The students start questioning whether the roadside deaths they see are just accidents or if there’s something much scarier going on. Chizmar’s writing creates a spooky atmosphere that keeps readers on their toes, making them wonder about the dangers the students face. However, while the story is intriguing and suspenseful, it sometimes feels a bit predictable. The ending might leave readers wanting more character development and a stronger conclusion.

Overall, I would give "Memorials" a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. It has a cool setting and an interesting premise, but it doesn't completely deliver as a horror story. Chizmar's talent for creating fear and suspense is impressive, but the book could use more depth in its characters and themes to make it a truly unforgettable horror novel.