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Review: The Chalk Man

The Chalk Man The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If you are a lover of a good thriller, with an element of death but not an overwhelming amount of blood and gore, this could definately be the book for you.

This book spans two decades the catastrophic events during 1986 between a small group of friends. That was the year that Eddie met Mr Halloran he gave them the idea for the chalk figures as a means of leaving secret messages amongst each other on the paths of Anderbury. Mr Halloran is the man who experiences the atrocity at the fairground and understands what Eddie experienced that day.

Thirty years later in 2016 Eddie is now Ed and believes that he has left his scarred childhood behind for the dull existence of a middle aged school teacher who never left the town where he grew up. That is until he receives an envelope through the door with a single piece of chalk......

This book is dark and compelling, drawing you in with an initial event of such horror I thought the writing style may be one of those whereby you start at the conclusion and move backwards. How wrong I was.

CJ Tudor takes you by the hand and leads you slowly through the childhood friendships with a number of taut, winding and creepy events that make this a thoroughly enjoyable psycho-thriller.

This book keeps you guessing and at times although some aspects become more obvious with the construction of the story the overall outcome of the story leaves you with a lump in your throat and questioning how you missed it.

I am so glad I read this and am looking forward to seeing what future endeavours CJ Tudor produces for my reading pleasure.


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