Killing the Boogeyman

Title: Killing the Boogeyman

Author: Richard Chizmar

Published in: 2026

Date read: Not yet read

Score: /5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
Killing the Boogeyman (2026) is the third and concluding entry in Richard Chizmar’s meta-horror trilogy, following Chasing the Boogeyman (2021) and Becoming the Boogeyman (2023).

Setting & Setup:
The story picks up in the aftermath of the shocking conclusion to Becoming the Boogeyman. Convicted serial killer Joshua Gallagher—the notorious "Boogeyman" who tormented Edgewood, Maryland—escapes from a high-security facility. The small town is plunged back into terror, and Gallagher resumes his fixation on author Richard Chizmar, turning Chizmar’s life and family back into targets.

Core Premise & Key Themes:
The Final Showdown: Chizmar is drawn into an intense, personal cat-and-mouse hunt to track down Gallagher before the escaped killer can strike his inner circle.
Meta-Fiction Blur: Blends real-world author identity, mock true-crime investigation, and photo-annotated fiction to blur the boundary between documented fact and story.
Legacy & Obsession: Explores how violent obsession spreads, the psychological toll of chronic fear on a small community, and what it ultimately takes to end a recurring nightmare.

Comments:

Books that we've read by Richard Chizmar (5):
Gwendy's Button Box (The Button Box, #1) (2017), Gwendy's Magic Feather (The Button Box, #2) (2019), Chasing the Boogeyman (2021), Gwendy's Final Task (The Button Box, #3) (2022), Becoming the Boogeyman (2023)