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A review by natlbugz
Memorials by Richard Chizmar
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
TLDR: If you’re fascinated by Appalachia and witchy, Blair Witch-style mysteries, Memorials is a solid pick to round out your sad/spooky girl autumn reads.
I had high hopes for this, and while I mostly enjoyed it, I have a few bones to pick. This was my first intro to Chizmar’s writing, and the spooky, eerie vibes were definitely there, like some Blair Witch vibes set in the early 80s. If you’re into the creepy mysteries of the Appalachian mountains, this will give you that classic fall horror fix.
The story follows three college students road-tripping through Appalachia, documenting roadside memorials for their American Studies class. You can practically feel the unease building as they get deeper into those shadowy woods in their VW Astrovan. The setting really nails that eerie, small-town vibe, and Chizmar’s attention to detail when describing the early 80s backdrop is a strong point—it pulls you right into that decade, no cell phones or modern comforts, just you and the chilling backwoods.
That being said, the pacing could’ve used a boost. Chizmar goes super detailed in certain places, like Billy’s childhood memories of his hometown. Do I really need a play-by-play of the 4th of July celebrations he remembers while standing in the same park years later? Some of those details felt like filler, dragging down the momentum when I wanted the story to keep that high-stakes tension. A bit more editing to trim those sections would’ve kept the suspense tighter IMO.
But overall, this book has a lot of good, creepy elements. If you love the thought of traipsing through Appalachia with three classmates and your high school ex-girlfriend to film a haunted documentary, Memorials will give you that atmospheric eerie vibe. And even though this wasn’t a perfect read, Chizmar’s way with spooky settings has me curious to check out his Boogeyman books, which I hear might show him at his best.
I had high hopes for this, and while I mostly enjoyed it, I have a few bones to pick. This was my first intro to Chizmar’s writing, and the spooky, eerie vibes were definitely there, like some Blair Witch vibes set in the early 80s. If you’re into the creepy mysteries of the Appalachian mountains, this will give you that classic fall horror fix.
The story follows three college students road-tripping through Appalachia, documenting roadside memorials for their American Studies class. You can practically feel the unease building as they get deeper into those shadowy woods in their VW Astrovan. The setting really nails that eerie, small-town vibe, and Chizmar’s attention to detail when describing the early 80s backdrop is a strong point—it pulls you right into that decade, no cell phones or modern comforts, just you and the chilling backwoods.
That being said, the pacing could’ve used a boost. Chizmar goes super detailed in certain places, like Billy’s childhood memories of his hometown. Do I really need a play-by-play of the 4th of July celebrations he remembers while standing in the same park years later? Some of those details felt like filler, dragging down the momentum when I wanted the story to keep that high-stakes tension. A bit more editing to trim those sections would’ve kept the suspense tighter IMO.
But overall, this book has a lot of good, creepy elements. If you love the thought of traipsing through Appalachia with three classmates and your high school ex-girlfriend to film a haunted documentary, Memorials will give you that atmospheric eerie vibe. And even though this wasn’t a perfect read, Chizmar’s way with spooky settings has me curious to check out his Boogeyman books, which I hear might show him at his best.