Richard Chizmar’s Memorials has been all over my feed for months. I have to admit, the praise was intimidating. Stephen King called it scary and hard to put down! Those are some big expectations. But Chizmar is used to stepping into big shoes – he did write a trilogy with King after all. And as the founder of Cemetery Dance Publications, he knows the genre exceptionally well. What did all that mean for Memorials? Mostly that I went in trying not to feel overhyped. Now, I’m joining the chorus of excitement for this title.
Stephen King, unsurprisingly, was exactly right. I could not put this book down. I think it took me four days? It’s not a short book but it flies. As for being scary, it has plenty of frights. From cinematic jumpscares to spine chilling dread, Chizmar dialed the horror up for this one. I wasn’t ready for that. Above I outlined how heavy of a hitter he is, but the books I’ve read so far by him weren’t scary. Memorials is. I loved it.
In classic found footage style, we follow three friends on a roadtrip to make a documentary for a college class. All three of the students have experienced loss. Billy, our protagonist, lost his parents in a car crash on a stretch of road by woods that are believed to be cursed. The community erected a memorial on the spot, and it is roadside memorials that become the focus of their project. They set out to find and record these sites of mourning and learn about the people they are dedicated to in order to honor their memory.
Now, a topical note on the plot. This book heavily features the Appalachian region and its people. Trust Chizmar to balance intelligence, empathy, and horror. Horror isn’t nice, but I think most of us agree it should be respectful. I believe that was accomplished. Now, I won’t spoil anything here, this story should be fully experienced, but Billy is actively unlearning racism in 1980. Let that be enough reassurance for you to enjoy the ride.
Back to the tradition of found footage horror—things go wrong. They must, right? Part Longlegs and part The Blair Witch Project, this book has an investigative bent that opens avenues the typical lost and isolated setting couldn’t allow. The different elements create intrigue and cast doubt. Is something supernatural going on? Is it all coincidence? Is it human sabotage? Each development twists the perceptions around. I had so much fun trying and failing to put all the pieces together.
Less fun, but more poignant, is how this book handles grief. As an orphan myself, seeing how Billy coped—and didn’t—with the loss of his parents felt honest and real. The characters’ discussions on the afterlife and faith were understandably heavy. One keeps their faith close, one holds conspiracy theories and science in the same esteem, and the last has questions and anger. Memorials looks at both sides of respecting death: the dead and those they leave behind.
Richard Chizmar promised a classic horror story and he delivered. I truly enjoyed reading this book and I think it’s a perfect October release. Sure, road trips and camping feels summer-y, but not here. Trust me, you’re going to want some time between reading this and sleeping in the woods anyway. Memorials arrives from Gallery Books on October 22nd. Don’t wait, you’re going to want this one.
Cover image and advance copy curtesy of Gallery Books
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