Review: Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting

Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting by Richard Chizmar & W.H. Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WIDOW'S POINT: THE COMPLETE HAUNTING is a dark, disturbing, haunted lighthouse found-footage thriller by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar. The perfect read leading up to Halloween... or any time you're looking for a few sleepless nights. 100% recommended.

This is a bad place. Something is wrong with it. I don’t think people are meant to live here.
-- Diary entry from WIDOW'S POINT: THE COMPLETE HAUNTING

The Widow's Point Lighthouse is set on the coast of Nova Scotia in the small, idyllic village of Harper's Cove. Idyllic, that is, for those who are smart - or lucky - enough to remain clear of the lighthouse and its surroundings. The reader first encounters the reportedly haunted lighthouse, site of many deaths and accidents, as well as a number of unexplained disappearances and horrific murders over the years, in 2017, when paranormal author Thomas Livingston arrives to spend a weekend locked inside the abandoned structure. Through a series of video and audio recordings he recounts the tragic history of the lighthouse and documents his ... disturbing ... stay.

Fast-forward to 2025 and another, larger group of investigators enters the lighthouse, planning to stay for the week leading up to Halloween. The 6-member group is led by Trent Bell , a wealthy Youtube influencer known as T-Breeze. With him are his cameraman Steph, video editor Jeff and producer Phil. Also in the group is Professor Catherine Durand, a former resident of Harper's Cove and a respected anthropologist/historian proclaimed as “the world’s leading authority on haunted houses who doesn’t believe in ghosts”, and Rob Elliott, a famous paranormal investigator/ghost hunter and Twitch streamer. They come prepared with lots of high-tech video and audio recording devices, along with a variety of specialized ghost-hunting equipment, to document their stay and any supernatural events they experience.

Richard and W.H. Chizmar know how to tell a spooky tale. Their unique, shifting perspective, found-footage approach allows the story to unfold naturally and helps the reader share the tension and fear that grows within the group as they take up residence in the lighthouse and begin to experience odd sensations and unusual events. Also shared is the group's increasing anxiety as secrets are revealed and some begin to act oddly the longer they remain under the influence of the lighthouse and its other occupants.

WIDOW'S POINT: THE COMPLETE HAUNTING has many unexpected twists and surprises, a very high "creepiness" factor, and more than a few frightening revelations. The Widow's Point Lighthouse is tall, its pull is strong and its reach is long. It's best read as far away from the coast as possible, with all the lights on, the shades drawn and in the company of a large, calm dog.

Review: The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand

The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Christopher Golden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I recently finished THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: NEW TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND and have to say that I really enjoyed the anthology. I liked some stories better than others but I wasn't disappointed by any of them. For me it was like sharing memories and stories with people I didn't know, even though they grew up in the same neighborhood I did, or went to the same school as me.

Each author delivers a story that contains familiar elements, but brings a unique perspective to the characters, events and aftermath that King first introduced in The Stand. Co-editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene did a masterful job of pulling these different voices together to create a compelling collection.

Some of my favorites from the book:
LENORA by Jonathan Janz - a wonderful story of loss, redemption and survival that breaks your heart before healing it.

MOVING DAY by Richard Chizmar - I absolutely LOVED the way he not only crafted a new story but also skillfully wove in details from Stephen King original tale.

MAKE YOUR OWN WAY by Alma Katsu - a tale of loss, discovery, resilience and hope, and is the perfect story to wrap up the first section.

GRAND JUNCTION by Chuck Wendig - a story of choices: love or fear; trust or betrayal; hope or despair.

HE'S A RIGHTEOUS MAN by Ronald Malfi - how do you survive when there seems to be no hope? The residents of one small town think they've found their answer, although not everyone agrees. I did not see the ending coming!

THE MOSQUE AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Usman T. Malik - one of several stories in the collection that doesn't take place in the United States. A fantastic tale of the aftermath of Captain Trips on other parts of the world, where local customs, legends and beliefs have their own power.

ABAGAIL'S GETHSEMANE by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus - tells the story of the youthful Abagail Freemantle growing up in Hemingford Home, Nebraska, intermixed with the tale of her time spent "in the wilderness" of Colorado seeking repentance for her sins of pride and arrogance.

THE DEVIL'S CHILDREN by Sarah Langan - explores whether the superflu survivors have really learned any lessons from the experience, and offers an unexpected glimmer of hope for the world.

THE UNFORTUNATE CONVALESCENCE OF THE SUPERLAWYER by Nat Cassidy - a fun read with references/"Easter eggs" to other works by King (including the short story NIGHT SURF), and a possible explanation for the shelter provided to some of the characters in THE STAND.

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Review: Widow's Point

Widow's Point by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is for the WIDOW'S POINT novella, published in 2018 by Cemetery Dance Publications.

Richard Chizmar and Billy Chizmar (AKA W.H. Chizmar) really knock it out of the park with this creepy-as-hell take on an old-fashioned, haunted lighthouse story!

Thomas Livingston is a successful author of a number of non-fiction, supernatural/paranormal books and he has made his way to Harper's Cove in Nova Scotia to gather material for his next book about the Widow's Point Lighthouse, the scene of many unusual deaths since it's construction in the 1830's. After many attempts, he has finally received permission from the lighthouse's owner to spend the weekend locked inside, with the hope of being able to document supernatural activity. To avoid accusations from skeptics of tampering or forging "evidence" he is only allowed to bring in a few pieces of recording equipment, notebooks and pens, some food and water, and a lantern and flashlight.

The story unfolds through a series of audio transcripts of Livingston's observations about what he sees, his recounting of previous events at the lighthouse, and his reading of entries from a diary he found while looking through the lighthouse rooms. As his stay within the lighthouse continues, the audio recordings convey his increasing concern and eventual terror.

Richard & Billy do a fantastic job of conveying what appears to be Livingston's descent into madness as they ramp up the suspense through the unique "found footage" narration style. The story's pacing is superb and the reader can't help but feel that he/she is right there with Livingston, experiencing the frightful and inexplicable events with him.

This is a fantastic and scary read. Fans of horror and supernatural tales will enjoy it. Highly recommended.

A much longer, expanded version of this novella, Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting was published in 2025. The extra material makes it even better than this earlier version. You can find my spoiler-free review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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Review: The Man Behind the Mask

The Man Behind the Mask by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another great story by Richard Chizmar that will horrify and enthrall readers to the very end. Chizmar does a fantastic job of building suspense, revealing horror after horror in measured doses throughout this short story in a way that causes readers to experience the terror first-hand, right through the final page.

Between the years of 1999 and 2006, The Boogeyman ... kidnapped, tortured and killed at least sixteen young women ranging from the ages of seventeen to twenty-three.
-- The Man Behind The Mask. Richard Chizmar

Jennifer Shea, the only woman to survive The Boogeyman's depravations, hopes to be able to finally put the past behind her by sharing the details of her captivity and torture with the mother of one of his other victims. Her emotions are raw, and her horrors are fresh as she recounts the details of her terrifying ordeal and eventual escape that came at a price almost too terrible to pay.

This is a story you won't soon forget


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Review: Memorials

Memorials by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Memorials may be Richard Chizmar's best, scariest book yet. It follows the journey of a trio of college students, Billy Anderson, Melody Wise and Troy Carpenter, as they embark on a trip to create a documentary telling the stories behind roadside memorials in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania for a class project. Along the way they encounter both friendly support and encouragement, as well as antagonism from members of the communities they visit. They also begin to suspect that someone who doesn't want the documentary made is following them, and their growing sense of paranoia isn't eased when they experience disturbing dreams and odd encounters.

Fair warning: some readers may be bothered by scenes of graphic physical violence, including some that involve sexual encounters, along with brief mentions of a drug overdose, drug use and gang violence. For the most part these serve to move the story forward but may be uncomfortable for some.

Chizmar provides the necessary background about the earlier lives of the 3 unlikely college friends, each of whom has suffered a personal loss. This background helps to explain their willingness (compulsion?) to continue the trip even as they face mounting opposition to their undertaking as they find odd similarities and connections between many of the roadside memorials. The trio begin to wonder who they can and cannot trust as they go deeper into the hill country and on their return, as they try to unravel the mystery surrounding the memorials and the strange events they experience.

Written from the perspective of Billy Anderson, Chizmar builds suspense and then lets it taper off for just a bit before ratcheting up to an even higher level. The climactic scene is satisfyingly horrific and leads to further revelations that help life return to normal. Almost.

Fans of suspenseful thrillers and horror blended with a touch of the occult will enjoy this.
Highly recommended.

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Review: Becoming the Boogeyman

Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Richard Chizmar has another winner in this follow-up to 2021's Chasing The Boogeyman. While you don't have to read Chasing The Boogeyman before diving into the new book, you should strongly consider doing so, as there are references to people and events from the earlier book that will make more sense if you do. Here's my spoiler-free review of the original.

In this fictional "true crime" story Chizmar delivers a suspenseful, even more personal tale full of unexpected action, twists and turns. A series of gruesome killings straight out of The Boogeyman's playbook are happening, and the Chizmar family and friends are right in the middle of it all. The tale is told with a mix of current event reporting, interview transcripts, photos and recollections that build to a satisfying and completely unexpected conclusion.

Review: Chasing the Boogeyman

Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fictional "true crime" memoir set in small town America, Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar is a great read. It provides a unique and interesting spin told from the author's point of view, initially as an observer and then as an active participant in the events surrounding a series of gruesome murders in his hometown.

The story is filled with many nostalgic references about growing up in a close-knit community, and plenty of tension, twists and chills that draw you in and make it difficult to put the book down... A perfect read for a chilly Fall evening by the fire.

When you finish this, be sure to check out Becoming The Boogeyman - the sequel released in Oct, 2023. Here's my spoiler-free review. 

Review: The Girl on the Porch

The Girl on the Porch by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Girl on the Porch, by Richard Chizmar is a great read. Chizmar excels at painting a picture of neighborhood life in a small town, thrown into turmoil by disturbing footage captured on a home security camera. There is something strange going on in this neighborhood, and as the story progresses we wonder whether this neighbor, or that friend, is somehow involved. The way Chizmar reveals elements of this small town mystery makes this a difficult book to put down.

If you've read any of his previous work, you will enjoy this one tremendously. If you haven't, what are you waiting for?



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Review: The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home by Richard Chizmar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I got my copy through the Cemetery Dance web site a little while back and began reading it earlier this week. I'm about halfway through the collection and am enjoying it immensely. The stories have varied from a classic Twilight Zone-esque horror tale to a dystopian future murder mystery. My favorites so far are a couple of suspense tales set in a small town neighborhood where things aren't quite as idyllic as they first appear.

Buy your copy. Read your copy. Recommend it to others.
Then go out and pick up A Long December if you haven't already.
A Long December

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