Tudor, C.J-- The Chalk Man informal buddy read starts February 24, 2020

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This thread is open to discuss The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor.



Synopsis
In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code: little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same.

In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he's put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank . . . until one of them turns up dead.

That's when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

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[Laura]

Looking forward to reading this one!

[Matthew]

Started today :)

[Laura]

Good afternoon Matthew. I 've started as well. I thought the prologue was a little creepy and the end of it reminded me of the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty".

I am up to page 46. I'm not sure why Eddie's dad punched Nicky's dad. Any thoughts?

What do you think so far?

[Matthew]

Hi Laura

I’m loving it so far. It reminds of the film “stand by me”. The fight with the vicar and the attempted murder comment is curious as was the conversation they were having before the fight.

Why do you think Fat Gav hates Metal Mickey so much now ?

I’m up to p65 and I’ve got to say, I love the authors writing style

[Stacey]

I started before you two and may pop in now and then if ok. I'm listening and with the way this does chapters it is hard to say exactly where I am other than 1/2 way through. I know the answers to your questions - and some are more complicated than they seem. Right now I have so many more questions.

[Laura]

Hi ya Stacey,
glad you joined us. Ha, it seems all my books I buddy read have no easy marked chapters to make discussing easy.

I haven't seen the film "Stand by Me".

Oh, Stacey's comment makes this discussion more interesting. I'm intrigued because I read further and figured out why Fat Gav( what a horrible name!) hates Metal Mickey. I wonder if the flash backs will give us more information on that car accident.

I think the Vicar physically abuses Nicky and that's why she always has bruises. I'm up to page 73.( and hoping to get more read tonight)

[Laura]

Up to page 115
(view spoiler)[
Sean, Metal Mickey’s brother is dead. Everything points to Mr. Halloran but that seems too easy. (hide spoiler)]

[Emerson]

Ok, this looked really good, so I had to get it. GR is so bad for my bank account 😣

[Stacey]

Laura, I'm curious as why you think that (in spoiler). There are so many unknowns and I feel like there is so much being held back.

[Laura]

Emerson wrote: "Ok, this looked really good, so I had to get it. GR is so bad for my bank account 😣"

True! I try really hard not to buy books and to use my local library.

[Laura]

Stacey wrote: "Laura, I'm curious as why you think that (in spoiler). There are so many unknowns and I feel like there is so much being held back."

(view spoiler)[ He's in every scene that goes wrong beginning with the girl at the fair/carnival that is hurt. He continues to see her at the hospital. He has several drawings of her at his house ( in a closed up room- that's a little creepy) He helps Eddie when he is attacked by Sean and his friends. He's at the scene when Sean's bicycle is found in the river. Lots of incidents and Mr. Halloran is at every scene- seems like too many coincidences and way to easy for him to be suspect but he's my number one suspect until I read further. I'm also hypothesizing that he is The Chalk Man but that may change:-)
(hide spoiler)]

[Matthew]

I should have this finished tonight. Amazing book so far, I really like this author

[Matthew]

Just finished it. Absolutely loved it !!! 5* from me

[Laura]

Was it better than The Other People?

Without giving anything away does it all come together in the end?

[Matthew]

Yeah it all comes together really well. I liked it better than The Other People

[Stacey]

Laura, Emerson, how are you coming with the book?

I finished today.

[Laura]

I’m 45% finished. I like it but not as much as the previous book I read by Tudor. I enjoyed The Other People more. I’m actually hoping it picks up. I should be able to read more of it tonight.

Did you enjoy it, Stacey?

[Stacey]

Laura, overall I did. I had some really hard times with some of things the author chose to include. Everyone was severely messed up and it seemed like he went to about the darkest level you could go with so much. That said, I felt the need to keep reading and figure it out moreso than The Other People. I was able to figure out a lot about how it ended but there were still some interesting surprises. That said, I probably won't read more by him.

[Laura]

I’m 60% through
Up to page 207

(view spoiler)[
I’m not sure who killed Mickey or attacked the vicar. I don’t think it was Eddie’s dad. Eddie is hiding lots of secrets, he’s turning into an unreliable narrator with all the drinking. Could he be the Chalk Man?
(hide spoiler)]

Still not liking this as much as The Other People. It’s interesting that both you Matthew like this one better than me. I wonder if it’s because I’m not finished yet?

[Laura]

Up to 224
(view spoiler)[
This is just weird with so many different things going on. Now somehow Chloe is involved and lying to Eddie by omission and Nicky may be back.
(hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Finished
(view spoiler)[

Okay, think I need some confirmation on a few things:
Hoppo killed Metal Mickey and Eddie has the head of the girl ; did he kill her?

(hide spoiler)]

3 stars for me; I didn't like it as much as The Other People.
Mattthew or anyone else want to read the other book by Tudor?

[Matthew]

Hi Laura

I'm up for reading that one. I'll order it today if you want to request the thread.

I personally enjoyed this one better than the previous one and the friendships reminded me of my own childhood.

[Matthew]

Or we could read The Taking of Annie Thorne first ? I can get that one quicker.

[Jenny]

Matthew, it is the same book, but UK and US had different titles.
I might join in on The Hiding Place/Annie Thorne as well.

[Laura]

It was confusing me until I saw there was an alternative title.I prefer the synopsis of the UK title.

I just requested it from my library. Jenny and I are potentially buddy reading another book if it isn't picked for BOM so would the 23rd work for both of you?

[Jenny]

Works for me.

[Matthew]

Good for me.

Sorry I didn't realise it was the same book :)

[Laura]

No worries, it was confusing!

I'll request us a thread then.

[Laura]

Here is our thread
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jenny]

That was quick.

[Laura]

I wasn't busy so just had to switch accounts:-)

[Stacey]

Well, the synopsis is interesting. Funny how different the 2 are. I need a bit of a break from Tudor but will probably be up for it by the 23rd.

[Laura]

Awesome, the more the merrier makes for a more interesting book talk