A creepy occult tale in ‘Memorials’

Richard Chizmar, who co-wrote parts of the “Gwendy” trilogy with Stephen King from 2017-22 (“Gwendy’s Button Box” and “Gwendy’s Final Task”), has written his longest novel yet and readers should not be surprised that it reads, at least somewhat, like something from the mind of Stephen King.

“Memorials” is set in 1983 as three students embark on a road trip through Appalachia, documenting roadside memorials for their American Studies 301 class at York College. We soon learn that Billy, Melody and Troy experienced personal loss before their college years, so the act of documenting sites where someone else’s loved ones lost their lives turns out to be both educational and personal. Chizmar intentionally gives the trio a very “Scooby Doo”-like vibe, even making their wheels, a “Volkswagen Westfalia pop-top camper,” reminiscent of the Mystery Machine.

The plot starts off slow as they meander the back roads, taking Polaroids and shooting VHS video of crosses and balloons and stuffed animals that mark the spots where people died. Chizmark employs a cool narrative trick, providing transcripts of the video footage as they interview locals and loved ones. “The camera zooms closer on his face. His brown eyes are somber but steady. He clears his throat and continues,” is how part of the transcript of Billy’s interview reads. Billy lost his parents in a car accident in Sudbury, Pa., and it’s when he returns home, visits their roadside memorial, and starts asking questions, that the novel gets more interesting.

The story is stuffed with foreshadowing, as various characters are introduced and act suspiciously and as Billy, Melody and Troy begin to find occult signs at memorials and experience strange visions. And while the point definitely is to build tension until the novel’s climax, it sometimes comes across as heavy-handed. A few too many chapters end with italics, and you can practically hear the foreboding music as the scene fades to black.

When the plot puzzle begins to assemble in the final 100 or so pages, “Memorials” really takes off and becomes something altogether different, genuinely earning its placement in the horror section of the bookstore. Readers will have to decide for themselves if the payoff is worth it, but it’s an enjoyable enough ride. !

Merrill reviews books for The Associated Press.