The Girl on the Porch, Richard Chizmar
The Girl on the Porch, Richard Chizmar
List: $10.99 | Sale: $7.70
Club: $5.49

The Girl on the Porch

Author: Richard Chizmar

Narrator: Peter Berkrot

Unabridged: 2 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 12/26/2023


Synopsis

When the Tuckers' next-door neighbor mentions someone rang their doorbell late the previous night, Sarah and Kenny Tucker check their home's security camera and discover something shocking: the doorbell ringer also visited their house and it wasn't a teenager playing a prank, but instead a terrified young woman with a shackle hanging from her right wrist. She anxiously pressed the doorbell again and again, glancing over her shoulder as if someone was coming for her, before giving up and taking off into the dark.

Almost overnight, she becomes known as The Girl on the Porch—and she's everywhere. There are updates on all the local networks, national coverage on CNN and Fox News, and the video goes viral on social media. Before long, everyone has seen the harrowing security camera footage.

Kenny and Sarah figure it's only a matter of time before someone recognizes the woman, but as the days pass and no one comes forward, odd things begin to transpire around the Tucker family: a man intensely watches them at a restaurant and then vanishes, fresh footprints appear in the garden next to their house where no one should have been, a neighbor's pet is viciously killed and mutilated, and a mysterious man has started following their daughter Natalie . . .

About Richard Chizmar

Richard Chizmar is the author of Gwendy's Button Box (with Stephen King) and A Long December, which was nominated for numerous awards. His fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including Ellery Queen's Mystery magazine and multiple editions of the Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA's Board of Trustee's award. His third short story collection, A Long December, was recently published to starred reviews in both Kirkus and Booklist and was featured in Entertainment Weekly. Chizmar's work has been translated into many languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.


Reviews

My thanks to Subterranean books, Richard Chizmar and Netgalley. This was a story that I wish had been extended and built upon. It was a damned good story. I loved the characters, and the playfulness between these friends, family and some neighbors. Where it came apart though, was of course at the en......more

Goodreads review by PamG

THE GIRL ON THE PORCH by Richard Chizman is a well-written and fast-paced novella. Kenny Tucker comes downstairs for breakfast and finds his wife Sarah on her phone. Their neighbor has mentioned that someone rang their doorbell multiple times around 3:30 AM but they did not see anyone when they got......more

As always with this author the writing of The Girl on the Porch is fantastic. Chizmar is an incredible storyteller but this one was just okay for me. The book is short though, only 152 pgs, and it felt like just as the intrigue was starting to ramp up the book suddenly ended.......more