The Friday 56: Exploring the Haunting in 'Widow's Point'

Good morning, my fellow book lovers!

Ever been on pins and needles, anxiously awaiting an ARC to show up on your doorstep like a long-lost friend? Or are you the type to shrug off deadlines, treating them like pesky flies buzzing around your head? I’ve been trying to map out my reading and reviewing schedule weeks—no, months—in advance. I requested to review Widow's Point by Richard Chizmar and W.H. Chizmar, with the grand plan of posting my thoughts today, September 26th. Typically, I don’t post reviews on Fridays, but the universe seems all too eager to book my calendar!

But here’s the silver lining: the book officially landed in my hands late Wednesday. In a moment of what I can only describe as blessed serendipity, my "cursed" speed-reading ability kicked in. A limited reading time? No problem—bring it on! My review will pop up sometime today, right after this Friday's post, and the Book Blogger Hop goes live. Honestly, for a split second, I toyed with the idea of delaying the review until November, but let’s face it: my October is packed tighter than a coffin lid!

'The Friday 56' is hosted by My Head is Full of Books.

Now, about Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting—it’s a fascinating re-release, if you can call it that. The original Widow's Point was a short story that first graced the pages of the anthology Fearful Fathoms. Then it underwent a metamorphosis into a novella, and now? It’s back as a full-fledged novel, hence the grand title—The Complete Haunting. Written by horror maestro Richard Chizmar, who founded Cemetery Dance Publications, and his son, W.H. "Billy" Chizmar, this book promises chills.

The story unfolds through the eerie lens of audio and video recording transcripts alongside journal entries, venturing deep into two spine-tingling incidents at the Widow's Point Lighthouse, one in 2017 and another in 2025. Picture it as if The Blair Witch Project and Ghost Hunters had a literary love child—yes, it’s as wild as it sounds.

I've . . . nearly reached the bottom, thank God. Just another couple dozen stairs.

— Chizmar, Richard; Chizmar, W.H. Widow's Point, Gallery, 2025, p. 56.

I could have chosen other lines from the page that are rich and loaded with profanity, but out of respect for the integrity of the text, I decided to go with this one instead—though it still packs a punch! Heights, lighthouses, and the supernatural? That’s my personal trifecta of terror. 

Happy reading!

〜B.J. Burgess