'Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting' by Chizmar Duo Will Terrify You

Disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links [*]. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What’s that saying? “A picture is worth a thousand words,” or something like that? When I first laid eyes on the cover of Widow’s Point, an avalanche of thoughts ricocheted around my brain. I stumbled upon it late one night—a scroll through the internet in the wee hours, like a literary vampire—and something about that eerie lighthouse pulled me in. I couldn't help but think: the book was calling to me. “Billy… you need to read me!” Am I losing my marbles? Perhaps, but that’s not the point.

Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting is crafted by the talented father-son duo of Richard Chizmar and W.H. "Billy" Chizmar. Richard, the mastermind behind Cemetery Dance Publishing, is no stranger to the horror universe, having penned New York Times bestsellers like Memorials, Becoming the Boogeyman, and Chasing the Boogeyman. He’s even collaborated with the king of horror himself, Stephen King, for Gwendy’s Button Box and Gwendy's Final Task, as well as moonlighting solo with the novella Gwendy’s Magic Feather.

Now, let's talk about this re-release—or maybe it’s more accurate to call it a resurrection. The original Widow’s Point started its journey as a short story buried in the anthology Fearful Fathoms before morphing into a novella, and now? Now it’s back, fully transformed as a novel titled Widow's Point: The Complete Haunting. It’s like the lighthouse itself—a rickety structure with a storied past, now standing proud in the literary landscape.

Longtime residents of Harper’s Cove whisper that there’s something terrible lurking at the Widow’s Point Lighthouse. Some say it’s cursed; others insist it’s haunted.

Built in 1838, the lighthouse was the site of a mysterious plunge from the catwalk—a tale of tragedy that opened the floodgates to decades of eerie occurrences. In the aftermath of that grim incident, the lighthouse became a magnet for death: cold-blooded murder, tragic suicides, unexplained accidents, mysterious disappearances, and the horrific slaughter of an entire family. Oh, and let’s not forget the Hollywood starlet whose life ended too soon while filming nearby.

Locked away since 1988, the lighthouse stands encased in its own dark history, surrounded by a security fence that has kept everyone out—until now.

The narrative flits back and forth between harrowing events in 2017 and 2025, as intrepid explorers enter the lighthouse in search of supernatural proof. But they soon discover they’re not alone. Cut off from the outside world, they find the darkness of the lighthouse more consuming than they could ever have imagined.

This is the first time I’ve encountered a book so rich in various narrative devices: Twitch streams, newspaper clippings, emails, text messages, journal entries, audio recordings, and video recordings—all converging to create that raw, found footage vibe. It’s not the clumsy, cliché style of modern indie horror filmmakers stumbling through the genre; this feels more like the master class in horror storytelling that is The Blair Witch Project. It’s less of a conventional book and more of a chilling horror film poised to invade your dreams.

I’ll admit, I initially thought the whole "found footage" angle might feel clichéd or gimmicky, but I should have known better—Richard Chizmar has consistently delivered chills. To say Widow’s Point is scary would be a disservice; it terrified me. I haven’t felt this kind of fear since Tim Curry's unforgettable portrayal of Pennywise in the 1990 adaptation of It. Back then, I was just a terrified nine-year-old, and the creepy clown haunted my dreams. Now, as a middle-aged adult, I’m in for a new nightmare—not with clowns this time, but with a foreboding lighthouse that plays right into my fear of heights. Thanks a lot, Chizmars.

All jokes aside, I absolutely relished reading Widow’s Point: The Complete Haunting. Surprisingly, the mixed-media approach didn’t distract me—instead, it was skillfully employed. The descriptions were spine-tingling, the kind that crawl under your skin and sneak into your thoughts long after you’ve turned the last page. I can’t help but think this story would make a fantastic horror film, but let’s face it—Hollywood would inevitably mess it up. Still, one can dream. ╌★★★★★

I highly recommend Widow’s Point to all you horror enthusiasts out there. Grab a copy ^[*], turn off the lights, and prepare to read yourself scared! 

〜B.J. Burgess