FEAR STREET NIGHTS by R. L. Stine

MOONLIGHT SECRETS
Book One
R. L. Stine
Simon Pulse
Horror/Suspense
ISBN: 0689878648
Ages 12-up
160 pages

It all started when Jamie and Lewis discovered an ingenious method for some excitement and privacy. Sneaking out of the house at two in the morning and meeting down at the abandoned --- and soon to be demolished --- Fear Mansion became the perfect setup for some space. No teachers, no parents --- just themselves and the night. Of course, something this perfect doesn't stay a secret for very long, and soon the two teens grow to become a whole group. But they continue to have a blast, hanging out and just being themselves.

Then one night becomes especially interesting when a couple of guys clowning around accidentally knock down part of a wall to reveal a secret room. The strange room, with no visible entry ways of doors or windows, is stacked with all sorts of interesting stuff, like ancient jewelry, an old coin collection, fur coats, faded sheet music, a gun, black candles, hooded cloaks, and animal skeletons. Everyone helps themselves. They don't see it as stealing; the mansion is set to be demolished anyway, to make room for a mall. Taking an old pendent necklace or two wouldn't hurt anyone. Or so they thought.

After the mansion is demolished, the teens don't let their fun die. They just relocate at the new bar called Nights. Sure, legally they are underage, but the bartender doesn't pass judgment, as they bring in a lot of business when otherwise it would be dead. Besides, the new bar sits right where the old mansion used to be. They still have their important midnight meetings, only now it comes with refreshments.

But then strange --- and scary --- things start to happen, like the cockroaches pouring out of Nate's mouth, and Jamie almost drowning when their car unexplainably plows into the river. Each incident seems somehow connected to Candy, the girl who smiles cunningly as she toys with the pendent hanging from her neck --- the same pendent she had found in the mansion's secret room. Does the pendent have powers, powers that enable the wearer to wreck evil havoc on whomever she chooses? Nate and his friends are determined to find out, no matter what the consequences.

Veteran writer R. L. Stine shares another one of his hair-raising thrillers. As with his other stories, he creates his characters with realistic dialogue and believable personalities, then throws in some unbelievable and surprising events, and bundles it all up into a scary, fast-reading suspense story. The first in a three-part series, fans can look forward to continuing the chills with the next installment, entitled MIDNIGHT GAMES.

    --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author

MIDNIGHT GAMES: Book Two
R. L. Stine
Simon Pulse
Horror/Suspense
ISBN: 0689878656
Ages 12-up
160 pages

MIDNIGHT GAMES, the eagerly awaited sequel to MOONLIGHT SECRETS, has arrived red hot and just begging to be read. Nate and his friends still continue their nighttime rendezvous. They call themselves the Night People, sneaking out of their homes to meet in the deserted early morning hours at the local bar for a chance to hang out and experience a bit of well-needed freedom. But when strange things start happening, like their car plunging unexplainably into the river, some of the Night People decide to get to the bottom of things. They suspect an amulet stolen from the deserted Fear Mansion of granting the power to cast spells. An evening investigation with deadly results turns up a fake plastic replica of the amulet and more questions than answers.

As the days grow colder, a new student to Shadyside High arrives in town. Jamie's cousin, Dana, moves in with her to finish senior year. A bit on the lonely side, Dana eagerly joins the Night People hoping to find some friends. But almost immediately, she makes enemies instead. Soon after, people start turning up murdered, and Dana is the number one suspect!

It doesn't take long for the entire school to turn their backs on Dana --- except for Nate and Jamie, and even that doesn't last too long. And worse, Jamie seems different; she's been dabbling in magic, and Dana catches Jamie trying to put a curse on her --- though what Dana discovers hidden in the garage scares every other thought out of her mind!

R.L. Stine brings another fast-paced thriller to print with this second installment of his trilogy, Fear Street Nights. Fans won't be disappointed with the chills and thrills, and the big case of the willies, planted throughout these pages. Stay tuned for the final book in the series, DARKEST DAWN.

DARKEST DAWN: Book Three
R. L. Stine
Simon Pulse
Horror/Suspense
ISBN: 0689878664
Ages 12-up
192 pages


Ever since Dana helped Jamie rid herself of possession by Angelica Fear, life seems to have returned to somewhat normal. Dana starts dating Clark from the basketball team and jumps into the school spirit thing by helping to plan the huge bonfire pep rally. Lewis has been accepted to Brown College and is happier than ever. Everyone has moved beyond the horror of the past year, except Jamie. Only Jamie feels hung up on the past. Maybe because, while possessed by Angelica Fear, she had helped to kill her classmates. Maybe because she feels Angelica Fear is still lurking around. Maybe because she hears evil voices whispering threats and is being followed around town by a one-eyed blackbird. Or maybe she's just going crazy.

Only Dana and Jamie are aware of the possession, and only they know what's behind her vindictive anger. Angelica Fear wants revenge on everyone who stole from the mansion. Dana and Jamie don't tell anyone because no one would believe them. But then the killing starts up again. Trying to find some form of protection, Jamie studies the spell book she had swiped from the mansion. Then, when at the flea market she finds the antique bracelet that matches the old amulet, she feels a little extra confident that maybe she can finish off the old Fear curse placed on her and her friends.

As everyone gathers for the huge pep rally bonfire, thoughts of death are pushed to the side in order to cheer on the basketball team at the state finals. The brightly flaming bonfire towers thirty feet in the air, raising spirits along with the temperature. But then things start to go wrong, and Fear pulses through the school once again. Finally, Jamie has had enough and sets out to confront the Fears once and for all. Backing her up are her close friends, those left of the Night People, but the one person whom she trusts the most isn't quite who she thinks.

R.L. Stine concludes his new trilogy with suspense and pages just begging to be turned. He does an awesome job with realistic characters and unrealistic occurrences that blend into an interesting story. Though DARKEST DAWN fills in the gaps and answers the questions left from the beginning of the trilogy, it will just leave fans craving another book by this talented author.

   --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author

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