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The Waitress
Her rude customers and demanding bosses get their just desserts when a worn-out waitress at Trixie's Dog House plots revenge through a series of evil and sickening pranks. Original.
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 26, 2018
When I was 12, this was one of my favourite books. Clearly I was a moron. This book is terrible even by Point Horror standards.
Re-read this for the Teenage Scream podcast (lovingly dissecting the best and worst of 90s teen horror). https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
Re-read this for the Teenage Scream podcast (lovingly dissecting the best and worst of 90s teen horror). https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
September 24, 2023
3.5 stars
Probably the shortest point horror book iv read at 130 pages. But that meant it was well paced and flew by. Standard stuff for this series, but I was invested enough to find out who was responsible and the end reveal was satisfying.
Paula starts a new job as a part time waitress, but when she starts to receive threatening notes and her customers begin to be messed with. She starts to fear that someone is out to get her, can she find out who is responsible? Is it related to another restaurant who had a customer killed through poison last year?
Probably the shortest point horror book iv read at 130 pages. But that meant it was well paced and flew by. Standard stuff for this series, but I was invested enough to find out who was responsible and the end reveal was satisfying.
Paula starts a new job as a part time waitress, but when she starts to receive threatening notes and her customers begin to be messed with. She starts to fear that someone is out to get her, can she find out who is responsible? Is it related to another restaurant who had a customer killed through poison last year?
August 20, 2021
Trixie, the lady who owns the restaurant did it!! She only killed one kid though and that was years ago, so it doesn't really count? 🤷🏻♀️
She really pulls from the YA Murderer 101 handbook though. You know, the same ol formula:
Step 1: Leave weird menacing phone calls and notes in the protagonist's locker
Step 2: Leave a knife in her apron at work
Step 3: Stalk her a little and hide out in her car to scare her...who cares!!
This one is a bit of a bore, go read Sinclair Smith's "Dream Date" instead, which at least gets points for originality.
P.S. If you're ever being chased by a lunatic murderer/stalker in a restaurant in the dark, maybe don't run down into the cellar where there's no exit? Just saying!
She really pulls from the YA Murderer 101 handbook though. You know, the same ol formula:
Step 1: Leave weird menacing phone calls and notes in the protagonist's locker
Step 2: Leave a knife in her apron at work
Step 3: Stalk her a little and hide out in her car to scare her...who cares!!
This one is a bit of a bore, go read Sinclair Smith's "Dream Date" instead, which at least gets points for originality.
P.S. If you're ever being chased by a lunatic murderer/stalker in a restaurant in the dark, maybe don't run down into the cellar where there's no exit? Just saying!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2023
I haven't really enjoyed any of the past several books I recently finished and was hoping this book (from one of my favorite authors) would get me out of my slump. That, however was absolutely not the case. The story follows a high school girl named Paula who gets a job at a restaurant called The Dog House. Because this is a Point Horror book, spooky things start happening, such as lame pranks involving sharp objects and creepy phone calls. This has all the usual Point Horror tropes and honestly was a colossal waste of time. Despite the final reveal making very little sense, it served as a bit of redemption for me (because at least something kinda actually happened, I suppose), but overall, this was really whack.
June 4, 2020
Paula is the new girl in town, settling in to a new school and starting a part-time job at the local diner. Things don't get off to a good start when she receives the attention of a boy who the popular girl has her sights set on, and she lies to her new boss about her previous waitressing experience. Someone starts to play pranks on her...but who, and why?!
I definitely had this one when I was a kid but I had no recollection of the story now. This actually ended up being a pleasant surprise and quite an enjoyable story. It did lose its way towards the end though which ended up being disappointing, but overall it was a fun read.
I definitely had this one when I was a kid but I had no recollection of the story now. This actually ended up being a pleasant surprise and quite an enjoyable story. It did lose its way towards the end though which ended up being disappointing, but overall it was a fun read.
December 15, 2016
It's main problem is that it's too short without enough substance! Motivation for the villain was weak sauce, and the boyfriend material was utterly woeful. Otherwise, it's entertaining in a trashy, read-in-one-go sort of way!
September 24, 2021
One-Line Review: Tip yo’ waitress. *Lafayette GIF here*
Full Review:
I don't even know what to say here. I'm so totally meh about this book. I remember never caring for it, even as a preteen, and I wondered if that had changed. Sometimes my opinion on these books does change - I didn't like The Lifeguard much when I was young, and now I think it's great - but as far as The Waitress goes, I still don't care for it at all.
Funnily enough, I can't quite put my finger on the reasons why. It's formulaic, but lots of books are. The characters - including the heroine - are shallow, but again, plenty are. All I can think is that I didn't get any real emotion from it.
Basic plot points (because I don't care enough to give more than the basics): Paula is new in town and has a job waitressing at the Dog House, a restaurant owned by Trixie, an eccentric 50-something who still dresses and talks like a teenager. Trixie's niece is the beautiful and bitchy Coralynn, who for some reason has it in for Paula and tries to make her life hell. I think it's over a dude, whose name I believe was Garth. Coralynn likes him and refers to him as her "boyfriend" but he likes Paula and says he and Coralynn only had one or two dates. Typical teen stuff, with added bitchiness.
Pranks are played, nothing too serious. Nobody dies. The only person who really gets "attacked" turns out not to have been attacked at all, it was just appendicitis or something. Although one person was killed prior to the events of the book - I forgot about that till just now.
The whole thing was just...blah. The reason for the anger and violence (so to speak) was just weak. There's nothing to like about this book, and nothing to hate either - and that almost makes it worse.
YMMV, of course. I know some of my sixth-grade friends liked it, back in the day. Me, I'm wondering if Sinclair Smith actually wrote this book, since he / she (I'm not sure if Smith is a man or a woman, and can't find the information online anywhere) is usually pretty good. I was a big fan of Second Sight and The Diary, thought that Dream Date was very inventive, and even The Boy Next Door which I HATE - it scares the pants off me - at least evoked some kind of feeling in me. The Waitress just left me entirely numb.
And the annoying thing is that, regardless of any notes I make for myself - in a year or two I won't remember how blah it left me feeling, and will likely read it again. *rolls eyes*
Verdict: Meh.
Edit Oct 2020: Odd, I liked this a lot more this time round. Maybe because I was reading it as a satire focusing on the rage of the working classes against the entitled freeloaders who leave bad tips. Who knows? 😂
Full Review:
I don't even know what to say here. I'm so totally meh about this book. I remember never caring for it, even as a preteen, and I wondered if that had changed. Sometimes my opinion on these books does change - I didn't like The Lifeguard much when I was young, and now I think it's great - but as far as The Waitress goes, I still don't care for it at all.
Funnily enough, I can't quite put my finger on the reasons why. It's formulaic, but lots of books are. The characters - including the heroine - are shallow, but again, plenty are. All I can think is that I didn't get any real emotion from it.
Basic plot points (because I don't care enough to give more than the basics): Paula is new in town and has a job waitressing at the Dog House, a restaurant owned by Trixie, an eccentric 50-something who still dresses and talks like a teenager. Trixie's niece is the beautiful and bitchy Coralynn, who for some reason has it in for Paula and tries to make her life hell. I think it's over a dude, whose name I believe was Garth. Coralynn likes him and refers to him as her "boyfriend" but he likes Paula and says he and Coralynn only had one or two dates. Typical teen stuff, with added bitchiness.
Pranks are played, nothing too serious. Nobody dies. The only person who really gets "attacked" turns out not to have been attacked at all, it was just appendicitis or something. Although one person was killed prior to the events of the book - I forgot about that till just now.
The whole thing was just...blah. The reason for the anger and violence (so to speak) was just weak. There's nothing to like about this book, and nothing to hate either - and that almost makes it worse.
YMMV, of course. I know some of my sixth-grade friends liked it, back in the day. Me, I'm wondering if Sinclair Smith actually wrote this book, since he / she (I'm not sure if Smith is a man or a woman, and can't find the information online anywhere) is usually pretty good. I was a big fan of Second Sight and The Diary, thought that Dream Date was very inventive, and even The Boy Next Door which I HATE - it scares the pants off me - at least evoked some kind of feeling in me. The Waitress just left me entirely numb.
And the annoying thing is that, regardless of any notes I make for myself - in a year or two I won't remember how blah it left me feeling, and will likely read it again. *rolls eyes*
Verdict: Meh.
Edit Oct 2020: Odd, I liked this a lot more this time round. Maybe because I was reading it as a satire focusing on the rage of the working classes against the entitled freeloaders who leave bad tips. Who knows? 😂
September 8, 2021
Having recently moved to the area Paula applies for a job at Dog House restaurant, she’s successful even though she lied about her waitress experience on her resume.
Someone at the restaurant takes a disliking to her and soon starts to play a series of pranks, they become more and more extreme in an effort to scare Paula.
I found this one to be slightly disappointing, the other characters motivations were weak. Even though it was a shorter than normal Point Horror, it really dragged.
Someone at the restaurant takes a disliking to her and soon starts to play a series of pranks, they become more and more extreme in an effort to scare Paula.
I found this one to be slightly disappointing, the other characters motivations were weak. Even though it was a shorter than normal Point Horror, it really dragged.
December 12, 2020
This is the second Point Horror story I've read and my first encounter with Sinclair Smith. Whilst not a whole lot happens, it's still a fun read for when the brain wants something light. You could kind of sympathise with the villain at the end. The only real downside was that it left me hungry and desperate for a burger!
July 5, 2025
This was so shit I actually loved it
March 10, 2022
It seems to me that I am going to have a love/hate thing going on with the books written by Sinclair Smith.
I wasn't really a fan of The Boy Next Door but I absolutely loved Dream Date and since this seems to be her first entry in the Point Horror series (from 1992)…I didn't know what to really expect. I know Smith wrote the short story Hacker in the 13 Tales book (and I enjoyed that too) but since these are supposed to be novel length, I guess I expect a little more.
Paula is the new girl in town, starting new in the middle of her junior year after she and her mother moved following her father's death. She already seems to be on the bad side of her English teacher, Mr. Woods, and the Queen Bee of the school, Coralynn, for having a friendly conversation with her boy friend Garth (notice two words...not one.)
Paula also takes on a job waitressing at Trixie's Dog House, a diner with a 50's motif, and has to deal with her boss being a little eccentric. Also, Trixie just happens to be Coralynn's aunt so she decides to give Paula quite a hard time since the girl has clearly never done this kind of work before.
Helping out at the diner are two other girls, Virgilia who goes by Virgil and Angelina who goes by Cookie, and things seem to go from bad to worse when a bunch of pranks ranging from dumb to devious begin happening the moment Paula starts her job.
And so it goes we get a bunch of red herrings, some teenage girl catfighting, some romance, our culprit reveal into an underwhelming climax, a short wrap-up of exposition and an ending that might as well have a freeze frame and a laugh track.
The characters weren't boring and the story had potential but it wasn't as good as it could have been. Showing my age but it was like watching a teen drama version of Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore mixed with the comedy angle of the TV series it spun off.
When it comes to The Waitress, I'd have it to round out your collection of Point Horror books but if you want to read it and form your own opinion...help yourself.
There are four more Sinclair Smith books I have yet to read so...oh boy.
I wasn't really a fan of The Boy Next Door but I absolutely loved Dream Date and since this seems to be her first entry in the Point Horror series (from 1992)…I didn't know what to really expect. I know Smith wrote the short story Hacker in the 13 Tales book (and I enjoyed that too) but since these are supposed to be novel length, I guess I expect a little more.
Paula is the new girl in town, starting new in the middle of her junior year after she and her mother moved following her father's death. She already seems to be on the bad side of her English teacher, Mr. Woods, and the Queen Bee of the school, Coralynn, for having a friendly conversation with her boy friend Garth (notice two words...not one.)
Paula also takes on a job waitressing at Trixie's Dog House, a diner with a 50's motif, and has to deal with her boss being a little eccentric. Also, Trixie just happens to be Coralynn's aunt so she decides to give Paula quite a hard time since the girl has clearly never done this kind of work before.
Helping out at the diner are two other girls, Virgilia who goes by Virgil and Angelina who goes by Cookie, and things seem to go from bad to worse when a bunch of pranks ranging from dumb to devious begin happening the moment Paula starts her job.
And so it goes we get a bunch of red herrings, some teenage girl catfighting, some romance, our culprit reveal into an underwhelming climax, a short wrap-up of exposition and an ending that might as well have a freeze frame and a laugh track.
The characters weren't boring and the story had potential but it wasn't as good as it could have been. Showing my age but it was like watching a teen drama version of Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore mixed with the comedy angle of the TV series it spun off.
When it comes to The Waitress, I'd have it to round out your collection of Point Horror books but if you want to read it and form your own opinion...help yourself.
There are four more Sinclair Smith books I have yet to read so...oh boy.
January 4, 2023
I have no idea what I just read
The plot was all over and I wasn't sure where it was going
The plot was all over and I wasn't sure where it was going
February 1, 2024
Fairly obvious what was going on and who the villain was. Not bad but nothing spectacular in terms of storytelling.
April 22, 2024
It was an okay read. Not much substance to it really.
August 17, 2025
3.5
Cliche, but entertaining
Cliche, but entertaining
December 5, 2017
This is definitely one of the worst Point books out there! For one thing it was only 131 pages long, so I guess there wasn't much room for character development...or even plot development! For another, I didn't really like the main character all that much, so I didn't care much what happened to her. Well, I probably would have cared if she died, 'cause that would have been taking it too far. ;) Still, she was kind of annoying and super bitchy as well, even if she sometimes had good reason to dislike Coralynn, the resident "bitch". When a chick talks about "getting rid of" another girl "...for good" just because she's going out with the guy she likes, I know she's not my kind of chick.
The dialogue was unrealistic for teen fiction, with Paula (the MC) thinking to herself at one point, Drat! I don't know any teenagers who say that word, and I didn't know any back in 1992 either when this book was published. Also, when Garth says, "You were terrific!" to me that didn't sound like a teenaged guy, at least not the teenaged guys I knew. And the one that got me the most was how Virgilia (yep, that's her name...not Virginia...note the ellipses...) and Paula were bitching about Coralynn and they called her...wait for it..."a rat!" Oh wow, what a heinous insult! I know heaps of teens who say, "You're such a rat!" (kidding, I don't and never have)
I think the writing improved as the book went on - at the start there were a LOT of ellipses, and there were quite a few throughout the text in general, too. One thing I found confusing was the huge amount of inner dialogue going on with Paula - one paragraph she'd be thinking to herself, but there was no sign of it from use of italics, etc. Then again if italics had been used for this purpose, most of the book would have been in italics, at least in certain parts!
One part that made me snort was in their dance class, where we're hearing about how the kids all love their teacher because she's "so pretty and trim". That's a great reason to love a teacher! Her looks! Well, she also "always made the class so much fun," so there was that as well I guess. But mostly it was her looks!
After the big reveal of the "bad guy" (Trixie...who I suspected at one point only because I think I remember her being the baddie from the last time I read this book), when she was being super creepy and hiding in Paula's car, and then basically holding Paula hostage before losing her knife and losing all steam too, Paula didn't seem that traumatised. The very next day she was giggling and laughing with her friends about "the rat!" (a fake rat that Trixie put in someone's dinner platter as a joke at her own place of business) Paula remembers to get serious long enough to be sad about the guy that Trixie murdered (before Paula's arrival in town), but after that it's all back to the fun and games and laughter!
All in all...when I compare this book to some of my other favourite Point books, there really is no comparison. I don't think I'll ever have to read this one again. ;) It has earned its single star, however, because it's a Point book, and that automatically gives any book a star in my opinion!
The dialogue was unrealistic for teen fiction, with Paula (the MC) thinking to herself at one point, Drat! I don't know any teenagers who say that word, and I didn't know any back in 1992 either when this book was published. Also, when Garth says, "You were terrific!" to me that didn't sound like a teenaged guy, at least not the teenaged guys I knew. And the one that got me the most was how Virgilia (yep, that's her name...not Virginia...note the ellipses...) and Paula were bitching about Coralynn and they called her...wait for it..."a rat!" Oh wow, what a heinous insult! I know heaps of teens who say, "You're such a rat!" (kidding, I don't and never have)
I think the writing improved as the book went on - at the start there were a LOT of ellipses, and there were quite a few throughout the text in general, too. One thing I found confusing was the huge amount of inner dialogue going on with Paula - one paragraph she'd be thinking to herself, but there was no sign of it from use of italics, etc. Then again if italics had been used for this purpose, most of the book would have been in italics, at least in certain parts!
One part that made me snort was in their dance class, where we're hearing about how the kids all love their teacher because she's "so pretty and trim". That's a great reason to love a teacher! Her looks! Well, she also "always made the class so much fun," so there was that as well I guess. But mostly it was her looks!
After the big reveal of the "bad guy" (Trixie...who I suspected at one point only because I think I remember her being the baddie from the last time I read this book), when she was being super creepy and hiding in Paula's car, and then basically holding Paula hostage before losing her knife and losing all steam too, Paula didn't seem that traumatised. The very next day she was giggling and laughing with her friends about "the rat!" (a fake rat that Trixie put in someone's dinner platter as a joke at her own place of business) Paula remembers to get serious long enough to be sad about the guy that Trixie murdered (before Paula's arrival in town), but after that it's all back to the fun and games and laughter!
All in all...when I compare this book to some of my other favourite Point books, there really is no comparison. I don't think I'll ever have to read this one again. ;) It has earned its single star, however, because it's a Point book, and that automatically gives any book a star in my opinion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2010
I learned nothing I didnt know already!
April 5, 2018
I used to absolutely LOVE the Point Horror books! I would go through each of them in one sitting, for the most part. They definitely tweaked my interested in the horror genre.
October 1, 2021
Last night I finished reading THE WAITRESS, by Sinclair Smith, published in 1992. This novel was one of those in the Point Horror collection of novels that were geared towards young adults/pre-teens back in the day.
This book had a pretty fun premise. Paula is hired at a restaurant called the Dog House, run by Trixie. Soon after, Paula is becoming the butt of many less than appetizing pranks. Someone is out to get her, but who?
While this book had a great premise, it fell flat on its face. The cover was very eye-catching, and it was a very fast read, very elementary school level reading (which there's nothing wrong with that), but it all just didn't build to anything thrilling, which I think was the intent of it.
I will say this, there was a scene where the person is revealed to be the one doing all the pranks and such, and it was one of the worst written scenes I've ever read, but not in a bad way, but in a so bad way that it was actually comical and campy and I loved it. The motive was so stupid it reminded me of a bad 80s horror flick or after-school special. I laughed out loud at its stupidity that I found myself enjoying it.
Maybe if that had been more consistent throughout it would have made for a better story. I'll be reading more of the Point Horror series if I can get my hands on them. Apparently, they're a kind of collector's item these days, especially the ones that were written by R.L. Stine.
All in all, it was a fun premise with a wonderful cover. I could totally see someone taking this novel and turning it into the next summer teen horror film. It just needed that added oomph to make it more engaging. THE WAITRESS by Sinclair Smith. My rating - 2/5
This book had a pretty fun premise. Paula is hired at a restaurant called the Dog House, run by Trixie. Soon after, Paula is becoming the butt of many less than appetizing pranks. Someone is out to get her, but who?
While this book had a great premise, it fell flat on its face. The cover was very eye-catching, and it was a very fast read, very elementary school level reading (which there's nothing wrong with that), but it all just didn't build to anything thrilling, which I think was the intent of it.
I will say this, there was a scene where the person is revealed to be the one doing all the pranks and such, and it was one of the worst written scenes I've ever read, but not in a bad way, but in a so bad way that it was actually comical and campy and I loved it. The motive was so stupid it reminded me of a bad 80s horror flick or after-school special. I laughed out loud at its stupidity that I found myself enjoying it.
Maybe if that had been more consistent throughout it would have made for a better story. I'll be reading more of the Point Horror series if I can get my hands on them. Apparently, they're a kind of collector's item these days, especially the ones that were written by R.L. Stine.
All in all, it was a fun premise with a wonderful cover. I could totally see someone taking this novel and turning it into the next summer teen horror film. It just needed that added oomph to make it more engaging. THE WAITRESS by Sinclair Smith. My rating - 2/5
December 26, 2025
A new start including a new job for Paula and it's just not working out! She's also on her own as her mum's out of town... noticing a theme in these re-read of the point horror books. Teens running amok and the only 'responsible' adults around turn out to be idiots or crazy...
I don't think I could Paula's job and I think Coralynn is exhausting. I wouldn't tolerate her rubbish and I'd be matching that energy!
The odd things that are going on are a little creepy but it's not clear why Paula is being targeted in the way she's being targeted. All very odd and hinting at something a little more sinister going on! The bad guy is a little unexpected and incredibly unhinged so makes for an interesting read...
I don't think I could Paula's job and I think Coralynn is exhausting. I wouldn't tolerate her rubbish and I'd be matching that energy!
The odd things that are going on are a little creepy but it's not clear why Paula is being targeted in the way she's being targeted. All very odd and hinting at something a little more sinister going on! The bad guy is a little unexpected and incredibly unhinged so makes for an interesting read...
December 10, 2023
If you love Fear Street I would highly recommend reading Point Horror books They are just as creepy and scary.
Imagine having to move schools and starting fresh again
Imagine being pranked by the most popular girl in school
Imagine thinking things cant get any worse until
The threatening calls begin
A message thrown through your window
Being chased by a car
The knife
The dead rat
Someone is out to get you, but who and why
Imagine having to move schools and starting fresh again
Imagine being pranked by the most popular girl in school
Imagine thinking things cant get any worse until
The threatening calls begin
A message thrown through your window
Being chased by a car
The knife
The dead rat
Someone is out to get you, but who and why
May 9, 2024
Not a great one. It reminded me of the 18th century novel 'The Libertines' (if anyone has read it!) : stuffed to the gills with as many tropes, fake outs, jump scares and so on as you could shake a stick at. Too many for any of them to have been done really well. It is interesting as a sort of quick run through of many of the Point Horror tropes and tactics of the era.
October 26, 2018
Just terrible. No tension, not fun, and the killer doesn't make any sense. A phoned-in book from start to finish—Sinclair, I expect better from you!
I read this for our podcast Teenage Scream, which dissects the best (and worst) of 90s Teen Horror.
https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
I read this for our podcast Teenage Scream, which dissects the best (and worst) of 90s Teen Horror.
https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream
June 26, 2019
I was expecting a bit more out of this book but overall it’s ok and a quick read for those in the mood for YA thrillers.
The protagonist got on my nerves at times, however, for being overly naive and not having much of a back bone. But I didn’t mind the book it was alright.
The protagonist got on my nerves at times, however, for being overly naive and not having much of a back bone. But I didn’t mind the book it was alright.
April 29, 2022
About what I expected for an early 90s teen horror novel. Cheesy, not scary, but nostalgic and rather fun! I think the author was trying to cram as many unusual character names as she could come up with into this book... Virgilia, Coralynn...Garth 😄
May 5, 2022
Eh this one is light on the terror. Just a few low-tech pranks (a mechanical rat lol) and a chase scene.
I thought the boss was unhinged the moment she locked her in the freezer as a ~joke the first time but I didn’t actually suspect her, whoops. What a dumb reveal tbh.
I thought the boss was unhinged the moment she locked her in the freezer as a ~joke the first time but I didn’t actually suspect her, whoops. What a dumb reveal tbh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2023
This doesn't really feel like Point Horror. The horror side feels more like an afterthought.
I think the biggest issue are the character motivations (there aren't any that make any sense) and what little plot there is drags.
It's short enough to be trashy fun.
I think the biggest issue are the character motivations (there aren't any that make any sense) and what little plot there is drags.
It's short enough to be trashy fun.
January 4, 2024
It's a decent thriller from the Point series, but it fell flat somewhere in the middle. I felt that Trixie's character was way too weird in the beginning, but after finishing the book, I can see why the author introduced her in that way. Not a great book, but it's definitely not an awful one.
July 10, 2024
Eh, it's ok. But given that it's written in the 90s, it was interesting to see horror written in those days. Trying to work through the Point Horrors I've seen in my high school library but never got a chance to read. It's short, but readable.
December 19, 2024
This was a very average Point Horror story. The things that happen to the main character are more irritating that anything else and the motivations of the perpetrator when finally revealed are so daft it negated much of the good the book did manage.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews