The Headless Ghost

Goosebumps #37

by R.L. Stine

THEY'VE GOT A REAL HEAD START...

Everyone knows about Hill House. It's the biggest tourist attraction in town. That's because it's haunted. Haunted by the ghost of a thirteen-year-old boy. A boy with no head!

Duane and Stephanie love Hill House. It's dark. And creepy. And totally scary.

Still, they've never actually seen the ghost. Until the night they decide to go on a search. A search for his head...

Genres: Horror, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery

113 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

About the author

Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.

R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.

Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.

http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...

Reviews

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a pretty damn good twist, definitely enjoyed this one.

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

#37 "Major headache!"
Dwayne and Stephanie love the creepy tourist attraction called Hill House. It's dark and spooky and supposedly haunted by a thirteen-year-old boy with no head. One night Stephanie and Duane decide to go looking for the boy's severed head and things end up getting a little too real for them.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ive always enjoyed ghost stories, so these spooky entries were amongst my favourites as a kid.

Duane and Stephanie like taking the tour of Hill House, as it’s believed to be haunted. There’s a story behind every door...

I loved the various tales within the story, it wouldn’t be a Goosebumps book without a great fun twist at the end!

[Lexy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing it made me shake a little bit which I like and it's really short so it was easy to get through.

[Figgy]

This was my first ever Goosebumps book!

I got it through book club when I was in year 3, I guess, based on the year of publication? I would have been 7, and this is it, THE book that got me started down the horror road (followed by many a Goosebumps book thereafter - Ghost Beach sticks in my memory - and lots of grown-up horror that I was WAY too young for).

Today I saw it at a book fair for $5, and I had been thinking about it recently, after seeing a booktuber’s journey through the books she read as a child. So I am the proud owner of it once again, and will be reading it soon.

Fingers crossed it holds up to my fond memories!

[Charlene (Char)🍁☕️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like reliving that childhood scholastic ride. Growing up these books were all at the fairs, now being an adult I have a great appreciation for these books. They definitely have shaped my childhood.

This book is about two friends, Stephanie and Duane known as The Twin Terrors of Wheeler Falls. They get their kicks by scaring others and causing mischief at nightfall. Stephanie decides this no longer has the same thrill anymore and sets her sights on Hill House. A haunted mansion in their town that has mysteries of their own. One night they decide to do some exploring and they stumble upon a ghost. This begins their adventure into an unforgettable night.

Describe this book in three words: Adventurous, enchanting and mysterious.

This book was 113 pages so it was a quick read for me. If you want a hearty dose of nostalgia, this is definitely the book for you.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, this book was WAY better than I expected! For being #37 in the series, you'd think that R.L. Stine would be running out of ideas but NOPE! This book had an amazing twist ending (that I did see coming) but I still enjoyed it none the less. The surprise and suspense in this book was absolutely amazing, spooky and hilarious (since I'm an adult now... as a kid, it was absolutely horrifying!).

Dwayne and Stephanie live in a city where there's a Haunted House on display all year round. There's ghost stories and crazy theories about the place, which is perfect for them since they love scaring everyone in the neighbourhood. In said Hill House (honestly wondered if The Haunting of Hill House had any relation to this book but it's probably just a ghostly coincidence), there is a mystery about the boy who lost his head. Our dynamic duo get themselves into some massive trouble and must find said head to try to free themselves. Along the way, there's ghosts, dumb adults (a staple in the Goosebumps universe) and spooky stories!

I seriously love the ghost stories and goofy pranks riddled throughout this book. As an adult, I don't find myself scared as much with these books but I was excited in anticipation for the ending. I have to say this is one of the better Goosebumps books and I'd definitely recommend it! It's a fun and wild ride!

Four out of five stars! This creepy book was a real treat!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing I love more than a good ghost story and this has it all! A haunted house, a headless ghost, action, kids who are scare junkies (that honestly kind of reminded me of myself 😂) I loved this so much.
Short and sweet! 5/5 for sure!

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh, the Goosebump days. I would borrow so many of these from the library they seriously considered extending my limit of books checked out at one time. R.L. Stine you were a reprieve from a harsh and dreary childhood in which my mind wandered far away from the troubles of the day. I stole books into my bed and read far into the night by the faintest of lights. I might have better eyesight were it not for you; however, I regret not one page or line.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goosebumps. This is the series that kept me reading through my childhood. More than any other series, Goosebumps kept me interested in reading, and R.L. Stein is a wonderful children's writer. I applaud his efforts, and can't express enough my gratitude for the series.

[Yv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit was echt mijn favoriet uit de Kippevel-reeks! Volgens mij heb ik zelfs een keer op mijn kop gekregen van de meester toen ik voor de derde keer een boekverslag voor dit boek probeerde in te leveren hahaha. De tweede keer zag hij nog door de vingers omdat het zoveel schrijfwerk was geweest (jaja, die tijd zonder computers he :P), maar de derde keer moest ik echt een ander boek gaan lezen. BUMMER

Heb 'm helaas niet meer, heb de hele reeks vorig jaar aan het nichtje van een vriendin gegeven. Maar oh, wat heb ik een spijt!! Zou 'm zo nog een keer of 10 lezen, wat een heerlijk verhaal was dit toch! Genoeg spanning, genoeg rariteiten en genoeg actie, maar toch allemaal niet over-the-top, zodat het leuk bleef om te lezen, met een gezonde kriebel van spanning in de buik.

[Shadyside Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say, as far as a ghostly, haunted house type of story, this book definitely gave Welcome to Dead House a run for its money! Right from the beginning there were lots of creepy moments and they really just never stopped. The spooky vibe was maintained throughout the entire book and really made this one of the scariest goosebumps books I’ve ever read. Without a doubt would’ve given me nightmares as a kid.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trouble started a few weeks ago when Stephanie got bored.

Idle hands are the devil's workshop!
...

This book has an awesome opening chapter.

Stephanie Alpert and I haunt our neighborhood.

We got the idea last Halloween.

There are a lot of kids in our neighborhood, and we like to haunt them and give them a little scare.

Sometimes we sneak out late at night in masks and stare into kids' windows. Sometimes we leave rubber hands and rubber fingers on windowsills. Sometimes we hide disgusting things in mailboxes.

Soemtimes Stephanie and I duck down behind bushes or trees and make the most frightening sounds - animal howls or ghastly moans. Stephanie can do a terrifying werewolf howl. And I can toss my head back and shriek loud enough to shake the leaves on the trees.

We keep almost all the kids on our block pretty frightened.

The best friends toss fake spiders into kids' beds from open windows, and put chicken bones in mailboxes. The only problem is, after doing all this for a year, Stephanie is bored. Duane isn't - unlike Stephanie, he's not a daredevil and doesn't really enjoy being frightened (although he spends a lot of time frightening others.)

Stephanie thinks of a great idea to alleviate their boredom - explore the Hill House. Everyone knows that the Hill House is the site of many deaths, most noticeably one of a 13-year-old boy whose head was ripped off by a sea captain's ghost. Yeah.

Stephanie and Duane - being the "Twin Terrors of Wheeler Falls" - have taken the tour literally hundreds of times. They actually have the tour memorized and they don't even have to pay to get in anymore because they've come so many times.

But Stephanie is determined to find out where the boy's head is hidden in Hill House. It must be somewhere, right? Everyone knows the headless body of the boy wanders the house every night in search of it. She wants to sneak away from the tour group and find it once and for all.

Duane doesn't think this idea is so hot, but of course he can't let her think he's chicken! So they sneak away from the tour group - but not before Duane notices a boy staring at them. A boy who wasn't there when the tour started...
...

This book is great, a fun rollicking ride full of scares (real and imagined) and replete with twists and turns. The ending is a little ... iffy, but compared to some of Stine's more nutty stuff - I'll take it.

The boy is Seth, who claims to be the ghost and says he wants Duane's head. In fleeing from him, Duane and Stephanie find the actual head, and the real headless ghost swoops down to take it. Seth was just Otto (the tour guide)'s nephew. But then, in a bizarre twist ending, Stephanie and Duane - who haven't been on a Hill House tour in months - decide to go back and take a tour for old times sake. After the tour, on their way out, they are stopped by the cops who ask them, "What were you doing up at Hill House?" They tell the cops they were taking a tour and the cops laugh. Turns out Hill House was shut down three months ago. The panicked kids look back at the house to see that the two tour guides are ghosts, staring at them.

Okay, at first that seems really scary. But then I was like, "Well, were they always ghosts? Or were they giving tours for years and then were murdered? And what about Seth? He's Otto's nephew. Is he a ghost? Obviously not, right? So... Otto MUST have died recently, because Seth wouldn't be acting normal around a ghost uncle! I don't know, there were too many plot holes in this ending that I wanted explained.

Tl;dr - Even though the ending was a bit questionable, this is a solid Goosebumps entry that is sure to pack thrills and chills for the younger set. Gotta love a good ghost story! :)

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Headless Ghost

What I thought about this book as a kid:I actually don't have a ton of nostalgia for The Headless Ghost.I mostly remember reading this book when I was a kid under a lamp when it was dark and I remember finding two copies of this book both with the front cover torn off.I remember looking on the back to get the small window of the cover art.I did think it was ironically funny that the front was taken off and thinking that was kinda the head of the book.I remember liking the descriptions of Hill House and forgetting how The Headless Ghost became Headless.

Plot:This book stars Duane and Stephanie,two kids who go by the nickname the twin terrors,because they enjoy scaring other people.They love sneaking outside and howling and throwing fake bugs on kids through windows,and in one of the more annoying pranks they do,they put chicken bones in people's mailboxes.The kids enjoy this and all,but they want more.We learn that there is this house in this town that is supposedly haunted.They have these haunted tours at night and stuff.The house is called Hill House and it has alot of scary stories,like these couple that wakes up with a mysterious purple rash,a story about a sea captian getting lost at sea and when he comes back his wife is gone.There is also the story of The Headless Ghost.This one is about this michevious kid named Andrew,who sneaks off and gets his head pulled off.Now some say he is out looking for his head.The kids get this great idea to go to Hill House and sneak away from the group to look for the head.They go on the tour and see this kid staring at them.They end up sneaking away and there is a few jump scares scattered throughout along with some actually scary scenes.I loved the scene where they hear people talking and go into a room and nobody's there.They end up getting caught and told to go home.On the way they meet the kid that was staring at them.He introduces himself as Seth.Seth claims they can sneak back inside and he knows where they can see an actual ghost.

What I thought about this book as an adult:I had alot more fun with this book this time around I think.I loved all of the stories about the Ghosts.I also have to mention the dumbwaiter story.It's fun too.I will say there were times where I was a little torn on this book .I felt like majority of this book is just kids exploring the house and telling scary ghost stories.I didn't remember anything about Seth or any of the twists.I'll even say one of the twists got me.This is a book I read as a kid,so that's shocking.I give The Headless Ghost a four out of five stars.

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 3 out of 5]

Λίγο κοινότυπο και κάπως βαρετό. Αρκετά προβλέψιμο και χωρίς κάποια ιδιαίτερη ανατροπή, ενώ θα έλεγα πως στερούταν δράσης ενώ θα μπορούσε να μας έχει προσφέρει το κάτι παραπάνω. Παρ' όλα ταύτα, διαβάζεται αρκετά ευχάριστα, ενώ δεν παύει να είναι ένα εύκολο κι ανάλαφρο ανάγνωσμα που πετυχαίνει το στόχο του σε επίπεδο ψυχαγωγίας.

[Zoey De Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed, I am expecting much more from this story and it doesnt exceed it for me, but still not bad, also problem I have is the main ghost doesnt do any threatening actions until the last 10 pages and all problems were resolve within like less than 3 pages, Also the end sucks. Most generic book ever with some cool scenes, not bad but not one of the best Goosebumps book in my opinion

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another twist ending that makes you wanna go, "OooOoOoOoOOOh" like a ghost! I had fun with this one but it was not as amazing as I remember - which is valid. I love the idea of a haunted house that is so big that 2 kids keep doing tour after tour to see it all and try and solve the legend of the headless ghost. The ending was superb and this is going to be one to re-read around Halloween for years to come!

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent a month re-reading all 62 original Goosebumps books to see if they still hold up today, you can check out my 3.5 hour vlog here: https://youtu.be/2C73xc1FS5o

You can also check out my entire ranking of the original Goosebumps books where I review them from worst to best here: https://youtu.be/lBfaxCOwAnA

[Miriam Vries · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wat een maf boek. Een aantal dingen waren minder, maar de plottwist was goed!

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to love the Goosebumps books when I was in elementary school. I mean I seriously loved them. They used to scare the crap out of me. I remember having to keep 'Welcome to Dead House' in my nightstand drawer because looking at it gave me the creeps. I eventually graduated to the Fear Street books, and I loved those too.

Reading this book as an adult makes me miss being a kid. If I was in elementary school I would have read this at night snuggled under my comforter, and I would have gotten chills flipping through the pages as fast as I could read them. As an adult, it's chills and thrills are lost on me. So sad.

[David Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kinda lame. Written well, but not at all that exciting. I must say this book may be too gruesome for children. There are "stories" that are told about the old house that are too gross for children. I can understand why some schools never carried the entire Goosebumps collection. Anyways we have two kids getting a tour of a house with many sick death stories...not very exciting. Then they look for some ghosts and stuff happens. Nothing too exciting that, nothing really suspenseful. The first few chapters ended in a dud. Not real page turners like the other books. Im not a real fan of ghost stories, just because...well their ghost, Im more afraid of humans than ghosts!

[Rachael Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still creepy as ever! It's a little cheesy, but it doesn't hurt the story. And that ending was quite unexpected!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! This was a fun one for sure. I love the more ghost-y haunted house-y ones!

[Jolanda Wieling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zo leuk om deze verhalen reeks weer te lezen, in mijn jeugd veel leuke momenten mee beleefd
Wat een heerlijke nostalgie :)

[Daniel Stalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the way that The Headless Ghost shook up the tried and true Goosebumps format ever so slightly. Getting the background on Hill House and the Twin Terrors helped define the two main characters right out of the gate. There were some great ghost stories woven into the plot. The atmosphere is foreboding. Some of the visuals were among the goriest since Welcome to Dead House. The ending felt rushed, especially when you consider how short of a Goosebumps book this was. I got the sense the book had so many short chapters because it otherwise would have clocked in at under 100 pages. Where it succeeded in being creepy, The Headless Ghost stuck pretty close to familiar ghost tropes. It would have benefitted from leaning a bit more into its weirder elements, and I really wish it had. I also wish it had done more to weave the disparate ghost stories together. Shortcomings aside, The Headless Ghost managed to be one of the stronger and more enjoyable books in the series so far.

Score: 4

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[Rosanna]

Eleonora, a 8 anni circa, scriveva sotto il titolo: "La storia la conoscevo già"

Sorrido...ma quanto mi piace spulciare tra i libri altrui?

[Theodora Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Why do people suddenly start laughing when they’re terrified? I guess it’s because if you don’t laugh, you’ll scream.” Truly enjoying the nostalgia.

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5 ☆☆☆☆

[Damian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The headless ghost I think is the scariest Goosebumps book because of the detail in the book. I also really liked the storyline about the headless ghost.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book, it was fun, creepy and it had a good ending!

I didn't particularly love the kids at first, but slowly I started to warm up to them, I noticed that they were just bored, that they never really harmed anyone and that they also slowly were changing for the better. Most of their changing had to do with the stuff they encountered/saw in the Hill House. Which, I guess, would change anyone.

Though, once again, this is one book where I wonder what is up with the parents. These two are wandering outside at night, no one ever notices they are gone. It just felt strange, and yes, we did get an explanation. The parents are apparently heavy sleepers... Sure, sure. *rolls eyes*

The ghost/Hill House stuff was awesome. It was really creepy and it gave me goosebumps (as I was hoping it would). I didn't trust Seth from the beginning, and I was right, though he also turned out to be something different than what I expected.

And then we have the ending. As many know, I am not always happy with the endings to Goosebumps (or most of R.L. Stine's books), but this one, it was just perfect. It made a lot of sense and it gave it just a little bit more creepiness.

Goosebumps have been a hit/miss series for me, so I am delighted that I found another book that I really like. I will keep on trying out books from this series and I hope to find another one that I like soon again.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes I would. This one is creepy, fun and you will end up really liking the main characters.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/