The Dummy

Nightmare Hall #28

by Diane Hoh

Participating in a fun skit for a school Halloween bash, a teenage girl decides to liven up the act by using a ventriloquist dummy, with horrific and deadly results. Original.

Genres: Young Adult, Horror

229 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Diane Hoh is the author of fifty-seven novels for young adults. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Austin, Texas. Reading and writing are her favorite things, alongside gardening and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Erica Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You really are a dummy.”

The vibe: Mean Girls x a laughably bad Halloween party act x a lesson in fidelity

Not a slasher, no killer body count. But it’s fun.

I had some Thoughts on this one, mostly centered around this whole dummy theme (which, I love and was done well and referenced throughout the entire book):

- You mean to tell me there’s a town ventriloquist so popular, he charges top dollar and the party host at this college is so bummed he can’t afford him, so he insists on the protag to fill in because the party NEEDS a ventriloquist?
- Wait, college kids WANT to see a ventriloquist act??
- Honestly love the idea of this ghost dress code for a Halloween party and everyone showing up in sheets. Plus, the anonymity makes it extra spooky when the killer shows up, of course
- Sooo I was worried when it was mentioned how Fiona was small, so little, that she’d be perfect to play the “dummy” in the act, that she was a little person. But no, she’s just about 5 ft tall. Are we supposed to believe that everyone was convinced a 5 ft tall young woman covered in a ghost sheet was actually a real dummy during the act? Not even child size, let alone doll-sized.
- lol at ground black pepper in the eyes as being a deterrent during an act of self-defense (second time
I’ve seen this in a book)
- The attacks are wild! Prop guillotine that’s not so fake, tied to a chair and scorched by light bulbs, and my personal favorite: ATTEMPTED MURDER BY WAGON WHEEL
- Poor Fiona, really. Nobody likes her and she gets framed for no reason
- Killer reveal was a surprise, but only for the reasoning/motivation
- Boys can’t be trusted (Maguire is still pretty sketch tbh)

Please tell me if you read this one lol, it’s amazing

[Kasey Loftis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Every Nightmare Hall book that I have read. None have disappointed yet.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very Halloweeny. Also the little person character Fiona acting as a ventriloquist dummy made me feel a big icky. It wouldn’t be written that way today. I was hoping the dummy would come alive and be more like a creature like Slappy from Goosebumps. The writing is also a bit dry. The characters don’t talk to each other like people would in real life. It suspended my disbelief when the characters went on a scavenger hunt at the party after the first near death experience. And then there was a second near death experience that finally ended the party.

[Debbie Akers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this one from a Half Price Books Halloween display which featured some “retro” reads such as this. It’s a young adult horror/thriller I got mostly for the cover. I had never heard of this series, but I’d have loved it as a teen! (How did I miss it?) The story is surprisingly unique and creepy. Fans of Christopher Pike likely would enjoy.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is no way I read this one as a kid, because I would have remembered it.

This one was appallingly bad, and made me really uncomfortable. In what universe is it acceptable to use a little person as a "live dummy" in a ventriloquist act?

[absolutely _ grim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't connect with anything or anyone in the story whatsoever.

I do like how cozy and comforting Diane Hoh's writing is.