Very hard not to change my five star ratings on any of these Fear Street books when I can remember them so vividly as I re-read them even if some of them have been a long time back in middle or high school.
The first Super Chiller, a memorable cover and quite an exciting and interesting plot round it up to five stars thanks to nostalgia. The summary on the back has one little mistake and well...I'll get to the other matter soon.
Cari Taylor can't wait to get away from Shadyside for the summer...away from Fear Street and who wouldn't really?
Not to mention overprotective parents and an annoying younger sibling but there are her friends Jan, Craig and Eric coming along. Jan's Aunt Rose is a writer wanting to go and visit a beach resort off of Cape Cod to finish her work, inviting her niece and her friends along.
It's not exactly a free ride as the teens will be working at the hotel but they get to use the pool and the beach and hang out with other teens for most of the summer. Cari can't wait despite the fact that she thinks Eric is kind of cute but perhaps there is a summer romance ahead...
Jan is more thrilled because she is sure that the hotel they will be staying at is probably haunted since it is on the New England coast. Jan is big into ghosts and the strange and unusual to the dismay of her friends even though Craig and Eric get a kick out of teasing her about it.
When the name of the hotel is called The Howling Wolf Inn, wouldn't you think it was haunted?
Cari's mother thinks it sounds like something out of a bad horror movie and she couldn't be that far off from how this whole thing is going to go...
On the drive, Rose starts feeling really sick and they stop at her sister's where she decides to stay and rest and not go to a doctor, telling Jan and her friends that they can catch their ride to the island alone and take the next boat out to the island once she feels better.
At first reluctant, Jan gives in and the four teenagers head out and catch their boat on-time. Once there, no one meets them so they walk to the hotel and knock on the door.
A man answers and tells them they are closed in a not so nice manner. Seconds later, a different man opens the door and apologizes for the rudeness of his servant, Martin. Dressed dapper for almost an African safari is white-haired, white-mustached he introduces himself as Simon Fear the Third.
That should be a clue to send them running for the shore but no, they enter the hotel and find that it is deserted of any guests or employees. Simon says he wrote a letter to Rose telling her to postpone the trip a few more weeks as they are renovating the inn but have hit a snag with the workers leaving for another job.
In the middle of one job for another? I've heard of some hinky contractors but a whole crew?
Another red flag chosen to be ignored.
This has made Simon postpone the opening of the hotel for the summer so no jobs for Jan, Cari, Eric and Craig but...they do get full use of the pool and beach until they can reach Jan's Aunt Rose and go back home.
So that their "Party Summer" doesn't have to be over so soon, the teens convince Simon to let them help with the work and he agrees. Martin isn't happy and says it is too dangerous for inexperienced workers let alone four teenagers.
It seems like Martin doesn't want them here doesn't it?
They get shown to their rooms and that is when the trouble begins. Cari hears voices whispering her name in the halls, Jan claims to see the ghost of a woman in white and there is a sticky substance found on the doorknobs.
Protoplasma, the sure sign of a spectral presence.
There is also Edward, Simon's brother. The complete opposite of distinguished and jovial Simon with the patch over his eye roaming the halls but so far only Cari has seen him. It isn't too long after that Cari also hears another voice.
The clear voice of a woman arguing with either Simon or Edward:
"No party! Please...no party!"
So much for a "Party Summer" right? Well not the way Cari and the others had planned that's for sure and it just goes from bad to worse when Jan goes missing.
The others search for Jan and overhear an argument between Simon, Edward and the mysterious woman that soon escalates and ends in the sound of a gunshot.
Simon Fear The Third is dead at the hands of his clearly unstable brother Edward...Jan is missing and that's just the warm-up because Cari, Eric and Craig are about to find out just what sort of party awaits...
I didn't hide this review because a few of the spoilers are on the very back of the book in the description so yeah no blood dripping from the walls and faucets...but it doesn't spoil everything.
The flow is fine but once we get to the twists...the narrative starts to trickle out. Smooth sailing, a few tidal waves and then just...nothing.
Ends in typical Stine fashion of a snarky quip and then you can just imagine a freeze frame or audience applause.
For a summer read on the beach, it's still a pretty good mystery.
Haven't read Party Summer? I'd still recommend it. It's the first Super Chiller and still a fairly early Fear Street entry but it is worth a read.
Even if you only read it once...