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Eyes of a Stranger
Shy Marissa has always enjoyed running the carousel--especially now that a handsome, blue-eyed stranger has started coming to ride. Marissa longs to take the place of the young man's beautiful, blond girlfriends. She can't help foolishly hoping to attract the stranger's attention, and she begins to wait anxiously for further visits.
But uncertainty tugs at Marissa alongside her excitement. Could it be that her stranger is somehow connected to the recent murders she's heard about in the news? The photos of the blond victims have a vague familiarity.
Then Marissa's stranger returns to the carousel, and this time he's alone.
But uncertainty tugs at Marissa alongside her excitement. Could it be that her stranger is somehow connected to the recent murders she's heard about in the news? The photos of the blond victims have a vague familiarity.
Then Marissa's stranger returns to the carousel, and this time he's alone.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 2, 1996
8 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Sharon E. Heisel
4 books7 followersHeisel was born and raised in Minnesota. After receiving a master's degree in invertebrate zoology from Portland State University, she taught seventh and eighth grade for 8 years, then went on to work as a weight-management counselor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 3, 2020
Eyes of a Stranger is a departure from Sharon E. Heisel's first two novels. A Little Magic (1991) and Wrapped in a Riddle (1993) were meant for preteens; her third book is a young-adult psychological thriller reminiscent of early Lois Duncan. Marissa Bruner is a shy student at Franklin Pierce High School. After her parents died, she moved in with her uncle Paul in a suburb of Portland, Oregon. Born with a malformed left leg, she is able to get around by herself as long as she wears a customized shoe. Her worst moments are at school, where boys mock her disability and girls avoid her. Aside from Cindy, who is ignored by most teen boys because she's plump, Marissa has no friends. Her free time is spent with Uncle Paul where they live at Salmon Creek Park, refurbishing the old-fashioned carousel he owns. Marissa is the ride operator for the carousel, and derives enjoyment from how both young and old react to the ride. She likes her job, but wishes for more pizazz from life.
Concern ripples through the community when a few local teens disappear. There's no reason to believe they ran away from home, so kidnapping is considered a possibility. Marissa makes no connection between this news and the man in his early twenties who begins showing up every Wednesday for a carousel ride. Considering how good-looking the "Mysterious Stranger" is, Marissa isn't surprised that a different blonde girl accompanies him every time, though he seems so happy with each of them. As Cindy takes new interest in Uncle Paul's carousel craftsmanship—he restores the wooden horses by hand, sometimes traveling for days to meet sellers who offer him a deal on new horses—Marissa finds herself looking forward to seeing the blue-eyed stranger once a week, imagining how it would feel if he looked at her like he does the girls he rides the carousel with. The fantasy is a comfort against the poor treatment Marissa endures at school.
But we know the truth about her Mysterious Stranger. In short, shadowy chapters that bisect Marissa's casual third-person narrative, we see Nick Farmer when he's alone. Abused by his mother until her recent death, Nick charms teenage girls so he can isolate them, then forces them into a perverse ritual that has a bloody end. None of his girls ever go home, but Nick has ways to cast suspicion onto others the police will accept as likely culprits. While Nick continues his polite, systematic extermination of blondes, the kidnappings hit close to home for Marissa: Gloria, a popular girl from school who doesn't act like Marissa is invisible, goes missing. When Marissa sees photos of the other teen victims, she notices they look a lot like her Mysterious Stranger's Wednesday carousel companions, but she isn't ready to believe it. He seems like a happy, open-hearted guy, the last person to be involved in evil. Poor Marissa...she tips her hand to Nick without a proper plan to ensure her safety, and now she's in a struggle with a crazy man to survive until authorities rescue her. No girl has lived to describe Nick's cabin of horrors in the woods, or the "Dispensation" ceremony he insists they undergo before he finishes them off. Can an orphaned loner with a gimpy leg bring an end to the local serial killer?
I see why Eyes of a Stranger was Sharon E. Heisel's only teen novel. The story is fine, but lacks the electric potency of great YA thrillers, such as the work of Robert Cormier. There isn't much of a theme, either, but if I were to identify one, it's that being the focal point of someone's existence isn't as nice as it seems from afar. Obsessive fixation most often is a curse; better to be ignored by the majority of people and have normal, easygoing relationships with a couple of friends and family members. Edwin Herder's cover art is decently evocative, the Mysterious Stranger's blue-eyed gaze layered beneath the carousel in motion. If Eyes of a Stranger isn't your cup of tea, try one of the author's previous juvenile novels—A Little Magic or Wrapped in a Riddle—which are loosely connected to each other. I'm never blown away by Sharon E. Heisel's writing, but her books satisfy.
Concern ripples through the community when a few local teens disappear. There's no reason to believe they ran away from home, so kidnapping is considered a possibility. Marissa makes no connection between this news and the man in his early twenties who begins showing up every Wednesday for a carousel ride. Considering how good-looking the "Mysterious Stranger" is, Marissa isn't surprised that a different blonde girl accompanies him every time, though he seems so happy with each of them. As Cindy takes new interest in Uncle Paul's carousel craftsmanship—he restores the wooden horses by hand, sometimes traveling for days to meet sellers who offer him a deal on new horses—Marissa finds herself looking forward to seeing the blue-eyed stranger once a week, imagining how it would feel if he looked at her like he does the girls he rides the carousel with. The fantasy is a comfort against the poor treatment Marissa endures at school.
But we know the truth about her Mysterious Stranger. In short, shadowy chapters that bisect Marissa's casual third-person narrative, we see Nick Farmer when he's alone. Abused by his mother until her recent death, Nick charms teenage girls so he can isolate them, then forces them into a perverse ritual that has a bloody end. None of his girls ever go home, but Nick has ways to cast suspicion onto others the police will accept as likely culprits. While Nick continues his polite, systematic extermination of blondes, the kidnappings hit close to home for Marissa: Gloria, a popular girl from school who doesn't act like Marissa is invisible, goes missing. When Marissa sees photos of the other teen victims, she notices they look a lot like her Mysterious Stranger's Wednesday carousel companions, but she isn't ready to believe it. He seems like a happy, open-hearted guy, the last person to be involved in evil. Poor Marissa...she tips her hand to Nick without a proper plan to ensure her safety, and now she's in a struggle with a crazy man to survive until authorities rescue her. No girl has lived to describe Nick's cabin of horrors in the woods, or the "Dispensation" ceremony he insists they undergo before he finishes them off. Can an orphaned loner with a gimpy leg bring an end to the local serial killer?
I see why Eyes of a Stranger was Sharon E. Heisel's only teen novel. The story is fine, but lacks the electric potency of great YA thrillers, such as the work of Robert Cormier. There isn't much of a theme, either, but if I were to identify one, it's that being the focal point of someone's existence isn't as nice as it seems from afar. Obsessive fixation most often is a curse; better to be ignored by the majority of people and have normal, easygoing relationships with a couple of friends and family members. Edwin Herder's cover art is decently evocative, the Mysterious Stranger's blue-eyed gaze layered beneath the carousel in motion. If Eyes of a Stranger isn't your cup of tea, try one of the author's previous juvenile novels—A Little Magic or Wrapped in a Riddle—which are loosely connected to each other. I'm never blown away by Sharon E. Heisel's writing, but her books satisfy.
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October 22, 2012Finally found this book!!! I remember checking this book out of my local Library one summer when I was in Middle School. I couldn't remember the title for the life of me and it's been haunting me since I started putting my school reads up on GoodReads. All I could remember about the book was there was a Carousel on the cover (which is what drew me to it initially) and it had to do with a serial killer.
I don't remember to much of the story save for the final scene of the book. SO glad I figured this one out, might have to go re-read this one since I clearly don't remember too much about it.
I don't remember to much of the story save for the final scene of the book. SO glad I figured this one out, might have to go re-read this one since I clearly don't remember too much about it.
April 29, 2025
So good. I’m a sucker for a carousel but I also happened to really enjoy the writing in this one! Plenty of chilling, tense moments and a bad guy that feels REALLY scary for once. I also appreciated that the main character has a physical disability (I’ve never seen this in a YA from this period) and is so fleshed out and well-written. My only gripe was that the climax felt a little long, but I did like that we get some back story for the antagonist. Definitely looking up more works by this author.
January 19, 2026
This is the author's only foray into YA thrillers in 1996 as the genre was starting to slow down. Her three other books look like more wholesome fare compared to this.
The cover art draws you in and with a title like Eyes of a Stranger, which also is the title of an 80s horror film and a Queensryche song, it can provide some creepy atmosphere.
The only reason I couldn't give it five stars is because you can tell very early where most of the plot is heading.
Marissa works selling tickets at the carousel that her uncle owns when she isn't in school. She has been living with Uncle Paul since her parents died a long time ago and even though he is her great uncle, Marissa treats him like a father. He restores old carousel horses, but Marissa has never been able to help out in his workshop.
She was born with a deformed leg where she has to wear custom shoes to make them appear as even as possible and walks with a gait. Sitting behind the ticket booth, Marissa can hide that part of herself.
Most people treat her decently but the boys she has that advantage of going to school with rate girls from 10 to 0. Her best friend is a girl named Cindy who is a little on the chubby side, and she ends up having the same artistic knack of restoration and wood carving as Uncle Paul, so Cindy is always at their home.
Marissa soon starts to notice a young man about college age with dark hair and piercing blue eyes bringing girls to the carousel. All of them are different except for the fact that they are blondes and Marissa is sure that whom she dubs The Mysterious Stranger, would never notice a shy redheaded mouse like herself. Not the way he looks at the girls when he rides on the carousel holding their hands.
Not long after each date is finished at the carousel, a picture of the girl is plastered on the news or in the local paper. One ends up being the cousin of a girl who goes to Marissa's school of Franklin Pierce High and soon, another blonde victim is a girl that Marissa and Cindy know very well.
We soon learn ourselves that the Mysterious Stranger has indeed noticed Marissa once his latest planned kill goes awry because she knows the owners of his hunting ground on the carousel. He's a serial killer with mommy issues and a hatred of blondes but he is smart enough to have a patsy to take the fall for his murders. The son of a woman he works with at the local university has had some trouble in the past with the law and he use to date one of the girls.
The only things that keep him from being a complete psychopathic genius are the fact that he has someone who knows what he looks like and he doesn't even try to give a fake name. He is ready to play a cat and mouse game but doesn't realize that Marissa is actually pretty smart despite her shyness and her physical handicap.
We don't get a lot of gory detail about what is done to the girls but just enough to linger and cause our imaginations to run away with us. The language isn't completely vulgar, but we do get a lot of misogynistic comments toward the fairer sex from our killer's point of view. A woman hater, a woman charmer, a teenager tormented and a little bit of Mommy Dearest coming out for a complete schizophrenic package.
The climax is heart-pounding, and the ending is bittersweet yet satisfying and Eyes of a Stranger is worth seeking out.
The cover art draws you in and with a title like Eyes of a Stranger, which also is the title of an 80s horror film and a Queensryche song, it can provide some creepy atmosphere.
The only reason I couldn't give it five stars is because you can tell very early where most of the plot is heading.
Marissa works selling tickets at the carousel that her uncle owns when she isn't in school. She has been living with Uncle Paul since her parents died a long time ago and even though he is her great uncle, Marissa treats him like a father. He restores old carousel horses, but Marissa has never been able to help out in his workshop.
She was born with a deformed leg where she has to wear custom shoes to make them appear as even as possible and walks with a gait. Sitting behind the ticket booth, Marissa can hide that part of herself.
Most people treat her decently but the boys she has that advantage of going to school with rate girls from 10 to 0. Her best friend is a girl named Cindy who is a little on the chubby side, and she ends up having the same artistic knack of restoration and wood carving as Uncle Paul, so Cindy is always at their home.
Marissa soon starts to notice a young man about college age with dark hair and piercing blue eyes bringing girls to the carousel. All of them are different except for the fact that they are blondes and Marissa is sure that whom she dubs The Mysterious Stranger, would never notice a shy redheaded mouse like herself. Not the way he looks at the girls when he rides on the carousel holding their hands.
Not long after each date is finished at the carousel, a picture of the girl is plastered on the news or in the local paper. One ends up being the cousin of a girl who goes to Marissa's school of Franklin Pierce High and soon, another blonde victim is a girl that Marissa and Cindy know very well.
We soon learn ourselves that the Mysterious Stranger has indeed noticed Marissa once his latest planned kill goes awry because she knows the owners of his hunting ground on the carousel. He's a serial killer with mommy issues and a hatred of blondes but he is smart enough to have a patsy to take the fall for his murders. The son of a woman he works with at the local university has had some trouble in the past with the law and he use to date one of the girls.
The only things that keep him from being a complete psychopathic genius are the fact that he has someone who knows what he looks like and he doesn't even try to give a fake name. He is ready to play a cat and mouse game but doesn't realize that Marissa is actually pretty smart despite her shyness and her physical handicap.
We don't get a lot of gory detail about what is done to the girls but just enough to linger and cause our imaginations to run away with us. The language isn't completely vulgar, but we do get a lot of misogynistic comments toward the fairer sex from our killer's point of view. A woman hater, a woman charmer, a teenager tormented and a little bit of Mommy Dearest coming out for a complete schizophrenic package.
The climax is heart-pounding, and the ending is bittersweet yet satisfying and Eyes of a Stranger is worth seeking out.
October 17, 2022
Sharon had me on the edge of my seat. A young adult novel that felt like a real suspense film. I picked it just because I share the same name as the main character but have the same love of movies with and the book exceeded my expectations. Well done!
October 8, 2025
A hot hunky killer with serious mama issues who is actually pretty dang terrifying 😱
Our protag has a disability but is resourceful and strong willed, and the reader really roots for her.
Really lovely writing and on the darker side of YA, highly recommend this one.
Our protag has a disability but is resourceful and strong willed, and the reader really roots for her.
Really lovely writing and on the darker side of YA, highly recommend this one.
March 8, 2024
I, like a few here, have searched for this book for YEARS. The last time I read this book was when I was between 8-10 years old. Rereading it as an adult... why was this in an elementary school library? Of course, I was reading Laurell K. Hamilton at 13 and 14 so... It's fairly intense in places and the only thing I can say is to describe the shock is... the rat scene in chapter 5. iykyk. I forgot that you're also reading this from the murderer's POV, which is what makes it intense, to me. It's a little off-putting that he's sorta relatable, in some instances, but the best murderers are relatable, right?
It's very reminiscent of the 90s (copyrighted in 1996 so duh) and a lot of the issues that were going on in high schools with body image and 'the rating game'. Yuck. It made me (a 90s baby) very nostalgic for pay phones. LOL
All in all, I liked this book. It was one of my favorites back then and it's STILL one of my favorites now. 90s writers weren't playing around.
I would recommend everyone to read it if only to compare it to how mystery thriller books were and are now. That'd be fun.
It's very reminiscent of the 90s (copyrighted in 1996 so duh) and a lot of the issues that were going on in high schools with body image and 'the rating game'. Yuck. It made me (a 90s baby) very nostalgic for pay phones. LOL
All in all, I liked this book. It was one of my favorites back then and it's STILL one of my favorites now. 90s writers weren't playing around.
I would recommend everyone to read it if only to compare it to how mystery thriller books were and are now. That'd be fun.
June 1, 2011
His mother freaked him up bad...
October 16, 2018
1. Marissa is a young teenager girl that lives with her Uncle Paul. Her job is working behind the stand of the carousel, making sure everyone is on and gets off safely as well as running the ride. Lately a handsome, mysterious, stranger has been coming and riding the carousel and everytime he had shown up he has brought a new girl every time. Marissa wishes it was her every time, but once that wish comes true she regrets it all.
2. This author used a couple different types of text structure such as point of view, pacing, and a little of irony. The main text structure that was used was pacing. This story started out relatively slow and towards the last chapters had sped up and it was very intense. It wasn’t much of a surprise since they switched the point of view which gave it away in the end.
3. I actually liked this book. It had a good story and plot line behind it. The story kept me interested and left me thinking about who was the next victim which was really fun. I liked the way the author had written the story and the way she kept the suspicion levels high and mysterious. I don’t usually like mystery novels but this one I did enjoy a lot and I would definitely recommend it.
2. This author used a couple different types of text structure such as point of view, pacing, and a little of irony. The main text structure that was used was pacing. This story started out relatively slow and towards the last chapters had sped up and it was very intense. It wasn’t much of a surprise since they switched the point of view which gave it away in the end.
3. I actually liked this book. It had a good story and plot line behind it. The story kept me interested and left me thinking about who was the next victim which was really fun. I liked the way the author had written the story and the way she kept the suspicion levels high and mysterious. I don’t usually like mystery novels but this one I did enjoy a lot and I would definitely recommend it.
September 21, 2025
Really enjoyed this one! Only about 160 pages. The first 100 is a slow build up and then the last 60 or so pages are very suspenseful! Like Lois Duncan but better.
-disability rep. Main character has a limp she was born with. She lives with her uncle who runs a carousel ride near his house. I thought all the carousel stuff was very unique and interesting.
-a bit depressing as the main character was always down on herself in the beginning. She’s into monster movies and compares herself to Frankenstein. But don’t worry by the end she’s a badass. I was shocked she didn’t recognize the girls’ pictures on the news though.
-very smarmy and good looking serial killer with major mommy issues
-survival horror. She has to survive him and the outdoor elements!
-late fall/winter vibes
-spoilers here: but rats and toes! 🤮
-really well written for YA published in 1996. Sad this is the authors only YA! And her middle grade books are not thrillers.
-disability rep. Main character has a limp she was born with. She lives with her uncle who runs a carousel ride near his house. I thought all the carousel stuff was very unique and interesting.
-a bit depressing as the main character was always down on herself in the beginning. She’s into monster movies and compares herself to Frankenstein. But don’t worry by the end she’s a badass. I was shocked she didn’t recognize the girls’ pictures on the news though.
-very smarmy and good looking serial killer with major mommy issues
-survival horror. She has to survive him and the outdoor elements!
-late fall/winter vibes
-spoilers here: but rats and toes! 🤮
-really well written for YA published in 1996. Sad this is the authors only YA! And her middle grade books are not thrillers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
This was a book I remember reading maybe in middle school or early high school years. I decided to reread it now to see if I still liked it as much I remembered. I still enjoyed it. I love the imagery in this book and the way the main character is so loved by those in her life, despite her struggles. Reading it now as an adult and more avid reader did make me realize some things though. I think the book could have benefited from being a little longer. I would have liked to see the relationship between the main character and the killer develop a little more before the action ramps up. I also wish we would have had a little more information on him and what happened after she was saved. Overall, I did still enjoy the book and it was a nice, quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2019
I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, during that time I knew this would be a 4 or 5 star book, but alas, the last 1/4 was nothing but chases. I really am not into those kinds of stories and it really dragged on. It really changed the whole mood of the book for me and left me quite disappointed.
May 6, 2023
Once again, this book had so much potential but it wasn't bad for a young-adult book. This easily could have been made into a longer, in depth adult book as well. I need answers though!! It just skipped ahead and ended, I want to know what happens to mysterious gentleman but I guess we'll leave it up to our imaginations..
April 15, 2022
Very easy read. But if definitely was written for younger audiences. I just felt like there were a lot of plot holes and it didn’t describe everything well. It was one of those books that was fine to read if you just have a short amount of time but never really pulls you in.
August 3, 2020
A lower key thriller than some, but still an enjoyable read.
October 19, 2023
The book that got me into thrillers in middle school, I still love it!!
December 27, 2023
This book is probably best suited for the younger reader--Jr. High or better. Done in good taste.
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January 15, 2026I read this ages ago (in middle school?). I misremembered it as Lois Duncan, which is exactly the vibe.
September 30, 2012
I was very excited to read this book. The cover is what made me grab it from the shelf, it really gave that eerie feeling. Though, the feeling did not last as I thought it would. Suspense is there, but it was not enough to reel you in.
The plot is what made me read it, but the characters is what made me withdrawn from the book. The killer was not intimidating enough, for me to believe that he can exist in reality. His ways of exterminating his victims, were not as shocking or alarming, it did not gave me the feeling of being frightened. The main character Marissa had a strong characteristic towards the end of the book, but in the beginning, I felt that she was shortened of a personality. I guess, I am a suckers for characters for a book to be readable, that's what makes the book hard to put down.
Even though, I did not come to love the book, it was still an okay read. Curiosity what made me pull through in the end, though it was short, I wish it made a big impact on me.
The plot is what made me read it, but the characters is what made me withdrawn from the book. The killer was not intimidating enough, for me to believe that he can exist in reality. His ways of exterminating his victims, were not as shocking or alarming, it did not gave me the feeling of being frightened. The main character Marissa had a strong characteristic towards the end of the book, but in the beginning, I felt that she was shortened of a personality. I guess, I am a suckers for characters for a book to be readable, that's what makes the book hard to put down.
Even though, I did not come to love the book, it was still an okay read. Curiosity what made me pull through in the end, though it was short, I wish it made a big impact on me.
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March 17, 2009This is a scary story about a handsome serial killer who chases after a "gimpy" girl who works at a carnival working the carisol. She is not very popular so when this man says she is interested in her she falls head over uneven heels for him. He finally tries to take her out for his own enjoyment but she is smart and figures out how to escape.
July 26, 2023
What I didn't like:
1) The writing was juvenile.
2) I didn't like any of the characters
3) The book was too short and the action was at the end.
What I liked:
1) I liked the killer perspective and how he was unprodicable
2) I liked the setting
1) The writing was juvenile.
2) I didn't like any of the characters
3) The book was too short and the action was at the end.
What I liked:
1) I liked the killer perspective and how he was unprodicable
2) I liked the setting
June 5, 2015
Although I enjoyed the story, I wish there had been more pages in this book. I loved the action packed moments, but I felt like there could have been more of these. I always root for the villain, so I was a bit disappointed as to how this story ended. But it was good over all.
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October 2, 2009this is a great thriller and it made me read while i was crossing the street. this is a must read for anyone who loves a good suspense book!
July 28, 2011
OMG, I suddenly remember this book!! I loved it...very creepy and compelling. I have to re-read it!
October 5, 2011
Definitely a book that made an impression. I read this book in middle school and I remember being haunted by the imagery and the characters... Still sticks with me.
June 7, 2013
Absolutely loved it! A mix between YA and Mature.
January 17, 2014
The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I feel like it was over before it really began, I wish it would have went a little more in depth and really drug out the suspense.
May 29, 2016
Amazing characters! I was swept in immediately and truly felt like I knew these characters. Great read, quite suspenseful.
July 9, 2025
I do not remember what year I read this book, I think I was in middle school. My middle school teacher wrote it! It is an excellent thrilling read!
Currently reading
April 14, 2010ok im need to finsh this one so i could die happy.. jaja lol
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews