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The Body
No one knows what really happened the night Lisa Randolph fell off the cliff. And it seems that no one ever will—for the accident has left her paralyzed and mute.
Then Melanie is hired to read to Lisa. And soon she realizes Lisa is desperately trying to tell her something, something too deadly for words...
If Melanie doesn't piece the clues together before it's too late, Lisa's gruesome secret could stay buried... for ever...
Then Melanie is hired to read to Lisa. And soon she realizes Lisa is desperately trying to tell her something, something too deadly for words...
If Melanie doesn't piece the clues together before it's too late, Lisa's gruesome secret could stay buried... for ever...
195 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
7 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
Carol Ellis
90 books91 followersCarol Ellis is an American author of young adult and children’s fiction. Her first novel, My Secret Admirer, was published in 1989 by Scholastic as part of their popular Point Thriller line.
She went on to write over fifteen novels, including a few titles in the Zodiac Chillers series published by Random House in the mid-1990s, and two titles in The Blair Witch Files series for young adults, published by Bantam between 2000 and 2001.
She went on to write over fifteen novels, including a few titles in the Zodiac Chillers series published by Random House in the mid-1990s, and two titles in The Blair Witch Files series for young adults, published by Bantam between 2000 and 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 24, 2021
I thought the book was pretty good, but, ye gods, Melanie ran her mouth too much! You don’t go telling people stuff that is private!! I would not have trusted anyone to tell them anything!
Mel 🐶🐺🖤🐾
Mel 🐶🐺🖤🐾
June 29, 2019
It only took the first chapter to vividly remind me that I’d read this Point Horror as a teen.
Admittedly this one feels like a product of its time, but it didn’t stop me having a fun nostalgic feel towards it.
Melanie I’d hired to read to Lisa, a teen who’d recently became paralysed and mute after a serious accident.
Melanie soon realises that Lisa is trying to communicate as she reads her ‘Jane Eyre’.
It’s a nice engaging mystery that slowly drips enough information to keep the reader guessing.
A noticeable PH trope is the referencing of a noticeable work of fiction, but it’s used to get effect with Brontë classic in this enjoyable entry in the range.
Admittedly this one feels like a product of its time, but it didn’t stop me having a fun nostalgic feel towards it.
Melanie I’d hired to read to Lisa, a teen who’d recently became paralysed and mute after a serious accident.
Melanie soon realises that Lisa is trying to communicate as she reads her ‘Jane Eyre’.
It’s a nice engaging mystery that slowly drips enough information to keep the reader guessing.
A noticeable PH trope is the referencing of a noticeable work of fiction, but it’s used to get effect with Brontë classic in this enjoyable entry in the range.
March 27, 2021
A quick read with some of my favourite HA crew. our protagonist was a bit of a motor-mouth and not necessarily on the bright side (I would have used a more simple communication system with the victim), but a silly fun who-dunnit read anyway.
March 19, 2021
Don’t tell any secrets to motor mouth Melanie because she’ll tell everyone! Unfortunately Lisa doesn’t know that and tries so hard to tell Melanie what happened to her. With her telling everyone she knows that Lisa is trying to communicate, is the killer after Melanie now? The end for me was problematic.
December 1, 2023
3,5*
This Point Horror book is definitely not like the others. This mystery felt more mature and definitely more like an Agathy Christie novel and that is something that you do not always get with point Horror books.
In an interesting way it reminded me of The Only One Left by Riley Sager.
Melanie has been hired to read to Lisa. Lisa had an accident that has left her in a wheelchair and also made her lose her voice. Unable to speak, nobody knows what truly happened to Lisa and if it indeed was an accident.
Melanie creates a unique bond with Lisa and will try to uncover the mystery of Lisa's fall.
However the closer she gets to the truth, the more she is putting Lisa and herself in terrible danger.
This was a quick and entertaining whodunit and even though you might see where things are going, it is one of the best Point Horror books I have read. Maybe because this truly felt like an interesting mystery to solve and there were no annoying teens.
This Point Horror book is definitely not like the others. This mystery felt more mature and definitely more like an Agathy Christie novel and that is something that you do not always get with point Horror books.
In an interesting way it reminded me of The Only One Left by Riley Sager.
Melanie has been hired to read to Lisa. Lisa had an accident that has left her in a wheelchair and also made her lose her voice. Unable to speak, nobody knows what truly happened to Lisa and if it indeed was an accident.
Melanie creates a unique bond with Lisa and will try to uncover the mystery of Lisa's fall.
However the closer she gets to the truth, the more she is putting Lisa and herself in terrible danger.
This was a quick and entertaining whodunit and even though you might see where things are going, it is one of the best Point Horror books I have read. Maybe because this truly felt like an interesting mystery to solve and there were no annoying teens.
November 15, 2020
Teenager Melanie is new in town and looking for a part-time job before the school term starts. She ends up getting paid to read to a girl the same age as her, Lisa, who was recently in an accident and cannot move or speak. Melanie suspects that Lisa has something she needs to tell her so she has to figure out a way to communicate.
I really liked the gothic atmosphere of this story. There's a large and brooding house on the cliffs, a mystery to be solved, and everybody is a suspect! The book Melanie reads to Lisa is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte so I'm sure fans of that book will enjoy that element. (I have not read it yet so I no doubt missed some references!) I enjoyed how the book was incorporated into the story and to the way the two girls communicate with each other. Melanie slowly uncovers clues as to what really happened to Lisa and while the development of the story wasn't completely unpredictable I really enjoyed how the story played out and how it ended.
I really liked the gothic atmosphere of this story. There's a large and brooding house on the cliffs, a mystery to be solved, and everybody is a suspect! The book Melanie reads to Lisa is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte so I'm sure fans of that book will enjoy that element. (I have not read it yet so I no doubt missed some references!) I enjoyed how the book was incorporated into the story and to the way the two girls communicate with each other. Melanie slowly uncovers clues as to what really happened to Lisa and while the development of the story wasn't completely unpredictable I really enjoyed how the story played out and how it ended.
December 16, 2017
Melanie moves to a new town with her parents. It's summer & she's bored since she's the new girl & doesn't have many friends. She looks in the paper & finds a job for reading 1 hour a day.
She starts her new job. As Melanie reads to Lisa (who was paralyzed from a fall that should of killed her), Lisa starts giving Mel clues from the book by either moving her hand or fingers.
Over time, Mel confides her friend Trina & Lisa's boyfriend Garrett. Mel thinks that one of Lisa's friends hates her. Which leads to Melanie believing that Lisa's friend is leaving her messages. One in the book & 2 at Melanie's home. She eventually becomes suspicious of anyone with contact to Lisa.
Over time, Melanie puts all the clues from Lisa together & figures out who hurt Lisa. It was Lisa's boyfriend Garrett.
Not only did he hurt Lisa, but he also killed a hlguy that Lisa had befriended.
At the end after everything came to light, I'm the middle of trying to get Garrett to drop his knife, Lisa screams! This shocks everyone because they were told that she was mute from the fall.
Lisa's dad calls her doctor & trlls her about the scream. The Dr said that Lisa may start talking again soon.
Overall, not a bad book. Might read this book again.
She starts her new job. As Melanie reads to Lisa (who was paralyzed from a fall that should of killed her), Lisa starts giving Mel clues from the book by either moving her hand or fingers.
Over time, Mel confides her friend Trina & Lisa's boyfriend Garrett. Mel thinks that one of Lisa's friends hates her. Which leads to Melanie believing that Lisa's friend is leaving her messages. One in the book & 2 at Melanie's home. She eventually becomes suspicious of anyone with contact to Lisa.
Over time, Melanie puts all the clues from Lisa together & figures out who hurt Lisa. It was Lisa's boyfriend Garrett.
Not only did he hurt Lisa, but he also killed a hlguy that Lisa had befriended.
At the end after everything came to light, I'm the middle of trying to get Garrett to drop his knife, Lisa screams! This shocks everyone because they were told that she was mute from the fall.
Lisa's dad calls her doctor & trlls her about the scream. The Dr said that Lisa may start talking again soon.
Overall, not a bad book. Might read this book again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2018
Teenager Melanie, recently moved to the area, takes a job reading to Lisa, who was injured in a mysterious accident and cannot walk or talk. As she reads from 'Jane Eyre', Melanie starts to wonder if Lisa is trying to use the book to communicate with her about what happened. Who can she trust to find out what really happened?
This is one of the better Point Horror books, although it still has the some of the usual flaws: Melanie trusts people she doesn't know far too easily and tells them everything, there's the usual jumping to conclusions and arguing over a boy, and an aura of danger about a guy means excitement and attraction instead of red flags. It was, however, an entertaining and fairly quick read at just under 200 pages.
This is one of the better Point Horror books, although it still has the some of the usual flaws: Melanie trusts people she doesn't know far too easily and tells them everything, there's the usual jumping to conclusions and arguing over a boy, and an aura of danger about a guy means excitement and attraction instead of red flags. It was, however, an entertaining and fairly quick read at just under 200 pages.
December 1, 2023
3.5 ✨ This is what I wanted Riley Sager’s The Only One Left to be. 😂 I enjoyed this so much. I thought the addition of snippets of Jane Eyre in solving the mystery was quite brilliant and it utilized all the fun Point Horror tropes like absent parents and creepy boys.
November 25, 2023
I rate my point horror books against other point horror books only. This was fantastic, I loved the link to another book, and the plot was well thought out. A real murder mystery of a gem. A definite new favourite point horror for me!
September 3, 2021
This was mildly entertaining. I like how they used a classic book to go with the plot. I just wish that the title is more attuned to the plot. Saaayy..."The Reader" or "Paralyzed". Just saying.
December 28, 2025
First Impressions:
This was my first POINT HORROR series book, and I had a great time reading it. It wasn't a mind-boggling mystery, but a silly fun whodunit that took me back to the 90s era and the books I used to read back then.
A detailed review shall be posted soon.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
'The Body' (Point Horror #54) by Carol Ellis.
Rating: 3.75/5.
Review:
As a teen growing up in the 2000s, I consumed a lot of media that was largely popular in the 90s. And, as evident as it is from my likes in books, you can still see my deep love for series like Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Three Investigators, Goosebumps, etc. It's weird that despite being a fan of the abovementioned series, I had no inkling about the Point Horror books until I randomly came across a copy during a thrift shop sale and did some research regarding it. Nonetheless, the FOMO kicked in, and I had to pick up the book and see what all the buzz was about back then. And, kids, this is how I ̶m̶e̶t̶ read 'The Body'.
The premise was intriguing enough to make me want to pick up the book as soon as I read the plot blurb. Melanie Jacobs is new to the town of Clifton, and in an attempt to earn some money through part-time work, answers a newspaper advertisement seeking a reader for a paralysed individual. Upon taking up the job, Melanie learns that she is, in fact, hired to read to a girl of her own age—a girl named Lisa Randolph, who had recently met with a mysterious fall from a cliff that left her paralysed and mute. During the course of their reading sessions, Melanie realises that Lisa is desperately trying to tell her something linked to her unfortunate accident. But the closer she gets to unravelling the mystery, the deadlier becomes the path that lies ahead of Melanie as she gets besieged with horrifying threats and unnerving, life-threatening encounters.
As an adult reading this book, it made me wonder multiple times why Melanie didn't simply inform the police about the death threats and the possible attempts on her life. It would have at least made her feel somewhat safe and secure and, perhaps, brought about an early closure to this mystery. And what's it about parents who are busy with board meetings and looking for office space one day and then simply going on a long vacation the next day (when the plot demands the protagonist to be alone to ensure she gets the maximum scares)? It also didn't help Melanie's cause that she blindly trusted anyone and started blurting out about every important and confidential piece of information to individuals she wasn't well acquainted with.
But then again, this book is a product of its time, and when viewed through the eyes of its target audience, it turned out to be a highly enjoyable read. The campy feel doesn't diminish its entertainment factor—in fact, it gave me a fun, nostalgic feeling while reading it. It was fast-paced, and despite my minor gripes (that were easier to forgive) as an adult reader, the page-turner plot had me finish the book in a single sitting.
I must add that the title of the book somewhat spoiled the underlying mystery, and I do believe it should have been titled 'The Reader' instead of 'The Body' to preserve the enigma around Lisa's accident. But, then again, it didn't turn out to be a big spoiler since the main aspect of the mystery was about the whodunit nature of the plot—that, in my honest opinion, was covered quite well in this book. More often than not, I tend to guess the identity of the culprit well in advance before the eventual reveal (at least for the juvenile mysteries), but this book successfully managed to fool me. While my frustrations regarding Melanie's motor-mouth skills and overly trusting behaviour are quite evident, I thought the culprit might be someone least expected and someone whom she confided the most in, but I felt so relieved to be proven wrong by the end.
I also appreciated how the eventual reveal and the climactic portions were handled in this book. When Melanie and Lisa find themselves in a fix that was hard to get out of, I felt the writer would resort to some deus ex machina (as it was my recent experience with certain juvenile mysteries that I read recently), but the events played out naturally and in a manner that was alluded to previously in the text. Yes, the authorities eventually came into the picture, but it was only after Melanie and Lisa managed to get out of their predicament. All in all, I was impressed by how the author outsmarted me with regard to the eventual reveal and how the climax played out.
Overall, 'The Body' turned out to be an engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Incorporating snippets from Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' was an excellent choice—and it does make me want to pick up that book next! 'The Body' was a quick, gripping read, and I'm glad I decided to buy this book all those weeks ago (and, eventually, read it now!). It has fueled my passion for collecting and reading more of these Point Horror books now.
This was my first POINT HORROR series book, and I had a great time reading it. It wasn't a mind-boggling mystery, but a silly fun whodunit that took me back to the 90s era and the books I used to read back then.
A detailed review shall be posted soon.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
'The Body' (Point Horror #54) by Carol Ellis.
Rating: 3.75/5.
Review:
As a teen growing up in the 2000s, I consumed a lot of media that was largely popular in the 90s. And, as evident as it is from my likes in books, you can still see my deep love for series like Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Three Investigators, Goosebumps, etc. It's weird that despite being a fan of the abovementioned series, I had no inkling about the Point Horror books until I randomly came across a copy during a thrift shop sale and did some research regarding it. Nonetheless, the FOMO kicked in, and I had to pick up the book and see what all the buzz was about back then. And, kids, this is how I ̶m̶e̶t̶ read 'The Body'.
The premise was intriguing enough to make me want to pick up the book as soon as I read the plot blurb. Melanie Jacobs is new to the town of Clifton, and in an attempt to earn some money through part-time work, answers a newspaper advertisement seeking a reader for a paralysed individual. Upon taking up the job, Melanie learns that she is, in fact, hired to read to a girl of her own age—a girl named Lisa Randolph, who had recently met with a mysterious fall from a cliff that left her paralysed and mute. During the course of their reading sessions, Melanie realises that Lisa is desperately trying to tell her something linked to her unfortunate accident. But the closer she gets to unravelling the mystery, the deadlier becomes the path that lies ahead of Melanie as she gets besieged with horrifying threats and unnerving, life-threatening encounters.
As an adult reading this book, it made me wonder multiple times why Melanie didn't simply inform the police about the death threats and the possible attempts on her life. It would have at least made her feel somewhat safe and secure and, perhaps, brought about an early closure to this mystery. And what's it about parents who are busy with board meetings and looking for office space one day and then simply going on a long vacation the next day (when the plot demands the protagonist to be alone to ensure she gets the maximum scares)? It also didn't help Melanie's cause that she blindly trusted anyone and started blurting out about every important and confidential piece of information to individuals she wasn't well acquainted with.
But then again, this book is a product of its time, and when viewed through the eyes of its target audience, it turned out to be a highly enjoyable read. The campy feel doesn't diminish its entertainment factor—in fact, it gave me a fun, nostalgic feeling while reading it. It was fast-paced, and despite my minor gripes (that were easier to forgive) as an adult reader, the page-turner plot had me finish the book in a single sitting.
I must add that the title of the book somewhat spoiled the underlying mystery, and I do believe it should have been titled 'The Reader' instead of 'The Body' to preserve the enigma around Lisa's accident. But, then again, it didn't turn out to be a big spoiler since the main aspect of the mystery was about the whodunit nature of the plot—that, in my honest opinion, was covered quite well in this book. More often than not, I tend to guess the identity of the culprit well in advance before the eventual reveal (at least for the juvenile mysteries), but this book successfully managed to fool me. While my frustrations regarding Melanie's motor-mouth skills and overly trusting behaviour are quite evident, I thought the culprit might be someone least expected and someone whom she confided the most in, but I felt so relieved to be proven wrong by the end.
I also appreciated how the eventual reveal and the climactic portions were handled in this book. When Melanie and Lisa find themselves in a fix that was hard to get out of, I felt the writer would resort to some deus ex machina (as it was my recent experience with certain juvenile mysteries that I read recently), but the events played out naturally and in a manner that was alluded to previously in the text. Yes, the authorities eventually came into the picture, but it was only after Melanie and Lisa managed to get out of their predicament. All in all, I was impressed by how the author outsmarted me with regard to the eventual reveal and how the climax played out.
Overall, 'The Body' turned out to be an engaging mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Incorporating snippets from Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' was an excellent choice—and it does make me want to pick up that book next! 'The Body' was a quick, gripping read, and I'm glad I decided to buy this book all those weeks ago (and, eventually, read it now!). It has fueled my passion for collecting and reading more of these Point Horror books now.
September 28, 2023
Mi ha intrattenuta e tenuta sempre sulle spine ma forse perché troppo corto o chi lo sa, per me è risultato un po' troppo semplicistico e inesperto (non che io sia esperta lol). Comunque molto carino.
August 22, 2024
Scorre ma non resta
October 9, 2025
I love these books! Quick easy and acc so gripping! It gave verity vibes and I loved
April 27, 2022
Been so busy with working on getting my first ever audiobook done and working with my producer as well as chasing my daughter all over this house, I finally got to read The Body by Carol Ellis.
As stated previously, I am a big fan of Ellis' writing. With this book, I still am for the main plot of the story is a great mystery and full of suspense while focusing on teenage characters. I also liked how she could weave the plot of Jane Eyre into the plot of this book so there was a kind of teenage gothic novel going. Ellis and RTC are the best at these modern day noir settings.
It takes place in Massachusetts and Melaine Jacobs is new to the town of Clifton this summer before school is set to start. She's been doing some baby-sitting but she needs a little more money. She's a teenager who needs clothes and things so you know how that goes...
There's an ad in the paper about being a reader and then answering the ad to find out it is reading to an invalid for an hour a day. Turns out it is a teenage girl, close to Melanie's age as a senior in high school, named Lisa Randolph. Lisa was in a terrible accident and is now paralyzed as well as mute and she seems to be more than the housekeeper, Georgia Hudson, wishes to handle.
Reading Jane Eyre to Lisa, Melaine soon realizes as she tells the story...Lisa is trying to communicate with her through the book. It's clear Lisa's accident involved something so horrible she can no longer speak and she needs Melaine to reveal the deadly truth.
No one in Lisa's life can understand her so it's going to take putting trust in a total stranger but in helping Lisa...will Melaine also be in danger?
There are some other characters who are all of Lisa's friends before the accident and her boyfriend, Garrett. I guess they are important to just have some red herrings and flesh out the cast and learn some details about the past to help Melaine try and figure out the true antagonist. There's also a new guy named Jeff who is a gardener at the Randolph house and a girl named Trina who is Melanie's neighbor.
I was wondering about why the book is titled The Body and it's a plot point that could be a huge spoiler as to why it is called what it is so I won't discuss it for anyone who has not read it. I guess I thought it was more symbolic because Lisa can't use her body but the cover is about as much as a spoiler as I can let slide.
The reveal and climax are so good but the ending sort of stalls out so that's why 3 out of 5 stars but I'm still a big Carol Ellis fan.
As stated previously, I am a big fan of Ellis' writing. With this book, I still am for the main plot of the story is a great mystery and full of suspense while focusing on teenage characters. I also liked how she could weave the plot of Jane Eyre into the plot of this book so there was a kind of teenage gothic novel going. Ellis and RTC are the best at these modern day noir settings.
It takes place in Massachusetts and Melaine Jacobs is new to the town of Clifton this summer before school is set to start. She's been doing some baby-sitting but she needs a little more money. She's a teenager who needs clothes and things so you know how that goes...
There's an ad in the paper about being a reader and then answering the ad to find out it is reading to an invalid for an hour a day. Turns out it is a teenage girl, close to Melanie's age as a senior in high school, named Lisa Randolph. Lisa was in a terrible accident and is now paralyzed as well as mute and she seems to be more than the housekeeper, Georgia Hudson, wishes to handle.
Reading Jane Eyre to Lisa, Melaine soon realizes as she tells the story...Lisa is trying to communicate with her through the book. It's clear Lisa's accident involved something so horrible she can no longer speak and she needs Melaine to reveal the deadly truth.
No one in Lisa's life can understand her so it's going to take putting trust in a total stranger but in helping Lisa...will Melaine also be in danger?
There are some other characters who are all of Lisa's friends before the accident and her boyfriend, Garrett. I guess they are important to just have some red herrings and flesh out the cast and learn some details about the past to help Melaine try and figure out the true antagonist. There's also a new guy named Jeff who is a gardener at the Randolph house and a girl named Trina who is Melanie's neighbor.
I was wondering about why the book is titled The Body and it's a plot point that could be a huge spoiler as to why it is called what it is so I won't discuss it for anyone who has not read it. I guess I thought it was more symbolic because Lisa can't use her body but the cover is about as much as a spoiler as I can let slide.
The reveal and climax are so good but the ending sort of stalls out so that's why 3 out of 5 stars but I'm still a big Carol Ellis fan.
Read
June 10, 2020I loved Scholastic thrillers as a kid so when I found this on a community bookshelf I decided to give it a go for a bit of fun and nostalgia.
Had all the conventions of a classic 1990s children’s pulp horror; new girl in town with shoulder-length light brown hair, a cast of thousands, a group of teenagers clearly involved in a ~dark secret~, a diner scene, babysitting, everyone can drive, someone says /moi/ during an argument, some guy wears sunglasses all the time, there’s a love interest that’s also a suspect and there’s a suspicious girl rival that starts out a suspect but then fades into obscurity.
Considering that the twist at the end of the book is the discovery of a body in the woods, I’m not sure who the heck decided it was a good idea to call the book ‘The Body’, slap a picture of a corpse in a woods on the cover and add the Tagline: “hidden in the woods is a deadly secret”. It’s about as on the nose as calling The Murders in the Rue Morgue “the vicious orangutang” but I wonder if I would have picked up on it if I’d read this one when I was 9.
To sum up: trashy, formulaic, book title is the solution to the mystery. All I could ever ask for, 10/10.
Had all the conventions of a classic 1990s children’s pulp horror; new girl in town with shoulder-length light brown hair, a cast of thousands, a group of teenagers clearly involved in a ~dark secret~, a diner scene, babysitting, everyone can drive, someone says /moi/ during an argument, some guy wears sunglasses all the time, there’s a love interest that’s also a suspect and there’s a suspicious girl rival that starts out a suspect but then fades into obscurity.
Considering that the twist at the end of the book is the discovery of a body in the woods, I’m not sure who the heck decided it was a good idea to call the book ‘The Body’, slap a picture of a corpse in a woods on the cover and add the Tagline: “hidden in the woods is a deadly secret”. It’s about as on the nose as calling The Murders in the Rue Morgue “the vicious orangutang” but I wonder if I would have picked up on it if I’d read this one when I was 9.
To sum up: trashy, formulaic, book title is the solution to the mystery. All I could ever ask for, 10/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2023
I definitely didn't read this Point Horror when I was younger as it is one of the later ones. However, I think I might have found a new favourite!
At first the cover and title of this seemed completely arbitrary and not linked to to the story at all (as frequently happens with Point Horror), but now looking at it I think it gives away a massive plot point with the snake pimp stick and skeletal hand. But 'the body' can also refer to Lisa, a girl who has been paralysed and witnessed a dreadful event, and as a result can't communicate what happened to her. Melanie is hired to read to her and realises that she has to help Lisa tell her story. Through reading Jane Eyre to Lisa, Melanie begins to piece together what has happened... But she needs to be careful who is watching. Ahead of its time, this book includes clever use of CCTV as the housekeeper watches Melanie's every move.
I'm not even sure what made this book so readable, but I think alot of it has to do with Melanie's character. She's not a completely wet blanket like a lot of Point Horror heroines and she can speak her mind. Refreshing for a 90s fictional girl.
At first the cover and title of this seemed completely arbitrary and not linked to to the story at all (as frequently happens with Point Horror), but now looking at it I think it gives away a massive plot point with the snake pimp stick and skeletal hand. But 'the body' can also refer to Lisa, a girl who has been paralysed and witnessed a dreadful event, and as a result can't communicate what happened to her. Melanie is hired to read to her and realises that she has to help Lisa tell her story. Through reading Jane Eyre to Lisa, Melanie begins to piece together what has happened... But she needs to be careful who is watching. Ahead of its time, this book includes clever use of CCTV as the housekeeper watches Melanie's every move.
I'm not even sure what made this book so readable, but I think alot of it has to do with Melanie's character. She's not a completely wet blanket like a lot of Point Horror heroines and she can speak her mind. Refreshing for a 90s fictional girl.
July 6, 2024
I read this with my book club that I run on Instagram where we revisit Point Horror and other books from our childhood - @talespointhorrorbookclub
Tagline - Will the truth ever be uncovered…
Memorable For – A PH girl with Final Girl Vibes!
Some Thoughts -
No one knows what happened when Lisa Randolph fell off the cliff, because she is now paralyzed and mute. Melanie is hired to read to Lisa and soon realizes Lisa is trying to tell her something terrible. But then the creepy notes appear, the creepy phonecalls start and it’s clear someone doesn’t want Melanie to discover the truth! If Melanie does not piece the clues together, this dreadful secret could stay buried forever.
Other highlights include an Agatha Christie style mansion house equipped with high tech CCTV, lack of health and safety by the gardener, creepy messages written backwards in nail polish, an excellent showdown ending and lots of suspicious suspects!
A classic PH full of classic PH tropes 🖤 Perfect for if you are new to Point Horror!
Tagline - Will the truth ever be uncovered…
Memorable For – A PH girl with Final Girl Vibes!
Some Thoughts -
No one knows what happened when Lisa Randolph fell off the cliff, because she is now paralyzed and mute. Melanie is hired to read to Lisa and soon realizes Lisa is trying to tell her something terrible. But then the creepy notes appear, the creepy phonecalls start and it’s clear someone doesn’t want Melanie to discover the truth! If Melanie does not piece the clues together, this dreadful secret could stay buried forever.
Other highlights include an Agatha Christie style mansion house equipped with high tech CCTV, lack of health and safety by the gardener, creepy messages written backwards in nail polish, an excellent showdown ending and lots of suspicious suspects!
A classic PH full of classic PH tropes 🖤 Perfect for if you are new to Point Horror!
November 17, 2023
Melanie is new to town and takes a job reading to Lisa Randolph, the teenage daughter of a wealthy family who is paralysed and mute since a cliff fall. As Melanie spends time with Lisa she realises she is trying to communicate that her fall was not an accident, can Melanie find the truth before it all ends badly?
Another scrumptious slice of nostalgia, as usual this is a mix of mystery, madness and really weird adults! The dark brooding gardener, the devoted boyfriend, the missing backpacker, the stern housekeeper, the devoted but absent father, the holidaying parents, the jealous girlfriend, they are such cliches but make this a really fun old fashioned murder mystery, I loved it!
The adults are so neglectful in these books and then turn up just as the teens have saved themselves, hilarious!
Another scrumptious slice of nostalgia, as usual this is a mix of mystery, madness and really weird adults! The dark brooding gardener, the devoted boyfriend, the missing backpacker, the stern housekeeper, the devoted but absent father, the holidaying parents, the jealous girlfriend, they are such cliches but make this a really fun old fashioned murder mystery, I loved it!
The adults are so neglectful in these books and then turn up just as the teens have saved themselves, hilarious!
June 19, 2010
The Body (Carol Ellis)Y/A Thriller.
Melanie is new in town and takes on a job reading to Lisa Randolph. Lisa had an accident and ended up in a wheel chair and unable to speak. But what exactly happened to get Lisa into this state, no one knows, that is until Melanie shows up.
Melanie seems to think that lisa is trying to relay a message to her. but when she tries to tell others she is not believed. Soon Melanie starts to receive warnings to keep quiet. Melanie is not sure who to trust and soon finds herself in danger. Several people have reason to quiet Melanie and she does not know who to trust. A nice thriller with everyone suspect. Great ending.
Melanie is new in town and takes on a job reading to Lisa Randolph. Lisa had an accident and ended up in a wheel chair and unable to speak. But what exactly happened to get Lisa into this state, no one knows, that is until Melanie shows up.
Melanie seems to think that lisa is trying to relay a message to her. but when she tries to tell others she is not believed. Soon Melanie starts to receive warnings to keep quiet. Melanie is not sure who to trust and soon finds herself in danger. Several people have reason to quiet Melanie and she does not know who to trust. A nice thriller with everyone suspect. Great ending.
November 18, 2023
Typical Point Horror fare; a female protagonist, absent parents, an odd mystery, spooky setting, several dodgy characters, and a fairly obvious culprit. This one is a quick and easy read about Melanie, who gets a job reading to Lisa, a young girl who became paralysed and mute following a fall off a cliff. Melanie manages to sus out that a crime has occurred by following Lisa's random finger taps throughout her reading of Jane Eyre. So, it's the usual bonkers stuff that makes Point Horror so entertaining and weird!
March 4, 2016
Krásne spomienky na moje čitateľské začiatky. Páčilo sa mi to aj po toľkých rokoch, napínavé, veľa som si z príbehu nepamätala, takže som si ho naozaj nanovo užila :-)
June 20, 2019
I'm conflicted.
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
November 26, 2023
For a point horror, it's a good one, well written solid plot! No crazy piranhas or supernatural twist although to be honest I enjoy this too :)
December 11, 2024
une relecture de mon adolescence pour me mettre dans l’ambiance spooky. Une collation que j’avais beaucoup aimé dans le temps.
December 30, 2023
THE WORKS OF CAROL ELLIS, 1945-2022
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
My mother, Carol Ellis, passed away on November 5th, 2022. While she'd been retired for some time, she spent years making her living as an author for children and young adults. When I was a kid, I was tremendously proud of her status as a writer, but she always seemed vaguely embarrassed by it. As I grew older, she told me she didn't enjoy the process of writing, and I'm sure that was part of the problem but there was also something deeper. My mother was an extremely self-deprecating person, inclined to critique herself to a fault. As such, I think she was uncomfortable with her public status. Also, as an avid reader herself, I think she decided early on she would never measure up to the books and authors she admired. It saddened and confused me to hear her dismiss her writing and, from time to time, even become cynical about the whole concept of telling stories. This never lasted very long because she enjoyed reading too much, but it was still depressing. Later on, I would occasionally try to change her perspective by pointing out the long and (in my view) proud tradition of popular fiction authors, people who, yes, wrote largely for money but gave years of joy to millions of readers. She would just shrug and say something like "Sure, but I wasn't even that good." Even in the past few years, when I would tell her how so many people online would respond with comments like "Oh wow, I LOVED your mom's books growing up!" if I mentioned her in a comment to a post or video, she would brush it off. "Doesn't it make you happy, knowing people still like your work?," I'd ask. She'd shrug or look away and reply, "Sure, I guess so."
Despite her indifference, my mother's career as a YA and children's author was substantial. A conservative estimate would put the number of books she wrote or co-wrote somewhere north of 50, and there were shorter works as well. She's best remembered as a fixture of Scholastic's Point Thriller line from the late 80s to the mid 90s, but her work ranged over several genres and publishers, her career lasting from the late 1970s till 2017; in the weeks following her death, I started discovering material she never even mentioned to me.
Through the years, despite sharing my mother's passion for reading, I rarely read her work. While she didn't exactly come out and say so, it was pretty clear she'd prefer I not. There were occasional exceptions and, towards the end of her career, I sometimes assisted her, both as a researcher and as an uncredited co-author. But her main body of work seemed like something she didn't want to get into much, so I largely avoided it. Now I've lost her forever and, partially to distract myself from the grief but also to try and create some sort of memorial to her, I've decided to read through her works and comment on them here.
As I mentioned, my mother's writing career was extensive. A large portion of her work was ghostwriting for others and even a fair amount under her own name were series works where she was more less told what to write. There were also nonfiction works which were pretty tightly controlled by the editors as well. While I know she gave every project her all (no matter how little she enjoyed some of them) and no doubt put her stamp on all she wrote, I'm primarily interested in the peak of her career, that is novels written under her own name and over which she had at least some degree of artistic control. This comes out to 20 or so books. While I have most of these works, there are still some I'll have to search for online and in used bookstores.
There's no point in pretending these "reviews" will be objective. All the books will get 5 stars, although I will be honest about elements of my mom's work I don't care for. Mixed in with my comments on the books will be memories of the creation of those I was old enough to be aware of, memories of my mother and her thoughts and comments on the books, and thoughts about the culture and industry that shaped her career.
I have no illusions that my mother was some sort of literary genius. But her work touched many readers nonetheless. She was also an incredible human being, one of the kindest people anyone could hope to meet. I will miss her terribly for the rest of my life. My hope is these commentaries will act as a tribute to her and bring back some good memories for those who grew up with her work, just as they preserve some cherished memories for me of a very cherished person.
THE BODY
The gestation of this novel is one of the most vivid memories I have of my mother's writing career. Fans of her work might be interested to know that its original title, practically till publication, was "The Reader." Actually, when I think of this book, a part of my mind still thinks of it as "The Reader," since that's what it was as my mom created it and discussed it with me. Funnily enough it was published in 1995, the same year as the acclaimed Bernhard Schlink novel also called "The Reader." When that book was adapted into an Oscar-winning 2008 film, I remember my mom humorously complaining about the title change of her novel, one of the few times she ever brought up her writing career unprompted.
The reason for the title change probably had to do with "The Body" sounding more shocking and eye-catching. It really doesn't fit and I find it still irks me a little because this was a book my mother showed genuine enthusiasm for, at least in the early stages. Sadly, like with most of her projects, it ultimately became a slog, but I know she felt good about the idea and the final product.
She deserved to. Written right after "Silent Witness," I think that book and "The Body" show my mom in top form as a mystery author. I would rate "The Body" slightly below "Silent Witness" since it lacks that novel's unexpected depths and is also slightly more generic in terms of plot. Really what "The Body" seems to be, based on my reading of my mom's work so far, is the Point thriller formula firing on all cylinders. "Silent Witness" was all that and somewhat more, but "The Body," while more conventional, is still a superb example of a mystery for young readers.
The plot concerns Kansas transplant Melanie Jacobs looking for work in the Massachusetts town she's just moved to with her parents. A newspaper ad leads her to the estate of rich girl Lisa Randolph. Lisa was injured in a mysterious accident and can no longer walk or speak, though her doctors think there is some hope of recovery. Melanie is hired to read to Lisa but, no surprises here, starts finding out bits and pieces about the accident that point in a sinister direction, especially after Lisa starts trying to communicate herself.
A lot of this is standard thriller fare, but my mother handled it all like a real pro. The pacing is tight, with lots of interesting characters (likable and otherwise) and some effective Gothic-esque atmosphere. One thing I particularly appreciated was that Melanie seemed like a more down to earth heroine than sometimes appears in these books. Sure, she's resourceful and determined but she didn't come across as the "plucky heroine" stereotype, rather like a believable teenager in a troubling situation. I also enjoyed not being able to guess the villain, despite plenty of solid clues strewn about. To be fair, I'm pretty bad at figuring those kinds of things out, but I still felt like my mom effectively kept the average reader guessing here. Finally, I loved the role Charlotte Bronte's classic "Jane Eyre" played in the plot. I know my mom tremendously enjoyed working that in. "Jane Eyre" was one of her favorite books, and has been among mine as well for some time so I got a very warm feeling from that aspect of "The Body." Personal feelings aside though, it is worked in quite seamlessly and intelligently. As usual, my mother took her young readers seriously. That seriousness reminds me of the time a few years ago that a fan of hers online told me he considered her work more "grown up" than a lot of the other YA books he read as a kid. "The Body" is a fine example of that and, frankly, makes me wish she had written a mystery novel or two aimed at adults.
I still think "Silent Witness" is the best of my mom's thrillers based on what I've read so far. But "The Body" is a close second, and near perfect on its own terms. It might not break any new ground but, for its era, as a classic puzzle mystery for teens, "The Body" is tough to beat.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
My mother, Carol Ellis, passed away on November 5th, 2022. While she'd been retired for some time, she spent years making her living as an author for children and young adults. When I was a kid, I was tremendously proud of her status as a writer, but she always seemed vaguely embarrassed by it. As I grew older, she told me she didn't enjoy the process of writing, and I'm sure that was part of the problem but there was also something deeper. My mother was an extremely self-deprecating person, inclined to critique herself to a fault. As such, I think she was uncomfortable with her public status. Also, as an avid reader herself, I think she decided early on she would never measure up to the books and authors she admired. It saddened and confused me to hear her dismiss her writing and, from time to time, even become cynical about the whole concept of telling stories. This never lasted very long because she enjoyed reading too much, but it was still depressing. Later on, I would occasionally try to change her perspective by pointing out the long and (in my view) proud tradition of popular fiction authors, people who, yes, wrote largely for money but gave years of joy to millions of readers. She would just shrug and say something like "Sure, but I wasn't even that good." Even in the past few years, when I would tell her how so many people online would respond with comments like "Oh wow, I LOVED your mom's books growing up!" if I mentioned her in a comment to a post or video, she would brush it off. "Doesn't it make you happy, knowing people still like your work?," I'd ask. She'd shrug or look away and reply, "Sure, I guess so."
Despite her indifference, my mother's career as a YA and children's author was substantial. A conservative estimate would put the number of books she wrote or co-wrote somewhere north of 50, and there were shorter works as well. She's best remembered as a fixture of Scholastic's Point Thriller line from the late 80s to the mid 90s, but her work ranged over several genres and publishers, her career lasting from the late 1970s till 2017; in the weeks following her death, I started discovering material she never even mentioned to me.
Through the years, despite sharing my mother's passion for reading, I rarely read her work. While she didn't exactly come out and say so, it was pretty clear she'd prefer I not. There were occasional exceptions and, towards the end of her career, I sometimes assisted her, both as a researcher and as an uncredited co-author. But her main body of work seemed like something she didn't want to get into much, so I largely avoided it. Now I've lost her forever and, partially to distract myself from the grief but also to try and create some sort of memorial to her, I've decided to read through her works and comment on them here.
As I mentioned, my mother's writing career was extensive. A large portion of her work was ghostwriting for others and even a fair amount under her own name were series works where she was more less told what to write. There were also nonfiction works which were pretty tightly controlled by the editors as well. While I know she gave every project her all (no matter how little she enjoyed some of them) and no doubt put her stamp on all she wrote, I'm primarily interested in the peak of her career, that is novels written under her own name and over which she had at least some degree of artistic control. This comes out to 20 or so books. While I have most of these works, there are still some I'll have to search for online and in used bookstores.
There's no point in pretending these "reviews" will be objective. All the books will get 5 stars, although I will be honest about elements of my mom's work I don't care for. Mixed in with my comments on the books will be memories of the creation of those I was old enough to be aware of, memories of my mother and her thoughts and comments on the books, and thoughts about the culture and industry that shaped her career.
I have no illusions that my mother was some sort of literary genius. But her work touched many readers nonetheless. She was also an incredible human being, one of the kindest people anyone could hope to meet. I will miss her terribly for the rest of my life. My hope is these commentaries will act as a tribute to her and bring back some good memories for those who grew up with her work, just as they preserve some cherished memories for me of a very cherished person.
THE BODY
The gestation of this novel is one of the most vivid memories I have of my mother's writing career. Fans of her work might be interested to know that its original title, practically till publication, was "The Reader." Actually, when I think of this book, a part of my mind still thinks of it as "The Reader," since that's what it was as my mom created it and discussed it with me. Funnily enough it was published in 1995, the same year as the acclaimed Bernhard Schlink novel also called "The Reader." When that book was adapted into an Oscar-winning 2008 film, I remember my mom humorously complaining about the title change of her novel, one of the few times she ever brought up her writing career unprompted.
The reason for the title change probably had to do with "The Body" sounding more shocking and eye-catching. It really doesn't fit and I find it still irks me a little because this was a book my mother showed genuine enthusiasm for, at least in the early stages. Sadly, like with most of her projects, it ultimately became a slog, but I know she felt good about the idea and the final product.
She deserved to. Written right after "Silent Witness," I think that book and "The Body" show my mom in top form as a mystery author. I would rate "The Body" slightly below "Silent Witness" since it lacks that novel's unexpected depths and is also slightly more generic in terms of plot. Really what "The Body" seems to be, based on my reading of my mom's work so far, is the Point thriller formula firing on all cylinders. "Silent Witness" was all that and somewhat more, but "The Body," while more conventional, is still a superb example of a mystery for young readers.
The plot concerns Kansas transplant Melanie Jacobs looking for work in the Massachusetts town she's just moved to with her parents. A newspaper ad leads her to the estate of rich girl Lisa Randolph. Lisa was injured in a mysterious accident and can no longer walk or speak, though her doctors think there is some hope of recovery. Melanie is hired to read to Lisa but, no surprises here, starts finding out bits and pieces about the accident that point in a sinister direction, especially after Lisa starts trying to communicate herself.
A lot of this is standard thriller fare, but my mother handled it all like a real pro. The pacing is tight, with lots of interesting characters (likable and otherwise) and some effective Gothic-esque atmosphere. One thing I particularly appreciated was that Melanie seemed like a more down to earth heroine than sometimes appears in these books. Sure, she's resourceful and determined but she didn't come across as the "plucky heroine" stereotype, rather like a believable teenager in a troubling situation. I also enjoyed not being able to guess the villain, despite plenty of solid clues strewn about. To be fair, I'm pretty bad at figuring those kinds of things out, but I still felt like my mom effectively kept the average reader guessing here. Finally, I loved the role Charlotte Bronte's classic "Jane Eyre" played in the plot. I know my mom tremendously enjoyed working that in. "Jane Eyre" was one of her favorite books, and has been among mine as well for some time so I got a very warm feeling from that aspect of "The Body." Personal feelings aside though, it is worked in quite seamlessly and intelligently. As usual, my mother took her young readers seriously. That seriousness reminds me of the time a few years ago that a fan of hers online told me he considered her work more "grown up" than a lot of the other YA books he read as a kid. "The Body" is a fine example of that and, frankly, makes me wish she had written a mystery novel or two aimed at adults.
I still think "Silent Witness" is the best of my mom's thrillers based on what I've read so far. But "The Body" is a close second, and near perfect on its own terms. It might not break any new ground but, for its era, as a classic puzzle mystery for teens, "The Body" is tough to beat.
August 4, 2025
Thank you, Carol Ellis. My favourite gothic tropes abound here in an isolated home smothering a silenced young woman. Family issues are hinted at as we are introduced to paid reader Melanie. Mel, a newcomer to town, deftly uses passages from Jane Eyre to decode a gruesome mystery haunting the voiceless -- and notably motherless -- Lisa.
By today's standards the treatment of disability and victimisation we see in Lisa's character will likely raise concerns and should encourage dialogue among readers. However, these very tropes occur in the earliest gothic literature and are not always a literal indication or interpretation of weakness. In fact, my recent research into matrophobic gothic has given me an appreciation of certain
Radcliffesque inclusions here that, while subtle, hint at relevant feminist concerns regarding the very themes we might at first assume are being compounded.
Had the ending to this work been given more space, I think the elements mentioned above would have stood up to closer scrutiny. An analytic reading isn't necessary to enjoy the book, but as so many of my personal preferences are either spoken of directly or just obliquely, I'm choosing to allow this one some liberties.
Could it have been even better? Yes, sure. But I really enjoyed it and hope others see beyond the awkward depictions of implied physical weakness. Lisa is not weak. The maternal care shown by Mel affords both characters the chance to reflect each other's strengths and flaws and to evolve between the lines.
With this in mind, the reader is invited to remember a literary history of Italian noblewomen --mothers and daughters -- shackled in dungeons and rescuing each other. All this while nodding to Bronte's Bertha Mason. Tragically, Bertha didn't find her voice. But many others, including Lisa, do.
By today's standards the treatment of disability and victimisation we see in Lisa's character will likely raise concerns and should encourage dialogue among readers. However, these very tropes occur in the earliest gothic literature and are not always a literal indication or interpretation of weakness. In fact, my recent research into matrophobic gothic has given me an appreciation of certain
Radcliffesque inclusions here that, while subtle, hint at relevant feminist concerns regarding the very themes we might at first assume are being compounded.
Had the ending to this work been given more space, I think the elements mentioned above would have stood up to closer scrutiny. An analytic reading isn't necessary to enjoy the book, but as so many of my personal preferences are either spoken of directly or just obliquely, I'm choosing to allow this one some liberties.
Could it have been even better? Yes, sure. But I really enjoyed it and hope others see beyond the awkward depictions of implied physical weakness. Lisa is not weak. The maternal care shown by Mel affords both characters the chance to reflect each other's strengths and flaws and to evolve between the lines.
With this in mind, the reader is invited to remember a literary history of Italian noblewomen --mothers and daughters -- shackled in dungeons and rescuing each other. All this while nodding to Bronte's Bertha Mason. Tragically, Bertha didn't find her voice. But many others, including Lisa, do.
September 14, 2025
La protagonista Melanie è in cerca di un lavoretto estivo, e viene assunta in una vecchia villa dall'aspetto misterioso per leggere a Lisa, una ragazza della sua età costretta su una sedia a rotelle a causa di un incidente. Muta per cause sconosciute e quasi totalmente paralizzata, grazie alla lettura Lisa riesce a comunicare attraverso gesti e battiti di ciglia con Melanie. Intuendo che dietro all'incidente della ragazza si nasconde qualcosa di terribile, Melanie indaga per scoprire la verità.
Ho deciso di leggere questo libro per puro caso, perché era nella lista dei libri che mio figlio doveva leggere per le vacanze.
È stata una lettura davvero piacevole, un giallo per ragazzi dai tratti horror e gotici molto carino e avvincente.
Si legge in pochissimo tempo, io l'ho letto in due sere.
Chicca di questo giallo è il libro che Melanie legge a Lisa ovvero Jane Eyre, uno dei classici che amo di più.
Essendo un giallo per un pubblico di lettori giovani, la verità è abbastanza intuibile e la risoluzione del caso molto veloce e facile ma gli ingredienti mistero e suspence non mancano.
La trama è molto semplice e lineare, ma allo stesso tempo in grado di tenere incollato il lettore alle pagine.
Con la scusa di far leggere i gialli a mio figlio, proseguirò con questa serie.
⭐⭐⭐/5
Ho deciso di leggere questo libro per puro caso, perché era nella lista dei libri che mio figlio doveva leggere per le vacanze.
È stata una lettura davvero piacevole, un giallo per ragazzi dai tratti horror e gotici molto carino e avvincente.
Si legge in pochissimo tempo, io l'ho letto in due sere.
Chicca di questo giallo è il libro che Melanie legge a Lisa ovvero Jane Eyre, uno dei classici che amo di più.
Essendo un giallo per un pubblico di lettori giovani, la verità è abbastanza intuibile e la risoluzione del caso molto veloce e facile ma gli ingredienti mistero e suspence non mancano.
La trama è molto semplice e lineare, ma allo stesso tempo in grado di tenere incollato il lettore alle pagine.
Con la scusa di far leggere i gialli a mio figlio, proseguirò con questa serie.
⭐⭐⭐/5
December 6, 2023
As I summed up at the end of this read, I enjoyed the book. It kept me guessing along the way, and it was cheesy enough to be recognisable for what it is - an authentic Point book of the era.
See inside the spoiler tag for my extended notes jotted down while reading:
See inside the spoiler tag for my extended notes jotted down while reading:
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews