What do you think?
Rate this book
Scared to Death #1
Bobby's Watching
Six years after he was humiliated and abandoned by a group of cruel kids, Bobby Wimmer prepares to scare those kids to death, one by one.
- GenresHorrorYoung Adult
155 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1993
77 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 28, 2024
Dang Bobby is PISSED and out for revenge!!
I made the assumption that this book was gonna be all child’s play, based on the teddy bear cover and boy was I wrong. Bobby had been a shy and weird kid trying to tag along with the cool kids, especially Leigh, the cute girl he had a crush on. When the gang pull a horrible prank gone wrong on him, leading to a series of really sad and effed-up events, he vows to one day get even….and get even he does, years later, as a sociopathic 19 year old.
Well written and engaging, it was a no-brainer to try and read in one sitting. Told from the POV of both Bobby and Leigh, who is numero uno on his sh!t list, this book delivered all the murdery vibes I wanted. And loved that shocker of an ending.
This is book one of three in the tale of Bobby’s bloodthirsty revenge so I can’t wait to read the 2nd one 😈😈
I made the assumption that this book was gonna be all child’s play, based on the teddy bear cover and boy was I wrong. Bobby had been a shy and weird kid trying to tag along with the cool kids, especially Leigh, the cute girl he had a crush on. When the gang pull a horrible prank gone wrong on him, leading to a series of really sad and effed-up events, he vows to one day get even….and get even he does, years later, as a sociopathic 19 year old.
Well written and engaging, it was a no-brainer to try and read in one sitting. Told from the POV of both Bobby and Leigh, who is numero uno on his sh!t list, this book delivered all the murdery vibes I wanted. And loved that shocker of an ending.
This is book one of three in the tale of Bobby’s bloodthirsty revenge so I can’t wait to read the 2nd one 😈😈
March 24, 2018
There’s always the danger when you go back to books that made an impression on you as a teenager, that they won’t have the same power as an adult. Bobby’s Watching is one of those books. I’ve spent the better part of a decade searching for it, if not longer, and whilst it’s still rather creepy, it isn’t out and out terrifying any longer.
But it was when I initially read it. It made such an impression that I could remember whole swathes of the story, despite only having read it once. To put this into perspective, I recalled it better than some books I’d read a year ago... in fact, I’d even built it into a hugely complex seven book series in my head when actually it’s a fairly simple teen trilogy that relies on the scare factor and the stalker aspects to creep you out. But I have to give it something crucial here, this book series gave me nightmares when I initially read it.
As it stands, coming back to it as an adult, I think this could have been done better. Perhaps I’m missing the point though as that perhaps that would propel it into adult thriller, when the aim is teenage horror. Character development could have been deeper, the reason for Bobby’s serious psychopath tendencies could have been more drawn out and the relationship between Leigh and Paul seemed wishing washy and pointless as they had only known each other days. But those are criticisms from Lissy the adult; had I read it for the first time now, I would have stuck with my initial three star rating.
But on reflection, that’s not fair. Because to add the aspects that I found lacking, would almost certainly take this out of the teenage genre. It would no longer be as eminently suitable for the young adult readership. And if I judge it based on how I’m effected me as an adolescent then we have a very different story. This book terrified me. It sent me running into my brothers room in the middle of the night and it stuck in my mind with quite astonishing clarity. So I remembered it as being more scary than it actually is now, and so what? Surely that says it succeeds at its purpose; as a teenage horror, this is superb.
But it was when I initially read it. It made such an impression that I could remember whole swathes of the story, despite only having read it once. To put this into perspective, I recalled it better than some books I’d read a year ago... in fact, I’d even built it into a hugely complex seven book series in my head when actually it’s a fairly simple teen trilogy that relies on the scare factor and the stalker aspects to creep you out. But I have to give it something crucial here, this book series gave me nightmares when I initially read it.
As it stands, coming back to it as an adult, I think this could have been done better. Perhaps I’m missing the point though as that perhaps that would propel it into adult thriller, when the aim is teenage horror. Character development could have been deeper, the reason for Bobby’s serious psychopath tendencies could have been more drawn out and the relationship between Leigh and Paul seemed wishing washy and pointless as they had only known each other days. But those are criticisms from Lissy the adult; had I read it for the first time now, I would have stuck with my initial three star rating.
But on reflection, that’s not fair. Because to add the aspects that I found lacking, would almost certainly take this out of the teenage genre. It would no longer be as eminently suitable for the young adult readership. And if I judge it based on how I’m effected me as an adolescent then we have a very different story. This book terrified me. It sent me running into my brothers room in the middle of the night and it stuck in my mind with quite astonishing clarity. So I remembered it as being more scary than it actually is now, and so what? Surely that says it succeeds at its purpose; as a teenage horror, this is superb.
March 6, 2022
We have a weirdo outcast stalker who never got over a childhood trauma (and talks like a 1950s greaser), plus a smarter than average stalkee who doesn’t flail around helplessly.
…quite fun tbh.
Not exactly an original premise (REVENGE!), but it is a refreshing take on that classic YA thriller trope where you get the POV of the Bad Guy vs. victim. We get the back story upfront and we know who he’s going after and why. And he is absolutely RELENTLESS.
Thought I figured out the twist and turned out I was very wrong, but the ending is brutal and satisfying.
Bobby isn’t done yet. 😈
…quite fun tbh.
Not exactly an original premise (REVENGE!), but it is a refreshing take on that classic YA thriller trope where you get the POV of the Bad Guy vs. victim. We get the back story upfront and we know who he’s going after and why. And he is absolutely RELENTLESS.
Thought I figured out the twist and turned out I was very wrong, but the ending is brutal and satisfying.
Bobby isn’t done yet. 😈
July 11, 2020
Very standard 90s teen murder fare, in the manner of Point Horror, set on a university campus. Stalking with intent to terrorize gradually and then sharply increases in its level of violence and gruesomeness, with a surprise turn near the end . For extra fun you can play "spot the time period differences that would make this plot more difficult/impossible today."
However, I'm very glad it finally showed up on Open Library so I could read it. I vividly remember starting it at the public library once upon a time, but getting so scared that I had to quit (I was only 10 or 11 and just barely beginning to approach Fear Street). I never forgot the cover or beginning but I did forget the title, until someone on the What's the Name of That Book group posted about it a couple of years ago and it all came rushing back.
I'm eager to continue since this one ends with such excitement, but unfortunately, while the sequel is on OL the third book currently is NOT, so now I have to decide whether I want to partially satisfy my curiosity by continuing, or risk a more frustrating cliffhanger ahead.
However, I'm very glad it finally showed up on Open Library so I could read it. I vividly remember starting it at the public library once upon a time, but getting so scared that I had to quit (I was only 10 or 11 and just barely beginning to approach Fear Street). I never forgot the cover or beginning but I did forget the title, until someone on the What's the Name of That Book group posted about it a couple of years ago and it all came rushing back.
I'm eager to continue since this one ends with such excitement, but unfortunately, while the sequel is on OL the third book currently is NOT, so now I have to decide whether I want to partially satisfy my curiosity by continuing, or risk a more frustrating cliffhanger ahead.
June 28, 2018
I read this when I was a teenager and came across it a little while ago. I thought it would be fun to reread since it was so scary when I was younger. Of course now that I’m older it’s clearly not as good as I remember. In part though because it’s a book for young adults and not actual adults. The thing that is most interesting about the book is it’s written from the killers point of view and not the victims. That’s the first book I’ve come across like that and made for an interesting read. If you have teenage readers who like suspense genres then I definitely recommend otherwise unless you’re rereading out of nostalgia I’d skip it.
October 12, 2023
I read this trilogy as a teenager and they live rent-free in my head. Having said that, I still forgot the twist and was surprised again. I'm so glad this held up to my memories. A genuinely frightening book.
October 21, 2025
College campus killer enacting revenge for a childhood prank.
Reads like an 80s stranger danger slasher movie. I loved this. I was genuinely creeped out/scared at parts. Also it’s fairly gory for a 90s teen thriller. Though I questioned the probability of some of it because I don’t think technology was that good back then. I also couldn’t believe the main character continued to stay on campus after what was happening. All she cared about was her flute lol.
My copy had spoilers written in the margins which were wrong! LOL.
Another great author who wrote this trilogy and then disappeared. This has to be a pen name for another author.
The chapters were really short and things moved along swiftly. Only about 150 pages.
Reads like an 80s stranger danger slasher movie. I loved this. I was genuinely creeped out/scared at parts. Also it’s fairly gory for a 90s teen thriller. Though I questioned the probability of some of it because I don’t think technology was that good back then. I also couldn’t believe the main character continued to stay on campus after what was happening. All she cared about was her flute lol.
My copy had spoilers written in the margins which were wrong! LOL.
Another great author who wrote this trilogy and then disappeared. This has to be a pen name for another author.
The chapters were really short and things moved along swiftly. Only about 150 pages.
June 24, 2015
I first read the third book in this trilogy when I was a teenager and loved it. I read the first one too, but my library didn't have the second. Now, thanks to Amazon used books I have them all and I finally read the whole series in order.
My review is heavily biased by nostalgia because, really, there isn't much here, but what can I say, nostalgia is powerful because I still enjoyed reading this first installment. I can get behind any book that uses the phrase "old biddy."
My review is heavily biased by nostalgia because, really, there isn't much here, but what can I say, nostalgia is powerful because I still enjoyed reading this first installment. I can get behind any book that uses the phrase "old biddy."
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews