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Sweet Valley High #26
Hostage!
Regina's life—in jeopardy...
When Elizabeth Wakefield learns that Regina Morrow has returned unexpectedly to Sweet Valley from Switzerland, she drops by to visit. A strange woman answers the door and says Regina cannot have visitors. With the help of Jessica, her twin, and Bruce Patman, Regina's boyfriend, Elizabeth discovers that Regina and her parents are being held hostage!
If Elizabeth calls the police, the Morrows may be killed. So she, Bruce, Jessica, and Regina's brother, Nicholas, vow to rescue the Morrows on their own—before the kidnappers take desperate action!
When Elizabeth Wakefield learns that Regina Morrow has returned unexpectedly to Sweet Valley from Switzerland, she drops by to visit. A strange woman answers the door and says Regina cannot have visitors. With the help of Jessica, her twin, and Bruce Patman, Regina's boyfriend, Elizabeth discovers that Regina and her parents are being held hostage!
If Elizabeth calls the police, the Morrows may be killed. So she, Bruce, Jessica, and Regina's brother, Nicholas, vow to rescue the Morrows on their own—before the kidnappers take desperate action!
135 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1986
34 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,140 books1,851 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 31, 2025
This was wacky, over the top, campy and I loved it. Regina Morrow and her parents are kidnapped and being held until a disgruntled former employee can get a hold of a top secret computer chip Morrow is developing and ruin him. Nicholas isn't involved as he was in San Francisco when the plot started although Regina was in Switzerland so you'd think she'd be safe but anyway. So the twins and Bruce hatch a plan to save them cause the police are idiots and don't believe anything is going on. Jessica flirts with the son of said disgruntled employee who apparently has nice shoulders, not usually the first thing I notice about a guy but you do you Jess. Anyway it's wild like WWII spy stuff. Notes are passed in magazinesand compacts, Jessica is pretty much a honeypot, all wrapped up with a cozy mystery incompetent cops who show up after the teens solve it all, sort of a Scooby Doo thing. All quite funny and silly but also so bad and funny it's good. The book ends with Ken Matthews being pursued by Suzanne who's trying to get him to like poetry and classical music and this leads us into the next book. This was unhinged and wild and I love when these books go off the rails like this.
June 16, 2023
I wanted more edge to this! It should have had me worried but alas it did not. And what is wrong with the police in this book?! This should have had me on the edge of my seat! I felt nothing for most of the characters. In fact, Bruce's character is the ONLY one that felt real. Jessica took second. Seriously?! Those two were the best in the book. Is that possible? Elizabeth, Regina and Nicholas just fell flat. Granted I had more fun with this book than some volumes but I just saw potential for more.
July 11, 2024
3.5. Actually pretty good for a SVH book. It had me on edge all the time. Super unrealistic and unhinged plot, but great entertainment.
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February 3, 2015Guest author Carolyn Keene featured in this riveting installment of Sweet Valley High...except not really.
June 1, 2025
Hostage (Sweet Valley High) Updated
Liz is trying to tell Jessica something strange is going on at the Morrow’s house, but Jessica just thinks Liz is jumping to conclusions. There’s a strange woman that opened the door. Jessica says maybe Regina just doesn’t want to see Bruce now that she’s back. Since she’s been in Switzerland Liz and Regina have written frequently. That’s why she was surprised to hear from Eddie Strong (who worked at a supermarket) that Regina was back in town. She hadn’t said anything about it to Bruce or her (Liz). Thinking Regina was there for a surprise visit, she drove over to the Morrow’s but the gates were locked and the place looked deserted.
Bruce phoned the Morrows-thinking Eddie was mistaken- he phoned the Morrow’s but a woman who claimed to be her aunt said Regina was sleeping and the Morrows were away. Only Regina parents are only children. Jessica refuses to take Liz’s concern seriously and Liz thinks back to when she was kidnapped by Carl. Liz decides to go back to the Morrows and calls Bruce. He offers to come with her but she says it’ll be easier to sneak around by herself and do some detective work. He tells her to call him when she gets back and be careful.
When she goes over a woman comes out and says Regina isn’t there, but then Regina comes out. The woman says to Regina she told her to stay upstairs. Regina doesn’t say anything and turns to go back upstairs. The woman tells Liz Regina isn’t well. Liz tries to gesture to Regina but she doesn’t respond back. The woman shuts the door on Liz. Liz decides not to tell her parents what’s going on. She tells Jessica that she saw Regina and that she thinks they should call the police. Jessica says what if it really is Regina’s aunt. Liz says she’ll just have to chance it. Sergent O Brian says he’ll check it out and call her back.
When he calls her back he says the lady said her name is Claire Davis and she’s Skye’s stepsister and that she’s visiting from out of town. Regina was upstairs and everything seemed normal. Liz knows Sergent O Brian was trying to tell her butt out but she can’t get Regina’s frightened expression out of her mind. Jessica changes her mind and she comes up with a plan involving Eddie Strong. He can tell them when the next delivery is and they can get a message to her themselves. And Bruce can be the delivery guy.
Liz tells Bruce and he says the woman is lying. Regina’s mother (neither of her parents) have stepsisters. Bruce says he’s tired because Mr. Collin’s has been on Ken about his grades so he might not be able to play in the Centennial football game. Jessica, Liz, and Bruce write Regina a letter asking if she’s ok. If she’s not wrap something heavy around the letter and drop it out the window and they’ll pick it up tonight. They instruct her to tell what they can do to help. They decide to slip the note into a fashion magazine.
We find out that Regina got out of the taxi at the airport in Bern eight days earlier. She had gone to the airport to meet her parents who’d written saying that Mr. Morrow had some urgent business in Geneva and they would stop in Bern first to visit her. They had asked her to meet them at gate one in the main terminal at one-thirty. She couldn’t wait to show them her progess and hear them speak. Then a woman came up next to her and said “I have a gun in my purse. Don’t make me use it.”
She tells her to listen to her and do as she says. She says her name is Aunt Claire and she’s going to take her back to Sweet Valley. But first they’ll go to her apartment to pack a bag and get her passport, She’ll phone her doctor and tell him her parents want her to stay in Sweet Valley for a couple of weeks. She tells her (her) parents are being held hostage and if she gives her any trouble they’ll be killed.
When they arrive at her estate there’s a thin man that wants a chip Mr. Morrow had designed that would revolutionize the computer industry. Mr. Morrow That was where Regina came in. Using Regina, he planned to get the chip prototype from the plant. He was going to force Mr. Morrow to call Walter Frank, the plant manager, and tell him that he was detained in Europe. He would then instruct Walter to give the chip to Regina when she showed up at the plant. This man would get the chip, and her father's business would be destroyed had spent the better part of the past five years perfecting this chip and had just manufactured a single working prototype.
Regina wraps the letter in a silver compact and drops it out the window. Bruce, Jessica, and Liz all read the letter explaining what’s going on. Regina asks to find out where they’re holding her parents or they’ll kill them, but they can’t call the police. She tells them Nick is staying with a friend and to call him. They reach Nick and he says he can be back by breakfast. Not giving him any details. Bruce says come straight to his place, They ponder over what Regina heard “Money is Heaven”. The twins agree to come over to Bruce’s after school. Bruce says he’s staying home from school.
When they all meet up, Nick says he doesn’t know of any enemies his father has when Bruce asks. Nick jumps up and says he can’t just sit around. Liz says she’ll go with him. As they pull up, someone in a blue car comes down the driveway. Nick kisses Liz to distract the car’s attention. The ruse worked. The driver thinks they’re just a couple out for a romantic drive. Nick gets the license plate number of the car. Nick says the driver looked vaguely familiar. Liz says she’s scared and Nick agrees to go back to Bruce’s.
Liz asks could “money is heaven” be a password. Nick says his father doesn’t use passwords. Jessica asks again if he’s sure his father didn’t have enemies and he says there was a guy some years ago in Connetiicut that his father had arrested for stealing. His name was Phillip Denson. Then he remembers he got out of prison last year and moved to California. Then Nick realizes the man he saw in the car was Phillip Denson. The twins, Bruce, and Nick go track down Denson at his address. They see a guy in the yard and send Jessica to find out what she can. Jessica pretends to be taking a poll. He says his name is Mitch Simpson but he’s not the owner. His father is (Phillip) and he’s a computer consultant.
Jessica keeps asking questions. Then Mitch starts to ask her questions. Like what she likes to do when she’s not driving around asking people’s questions. Jessica asks can she have something to drink and then Mitch starts to look nervous. He says his father is home and denies her coming in because he says his father hates to be disturbed. When Jessica looks in the window she sees Mr. and Mrs. Morrow but then Mrs. Morrow pulls them out of sight. When Mitch comes back, he asks what she’s looking at. Jessica covers and says she just wanted to see how his living room looked for the poll. He looks and makes sure she didn’t see something she wasn’t supposed to and says that’s all right. Then Jessica makes her excuse and says they have two more towns to visit.
The Morrow’s wonder if the twins can get in touch with Nick but they also worry that the twins might have them or Regina killed. Jessica tells Nick she say his parents. They have to warn Nick not to do anything rash. When Liz gets home she gets a call from Suzzane Hamlin who invites her to take part in a Literary Reading. Days go by and Regina doesn’t hear from anyone. Phillip and Aunt Claire tell her don’t mess this up. A lot is riding on her. Regine considers trying to escape but fears Deson will carry out his threats and kill her parents. Jessica figures out the code is “Monday at 7:00”.
Liz says she’s come up with a plan. They’ll rescue her parents while Regina’s in the plant with Claire. Liz and Nick will go to the plant. Jess and Bruce will go release the Morrows. Meanwhile, Nicholas and I will be at the plant, waiting for Regina and Claire to come out. When they do, Liz will intercept Claire and Regina, Nicholas can call the police. Jessica will talk to Mitch again and find out where Phillip Denson would be, Phillip tells Mr. Morrow the plan. Tomorrow morning he’soing to call Walter Frank at the plant and tell him his trip to Europe is taking longer than you planned. And he’s found out that he needs the microchip prototype he’sgot locked up in the safe in the plant, only he doesn’t have time to come get it himselff. So you're sending Regina over to get it with her aunt Claire.
He says then he’ll sell it and be rich. He tells them don’t worry about what he’ll do with them. Just do what he says. When Jessica goes over, again he says he can’t invite her in because his dad is sleeping. She says she’s come over to invite him to a beach party. At first, he says he can’t go. It’s a bad night. She tries to ask if she can come over Monday night. He says it sounds great but. She says she’ll come by at seven and if he’s busy she’ll just go on to the party. Getting information out of him is turning out to be harder than she thought.
Mr. Morrow follows the instructions (all the while Phillip has him at gun point). When Jessica goes to pick Mitch up he tells her he really does have something to do. He likes her but he needs her to get out of there before she gets hurt. Then Phillip drives up and comes through the side door. Jessica yells for Bruce and runs after him. Mitch calls out that its not safe in there. He grabs Jessica and holds her and she bites him. She charges through the front door yelling for Bruce. Then she sees Bruce and the Morrows running. Then Denson whose pointing his gun at all of them and tells them if one person moves he’ll shoot.
Bruce tells her she has to get to the jeep. Denson tells them to shut up. No moving! No talking! Mitch yells at his father to leave Jessica alone and knocks the gun from his hand and Bruce, Jessica, and the Morrows make a run for it. They make it safetly to the Jeep. Liz pretends she’s a reporter and she approaches Claire. She then recognizes her as the one that came by the house. Liz tells her she must mean her twin sister. She doesn’t know Regina. She asks Regina if she knows any of the foreman. Claire says they don’t have time for this and tries to get away but Liz keeps stalling her.
Meanwhile Nick is trying to convince Sergent O Brian that he’s not trying to prank him (and making Nick furious). Luckily Mr. Morrow calls and confirms the story and they say they’re sending a squad car out. Claire threatens to shoot Liz but in seconds the police arrive. The police and the Morrows rush in. Claire threatens to shoot. Phillip shows up. Mr. Morrow asks what he really wants. Phillip says to make him suffer. Mr. Morrow says he had to convict him. He says but he didn’t have to destroy his life. When he got out of jail, he couldn’t get another job working with computers. Mr. Morrow says he got what he deserved and asks again what he wants. The chip? He says that’s just the beginning.
But they’ll find out when he’s good and ready. Sirens sound. Bruce and Nick jump Phillip. Claire shots. Jessica screams. Her shot misses Nick by inches. Six police run toward them yelling at Denson to put his hands up. They cuff him and Aunt Claire. They and Mitch are taken to the police station and their read the Miranda rights. Jessica says it’s not fair. Mitch saved their lives and Nick tells her if he’s innocent he’ll be let go. Mrs. Morrow and Mr. Morrow decide to have a welcome home party. They give Regina the good news that her last round of treatments can be done in LA. (She has 90 percent of her hearing back).
Mitch does get off. Mitch, it turned out, had been told by his father and Claire Davis that the MicroTech chip was their own design. That was why they were stealing it, they told him, because it rightfully belonged to them! Apparently, Mitch had begun to be suspicious as soon as the Morrows were brought to the house. At that point, though, his father forced him to keep quiet and go along with everything he said. Once Mitch had tried to call the police, but his father had threatened to shoot him if he made another attempt.
My Thoughts
Why are the police in books and tv shows (and often in REAL LIFE) always SO USELESS! First of all, I thought it was dumb for them NOT to tell Mr. Wakefield. I kept thinking but why. Yes, they wouldn’t have wanted *them* to get involved and they *SHOULDN’T* have gotten involved in this. But telling an ADULT would have been a smart thing to do. But even with that as we can see telling the police still wouldn’t have helped. After reading this I don’t have a very high opinion of the SV police! They didn’t take Liz series. They didn’t take Nicholas himself serious. They wren’t even competent enough to get the Morrow’s out THEMSELVES and save Regina? And what’s also ridiculous is I don’t know why Nick and Elizabeth don’t just hook up already.
Rating: 5
Liz is trying to tell Jessica something strange is going on at the Morrow’s house, but Jessica just thinks Liz is jumping to conclusions. There’s a strange woman that opened the door. Jessica says maybe Regina just doesn’t want to see Bruce now that she’s back. Since she’s been in Switzerland Liz and Regina have written frequently. That’s why she was surprised to hear from Eddie Strong (who worked at a supermarket) that Regina was back in town. She hadn’t said anything about it to Bruce or her (Liz). Thinking Regina was there for a surprise visit, she drove over to the Morrow’s but the gates were locked and the place looked deserted.
Bruce phoned the Morrows-thinking Eddie was mistaken- he phoned the Morrow’s but a woman who claimed to be her aunt said Regina was sleeping and the Morrows were away. Only Regina parents are only children. Jessica refuses to take Liz’s concern seriously and Liz thinks back to when she was kidnapped by Carl. Liz decides to go back to the Morrows and calls Bruce. He offers to come with her but she says it’ll be easier to sneak around by herself and do some detective work. He tells her to call him when she gets back and be careful.
When she goes over a woman comes out and says Regina isn’t there, but then Regina comes out. The woman says to Regina she told her to stay upstairs. Regina doesn’t say anything and turns to go back upstairs. The woman tells Liz Regina isn’t well. Liz tries to gesture to Regina but she doesn’t respond back. The woman shuts the door on Liz. Liz decides not to tell her parents what’s going on. She tells Jessica that she saw Regina and that she thinks they should call the police. Jessica says what if it really is Regina’s aunt. Liz says she’ll just have to chance it. Sergent O Brian says he’ll check it out and call her back.
When he calls her back he says the lady said her name is Claire Davis and she’s Skye’s stepsister and that she’s visiting from out of town. Regina was upstairs and everything seemed normal. Liz knows Sergent O Brian was trying to tell her butt out but she can’t get Regina’s frightened expression out of her mind. Jessica changes her mind and she comes up with a plan involving Eddie Strong. He can tell them when the next delivery is and they can get a message to her themselves. And Bruce can be the delivery guy.
Liz tells Bruce and he says the woman is lying. Regina’s mother (neither of her parents) have stepsisters. Bruce says he’s tired because Mr. Collin’s has been on Ken about his grades so he might not be able to play in the Centennial football game. Jessica, Liz, and Bruce write Regina a letter asking if she’s ok. If she’s not wrap something heavy around the letter and drop it out the window and they’ll pick it up tonight. They instruct her to tell what they can do to help. They decide to slip the note into a fashion magazine.
We find out that Regina got out of the taxi at the airport in Bern eight days earlier. She had gone to the airport to meet her parents who’d written saying that Mr. Morrow had some urgent business in Geneva and they would stop in Bern first to visit her. They had asked her to meet them at gate one in the main terminal at one-thirty. She couldn’t wait to show them her progess and hear them speak. Then a woman came up next to her and said “I have a gun in my purse. Don’t make me use it.”
She tells her to listen to her and do as she says. She says her name is Aunt Claire and she’s going to take her back to Sweet Valley. But first they’ll go to her apartment to pack a bag and get her passport, She’ll phone her doctor and tell him her parents want her to stay in Sweet Valley for a couple of weeks. She tells her (her) parents are being held hostage and if she gives her any trouble they’ll be killed.
When they arrive at her estate there’s a thin man that wants a chip Mr. Morrow had designed that would revolutionize the computer industry. Mr. Morrow That was where Regina came in. Using Regina, he planned to get the chip prototype from the plant. He was going to force Mr. Morrow to call Walter Frank, the plant manager, and tell him that he was detained in Europe. He would then instruct Walter to give the chip to Regina when she showed up at the plant. This man would get the chip, and her father's business would be destroyed had spent the better part of the past five years perfecting this chip and had just manufactured a single working prototype.
Regina wraps the letter in a silver compact and drops it out the window. Bruce, Jessica, and Liz all read the letter explaining what’s going on. Regina asks to find out where they’re holding her parents or they’ll kill them, but they can’t call the police. She tells them Nick is staying with a friend and to call him. They reach Nick and he says he can be back by breakfast. Not giving him any details. Bruce says come straight to his place, They ponder over what Regina heard “Money is Heaven”. The twins agree to come over to Bruce’s after school. Bruce says he’s staying home from school.
When they all meet up, Nick says he doesn’t know of any enemies his father has when Bruce asks. Nick jumps up and says he can’t just sit around. Liz says she’ll go with him. As they pull up, someone in a blue car comes down the driveway. Nick kisses Liz to distract the car’s attention. The ruse worked. The driver thinks they’re just a couple out for a romantic drive. Nick gets the license plate number of the car. Nick says the driver looked vaguely familiar. Liz says she’s scared and Nick agrees to go back to Bruce’s.
Liz asks could “money is heaven” be a password. Nick says his father doesn’t use passwords. Jessica asks again if he’s sure his father didn’t have enemies and he says there was a guy some years ago in Connetiicut that his father had arrested for stealing. His name was Phillip Denson. Then he remembers he got out of prison last year and moved to California. Then Nick realizes the man he saw in the car was Phillip Denson. The twins, Bruce, and Nick go track down Denson at his address. They see a guy in the yard and send Jessica to find out what she can. Jessica pretends to be taking a poll. He says his name is Mitch Simpson but he’s not the owner. His father is (Phillip) and he’s a computer consultant.
Jessica keeps asking questions. Then Mitch starts to ask her questions. Like what she likes to do when she’s not driving around asking people’s questions. Jessica asks can she have something to drink and then Mitch starts to look nervous. He says his father is home and denies her coming in because he says his father hates to be disturbed. When Jessica looks in the window she sees Mr. and Mrs. Morrow but then Mrs. Morrow pulls them out of sight. When Mitch comes back, he asks what she’s looking at. Jessica covers and says she just wanted to see how his living room looked for the poll. He looks and makes sure she didn’t see something she wasn’t supposed to and says that’s all right. Then Jessica makes her excuse and says they have two more towns to visit.
The Morrow’s wonder if the twins can get in touch with Nick but they also worry that the twins might have them or Regina killed. Jessica tells Nick she say his parents. They have to warn Nick not to do anything rash. When Liz gets home she gets a call from Suzzane Hamlin who invites her to take part in a Literary Reading. Days go by and Regina doesn’t hear from anyone. Phillip and Aunt Claire tell her don’t mess this up. A lot is riding on her. Regine considers trying to escape but fears Deson will carry out his threats and kill her parents. Jessica figures out the code is “Monday at 7:00”.
Liz says she’s come up with a plan. They’ll rescue her parents while Regina’s in the plant with Claire. Liz and Nick will go to the plant. Jess and Bruce will go release the Morrows. Meanwhile, Nicholas and I will be at the plant, waiting for Regina and Claire to come out. When they do, Liz will intercept Claire and Regina, Nicholas can call the police. Jessica will talk to Mitch again and find out where Phillip Denson would be, Phillip tells Mr. Morrow the plan. Tomorrow morning he’soing to call Walter Frank at the plant and tell him his trip to Europe is taking longer than you planned. And he’s found out that he needs the microchip prototype he’sgot locked up in the safe in the plant, only he doesn’t have time to come get it himselff. So you're sending Regina over to get it with her aunt Claire.
He says then he’ll sell it and be rich. He tells them don’t worry about what he’ll do with them. Just do what he says. When Jessica goes over, again he says he can’t invite her in because his dad is sleeping. She says she’s come over to invite him to a beach party. At first, he says he can’t go. It’s a bad night. She tries to ask if she can come over Monday night. He says it sounds great but. She says she’ll come by at seven and if he’s busy she’ll just go on to the party. Getting information out of him is turning out to be harder than she thought.
Mr. Morrow follows the instructions (all the while Phillip has him at gun point). When Jessica goes to pick Mitch up he tells her he really does have something to do. He likes her but he needs her to get out of there before she gets hurt. Then Phillip drives up and comes through the side door. Jessica yells for Bruce and runs after him. Mitch calls out that its not safe in there. He grabs Jessica and holds her and she bites him. She charges through the front door yelling for Bruce. Then she sees Bruce and the Morrows running. Then Denson whose pointing his gun at all of them and tells them if one person moves he’ll shoot.
Bruce tells her she has to get to the jeep. Denson tells them to shut up. No moving! No talking! Mitch yells at his father to leave Jessica alone and knocks the gun from his hand and Bruce, Jessica, and the Morrows make a run for it. They make it safetly to the Jeep. Liz pretends she’s a reporter and she approaches Claire. She then recognizes her as the one that came by the house. Liz tells her she must mean her twin sister. She doesn’t know Regina. She asks Regina if she knows any of the foreman. Claire says they don’t have time for this and tries to get away but Liz keeps stalling her.
Meanwhile Nick is trying to convince Sergent O Brian that he’s not trying to prank him (and making Nick furious). Luckily Mr. Morrow calls and confirms the story and they say they’re sending a squad car out. Claire threatens to shoot Liz but in seconds the police arrive. The police and the Morrows rush in. Claire threatens to shoot. Phillip shows up. Mr. Morrow asks what he really wants. Phillip says to make him suffer. Mr. Morrow says he had to convict him. He says but he didn’t have to destroy his life. When he got out of jail, he couldn’t get another job working with computers. Mr. Morrow says he got what he deserved and asks again what he wants. The chip? He says that’s just the beginning.
But they’ll find out when he’s good and ready. Sirens sound. Bruce and Nick jump Phillip. Claire shots. Jessica screams. Her shot misses Nick by inches. Six police run toward them yelling at Denson to put his hands up. They cuff him and Aunt Claire. They and Mitch are taken to the police station and their read the Miranda rights. Jessica says it’s not fair. Mitch saved their lives and Nick tells her if he’s innocent he’ll be let go. Mrs. Morrow and Mr. Morrow decide to have a welcome home party. They give Regina the good news that her last round of treatments can be done in LA. (She has 90 percent of her hearing back).
Mitch does get off. Mitch, it turned out, had been told by his father and Claire Davis that the MicroTech chip was their own design. That was why they were stealing it, they told him, because it rightfully belonged to them! Apparently, Mitch had begun to be suspicious as soon as the Morrows were brought to the house. At that point, though, his father forced him to keep quiet and go along with everything he said. Once Mitch had tried to call the police, but his father had threatened to shoot him if he made another attempt.
My Thoughts
Why are the police in books and tv shows (and often in REAL LIFE) always SO USELESS! First of all, I thought it was dumb for them NOT to tell Mr. Wakefield. I kept thinking but why. Yes, they wouldn’t have wanted *them* to get involved and they *SHOULDN’T* have gotten involved in this. But telling an ADULT would have been a smart thing to do. But even with that as we can see telling the police still wouldn’t have helped. After reading this I don’t have a very high opinion of the SV police! They didn’t take Liz series. They didn’t take Nicholas himself serious. They wren’t even competent enough to get the Morrow’s out THEMSELVES and save Regina? And what’s also ridiculous is I don’t know why Nick and Elizabeth don’t just hook up already.
Rating: 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
Where do I even start!?
You gotta love 1986. Kurt Morrow has invented some vague computer chip that will vaguely revolutionise the world, and some dude jailed for embezzling money from him years ago wants to steal the prototype and sell it on.
Okay. But what does this dude REALLY want? 'I want you to suffer!' he shouts at Kurt, and I choke on laughter.
Let me tell you, if your friend / sister / girlfriend and her parents ever get held hostage like this, you definitely shouldn't call the police. They have no idea what they're doing anyway. You tell them some strange woman is in the house claiming to be the Morrows' step-sister and they won't even bother checking family records - they'll just yell at you for crank calls.
And be sure to bring correct change with you to make your calls from the phone booth, when carrying out your plan to foil the villain's evil schemes. Remember, this is 1986. The only one with a car phone is Bruce.
Other things I loved:
* Jessica saving the day by flirting
* Jessica getting the villain's son out of prison - because she's totally a lawyer, right?
* Jessica saying the villain's son can't be evil because he has nice shoulders
* The idea of someone's defining feature being their shoulders
* Nicholas using his family being held hostage as a way to kiss Liz sort of against her will, AGAIN - seriously, this guy....
* That we're meant to like Nicholas
* The villain tells his hostages all his evil plans
* The villain's girlfriend is 35 with 'graying hair' - I mean, 35 is ancient, right?
* It takes the teenagers like 100 pages to work out that 'money is heaven' = 'Monday at seven'
* How easy it is to free hostages being held at gunpoint
* How after you've been held hostage, and fearing for your lives all week, the first thing you do is order pizza and throw a party - PTSD just does not exist in this town
* That there's a Sweet Valley Police Department
* The cops say, 'I just want to tell you that you have the right to remain silent....'
* The villain says what he wants to say can be said right NOW, thank you! He's not sorry at all!
* That the suggestion of getting together to read some poems is too sophisticated for their high school
* Jessica suggesting that she read the hottest passages from her diary at a poetry reading event
* Jessica wearing a skirt, t-shirt and sandals is a really controversial outfit
* Everyone is patronising to the deaf girl, as usual - she's so BRAVE!!!
* They think anyone gives a damn about Ken and Suzanne
This book was everything I love about SVH. I laughed from start to finish and wanted to do it all again.
You gotta love 1986. Kurt Morrow has invented some vague computer chip that will vaguely revolutionise the world, and some dude jailed for embezzling money from him years ago wants to steal the prototype and sell it on.
Okay. But what does this dude REALLY want? 'I want you to suffer!' he shouts at Kurt, and I choke on laughter.
Let me tell you, if your friend / sister / girlfriend and her parents ever get held hostage like this, you definitely shouldn't call the police. They have no idea what they're doing anyway. You tell them some strange woman is in the house claiming to be the Morrows' step-sister and they won't even bother checking family records - they'll just yell at you for crank calls.
And be sure to bring correct change with you to make your calls from the phone booth, when carrying out your plan to foil the villain's evil schemes. Remember, this is 1986. The only one with a car phone is Bruce.
Other things I loved:
* Jessica saving the day by flirting
* Jessica getting the villain's son out of prison - because she's totally a lawyer, right?
* Jessica saying the villain's son can't be evil because he has nice shoulders
* The idea of someone's defining feature being their shoulders
* Nicholas using his family being held hostage as a way to kiss Liz sort of against her will, AGAIN - seriously, this guy....
* That we're meant to like Nicholas
* The villain tells his hostages all his evil plans
* The villain's girlfriend is 35 with 'graying hair' - I mean, 35 is ancient, right?
* It takes the teenagers like 100 pages to work out that 'money is heaven' = 'Monday at seven'
* How easy it is to free hostages being held at gunpoint
* How after you've been held hostage, and fearing for your lives all week, the first thing you do is order pizza and throw a party - PTSD just does not exist in this town
* That there's a Sweet Valley Police Department
* The cops say, 'I just want to tell you that you have the right to remain silent....'
* The villain says what he wants to say can be said right NOW, thank you! He's not sorry at all!
* That the suggestion of getting together to read some poems is too sophisticated for their high school
* Jessica suggesting that she read the hottest passages from her diary at a poetry reading event
* Jessica wearing a skirt, t-shirt and sandals is a really controversial outfit
* Everyone is patronising to the deaf girl, as usual - she's so BRAVE!!!
* They think anyone gives a damn about Ken and Suzanne
This book was everything I love about SVH. I laughed from start to finish and wanted to do it all again.
January 12, 2021
Jessica shines in this welcome mystery where the unlikely quartet of Elizabeth, Jessica, Bruce and Nicholas Morrow work together to rescue the rest of the Morrow family from a hostage situation. The tone is absurdly light considering these super sleuths are actually dealing with a pretty serious situation, but it tracks with the series. Also, from information extracting, to code breaking, to elaborate planning, Jessica shows that her scheming can be used for good under the right circumstances.
--
**Review Note - I have been re-reading the Sweet Valley High series one book at a time for my podcast, “Lessons From Sweet Valley.” The following is the unique SVH rating system that I use on goodreads for these books alone…
5 Stars - The book is worthy of being read outside of the series purely as an exemplary example of YA fiction.
4 Stars - The book contains an element, storyline or theme that sets it apart from your average SVH tome.
3 Stars - The book adequately meets the expectations of an SVH book as it exists in the Sweet Valley universe.
2 Stars - The book falls below the SVH standards in terms of subject matter, characters or overall story.
1 Star - Offensive by SVH standards! Any of those re-reading the series should skip entirely
--
**Review Note - I have been re-reading the Sweet Valley High series one book at a time for my podcast, “Lessons From Sweet Valley.” The following is the unique SVH rating system that I use on goodreads for these books alone…
5 Stars - The book is worthy of being read outside of the series purely as an exemplary example of YA fiction.
4 Stars - The book contains an element, storyline or theme that sets it apart from your average SVH tome.
3 Stars - The book adequately meets the expectations of an SVH book as it exists in the Sweet Valley universe.
2 Stars - The book falls below the SVH standards in terms of subject matter, characters or overall story.
1 Star - Offensive by SVH standards! Any of those re-reading the series should skip entirely
May 13, 2023
A fun plucky teen detectives romp. I'm really hoping that this book is the one that marks Sweet Valley High turning the corner from the toxicity and boredom that the series has consisted of thus far.
This one was fun. I can't forgive Bruce Patman for his behaviour before now, so the way I get through this is by imagining his doppelganger showed up and killed him, and that's why he's suddenly a functional member of society that can be trusted to act appropriately when a woman says no.
Jessica gets to use her flirty wiles for good. Liz gets to plan (after being really dim for the first few chapters), and Nicholas Morrow fills the void left by Todd when he and his hair-trigger temper took off for Vermont.
All in all, I liked it. More of this please. I can even forgive the parts where the story came to a screeching halt to seed the next book, because the rest was fun.
Also, I imagined that Phil and Claire were the Dunphys in an alternate timeline.
This one was fun. I can't forgive Bruce Patman for his behaviour before now, so the way I get through this is by imagining his doppelganger showed up and killed him, and that's why he's suddenly a functional member of society that can be trusted to act appropriately when a woman says no.
Jessica gets to use her flirty wiles for good. Liz gets to plan (after being really dim for the first few chapters), and Nicholas Morrow fills the void left by Todd when he and his hair-trigger temper took off for Vermont.
All in all, I liked it. More of this please. I can even forgive the parts where the story came to a screeching halt to seed the next book, because the rest was fun.
Also, I imagined that Phil and Claire were the Dunphys in an alternate timeline.
March 13, 2018
More like 2.5.
Pretty entertaining - Elizabeth, Jessica, Bruce Patman, and Nicholas Morrow team up to rescue Regina Morrow and her parents from a hostage situation that requires the reader to suspend a lot of disbelief. I totally remembered Elizabeth and Nicholas Still low-key rooting for them to get together!
On another note, the girl on the front cover is clearly not the same girl they've used for Regina on other covers. To put it kindly, Regina is supposed to be stunningly beautiful.
Pretty entertaining - Elizabeth, Jessica, Bruce Patman, and Nicholas Morrow team up to rescue Regina Morrow and her parents from a hostage situation that requires the reader to suspend a lot of disbelief. I totally remembered Elizabeth and Nicholas Still low-key rooting for them to get together!
On another note, the girl on the front cover is clearly not the same girl they've used for Regina on other covers. To put it kindly, Regina is supposed to be stunningly beautiful.
August 11, 2020
This is one of the most insane books in the series - where a bunch of teenagers we know and love foil a hostage situation even though the hostage takers have guns and they don't. Isn't that amazing? I know when I was a teenager the last thing I wanted was actual police officers to swoop in and and hog the glory. Working like a well oiled machine this team of underage super stars figured out all the pieces and deployed Jessica the Sex Bomb to do some nifty flirting to pave the way to freeing the entire Morrow Family minus Nicholas the pesterer of Elizabeth (you know who was entitled to that sneaky date way back and is still trying to get with her now she's all mooning over Todd being gone) and to celebrate they eat pizza and throw a party. Good times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2022
The one where the Wakefields, Bruce and Nicholas stop an insane kidnapping plot. They’re capable because Jessica reads Agatha Christie on the beach! Regina is being held hostage in her own home by Claire Davis and Phillip Denson, a former employee of Mr Morrow’s who’s recently been released from prison and is now trying to steal Mr. Morrow’s new microchip. The twins, Bruce and Nicholas pretend to be census workers, almost get shot and eat sandwiches in there daring attempt to save Regina and her parents, who are held hostage at Phillip Denson’s home. All in all, the Sweet Valley Police Department are a bunch of rejects, Claire Davis can’t aim a gun to save her life, both twins were good and Mitch Denson in his cutoff t-shirt was the real hero.
October 8, 2025
I was so excited to finally have another book with a plot other than a love triangle but alas, another SVH snooze fest. I won’t divulge too many details but moral of this story is: if you’re being held hostage and your boyfriend, brother, and classmates know don’t count on being rescued right away but those chucklef**ks will make you wait 3+ days for no real reason. Also, the author has a real hard on for disparaging deaf people, you’d think Regina was in an iron lung with how they described her “disability”. Yet again, SVH is only sunny if you are rich, thin, and boring af like the rest of them.
December 27, 2018
Probably THE most implausible and ridiculous of the SVH series I've reread as an adult so far- the plotline of a bizarre kidnapping and "computer chip" theft, endangering both the parents and daughter of the Morrow family, thwarted by the Wakefield twins and Bruce Patman seemed to have been written by a muddle school kid who won a contest or something in 1986. Really weird and terrible, but I still read it in an hour for fun. Onto 27!
July 31, 2024
I do so adore that every once and awhile Francine Pascal and the ghostwriters of the SVU series felt we needed some extra exciting storylines. Case in point, the kidnapping of Regina Morrow and her parents. It's up to Elizabeth, Jessica, Bruce Patman and Nicholas Morrow to rescue them. Yes, it's over the top and eye brow raising ridiculousness BUT so are most of the teen shows I still watch.
Definitely one of my favorites!
Goodreads review published 31/07/24
Definitely one of my favorites!
Goodreads review published 31/07/24
September 22, 2025
Unhinged plot involving international kidnapping and ransom for a coveted “computer chip” to make millions! Ahhhh it was the 80’s, what a time to be alive.
I kind of wish it was more wild and unhinged than it was (the story was quite tame), but I enjoyed this Scooby Doo like team of the Wakefield twins and Bruce Patman saving the day. I also can’t wait to get into SHV’s specific “Super Thriller” books.
I kind of wish it was more wild and unhinged than it was (the story was quite tame), but I enjoyed this Scooby Doo like team of the Wakefield twins and Bruce Patman saving the day. I also can’t wait to get into SHV’s specific “Super Thriller” books.
April 2, 2019
Probably the lamest book in the series so far. Apart from the one where thingy broke up with thingy and spent the whole book crying. Yeah, that’s how much of an impression that particular book made on me - I can’t even remember their names. Anyhoo, this was like the Famous Five. Except there were four of them. Regina Morrow kind of bugs me. There, I said it.
August 4, 2020
I quite liked it. I wish Pascal went into more detail and showed more emotions with Regina when she got her hearing back. She seemed to act like it was no big deal that she could finally hear everyone's voices for the first time. The police force were literally horrible in this book haha. It was pretty entertaining and thrilling, the Densons are some nasty people!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2021
Three stars for sheer amusement
Liz discovers Regina Morrow has returned to SV from Switzerland unbeknownst to anyone, including BF Bruce Patman.
Bruce, Jess and Liz investigate and discover she's being held hostage. With the help of her brother Nicholas, the intrepid four brave danger to rescue Heroically No-Longer-Deaf Regina and her parents
Liz discovers Regina Morrow has returned to SV from Switzerland unbeknownst to anyone, including BF Bruce Patman.
Bruce, Jess and Liz investigate and discover she's being held hostage. With the help of her brother Nicholas, the intrepid four brave danger to rescue Heroically No-Longer-Deaf Regina and her parents
May 7, 2023
Maybe this one might be worth rereading much later. I kind of made the mistake of reading this on sped up audio narrated by a human, and it was terrible. I think that's part of what colored my perception of the book and really made it a bad experience for me. I should know better, but I've had this one for such a long time. I've read a lot of the other books in the series and liked them.
January 12, 2018
I definitely liked this more than most of the others, but it's completely ridiculous. Also the police force is Sweet Valley seems pretty pathetic.
I guess it's back to boring high school stuff now...
I guess it's back to boring high school stuff now...
April 25, 2020
these are not the smartest books, but specifically this one broke all the records for stupidity. the heroes know exactly where the hostages are held and what the captors need, but no one thought of calling the fbi ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2024
So nostalgic. At so many points was I thinking how none of this - none of it! - would happen as it had in the book nowadays with phones, technology, etc. It’s the first, likely only, time I’d describe such a hostage situation as “quaint”, “sweet”, or “wholesome”.
August 21, 2025
This one made me nervous as a kid. I was like omg a computer chip that will change how we use computers!!!! That has to be worth so much money!!!! As an adult I'm like go back in time and make sure it gets stolen.
also the plans the twins come up with are so unhinged lol I love it
also the plans the twins come up with are so unhinged lol I love it
October 15, 2023
By far one of the better ones even if it’s still awful.
August 23, 2024
Nancy Drew complex.
Delicious blue cheese dressing.
Money is heaven.
Delicious blue cheese dressing.
Money is heaven.
May 16, 2025
I haven't read this book in years, and yet as soon as I started it I said out loud "Money is heaven". So, I guess something about it stuck with me!
October 15, 2025
Cheesy.
October 26, 2024
For a book about a multiple kidnapping and rescue attempt, this was so boring.
February 22, 2008
This book is even more unrealistic than most. IRL Elizabeth and Jessica would never have gotten through this alive. Even "Famous Five" are more realistic, despite the kids being even younger.
The A Plot: SVH books are short, so we need to cut to the chase right away. Elizabeth is convinced that something fishy is up and that Regina Morrow is in danger. She learns from the Morrows' delivery guy that Regina is back to Sweet Valley from Switzerland, and calls Bruce (who's apparently turned into the model boyfriend when he met Regina - go figure) to hear how long she'll be back. Great is her surprise when she discovers that Bruce knows nothing about it, and when Bruce calls Regina and is told by her 'aunt' (both Regina's parents are only childs), she KNOWS Something is wrong.
Having 'just' been kidnapped herself, her immediate thought is "OMG!Hostage!" and since we know the title of the book, we know she's right.
Jessica tries to be the voice of reason and convince Liz that Regina just doesn't want to see Bruce, but Liz will hear nothing of it, and takes it upon herself to drive over to the Morrows' estate and see for herself. Once there she's told by Regina's 'aunt', Claire, that Regina isn't home, but Claire is immediately proven wrong, as Regina walks into the hall, looking helpless and forlorn.
Liz is sent away by Claire, but now she's convinced she's right. She tries to convince Jessica, and then calls the police, who scolds her for making a crank call. I don't know who's more mock-worthy here - Liz for calling the police on so flimsy a basis, or the police for not looking into it more than they do.
Somehow the officer's reaction is what Jess needed to get on Liz' side, so together they contact Bruce and try to come up with a plan. Their first action is to have Bruce play the part of the delivery boy and deliver a package to Claire containing a magazine with a hidden message for Regina. They fix on a fashion magazine as being least likely to get intercepted by Claire, because, in the words of Jess: "from the way you've described Claire Davis, she won't be interested in fashion or beauty."
Regina gets the letter and manages to get a reply back to the three detectives. She IS held hostage, because Claire's boyfriend, Philip, wants a powerful chip that Mr. Morrow has invented. But they can't call the police as her parents will be killed if they do - giving Liz a huge guilt-trip that she called them at all.
This is where everything starts to happen really fast and the faster things happen, the more unrealistic they get. Regina's brother is called, and remembers that their father has an old enemy as he got a colleague arrested for embezzling. He even remembers that the name of this colleague is Philip and that he got out of prison a year ago and lives nearby!! Liz and Jess finds his address, and as luck will have it, he has a gorgeous son just Jess' age! By using her charms she's able to discover that Philip does indeed have the Morrows' held hostage, and they're hidden in his house where Jess sees them!!
Regina heard Claire mention "Money is heaven", and after some monkey-play done by Jess they realize that Claire didn't say "Money is heaven" but "Monday at seven"! So now they have a deadline.
Instead of going to the police now that they have evidence, the now four detectives are convinced that they can do a better job of rescuing all three Morrows without getting anybody killed, and come up with a master plan of foiling both Claire and Philip that almost gets them all killed, but fortunately Philip's son is so taken with Jess that he jumps his dad and makes him drop the gun, and obviously Bruce's porche is much faster than Philip's jeep. The Morrows call the cops from Bruce's car phone and - phew - all's well that ends well.
The Morrows are so relieved to be back safe and sound, and have Regina back with them as well, that they decide to throw a party the following Friday. Here Lila makes her first appearance of the entire book, and we're told that Ken Matthews has fallen in the clutches of Suzanna who's trying to make him drop football.
The B Plot: Doesn't exist. In fact, we hardly hear of ANY people other than the ones mentioned above. There are small mentionings here and there of Ken failing English and that he'll be forced to quit football if he does, because they don't want stupid jocks at SVH. There are only about 5 sentences devoted to this in the entire book though, except for the last page-and-a-half introduction to the next book: Lovestruck
The A Plot: SVH books are short, so we need to cut to the chase right away. Elizabeth is convinced that something fishy is up and that Regina Morrow is in danger. She learns from the Morrows' delivery guy that Regina is back to Sweet Valley from Switzerland, and calls Bruce (who's apparently turned into the model boyfriend when he met Regina - go figure) to hear how long she'll be back. Great is her surprise when she discovers that Bruce knows nothing about it, and when Bruce calls Regina and is told by her 'aunt' (both Regina's parents are only childs), she KNOWS Something is wrong.
Having 'just' been kidnapped herself, her immediate thought is "OMG!Hostage!" and since we know the title of the book, we know she's right.
Jessica tries to be the voice of reason and convince Liz that Regina just doesn't want to see Bruce, but Liz will hear nothing of it, and takes it upon herself to drive over to the Morrows' estate and see for herself. Once there she's told by Regina's 'aunt', Claire, that Regina isn't home, but Claire is immediately proven wrong, as Regina walks into the hall, looking helpless and forlorn.
Liz is sent away by Claire, but now she's convinced she's right. She tries to convince Jessica, and then calls the police, who scolds her for making a crank call. I don't know who's more mock-worthy here - Liz for calling the police on so flimsy a basis, or the police for not looking into it more than they do.
Somehow the officer's reaction is what Jess needed to get on Liz' side, so together they contact Bruce and try to come up with a plan. Their first action is to have Bruce play the part of the delivery boy and deliver a package to Claire containing a magazine with a hidden message for Regina. They fix on a fashion magazine as being least likely to get intercepted by Claire, because, in the words of Jess: "from the way you've described Claire Davis, she won't be interested in fashion or beauty."
Regina gets the letter and manages to get a reply back to the three detectives. She IS held hostage, because Claire's boyfriend, Philip, wants a powerful chip that Mr. Morrow has invented. But they can't call the police as her parents will be killed if they do - giving Liz a huge guilt-trip that she called them at all.
This is where everything starts to happen really fast and the faster things happen, the more unrealistic they get. Regina's brother is called, and remembers that their father has an old enemy as he got a colleague arrested for embezzling. He even remembers that the name of this colleague is Philip and that he got out of prison a year ago and lives nearby!! Liz and Jess finds his address, and as luck will have it, he has a gorgeous son just Jess' age! By using her charms she's able to discover that Philip does indeed have the Morrows' held hostage, and they're hidden in his house where Jess sees them!!
Regina heard Claire mention "Money is heaven", and after some monkey-play done by Jess they realize that Claire didn't say "Money is heaven" but "Monday at seven"! So now they have a deadline.
Instead of going to the police now that they have evidence, the now four detectives are convinced that they can do a better job of rescuing all three Morrows without getting anybody killed, and come up with a master plan of foiling both Claire and Philip that almost gets them all killed, but fortunately Philip's son is so taken with Jess that he jumps his dad and makes him drop the gun, and obviously Bruce's porche is much faster than Philip's jeep. The Morrows call the cops from Bruce's car phone and - phew - all's well that ends well.
The Morrows are so relieved to be back safe and sound, and have Regina back with them as well, that they decide to throw a party the following Friday. Here Lila makes her first appearance of the entire book, and we're told that Ken Matthews has fallen in the clutches of Suzanna who's trying to make him drop football.
The B Plot: Doesn't exist. In fact, we hardly hear of ANY people other than the ones mentioned above. There are small mentionings here and there of Ken failing English and that he'll be forced to quit football if he does, because they don't want stupid jocks at SVH. There are only about 5 sentences devoted to this in the entire book though, except for the last page-and-a-half introduction to the next book: Lovestruck
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2016
Source: I read this book online via Open Library.
Cost: Free
Title: Hostage!
Series: Sweet Valley High #26
Author: Francine Pascal // Kate William
Overall Rating: 3 stars
So basically, Regina has come back to Sweet Valley from Switzerland. So of course everyone is really excited to see her, but this mysterious "aunt" is keeping them all from seeing her. So Bruce, Liz, Jess and Nicholas all decide to get to the bottom of the mystery...What they find is that Regina and her parents are being held hostage and their lives are in danger!
I mean, it wasn't the most dramatic book in the series. I felt no suspense. The best thing about this book was down to Earth Bruce and Nicholas getting more character. But I don't really care for Regina anyway, so I wasn't really bothered about this book.
Cost: Free
Title: Hostage!
Series: Sweet Valley High #26
Author: Francine Pascal // Kate William
Overall Rating: 3 stars
So basically, Regina has come back to Sweet Valley from Switzerland. So of course everyone is really excited to see her, but this mysterious "aunt" is keeping them all from seeing her. So Bruce, Liz, Jess and Nicholas all decide to get to the bottom of the mystery...What they find is that Regina and her parents are being held hostage and their lives are in danger!
I mean, it wasn't the most dramatic book in the series. I felt no suspense. The best thing about this book was down to Earth Bruce and Nicholas getting more character. But I don't really care for Regina anyway, so I wasn't really bothered about this book.
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