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Nightmare Hall #16
Book of Horrors
Horror book author Victoria McCoy, the new Salem writer-in-residence, knows how to make horror come to life. So Reed is thrilled when McCoy hires her as her new assistant...until she finds out that McCoy's previous assistants have all disappeared.
Then frightening things start happening to Reed...things straight out of McCoy's famous horror books.
And McCoy's next tale of terror has an ending worse than Reed's worst nightmares.
Then frightening things start happening to Reed...things straight out of McCoy's famous horror books.
And McCoy's next tale of terror has an ending worse than Reed's worst nightmares.
244 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
7 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Diane Hoh
83 books286 followersDiane Hoh is the author of fifty-seven novels for young adults. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Austin, Texas. Reading and writing are her favorite things, alongside gardening and grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 29, 2021
I love the over the top 90's nostalgia that's associated with Point Horror and when the books try to included nods to a famous author in the genre, it just seems to add to the cheesiness.
Our protagonist Reed Monroe is delighted to be working for popular writer-in-residence Victoria McCoy at Salem University.
The corniness comes from her pet mynah name Poe (strikingly pictured on the cover).
The main 'threat' concerns McCoy's previous assistances all strangley dissapering which leads Reed to wonder if she'll be targeted next.
The stakes didn't really feel high enough in this entry which was a shame as a good premise of working for a horror writer in a creepy old house had so much potential.
Our protagonist Reed Monroe is delighted to be working for popular writer-in-residence Victoria McCoy at Salem University.
The corniness comes from her pet mynah name Poe (strikingly pictured on the cover).
The main 'threat' concerns McCoy's previous assistances all strangley dissapering which leads Reed to wonder if she'll be targeted next.
The stakes didn't really feel high enough in this entry which was a shame as a good premise of working for a horror writer in a creepy old house had so much potential.
February 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this one. It's different - our main character actually makes sense.
January 30, 2018
The idea behind this was fine. I don’t have much to say about it. As far as protagonists go though, Reed was a mess. She was honestly the most wish-washy, inconsistent person I’ve ever read about. Like, with the phone calls, one minute Reed . Then, . Also, as a side note, there was that really bizarre love triangle with Reed, Rain, and Link. I have no clue if she was dating Link or not because I was getting major mixed signals.
It got to the point where it felt like the author was making Reed do these dumb things purely for the sake of the plot. I was done the second Reed decided to . Like seriously? This happened multiple times. Reed would do some stupid, out of character thing and you’d get some flimsy as hell explanation that made zero sense. I normally have low standards when it comes to these 90s horror books, but the way Reed’s character was executed was just too distracting to me and it took me out of the story.
It got to the point where it felt like the author was making Reed do these dumb things purely for the sake of the plot. I was done the second Reed decided to . Like seriously? This happened multiple times. Reed would do some stupid, out of character thing and you’d get some flimsy as hell explanation that made zero sense. I normally have low standards when it comes to these 90s horror books, but the way Reed’s character was executed was just too distracting to me and it took me out of the story.
October 19, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I would have loved this one when I was younger.
I am slowly coming to the conclusion that I have aged out of the YA horror novels of my youth. I started reading them again while I was taking care of my mother. They were comfort food reads that took me back to a time in my life when I was young, carefree, and my parents were still full of life. These books were a lot more suspenseful, impactful, edgy, and even scary when I was in my early teens. Now that I am a cynical adult who has consumed a lot of adult horror and has come to the conclusion that nothing is scarier than the news. these Fear Street, Point Horror, and Point Horror-inspired novels are a bit of a letdown, BUT I fully acknowledge that it is not them; it is me.
That said, Book of Horrors is definitely one of the stronger vintage YA horror books that I have read. It has a good premise, a lot of gothic atmosphere, and some twists and turns. I suspected the baddie pretty early, but the author did a good job of introducing a red herring or two.
My biggest problem with this novel is actually the lead character. She is terribly inconsistent. At one moment, she is Victoria McCoy's greatest fan. On the other hand, she can't remember if she has read a certain book by the author, and her friends or boyfriend, who is not much of a reader, have to clue her in on which novel they are talking about. Also, sometimes Reed gets a chance to get closer to learning more about the mysterious disappearances that she is obsessed with, but she puts off the fact-finding mission because she suddenly does not want to know the truth. She is both intelligent but also falls for the same trap over and over again or makes really poor choices. And don't get me started on the love triangle thing.
All in all, this book was a good time, especially for the fall season or the winter, since we get some scenes with snow and ice in them. I would just recommend this for younger readers or for adult readers who like a light horror read that has just a little bit of blood and violence but nothing too extreme. There is no cussing or sexual content, so it is definitely safe for a preteen audience.
I am slowly coming to the conclusion that I have aged out of the YA horror novels of my youth. I started reading them again while I was taking care of my mother. They were comfort food reads that took me back to a time in my life when I was young, carefree, and my parents were still full of life. These books were a lot more suspenseful, impactful, edgy, and even scary when I was in my early teens. Now that I am a cynical adult who has consumed a lot of adult horror and has come to the conclusion that nothing is scarier than the news. these Fear Street, Point Horror, and Point Horror-inspired novels are a bit of a letdown, BUT I fully acknowledge that it is not them; it is me.
That said, Book of Horrors is definitely one of the stronger vintage YA horror books that I have read. It has a good premise, a lot of gothic atmosphere, and some twists and turns. I suspected the baddie pretty early, but the author did a good job of introducing a red herring or two.
My biggest problem with this novel is actually the lead character. She is terribly inconsistent. At one moment, she is Victoria McCoy's greatest fan. On the other hand, she can't remember if she has read a certain book by the author, and her friends or boyfriend, who is not much of a reader, have to clue her in on which novel they are talking about. Also, sometimes Reed gets a chance to get closer to learning more about the mysterious disappearances that she is obsessed with, but she puts off the fact-finding mission because she suddenly does not want to know the truth. She is both intelligent but also falls for the same trap over and over again or makes really poor choices. And don't get me started on the love triangle thing.
All in all, this book was a good time, especially for the fall season or the winter, since we get some scenes with snow and ice in them. I would just recommend this for younger readers or for adult readers who like a light horror read that has just a little bit of blood and violence but nothing too extreme. There is no cussing or sexual content, so it is definitely safe for a preteen audience.
April 18, 2024
I really liked this one. Campy and funny.
February 26, 2016
- My Description -
Salem University student Reed Monroe takes the job of being the writer's assistant to famous author Victoria McCoy.
Sounds like a dream come true, right? To be on the inside of a writer's mind.
Wrong!
It doesn't turn out exactly like Reed pictured it to be. Previous assistants have vanished never to be seen again.
Then the accidents begin to happen.
Should she quit now, while she's still breathing or caulk the accidents up to being just badly timed coincidences, ignoring them?
- My Review -
I liked this book. As a teen, I used to read Diane Hoh all the time. These books will always hold a place close to my heart.
July 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, I am finding books similar to the Point Horror I read as a teen. This read was full of atmosphere, a spooky old creaky house and miserable weather. A mystery set around the house of a popular horror author.
What happened to the other kids who'd worked at Mc Coys mannor?
I did have an idea who the 'baddie' may be, although there are a few red herrings. This is a fun book for dark stormy nights.
What happened to the other kids who'd worked at Mc Coys mannor?
I did have an idea who the 'baddie' may be, although there are a few red herrings. This is a fun book for dark stormy nights.
December 24, 2021
Another fun re-read in this series.
October 28, 2022
Dang, these are a good time. 90s YA dark Academia mystery horror omg
May 30, 2025
A Nightmare Hall book actually written by Diane Hoh that is very good.
Salem University has their own famous writer in residence, horror author Victoria McCoy. This is to the delight of freshman Reed Monroe, one of her biggest fans. Forming an on-campus fan club and reading group, they get together and read their favorite works by McCoy and then discuss it.
Reed's boyfriend, Lincoln Stark, doesn't get why Reed and the others like Victoria McCoy so much but he likes seeing Reed happy. So, when he learns that McCoy needs a new assistant, she is the first and only one he tells. Jude Noble is always wanting to show McCoy his own stories and Reed knows that he, Debrah and Lillith would kill to have this job as well, other members Ray and Tom just in it for the macabre.
First thing in the morning, Reed goes to the author's house and slips on the sidewalk. Coming out to her rescue is not Victoria McCoy but a handsome young man around her own age. He has dark hair to his shoulders and similar eyes to the author as he introduces himself as Victoria's son, Edgar Allan Raintree. He goes by Rain and his late father's last name as McCoy is the author's maiden name and pen name showing Reed inside once he makes sure she is ok.
Reed tells him she is here to interview in taking over for Victoria's last assistant, Carl, who just suddenly dropped out of school. Inside, they find Victoria McCoy waiting all dressed in black and not at all like the woman on the back of the books Reed has poured over. Rain introduces his mother by calling her McCoy and the woman is delighted to have her there.
While Rain gets some coffee, Reed is surprised to find that McCoy owns a mynah bird, as close to a raven as possible named Poe. The bird spots off lots of gibberish and it becomes one of the first of many strange things to happen.
Victoria's mind seems to wonder, and it is clear she likes not living directly on campus because she mentions that people are always stealing things from her. Rain reveals to Reed that his mother was ill due to over-exhaustion and her medication causes her to have mood swings. Reed doesn't seem to mind and the only thing that gets to her is when she runs into Link and the others.
Link doesn't seem to like that Reed is with Rain and not even finding out he is the author's son makes Link any less of a jerk towards Rain. The others are more stunned that Reed got a job working with Victoria McCoy and obviously silently miffed that she did.
As Rain is heading off to his own classes and Link is talking Reed into cutting a class for lunch, a black bird swoops down from the sky and starts attacking Reed! The others try to shoo it away but Rain heads back, noting that the bird is Poe and it wasn't trying to attack Reed. He must have gotten loose from the house and confused Reed for Rain since they both have dark hair and were wearing the exact same red shirt.
Link doesn't accept the excuse and is stunned that Reed is going to take the job when her favorite author has a whacked-out bird for a pet and she may just be a glorified baby-sitter for an eccentric old lady. Reed is not amused by that remark or when Jude points out that the bird attack was similar to one in a novel written by Victoria McCoy but for a more...creepy reason.
Reed's first day of work her curiosity of nosing through the drawers after answering Victoria's fan mail in the last half hour cause McCoy to accuse Reed of trying to steal from her in an angry voice before reverting back to nice and sweet. The day after that, Reed falls into an old well while leaving McCoy's home and being rescued by Link and Rain.
A little shaken, Reed isn't hurt but acutely aware that a person imprisoned in a pit was part of another Victoria McCoy horror novel. At a weekend party, a girl that Reed doesn't know comes up to her and tells her to quit her job working for Victoria. After questioning others, Reed finds out the girl is named Lindsey Overmeyer, and her younger sister Karen was Victoria's assistant before Carl.
Karen also dropped out of Salem University...
Reed soon finds a photo album filled with news clippings and discovers that McCoy had an assistant before Karen and Carl named Sunny Bigelow. Last fall, she died in a drowning accident on campus.
Is all of this happening to Reed because someone she knows isn't happy about her working for Victoria McCoy or has the author gone off the deep end to bring her works to life? Is Reed about to star in her own Book of Horrors?
Very creepy with a big twist, a mundane reveal and a bittersweet ending. One of the highlights in the Nightmare Hall series to actually have Hoh behind it and a pretty thrilling bit of YA suspense.
Salem University has their own famous writer in residence, horror author Victoria McCoy. This is to the delight of freshman Reed Monroe, one of her biggest fans. Forming an on-campus fan club and reading group, they get together and read their favorite works by McCoy and then discuss it.
Reed's boyfriend, Lincoln Stark, doesn't get why Reed and the others like Victoria McCoy so much but he likes seeing Reed happy. So, when he learns that McCoy needs a new assistant, she is the first and only one he tells. Jude Noble is always wanting to show McCoy his own stories and Reed knows that he, Debrah and Lillith would kill to have this job as well, other members Ray and Tom just in it for the macabre.
First thing in the morning, Reed goes to the author's house and slips on the sidewalk. Coming out to her rescue is not Victoria McCoy but a handsome young man around her own age. He has dark hair to his shoulders and similar eyes to the author as he introduces himself as Victoria's son, Edgar Allan Raintree. He goes by Rain and his late father's last name as McCoy is the author's maiden name and pen name showing Reed inside once he makes sure she is ok.
Reed tells him she is here to interview in taking over for Victoria's last assistant, Carl, who just suddenly dropped out of school. Inside, they find Victoria McCoy waiting all dressed in black and not at all like the woman on the back of the books Reed has poured over. Rain introduces his mother by calling her McCoy and the woman is delighted to have her there.
While Rain gets some coffee, Reed is surprised to find that McCoy owns a mynah bird, as close to a raven as possible named Poe. The bird spots off lots of gibberish and it becomes one of the first of many strange things to happen.
Victoria's mind seems to wonder, and it is clear she likes not living directly on campus because she mentions that people are always stealing things from her. Rain reveals to Reed that his mother was ill due to over-exhaustion and her medication causes her to have mood swings. Reed doesn't seem to mind and the only thing that gets to her is when she runs into Link and the others.
Link doesn't seem to like that Reed is with Rain and not even finding out he is the author's son makes Link any less of a jerk towards Rain. The others are more stunned that Reed got a job working with Victoria McCoy and obviously silently miffed that she did.
As Rain is heading off to his own classes and Link is talking Reed into cutting a class for lunch, a black bird swoops down from the sky and starts attacking Reed! The others try to shoo it away but Rain heads back, noting that the bird is Poe and it wasn't trying to attack Reed. He must have gotten loose from the house and confused Reed for Rain since they both have dark hair and were wearing the exact same red shirt.
Link doesn't accept the excuse and is stunned that Reed is going to take the job when her favorite author has a whacked-out bird for a pet and she may just be a glorified baby-sitter for an eccentric old lady. Reed is not amused by that remark or when Jude points out that the bird attack was similar to one in a novel written by Victoria McCoy but for a more...creepy reason.
Reed's first day of work her curiosity of nosing through the drawers after answering Victoria's fan mail in the last half hour cause McCoy to accuse Reed of trying to steal from her in an angry voice before reverting back to nice and sweet. The day after that, Reed falls into an old well while leaving McCoy's home and being rescued by Link and Rain.
A little shaken, Reed isn't hurt but acutely aware that a person imprisoned in a pit was part of another Victoria McCoy horror novel. At a weekend party, a girl that Reed doesn't know comes up to her and tells her to quit her job working for Victoria. After questioning others, Reed finds out the girl is named Lindsey Overmeyer, and her younger sister Karen was Victoria's assistant before Carl.
Karen also dropped out of Salem University...
Reed soon finds a photo album filled with news clippings and discovers that McCoy had an assistant before Karen and Carl named Sunny Bigelow. Last fall, she died in a drowning accident on campus.
Is all of this happening to Reed because someone she knows isn't happy about her working for Victoria McCoy or has the author gone off the deep end to bring her works to life? Is Reed about to star in her own Book of Horrors?
Very creepy with a big twist, a mundane reveal and a bittersweet ending. One of the highlights in the Nightmare Hall series to actually have Hoh behind it and a pretty thrilling bit of YA suspense.
July 14, 2024
There was a party at Nightmare Hall in this one.
Read
August 27, 2021As I try to do every summer, I read another one of my old YA horror books. Completing my trio of authors, this Diane Hoh installment was...Interesting. A bit of sexism and interesting conversations about mental health. Otherwise, it was a fun read about reader's obsessions with authors and the ways in which readers can tend to romanticize writing and the writing process. This book takes place in the winter, so not quite the right ambiance yet, lol!
February 12, 2019
Good book could of done with s not more action for me though.
June 14, 2023
Fun little story!
August 4, 2024
Fun retro horror with a fan club and old creepy house - and raven :)
October 8, 2017
The only reason I gave it two stars is because of the wonderful narration – I listened via Audible.
This story did not live up to its title.
It was very light and fluffy... bordering on teen romance...almost...
I would definitely seek out another story read by this narrator however... so that's a great Takeaway!
I know there are people out there who would like this book however. I'm sure it will be great read this time of year for people who are scared of horror books. I actually know several people I would recommend it to - it just didn't work for me.
I only like fluff with my peanut butter not between my pages.
This story did not live up to its title.
It was very light and fluffy... bordering on teen romance...almost...
I would definitely seek out another story read by this narrator however... so that's a great Takeaway!
I know there are people out there who would like this book however. I'm sure it will be great read this time of year for people who are scared of horror books. I actually know several people I would recommend it to - it just didn't work for me.
I only like fluff with my peanut butter not between my pages.
June 28, 2023
Best beloved.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews