Help Wanted

by Richie Tankersley Cusick

When she gets a part-time job organizing a collection of antique books for the family of handsome Parker Swanson, Robin Bailey sees the ghost of Parker's stepmother, a medium who had committed suicide.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Teen, Crime

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1993

About the author

Richie Tankersley Cusick is the bestselling young adult author of over 25 titles, including two adult horror titles, Scarecrow and Blood Roots. Her popularity grew at the height of the horror/YA boom in the late '80s/early '90s, particularly with books like Lifeguard , Trick or Treat and Teacher's Pet, just to name a few, allowing her to keep company on the bestseller paperback lists with the likes of R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike. Her fan base expanded about the time she changed publishers to Archway/Pocket Books with titles like Vampire and Someone at the Door.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin decides to take up a part-time job at the wealthy Swanson family mansion as she’s desperate for some extra cash. It seems simple enough, all Robin needs to do is rearrange all the books that had belonged to Lilith - who’d recently committed suicide.

But after a series of strange events at the house, is Lilith retuning from beyond the grave to give her daughter Claudia a warning?

I’m certain that this was one of the few Point Horrors that I’d not read before, so I was really hooked by the mystery.
I liked how the book teased the supernatural element, but with the Point Horror formula I know that this wasn’t the case.
I was certainly invested enough to want to know who was behind it all!

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is another one I that I didn't read when it first came out. I don't think I would have liked it as a kid either. This book was too all over the place and that ending was a bit odd since I think that Cusick is leaning towards a love triangle or something. Once again this one is more adult than I was thinking of for the time it was written (1993). We have a character threatening to rape the main character a few times. We also have once again a parent that is missing in action throughout this book. I swear I should do a YA horror cheat sheet. Do you have a parent that is never around when some scary stuff is going down? You may be about to be murdered. Once again a good example of the "Fear Street" square for Halloween Bingo 2019.

"Help Wanted" follows teenager Robin. Robin is looking to make some extra money and then responds to a help wanted ad that is up at her school. When she goes to the interview she is shocked to find that the new job is at Manorwood that has been a long abandoned mansion in the town. However, it has recently been occupied again by the uber rich Swanson family. The family's elderly patriarch is who is looking for help cataloging some books from the dead second wife of his son. Robin though quickly realizes that something is wrong at Manorwood and that someone seems intent on causing harm to Claudia, step-sister to Parker Swanson. And Parker seems intent on warning Robin off and saying that Claudia is just crazy, just like her mother.

So Robin didn't really do a lot of investigating. Just running from scene to scene screaming Claudia's name. The book sparks up a bit IMHO when she is dealing with her friend Faye.

Faye though disappears about halfway through the book and we just have Robin dealing with the Swanson family and another new book in town, Walt.

Walt is enigmatic and seems to be around to just say random phrases and disappears again.

I really didn't like Parker at all and thought he definitely had some issues with his whole grabbing Robin anytime he wanted to thing and starting intently into her eyes and telling her what a mess Claudia was.

Claudia is a scared rabbit through the whole book and one wonders how she managed to dress herself and get through the day.

The parents in this book are missing. We do get a sighting of Robin's mom when she pops up to tell Robin to bring in the groceries. Parker's step-mother is dead, we find out his mother died in a car accident. His father is...somewhere? Business trip? I don't even remember.

The mystery of the book really is about who is out there scaring Claudia? Claudia believe her dead mother is now haunting her and wants Claudia to join her in death. Robin is determined to figure out what is going on and then starts to become scared when she it appears that something paranormal is going on.

The ending though was definitely a surprise. I thought I knew who was doing things and why and turned out to be wrong. I do have to say though that I thought the book ended on a weird note. And I ask again, what happened to Faye?

[Alex (The Bookubus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Robin takes a job at a nearby mansion that a wealthy and strange family have recently moved into. The teenage boy of the family, Parker, is a bit of a heartthrob and has all the girls at school intrigued but Robin finds him arrogant. While Robin is working for Parker’s grandfather she also meets Parker's stepsister, Claudia, who is convinced she is being haunted by her dead mother. Robin tries to help her and becomes caught up in the strange goings-on within the family.

The concept had the potential for some V.C. Andrews style gothic family drama and while it had its moments I did find it a bit lacking. I did like the character of Robin, the mystery element and the obligatory Point Horror love interests. Overall it was a fun read but not quite as good as some of RTC's others such as Trick or Treat and Fatal Secrets.

[Grace Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the snooze fest which was a "Nightmare Club #1 Joy Ride", I wanted to read 'a sure thing' so I reached for Richie Tankersley Cusick, as she very rarely disappoints (except for the hot mess of "Teacher's Pet", IMO)! This book was not perfect by any means, but there is an ease and fluidity which I find relaxing about RTC's writing, where even if nothing is really happening, I'm still invested in the story.

So Robin our protag answers an ad on her school bulletin board for helping to catalog some old books (OLD SCHOOL STYLE...via pencil and paper) at the old mansion in her neighborhood. The new hot hunk, Parker Swanson (who is so smarmy and arrogant, he'd give Sweet Valley High's Bruce Patman a run for the most douchiest) has moved in there with his weirdo family: His dad, eccentric old curmudgeon grandfather, and his "crazy" stepsister Claudia. Claudia claims her mom (who was a Medium) is back from the grave to claim her daughter. Pretty soon our protag Robin is a believer too, hearing disembodied voices calling out for help, seeing all kinds of weird ghostly shit. Soooo is Mom Ghost back to take her daughter into the underworld with her? Or is someone just out to drive her crazy, and, you know, casually stiff her out of her large inheritance she gets when she turns 18?

My random thoughts and observations:

- The cover art felt a little misleading. Here I was thinking it was a book about a Summer job gone wrong. No, this book reads like a straight up gothic horror novel, complete with creepy old house, tortured heroines, and a dark family saga, so why didn't the cover reflect this instead? Bahhh!!

-Our protag Robin has a lovely moment with her mom making a frozen pizza, popping some popcorn, and watching a rented movie from the grocery store. I loved this little nugget of nostalgia!! Is anyone old like me and remembers when grocery stores had VHS rentals at the front, near the checkout aisles? 📼📼📼

- In the mansion, there is a gnarly portrait of the stepmom (who committed suicide, mind you) wearing a slashed robe smeared with blood and her hand plunging a knife into her chest. UMM WHO THE HELL WOULD DISPLAY THIS PAINTING. TAKE THAT SHIT DOWN, SOO UPSETTING. 😅😫💀

- RTC sometimes has a formula for who the culprit is (see: "Overdue" and "Fatal Secrets") but this book did not follow that formula and I guessed wrong about the ending. I'm usually wrong anyway though 🙃

4 out of 5 promises of DEATH from the evil Mom Ghost as she tries to run you down with her car and push you down stairs. Maybe think twice before accepting jobs in creepy old mansions with a weirdo family who puts macabre paintings on the wall.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read completely like an old-fashioned gothic novel: overreactive, nervous heroine, old mansion with mysterious family, one family member claiming someone is trying to drive her insane, elderly people the heroine doesn't fully trust creeping around, mysterious motives for possible love interests, false scares, possible paranormal touches, the heroine questioning her own sanity. Fit Gothic in every way except there was also High School and YA genre. The heroine was a bit of an issue - she was TOO nervous at the first half and seemed especially moody to all of the male gender, sometimes to an irrational degree. I was happy with the ending and being originally right in my earlier suspicions. Sometimes the melodrama was draining and overly done, to where it hurt pacing and interest, but it wasn't bad - especially if you like Gothics.

[Erica Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

VERY gothic, but make it 90s YA. Our protag is a helpless damsel in distress with a weird job in a big, old house that belongs to the grandpa of a hot rich guy from school. Enter the tragic, sullen step-sis and cue the dark family past. Things are about to get wilddd

lol at the groundskeeper (whose name is literally SKAGGS btw) shaking her and being like “Run fer yer liiife, little girllll”

So dramatic

[Sati Marie Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

‪One-Line Review: Something something Keyser Soze something something.‬

Full Review:

I liked this book a lot. It's quite different to the other Cusick books I've read - for one thing, Robin's mother isn't entirely absent, although we don't see her much - and there's more of a "normal" background than in books like Trick or Treat or Teacher's Pet. It is still a good read, though, with that creepy gothic feeling that Ms Cusick does so very well.

Robin, reserved and introverted class brain, applies for a job cataloguing books in a personal library. She's a little hesitant, because the job happens to be at Manorwood, a decaying gothic mansion that is home to Parker Swanson - the confident, arrogant hottie who just started at school - and his fragile blossom of a stepsister, Claudia. Worse, the books that are to be catalogued belong to Claudia's dead mother, a medium (and reported witch, or something that rhymes with it) who killed herself some months back.

Someone is trying to terrorise Claudia, and bleeding-heart that Robin is, she's determined to protect her, even when Robin herself starts seeing phantoms in the bathtub and getting threatening notes tacked to her door. Claudia thinks it's her mother, haunting her from beyond the grave. Robin thinks there's a more prosaic meaning. Parker just thinks Claudia's a fruit loop. What's the truth?

The truth, or at least my subjective version of the truth, is that this is a pretty good book. It's probably at the lower end of the 4-star area, rather than the higher end the way The Lifeguard was, but still deserves a 4-star rating IMO. Robin is an interesting heroine, although I'd have liked to delve a bit deeper into her character - but I don't really expect to be able to in a 200-odd page book. I like that she's bookish and quiet; I find the bookish quiet heroines hold my interest much more than the party-girl ones. Parker could have been a bit more drawn out; I don't feel like we got enough of him, and he had a whole lot of potential. Ditto for Walt. Claudia is the one who really steals the show - she's a beautifully-written, very convincing portrayal of a wounded-flower girl who isn't quite sure if she's sane or not.

The plot is nicely twisty, as most of Ms Cusick's stories are. Particularly young readers might find it hard to keep their attention on the book - while I started reading Point Horror at 8 or 9, I preferred Stine and Hoh and didn't really appreciate the subtlety of Cusick until I was 13 or 14.

The only thing I wasn't keen on with this book was the way Robin treated Parker. She really seemed to dislike him, and we were never given any concrete reason why. Oh, she thought he was arrogant, and he was, but he was always nice to her, and I'd have liked to see a couple of scenes that let them get closer together. Cusick writes her romantic - or sometimes just creature comfort - scenes in such a beautiful way that my heart feels all prickly during them, and I'd like to have seen more of them here.

Or maybe just more Parker. Parker was hot. I do have a thing for those arrogant-but-good-hearted blonds. :)

Verdict: Nice juxtaposition of the chilling and the comforting. A wonderfully twisted read.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 of 5

Help Wanted was among the many Point Horror books I read in the early 90s, between the ages of 12 to 15. In those days, when I wasn't buried in a Stephen King novel, nine times out of ten I was reading L.J. Smith, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, Caroline B. Cooney, or Richie Tankersley Cusick. Their novels always thrilled and entertained, and yes, there was a healthy dose of jumps and creepies.

Nowadays, I'd recommend the Point Horror books for younger 12- to 15-year-olds, who want to dip their pinkie toe in the horror pool. (These books will likely fall short for anyone who's already dabbled in adult dark fiction or film.) The horror elements are mild, for the most part, and some of the teenager-y behavior may seem a little outdated. But other than that, these are great fun!

Note: My rating is based on what I remember from 20+ years ago and, of course, includes a fair share of sentimentality.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strange in Point Horror terms as it has a real threat of sexual violence, and the main character is convinced there's something genuinely paranormal happening. More complex than most, and definitely enjoyable.

I read this for our podcast Teenage Scream, which dissects the best (and worst) of 90s Teen Horror.

https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream

[Jade Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the melodrama, but not the stupidity of the characters.

I read this because it was included in the reading list for season 5 of ‘Teenage Scream’. A podcast that lovingly or fondly (it depends on who’s doing the intro) dissects the best and worst of 90’s teen horror, with hosts Heather Parry and Kirsty Logan. Definitely worth a listen.

[Beth Monk · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don't think that I gel with Richie's writing, I feel there wasn't really anything happening throughout this story I wasn't kept on the edge of my seat like I want with these books. Ihave some more of her books so not going to write off Richie's books yet.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that Point Horror and related books defined a literary generation.

They tend to run through the high school horror sequence and occasionally they can be a little cheesy.. but they are also entertaining.

There are a lot of reviews bashing the low key love triangle in this one, as well as the level of writing provided by the author, but I thought it was well done considering the age group and the challenge of balancing the buildup of romance with moving a novella along.

The characters are great, the story is interesting, and I couldn't figure out the mystery before the end. Great plot twists woven into this story.

Also, I listened to it on audible and definitely recommend reading it that way.

[Lucy Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was ... questionable. But gets extra points for being Neil Breen levels of bizarre hilarity. If you ever wondered what would happen if you put the most hysterical character ever in a watered down American Northanger Abbey where all other characters are either certifiable or perverts, this is the book for you. Shout out to Walt for being the most reasonable character to ever grace the pages of a point horror - he really brought home how bat shit everyone else was.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My point horror reviews are only reviewed against other PH books. A lot of fun. Lots of characters, and a bit of the supernatural. Completely bonkers!

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have taken the blurb from Goodreads like I normally do, but it was just outright wrong. So I got it directly from the source.

HELP WANTED is a book that’s halfway to being the ridiculous cheese of RL Stine, but it’s also half-grounded in something resembling reality. Robin appears to be a rather level-headed, somewhat well-rounded, character that comes off as genuine and like a real human being. So does her friend Walt. Not a whole lot of drama or hyperbole going on with either of them, all things considered. Parker is an egotistical jerk that Robin puts in his place time and time again and luckily doesn’t fall for his crap at all. And her alleged best friend Faye is just a stuck up, drama queen bitch. Not sure how her and Robin are even friends, they’re so opposites. And Faye isn’t even that appealing as a human. Completely self-centered and not all that supportive of Robin, Robin would have been wise to ditch this one years ago. Luckily Faye just kind of falls off the map halfway into the book, probably because Cusick realized she was kind of a twit.

The story itself was compelling and while I wasn’t buying the supernatural slant that kept getting spun, I did keep trying to figure out who was behind what and what exactly was going on. I didn’t see the ending coming, which is awesome with these books because even I can see them from a million miles away. It was also kind of nice the way it ended, rather atypical without giving away any spoilers.

Of course, what would cheesy old school YA horror be without a couple of ridiculous deaths? You get a solid three of them within the pages of the book, four if you want to count the stepmother, but that’s off-page. Cusick doesn’t have the ridiculous and absurd creatively with deaths that Stine does, but there’s some literal backstabbing and crawling maggots happening. So kudos for that.

One of the truer thriller books coming out of that era, and some of the more level-headed, HELP WANTED lands closer to the top in terms of re-readability and standing the test of time. Most of the characters (at least those that matter) aren’t caricatures of real people and the drama isn’t so over the top that it comes off as absurd. Robin and Walt are great characters that are actually relatable and the ending has a good twist. I really can’t ask for much more when it comes to these books!

4

[Cazzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having been a huge PH fan in my tweens, I've been recollecting and re-reading books in this series as an adult. I had to abandon this one half way through, it was a real struggle. Formulaic RTC: spooky mansion, fairly sensible, bookish heroine, hot rich guy.

Admittedly, this was not one that I'd read as kid, so I had no attachment to it whatsoever and that resulted in no commitment to finish it. RTC is a fine enough writer for her audience, however this one was just more of the same and definitely shows that this was a later book in the series- I think there was a definite downward trajectory in the quality of writing in the PH series as time went went on. Not anywhere near the standard of Trick or Treat, or even April Fool's, which this book very much reminds me of.

[Steen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only thing that kept me going with this one was the mystery of who did it. I actually finished this a few weeks ago and sadly already I forget a lot of what happened. I do remember that I didn't like the character interactions because they felt to forced or out of place and I was surprised at the ending. All in all I don't think this was her best work, I think so far this is the one that I have enjoyed the least.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just re-read this for Teenage Scream podcast (lovingly dissecting the best and worst of 90s teen horror):

https://soundcloud.com/teenagescream

[Liam Underwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read a Richie Tankersley Cusick Point Horror book - the last one being The Mall which I read back in December 2020. I haven't deliberately been avoiding Cusick, I typically enjoy their Point Horror output (admittedly I found The Mall to be quite average, but I rather enjoyed Fatal Secrets , Teacher's Pet , April Fools , Trick or Treat , and The Lifeguard , which, for a Point Horror author, is a damn good hit rate) but there's been plenty of other Point Horror books occupying my time and attention. I was looking forward to reading Help Wanted.

There's a few things the book does well. I liked the Gothic horror inspiration displayed proudly in this book. I found the mystery intriguing for the most part. I liked the protagonist. And I also liked that there is an actually sinister threatening element to this story.

Unfortunately not everything works. I didn't think the love interest angle worked at all, and the climax is quite messy. There's also a handful of characters who were just irritating to read. And whilst I did like the sinister threatening aspect, I don't think it was integrated into the story particularly well and does come across as kind of unnecessary. After reading however many Point Horrors now, I did like that Help Wanted has times where it goes really dark, but it doesn't sit well with the rest of the book. All of this results in a book which is, disappointingly, very average.

2.5/5

Point Horror Ranked
1) The Girlfriend - 4/5
2) The Dead Game - 4/5
3) Trick or Treat - 3.5/5
4) Nightmare Hall - The Silent Scream - 3.5/5
5) Fatal Secrets - 3.5/5
6) Teacher's Pet - 3.5/5
7) The Baby-Sitter II - 3.5/5
8) The Cheerleader - 3.5/5
9) The Hitchhiker - 3.5/5
10) April Fools - 3.5/5
11) My Secret Admirer - 3.5/5
12) The Lifeguard - 3.5/5
13) Freeze Tag - 3/5
14) Thirteen Tales of Horror - 3/5
15) The Accident - 3/5
16) The Vampire's Promise - 3/5
17) Funhouse - 3/5
18) Nightmare Hall - Deadly Attraction - 3/5
19) The Window - 3/5
20) The Invitation - 2.5/5
21) Nightmare Hall - The Wish 2.5/5
22) Help Wanted - 2.5/5
23) The Perfume - 2.5/5
24) The Train - 2.5/5
25) The Waitress - 2.5/5
26) The Snowman - 2.5/5
27) Nightmare Hall - The Roommate - 2.5/5
28) Beach House - 2.5/5
29) The Mall - 2.5/5
30) The Boyfriend - 2/5
31) The Fever - 2/5
32) The Cemetery - 2/5
33) Mother's Helper - 2/5
34) The Baby-Sitter III - 2/5
35) The Phantom - 2/5
36) The Dead Girlfriend - 2/5
37) The Baby-Sitter - 1.5/5
38) Hit and Run - 1.5/5
39) The Return of the Vampire - 1/5
40) Beach Party - 1/5

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin takes a job helping the Swanson family. Parker, the son is arrogant, his half sister Claudia is fragile and terrified, the gardener Skaggs is lecherous and gross. But soon Robin starts to hear and see the ghost of Claudia’s mother, Lilith who took her own life and things turn deadly.

Oh my this was fun. Robin and Faye are best friends and this is their opening chapter highlights! “Faye, you don’t have to do anything except die. You don’t even have to pay taxes yet” or “guys don’t like it when you come off like judging them”. I’m not judging them. I just think most of them are stupid” “they are but you can’t let them think so” I love this relationship so much .

Eccentric rich people, a dodgy gardener, a macabre family death, an old possibly haunted house, this is such fun, a lot of the characters are caricatures, the crazy old man, the creepy drunk, the spoilt rich boy, the pretty but dumb friend, the mysterious housekeeper, the hysterical girl and the tragic woman but they are done do well.

It is over dramatic but such a riot, it all feels strangely familiar (it has Rebecca vibes) and the dialogue is sarcastic and hilarious! The usual absent or preoccupied parents are here of course but this is a wonderful mystery adventure and I loved it!

[Shelly Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated against Point Horror reads.

I was gripped and loved the main character Robin; I found her very relatable. I also was surprised by the ending. I think the plot was well executed with lovely descriptive prose. One of my favourite Point Horror reads so far.

I will say this book was quite dark and covers difficult themes including suicide.

Highly recommended read for all horror lovers.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely unsettling with a completely bonkers ending. Really enjoyed this one.

[Chelley Toy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 - Part time job or full time nightmare?

Memorable For - A job we all want minus the ghostly shenanigans 😂

⚠️This book covers some quite dark themes including suicide ⚠️

Blurb -

Robin thinks her after-school job will be easy money. The only drawback is that it means working at Parker Swanson’s house - the most arrogant, attractive boy in school. Parker’s family are morbidly obsessed with Parker’s dead stepmother, but if she is dead, how can she still scare them?

Some Thoughts -

𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫.

All Robin wants is a part-time job to earn a bit of cash! The ad on the school bulletin board is irresistible: “Get Rich Quick,” it promises, and Robin can’t say no. Her new employer is at Manorwood, a stately mansion and Robin must organize—books that belonged to a woman named Lilith who died in a gruesome suicide.

Robin doesn’t think she can trust the Swansons, including Parker Swanson, heir to the family fortune and most popular boy in school. And when strange things start going which seemingly target Parker’s Step Sister Claudia Robin takes action!

Other highlights include epic shower scene, a decapitated hand, lots of characters, creepy notes, a driver having a bad day, a decent Point Horror girl, an hilarious bestie and a stormy night epic finale!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep saying this, but I am just so thrilled that my library has a bunch of these teen horror classics available to check out as e-books, since they purged all the hard copies. (Now, if only they would get e-books from Fear Street, Terror Academy and Nightmare Hall!)

I remembered the cover of this book vividly, but the actual story itself not so much. I still think Richie Tankersley Cusick is the most talented writer from this genre, and I really enjoyed reading this. I didn't remember anything about the ending, and I thought all the twists and turns were great.

I can't wait to read more of these! I'm having such a blast with these trips down memory lane.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Point Horrors are always good for a quick burner to top up the yearly Reading Challenge. Help Wanted does embody the definition of a good point horror, but I always finish them thinking they'd be better as a screen play, so as to end up with the inevitable Netflix Original series...this aside I enjoyed the story, and the characters had their macabre based personalities ranging from demented janitors to high school jocks. Wouldn't mind the library and crackling fireplace myself...moved up to 4 stars on this basis. Not bad Cusick...not bad.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This books was so good!! The end has like 5 different twists! 5 stars!!!

[RV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now having read several of Richie Tankersley Cusick, some back to back. Specifically, This book is similar to April Fools but has similar tropes of having a single mum and non-existent father, with a best friend who abandons you for boys while all the dangerous stuff is happening. Also odd love triangles involving a bad guy/red herring.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good for a Point Horror, although as usual there is an arrogant slightly abusive boy who is meant to be attractive. Urgh.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Help Wanted by Richie Tankersley Cusick is about (fyi, the Goodreads description is incorrect) a high schooler named Robin, who answers an ad to work in the old, enormous house of Mr. Swanson, cataloguing books belonging to his late daughter-in-law. Robin goes to work, despite her annoyance at Mr. Swanson's dashing grandson, and the warnings he made to her about his apparently insane sister, Claudia. Soon, Robin gets pulled into the family's sordid history, which is rearing its ugly head in the present.

This is my third book by Richie Tankersley Cusick, and I am still having fun with them. I love that they are all about a girl going up against a mystery, and having to learn who to trust along the way or pay. Also the gothic atmospheres are absolutely wonderful. Cusick always provides the spookiest houses.

I thought this particular book was fun, but, again, the plotlines came together way too quickly. There were no little clues that you could follow to unravel the plot, or even to be tricked into predict a totally incorrect plotline. I do realize that because this is basically a murder mystery that Robin gets pulled into, there's not much time for gradual revealing of the plot; however, how abrupt it all is is not my cup of tea. I like a bit more intrigue.

I wish we had gotten to know the characters a bit more in-depth. I feel like in Trick or Treat we really had an inside look into all of the relevant characters. In this book, it was very minimal - just enough so you know how they fit in with the mystery. It all felt a bit too shallow for me, personally. However, I know a lot of people like more of a crazy plot than spending too much time with characters, and I am sure that's why many have loved this book.

Overall, a super fun, creepy read. I will be delving into more of Cusick's books in the future, though, after three in a row, it may be time for a short break.