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11th out of 295 books
—
296 voters
Chain Letter (Chain Letter #1)
When Alison first read the chain letter signed "Your Caretaker," she thought it was some terrible sick joke. Someone, somewhere knew about tha tawful night when she and six other friends committed an unthinkable crime in the desolate California desert. And now that person was determined to make them pay for it.One by one, the chain letter was coming to each of them ... dem...more
Mass Market Paperback, 192 pages
Published
May 1st 1986
by Harper Teen
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When I was in junior high, I remember constantly checking in at the local stationery store to see if they had the latest Christopher Pike book. His books were so full of suspense, darkness, and psychology, such a dramatic change from the Sweet Valley High and Babysitter Club books I was reading just a few years before. I remember Chain Letter being the most intriguing and sinister of the bunch, although, looking back, the books were pretty scary and disturbing. On second thought, Pike's "Slumber...more
When Allison first read the chain letter signed “Your Caretaker”, she thought it was some terrible sick joke. Someone somewhere knew about that awful night when she and her six friends committed an unthinkable crime in the desolate California desert. And now that person was determined to make them pay for it.
One by one, the chain letter was coming to each of them demanding dangerous, impossible deeds threatening violence if the demands were not met.
First, it was Fran’s. Then, Fran did it. She r...more
One by one, the chain letter was coming to each of them demanding dangerous, impossible deeds threatening violence if the demands were not met.
First, it was Fran’s. Then, Fran did it. She r...more
Last Summer Alison and her friends got involve in an accident and a man got hurt. They decided to bury this deadly secret deep in their minds and never talk about it again, but someone else knows, he calls himself the Caretaker. He has started a chain letter and for each of them to stay safe they have to do whatever he wishes. With every request Alison will find out things about her friends she never knew, get closer to the boy of her dreams and be forced to face her worst nightmares.
I loved thi...more
I loved thi...more
It's drastically better than the last Christopher Pike that I recently reread (Whisper of Death), though this one still has some aspects that my grown-up self objects to.
The plot is "I Know What You Did Last Summer," with an added chain letter element that pushes the guilty teens to act out in self-destructive ways. The pranks are fun if not exactly consistent, and the climactic scene where Alison is chased through her home and empty housing development by the villain is exciting and tense.
I lik...more
The plot is "I Know What You Did Last Summer," with an added chain letter element that pushes the guilty teens to act out in self-destructive ways. The pranks are fun if not exactly consistent, and the climactic scene where Alison is chased through her home and empty housing development by the villain is exciting and tense.
I lik...more
Clever and engaging. This novel is one I recall fondly from my youth, and I'm glad that I decided to bring it with me on vacation as some supplemental beach reading. I'm somewhat surprised the Christopher Pike's name isn't one that has become as recognizable as some of the less impressive and far more popular adult authors. His work is well written and fun to delve into, and many of the evils his characters face are filled with all sorts of unforeseen shades of gray rather than the clear-cut bla...more
Jan 12, 2009
MK (Consultant, Corporal Therapist)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of YA suspense/thrillers
Shelves:
young-adult
The story follows the "I know what you did last summer" theme . A group of teens try to cover up a crime committed during a drive home from a concert.
One day they receive a Chain Letter that warns them to do the acts listed and pass the note or suffer the consequences.
I liked the fact that not all the friends liked each other but still promised to keep the secret. I liked how each character had their own personality and even though given a typical teen persona, they each made it their own as t...more
One day they receive a Chain Letter that warns them to do the acts listed and pass the note or suffer the consequences.
I liked the fact that not all the friends liked each other but still promised to keep the secret. I liked how each character had their own personality and even though given a typical teen persona, they each made it their own as t...more
Chain Letter (Book 1) by Christopher Pike does not disappoint. Everything I like about mystery is there. I mean, I love how the story started; where a bunch of teenagers did something that will haunt them for the rest of their lives later on. I like how they buried a dead man in the dessert and decides to zipped up, and then, BOOM, somebody knows their dirty deeds and sends them a chain letter, instructing them do to things that will either humiliate themselves or they will be hurt by the sender...more
One of the better Christopher Pike books (although I might just think that because I loved it so much as a kid). In this one, seven friends accidentally run over a stranger in the desert and bury him in a shallow grave. One year later they get a chain letter from "The Caretaker" who knows what they did and wants them to pay for it. Some Pike-y goofiness at the beginning -- intense hair descriptions, awkward character development, a bunch of cool teens who are excited about going to a Beach Boys...more
I remember reading this book when I was in grade school and instantly being hooked. Years later I saw "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and thought "Hey, I read a book just like this years ago"! Christopher Pike books were a great introduction to the horror/mystery genre. I had to get each new book he wrote as they came out.
His writing was appropriate for grade school and junior high. I doubt I would love this book as much now as I did then, but I have no doubt that it was Christopher Pike who...more
His writing was appropriate for grade school and junior high. I doubt I would love this book as much now as I did then, but I have no doubt that it was Christopher Pike who...more
Chain Letter was the first book I ever read that really got me excited about reading. I was 13 at the time (some 20ish years ago). I have never forgotten the trip to the grocery store where I happened to see the title of this book and immediately decided I had to have it.
I have (over the years) read EVERY SINGLE Pike title and have over 30 of them still on my bookshelf today. I have read them over and over. Chain Letter will always be my favorite, as it was my first.
Christopher Pike's books nev...more
I have (over the years) read EVERY SINGLE Pike title and have over 30 of them still on my bookshelf today. I have read them over and over. Chain Letter will always be my favorite, as it was my first.
Christopher Pike's books nev...more
3 likes · like · see review
A group of teenagers commit an unspeakable act, only a year later are made to pay for it. The group receives a chain letter by the Caretaker - someone who knows what they've done, who may even be a member of the group. The Caretaker gives each member of the group a task to perform, and each time, the stakes are raised. Eventually the Caretaker plays each member against one another making it a psychological thriller. Towards the end I wondered how the Caretaker could do some of the things he did,...more
Chain Letter was a great book with a great twist. I can't get enough Christopher Pike. I just keep reading his books and never get enough. This book was filled with twist and I couldn't get enough of the book, but I wasn't a big fan of the end. But I will say that the second is in the near future. I really do enjoy and relish in whodunit books.
The characters: Alison was a character that I enjoyed reading from, but I thought that she overthought way to much. I didn't like that she let people wal...more
The characters: Alison was a character that I enjoyed reading from, but I thought that she overthought way to much. I didn't like that she let people wal...more
The story starts out strongly. A group of friends have covered up an accident--or a crime. An ominous person calling himself "The Caretaker" knows all about it. The Caretaker wants each of them to do extremely embarrassing things--or he will kill them one by one. Will the friends stick together or turn on each other? Worse, what if The Caretaker is one of them?
The best part of the novel was the setting of one of the character's homes, a deserted housing tract in the desert. Look at the cover an...more
The best part of the novel was the setting of one of the character's homes, a deserted housing tract in the desert. Look at the cover an...more
I missed Christopher Pike's books when I was a kid. I've only recently started reading them but I like his take on the horror genre. His books are complex enough to be interesting but short enough to only take about a day's worth of reading.
Chain Letters either through the mail (pre internet days) or via email always close with a threat of bad things happening if the chain is broken. Chain Letter follows a group of high school friends who witness those bad things first hand.
Alison and her frien...more
Chain Letters either through the mail (pre internet days) or via email always close with a threat of bad things happening if the chain is broken. Chain Letter follows a group of high school friends who witness those bad things first hand.
Alison and her frien...more
Gosh, this book brings back some memories of the 6th grade. We all passed around one beat up copy. I loved this book. I haven't read it in about 16 or 17 years, so I think I should check it out and see if it's still as good as I remember.
From what I remember this was a really thrilling book. I agree with some of the other reviewers who said it was Christopher Pike's best and scariest book. I don't think any of my scary teen books ever living up to this one.
From what I remember this was a really thrilling book. I agree with some of the other reviewers who said it was Christopher Pike's best and scariest book. I don't think any of my scary teen books ever living up to this one.
Young adult chiller/thriller from the 80's. Beer drinking young people get lost and confused on a dark road and do a terrible thing that comes back to haunt them when they receive a chain letter that includes performing tasks that escalate in danger. Predictable in some ways, and still engaging. a similar novel today probably wouldn't have included drinking in the same way. The changes in teen culture are apparent in reading novels of the very recent past.
"Chain Letter" by Christopher Pike is a book about a group of friends. One night, in the dead of summer, this group goes to a concert and afterwards proceed to drive home. Drunk and a little lost, they find that they've hit a man. He is nearly dead, and so instead of telling the authorities they choose to bury him instead. They keep this secret to themselves for a year. Their senior year in high school, one of the girls of the group gets a letter telling her to do an impossible task and then pas...more
I think this book accurately sums up my experience of Christopher Pike novels, of which I probably read a good 80%, if not more. I used to read them voraciously in high school, until it got to the point where I solve the mysteries too easily, and I just grew out of them. I remember liking this one, in particular, but most of the others kind of blur together, with a thick coating of 10+ years' worth of dust on the memories of them.
This book was almost terrifying to me, the whole book was filled with suspense and horror. There's a twist that no one will expect. When six friends get a chain letter they think nothing of it but then certain events come up that terrify them and they have to send the letter even if it consists of unfortunate events to whoever gets it. This book was an amazing thriller that i recommend to anyone that's in for a good scare.
This book is about these girls that recieve this chain message (threat message) and try finding out who sent the letter. The caretaker wants the girls to do horrific/embarrassing things or he/she will kill each and every one of the girls, one by one. They tried covering up a murder last summer and it knows what they've done. They have 5 days to send this to someone else or they will all die.
I can relate tis to one of the RL stine books because it was one of those horror books and kinda of rais...more
I can relate tis to one of the RL stine books because it was one of those horror books and kinda of rais...more
Wow 1986, i remember reading this when i was in secondary school, so must have been about 15-20 odd years ago now. Point Horror was the order of the day, but Christopher Pike was the master at the time for teen horror, eagerly awaited every new book. This was the standout one and where my love of these type of books started, i may have to go back and reread it, see how it holds up today
I've had this book for years and I can't remember if I have ever read it until now. If I had, I definitely don't remember it. I liked it but not as much as The Immortal or Monster. It has a similar feel to I Know What You Did Last Summer but has an interesting twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I haven't read all of his books yet but I am working on it.
A good book just like all the other pike books. What I really liked about the too books. Is he kept the momentum going in both books. It doesnt go downhill like some other books iv read. The idea of the story is quite nice and the concept of the murders getting horrifying as the story goes builds up a good atmosphere toqards the end
My first Pike book, read when I was maybe 11 or 12. I felt very scandalous and mature stealing this from my older cousin's bookshelf. Scared (or perhaps scarred is a better word) me deeply and left me eternally in love with Christopher Pike's unique brand of dated teen horror. Give it a chance - it's spooky, silly fun.
I didn't realise how old this book is! I read it a couple of months ago and couldn't put it down! Chain letter is a very clever novel an I enjoyed the fact that it had a second part to it. As I kept reading I was caught off guard really, there were something's I didn't really expect, like Neil having Cancer.
I read this book years ago, when Christopher Pike was hugely popular. At the time, I remembered finding it engrossing. It was years before I learned that the story is a modified version of the class "closed house" mystery. Still, some scenes and some characters--especially Celeste--have lingered in my memory.
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This is by far the best Christopher Pike book I've read this year, which, admittedly, is not saying much. But it has an actual motive that makes sense! And it freaked me out enough that I couldn't sleep! Too bad the plot it a complete rip-off of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
7 friends start getting chain letters from a mysterious “caretaker”. It appears the caretaker uncovered dark secret that the seven friends shared in a dessert. The demands see incredulous until accidents start happening and people start dying. It remains to be seen if they group of friends can atone for their sins before the “caretaker” will make them pay for them.
One of the scariest books for a young adult reader! A perfect read for the avid reader that is too old for Goosebumps, but is not rea...more
One of the scariest books for a young adult reader! A perfect read for the avid reader that is too old for Goosebumps, but is not rea...more
Apr 26, 2013
Abbi Dion
added it
OUTSTANDING. In this book, Pike is mainly dealing people in a natural universe. I like his supernatural sub-plots, but it's nice to read about motives that aren't born of an ancient Egyptian race descended from a lost planet, on occasion.
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Christopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programm...more
More about Christopher Pike...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programm...more
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