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Chain Letter #1
Chain Letter
And alternate cover edition can be found here.
When Alison 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 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 ... demanding dangerous, impossible deeds... threatening violence if the demands were not met. No one out of the seven wanted to believe that this nightmare was really happening to them. Until the accidents started happening -- and the dying...
When Alison 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 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 ... demanding dangerous, impossible deeds... threatening violence if the demands were not met. No one out of the seven wanted to believe that this nightmare was really happening to them. Until the accidents started happening -- and the dying...
185 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1986
86 people are currently reading
4034 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Pike
261 books5,464 followersChristopher 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 programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
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 programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 382 reviews
January 29, 2009
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 Party" was even more frightening. Between terminal disease books like "Six Months To Live" and ones about slumber party massacres, no wonder I had such trouble sleeping as a kid...
November 7, 2018
Alison and her friends have got a secret, one terrible night whilst drunk they hit and killed a man. So when a chain letter signed "Your Caretaker” arrives the group have to take the threat seriously.
Each person is giving a dangerous task to complete as part of their punishment for that awful accident.
They keep getting more and more elaborate.
I really liked the revenge/guilt theme running through the book, admittedly the main idea of teens trying to cover up a killing isn’t entirely original but the chain letter aspect really added a different dimension to the plot.
The book really felt of it’s time with the use of letters, I wonder if a modern social media take would work aswell?
I had an absolute nostalgic blast reading this, one of Pike’s best!
Each person is giving a dangerous task to complete as part of their punishment for that awful accident.
They keep getting more and more elaborate.
I really liked the revenge/guilt theme running through the book, admittedly the main idea of teens trying to cover up a killing isn’t entirely original but the chain letter aspect really added a different dimension to the plot.
The book really felt of it’s time with the use of letters, I wonder if a modern social media take would work aswell?
I had an absolute nostalgic blast reading this, one of Pike’s best!
February 27, 2023
"Signed:
Your caretaker"
Christopher Pike-Chain Letter.
Such a great creepy little tale. I was so into Pike's early books. This is one of his best.
Your caretaker"
Christopher Pike-Chain Letter.
Such a great creepy little tale. I was so into Pike's early books. This is one of his best.
Read
December 2, 2016I have never felt more alienated from my 12-year-old self than I did when re-reading this book.
January 2, 2012
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 like the setup and the overall story, though once again, the characters grate a little. All the guys in the group have solid, genuine relationships with one another, but the girls bicker and compete. The self-assured girl who speaks her mind is branded a jerk, despite the fact that the others aren't any nicer to each other over the course of the story.
There's a little sexual content, and all of it's awkward. One character decides that a serious threat of kidnapping and/or death would be better than starting a rumor that she's a lesbian. Another makes a reference to "putting up a good fight" towards keeping her virginity on her first date, which is a seriously creepy metaphor.
And just like in Whisper, the female protagonist takes an unfair level of blame for all the book's drama. She bears as much responsibility as any of the group for the aftermath of the original accident, but she takes on an extra helping of guilt for the sin of turning down a date. Yes, the main heroine of the novel decides that it was bitchy of her to turn down someone she wasn't interested in. No, I'm still not sure how that makes sense.
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 like the setup and the overall story, though once again, the characters grate a little. All the guys in the group have solid, genuine relationships with one another, but the girls bicker and compete. The self-assured girl who speaks her mind is branded a jerk, despite the fact that the others aren't any nicer to each other over the course of the story.
There's a little sexual content, and all of it's awkward. One character decides that a serious threat of kidnapping and/or death would be better than starting a rumor that she's a lesbian. Another makes a reference to "putting up a good fight" towards keeping her virginity on her first date, which is a seriously creepy metaphor.
And just like in Whisper, the female protagonist takes an unfair level of blame for all the book's drama. She bears as much responsibility as any of the group for the aftermath of the original accident, but she takes on an extra helping of guilt for the sin of turning down a date. Yes, the main heroine of the novel decides that it was bitchy of her to turn down someone she wasn't interested in. No, I'm still not sure how that makes sense.
October 23, 2012
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 this book. It's the first Pike book I've ever read but it surely won't be the last one. It started out reminding me of I Know What You Did Last Summer (big horror fan here) but still I loved every minute of it. Alison was a great character and she took control of the situation when noene else could. She is a real fighter. We also get a few chapters from Tony's POV, her love interest, who is also another great character. He has so much guilt in him and so much pain but never lets it show.
Now, about the story, it unfolded perfectly. The Caretaker was someone you don't wanna mess with. And there were bits and pieces that would make everyone a suspect but if you paid close attention from the beginning till the end you can figure it out, just like I did. Whenever I read a book when I know we will get to guess who the bad guy is I keep my eyes open for every single clue.
I loved the creepy mood of this book and the action scene at the end. It was just like a horror movie. I literally couldn't sleep until the book was over, so I stayed up till 4am to finish it. So worth it! Now I can't even begin to imagine what will happen in the next one.
I loved this book. It's the first Pike book I've ever read but it surely won't be the last one. It started out reminding me of I Know What You Did Last Summer (big horror fan here) but still I loved every minute of it. Alison was a great character and she took control of the situation when noene else could. She is a real fighter. We also get a few chapters from Tony's POV, her love interest, who is also another great character. He has so much guilt in him and so much pain but never lets it show.
Now, about the story, it unfolded perfectly. The Caretaker was someone you don't wanna mess with. And there were bits and pieces that would make everyone a suspect but if you paid close attention from the beginning till the end you can figure it out, just like I did. Whenever I read a book when I know we will get to guess who the bad guy is I keep my eyes open for every single clue.
I loved the creepy mood of this book and the action scene at the end. It was just like a horror movie. I literally couldn't sleep until the book was over, so I stayed up till 4am to finish it. So worth it! Now I can't even begin to imagine what will happen in the next one.
September 5, 2014
It was a bad book, and I have to say that compared to other horror reads out there, this one was rather tame (and a little boring) compared to them. Maybe the times have changed and the scare factor has increased over the years -- but who am I kidding? The King and Stine books were written around the same time as well and those were infinitely more terrifying. This rehash of "I Know What You Did Last Summer" has several weaknesses that those authors' books don't.
The biggest one would definitely have to be the poor characterisation. Yawn. Those characters were written as though the story might as well have taken place during the 50's -- "Tony" and "Alison" belong more to teens from the 80's a lot more than "Kipp" and "Fran" -- and the way they spoke reflected that too. There's nothing wrong with writing someone to be wordy and use polite, concise language, but it was jarring to see all of them use words like "perish," "terrific," and "buffoon" in their conversations. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm certainly a lot more familiarised with teens who speak with a lot of colloquialisms, contractions, and simpler words than those.
(Additionally, I checked that the original publishing date was in '86 and the omnibus featuring "Chain Letter" and "Ancient Evil" was in '94, but the book specifically mentioned the use of cell phones able to take recordings; this might have been an edit on behalf of Simon Pulse to update the book to more modern audiences, but I seriously had to recheck the text to make sure those strange, outdated characters lived in the same time frame with advanced technology like a cell phone!)
Their attitudes might as well be from the 50's, too. All of the girls are portrayed as weak little things who have constant, petty little fights with one another and swoon at the mere presence of their guy friends. Joan is called a "jerk" (might as well straight up labeled her a bitch, Pike) for speaking her mind and being sexually confident around guys, but even she gets written as fighting over Tony with Alison, because, you know, girls. Alison, Fran and Brenda are all vain and selfish for taking pride in their physical beauty and artistic talents and having big dreams for themselves. Even their love for the boys is seen as less; Brenda hits Kipp in times of stress (because them girls be crazy lol) and Joan is freakish for having casual sex with Tony.
The guys don't seem to have this problem, however. Tony is never called vain and selfish for being proud of his high grade average and athletic talent -- he's a school hero. The way he treats Alison like some prize to be won and dangled in front of Neil (and sneaked behind Joan, whom he had no trouble in dropping for Alison somehow) is not only gross, but reprehensible. Kipp is not even much of a character except to be shown as the Jolly Good Guy, and Neil the Calm Level Headed Guy (who also treated Alison like an object). Lazy, lazy writing.
The plot itself had a very neat set up -- do as I say or suffer -- but that wasn't handled in a stellar way. Most of the instructions are rather tame and can't really be called outright threats, though the consequences of failing to carry them through were ok, but not good in all cases. Seemingly innocuous orders turning into outright violence is a good way to scare readers, but they fell rather flat with the way they panned out later and showed the so called heroes do nothing but sit, tremble, and dole out weak accusations and conjectures instead of doing what other horror lit characters would do and actually investigate.
Any plot that features an order to start a rumour that you're -- gasp! -- gay and treat it like some horrible shameful thing is automatically a big NO in my book. And the perpetrator of the threats was so terribly obvious too! Let's just say a big hint would be to check which character isn't really getting focused on, and BAM, big chance of being the creep right there. Additionally, as the child of an oncologist, I can say with all seriousness that a diagnosis of cancer is incapable of turning you into a psycopathic schemer who thinks like a Christian fundamentalist, obsessed with purging your friends of their sins. A terrible way to describe a terminally ill person. I repeat: CANCER DOES NOT MAKE YOU HOMICIDAL.
The culprit's reasons for wanting to make their friends repent for their crime last summer was never explained beyond "excruciating guilt + cancer makes you crazy+Nice Ones are Always Assholes." It could've have been so much easier and simpler to understand had it only been to get back at the friend who didn't appreciate them as much, but no. Pike had to take such a lazy approach to it that it actually become more convoluted that way.
Overall, it was a rushed, sloppy book that reminded me why King and Stine are called Horror Royalty and not Pike. If you want a scary book with good pacing, relatable, realistic characters and a good structure, please, look to them.
The biggest one would definitely have to be the poor characterisation. Yawn. Those characters were written as though the story might as well have taken place during the 50's -- "Tony" and "Alison" belong more to teens from the 80's a lot more than "Kipp" and "Fran" -- and the way they spoke reflected that too. There's nothing wrong with writing someone to be wordy and use polite, concise language, but it was jarring to see all of them use words like "perish," "terrific," and "buffoon" in their conversations. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm certainly a lot more familiarised with teens who speak with a lot of colloquialisms, contractions, and simpler words than those.
(Additionally, I checked that the original publishing date was in '86 and the omnibus featuring "Chain Letter" and "Ancient Evil" was in '94, but the book specifically mentioned the use of cell phones able to take recordings; this might have been an edit on behalf of Simon Pulse to update the book to more modern audiences, but I seriously had to recheck the text to make sure those strange, outdated characters lived in the same time frame with advanced technology like a cell phone!)
Their attitudes might as well be from the 50's, too. All of the girls are portrayed as weak little things who have constant, petty little fights with one another and swoon at the mere presence of their guy friends. Joan is called a "jerk" (might as well straight up labeled her a bitch, Pike) for speaking her mind and being sexually confident around guys, but even she gets written as fighting over Tony with Alison, because, you know, girls. Alison, Fran and Brenda are all vain and selfish for taking pride in their physical beauty and artistic talents and having big dreams for themselves. Even their love for the boys is seen as less; Brenda hits Kipp in times of stress (because them girls be crazy lol) and Joan is freakish for having casual sex with Tony.
The guys don't seem to have this problem, however. Tony is never called vain and selfish for being proud of his high grade average and athletic talent -- he's a school hero. The way he treats Alison like some prize to be won and dangled in front of Neil (and sneaked behind Joan, whom he had no trouble in dropping for Alison somehow) is not only gross, but reprehensible. Kipp is not even much of a character except to be shown as the Jolly Good Guy, and Neil the Calm Level Headed Guy (who also treated Alison like an object). Lazy, lazy writing.
The plot itself had a very neat set up -- do as I say or suffer -- but that wasn't handled in a stellar way. Most of the instructions are rather tame and can't really be called outright threats, though the consequences of failing to carry them through were ok, but not good in all cases. Seemingly innocuous orders turning into outright violence is a good way to scare readers, but they fell rather flat with the way they panned out later and showed the so called heroes do nothing but sit, tremble, and dole out weak accusations and conjectures instead of doing what other horror lit characters would do and actually investigate.
Any plot that features an order to start a rumour that you're -- gasp! -- gay and treat it like some horrible shameful thing is automatically a big NO in my book. And the perpetrator of the threats was so terribly obvious too! Let's just say a big hint would be to check which character isn't really getting focused on, and BAM, big chance of being the creep right there. Additionally, as the child of an oncologist, I can say with all seriousness that a diagnosis of cancer is incapable of turning you into a psycopathic schemer who thinks like a Christian fundamentalist, obsessed with purging your friends of their sins. A terrible way to describe a terminally ill person. I repeat: CANCER DOES NOT MAKE YOU HOMICIDAL.
The culprit's reasons for wanting to make their friends repent for their crime last summer was never explained beyond "excruciating guilt + cancer makes you crazy+Nice Ones are Always Assholes." It could've have been so much easier and simpler to understand had it only been to get back at the friend who didn't appreciate them as much, but no. Pike had to take such a lazy approach to it that it actually become more convoluted that way.
Overall, it was a rushed, sloppy book that reminded me why King and Stine are called Horror Royalty and not Pike. If you want a scary book with good pacing, relatable, realistic characters and a good structure, please, look to them.
August 24, 2012
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 never disappoint.
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 never disappoint.
December 9, 2019
I can't tell if they tried to update this? There was a strange reference to Princess Kate and they all had cell phones? But somehow no google maps? That was some half-assed nonsense. This did not age well.
November 23, 2014
I don’t even know how relevant this even is anymore. Would todays kids know what chain letters are? Do they get passed around through text messages or social media now? Postage need not apply? As someone who’s received and sent actual mail chain letters before this one tickled me something fierce. I FELT it, you know?
Pike likes to up the ante in his books and he doesn’t hold back on my punches, that’s for sure. He gets right down to it in CHAIN LETTER and doesn’t leave anyone behind. Getting a random letter in the mail from someone is creepy enough but having it make demands and then threatening physical harm if they’re not followed through is downright terrifying. Do you ignore it and take the chance? Call the police even though it says not to? Do what it’s asking? We never believed in these things but, you know, JUST IN CASE, we did them anyway because they usually involved some kind of harm to a loved one a la stepping on a crack if we didn’t. But here, with these kids, the letter writer dangled a piece of their history in their faces, rather I Know What You Did Last Summer, just not as slasher-like.
Every promise the letter writer made came to pass and no one was left out of the mess. Yes, it’s a silly book with some contrived dialogue and poorly-developed characters (although I do think Pike did storytelling better than most of his kind) but it’s still creepy. People start disappearing, leaving incredible amounts of blood behind. People are getting hurt, sometimes almost quite badly, and characters and being genuinely scared. Pike knows how to write suspense and it kept me turning the pages, silliness aside.
It ended as a lot of these old school horror novels are wont to end but it still gave me that nostalgic bit of love that I was looking for from this kind of horror. The want for it just never goes away. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of these books. They just hit my horror bone so right whenever I read one and I can’t get enough. YA horror isn’t written like this anymore and that makes me sad. It’s hard to beat the jump scares and shameless terror that these books inflict. The world needs more of it.
4
Pike likes to up the ante in his books and he doesn’t hold back on my punches, that’s for sure. He gets right down to it in CHAIN LETTER and doesn’t leave anyone behind. Getting a random letter in the mail from someone is creepy enough but having it make demands and then threatening physical harm if they’re not followed through is downright terrifying. Do you ignore it and take the chance? Call the police even though it says not to? Do what it’s asking? We never believed in these things but, you know, JUST IN CASE, we did them anyway because they usually involved some kind of harm to a loved one a la stepping on a crack if we didn’t. But here, with these kids, the letter writer dangled a piece of their history in their faces, rather I Know What You Did Last Summer, just not as slasher-like.
Every promise the letter writer made came to pass and no one was left out of the mess. Yes, it’s a silly book with some contrived dialogue and poorly-developed characters (although I do think Pike did storytelling better than most of his kind) but it’s still creepy. People start disappearing, leaving incredible amounts of blood behind. People are getting hurt, sometimes almost quite badly, and characters and being genuinely scared. Pike knows how to write suspense and it kept me turning the pages, silliness aside.
It ended as a lot of these old school horror novels are wont to end but it still gave me that nostalgic bit of love that I was looking for from this kind of horror. The want for it just never goes away. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of these books. They just hit my horror bone so right whenever I read one and I can’t get enough. YA horror isn’t written like this anymore and that makes me sad. It’s hard to beat the jump scares and shameless terror that these books inflict. The world needs more of it.
4
April 20, 2017
It’s so much harder to justify the things I love than the things I don’t. I pretty much always know why I don’t like something, but there’s a special magic that goes on in loving things that makes it difficult to quantify. I know, in general, what makes a book good for me: strong characters, clever plots, beautiful writing, representation, empathy, humor, world-building, etc. But a book doesn’t necessarily have to have all those things to strike a chord in me and, even weirder, sometimes books with many or all those things don’t reach me at all. I might appreciate it on an intellectual level, but it will never live and breathe inside me, and that’s the inexplicable part. What makes that happen?
It probably comes as no surprise that Christopher Pike makes it easily onto my love list, sometimes for reasons I can’t quite figure out. Even the worst Pike is never a waste of time to me, and I don’t buy nostalgia as a reason. I don’t love this thing because I used to love it at another point in my life that I wish I could go back to. Honestly, I read Pike the most in high school, and I’d really rather not revisit that time. I was much happier in college. It’s been at least that long since I’ve read some of his books though, and occasionally I get hit over the head with an overwhelming need for more Christopher Pike in my life. If books were sustenance, this would be my comfort food. These voices have been in my head for so long they sound like mine.
Seven high school students with a dangerous secret receive a chain letter in the mail. Signed only Your Caretaker, the letter promises to harm them if they don’t complete various tasks within the time limit. The backstory is almost identical to I Know What You Did Last Summer, which I remember reading a long time ago and thinking wasn’t any good. I can’t help feeling that Pike took two urban-legend style stories, IKWYDLS and the chain letter, and made something more original out of them.
I’ve read an inordinate number of Pike novels, and Chain Letter falls on the better end of the spectrum. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the book excels, since it’s only a scant 185 pages. (I read it in about twenty-four hours, and it in no way satisfied my Pike craving.) Foremost, I think, is the story itself. It’s rare to come across a storyteller as consistently strange and gifted as Christopher Pike, but it’s the thing that’s always drawn me to him most. I can compare him to other horror authors, but the truth is that nobody else sounds anything like him. And I love that. I will never hear these stories anywhere else.
Chain Letter’s other strength is in its characters, which is an odd thing in such a short novel. I wouldn’t think there would be much time for development in so few pages, but they all feel distinct and knowable. They edge toward stock characters–the nervous wreck, the jock, the smartass, the bad girl–but generally with important differences that set them apart in my mind.
Character is also linked inescapably to the horror of this novel. It’s not the typical slash/hack (and Pike almost never is, although he can be plenty grim). The creep factor of this book depends on how well the reader (and the villain) understands the characters. The things he asks them to do chip away at their identities and, eventually, ask them to betray themselves in order to stay alive–and that’s much scarier than a killer with a hook for a hand. There isn’t a lot of violence, just a steady ramping up of tension and a paranoid-style creepiness.
I cried at the end because, no matter how many times I read this, my favorite character always turns out to be the villain, and the mastery of Pike is that I’m still empathetic to that person’s suffering. This is not a revenge novel; it’s a guilt novel. All the characters are both trapped and driven by it, and while that’s more subtle than a vengeful killer, it’s ultimately much more powerful.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
It probably comes as no surprise that Christopher Pike makes it easily onto my love list, sometimes for reasons I can’t quite figure out. Even the worst Pike is never a waste of time to me, and I don’t buy nostalgia as a reason. I don’t love this thing because I used to love it at another point in my life that I wish I could go back to. Honestly, I read Pike the most in high school, and I’d really rather not revisit that time. I was much happier in college. It’s been at least that long since I’ve read some of his books though, and occasionally I get hit over the head with an overwhelming need for more Christopher Pike in my life. If books were sustenance, this would be my comfort food. These voices have been in my head for so long they sound like mine.
Seven high school students with a dangerous secret receive a chain letter in the mail. Signed only Your Caretaker, the letter promises to harm them if they don’t complete various tasks within the time limit. The backstory is almost identical to I Know What You Did Last Summer, which I remember reading a long time ago and thinking wasn’t any good. I can’t help feeling that Pike took two urban-legend style stories, IKWYDLS and the chain letter, and made something more original out of them.
I’ve read an inordinate number of Pike novels, and Chain Letter falls on the better end of the spectrum. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the book excels, since it’s only a scant 185 pages. (I read it in about twenty-four hours, and it in no way satisfied my Pike craving.) Foremost, I think, is the story itself. It’s rare to come across a storyteller as consistently strange and gifted as Christopher Pike, but it’s the thing that’s always drawn me to him most. I can compare him to other horror authors, but the truth is that nobody else sounds anything like him. And I love that. I will never hear these stories anywhere else.
Chain Letter’s other strength is in its characters, which is an odd thing in such a short novel. I wouldn’t think there would be much time for development in so few pages, but they all feel distinct and knowable. They edge toward stock characters–the nervous wreck, the jock, the smartass, the bad girl–but generally with important differences that set them apart in my mind.
Character is also linked inescapably to the horror of this novel. It’s not the typical slash/hack (and Pike almost never is, although he can be plenty grim). The creep factor of this book depends on how well the reader (and the villain) understands the characters. The things he asks them to do chip away at their identities and, eventually, ask them to betray themselves in order to stay alive–and that’s much scarier than a killer with a hook for a hand. There isn’t a lot of violence, just a steady ramping up of tension and a paranoid-style creepiness.
I cried at the end because, no matter how many times I read this, my favorite character always turns out to be the villain, and the mastery of Pike is that I’m still empathetic to that person’s suffering. This is not a revenge novel; it’s a guilt novel. All the characters are both trapped and driven by it, and while that’s more subtle than a vengeful killer, it’s ultimately much more powerful.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
January 27, 2021
Complice il periodo di vari impegni ed un po' di nostalgia, ho deciso di dedicarmi a qualche lettura per ragazzi un po' più leggera, ed il primo autore che mi è venuto in mente da rispolverare è stato Christopher Pike. Ho un ottimo ricordo dei suoi romanzi letti da ragazzina nella mitica collana Super Junior Giallo, ma ero pronta anche ad una delusione, considerando quanto io sia cresciuta come lettrice negli ultimi 20 e passa anni, e come ormai questi libri siano totalmente fuori target per me.
"La morte arriva per posta" pur non avendo un plot totalmente inedito (prende a grandi mani dal famoso "So cosa hai fatto") risulta essere un giallo per ragazzi abbastanza piacevole, con alcuni momenti di tensione molto ben costruiti.
Purtroppo non tutti gli aspetti del romanzo sono "invecchiati" bene, le caratterizzazioni, soprattutto quelle dei personaggi femminili risultano piatte e stereotipate al massimo grado, e la stessa identità dell'Occhio non è poi così difficile da intuire. Il finale anche risulta un po' stonato (il tentativo di "redimere" il colpevole è un po' troppo stucchevole e surreale), ma tutto sommato rimane una lettura leggera, adatta al suo target.
"La morte arriva per posta" pur non avendo un plot totalmente inedito (prende a grandi mani dal famoso "So cosa hai fatto") risulta essere un giallo per ragazzi abbastanza piacevole, con alcuni momenti di tensione molto ben costruiti.
Purtroppo non tutti gli aspetti del romanzo sono "invecchiati" bene, le caratterizzazioni, soprattutto quelle dei personaggi femminili risultano piatte e stereotipate al massimo grado, e la stessa identità dell'Occhio non è poi così difficile da intuire. Il finale anche risulta un po' stonato (il tentativo di "redimere" il colpevole è un po' troppo stucchevole e surreale), ma tutto sommato rimane una lettura leggera, adatta al suo target.
April 21, 2024
I actually have no words for both this AND the ancient evil... I got a book with a different cover which included both chain letter and ancient evil... I miss Neil and I did consider him being the caretaker for a moment 😔❣️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2009
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 and see the dark hills around the lonely house. Great setting and descriptive writing when talking about the tract! Good explanation as to why no one but this one family had moved in yet.
The struggle to save their lives while upholding their dignities and morals is poignantly shown in this horror masterpiece that starts down the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" road, and manages not only to surpass that mediocre movie, but leave it in the dust. Pike's usually ever present supernatural twist is not involved in this book, but there is so much hinted mystery, you forget to miss it.
Far less bloody than most of Pike's books, it is, nonetheless, chilling and downright scary--to the point that I've put off re-reading it.
Book Details:
Title Chain Letter
Author Christopher Pike
Reviewed By Purplycookie
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 and see the dark hills around the lonely house. Great setting and descriptive writing when talking about the tract! Good explanation as to why no one but this one family had moved in yet.
The struggle to save their lives while upholding their dignities and morals is poignantly shown in this horror masterpiece that starts down the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" road, and manages not only to surpass that mediocre movie, but leave it in the dust. Pike's usually ever present supernatural twist is not involved in this book, but there is so much hinted mystery, you forget to miss it.
Far less bloody than most of Pike's books, it is, nonetheless, chilling and downright scary--to the point that I've put off re-reading it.
Book Details:
Title Chain Letter
Author Christopher Pike
Reviewed By Purplycookie
April 21, 2020
I used to read these books when I was 12 and found a couple when I was packing for a move. I decided to reread this one just for fun. Some of the dialogue is cheesy of course, given that it is over thirty years old, but I was surprised at how good it still was. I stayed up til 4am finishing it because I couldn’t put it down.
February 6, 2021
This book was okay! It was a good read and it kept me entertained but it wasn’t written the best way. Maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy it as much was because of how it was written and how everything was explained.
February 26, 2024
Have you ever revisited a book from your Young Adult years that you loved? If so, did you finish reading it and wonder what the heck you were thinking? That's exactly how I felt finishing this novel.
I read it for the first time when I was a teenager, though the exact age evades me. When I read it, I remember loving it. I found it (and its sequel) as one long option for incredibly cheap on my Kindle, so I thought, what the heck? I finished reading it and, at age 32 now, I seriously have no idea what I saw in this tale the first time.
There will be some medium spoilers here, but not anything major that will give away the main antagonist. Just a warning before you read ahead!
General plotline: A group of seven friends are driving late at night after an event. Most of them are drunk as skunks. One of them, being a massive moron, scares the already drunk driver, leading to them hitting and killing a random dude who was inexplicably walking alone in the middle of a desert road. Scared, they bury the body and agree not to ever mention it again. Months later, one of the group members receives a "chain letter" from an unknown person who calls themself "The Caretaker", saying they know what happened that night and they want to punish the group. Each group member has to do something rude, nasty or dangerous or else The Caretaker will kill them. Once one group member does their task, they have to give the letter to another member of the group so they can do their own task, and so on and so forth.
These characters were cringe-worthy. They felt like cardboard cutouts. Tony and Ali were cliched, Kipp was an unbelievable loser, Joan was a mean girl simply because she was a mean girl (no real explanation as to why), and I couldn't tell Brenda and Fran apart to save my life. The only one with any personality whatsoever was Neil. He was the only one in the group that I would bother being friends with in real life.
There were so many problems with the plot as well. Let me give you some examples as to why this story didn't work for me.
1. Kipp crashes his car at one point in the novel and is in grave danger at another point near the end of the novel. Both times, he jokes like there's literally nothing wrong and the danger he's in is simply as annoying as a fly landing in his soup. Who violently crashes their car into a wall and gets their life threatened and says "LOLZ! This is slightly stinky! Time to crack a joke!"? What is going on with this guy?!
2. One person has a task of telling a teacher he stinks at his job. One has to hint that they're homosexual. Another person has to BURN DOWN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, which is a felony. Wow, Caretaker! Considering you think all seven of these people are terrible and deserve to die, I have a feeling you like some characters more than others!
3. The ending makes no freaking sense. The reveal of the Caretaker is fine and I can get behind it; everything that happens *after* the reveal is totally unbelievable. One character needs to get stitches and replace destroyed doors and windows in their house thanks to a fight with the Caretaker. Said character does this without telling their parents so they don't worry them. How the ever-loving frick can a teenager go to the hospital, get stitches all up their arm, and replace multiple doors and windows that were damaged by a gun and an axe without their parents noticing?! How stupid does Christopher Pike think his readers are?
These are just a few major issues I had with the book. I remembered who the Caretaker was from my first read through as a teenager, so I can't judge the mystery side of the story, but I do remember being shocked by it when I first read it. That was, of course, before I had multiple Stephen King and Agatha Christie novels under my belt and was easier to impress. But, due to the nostalgia and the fact that I was surprised the first time I read it, I have to give the book two rather than one star.
As previously mentioned, I have the sequel on my Kindle as well. While I don't remember much about the sequel, I will read it for the same reason I read this book: for the nostalgia. Another review will be on the way for that novel, but for now, I'll leave you with these thoughts. Don't bother with this novel if you want to read a story that makes any kind of sense.
I read it for the first time when I was a teenager, though the exact age evades me. When I read it, I remember loving it. I found it (and its sequel) as one long option for incredibly cheap on my Kindle, so I thought, what the heck? I finished reading it and, at age 32 now, I seriously have no idea what I saw in this tale the first time.
There will be some medium spoilers here, but not anything major that will give away the main antagonist. Just a warning before you read ahead!
General plotline: A group of seven friends are driving late at night after an event. Most of them are drunk as skunks. One of them, being a massive moron, scares the already drunk driver, leading to them hitting and killing a random dude who was inexplicably walking alone in the middle of a desert road. Scared, they bury the body and agree not to ever mention it again. Months later, one of the group members receives a "chain letter" from an unknown person who calls themself "The Caretaker", saying they know what happened that night and they want to punish the group. Each group member has to do something rude, nasty or dangerous or else The Caretaker will kill them. Once one group member does their task, they have to give the letter to another member of the group so they can do their own task, and so on and so forth.
These characters were cringe-worthy. They felt like cardboard cutouts. Tony and Ali were cliched, Kipp was an unbelievable loser, Joan was a mean girl simply because she was a mean girl (no real explanation as to why), and I couldn't tell Brenda and Fran apart to save my life. The only one with any personality whatsoever was Neil. He was the only one in the group that I would bother being friends with in real life.
There were so many problems with the plot as well. Let me give you some examples as to why this story didn't work for me.
1. Kipp crashes his car at one point in the novel and is in grave danger at another point near the end of the novel. Both times, he jokes like there's literally nothing wrong and the danger he's in is simply as annoying as a fly landing in his soup. Who violently crashes their car into a wall and gets their life threatened and says "LOLZ! This is slightly stinky! Time to crack a joke!"? What is going on with this guy?!
2. One person has a task of telling a teacher he stinks at his job. One has to hint that they're homosexual. Another person has to BURN DOWN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, which is a felony. Wow, Caretaker! Considering you think all seven of these people are terrible and deserve to die, I have a feeling you like some characters more than others!
3. The ending makes no freaking sense. The reveal of the Caretaker is fine and I can get behind it; everything that happens *after* the reveal is totally unbelievable. One character needs to get stitches and replace destroyed doors and windows in their house thanks to a fight with the Caretaker. Said character does this without telling their parents so they don't worry them. How the ever-loving frick can a teenager go to the hospital, get stitches all up their arm, and replace multiple doors and windows that were damaged by a gun and an axe without their parents noticing?! How stupid does Christopher Pike think his readers are?
These are just a few major issues I had with the book. I remembered who the Caretaker was from my first read through as a teenager, so I can't judge the mystery side of the story, but I do remember being shocked by it when I first read it. That was, of course, before I had multiple Stephen King and Agatha Christie novels under my belt and was easier to impress. But, due to the nostalgia and the fact that I was surprised the first time I read it, I have to give the book two rather than one star.
As previously mentioned, I have the sequel on my Kindle as well. While I don't remember much about the sequel, I will read it for the same reason I read this book: for the nostalgia. Another review will be on the way for that novel, but for now, I'll leave you with these thoughts. Don't bother with this novel if you want to read a story that makes any kind of sense.
July 14, 2024
>2.5/5★<
I read this with my sister for a challenge I’m doing where I read at least one book published in each of the years of my life- this was the second book of the challenge published in 1986. This is a “here for a good time, not a long time” book. I found it to be a super campy book for the I-know-what-you-did-last-summer era of people. It felt nostalgic but also wildly unrealistic.
The most fun I had reading this was tabbing all the things in this book that are now largely obsolete, or less used, like pay phones, paper road maps, snail-mail chain letters, compact-disc players, cassette tapes etc. Also certain media, bands, and turns of phrase like “so bitchin’!”, The Beach Boys in concert, MTV and The Reader���s Digest. I had a great time in that regard. The story itself started out pretty good but lagged a great deal in the middle. The ending was absurd but for some reason when I saw the second book in this series at a thrift shop the other day I still bought it.
I gave this book 2.5 stars but felt compelled to bump it up to 3 here on Goodreads. That happens sometimes with books- there’s no metric to go by in these instances- at least not for me. Some books I feel had a little something that makes me inclined to be more forgiving like I was here while others who get a 2.5 will just get a 2 here on Goodreads. Do with that what you will. As for whether I recommend this book. I guess not. I mean, like I implied above, this was a fun time but it wasn’t a memorable one. I don’t think it impacted my life in any way and if I hadn’t read it I would have lived my life with no regrets regardless. But if you want to take a very short ride through the world of teenagers in 1986 this could be a good choice for that.
I read this with my sister for a challenge I’m doing where I read at least one book published in each of the years of my life- this was the second book of the challenge published in 1986. This is a “here for a good time, not a long time” book. I found it to be a super campy book for the I-know-what-you-did-last-summer era of people. It felt nostalgic but also wildly unrealistic.
The most fun I had reading this was tabbing all the things in this book that are now largely obsolete, or less used, like pay phones, paper road maps, snail-mail chain letters, compact-disc players, cassette tapes etc. Also certain media, bands, and turns of phrase like “so bitchin’!”, The Beach Boys in concert, MTV and The Reader���s Digest. I had a great time in that regard. The story itself started out pretty good but lagged a great deal in the middle. The ending was absurd but for some reason when I saw the second book in this series at a thrift shop the other day I still bought it.
I gave this book 2.5 stars but felt compelled to bump it up to 3 here on Goodreads. That happens sometimes with books- there’s no metric to go by in these instances- at least not for me. Some books I feel had a little something that makes me inclined to be more forgiving like I was here while others who get a 2.5 will just get a 2 here on Goodreads. Do with that what you will. As for whether I recommend this book. I guess not. I mean, like I implied above, this was a fun time but it wasn’t a memorable one. I don’t think it impacted my life in any way and if I hadn’t read it I would have lived my life with no regrets regardless. But if you want to take a very short ride through the world of teenagers in 1986 this could be a good choice for that.
July 4, 2025
Chain Letter is enjoyable and delivers on teen suspense, but it may not stand out as one of Pike’s best. For longtime fans of his work, it’s a solid entry as one of his beginnings with I know what you did last summer vibes.
The characters are one of the strongest elements of Chain Letter. Each member of the group feels distinct, with their own flaws, fears, and past. Their interactions are believable, and the tension between them adds to the psychological weight of the story. The novel captures a sense of creeping dread and guilt very effectively. Though it’s not horror in the traditional sense, the moral pressure and looming threat from "The Caretaker" creates a suspenseful and uneasy mood throughout, The central mystery is engaging, but not unpredictable. If you’ve read a few thrillers, you might guess the twist
Still, the pacing and stakes keep things moving.
even if some parts feel slightly drawn out There are definite moments of suspense where you’re eager to turn the page, However the narrative sometimes dips into slower sections that may reduce the overall tension.
**********************************************
Verdict
(7.3/10)
The characters are one of the strongest elements of Chain Letter. Each member of the group feels distinct, with their own flaws, fears, and past. Their interactions are believable, and the tension between them adds to the psychological weight of the story. The novel captures a sense of creeping dread and guilt very effectively. Though it’s not horror in the traditional sense, the moral pressure and looming threat from "The Caretaker" creates a suspenseful and uneasy mood throughout, The central mystery is engaging, but not unpredictable. If you’ve read a few thrillers, you might guess the twist
Still, the pacing and stakes keep things moving.
even if some parts feel slightly drawn out There are definite moments of suspense where you’re eager to turn the page, However the narrative sometimes dips into slower sections that may reduce the overall tension.
**********************************************
Verdict
(7.3/10)
September 7, 2023
-i know what you did last summer vibes for sure
-so many outdated references that i of course get, being born in the 80's, but when my daughter gets older and reads it i'm sure she will have so many questions, starting with "what's a chain letter" LMAO
-i know it's the time period but boy howdy is this book sexist. typical catty girl friendships and lots of references to bodies and being on diets and insulting random people's looks
-VERY good at building up tension, the scene where Alison was pretty incredible, felt like i was watching scream
-the WHY the caretaker did it is lame and i felt robbed
-writing style was weird sometimes, there would be whole paragraphs between one a character saying something to someone and the other person responding. I had to go back a couple times bc i forgot someone was speaking
-great trip down memory lane to kick off this spooky season
-so many outdated references that i of course get, being born in the 80's, but when my daughter gets older and reads it i'm sure she will have so many questions, starting with "what's a chain letter" LMAO
-i know it's the time period but boy howdy is this book sexist. typical catty girl friendships and lots of references to bodies and being on diets and insulting random people's looks
-VERY good at building up tension, the scene where Alison was pretty incredible, felt like i was watching scream
-the WHY the caretaker did it is lame and i felt robbed
-writing style was weird sometimes, there would be whole paragraphs between one a character saying something to someone and the other person responding. I had to go back a couple times bc i forgot someone was speaking
-great trip down memory lane to kick off this spooky season
February 8, 2022
As promised, my monthly Pike challenge shall continue. For this month, the thing picked one of the two I had picked up thrifting, which was lucky. This was way earlier for him. Published May 1986, so this had to be just his 3rd or fourth so I think? You can tell this was before the grind set in. Off the bat I'll say it's far from perfect but it's much better than The Lost Mind for sure. I liked it well enough even if I hate notes.
7 Friends (Allison, Tony, Niel, Joan, Kip, Fran, Brenda) once ran over a man by accident while out on a joy ride. A year later, they get a chain letter from someone called The Caretaker who says they know what they did and wants them to do what he says, or they will be punished.
And it goes from there. To start with my problems, there are way too many characters. They each kinda stand out at least but most aren't that developed by the end. It mostly ends up about 3 that are important with the rest not getting much in the wrap up. I think you could have cut the group by half and not lost much, especially given where it goes and who the Caretaker is.
I feel the premise could have been miked a bit better. This kind of story is usually about showing the characters true nature as this exposes things about them and whatnot. There's some of that again they aren't as developed as they could be as there's just too many for them to get equal focus. It feels a tiny bit half baked in places, it could have been stronger.
It's a bit of a slog at times despite being 185 pages this time and not 200. The pacing is mostly fine as it moves along decently and I guess there isn't super blatant filler, so much as it feels kinda slowy. I weirdly have more trouble with Pike's YAs than others, something that doesn't quite do it for me even it's fairly good like in this case.
Still, could have been tightened, mostly by removing some characters. Writing wise, there are some tryhard clunky bits it's mostly good. Solid vocabulary and descriptions, and it explores the charecters thoughts pretty well.
Alison is generally standard as a protagonist but she mostly fares well in the end. Kip sucks, being the obligatory asshole man, who even goes as far as to have a few sexist comments. Others have some interesting bits here and there, Joan was kinda fun as the alpha bitch type.
While the premise isn't done perfectly, it is done decently as things ramp with what the Caretaker wants them to do and does to them as punishment. Neil was the standout for me, he's basically the nice one and he was pretty interesting and ends up with the most stuff. The 3rd act is the highlight with the tension and the reveal of where this was going.
I actually called it at one point, then Pike veers away and makes it seem like it can't be them but then it was them. So that was well done, I called it but it still threw me for a loop. The ending is surprisingly emotional as we explore the motivations. It makes enough sense and works well. It basically averts the type of ending you typically see in these. This was before the big boom so it isn't intentionally a screw you to those but it may as well be lol.
It's refreshing for sure, and the ending was nicely done. I wasn't big on the romance stuff though, just nothing too special really. Speaking of though...Tony and Niel have this strong friendship going on...and well it feels more than that. There's no way in hell these 2 are straight. They're on the verge of kissing for so much of this I swear, their relationship is practically the center of the story.
No, Tony literally saying "No, I'm old fashioned. I still think girls are prettier than boys" after she thinks he's staring at a boy or something doesn't convince me of otherwise. (BTW, one time Joan is told to "spread rumor your gay" and she is not up for that so she stands her ground despite everything, yeah)
Anyway, Chain Letter has its flaws, as it doesn't do the concept perfectly and it generally didn't blow me away, feeling a bit stuffed. But it ends up being a solid take on this idea, with a well done and emotional ending. Pike handles himself well here, it's not free of problems but it ends up being satisfying despite leaving me cold in other areas. Not perfect, but it works well enough.
Despite having a pretty tight ending, there's somehow a sequel. Pike has said he only did that for the money so I'm sure it's great. But sequels aren't included in this for now so that will wait a while.
Instead, next time I'm jumping ahead a bit for one that was actually his first to be adapted into anything, see ya then.
(Also, Spooksville's Phone Fear basically has the same kinda setup, neat)
7 Friends (Allison, Tony, Niel, Joan, Kip, Fran, Brenda) once ran over a man by accident while out on a joy ride. A year later, they get a chain letter from someone called The Caretaker who says they know what they did and wants them to do what he says, or they will be punished.
And it goes from there. To start with my problems, there are way too many characters. They each kinda stand out at least but most aren't that developed by the end. It mostly ends up about 3 that are important with the rest not getting much in the wrap up. I think you could have cut the group by half and not lost much, especially given where it goes and who the Caretaker is.
I feel the premise could have been miked a bit better. This kind of story is usually about showing the characters true nature as this exposes things about them and whatnot. There's some of that again they aren't as developed as they could be as there's just too many for them to get equal focus. It feels a tiny bit half baked in places, it could have been stronger.
It's a bit of a slog at times despite being 185 pages this time and not 200. The pacing is mostly fine as it moves along decently and I guess there isn't super blatant filler, so much as it feels kinda slowy. I weirdly have more trouble with Pike's YAs than others, something that doesn't quite do it for me even it's fairly good like in this case.
Still, could have been tightened, mostly by removing some characters. Writing wise, there are some tryhard clunky bits it's mostly good. Solid vocabulary and descriptions, and it explores the charecters thoughts pretty well.
Alison is generally standard as a protagonist but she mostly fares well in the end. Kip sucks, being the obligatory asshole man, who even goes as far as to have a few sexist comments. Others have some interesting bits here and there, Joan was kinda fun as the alpha bitch type.
While the premise isn't done perfectly, it is done decently as things ramp with what the Caretaker wants them to do and does to them as punishment. Neil was the standout for me, he's basically the nice one and he was pretty interesting and ends up with the most stuff. The 3rd act is the highlight with the tension and the reveal of where this was going.
I actually called it at one point, then Pike veers away and makes it seem like it can't be them but then it was them. So that was well done, I called it but it still threw me for a loop. The ending is surprisingly emotional as we explore the motivations. It makes enough sense and works well. It basically averts the type of ending you typically see in these. This was before the big boom so it isn't intentionally a screw you to those but it may as well be lol.
It's refreshing for sure, and the ending was nicely done. I wasn't big on the romance stuff though, just nothing too special really. Speaking of though...Tony and Niel have this strong friendship going on...and well it feels more than that. There's no way in hell these 2 are straight. They're on the verge of kissing for so much of this I swear, their relationship is practically the center of the story.
No, Tony literally saying "No, I'm old fashioned. I still think girls are prettier than boys" after she thinks he's staring at a boy or something doesn't convince me of otherwise. (BTW, one time Joan is told to "spread rumor your gay" and she is not up for that so she stands her ground despite everything, yeah)
Anyway, Chain Letter has its flaws, as it doesn't do the concept perfectly and it generally didn't blow me away, feeling a bit stuffed. But it ends up being a solid take on this idea, with a well done and emotional ending. Pike handles himself well here, it's not free of problems but it ends up being satisfying despite leaving me cold in other areas. Not perfect, but it works well enough.
Despite having a pretty tight ending, there's somehow a sequel. Pike has said he only did that for the money so I'm sure it's great. But sequels aren't included in this for now so that will wait a while.
Instead, next time I'm jumping ahead a bit for one that was actually his first to be adapted into anything, see ya then.
(Also, Spooksville's Phone Fear basically has the same kinda setup, neat)
May 25, 2014
So my wonderful Cousin of awesomeness just gave me a huge tub of all her old YA Christopher Pike books and R.L. Stine Fear Street books. I was hooked on these as a kid and now get to revisit all my old favorites.
That being said, CHAIN LETTER, is not one of my favorites! The plot is damn near the same thing as I Know What You Did Last Summer. Granted, Pike's book came out in 1986, and the movie nine years later, but it was so close the credits should have read "based off the book CHAIN LETTER by Christopher Pike."
So you have these kids that get drunk one night and run over a guy on accident. Instead of turning themselves in, they bury the guy in a shallow grave off the road where they struck him. SO the kids go about their daily teenage lives, with romances blossoming, and school activities in full swing, the guilt of that night is brought forth once again when one of the teens receives a letter with instructions for a task that must be completed and in exchange the Caretaker (as the blackmailer calls himself) will keep the secret of that night quiet.
The tasks get more and more daunting and humiliating and when one of the teens decides to not complete his task, the rest soon realize that the Caretaker is not joking around.
Despite Pike trying to give a twist and hide who the actual Caretaker is, I pretty much figured it out and was uber disappointed at the showdown. The dialogue and reactions from the teens was far fetched and lacked substance. The book wasn't so horrible up until the end.
Love Christopher Pike, and it may be that I obviously have out grown the teenybopper storytelling plots of Young Adult fiction, but I still have like 30 more books to go through so we'll see just how grown up I actually am :P
That being said, CHAIN LETTER, is not one of my favorites! The plot is damn near the same thing as I Know What You Did Last Summer. Granted, Pike's book came out in 1986, and the movie nine years later, but it was so close the credits should have read "based off the book CHAIN LETTER by Christopher Pike."
So you have these kids that get drunk one night and run over a guy on accident. Instead of turning themselves in, they bury the guy in a shallow grave off the road where they struck him. SO the kids go about their daily teenage lives, with romances blossoming, and school activities in full swing, the guilt of that night is brought forth once again when one of the teens receives a letter with instructions for a task that must be completed and in exchange the Caretaker (as the blackmailer calls himself) will keep the secret of that night quiet.
The tasks get more and more daunting and humiliating and when one of the teens decides to not complete his task, the rest soon realize that the Caretaker is not joking around.
Despite Pike trying to give a twist and hide who the actual Caretaker is, I pretty much figured it out and was uber disappointed at the showdown. The dialogue and reactions from the teens was far fetched and lacked substance. The book wasn't so horrible up until the end.
Love Christopher Pike, and it may be that I obviously have out grown the teenybopper storytelling plots of Young Adult fiction, but I still have like 30 more books to go through so we'll see just how grown up I actually am :P
December 1, 2007
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 friends are listed on a chain letter sent by the mysterious "Caretaker". Someone wants to make them pay for a crime they committed last summer. Did they actually kill a man on a desert highway? Is the Caretaker trying to avenge his death?
Chain Letter looks at how cruel teens can be to each other. It's an examination of "man's inhumanity to man" and the resolution to the mystery is tight and satisfying.
The characters return in Chain Letter 2: An Ancient Evil. The sequel while also entertaining is very different in tone and theme. Although Chain Letter isn't as highly rated as its sequel, I enjoyed both and think they complement each other.
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 friends are listed on a chain letter sent by the mysterious "Caretaker". Someone wants to make them pay for a crime they committed last summer. Did they actually kill a man on a desert highway? Is the Caretaker trying to avenge his death?
Chain Letter looks at how cruel teens can be to each other. It's an examination of "man's inhumanity to man" and the resolution to the mystery is tight and satisfying.
The characters return in Chain Letter 2: An Ancient Evil. The sequel while also entertaining is very different in tone and theme. Although Chain Letter isn't as highly rated as its sequel, I enjoyed both and think they complement each other.
January 23, 2024
If I had read this book when I was supposed to, around 10 years ago, I would have given it 5 stars. Due to my past obsession and loyalty to Christopher Pike, I'll still give it 4 stars, even though I've since come across much better stories.
After searching for this book for the longest time, triggered by my reading of book 2 The Ancient Evil 14 years ago, I've finally filled the gap I felt for the longest time—especially regarding Neil.
I enjoyed this book. It was a nostalgic journey back to the Pike days, experiencing his well-defined characters in a fun way and his unique version of horror, which was quite distinct at the time.
I plan to continue reading Pike's older works when I come across them, but I'll steer clear of his newer ones, as they haven't lived up to the standards set by his earlier writing.
After searching for this book for the longest time, triggered by my reading of book 2 The Ancient Evil 14 years ago, I've finally filled the gap I felt for the longest time—especially regarding Neil.
I enjoyed this book. It was a nostalgic journey back to the Pike days, experiencing his well-defined characters in a fun way and his unique version of horror, which was quite distinct at the time.
I plan to continue reading Pike's older works when I come across them, but I'll steer clear of his newer ones, as they haven't lived up to the standards set by his earlier writing.
April 1, 2014
Classic Pike.
Favorite Quotes:
"But that's insane!" Brenda protested. She was angry. Fran was shaking. Alison was confused. In a way, they all felt the same."
"Brenda told me she did. And Brenda never lies, usually."
"She says she's not scared, but I'm not sure I believe her. I didn't want us to have a hysterical female's opinion to deal with."
"If I live till I'm thirty, I'll never get over feeling as nauseated as I did then."
"Was I in your wonderful dream? She didn't get a chance to ask. Maybe she wouldn't have, anyway; it was sort of a sentimental question to put to someone she knew only because she'd helped kill a stranger with him."
"With a wedding you could always throw rice, but there seemed to be no good way to end a funeral."
"The tone was neither masculine nor feminine, cleverly disguised, a barren neuter."
Favorite Quotes:
"But that's insane!" Brenda protested. She was angry. Fran was shaking. Alison was confused. In a way, they all felt the same."
"Brenda told me she did. And Brenda never lies, usually."
"She says she's not scared, but I'm not sure I believe her. I didn't want us to have a hysterical female's opinion to deal with."
"If I live till I'm thirty, I'll never get over feeling as nauseated as I did then."
"Was I in your wonderful dream? She didn't get a chance to ask. Maybe she wouldn't have, anyway; it was sort of a sentimental question to put to someone she knew only because she'd helped kill a stranger with him."
"With a wedding you could always throw rice, but there seemed to be no good way to end a funeral."
"The tone was neither masculine nor feminine, cleverly disguised, a barren neuter."
August 5, 2011
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 eventually led me to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Just one of the writers who nurtured my love of reading.
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 eventually led me to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Just one of the writers who nurtured my love of reading.
March 11, 2009
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.
July 27, 2014
Definitely better than the Final Friends books. I like how the story is wrapped up here -- I hope the second installment isn't superfluous and actually brings something new to the table.
January 15, 2022
It took me a lot longer to read this book than it usually would but being a mom to a toddler, a homemaker and a writer myself are a few of my excuses. In all honesty, the first forty pages were a slog to read through.
Only when the plot began did I begin to enjoy this book. A group of friends receive a chain letter (obviously) and are told to do a variety of tasks by someone called The Caretaker. Everyone thinks it has something to do with an accident the summer before and the plot is pretty cut and dry...or so it would seem.
The characters get fleshed out a little better towards the end and the inevitably reveal of who is behind this was emotionally raw. The motive is not just about petty revenge...it's gut-wrenching.
It's been awhile since I read a Christopher Pike book so reading new ones or re-visiting old ones will be a grab bag. Since it is an earlier book, I'll give it some slack because that third act was a saving grace...I'd recommend it.
Only when the plot began did I begin to enjoy this book. A group of friends receive a chain letter (obviously) and are told to do a variety of tasks by someone called The Caretaker. Everyone thinks it has something to do with an accident the summer before and the plot is pretty cut and dry...or so it would seem.
The characters get fleshed out a little better towards the end and the inevitably reveal of who is behind this was emotionally raw. The motive is not just about petty revenge...it's gut-wrenching.
It's been awhile since I read a Christopher Pike book so reading new ones or re-visiting old ones will be a grab bag. Since it is an earlier book, I'll give it some slack because that third act was a saving grace...I'd recommend it.
February 15, 2022
This book was fun for the nostalgia factor. I enjoyed the plot and the pacing, which is usually a strength in Christopher Pike books.
But this book was hard to read from a character standpoint. Girls are weak, superficial, petty, and mostly concerned about guys, even if they've only been on one date. I also had trouble keeping everyone straight at first. We're introduced to the characters with lots of exposition of who they are, but it was hard to follow since it was at the beginning, and I wasn't invested in any of them yet.
They are fun to read, but they also kind of make my head want to explode.
Well, I've got to go do my makeup, be terrible to my friends, and moon over some guy but be too shy to talk to him.
But this book was hard to read from a character standpoint. Girls are weak, superficial, petty, and mostly concerned about guys, even if they've only been on one date. I also had trouble keeping everyone straight at first. We're introduced to the characters with lots of exposition of who they are, but it was hard to follow since it was at the beginning, and I wasn't invested in any of them yet.
They are fun to read, but they also kind of make my head want to explode.
Well, I've got to go do my makeup, be terrible to my friends, and moon over some guy but be too shy to talk to him.
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