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The Dreamstalker
Dreams do come true . . . and so do nightmares
Karen normally can’t remember her dreams, which is especially frustrating since she’s taking a psych class where everyone else seems to be able to discuss theirs. But one night, she wakes up screaming and quickly recalls why—a classmate was murdered. It was so vivid—it felt real. The next morning she is shocked to find out it wasn’t just a dream—the boy is dead.
But the dreams continue, and so do the deaths. Is Karen psychic, or is she herself involved in the murders? Fearing she is being controlled by the killer, Karen must find a way to uncover the truth before more of her nightmares come true.
Karen normally can’t remember her dreams, which is especially frustrating since she’s taking a psych class where everyone else seems to be able to discuss theirs. But one night, she wakes up screaming and quickly recalls why—a classmate was murdered. It was so vivid—it felt real. The next morning she is shocked to find out it wasn’t just a dream—the boy is dead.
But the dreams continue, and so do the deaths. Is Karen psychic, or is she herself involved in the murders? Fearing she is being controlled by the killer, Karen must find a way to uncover the truth before more of her nightmares come true.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 1992
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131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 24, 2020
3.5 stars
Teenager Karen and her classmates have started taking a psychology class where they have been discussing dreams. One day she wakes up having had a vivid dream in which one of her classmates is murdered, to find that it has actually happened.
I went into this story expecting some kind of A Nightmare on Elm Street rip-off so it was nice to see that, other than involving dreams and people getting killed, the story was actually very different. I thought this was well-written and I enjoyed how the story played out. There are sections every couple of chapters that are from the point of view of whoever is behind the murders. The way this unfolded was well done with a couple of good red herrings so I didn't know for sure who it was until it was revealed. Also, you're not going to be able to get through the book without developing a craving for a hot chocolate!
Teenager Karen and her classmates have started taking a psychology class where they have been discussing dreams. One day she wakes up having had a vivid dream in which one of her classmates is murdered, to find that it has actually happened.
I went into this story expecting some kind of A Nightmare on Elm Street rip-off so it was nice to see that, other than involving dreams and people getting killed, the story was actually very different. I thought this was well-written and I enjoyed how the story played out. There are sections every couple of chapters that are from the point of view of whoever is behind the murders. The way this unfolded was well done with a couple of good red herrings so I didn't know for sure who it was until it was revealed. Also, you're not going to be able to get through the book without developing a craving for a hot chocolate!
March 8, 2020
So I was drawn to read this book thanks to the summary. It reminded me a lot of my own novel, Dead by Morning because both books play with the same concept. The idea of a dream killer is always fascinating. Dreamstalker was interesting, the whole good twin/bad twin thing in particular.
It wasn't very suspenseful though. Yes, there were a lot of deaths, and a lot of things happening around the main character, but there really weren't any high stakes FOR the main character, and that was a bit anti-climatic to me. Also, it was pretty clear in the beginning who the bad guy was going to be.
I did read the entire book in one sitting though, and that's something. Definitely chilling '90's horror.
It wasn't very suspenseful though. Yes, there were a lot of deaths, and a lot of things happening around the main character, but there really weren't any high stakes FOR the main character, and that was a bit anti-climatic to me. Also, it was pretty clear in the beginning who the bad guy was going to be.
I did read the entire book in one sitting though, and that's something. Definitely chilling '90's horror.
January 25, 2023
The only thing that kept this book from being amazing is that I could figure it out by the third chapter about 20 pages in.
No seriously.
We get introduced to our main group of characters and you can tell who is the antagonist. I'll try not to tell you who it is.
Otherwise, the execution is still thrilling.
So Karen Newton has a dream about a boy, teenage high schooler, being pelted with yellow paint and then suffocated with yellow daffodils shoved down his throat.
Intense and weird. Karen doesn't share this with her twin brother, Kerr. They have been taking a sort of elective class on psychology being taught by a college professor with other seniors. The subject has now turned to dreams but Karen can't really remember the dreams once she wakes up.
It comes back to her full force when she learns from her best friend, Alysia Holland, that Gordon Anderson is dead. Naked in his bed with a streak of yellow painted down his back and yellow flowers stuffed in his mouth. He had asthma and to anyone with that condition, you always have the fear that you could choke to death.
It's awful but no one grieves too much. Karen feels sorry for his parents but every senior in Evergreen High has known Gordon since they were kids. He was a bully, preying on the weak and playing terrible pranks...a coward.
With this, Karen mentions it to Alysia and she says it is nothing but coincidence. Karen tells Professor McArthur and he is fascinated but sympathetic. Karen tells her brother and he believes he will become psychic like her and gets a kick out of it. Karen then tells her dream to Captain William Martin, as the police are questioning anyone who knew Gordon.
Karen hopes this was just a once in a lifetime thing but pretty soon, Karen starts having more dreams. Each one is terrifying, about people she knows and loves and Karen has no idea that there is someone behind her nightmares with motives of their own...
If I went in to any more detail I would give so much away but again...it isn't hard to decipher.
Steiner has her characters talk a lot about the 1984 film Dreamscape with Dennis Quaid as it relates to the elective class talking about the themes. I have never seen it but now I kind of want to now.
The tone of it is very creepy and the ending is not bittersweet. It is melancholy and haunting.
The Dreamstalker is still a good read and I highly recommend it if you have never read this one.
Almost all of Steiner's books are good...I'm looking forward to finding more of them in the future.
No seriously.
We get introduced to our main group of characters and you can tell who is the antagonist. I'll try not to tell you who it is.
Otherwise, the execution is still thrilling.
So Karen Newton has a dream about a boy, teenage high schooler, being pelted with yellow paint and then suffocated with yellow daffodils shoved down his throat.
Intense and weird. Karen doesn't share this with her twin brother, Kerr. They have been taking a sort of elective class on psychology being taught by a college professor with other seniors. The subject has now turned to dreams but Karen can't really remember the dreams once she wakes up.
It comes back to her full force when she learns from her best friend, Alysia Holland, that Gordon Anderson is dead. Naked in his bed with a streak of yellow painted down his back and yellow flowers stuffed in his mouth. He had asthma and to anyone with that condition, you always have the fear that you could choke to death.
It's awful but no one grieves too much. Karen feels sorry for his parents but every senior in Evergreen High has known Gordon since they were kids. He was a bully, preying on the weak and playing terrible pranks...a coward.
With this, Karen mentions it to Alysia and she says it is nothing but coincidence. Karen tells Professor McArthur and he is fascinated but sympathetic. Karen tells her brother and he believes he will become psychic like her and gets a kick out of it. Karen then tells her dream to Captain William Martin, as the police are questioning anyone who knew Gordon.
Karen hopes this was just a once in a lifetime thing but pretty soon, Karen starts having more dreams. Each one is terrifying, about people she knows and loves and Karen has no idea that there is someone behind her nightmares with motives of their own...
If I went in to any more detail I would give so much away but again...it isn't hard to decipher.
Steiner has her characters talk a lot about the 1984 film Dreamscape with Dennis Quaid as it relates to the elective class talking about the themes. I have never seen it but now I kind of want to now.
The tone of it is very creepy and the ending is not bittersweet. It is melancholy and haunting.
The Dreamstalker is still a good read and I highly recommend it if you have never read this one.
Almost all of Steiner's books are good...I'm looking forward to finding more of them in the future.
January 24, 2019
Wow a different concept to a story and I love books about twins.
February 11, 2021
Great book except for the last paragraph. I did not like that ending.
June 14, 2023
Could have forgiven it for the ending being so obvious I realised by chapter 2, but the explanation was just so bad.
July 11, 2012
Karen starts remembering her dreams, but these dreams are more like nightmares. Now add to the fact that when she wakes up the person she was dreaming about is dead in pretty much the same way she was dreaming about them. The concept of this book is really what drew me in; however, I did not feel that the concept of someone being killed at the exact same time that Karen dreams about it was fleshed out enough. Also, hardly any of the story was very scary of suspenseful. Now, I'm not sure if that is because this book was published in 1992 and I just read it in 2012 after watching and reading dozens upon dozens of thriller/mystery/horror movies and books. Plus, the actual person who was the killer was way too obvious. I kept hoping that they were a red herring (because if not, I figured out the who-done-it by the second death), but they weren't. And finally, (and this is just a pet-peeve of mine who names their twins Karen and Kerr? Kerr is pronounced just like Karen except it only has one syllable. I just kept getting the names scrambled in my head.
February 2, 2016
This was honestly a bit depressing.
Nothing too scary occurs in the book as it's mostly the main character's friends dying but no threat happens to the main character which lessens the fear. Dream sequences are expected and surrealistic but not too weird to be interesting. It's depressing as it's mostly the main character moping, crying, and trying to move on which is expected of the fact she lost friends but I wish there were more horror parts in beginning. Also, the killer is easily spotted.
The good thing I can say is that since this book is supernatural, it does make me wonder why the main character keeps having this nightmares, what made the nightmare, or why these people are dying. So, it does have a good mystery but this book isn't too lighthearted enough to be cheesy fun.
Nothing too scary occurs in the book as it's mostly the main character's friends dying but no threat happens to the main character which lessens the fear. Dream sequences are expected and surrealistic but not too weird to be interesting. It's depressing as it's mostly the main character moping, crying, and trying to move on which is expected of the fact she lost friends but I wish there were more horror parts in beginning. Also, the killer is easily spotted.
The good thing I can say is that since this book is supernatural, it does make me wonder why the main character keeps having this nightmares, what made the nightmare, or why these people are dying. So, it does have a good mystery but this book isn't too lighthearted enough to be cheesy fun.
August 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I found the storyline fascinating...imagine having a dream or nightmare and waking up to find it came true...so scary when you think about it. If you're looking for a short read with a psychological twist then you should definitely read this book.
Also sad to learn that the author Barbara Steiner passed away this past January.
Also sad to learn that the author Barbara Steiner passed away this past January.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews