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Fear Street #40
Night Games
Living on the edge…
Diane loves sneaking out in the middle of the night. Her friends do, too. They have the town all to themselves. Every night they come up with a new prank to play.
But then Diane’s boyfriend, Lenny, wants revenge on a teacher, and the pranks turn to murder. Now Diane and her friends are in too deep.
Much too deep…with no way out.
Diane loves sneaking out in the middle of the night. Her friends do, too. They have the town all to themselves. Every night they come up with a new prank to play.
But then Diane’s boyfriend, Lenny, wants revenge on a teacher, and the pranks turn to murder. Now Diane and her friends are in too deep.
Much too deep…with no way out.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1996
55 people are currently reading
2218 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,679 books18.6k followersRobert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
October 8, 2025
Back in the late-‘80s, popular children’s author of the Goosebumps series, R. L. Stine, wrote a series of horror novels targeted to teenagers called Fear Street. (In point of fact, Fear Street pre-dates Goosebumps by four years.)
I never read these books. Strangely enough, they never interested me, which is odd because I loved horror. Part of the reason may stem from the fact that I was, as early as middle school, reading Stephen King and Peter Straub and Dean Koontz and a whole slew of other horror authors that were clearly not intended for children. Teen horror authors like Stine, Christopher Pike, Lois Duncan, and others got lumped in the “kid stuff” category that I clearly felt was beneath me. They got relegated to the pile with Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High and Ann Martin’s The Babysitter’s Club as series that I didn’t think I’d like.
I know: I was a book snob.
“Night Games” is the first Fear Street novel I’ve read, although it’s one of 51 books in the series, and I’m not sure where it falls. It doesn’t matter, as they were all standalone and could be read out of order.
Aside from some pretty simplistic writing (Stine could never be accused of being an eloquent or sophisticated writer), “Night Games” is actually pretty suspenseful and steadily builds in intensity. The story follows a group of teens who get caught up in nightly rounds of vandalism throughout the neighborhood. Targets are random at first, but soon become more specific as the students start to have a problem with one of their math teachers, a Mr. Crowell.
Diane, the narrator, tries to get her boyfriend, Lenny, from doing anything stupid, but Lenny hates Mr. Crowell with a passion, and a dangerous one. Their escapades soon escalate to break-ins, theft, and, eventually, murder. But could somebody be setting all of them up? Is there a mastermind choreographing their whole crime spree?
There’s a supernatural twist in this that frankly comes out of left field near the end, but it’s pretty effective in creating a creepy vibe. I don’t think it’s much of a spoiler to say because astute readers may see the twist ending coming. (I’ll be honest: I didn’t, although there was kind of a crazy hint about half-way through that I just thought was weird. In hindsight, it was obvious.)
Still, this book wasn’t bad. Much like the few Goosebumps books I’ve read, this is in keeping with Stine’s rather tame but subtly terrifying style of horror.
I never read these books. Strangely enough, they never interested me, which is odd because I loved horror. Part of the reason may stem from the fact that I was, as early as middle school, reading Stephen King and Peter Straub and Dean Koontz and a whole slew of other horror authors that were clearly not intended for children. Teen horror authors like Stine, Christopher Pike, Lois Duncan, and others got lumped in the “kid stuff” category that I clearly felt was beneath me. They got relegated to the pile with Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High and Ann Martin’s The Babysitter’s Club as series that I didn’t think I’d like.
I know: I was a book snob.
“Night Games” is the first Fear Street novel I’ve read, although it’s one of 51 books in the series, and I’m not sure where it falls. It doesn’t matter, as they were all standalone and could be read out of order.
Aside from some pretty simplistic writing (Stine could never be accused of being an eloquent or sophisticated writer), “Night Games” is actually pretty suspenseful and steadily builds in intensity. The story follows a group of teens who get caught up in nightly rounds of vandalism throughout the neighborhood. Targets are random at first, but soon become more specific as the students start to have a problem with one of their math teachers, a Mr. Crowell.
Diane, the narrator, tries to get her boyfriend, Lenny, from doing anything stupid, but Lenny hates Mr. Crowell with a passion, and a dangerous one. Their escapades soon escalate to break-ins, theft, and, eventually, murder. But could somebody be setting all of them up? Is there a mastermind choreographing their whole crime spree?
There’s a supernatural twist in this that frankly comes out of left field near the end, but it’s pretty effective in creating a creepy vibe. I don’t think it’s much of a spoiler to say because astute readers may see the twist ending coming. (I’ll be honest: I didn’t, although there was kind of a crazy hint about half-way through that I just thought was weird. In hindsight, it was obvious.)
Still, this book wasn’t bad. Much like the few Goosebumps books I’ve read, this is in keeping with Stine’s rather tame but subtly terrifying style of horror.
April 11, 2023
"I could hear heavy breathing now. Slow and steady. You’ll pay, came the raspy reply. You’re going to pay for what you did."
Reading Fear Street novels is a comfort to me. It’s like putting on your favorite jeans that are broke in or being wrapped up in the warmest blanket as you watch the rainstorm roll in. It brings me that level of comfort.
This one brings back a lot of memories. I remember reading this one when I was younger and it blowing my mind. It turned me into the horror and blood loving whore that I am today. I would love to read these as if I were reading these for the first time. *sigh*
Reading Fear Street novels is a comfort to me. It’s like putting on your favorite jeans that are broke in or being wrapped up in the warmest blanket as you watch the rainstorm roll in. It brings me that level of comfort.
This one brings back a lot of memories. I remember reading this one when I was younger and it blowing my mind. It turned me into the horror and blood loving whore that I am today. I would love to read these as if I were reading these for the first time. *sigh*
November 27, 2022
The story started off a little slower than what I am used to from Fear Street. You could tell who was going to be the culprit pretty early on. The ending was honestly very cheesy and not good. Overall the story was a mildly entertaining. Spencer was an interesting character and I felt really bad for him and how people treated him.
October 12, 2014
I read this book a while back and it was, for the most part, OK. But there was one thing I REALLY hated about it: The ending. THAT STUPID, STUPID ENDING! I'll get to it in a minute.
The plot of the book is that Diane and her friends start playing nighttime pranks (AKA Night Games) with an old friend of theirs, Spencer. At first, all is fine, but then when they decide to play pranks on a teacher they hate, and the man winds up dead, they find themselves in a situation beyond their control.
Now, while that might sound like a good story, it's not very exciting. The main problem is that the death doesn't even come in until the last part of the book. Until then, we are subjected to a ton of nothing happening and a flashback-style subplot that could spoil the twist for some.
Now, for the dreaded ending. Afraid that they will be accused of causing their teacher's death (they didn't actually murder him, but he had a heart attack that was caused by fright, which the kids think was caused by them breaking into his house), they go to see Spencer. They find his house empty and extremely cold-and also find Spencer's dead body in the living room. As they freak out about it, Spencer comes to life and reveals that he has come back from the dead.
That's where the subplot comes in: The subplot flashes to a winter the kids spent at Spencer's uncle's cabin, back when Spencer was chubby and picked on by Lenny (Diane's jerk of a boyfriend) and Jordan (one of Diane's friends). After Lenny punches Spencer for kissing Diane and Spencer throws an icy snowball at him during a snowball fight, Lenny and Jordan bury him in the snow and leave him there. He isn't able to get out in time, and he suffocates to death. And he's kind of ticked off about that and wants revenge.
Spencer grabs Diane by the throat and starts to choke her, but just before she dies, Diane hugs him and tells Spencer that she likes him. It gets better! Lenny, Jordan, and Jordan's girlfriend Cassie hug him, telling them he's their friend and likes him. This causes his rage at them, which is what brought him to life, to go away and he MELTS. That's right, MELTS. And it gets BETTER! As their friends celebrate killing Spencer's spirit (who they unintentionally killed to begin with) but Diane realizes that she's a ghost, since Spencer had succeeded in strangling her. And it's implied that she starts playing Night Games like Spencer did.
..... R.L. Stine, you should be ashamed.
The pros: The characters....that's really all I can think of.
The cons: The lack of action, the jerky Lenny (and to a lesser extent, Jordan), and the eyeroll-worthy ending.
This is one of the more disappointing books in the Fear Street series. I would skip this one if I were you.
The plot of the book is that Diane and her friends start playing nighttime pranks (AKA Night Games) with an old friend of theirs, Spencer. At first, all is fine, but then when they decide to play pranks on a teacher they hate, and the man winds up dead, they find themselves in a situation beyond their control.
Now, while that might sound like a good story, it's not very exciting. The main problem is that the death doesn't even come in until the last part of the book. Until then, we are subjected to a ton of nothing happening and a flashback-style subplot that could spoil the twist for some.
Now, for the dreaded ending. Afraid that they will be accused of causing their teacher's death (they didn't actually murder him, but he had a heart attack that was caused by fright, which the kids think was caused by them breaking into his house), they go to see Spencer. They find his house empty and extremely cold-and also find Spencer's dead body in the living room. As they freak out about it, Spencer comes to life and reveals that he has come back from the dead.
That's where the subplot comes in: The subplot flashes to a winter the kids spent at Spencer's uncle's cabin, back when Spencer was chubby and picked on by Lenny (Diane's jerk of a boyfriend) and Jordan (one of Diane's friends). After Lenny punches Spencer for kissing Diane and Spencer throws an icy snowball at him during a snowball fight, Lenny and Jordan bury him in the snow and leave him there. He isn't able to get out in time, and he suffocates to death. And he's kind of ticked off about that and wants revenge.
Spencer grabs Diane by the throat and starts to choke her, but just before she dies, Diane hugs him and tells Spencer that she likes him. It gets better! Lenny, Jordan, and Jordan's girlfriend Cassie hug him, telling them he's their friend and likes him. This causes his rage at them, which is what brought him to life, to go away and he MELTS. That's right, MELTS. And it gets BETTER! As their friends celebrate killing Spencer's spirit (who they unintentionally killed to begin with) but Diane realizes that she's a ghost, since Spencer had succeeded in strangling her. And it's implied that she starts playing Night Games like Spencer did.
..... R.L. Stine, you should be ashamed.
The pros: The characters....that's really all I can think of.
The cons: The lack of action, the jerky Lenny (and to a lesser extent, Jordan), and the eyeroll-worthy ending.
This is one of the more disappointing books in the Fear Street series. I would skip this one if I were you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2025
An extra star for that adorably batshit ending!
October 22, 2022
Das Buch tut, was ich auch sonst von R.L. Stine erwarte: Es unterhält. Es ist spannend, aber nicht zu sehr und es ist gruselig, aber auch nicht zu viel. Dafür verbreitet es ein ganz herrlich wohliges Gefühl in mir.
Perfekt für diese Jahreszeit 🧡🍂
Perfekt für diese Jahreszeit 🧡🍂
May 15, 2025
I love a bit of 90's nostalgia and Stine was one of the authors that really got me into reading as a kid.
Plus with the new Fear Street movie out this month, I couldn't resist another trip to Shadyside.
Whilst this one was a little basic in plot, the idea that a group of friends who like sneaking out at midnight and soon become a little more dareing is going to appeal to the teen audience.
Stine's Goosebumps series was always best remembered for the twist ending and yet again he delivers one here.
I'm not entirely sure that it works that well here, but probably explains why this was amongst the picks to be reissued.
Plus with the new Fear Street movie out this month, I couldn't resist another trip to Shadyside.
Whilst this one was a little basic in plot, the idea that a group of friends who like sneaking out at midnight and soon become a little more dareing is going to appeal to the teen audience.
Stine's Goosebumps series was always best remembered for the twist ending and yet again he delivers one here.
I'm not entirely sure that it works that well here, but probably explains why this was amongst the picks to be reissued.
April 6, 2019
I'd been hoping for a Fear Street ghost story like this for a while and I'm entirely disappointed with it. There were so many plot holes concerning how Spencer was there and they were never convincingly explained. The ending was also ridiculous. "Melting" him? Really? And how did Diane die? Excuse me, why did she die? Her "friends" stood there watching her get strangled. This book was just stupid.
P.S. Why is everyone rejoicing at the end? Yes, you survived a killer ghost, but you're the ones that killed him in the first place!
P.S. Why is everyone rejoicing at the end? Yes, you survived a killer ghost, but you're the ones that killed him in the first place!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2025
God, I think this book shows just how much of a freaking adult I am. All I could think about was how much I get why Mr. Crowell doesn't like these kids.
That aside, Night Games was pretty entertaining. Diane's boyfriend, Lenny, is an utter tool. His grades suck and he doesn't try, so why is he surprised and so mad that he got benched from the basketball team for grades? And Diane keeps defending him. 'Oh, he's sweet with me.' Diane and her friends suck.
That said, the story itself was entertaining. It's like watching a slasher movie and hoping all the characters die in the end.
That aside, Night Games was pretty entertaining. Diane's boyfriend, Lenny, is an utter tool. His grades suck and he doesn't try, so why is he surprised and so mad that he got benched from the basketball team for grades? And Diane keeps defending him. 'Oh, he's sweet with me.' Diane and her friends suck.
That said, the story itself was entertaining. It's like watching a slasher movie and hoping all the characters die in the end.
June 8, 2024
I thought this was a good one! I did think the twist in the end added something, but the last reveal was a little off for me. If there is another book that follows this, I would be interested to read what happens next.
August 5, 2025
It's winter time in Shadyside, Diane and her friends are trying to make it through the days until the holidays come. One night, the group are reunited with Spencer, who encourages them to try out his "Night Games" of pranking the residents. It's mostly harmless fun, until Lenny suggests they do a prank against the hated math teacher, Mr. Cromwell. Diane is uneasy at the suggestion, if only because she is also perplexed by strange notes written to her with the sender knowing about the Night Games. But surely nobody is out to get them right?
Since the release of the Fear Street movies on Netflix, it appears the original book series are finally being reprinted, with new cover art. Cover-wise, the original 90s horror-themed are the best, but these new designs are decent, at least better than the 2005 reissues of selected books from the series. Plot-wise, the story is pretty decent though I could name at least 2 other Fear Street books that focused on pranks gone wrong. However, while other books had the protagonists be thrill seekers, Diane is more cautious. Additionally, there is an additional twist to the plot that occurs near the end, but that obvious gets more hinted at as the story progresses. I did not like that there was no conclusion to the presence of the ex-boyfriend added in between, as there's no resolution or clear motive for their appearance other than a false lead initially. Despite that, I found this winter-themed horror a nice chill-out during this hot summer.
Since the release of the Fear Street movies on Netflix, it appears the original book series are finally being reprinted, with new cover art. Cover-wise, the original 90s horror-themed are the best, but these new designs are decent, at least better than the 2005 reissues of selected books from the series. Plot-wise, the story is pretty decent though I could name at least 2 other Fear Street books that focused on pranks gone wrong. However, while other books had the protagonists be thrill seekers, Diane is more cautious. Additionally, there is an additional twist to the plot that occurs near the end, but that obvious gets more hinted at as the story progresses. I did not like that there was no conclusion to the presence of the ex-boyfriend added in between, as there's no resolution or clear motive for their appearance other than a false lead initially. Despite that, I found this winter-themed horror a nice chill-out during this hot summer.
January 12, 2018
Diane, Lenny, Jordan, and Cassie all attend Shadyside High. Beyond that, the other thing they have in common is a dislike for Mr. Crowell, the crabby old Algebra teacher. Crowell especially loves to put Lenny on the spot, both because Lenny's got a hair-trigger temper and also because he's awful with math.
Walking home after a late night of dancing at a local club, the four wander by Crowell's home, awe-struck at the ridiculous amount of Christmas decorations infesting his yard: light-up Santas, elves, snowmen, reindeer, and strand after strand of multi-colored bulbs decorating the house and trees in the yard. It's enough to make any teen roll his eyes, but Lenny's got more on his mind than just walking away. Lenny wants revenge on Cowell for making his life miserable. A chance encounter with their old classmate Spencer turns into an opportunity for some after-dark mischief.
Spencer likes to play Night Games. At night, he points out, there's nobody out and about. Nobody to tell you no. Nobody to tell you how far is too far. And after scaring a couple parked and making out in a car at the end of the street, the group is hooked. Spencer suggests they meet up again so they can play some more Night Games.
But what starts off as simple fun turns criminal as the four teens, egged on by Spencer's take-charge persona, take things up a few notches: vandalism, breaking and entering, even theft isn't off the table. The best part about doing it at night is that there are no witnesses...but if that's the case, then why is Diane getting creepy phone calls in the middle of the night, from a phantom caller who claims to know what she and her friends have been up to?
It doesn't take long before Spencer's Night Games get out of control, two people end up dead, and Diane sits at home terrified, holding an anonymous note telling her she'll be next, not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust. Her only chance is to figure out who the killer is and stop them before the game ends with her as the loser.
* * * * *
Two of my favorite horror novels (both coincidentally by Richard Laymon) involve ordinary people exploring their surroundings after dark. For Ed Logan in Night in the Lonesome October, a bad break-up and too much free time send him wandering his college town after the sun goes down. Jane Kerry from In The Dark wanders the streets to complete the odd tasks requested of her by an unknown benefactor who rewards her with increasingly more cash in exchange for her participation in increasingly more dangerous games. Basically, if your characters are going out at night to do shady stuff, you have my total attention.
I knew I was going to like Night Games as soon as I read the back of the book, and getting into the story took me right back to those years as a teenager where my friends and I would often stay out well after dark, especially in the autumn, and just walk and talk. Not do anything specific, not head anywhere with any goal in mind, but just enjoy being alone on the streets after the rest of the world had gone to bed.
There's something magical about that, and by the time you hit your mid-twenties, it's pretty much gone for the most part. You've learned too much about the world to really enjoy it anymore. But those teenage strolls with your friends, swimming from street light to street light in the neighborhood, that's something you never forget. At least I never did. Stine's descriptions brought all those memories flooding back again, and I was instantly in the moment.
I'll disclaim that I never did anything like what Diane and her friends did though. Like, seriously, don't break into people's homes and take stuff, kids. B&E is bad, m'kay?
Stories like this are often more atmosphere-driven than character-driven, and by the end of the book it's a fair critique that we know almost nothing about Lenny, Jordan, and Cassie, and little more about Diane (who serves as the story's first-person narrator for most of the book). It's Spencer, the guy who starts the ball rolling, who gets the bulk of the development, with two flashbacks where we see past events through his eyes instead of Diane's. Normally I'd poo-poo Stine for this, but Night Games lost none of its appeal despite minimal character development over 149 pages.
Then there's that ending. Holy shit, is this ending polarizing. The rating someone gives this book is hinged entirely on how they feel about the way the story ends, and there's no middle ground: it either knocks you on your ass, or you're rolling your eyes, and I'm not afraid to say I'm in the first camp. Did. Not. See. That. Coming.
If you prefer your teen horror firmly grounded in the real world, Night Games will disappoint. But if you know Stine isn't afraid to mix it up between real world and paranormal in 'Fear Street', then the ending might just take your breath away (no pun intended). I'd go so far as to say it's vicious, and easily the meanest prank in the whole book, and while it appears to leave the story open-ended and fresh for a sequel, as Stine often did in 'Fear Street', a Night Games 2 is unnecessary.
A lot of people hate this one. I understand why. I get it. I just don't agree--I had a blast the whole time. Five home invasions out of five.
Best Scene:
The first flashback to last year from Spencer's perspective delivers both a cruel and accurate look at what it means to be an outcast among your peers, especially if you're a guy with feelings for a girl you know isn't available. Spencer's crush on Diane really hit home here. Every guy growing up knows this feeling, and clearly Stine did too, because he nails it with this chapter.
Walking home after a late night of dancing at a local club, the four wander by Crowell's home, awe-struck at the ridiculous amount of Christmas decorations infesting his yard: light-up Santas, elves, snowmen, reindeer, and strand after strand of multi-colored bulbs decorating the house and trees in the yard. It's enough to make any teen roll his eyes, but Lenny's got more on his mind than just walking away. Lenny wants revenge on Cowell for making his life miserable. A chance encounter with their old classmate Spencer turns into an opportunity for some after-dark mischief.
Spencer likes to play Night Games. At night, he points out, there's nobody out and about. Nobody to tell you no. Nobody to tell you how far is too far. And after scaring a couple parked and making out in a car at the end of the street, the group is hooked. Spencer suggests they meet up again so they can play some more Night Games.
But what starts off as simple fun turns criminal as the four teens, egged on by Spencer's take-charge persona, take things up a few notches: vandalism, breaking and entering, even theft isn't off the table. The best part about doing it at night is that there are no witnesses...but if that's the case, then why is Diane getting creepy phone calls in the middle of the night, from a phantom caller who claims to know what she and her friends have been up to?
It doesn't take long before Spencer's Night Games get out of control, two people end up dead, and Diane sits at home terrified, holding an anonymous note telling her she'll be next, not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust. Her only chance is to figure out who the killer is and stop them before the game ends with her as the loser.
* * * * *
Two of my favorite horror novels (both coincidentally by Richard Laymon) involve ordinary people exploring their surroundings after dark. For Ed Logan in Night in the Lonesome October, a bad break-up and too much free time send him wandering his college town after the sun goes down. Jane Kerry from In The Dark wanders the streets to complete the odd tasks requested of her by an unknown benefactor who rewards her with increasingly more cash in exchange for her participation in increasingly more dangerous games. Basically, if your characters are going out at night to do shady stuff, you have my total attention.
I knew I was going to like Night Games as soon as I read the back of the book, and getting into the story took me right back to those years as a teenager where my friends and I would often stay out well after dark, especially in the autumn, and just walk and talk. Not do anything specific, not head anywhere with any goal in mind, but just enjoy being alone on the streets after the rest of the world had gone to bed.
There's something magical about that, and by the time you hit your mid-twenties, it's pretty much gone for the most part. You've learned too much about the world to really enjoy it anymore. But those teenage strolls with your friends, swimming from street light to street light in the neighborhood, that's something you never forget. At least I never did. Stine's descriptions brought all those memories flooding back again, and I was instantly in the moment.
I'll disclaim that I never did anything like what Diane and her friends did though. Like, seriously, don't break into people's homes and take stuff, kids. B&E is bad, m'kay?
Stories like this are often more atmosphere-driven than character-driven, and by the end of the book it's a fair critique that we know almost nothing about Lenny, Jordan, and Cassie, and little more about Diane (who serves as the story's first-person narrator for most of the book). It's Spencer, the guy who starts the ball rolling, who gets the bulk of the development, with two flashbacks where we see past events through his eyes instead of Diane's. Normally I'd poo-poo Stine for this, but Night Games lost none of its appeal despite minimal character development over 149 pages.
Then there's that ending. Holy shit, is this ending polarizing. The rating someone gives this book is hinged entirely on how they feel about the way the story ends, and there's no middle ground: it either knocks you on your ass, or you're rolling your eyes, and I'm not afraid to say I'm in the first camp. Did. Not. See. That. Coming.
If you prefer your teen horror firmly grounded in the real world, Night Games will disappoint. But if you know Stine isn't afraid to mix it up between real world and paranormal in 'Fear Street', then the ending might just take your breath away (no pun intended). I'd go so far as to say it's vicious, and easily the meanest prank in the whole book, and while it appears to leave the story open-ended and fresh for a sequel, as Stine often did in 'Fear Street', a Night Games 2 is unnecessary.
A lot of people hate this one. I understand why. I get it. I just don't agree--I had a blast the whole time. Five home invasions out of five.
Best Scene:
The first flashback to last year from Spencer's perspective delivers both a cruel and accurate look at what it means to be an outcast among your peers, especially if you're a guy with feelings for a girl you know isn't available. Spencer's crush on Diane really hit home here. Every guy growing up knows this feeling, and clearly Stine did too, because he nails it with this chapter.
November 22, 2023
Actually kinda good! The twist at the end is crazy
September 15, 2021
The older I get, the worse these Fear street books get. But I still love them. I love escaping to Shadyside. I love the idea of being able to just walk where ever you want to go, and that there is an entire street that is "haunted."
I actually found myself feeling sorry for Mr. Cromwell. From what I read, he was just a teacher dealing with a rebellious teen with an attitude. And Lenny acts like this teacher is out to purposefully ruin his life. If you're going to give attitude in class, constantly make snide remarks to the teacher, not do the work, etc., can you really blame the teacher for taking action?
And then the ending was just...no. The ending would have been better had all 4 died for what they had done.
I actually found myself feeling sorry for Mr. Cromwell. From what I read, he was just a teacher dealing with a rebellious teen with an attitude. And Lenny acts like this teacher is out to purposefully ruin his life. If you're going to give attitude in class, constantly make snide remarks to the teacher, not do the work, etc., can you really blame the teacher for taking action?
And then the ending was just...no. The ending would have been better had all 4 died for what they had done.
November 28, 2018
Whelp, this book went off the rails in the last 10 pages! I can’t decide if I love the ending or hate it. At least I can honesty say that I didn’t see it coming!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2019
Did not see that plot twist coming but I did figure it out before it was revealed. I didn’t think the book was going to go in the direction it did but I really liked how it ended.
May 14, 2025
Stayed a good fear street mystery - but tha tending knocked it out of the park with weirdness. Not fully sure if I like the sudden direction or not honestly.
December 3, 2023
2.5 rounded up to three stars.
It's been a long time since I read this Fear Street book which is the case with most of the later ones toward the end of the original run. Also is the case I remember most of the plot once I start reading the book.
I have already read most of my Christmas themed horror books but this one was released in November of 1996 and does mention Christmas lights so it fits the season I suppose.
It mentions the lights not long after you start reading and they are the epitome of crazy, blindingly bright decorating. Not to mention ugly and tacky as our main character Diane Browne mentions.
Red and green, white and purple that twinkle and flash? Their math teacher Mr. Crowell is apparently a grinch at school but is overdoing the decorating.
Everyone at Shadyside High hates him and Diane and her friends are no exception being in his class but her boyfriend Lenny Boyle seems to get the burnt of Mr. Crowell's acrid personality. His grades aren't the best but good enough that he can play on the basketball team and I guess he is also judged for looking tough, acting bored and having a tiny stud in his ear.
That's how you can tell he's a "bad boy"
They spot the lights coming back from a night of club dancing with their friends Jordan Townes and Cassie Wylant but then move on where they believe they see a thief climbing out of a window of a nearby house.
Once the black-clad person gets closer, all of them are relieved yet shocked to see Spencer Jarvis.
Spencer use to be one of Diane's really good friends but none of them have seen Spencer in almost a year. He explains that he was sneaking out of his own house, the new one that his family just moved to returning to Shadyside, and is ready to have a little fun.
Adventures he calls Night Games and he asks the others if they want to come along. The boys are up to it but both Diane and Cassie seem a little wary, Cassie more so about them doing anything illegal that may get her in trouble with her parents.
Cassie may be tightly wound but she has a point and Diane is usually sensible but there is just something about Spencer and his way with words. Diane remembers Spencer being kind of chunky and a little shy but loveable and quirky yet now he is more athletic, his white-blond hair is long to his shoulders and his eyes and voice are just so...charismatic.
Diane does have a thing for bad boys and what could be more bad than playing some harmless pranks if no one gets hurt?
When Mr. Crowell and Lenny get into during class the next day and they all meet up with Spencer for another "Night Game", he decides they should spy on Mr. Crowell.
At first it is just boringly watching the older man decorate his Christmas tree in the same gaudy fashion as his yard but when they get ready to leave, everyone is shocked to see Spencer go crazy on the lawn decorations and hit the lights against the house.
Mr. Crowell gets on to the porch to do the "get off my lawn...I see you punks..." cliche and they all run off wondering if he did see them but the only one who doesn't really care is Spencer. He doesn't go to Shadyside anymore since they moved back but Diane and the others are terrified about school the following day...
That leads us to a chapter about the previous winter season and we learn that Spencer has had a thing for Diane and thought maybe she would give him a chance after breaking up with her boyfriend Bryan Hedges. Too bad that she only sees them as friends and he was so shy because Diane and Lenny hooked up not long after.
Spencer and Lenny don't like each other but tolerate each other for Diane yet when Lenny comes along with Diane, Jordan and Cassie to his uncle's cabin even though Spencer didn't invite him...tension and tempers flare...
That's all in the past and anything else would be a major spoiler for anyone who has not read Night Games so when we come back into the present...
Lenny's grades in Mr. Crowell's class haven't gotten bad enough (or have they really?) that the teacher has spoken to both of Lenny's parents and had the basketball coach drop him from the team and Lenny is furious!
Despite their past, Lenny tells Spencer that they need to finally get Crowell good with one of their Night Games. One last game but to somebody out there...these games have turned deadly.
Threatening calls, disgusting notes and the horror is only just getting started...
The reveal is pretty easy to figure out and it could have been brilliant if the past hadn't been brought up until this very moment in the book. As we get toward the ending, it isn't very climatic and has the most absurd outcome.
Yet there is still that dash of Stine snark and one last little twist I didn't expect...that was so bad it was good.
Not exactly the best Fear Street book but Night Games has enough of that cheese factor that is just so nostalgic a re-read or even a first-time read will provide some enjoyment on a chilly, December day...or night.
It's been a long time since I read this Fear Street book which is the case with most of the later ones toward the end of the original run. Also is the case I remember most of the plot once I start reading the book.
I have already read most of my Christmas themed horror books but this one was released in November of 1996 and does mention Christmas lights so it fits the season I suppose.
It mentions the lights not long after you start reading and they are the epitome of crazy, blindingly bright decorating. Not to mention ugly and tacky as our main character Diane Browne mentions.
Red and green, white and purple that twinkle and flash? Their math teacher Mr. Crowell is apparently a grinch at school but is overdoing the decorating.
Everyone at Shadyside High hates him and Diane and her friends are no exception being in his class but her boyfriend Lenny Boyle seems to get the burnt of Mr. Crowell's acrid personality. His grades aren't the best but good enough that he can play on the basketball team and I guess he is also judged for looking tough, acting bored and having a tiny stud in his ear.
That's how you can tell he's a "bad boy"
They spot the lights coming back from a night of club dancing with their friends Jordan Townes and Cassie Wylant but then move on where they believe they see a thief climbing out of a window of a nearby house.
Once the black-clad person gets closer, all of them are relieved yet shocked to see Spencer Jarvis.
Spencer use to be one of Diane's really good friends but none of them have seen Spencer in almost a year. He explains that he was sneaking out of his own house, the new one that his family just moved to returning to Shadyside, and is ready to have a little fun.
Adventures he calls Night Games and he asks the others if they want to come along. The boys are up to it but both Diane and Cassie seem a little wary, Cassie more so about them doing anything illegal that may get her in trouble with her parents.
Cassie may be tightly wound but she has a point and Diane is usually sensible but there is just something about Spencer and his way with words. Diane remembers Spencer being kind of chunky and a little shy but loveable and quirky yet now he is more athletic, his white-blond hair is long to his shoulders and his eyes and voice are just so...charismatic.
Diane does have a thing for bad boys and what could be more bad than playing some harmless pranks if no one gets hurt?
When Mr. Crowell and Lenny get into during class the next day and they all meet up with Spencer for another "Night Game", he decides they should spy on Mr. Crowell.
At first it is just boringly watching the older man decorate his Christmas tree in the same gaudy fashion as his yard but when they get ready to leave, everyone is shocked to see Spencer go crazy on the lawn decorations and hit the lights against the house.
Mr. Crowell gets on to the porch to do the "get off my lawn...I see you punks..." cliche and they all run off wondering if he did see them but the only one who doesn't really care is Spencer. He doesn't go to Shadyside anymore since they moved back but Diane and the others are terrified about school the following day...
That leads us to a chapter about the previous winter season and we learn that Spencer has had a thing for Diane and thought maybe she would give him a chance after breaking up with her boyfriend Bryan Hedges. Too bad that she only sees them as friends and he was so shy because Diane and Lenny hooked up not long after.
Spencer and Lenny don't like each other but tolerate each other for Diane yet when Lenny comes along with Diane, Jordan and Cassie to his uncle's cabin even though Spencer didn't invite him...tension and tempers flare...
That's all in the past and anything else would be a major spoiler for anyone who has not read Night Games so when we come back into the present...
Lenny's grades in Mr. Crowell's class haven't gotten bad enough (or have they really?) that the teacher has spoken to both of Lenny's parents and had the basketball coach drop him from the team and Lenny is furious!
Despite their past, Lenny tells Spencer that they need to finally get Crowell good with one of their Night Games. One last game but to somebody out there...these games have turned deadly.
Threatening calls, disgusting notes and the horror is only just getting started...
The reveal is pretty easy to figure out and it could have been brilliant if the past hadn't been brought up until this very moment in the book. As we get toward the ending, it isn't very climatic and has the most absurd outcome.
Yet there is still that dash of Stine snark and one last little twist I didn't expect...that was so bad it was good.
Not exactly the best Fear Street book but Night Games has enough of that cheese factor that is just so nostalgic a re-read or even a first-time read will provide some enjoyment on a chilly, December day...or night.
December 4, 2022
Night Games begins with these four kids coming back from this dance club thing admiring and mocking their teachers Christmas lights. The teacher they are talking about is Mr.Crowell, a teacher none of these kids like and all seem to have a problem with. We have Jordon and Cassie the couple that always argue and end up together.We have our main protagonist Diana and her boyfriend, who is a rebellious type with the name of ..wait for it Lenny.Okay so I don't care what you look like if your name is Lenny.I picture Lenny from the Simpsons.Or maybe the binoculars from Toy Story.The group ends up running into a guy that is sneaking out of a house. He's dressed in black and is presumed to be a burglar. But no it's just Spencer, one of Diana's friends and a guy that Lenny is a little jealous of .Spencer tells them that it's his house that he's sneaking out of and explains that he loves going on little night adventures. He calls them Night Games. He eventually gets the others involved and they start with a small adventure spying on two people making out. Then they end up at Mr Crowells house, and end up smashing his Christmas lights. After this we get a chapter break taking us to last winter but I'm not going to mention anything in these because it kinda tells you what's going on. The next adventure of Night Games consist of sneaking into Mr Crowells house ,and not smashing things, but replacing things in spots they weren't previously in.If this happened to me I wouldn't notice Anything at all. They do move a couch though ,and I still question myself if I would notice or not.Anyway we get out of the house and it's suspected that the kids have been spotted by Mr crowells himself, but we don't know. Diana gets phone calls saying they know what they did and all that. They also get letters threatening them. So we're left Wondering who is doing this? Somebody knows about their games.Is it the teacher ? Is it Bryan ? Diana's jealous ex boyfriend? This book was really surprising at the end. I honestly didn't see that coming at all. The story starts out pretty tame. It reminded me alot of The Wrong Number and even a little bit of The Dare. But then it turned itself around and caught me very much off guard. I give Night Games a four out of five stars. The only problem I really had was the ending was a little silly.And it takes a while to get there. But I still enjoyed this one.I recommend it.
September 13, 2025
/3 stars for the plot twist
The premise of this book was kind of boring. The kids sneak out and play “night games” where they vandalize people’s decoration and move furniture. Super exciting? There’s flashbacks so you know it’s serious. RL Stine never does that unless there’s some hidden meaning. Also a dual POV which almost never happens, switches from first to third person, weird. I can’t believe Diane and all her friends buried Spencer in the snow and then just left him to suffocate. Friends much? That’s not a joke, I don’t know how they got off thinking that. Turns out he actually did die and was haunting them. I thought he was the murderer (duh) but not a ghost. Then at the very end Diane reveals that Spencer strangled her to death and so now she’s a ghost and know one knows it again. I never knew that ghosts in the Stineverse could be seen, heard and felt. Apparently the rules work differently in each Fear Street.
No redheads to note.
The premise of this book was kind of boring. The kids sneak out and play “night games” where they vandalize people’s decoration and move furniture. Super exciting? There’s flashbacks so you know it’s serious. RL Stine never does that unless there’s some hidden meaning. Also a dual POV which almost never happens, switches from first to third person, weird. I can’t believe Diane and all her friends buried Spencer in the snow and then just left him to suffocate. Friends much? That’s not a joke, I don’t know how they got off thinking that. Turns out he actually did die and was haunting them. I thought he was the murderer (duh) but not a ghost. Then at the very end Diane reveals that Spencer strangled her to death and so now she’s a ghost and know one knows it again. I never knew that ghosts in the Stineverse could be seen, heard and felt. Apparently the rules work differently in each Fear Street.
No redheads to note.
November 1, 2025
Final book of the spooky season, I honestly wish I had discovered the Fear Street books when I was younger, they would have truly freaked me out back then. I think I will continue this tradition of reading a few of his books every spooky season!
Also, got to see R.L. Stine talk the other day in my town and it was so interesting to hear his writing process. He's actually very funny and he also goes by Bob which kind of tripped my brain up for a bit.
Also, got to see R.L. Stine talk the other day in my town and it was so interesting to hear his writing process. He's actually very funny and he also goes by Bob which kind of tripped my brain up for a bit.
December 11, 2024
Better than the last fear street book but i’ve noticed a lot of R.L Stine books have very similar endings, and i’m aware it’s because they’re are all based on fear street. It just makes it very predictable. I could tell what was going to happen before it happened but the characters were good. The ending was kind of annoying but overall it was just okay.
December 3, 2025
It was an engaging story and a quick read, definitely would say it belongs in the age 9-12 section writing wise, not the teen section but whatever. The ending was a little rushed and corny which is what took this from a 4 star to a 3 star read. I enjoyed it for what it was but I don’t think I’ll pick up any of the fear street novellas anymore going forward.
#IndigoEmployee
#IndigoEmployee
October 14, 2023
A few teens sneak out and play not so childish games/pranks on a less than loved teacher and then things go too far. Then the threats start...where are the threats coming from and why are they doing it? Kept me guessing till the end and I didn't expect exactly what happened.
October 14, 2025
3.5 stars
Night Games was a fun and mysterious read for the spooky season. Whilst the premise of this book was enjoyable, many questions needed to be answered to make it make sense!
Night Games was a fun and mysterious read for the spooky season. Whilst the premise of this book was enjoyable, many questions needed to be answered to make it make sense!
January 5, 2023
this was a rlly good book. i recommend it to anyone who loves stuff to do with thriller. i would definitely read this again in my spare time. its a bone chilling book that you would want to read again.
March 18, 2025
I went back and fourth on deciding whether "Night Games," was worthy of 3 stars or 4 stars. At the end of the day, it came down to a 4 star plot with a 2.5 star ending.
Our main character, Diane, and her rebel boyfriend, Lenny (Lenny certainly isn't the name I'd pick for a rebel boyfriend character, but I digress) hang out with Cassie and Cassie's boyfriend Jordan. One night while gallivanting out late, they run into Spencer, a friend from their past, who has switched schools and no longer attends Shadyside. He convinces them to play "night games," which more or less are pranks played in the night. The pranks start out innocently, and on a scale of excitement, fall between cow tipping and committing low penalty felonies. For example, he finds a couple making out in a car and proceeds to pretend to be a police office arresting them. (Hmmm...actually, I'm pretty sure impersonating a police office is a felony, but what do I know?)
The crew decides to keep sneaking out to play night games with Spencer, with a greater focus on playing pranks on antagonist math teacher Mr. Crowell. (Why does Stine always make male middle aged math teachers the antagonist?)
There are many scenes where Mr. Crowell is rotten to the kids in school, as Stine needs him to be a truly heinous antagonist to justify the shenanigans the Night Games Crew is playing- this includes destroying some of his outdoor Christmas display and ultimately sneaking into and robbing his house.
Very early on and continuing throughout the plot, each of the crew members receives warnings that someone is onto them and their Night Games- Diane is getting raspy voiced phone calls and notes, and it would seem the others are getting notes as well.
Some other things going on in the plot...
Bryan, Diane's ex-boyfriend, is our token red herring of our series. He wants Diane back, and as most creepy exes, we can often find him lurking outside Diane's home waiting to talk to her, because as we all know, the best way to get your ex back is to stalk them and hide in their landscaping until they return home.
We also get a glimpse back in time to a weekend that the crew spent at Spencer's ski lodge (owned by his uncle). Long story short- Spencer was always the pudgy outcast of the crew, pined for Diane, tried to kiss Diane, and was punched by Lenny for doing so. Also occurring (in a literary move that I consider Stiney "showing his cards") was a snowball fight with Lenny and Jordan versus Spencer. They eventually pounce on him, leaving him facedown in the snow, and as Spencer lays there potentially dying, we hear the crew drive off.
But now, back to current day.
The crew is targeting Crowell and it's escalating. At this point, Lenny has been kicked off the basketball team for poor grades. Crowell has also notified his parents, which has caused issues. (Sidenote- As a teacher myself... Crowell was in the right)
Together, the crew decides to break into the house and vandalize his house. Upon doing so, they find out Crowell is dead. Freaked out, they flee the house back to the safety of their own homes. Diane, who's feeling awful about Crowell's death, gets a "You Die Next." note and as it turns out, most of the crew members have as well. (Lenny and Cassie)
Diane, Lenny, and Cassie go to the mall to approach Jordan, who is with Bryan. For a brief second, we are led to believe that Jordan and Bryan might be tag teaming these threats, but that possibility is snuffed out rather quickly. Now, with Jordan in tow, the crew decides to find Spencer.
And here's where things just get... weird.
The crew climbs into Spencer's house only to find it cold and unoccupied. (If you think you know where this is going, you're probably right.) Spencer appears to be dead, but surprise you fools, he's actually been dead the whole book. Now, presenting as a ghost, Spencer shares that he killed Crowell. We also learn that he died that day when Lenny and Jordan pummeled him in the snow. He's angry at the crew, especially Diane, for leaving him to die. And as such, they should all have to die.
Spencer decides to go after Diane first, hugging her until she is met with the comfort of darkness. Lenny, being the deplorable human he is, doesn't even help her. Diane, in a weird effort to fight back, hugs the pungent smelling ghost of Spencer, reminding him she always liked him. Cassie, joins in, and finally, so do Lenny and Jordan. The hugging and expressions of love/friendship are enough to melt Spencer and put him to rest. And as the gang celebrates, we learn that now, Diane is actually dead.
Yep, I know... that's it, that's Stine's big ending. Kill the ghost with love, but also kill off the main character. (Insert deep sigh) And now, here's the Festivus portion of my review where I air my literary grievances.
The plot itself isn't bad. I found myself drawn in and intrigued, especially as the crew escalated their night games with Crowell as a target. What I didn't mention in the plot synopsis above was that the students had to face Crowell in math class in the days following their pranks, and for the reader, it was hard to, at times, know if Crowell was onto them. This built my apprehension, as I wondered what would happen first- would the crew take things too far, or would Crowell seek revenge. Neither of these things happen though, because Crowell dies.
The flashback to the ski lodge weekend isn't necessarily problematic either- but if you've read enough Fear Street books, you probably sensed we were headed down a ghost revenge path. This isn't a bad thing, but Stine has recycled this plot a few times and if you're determined to read all the Fear Street books, then you saw this plot piece coming a mile ahead.
My biggest criticism of the book, of course, is the ending, but I'm also going to criticize the flashback scenes. Stine often paints characters "out of character," because he needs them to make the plot work. Let's start with the flashback scenes. In the second flashback scene, we see that Diane knows Spencer is injured in the snow and makes the case for going back to help him. Lenny and Jordan claim he's faking it and will be fine. Diane surrenders and gets in the car to go home, leaving Spencer to die in the snow. This is out of character for Diane, who feels affection and shows kindness towards Spencer. To think Diane wouldn't take one minute to help Spencer up is misaligned with her character. Cassie is not mentioned here either-she too showed kindness towards Spencer, but just as with Diane, she forfeits helping Spencer. It's also hard to believe that Spencer's death would have gone unheard. Stine tries to cover his tracks with this in the first few chapters- when Diane and crew meet up with Spencer for the first time, we're told that Diane tried to call him, but his line was out, his grandmother in Washington was ill and needed care, etc. but none of these things explain how a fellow student's death would go unseen and unheard, whether it be shared around school, in the local papers. etc. This is, in my opinion, sloppiness on Stine's part.
And of course, we have the ending. Why RL? Just...why? The ghost revenge thing is nothing new, but the fact that Spencer would choose Diane first makes no sense. If anything, Lenny should have been first to die on the grounds that he killed Spencer to begin with.
Our main character, Diane, and her rebel boyfriend, Lenny (Lenny certainly isn't the name I'd pick for a rebel boyfriend character, but I digress) hang out with Cassie and Cassie's boyfriend Jordan. One night while gallivanting out late, they run into Spencer, a friend from their past, who has switched schools and no longer attends Shadyside. He convinces them to play "night games," which more or less are pranks played in the night. The pranks start out innocently, and on a scale of excitement, fall between cow tipping and committing low penalty felonies. For example, he finds a couple making out in a car and proceeds to pretend to be a police office arresting them. (Hmmm...actually, I'm pretty sure impersonating a police office is a felony, but what do I know?)
The crew decides to keep sneaking out to play night games with Spencer, with a greater focus on playing pranks on antagonist math teacher Mr. Crowell. (Why does Stine always make male middle aged math teachers the antagonist?)
There are many scenes where Mr. Crowell is rotten to the kids in school, as Stine needs him to be a truly heinous antagonist to justify the shenanigans the Night Games Crew is playing- this includes destroying some of his outdoor Christmas display and ultimately sneaking into and robbing his house.
Very early on and continuing throughout the plot, each of the crew members receives warnings that someone is onto them and their Night Games- Diane is getting raspy voiced phone calls and notes, and it would seem the others are getting notes as well.
Some other things going on in the plot...
Bryan, Diane's ex-boyfriend, is our token red herring of our series. He wants Diane back, and as most creepy exes, we can often find him lurking outside Diane's home waiting to talk to her, because as we all know, the best way to get your ex back is to stalk them and hide in their landscaping until they return home.
We also get a glimpse back in time to a weekend that the crew spent at Spencer's ski lodge (owned by his uncle). Long story short- Spencer was always the pudgy outcast of the crew, pined for Diane, tried to kiss Diane, and was punched by Lenny for doing so. Also occurring (in a literary move that I consider Stiney "showing his cards") was a snowball fight with Lenny and Jordan versus Spencer. They eventually pounce on him, leaving him facedown in the snow, and as Spencer lays there potentially dying, we hear the crew drive off.
But now, back to current day.
The crew is targeting Crowell and it's escalating. At this point, Lenny has been kicked off the basketball team for poor grades. Crowell has also notified his parents, which has caused issues. (Sidenote- As a teacher myself... Crowell was in the right)
Together, the crew decides to break into the house and vandalize his house. Upon doing so, they find out Crowell is dead. Freaked out, they flee the house back to the safety of their own homes. Diane, who's feeling awful about Crowell's death, gets a "You Die Next." note and as it turns out, most of the crew members have as well. (Lenny and Cassie)
Diane, Lenny, and Cassie go to the mall to approach Jordan, who is with Bryan. For a brief second, we are led to believe that Jordan and Bryan might be tag teaming these threats, but that possibility is snuffed out rather quickly. Now, with Jordan in tow, the crew decides to find Spencer.
And here's where things just get... weird.
The crew climbs into Spencer's house only to find it cold and unoccupied. (If you think you know where this is going, you're probably right.) Spencer appears to be dead, but surprise you fools, he's actually been dead the whole book. Now, presenting as a ghost, Spencer shares that he killed Crowell. We also learn that he died that day when Lenny and Jordan pummeled him in the snow. He's angry at the crew, especially Diane, for leaving him to die. And as such, they should all have to die.
Spencer decides to go after Diane first, hugging her until she is met with the comfort of darkness. Lenny, being the deplorable human he is, doesn't even help her. Diane, in a weird effort to fight back, hugs the pungent smelling ghost of Spencer, reminding him she always liked him. Cassie, joins in, and finally, so do Lenny and Jordan. The hugging and expressions of love/friendship are enough to melt Spencer and put him to rest. And as the gang celebrates, we learn that now, Diane is actually dead.
Yep, I know... that's it, that's Stine's big ending. Kill the ghost with love, but also kill off the main character. (Insert deep sigh) And now, here's the Festivus portion of my review where I air my literary grievances.
The plot itself isn't bad. I found myself drawn in and intrigued, especially as the crew escalated their night games with Crowell as a target. What I didn't mention in the plot synopsis above was that the students had to face Crowell in math class in the days following their pranks, and for the reader, it was hard to, at times, know if Crowell was onto them. This built my apprehension, as I wondered what would happen first- would the crew take things too far, or would Crowell seek revenge. Neither of these things happen though, because Crowell dies.
The flashback to the ski lodge weekend isn't necessarily problematic either- but if you've read enough Fear Street books, you probably sensed we were headed down a ghost revenge path. This isn't a bad thing, but Stine has recycled this plot a few times and if you're determined to read all the Fear Street books, then you saw this plot piece coming a mile ahead.
My biggest criticism of the book, of course, is the ending, but I'm also going to criticize the flashback scenes. Stine often paints characters "out of character," because he needs them to make the plot work. Let's start with the flashback scenes. In the second flashback scene, we see that Diane knows Spencer is injured in the snow and makes the case for going back to help him. Lenny and Jordan claim he's faking it and will be fine. Diane surrenders and gets in the car to go home, leaving Spencer to die in the snow. This is out of character for Diane, who feels affection and shows kindness towards Spencer. To think Diane wouldn't take one minute to help Spencer up is misaligned with her character. Cassie is not mentioned here either-she too showed kindness towards Spencer, but just as with Diane, she forfeits helping Spencer. It's also hard to believe that Spencer's death would have gone unheard. Stine tries to cover his tracks with this in the first few chapters- when Diane and crew meet up with Spencer for the first time, we're told that Diane tried to call him, but his line was out, his grandmother in Washington was ill and needed care, etc. but none of these things explain how a fellow student's death would go unseen and unheard, whether it be shared around school, in the local papers. etc. This is, in my opinion, sloppiness on Stine's part.
And of course, we have the ending. Why RL? Just...why? The ghost revenge thing is nothing new, but the fact that Spencer would choose Diane first makes no sense. If anything, Lenny should have been first to die on the grounds that he killed Spencer to begin with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2016
Posted originally on my blog:
The Writer's Inkwell
If there is one thing I always complain about the Fear Street novels, it’s the fact that too often there is nothing worthy of being deemed horror happening in them. Another would be the fact that very little happens on Fear Street and out of the few things that do happen, very few are paranormal-based. That leaves a lot to be wanted from these books. As a child I enjoyed the series, but I don’t recall ever being scared of any of them. I just enjoyed them as thrillers.
This particular book is one of the few that has a true paranormal element to it. It’s also one of the few books I distinctively remember reading when I was younger. Ironically, a few years later, I, too would have to deal with an awful math teacher that everyone despised. In fact, there are so many things that are similar that it’s almost spooky. I know nothing of my teacher’s life outside of school, but within those walls he acted as if he was a god and we should be lucky enough to have him in our presence.
Diane and her friends are just a bunch of bored kids who happen to run into an old friend, Spencer, in the middle of the night. When he invites them to play along with what he calls “Night Games”, it’s obvious this group is on a one way trip to trouble. But honestly, I’m not sure I would call what they did as fun or even a game. Every night they return to their math teacher’s house. Besides that they never do anything else. Realistically they would have spied on several people they knew, not just focused on this one teacher. In fact, if it weren’t for the twist at the end of the book, I would have probably rated this as one of the worst books in the series.
Only when the truth comes to light and you realize the kids are not playing a game, they are the pawns, does it all begin to become interesting. I almost wish it would have continued on, because it does end on such a high note. Sadly, there’s no second book for you to even discover what happens next. But still overall, this book is a solid read, at least for the age group it’s intended for.
The Writer's Inkwell
If there is one thing I always complain about the Fear Street novels, it’s the fact that too often there is nothing worthy of being deemed horror happening in them. Another would be the fact that very little happens on Fear Street and out of the few things that do happen, very few are paranormal-based. That leaves a lot to be wanted from these books. As a child I enjoyed the series, but I don’t recall ever being scared of any of them. I just enjoyed them as thrillers.
This particular book is one of the few that has a true paranormal element to it. It’s also one of the few books I distinctively remember reading when I was younger. Ironically, a few years later, I, too would have to deal with an awful math teacher that everyone despised. In fact, there are so many things that are similar that it’s almost spooky. I know nothing of my teacher’s life outside of school, but within those walls he acted as if he was a god and we should be lucky enough to have him in our presence.
Diane and her friends are just a bunch of bored kids who happen to run into an old friend, Spencer, in the middle of the night. When he invites them to play along with what he calls “Night Games”, it’s obvious this group is on a one way trip to trouble. But honestly, I’m not sure I would call what they did as fun or even a game. Every night they return to their math teacher’s house. Besides that they never do anything else. Realistically they would have spied on several people they knew, not just focused on this one teacher. In fact, if it weren’t for the twist at the end of the book, I would have probably rated this as one of the worst books in the series.
Only when the truth comes to light and you realize the kids are not playing a game, they are the pawns, does it all begin to become interesting. I almost wish it would have continued on, because it does end on such a high note. Sadly, there’s no second book for you to even discover what happens next. But still overall, this book is a solid read, at least for the age group it’s intended for.
September 26, 2025
Spoiler Warning!
This one felt slower than most Fear Street books. There weren’t many kills, very little violence, and honestly… not much happened at all.
It’s also one of the few told in first person, which isn’t my favorite style in this franchise, though it didn’t hurt the story too much. Character-wise, Spencer was the standout. I actually felt bad for him — unlike his so-called “friends.” The rest of the cast wasn’t great, and Lenny in particular was just plain irritating.
Unfortunately, the culprit relied on the same recycled tricks Stine uses over and over again: anonymous threats via phone calls and paper notes. At this point, it’s hard not to wish for something more original, though I guess when you’ve written this many books in the same genre, repeating tropes is inevitable.
The ending was the weakest part for me. I already knew who the culprit was, though I wasn’t expecting the ghost angle — and honestly, it wasn’t much of a twist. Worse, Spencer’s “friends” didn’t seem to care about him at all. The hug at the end felt like a convenient way to get rid of him, and they immediately started celebrating after he disappeared. Did they just forget he was dead — and that they were basically responsible? The whole thing felt unintentionally comical.
Overall, I expected more from this one. The slow pace and lack of action made it boring at times, most of the characters were flat (aside from Spencer), the villain’s methods were predictable, and the ending felt both foreseeable and a little silly. Definitely not one of the stronger Fear Street entries.
This one felt slower than most Fear Street books. There weren’t many kills, very little violence, and honestly… not much happened at all.
It’s also one of the few told in first person, which isn’t my favorite style in this franchise, though it didn’t hurt the story too much. Character-wise, Spencer was the standout. I actually felt bad for him — unlike his so-called “friends.” The rest of the cast wasn’t great, and Lenny in particular was just plain irritating.
Unfortunately, the culprit relied on the same recycled tricks Stine uses over and over again: anonymous threats via phone calls and paper notes. At this point, it’s hard not to wish for something more original, though I guess when you’ve written this many books in the same genre, repeating tropes is inevitable.
The ending was the weakest part for me. I already knew who the culprit was, though I wasn’t expecting the ghost angle — and honestly, it wasn’t much of a twist. Worse, Spencer’s “friends” didn’t seem to care about him at all. The hug at the end felt like a convenient way to get rid of him, and they immediately started celebrating after he disappeared. Did they just forget he was dead — and that they were basically responsible? The whole thing felt unintentionally comical.
Overall, I expected more from this one. The slow pace and lack of action made it boring at times, most of the characters were flat (aside from Spencer), the villain’s methods were predictable, and the ending felt both foreseeable and a little silly. Definitely not one of the stronger Fear Street entries.
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