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blackmore's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, and Death
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
5.0
Richie is very good at the whole suspenseful twist ending scenario. To have the characters you'd least expect the main perpetrator... Wow!
romireads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
becka6131's review against another edition
4.0
Richie Tankersley Cusick makes this Point Horror stuff work better than anyone else, in my opinion - these books necessarily have to move so fast because of how short they are, and yet she still manages to make the relationships and the characters feel developed and well worn while weaving in enough genuinely arresting images that you never forget you're reading horror. This was a fave when I was a teenager and I'm pleased at how well it held up.
ntharpta1's review against another edition
3.0
I think Cusick may be a better writer than Stine or Hoh, but her characters are always bizarre. I feel like these characters have to make looney decisions just to push the plot along and it gives it an uncanny, other worldly feeling. Weird Italian boss and toy maker that calls our main character Bambilina. Mother allows stranger to stay at their house and makes her daughter give up her own bedroom and move into a vacant one. Pressure from her best friend to go to the school dance with that same random guy. Girl in late teens wearing ribbons in her hair. It wasn't bad, just bizarre.
stagasaurus's review against another edition
4.0
Reminds me of: 101 ways to meet Mr Right by Janet Quin Harkin.
"It was probably just a practical joke" moment: I don't think anyone actually said this.
"You probably just imagined it" moment: This happened constantly. No one had any faith in her sanity at all.
Innocent victims?: Yeah, Marissa was pretty innocent, in a Lois Lane kinda way. And Ryan had no clue what was going on.
How blindingly obvious?: It was blindingly obvious that Jinx was gonna be the love interest so I figured the rest would have to be got rid of somehow. Because no Point Horror girl can have a choice. The plot has to get rid of any alternative love interests for her. I liked their relationship, it felt far more realistic than other mawkish point horror dirge. As it was though, the floor was cleared of pretty much any man other than Jinx. I'm surprised Michael Kilmer, the Sheriff and Winchester's dad weren't in on it.
Charles. Well Charles was suspect from the first with the whole "you're the one who let her drown" business. (that was risky by the way - what if she'd told her Mum and he'd got thrown out on the first day? - better to have sucked up to everyone.) Then I started to think maybe he was just a red herring. But he was obviously the one who gave her the drugged cider. And he got all detective and I started to doubt him again because it was too early on for the red herring to be revealed.
Winchester. I had a real soft spot for him. Come on, the guy has a log cabin, coffee and bacon! And he's named after a rifle from the 19th Century. Or maybe I'm just easily pleased. Oh and did you notice his truck with the door that won't open from the inside?! Totally the truck from Freeze Tag. I bet after he went to jail, Winchester's dad sold the truck to West Trevor to help pay for the kid's school lunches. Oh and the bit where he said he'd only dated her sister to get near her? Lame, lame, lame.
Steve. Umm. Not totally believable that a university lecturer would double up as a drug dealer but I might be bitter because I didn't guess it. Looking back, I think there was a clue at the beginning about him having his own income.
Mr Partini. I've been listening to an Agatha Christie book tape in the car. So even though Mr Partini was supposed to be Italian, in my head he sounds Belgian. As it was, he was supposed to be more of a Count Fosco figure. (side note: could it be that The Woman in White was the very first Point Horror novel?) I thought his part was ridiculous. Who would start a career as a toy maker and then decide that actually your values and career path lead elsewhere and diverge into organised crime?
Plot holes / Unfinished plot lines: Let's all just admit that the only reason she was called Ryan was so Charles could pretend to be her at the drugstore picking up the photos.
Did I miss the bit where they explain how they made the ghosts and animated toys appear? It was a crazy complex plan for criminals to have. But then they are the weirdest gang of criminal misfits. I almost want to write a movie about their side of the story. I can hear the trailer voice. The fake student. The ex boyfriend. The College Professor / Step father. The Toymaker. You've never seen organised crime like it... You can just imagine the conversation back at base.
Charles "Well, the girl who knew about us is dead but she might have told her sister something."
Steve "I'm sleeping with her mother. Maybe we should just waste the kid."
Count Fosco "But the little Bambellina is so helpful in the shop while I deliver zee drugs - keep her, she is adorable"
Winchester "Umm. Yeah, I think we should keep her"
Charles "No one asked you, rifle boy. I have a better idea. I'll go move in with them -Steve, you provide me a fake background- then we'll all fake haunt her - Mr Partini can scare her with toys, I'll scare her with presents and a car, Steve can scare her with a snowman and Winchester can scare her with a real ghost."
Winchester "Where am I supposed to find a real ghost?"
Charles "That's your problem or your kid siblings get it. Stop interrupting. ... and everyone remember the ribbons, that's very important. Oh and I'll drug her with hot cider and dump her in the snow and pretend to run over Winchester's dog and Winchester can rescue her and the dog and then get all the truth out of her."
Winchester "What about when she realises I don't have a dog?"
Charles "She'll never question where the dog is or ask to see it or anything. Oh and I forgot that one of us has to keep dressing up in a ski mask and jacket. And one of us needs to chase her as Santa. Why is everyone staring at me? This is a foolproof plan. I can feel it."
I really did enjoy it though. The first half of the novel was all X files episode and the second half was all Steven Seagal movie. My favourite line
Inappropriate happy ending: Oh, my sister's still dead. And we still haven't found her body. Maybe we never will. But I've got a boyfriend and the boy she went out with was only interested in me anyway. So we're all good.
"It was probably just a practical joke" moment: I don't think anyone actually said this.
"You probably just imagined it" moment: This happened constantly. No one had any faith in her sanity at all.
Spoiler
She totally shouldn't have destroyed the snowman though - that was evidence Ryan!Innocent victims?: Yeah, Marissa was pretty innocent, in a Lois Lane kinda way. And Ryan had no clue what was going on.
How blindingly obvious?: It was blindingly obvious that Jinx was gonna be the love interest so I figured the rest would have to be got rid of somehow. Because no Point Horror girl can have a choice. The plot has to get rid of any alternative love interests for her. I liked their relationship, it felt far more realistic than other mawkish point horror dirge. As it was though, the floor was cleared of pretty much any man other than Jinx. I'm surprised Michael Kilmer, the Sheriff and Winchester's dad weren't in on it.
Charles. Well Charles was suspect from the first with the whole "you're the one who let her drown" business. (that was risky by the way - what if she'd told her Mum and he'd got thrown out on the first day? - better to have sucked up to everyone.) Then I started to think maybe he was just a red herring. But he was obviously the one who gave her the drugged cider. And he got all detective and I started to doubt him again because it was too early on for the red herring to be revealed.
Winchester. I had a real soft spot for him. Come on, the guy has a log cabin, coffee and bacon! And he's named after a rifle from the 19th Century. Or maybe I'm just easily pleased. Oh and did you notice his truck with the door that won't open from the inside?! Totally the truck from Freeze Tag. I bet after he went to jail, Winchester's dad sold the truck to West Trevor to help pay for the kid's school lunches. Oh and the bit where he said he'd only dated her sister to get near her? Lame, lame, lame.
Steve. Umm. Not totally believable that a university lecturer would double up as a drug dealer but I might be bitter because I didn't guess it. Looking back, I think there was a clue at the beginning about him having his own income.
Mr Partini. I've been listening to an Agatha Christie book tape in the car. So even though Mr Partini was supposed to be Italian, in my head he sounds Belgian. As it was, he was supposed to be more of a Count Fosco figure. (side note: could it be that The Woman in White was the very first Point Horror novel?) I thought his part was ridiculous. Who would start a career as a toy maker and then decide that actually your values and career path lead elsewhere and diverge into organised crime?
Plot holes / Unfinished plot lines: Let's all just admit that the only reason she was called Ryan was so Charles could pretend to be her at the drugstore picking up the photos.
Did I miss the bit where they explain how they made the ghosts and animated toys appear? It was a crazy complex plan for criminals to have. But then they are the weirdest gang of criminal misfits. I almost want to write a movie about their side of the story. I can hear the trailer voice. The fake student. The ex boyfriend. The College Professor / Step father. The Toymaker. You've never seen organised crime like it... You can just imagine the conversation back at base.
Charles "Well, the girl who knew about us is dead but she might have told her sister something."
Steve "I'm sleeping with her mother. Maybe we should just waste the kid."
Count Fosco "But the little Bambellina is so helpful in the shop while I deliver zee drugs - keep her, she is adorable"
Winchester "Umm. Yeah, I think we should keep her"
Charles "No one asked you, rifle boy. I have a better idea. I'll go move in with them -Steve, you provide me a fake background- then we'll all fake haunt her - Mr Partini can scare her with toys, I'll scare her with presents and a car, Steve can scare her with a snowman and Winchester can scare her with a real ghost."
Winchester "Where am I supposed to find a real ghost?"
Charles "That's your problem or your kid siblings get it. Stop interrupting. ... and everyone remember the ribbons, that's very important. Oh and I'll drug her with hot cider and dump her in the snow and pretend to run over Winchester's dog and Winchester can rescue her and the dog and then get all the truth out of her."
Winchester "What about when she realises I don't have a dog?"
Charles "She'll never question where the dog is or ask to see it or anything. Oh and I forgot that one of us has to keep dressing up in a ski mask and jacket. And one of us needs to chase her as Santa. Why is everyone staring at me? This is a foolproof plan. I can feel it."
I really did enjoy it though. The first half of the novel was all X files episode and the second half was all Steven Seagal movie. My favourite line
"Charles thrust his gun against Jinx's face and tightened on the trigger. "Merry Christmas, Ryan," he snarled."
Inappropriate happy ending: Oh, my sister's still dead. And we still haven't found her body. Maybe we never will. But I've got a boyfriend and the boy she went out with was only interested in me anyway. So we're all good.
liamunderwood's review
3.5
I asked my partner, Cat, to choose which Point Horror book I should read next. She chose Fatal Secrets because the blurb on the back mentions a Ryan and a Marissa (both female) and we're currently watching The O.C. (2003-2007). No other reason. So far I've rather enjoyed Richie Tankersley Cusick's Point Horror offerings - Trick or Treat and Teacher's Pet being particular highlights. Yet the Prologue and first chapter to Fatal Secrets left me feeling sceptical.
Thankfully I persevered. There were several occasions where I worried that Cusick was building up to something obvious, or throwing in an overly obvious red herring, and yet I found the conclusion delightfully surprising. There is also a rather sinister thread running through this book which is played pretty well. Our protagonist, Ryan, isn't always the smartest character, but she's placed in a situation where her actions are somewhat understandable. Best friend Phoebe takes a page from April Fools best friend character Hildy, although not quite as insufferable. And then there are the love interests, of which there are several.
Fatal Secrets ended up delivering a pretty solid Point Horror experience. Whilst I would've liked to have seen Cusick push some of the themes a little further, I think she ultimately achieved something quite interesting here and managed to avoid some of the more consistent Point Horror trends.
3.5/5
Point Horror Ranked
1) The Girlfriend - 4/5
2) Trick or Treat - 3.5/5
3) Fatal Secrets - 3.5/5
4) Teacher's Pet - 3.5/5
5) The Baby-Sitter II - 3.5/5
6) The Cheerleader - 3.5/5
7) April Fools - 3.5/5
8) My Secret Admirer - 3.5/5
9) The Lifeguard - 3.5/5
10) Thirteen Tales of Horror - 3/5
11) The Accident - 3/5
12) Funhouse - 3/5
13) The Invitation - 2.5/5
14) The Snowman - 2.5/5
15) The Boyfriend - 2/5
16) Mother's Helper - 2/5
17) The Baby-Sitter - 1.5/5
18) The Return of the Vampire - 1/5
19) Beach Party - 1/5
Thankfully I persevered. There were several occasions where I worried that Cusick was building up to something obvious, or throwing in an overly obvious red herring, and yet I found the conclusion delightfully surprising. There is also a rather sinister thread running through this book which is played pretty well. Our protagonist, Ryan, isn't always the smartest character, but she's placed in a situation where her actions are somewhat understandable. Best friend Phoebe takes a page from April Fools best friend character Hildy, although not quite as insufferable. And then there are the love interests, of which there are several.
Fatal Secrets ended up delivering a pretty solid Point Horror experience. Whilst I would've liked to have seen Cusick push some of the themes a little further, I think she ultimately achieved something quite interesting here and managed to avoid some of the more consistent Point Horror trends.
3.5/5
Point Horror Ranked
1) The Girlfriend - 4/5
2) Trick or Treat - 3.5/5
3) Fatal Secrets - 3.5/5
4) Teacher's Pet - 3.5/5
5) The Baby-Sitter II - 3.5/5
6) The Cheerleader - 3.5/5
7) April Fools - 3.5/5
8) My Secret Admirer - 3.5/5
9) The Lifeguard - 3.5/5
10) Thirteen Tales of Horror - 3/5
11) The Accident - 3/5
12) Funhouse - 3/5
13) The Invitation - 2.5/5
14) The Snowman - 2.5/5
15) The Boyfriend - 2/5
16) Mother's Helper - 2/5
17) The Baby-Sitter - 1.5/5
18) The Return of the Vampire - 1/5
19) Beach Party - 1/5
manwithanagenda's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Ryan and her sister Marisa were out gathering pinecones, it's a sister thing, when Marisa falls through thin ice and drowns. Ryan, who had refused to believe her sister's plea to hear a secret, is wracked by guilt. Grief-stricken as she is, she isn't prepared to give her mother any slack about Marisa's death and subsequent decisions. Three weeks later a man claiming to be Marisa's college boyfriend comes to the house for closure, or something, and is invited to stay through the holidays. This is a bad decision, no matter what, but something about Charles rubs Marisa the wrong way on top of the other good reasons. Ryan also begins to have visions of Marisa and may be losing her damn mind.
'Fatal Secrets' is another point horror installment that will either delight or infuriate its reader. The plot hinges on Marisa's secret and whether or not Ryan's visions are real or elaborate gas-lighting. There are also many, many questions about who could be doing such a thing and why. This is Point Horror so we can pretty much rule out any actual horror, but nevertheless, enjoy the red herrings.
I loved that Ryan works at an old-fashioned toy store, but Cusick doesn't run with the vibe except once. We mostly just get people staring through the window at her and freaking her out. Which. Honey, this is retail. I don't care what kind of store it is; a clerk is going to see multiple grown-ass adults cupping their hands around their eyes and all-but-putting their gaping maws on the glass to see deeper into the store. They don't have any intention of coming in. They just really need to look deep into the glass. I don't buy that Ryan is freaked out by strange people peeking in at her through the shop window at Christmastime. That takes away about half of the thrills.
In the end, 'Fatal Secrets' many failings are almost redeemed by a kitchen-sink ending. I wasn't angry anymore, but I can't guarantee that result.
'Fatal Secrets' is another point horror installment that will either delight or infuriate its reader. The plot hinges on Marisa's secret and whether or not Ryan's visions are real or elaborate gas-lighting. There are also many, many questions about who could be doing such a thing and why. This is Point Horror so we can pretty much rule out any actual horror, but nevertheless, enjoy the red herrings.
I loved that Ryan works at an old-fashioned toy store, but Cusick doesn't run with the vibe except once. We mostly just get people staring through the window at her and freaking her out. Which. Honey, this is retail. I don't care what kind of store it is; a clerk is going to see multiple grown-ass adults cupping their hands around their eyes and all-but-putting their gaping maws on the glass to see deeper into the store. They don't have any intention of coming in. They just really need to look deep into the glass. I don't buy that Ryan is freaked out by strange people peeking in at her through the shop window at Christmastime. That takes away about half of the thrills.
In the end, 'Fatal Secrets' many failings are almost redeemed by a kitchen-sink ending. I wasn't angry anymore, but I can't guarantee that result.
asreadbybrooke's review against another edition
4.0
listened to this on audiobook - pretty good though the narrator was a little dull at times. overall, a solid pick though. really intriguing plot line - kept me guessing who the bad guy was!
~~SPOILERS AHEAD~~
ok so i wasn't expecting literally EVERYONE to be a bad guy (well, except jinx). like when mr. partini (sp?) showed up at the end i literally yelled while i was driving down the road. i was so mad. though i am glad that winchester didn't turn out to be the absolute worst. alsO JINX IS EVERYTHING AND DESERVES THE WORLD OK BYE.
~~SPOILERS AHEAD~~
ok so i wasn't expecting literally EVERYONE to be a bad guy (well, except jinx). like when mr. partini (sp?) showed up at the end i literally yelled while i was driving down the road. i was so mad. though i am glad that winchester didn't turn out to be the absolute worst. alsO JINX IS EVERYTHING AND DESERVES THE WORLD OK BYE.