Book of Horrors

By: Diane Hoh

Narrated by: Tara Sands

Reed would die to work for Victoria McCoy - and she may get the chance to do just that

Reed Monroe chose Salem University for one reason: the opportunity to study with Victoria McCoy, writer-in-residence and best-selling author of horror fiction. When she learns that a lingering illness is preventing McCoy from teaching any classes, Reed starts a fan club for other McCoy obsessives. Although it only attracts a few members, the club is her passion until she hears about the opportunity of a lifetime: Victoria McCoy is hiring a new assistant. It’s a job that any horror fan would kill for.

After she’s hired, Reed learns that the position was open because the last assistant disappeared, and that every one of McCoy’s employees has vanished mysteriously. To survive freshman year, Reed must confront the possibility that her idol might be a murderer.

©1994 Diane Hoh (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

One of the better 90's YA horror books

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I would have loved this one when I was younger.

I am slowly coming to the conclusion that I have aged out of the YA horror novels of my youth. I started reading them again while I was taking care of my mother. They were comfort food reads that took me back to a time in my life when I was young, carefree, and my parents were still full of life. These books were a lot more suspenseful, impactful, edgy, and even scary when I was in my early teens. Now that I am a cynical adult who has consumed a lot of adult horror and has come to the conclusion that nothing is scarier than the news. these Fear Street, Point Horror, and Point Horror-inspired novels are a bit of a letdown, BUT I fully acknowledge that it is not them; it is me.

That said, Book of Horrors is definitely one of the stronger vintage YA horror books that I have read. It has a good premise, a lot of gothic atmosphere, and some twists and turns. I suspected the baddie pretty early, but the author did a good job of introducing a red herring or two.

My biggest problem with this novel is actually the lead character. She is terribly inconsistent. At one moment, she is Victoria McCoy's greatest fan. On the other hand, she can't remember if she has read a certain book by the author, and her friends or boyfriend, who is not much of a reader, have to clue her in on which novel they are talking about. Also, sometimes Reed gets a chance to get closer to learning more about the mysterious disappearances that she is obsessed with, but she puts off the fact-finding mission because she suddenly does not want to know the truth. She is both intelligent but also falls for the same trap over and over again or makes really poor choices. And don't get me started on the love triangle thing.

All in all, this book was a good time, especially for the fall season or the winter, since we get some scenes with snow and ice in them. I would just recommend this for younger readers or for adult readers who like a light horror read that has just a little bit of blood and violence but nothing too extreme. There is no cussing or sexual content, so it is definitely safe for a preteen audience.

Awesome!

I've read some of these books many years ago it's good to hear them on Audible. good plot though a little predictable but I liked it all the same. the narrator did a great job.

Ve ry Good

If you could sum up Book of Horrors in three words, what would they be?

If you are interested in a first mystery, this is the one for you. Loved the narrator a who done it. I'm looking for more of these.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Reed, she was was a liittle dectective herself

Which character – as performed by Tara Sands – was your favorite?

All, she was great

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Who done it