Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick

This book was one of the 3 titles that are part of my challenge from BD to read this year. The challenge is to read at least one of the titles but you can read all 3 if you wish. This one, part of the Point Horror series from the 1990's, was one of my friends favourites, and he was a fan of the Point Horror books when he was younger.

Sadly, being older, the whole Point Horror phenomenon passed me by. I hadn't even heard of them (I am about 20 years older than BD). In my day it was Armada Ghost Books and Nancy Drew. So this was my first ever encounter with Point Horror and I can see from the many fans on the net, they have quite a following. Even in work, when BD brought this in for me, there were others of similar age reminiscing about these titles and comparing favourites.

Trick or Treat is about Martha, whose dad has just remarried and she is to move in with her new step mum and brother Conor. The house, in the country near a small town, needs a lot of repair. Her step mum is excited by the challenge but Martha feels uncomfortable and unnerved by it from the start. It is not helped by the old graveyard in the grounds, and Halloween is only days away. At her new school she makes friends easily with Wynn and Blake, who she fancies. It is not long before the history of the house reveals itself. Obsession and murder are in its past. Then Martha and Conors parents have to leave for Hawaii suddenly, and the teenagers are alone in the house. Its mysterious past is replaying with terrifying consequences.

This is a entertaining read (even if some of the plot is implausable - parents leaving children alone in a house they have just moved into), with lots of jumps and starts in a multi-layered plot that is creepy and compelling. I can imagine loving it when I was young but even as an adult it was good fun. It is very straight forward to read and the writing style reminded me of books that I read as a teenager which was pleasantly nostalgic. I enjoyed the cheesy suspense and there were a few creepy moments. I can see why the Point Horror books were favourites of a whole generation of kids.

I read the book in a day, and enjoyed the fun of it and the nostalgia.

I found another Point Horror Fan Blogger and you can reminisce along with her by using the link.