For young adults grappling with the weight of past mistakes, this suspenseful novel explores the terrifying consequences of a shared secret that comes back to haunt a group of friends.
A parent might reach for this book when their teen is struggling with the weight of a serious mistake or the pressure from peers to keep a dangerous secret. This classic suspense novel follows four teenagers who, one year after covering up a fatal hit-and-run accident, find themselves stalked by someone who knows their secret. The story masterfully explores the psychological consequences of their actions, delving into deep themes of guilt, fear, and fractured loyalty. For older teens (14+), this book is a gripping cautionary tale that serves as an excellent starting point for conversations about responsibility, peer pressure, and the fact that running from your past is never a solution.
The entire premise is built on a stalker terrorizing the protagonists. High level of suspense.
Substance ReferencesMild
Teens drink beer at a party preceding the inciting incident.
Moral AmbiguityModerate
The protagonists have committed a terrible crime. The antagonist's motives are rooted in grief.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with the death of a child in an accident and subsequent murders. The approach is secular, focusing on the human and psychological toll of guilt, morality, and revenge. The resolution is realistic and grim: the immediate threat is dealt with, but the protagonists are left permanently scarred by their actions and the consequences. The ending is slightly ambiguous, emphasizing that they can never truly escape what they've done.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is a teen, 14 or older, who enjoys character-driven psychological thrillers and is ready to explore complex moral questions. This is for the reader who likes suspense that feels grounded and plausible, and is more interested in the 'why' and the 'what now' than in intricate, twist-heavy plots.
Parent Prep
Parents should be prepared for the central premise of a fatal hit-and-run committed by the protagonists. The book contains stalking, suspenseful situations, and scenes of violence, including shootings. While less graphic than its famous film adaptation, the tone is dark and menacing. No specific pages require previewing, but parents should be ready to discuss the difficult moral choices the characters make from the very first chapter. A parent notices their teen is being consumed by guilt over a past mistake they refuse to talk about. Alternatively, a parent is seeking a compelling narrative to initiate conversations about major issues like drunk driving, peer pressure, and the long-term consequences of a single bad decision.
Age Experience
A younger teen (14-15) will likely focus on the mystery and suspense elements: Who is the stalker? What will happen next? They will experience it primarily as a 'whodunit' thriller. An older teen (16-18) is more equipped to appreciate the deeper psychological horror: the way guilt erodes each character differently, the strain on their relationships, and the story's function as a cautionary tale about accountability.
What Makes It Special
Compared to many contemporary YA thrillers, this book's strength lies in its tight focus on the psychological fallout of a single event. It is less about plot twists and more about the internal unraveling of its characters. Lois Duncan's writing creates a chillingly realistic atmosphere of dread, making it a powerful and timeless cautionary tale about guilt and consequences.
Read plot summary
Four high school seniors, Julie, Ray, Helen, and Barry, are involved in a hit-and-run accident after a party, killing a young boy. Panicked, they make a pact to never reveal their secret. A year later, as they try to move on with their lives, they each begin to receive taunting, terrifying messages from a mysterious figure who knows what they did. The anonymous stalker's threats escalate into violent attacks, forcing the friends to confront their past and fight for their lives against an unknown avenger.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
After the accident, Barry is the most forceful about keeping the secret. How do you think the group's decision might have changed if Julie or Ray had been the one to take charge in that moment?
2
The person stalking the teens is seeking revenge for their loss. Does this quest feel like justice to you? Discuss the difference between justice and revenge as it plays out in the book.
3
Each of the four main characters deals with their guilt in a different way over the following year. Compare how Julie isolates herself versus how Helen throws herself into achieving popularity. Whose coping mechanism seemed most realistic?
4
Near the end, Julie feels a strange sense of relief when the confrontation happens because the secret is finally over. Why do you think living with the secret was, in some ways, a worse punishment than the potential consequences of telling the truth?
