The Lost Girl - R.L. Stine

In Shadyside back in 1950 Beth's father Angelo Palmieri was finally going to open his own riding stable.  As she's out walking Beth runs into Aaron Dooley, nephew to Martin Dooley.  He tries to force himself on her and all of the sudden he can't breath.  Beth has powers no one knows about that she used to fend him off.  He accuses her of being a witch, and she just turns and heads back home.  As the whole family gathers for the opening Martin Dooley shows up.  Martin gave Beth's father his first job as a stable boy.  He tells Angelo opening a stable isn't a good idea, and Beth should go out with his nephew because he can teach her things.  Angelo punches him and Martin threatens that he'll be back.  Two days later men Martin Dooley hired come and knock her dad out.  Beth runs and tries to escape.  She then sees the men drag her father to Dooley Stables through the Fear Street Woods.  The men cover Angelo in honey and oats and feed him to the horses, which hadn't been fed for days.  Beth runs from them and enters a cave, and with the darkness closing in around she thinks is this what it feels like to die?  Fast forward sixty-five years to present day Shadyside.  Michael Frost is grocery shopping and sees a beautiful girl with straight black hair there too.  He sees her take ham and turkey.  He runs after her and finds her outside petting his dog.  She tells him her name is Mindy and she's new in town.  The next day Michael sees her in school at the end of lunch.  She is lost and can't find the art room.  Michael shows her where it is and she tells him her name is Lizzy Walker.  Later on in the day Michael, Gabe, and Diego are talking about having a snowmobile party.  Michael's dad runs a snowmobile business and lets he and his friends ride them for free as long as they are available.  Lizzy shows up lost again and while Michael shows her to the gym she pricks his finger and hers and says now we're bloods.  At the end of school he and Pepper are working on the yearbook.  She accuses him of fainting over Lizzy and thinks there is something going on between Lizzy and Michael.  Michael says how could there be she's only been in school a few days.  Later that night Lizzy shows up at Michael's house lost again.  Lizzy is a block over from where she should be, and Michael's parents insist Lizzy stay and eat.  Michael tells her about the snowmobile party they are having on Saturday.  Lizzy invites herself and Michael reluctantly tells her she can come.  Pepper shows up to work on homework with Michael and sees Lizzy eating at the dinner table.  As Lizzy leaves she says she'll see Michael tomorrow.  Pepper is jealous and isn't happy about Lizzy joining them tomorrow.  Michael defends himself by telling Pepper she is new and town and this is a good way to get to know people.  On Saturday as everyone is out riding they see a person walk out of the trees and Michael hits him on accident.  Lizzy screams at Michael that he killed the guy.  Michael  can't understand why he couldn't turn to avoid hitting him.  When they all get a good look at him Lizzy recognizes him and says his name is Angel.  She tells them he's from her old school and got into major trouble.  They all start to leave, but Michael says they have to go back.  When they return to where Angel was hit he's nowhere to be found.  They are relieved he is still alive, but Lizzy warns  Angel is a psychopath and knows who they are.  They could be in a lot of trouble.   During school on Monday the art class is out in the graveyard doing rubbings.  Michael sees two graves that look like husband and wife, but Lizzy says they are father and daughter.  In the fog Michael sees a figure rise up and it is Angel.  When Michael reaches the place where Angel was, he has disappeared.   After school everyone is at Michael's house talking about what to do.  Lizzy starts to faint and Michael goes and hugs her to keep her upright.  Pepper is not happy with this and tells Michael they need to break up.  Later that night with his thoughts on Lizzy, Michael's phone rings.  There is a raspy voice on the end says you killed me and left me in the snow, now it's my turn.  The voice then asks Michael who he should start with to pay for what they had done.  The voice says how about the cute girl with the  black hair and big, dark eyes?  When Michael asks what he is going to do to Lizzy the caller hangs up.  Who will survive, and will Michael and the others find out who Angel really is? 

This book felt like it could have been one of the original Fear Street books that came out when I was in middle school and high school over 25 years ago.  It had all the elements that were present in the original books.   Even at the climax of the story when the reveal happens felt like the original Fear Streets books.  I really enjoyed reading this latest installment of the Fear Street revival.

T.B.
10/22/15