Freaky Friday :|: 175

Freaky Friday is a weekly post highlighting YA horror published between 1980 and 1999, originally inspired by Sharon's (Loves Books and Cats) Flashback Friday.

Title: Watcher in the Dark
Author: Beverly Hastings
Published: 1986
Publisher: Berkley
Summary:

A misleading cover and a spooky title promises more than this first novel delivers. In a contrived story with a number of holes that leave the reader asking too many questions, Erin Moore, a high school senior, babysits for four-year-old Abby when her father goes on a business trip. Tension mounts as one by one, the people Erin could turn to in a time of crisis are conveniently inconvenienced, while Erin becomes convinced that someone is after Abby. Is it Abby's college-aged half-brother? An unknown watcher? Unfortunately, the reader knows the answer all along, and there's not much mystery here, although suspense is high. Readers with a penchant for thrillers may enjoy this adequately written story about a teen caught in a babysitter's nightmare.  (fantasticfiction.co.uk)

1) Yes, I'm late again.  There are actually things to DO here in AZ that I find more entertaining than being on the interwebs.  So, you know, priorities.  2) New author!  This list will be short because Beverly Hastings wasn't what you'd call prolific.  Plus her catalogue is a mix of adult and YA so it'll be even shorter as a result.  Expect another new author rather soon.

It would appear Publisher's Weekly (the author of that blurb there) was not impressed with this title, consisting, or so they say, of standard babysitter stalker fare.  RL Stine already did this, that I know.  It looks like your standard whodunnit with a scared teenager.  I'd probably pass this one up even without reading PW's added disdain.