SVT Super Chiller #4: The Ghost In the Bell Tower
Continuing on with the SVT Super Chiller theme (and thanks to
emilyyousay for recapping The Curse of the Ruby Necklace - great recap by the way, love the snarkiness!), I'm going to do this little gem! This book was again one of the first SVT books I ever read; at the time I was into ghost stories anyway and normal SV books just sort of filtered through later on. I remember being a bit disappointed by the later Super Chiller books, as the earlier ones, ie The Carnival Ghost and this one just seemed to have something the later ones lacked. Anyways, I digress, back to the book. I managed to recap the Carnival Ghost by memory (probably cos I've read it so many times) but this one, well, I can see it may take me a while, but I did only finish reading it yesterday so hopefully I'll remember most of it :) On with the story....
OK, starting with the cover. This isn't the cover I have (I have one of those circle ones) but the illustration is basically the same. The twins (long blond hair, blue-green eyes the colour of the pacific ocean - phew, glad I got that out the way) are standing at the bottom of a staircase. Neither of them look particularly great on this cover; Jessica looks like she is wearing one of Steven's t-shirts as it's HUGE and also she looks as if she is singing an opera aria, and Liz is wearing a very lurid green jacket (I think - sorry about the cover, best I could find) and looks quite ugly, frankly, with an expression as if something nasty has gone under her nose. Maybe she is shocked at Jessica's singing. At the top of the staircase, there is a glowing ghostly figure of a man.....I won't insult anyone's intelligence by asking the obvious question...YES this is the ghost of the inn.
We open with the twins, Steven and Joe Howell at the Wakefield's humble abode (with Spanish tiled kitchen). They are watching a horror film in the den; I think Steven and Joe are supposed to be babysitting as the Wakefield parents aren't mentioned in this scene and I think they have gone out for the evening. When the adverts come on, Steven gets up and goes for a drink. When he comes back, the film has come back on and he asks Liz to turn it down, which she does. Just as it reaches a suspenseful moment, mit creepy music and effects, a weird moaning starts. At first they think it's the film, but then the suspenseful moment stops, and the moaning continues. Jessica is freaked, as it sounds like it's coming from upstairs, and starts screaming (good move, I'm sure), but Liz just turns the TV off and listens. She accuses Steven and Joe of playing a practical joke. They try to deny it but Logical Liz has it all figured out. They have recorded the moaning on a tape and played it near the air conditioning ducts so it comes through the house. Steven turned it on when he supposedly got a drink. They left a blank bit at the start of the tape so the moaning wouldn't start before Steven had time to come down and sit back down. She saw Steven rummaging in the junk drawer for some batteries earlier, so she knew he wanted to use something battery powered, ie a walkman (dated ref: these days would be an ipod or similar). Steven and Joe try to deny it but she has them! Jessica is embarrassed and claims she knew all along. Yeah, right. She is huffy and puts the TV back on to find the film has finished. Haha!
The next morning, Steven and Elizabeth are having breakfast (in la Spanish tiled kitchen). Steven starts mocking Jessica's performance the night before, to which Elizabeth replies "I'm sure she would have figured it out.....eventually". Aww poor Jess, not everyone, even identical twin sisters, have Logical Lizzie powers! Anyway, Jess enters the kitchen and starts bickering with Steven. The mail arrives and Jessica gets it, bringing back an envelope addressed to the three of them. She opens it, despite Steven bickering about how it had his name on it so he should open it (whatever, Steven). It's from aunt Helen, and she is inviting the three of them to an old inn she's just being left by her old friend Alexandra Whyte in her will. The Lakeview Inn. It is in rundown condition, and do they want to spend their break helping to fix it up? Err, not likely, but apparently they all think it's a great idea! There will be a family reunion to celebrate it's reopening.Steven is allowed to take Joe (much to Jessica's disgust) and Robin and Stacey (their cousins from San Diego) will be there too. Somebody tell me, in the later books featuring Robin, is Stacey mentioned? Stacey is 8, and Robin is the twins age. The parents give immediate permission (probably so they can have an empty house to practice their brilliant parenting skills in) and they start preparing for the trip.
Jessica has the Unicorns over, and they are in her bedroom 'helping' her pack. (When I say helping, I mean Lila finds an old sock under the bed, to Jessica's delight as she has been looking everywhere for it for months. Do her parents not buy her new socks?) Also, how do all those Unicorns fit into Jessica's already overcrowded and messy room?Maybe they overspill into the bathroom, after all, they are drawn to mirrors. So, Jessica is packing, and her suitcase is crammed full. Elizabeth comes in and offers to put some of Jessica's stuff in hers, as Logical Lizzie hasn't packed her entire wardrobe (maybe she's secretly a bloke). Steven comes by and says he has got the spare suitcase down from the attic. Jessica is surprised, but thanks him very nicely. She opens it to find a bloody hand inside. The Unicorns freak out completely, wailing about the blood, but Logical Liz grabs the hand and shows them it's a fake, obviously put there by Steven and Joe. Like that wasn't obvious. That is an insult to Jessica's intelligence, if you ask me!
The next day they board the coach to Holton, where the Lakeview Inn is located. Their parents tell Steven and Joe to quit with the practical jokes, as Aunt Helen has had some heart trouble and doesn't need to be stressed out. They reluctantly agree. Jessica is smirky happy. Hours go by and eventually they arrive, to be greeted by Aunt Helen, Robin and Stacey. They all head to the inn, getting a smidge of local history from Aunt Helen on the way. When they arrive, Elizabeth looks up at the bell tower and gets a cold shiver (yawn, foreshadowing). The inn has a massive lake in the grounds (hence the name I guess) and it is extremely rundown, with peeling paint and a sagging front porch (shock!) They go in and have dinner at a massive table, which Steven proclaims could seat a hundred, but in fact could seat 20. Umm, OK then Steve, your perception is a little off! Aunt Helen asks the girls if they would mind clearing out the attic, to eventually get to the bell tower so it can be checked for being structurally sound, and the boys to do the boathouse. She also tells them that the Inn apparently has a ghost, to which Liz laughs it off and is very skeptical. After dinner, Liz helps Aunt Helen with the washing up (as per usual) whilst Robin, Stacey and Jessica go to explore and choose rooms. Liz seems a little out numbered in this book, and Jessica and Robin are very alike (ie, make-up, boys and NOT helping out) and Stacey follows Robin around. Anyway, Liz goes to find the other three after finishing washing the dishes, and wanders through the inn on her own calling them. No answer. Uh-oh, have they been eaten alive? Umm, nopes, sorry, Liz eventually finds them in the room Robin and Stacey have chosen to sleep in. Jessica has chosen the room next door, and when Liz looks at it, with its full length mirror and purple bedding, she knows why. Lol! It also has a massive portrait of a stern man on the wall, who Aunt Helen tells them is of Phineas Whyte, Alexandra's father.
That night, Elizabeth can't get to sleep. Jessica is out like a light. Suddenly, Robin and Stacey appear at the door. They are swathed in the blankets, and their lips are blue. They claim their room is freezing cold, even though the twin's room is warm. Jessica is awake by now, and they go to investigate. Hmm. Sure enough, the room is freezing, but when Elizabeth checks the windows, they are shut. The fireplace flue is shut. The radiator is warm, and pinging. Very odd. Jessica and the others think maybe it's a ghost, but Logical Liz isn't convinced, much to Jessica's frustration.
The next day, they start on the attic. It's a mess. Books, clothes, papers, furniture and so on, everywhere. Liz finds a book pile, and is happy to go through that, whilst the others try on try to clear the clothes away. Steven and Joe come up to announce they have found a cave, but, as nobody seems particularly excited, they go again.
Jessica and Robin are shoving furniture around, and ask Liz to go and get them all a drink. Liz has found Alexandra's diary, and being the nosy sod she is, she is reading it, accompanied by an old photo album she has found of Alexandra's. The diary tells how Alexandra was sitting on the porch when a young man came by, called William Cliff. Alexandra likes young Will, and the next entry states how be brought her a wild rose. The rose is pressed into the diary. Fascinating stuff. Liz eventually agrees to go and get drinks, taking Stacey with her. When they get back, Jessica is sitting on the floor panting loudly, saying the old trunk she was moving was really heavy. Abruptly, Jessica then decides it's lunchtime, and they all go down. Liz nips to their room to put the diary and album away in a 'safe place' (safe from what, exactly)?. Shock horror, the portrait of Phineas has gone, to be replaced with one of a mother and child. Liz is a little upset, and goes running down to get Jessica and the others. Jessica and Stacey are trying to 'invent' a new sandwich (try, Peanut butter and olives, peanut butter and maple syrup, ick)! Robin is washing her hands in the bathroom. Liz is trying to explain to the others, saying she needs them to tell her she isn't going crazy. Jessica after a few minutes, agrees to go up and look. When they get there, Liz points to the wall and says "There! Now tell me I'm not going crazy". Jess replies, "OK, you're not going crazy".Very smooth! Liz looks, and gasps....Phineas has reappeared. She tries to explain but Jessica again alludes to the fact it's got to be the Lakeview Inn ghost haunting them. Maybe it's because Liz doesn't believe! Liz won't accept that, and Jess, exasperated, says, "well, you must be going crazy then".
That afternoon, Liz decides to help Aunt Helen picking flowers doing the gardening. Meanwhile, Jessica is alone in the attic when a man comes up. His name is Bill (and, no, there's no raping, stalking etc in this) and he is one of the builders helping to renovate the Inn. She notices how he has a really old fashioned hairstyle, but on him, it looks good! Typical Jess! He asks Jessica if she has discovered any of the secret passages yet; she says no and he shows her some blueprints showing a secret passage between her room and Robin's that goes through the mirror. It is a trick mirror, so if the light is on in the passage, you can see into the room, and vice-versa (not sure how that would work but OK). Robin and Stacey then come up to the attic, and when Jessica turns round Bill has gone.
Elizabeth, in the meantime, has picked a massive bouquet of flowers and put them on the nightstand in her and J's room. She has also found the key that locks the bedroom door, telling Jessica how she bets no 'ghost' will be able to play tricks through a locked door. Jessica is like "whatever Elizabeth, if he wants you he will get you!" Go Jess! Jessica sniffs the flowers, saying how she loves the smell of the roses. Liz puts the key under her pillow, and goes to read a bit more of Alexandra's diary, but after Jessica taunts her for being afraid of the dark, she goes to sleep instead.
In the morning, Elizabeth wakes up. She feels 'refreshed', and calls over to Jessica, who is wide awake. She says, "it's funny how no ghostly activities happen when the door's shut". Jessica responds by saying "It's going to take more than one peaceful night to convince me, Elizabeth!" Liz goes to get out of bed, when she sees the fresh flowers are dead, in fact, more than dead, they are brittle, as if they have been burned. She is astounded, and Jessica again states it's got to be the ghost at work, then demands the key so she can go get ready! That's my girl, always focused on the important stuff! As Liz enters the kitchen for breakfast, Aunt Helen comments on how good the flowers they placed in the hallway look, and how their fragrance is so strong it can be smelt in the kitchen. Elizabeth thinks it's strange, as she couldn't smell them in the hallway! Dun der dun!
The girls decide to take a break from cleaning the attic to explore Holton. Stacey decides to stay at the Inn, but the other 3 go. They visit the entire 4 shops, commenting on how it isn't like SV/SD (snobs). They spend ages in the drugstore, lingering over cosmetics (J&R) and books (Liz) - stereotyping, anyone? Robin eventually buys some lipstick and they start to walk back to the inn. On the way, Jessica suddenly stoops down and says she has seen tracks in the dirt leading away into the underbrush. She thinks they are Steven and Joe's, and must lead to their cave. How she would know this from seeing a set of footprints, I don't know. She basically demands they go to explore the cave, and off they go, though Liz protests, you know what she's like! They come to what Liz says is a deserted mine shaft, and immediately, she decides it isn't safe so they can't go in. Sense of adventure nonexistent in this girl! But then Jessica starts worrying about Steven's welfare - "what if they're in there? Shouldn't we warn them?" Much against Liz's better judgement, although she wants to rescue Steven, in they go. Robin very conveniently has a flashlight in her purse, and they use that. They go in, shouting for Steven and Joe, until the entrance is a small chink of light in the distance. Hmm, yeah right, if Liz was scared to go in in case it fell she sure forgot that. Suddenly, a shriek echoes down the tunnel, and a tall white figure comes running from the depths, screaming. The girls scream and run back towards the entrance. As they get near the entrance, Liz looks back to see the ghost has disappeared. She quickly pulls her very-handy notebook out of her pocket and throws it on the floor. Then she catches up. Jessica and Robin are scared; they tell Liz it must be the ghost from the inn trying to convince her it is real. She won't agree, and says she has dropped her notebook and must go back to get it. Robin and Jessica are worried, but agree to wait while she goes back. She quickly grabs the notebook, and brushes away the footsteps in the sand by the entrance using a reed growing nearby. When she goes back to Jess and Robin, she says it must have been Steven, and will prove it's him by going back to the inn, double quick time, to catch him before he gets back. They get back and she's confidently leads the way, calling to Aunt Helen to ask if Steven is there. Buggar. He has been with Aunt Helen the whole time, teaching her the bank shot in pool. Jessica is like "well, Liz, I told you so, do you believe me now?" Liz is skeptical, and won't say anymore.
Aunt Helen tells them all that Gold Rush day is the day after tomorrow, and if they want they can go. The town dresses up in old costumes and there's stalls and so on.
That night, the girls both fall asleep quickly, even though Liz does find some time to read more of the diary. Alexandra and Will are becoming a couple, and there's a photograph of them together. Aww! However, Liz wakes up when she hears a loud noise. Jessica wakes up too, but can't turn the light on - apparently both bulbs are out. Liz notices that the pitch dark of the room is getting lighter...and the light is coming from the mirror. They both get up and stand in front of it. A message appears in what looks like bright red blood - "I am coming to get you, Elizabeth Wakefield. Though you do not believe, you cannot escape". Elizabeth is terrified, and grabs Jessica's hand, and is relieved to find it calm and steady. Hmm, strange! The message starts to fade away, to be replaced by a 'horrible face, with glowing eyes'. Jessica, shaking, goes and screws the bulb in the bedside lamp. Hmm, that was the cause, was it, of the lights not working. Jessica is convinced it is the ghost, but Liz comes up with a theory that they are both dreaming the same dream as they are, I dunno, identical twins. Jessica insists on sleeping with the light on (is she not worried a ghost will unscrew the bulb again) , but Liz falls asleep quite quickly.
In the morning, Liz tells the others that Aunt Helen has asked her to help her, whilst they continue with the attic. They moan, but get on with it. Liz smiles to herself, and slips out the house. She isn't helping Aunt Helen. Shock horror, is this the real Elizabeth Wakefield? Anyway, Liz retraces her steps to the cave. Funnily enough, there are two sets of footprints leading away from the cave. One is a lot smaller than the other. Liz, being a) logical and b) apparently an amateur detective, has come equipped and whips out notebook (obviously), pencil and ruler. She measures and draws the footprints, then goes back to the inn. She slips along to Steven and Joe's room. and measures his footprints. Hmm, they match one set. She goes to Robin and Stacey's room, where, lo and behold, the smaller set match Stacey's footprints. Haha!!!!!!!! As she goes to leave, having figured out that the others were trying to scare her, she notices that there is a fan shape in the carpet near the bookcase. Shock horror. Using her vast detective experience (reading Amanda Howard novels) she deduces that the bookcase is in fact a doorway. After moving the books around, she comes across a secret knob. This of course lets her into the secret passageway, where she sees a cardboard sign, with the "Beware" message written in red lipstick (Robin's from the drugstore, remember). She smiles grimly...."you have been very clever, Jessica Wakefield, but I will be cleverer yet!" Or something.
She goes up to the attic where she overhears Jessica asking Robin where the mask came from. Robin is confused, she denies ever using a mask, only the message they agreed on. Liz smiles and walks in, announcing she has thought and thought about it, and there is no logical way she can figure out the ghost. Jessica asks hopefully if she believes in the ghost yet, to which Liz replies she isn't sure. Jessica is frustrated. Grr I would be too!
Liz goes and confronts Steven and Joe in the boathouse. She tells them she has caught onto what Jessica etc have been up to, and whilst they deny it, they know she has them! Steven is disappointed as he won't be able to trick Liz again, BUT Elizabeth, who is full of surprises today (though we all know that ghosts make Liz change personality - blame the flu someone), asks Steven and Joe to help her scare Jessica, Robin and presumably Stacey (even though she is only 8!).
Elizabeth's great idea is this: they will make a raft to float across the lake that night. Joe will pull it behind him in a boat. The raft will have a mast, to which will be attached a white floaty sheet. The idea is that, from the inn, the raft will look like a ghost floating across the lake in the dark. Just as they are finishing, Bill the workman appears. Don't forget Liz hasn't met him, and therefore doesn't know he helped to scare her by telling Jess about the passage. He suggests they use a torch, or flashlight, to light up the ghost, otherwise it may not be seen as clearly. Liz turns to the boys to help them, and when she goes to thank him, he's gone!
That night, they all go up to the twins room. Jessica and Robin are still trying to convince Liz that she is being haunted by a ghost. She is refusing to get involved in the conversation, and instead comments on how bright the moon is. She then opens and shuts the curtains. This is the signal arranged so Joe knows when to sail the 'ghost' across the lake. She stands by the window as in lost in thought for a minute, then obviously when she sees Joe has started sailing, she 'stiffens dramatically' (sounds rude, ooh-er)! She points a trembling finger at the window and says "look....." The other girls rush to the window to see the 'ghost' floating across the lake. They are terrified. Liz is slyly watching Jessica. Suddenly, the ghost explodes into flames, and "night closed in around the lake once more". Well, Jess, Robin and Stacey (especially Stacey) are petrified. Their haunting antics seem to have gotten out of their control. Liz is puzzled; obviously she didn't plan for the ghost to explode like that. She slips down to Steven and Joe's room, and asks them how they made the ghost explode like that. They say they didn't but she doesn't believe them. The other girls are too scared to sleep in their own room so they all share Liz and Jessica's room, two to a bed.
The next morning, all the girls are tired. They go up to the attic to continue cleaning, but keep yawning and moaning. Liz suggests they take it in turns to have an hour nap each; Robin and Stacey can go first, and her and Jessica second. Jess moans but Robin and Stacey are knackered and go for their nap. Jessica continues to sort through some old sheets and comforters (are they like duvets?) but she keeps feeling her eyes slipping closed. She lies down for a second on the sheets, feeling like they are like a bed, but she feels herself drifting off to sleep. As she falls asleep, she wonders why Elizabeth is humming a lullaby.
When Jessica wakes up, the attic is pitch black. The only light is coming from the small window in the eaves. She calls out for Liz but no answer. She wonders why Liz has turned the light off, and gets up to find her. Suddenly she hears a creaking noise from behind her. She goes to turn around when she hears it again. It sounds as if someone is walking across the attic towards her. She calls again for Elizabeth but no answer. She starts to run towards the window, as the creaking sounds are coming from near the door, thinking she call yell out to someone. She looks behind and sees a tall white figure coming after her, with a horrible glowing face. She is terrified and tries to jump out of the attic window, screaming!!!!!
Elizabeth is in the garden picking wild raspberries for Aunt Helen when she hears the screams. She sees Jessica attempting to jump out of the window. She is horrified, and calls "hang on Jess, I'm coming". Good ol' Liz! She rushes up to the attic and wonders why the lights are off. She gropes for the light switch but she can't find it. Jessica's screams are increasingly frantic by this time, and suddenly the light comes on. Without stopping to think why it suddenly came back on, she rushes over to Jessica and eases her back inside. She makes her go down to their room, and says "right, this has gone far enough, stay there, I'm going to get Robin and Stacey". She wakes them up, and they all go and sit in the twins' room.
Elizabeth takes the floor, as it were. She says she knows all about their little scare tricks, and whilst they try to deny it, she works it all out with LOGIC, boys and girls!!
The cold room: Robin and Stacey opened all the windows and turned the radiators off. Liz knew the radiator had been turned on cos it was pinging, even though it was warm to touch. Robin also wore the same shade blue eyeshadow the next day as what her lips looked like, apparently.
The portrait swapping: Jess made Liz go and get a drink; when she got back to the attic Jess was panting, as if she had been running. However, at the time Liz thought it was because of the heavy furniture Jess had been moving. When she came running to get Jess, she purposely took ages, messing about with sandwiches, so Robin (who remember was 'washing her hands') could switch the portraits back.
The dead flowers: Jessica snuck out the room using the secret passage and cooked them in the oven. Aunt Helen remarked on how she could smell them in the kitchen, but the smell wasn't in the hallway. Liz must sleep like the fucking dead but there ya go.
The ghost in the cave (sounds like a Nancy Drew title doesn't it): Joe and Stacey were waiting in the cave; that's why Jess and Robin took so long in the drugstore, to give them time to get there and set everything up. Steven stayed behind because they knew Liz would suspect him.
The ghost in the mirror: Robin sat behind the mirror with the sign. The loud noise was the signal for Jessica to 'wake up'.
The girls are a bit disappointed. Liz then tells them about her part in the scare war. She has confessed all because she realised it had gone too far when Jess tried to take a dive out the attic window. Jess indignantly remarks that if she hadn't of turned the lights off and got someone to chase her through the attic, she wouldn't have been so scared. Liz denies it, she says she left the lights on and didn't ask anyone to chase Jess anywhere. She only played the tape recording of creaking floorboards. Same as she didn't plan the exploding lake ghost.They come to the conclusion that it must have been Steven, taking things too far as usual. However, Robin is still vehemently denying using a mask in the mirror. They decide to stop scaring each other.They also tell each other about how Bill helped them.
The next day is Gold Rush day. The girls have all dressed up in costumes they found in the attic. Jessica, Robin and Stacey all decide to go and look at the stalls, whilst Liz attends the history lecture (BORING!!!) She finds out from the local historian, Homer Bates, the legend of the Lakeview Inn......apparently the ghost of a jilted lover is supposed to haunt the bell tower. When his lover got married to another man, he died of a broken heart in the bell tower. Legend says that, when the bell is rung, the ghost will be vanquished forever.
Back at the Inn, Elizabeth carries on reading the diary. Alexandra and William became a couple.
The next day, Jessica is assigned by Aunt Helen to do the laundry. Because they found mass amounts of sheets etc in the attic, Jess has to wash them all ready to put on the beds. The other girls are in the attic as usual. Jessica soon gets bored of doing the laundry, even though she had gloated about not having to work her arse off in the attic. She feels like the pile of sheets and bedding is endless. Eventually she gets to the last pile, and when it's finished in the dryer, she folds it up and puts it in the airing cupboard. Going back to the laundry room, she sees the dryer is again full of sheets. She is puzzled, but thinks maybe she was mistaken. Upon folding these sheets, as she leaves the room she looks back. Both the washer and dryer are empty. She puts them away, goes back, and they are again full of sheets. She is suspicious (not freaked, as I would be), and again folds them up. As she leaves, she shuts the door, then springs back in, shouting "gotcha". The room is empty, the machines are empty. Hmm, fishy! She goes and puts the sheets away, then when she comes back they are again full. Jessica is furious; she is certain it is Elizabeth still trying to scare her. Though, obviously, where would Liz get the sheets from? And would she be quick enough, really? Or that childish; after Jessica had tried to jump out of an attic window I think Liz would give it up. Jessica is mad, anyway.
Cut to the evening. Liz is still reading the diary (I thought she was a quick reader). She decides to have a bath, and read in the bath. She sets the bath to run on hot, and goes to get changed into her dressing gown, or robe. When she goes back to her bath, she is engrossed in the diary. She sticks a toe in to check the temperature, and it is freezing! There is a layer of ice on the top of the water! Grr!! Elizabeth immediately suspects Jessica (which is slightly plausible how? How would they have got ice in the tub in what, 5 minutes)? Elizabeth is pissed off, big time! She storms to where the others are sitting to have it out with them! They deny it, and have a screaming match. Aunt Helen comes and breaks it up, as she is on the phone to an important developer. Liz stomps back to the bath to find it steaming hot again. She figures it must have been Steven all along. Bollocks, time to apologise.
At bedtime, Jess and Liz make up. They agree it must have been Steven and Joe who messed around with the sheets, and the bath. Yeah, right! They go to sleep. In the morning, Liz wakes up thinking the sun is very bright. She then realises that her bed isn't by the window, so, err, why is she in the bed by the window? She sits up; sure enough the twins' beds have swapped positions. She wakes Jess up, who comes up with the theory they both sleepwalked. Liz scuppers this by pulling out the diary, which she put under her pillow (lesbian tendencies) before she went to sleep. I don't suppose she could have sleepwalked with the diary? Anyway, they immediately think it was Steven, but when their brains kick in (eventually) they realise the room is too small for the beds to have gone round each other, and besides the beds are too heavy.Also, wouldn't they have woken up? They go to Robin's room. She doesn't believe them. Eventually, however, they all decide the Lakeview Inn must be haunted. Jessica, Robin and Stacey all want to go home, but Elizabeth objects (she would). She doesn't want to leave Aunt Helen to the mercy of the ghosty wosty!! Elizabeth also tells them the legend of the Inn.
They work half-heartedly in the attic all day. That night, they are all gathered in the twins' room. Elizabeth is looking through the photo album when she realises that the photo of Alexandra and Will looks familiar somehow....on further inspection they realise that William is in fact Bill. Remember how he had an old fashioned hairstyle, and disappeared mysteriously. Bill is short for Will, and Will for William. The window slams open and a gale comes roaring in. The photograph is snatched from Jessica's hand, but Liz manages to save it and slam the window shut. A warning message appears on the wall, telling them to get out of the Inn whilst they still can. It fades away just as Aunt Helen comes into the room. She is concerned as she thought the girls had hurt themselves. They tell her they were having a pillow fight, but Liz made them stop.
In the morning, they go down to breakfast. Aunt Helen tells them to help themselves to the fresh blueberry muffins that are in the oven, as she has to go make an important phone call to a developer. Liz opens the oven door and slams it again. When she shows the others, they see white maggots crawling amid the muffins. Ugh!! She is pissed off. They spend the day wandering around the lake. Jessica, Robin and Stacey want to go home but Liz won't hear of it. They eventually decide to ask Steven for help, but he and Joe laugh at them. No help there then!
In the afternoon, Aunt Helen tells them she has to spend a late evening with the town council concerning development in the area. Will they be OK on their own? Erm, no Aunt Helen, sorry there's a nutty ghost here. I mean, Elizabeth says its fine. Meh! Liz spends the rest of the day finishing the diary.
Aunt Helen goes and the girls decide they have to get to the bell tower to ring the bell to banish Bill the ghost. There is a storm raging outside (cue those Super Chiller storms). They toddle off to the bell tower, where Stacey admits she turned the light off, as "Dad always tells us to turn the lights off when we leave a room". Meh I had to laugh! They draw straws (figuratively) to choose who turns the light on. Robin does it, calling out "Nice little ghost! please don't hurt me, I wanted to back to San Diego and leave you alone". Lol! Jessica leads the way up the stairs into the attic, figuring that way it will be Elizabeth's turn to lead the way into the bell tower. great twin-sistership Jessie!
They go into the attic and start to shift things to get to the bell tower door. Suddenly a huge clap of thunder knocks the lights out. Oh noes!! Everyone screams, apart from Liz (of course). She tells them to shut up, as it was only the storm. I'd hit her, wouldn't you? Anyway. They continue on pushing things out the way, using the lightning flashes for light. As they push things out the way, they see that behind them trunks and things are sliding back into place, blocking off their escape route. Except they're not going back, are they! Suddenly, a nightgown comes floating at them, and scarf attacks Jessica. Hahahahaha! I mean, ahem, v scary! Suddenly, everything falls to the floor. Stacey has chopped the gown in half with a bayonet (a kind of sword) she has found, and is wildly wielding about! They carry on to the bell tower door, and when they get there they see the handle is circled with snapping electricity. Elizabeth states it isn't real, and, much to everyone's horror, turns the handle. She doesn't get electrocuted though, it is hard and cold to touch. Funny how it isn't locked, either. The twins step through (funny how in the ending, Robin and Stacey fade into the background) only to find the steps are covered in spiders. Liz is determined, and treads on them, though Jessica isn't so sure...they sure feel like spiders. Ugh I couldn't!!!
Stepping through, they come face to face with Will. He is pale and slightly transparent. He says he will have to kill them, as he cannot leave the tower. Liz says he won't; he didn't hurt Steven and Joe when he set the lake ghost on fire, he made the lights come on in the attic to prevent Jessica jumping from the window, and he made the clothes fall when he saw Stacey might hurt someone waving the bayonet around. He softens and says "life is more precious that you will ever know". Awww! He says he is waiting for someone to return, and he cannot leave the Inn until she has returned. Obviously he means Alexandra; she was the bride who jilted him and he died at her wedding in the bell tower of a broken heart. Liz tells him no, Alexandra didn't jilt him; she was being pressured into marrying a wealthy doctor by her father. However, she was going to announce her love for Will at the altar, and call off the wedding. Except he kind of ruined that by dying. Meh! She called the wedding to a halt anyway, and left the Inn, never to return. Liz tells Will Alexandra is dead, and he says there is nothing left for him if she will never return. He agrees to let them ring the bell. The twins reach up together and ring the bell. There is rush of air and he is gone.
The book then cuts to the Wakefield parents arriving for the reunion (and a slightly weird line by Alice, who says "where's Steven? Come and hug me baby", which is slightly ever so alarming if you ask me). The girls haven't mentioned their 'terrible experience' again (hang on, WHAT terrible experience? They sorted out a poor lovelorn ghost who the reader actually felt sorry for. Nobody died, or got taken over, which makes a change admittedly). Robin and Stacey's parents arrive too, and they have a feast in the Inn.
The book ends with the girls all sitting out by the lake, too full to move. A huge spider drops out of the tree they are under into Jessica's lap. She calmly picks it up and tosses it aside. "Pretty lame guys", she says to Steven and Joe, who are obviously up in the tree. Good on ya Jess! They run off in disappointment, and the girls discuss whether Bill has found peace. Suddenly they see a ghostly couple walking on the other side of the lake; of course it's Alexandra and Will, reunited at last. They wave to the girls and disappear. Jess sniffles and asks Liz how she explains that. "Easy", Elizabeth says, "true love is very, very logical".
The End
Well, firstly, wrong Liz. Love is not logical. It makes you do illogical things, like die in bell towers and hang around mouldering old inns as a ghost. Plus you can't choose who to fall in love with. Methinks this girl needs some serious life lessons!
This book is another of my favourite of the Super Chillers. When i was younger I liked the tricks bits best, but the whole books pretty neat. A bit soppy perhaps :)! But I suppose the ghostwriters had to touch on a love story at some point!
Note that Amy was not in this book; the Unicorns were in it briefly at the beginning but never Amy. Liz was a bit of a loner in this book, actually.
Hope you guys like the recap, hmm, maybe the Haunted Burial Ground next!
emilyyousay for recapping The Curse of the Ruby Necklace - great recap by the way, love the snarkiness!), I'm going to do this little gem! This book was again one of the first SVT books I ever read; at the time I was into ghost stories anyway and normal SV books just sort of filtered through later on. I remember being a bit disappointed by the later Super Chiller books, as the earlier ones, ie The Carnival Ghost and this one just seemed to have something the later ones lacked. Anyways, I digress, back to the book. I managed to recap the Carnival Ghost by memory (probably cos I've read it so many times) but this one, well, I can see it may take me a while, but I did only finish reading it yesterday so hopefully I'll remember most of it :) On with the story....
OK, starting with the cover. This isn't the cover I have (I have one of those circle ones) but the illustration is basically the same. The twins (long blond hair, blue-green eyes the colour of the pacific ocean - phew, glad I got that out the way) are standing at the bottom of a staircase. Neither of them look particularly great on this cover; Jessica looks like she is wearing one of Steven's t-shirts as it's HUGE and also she looks as if she is singing an opera aria, and Liz is wearing a very lurid green jacket (I think - sorry about the cover, best I could find) and looks quite ugly, frankly, with an expression as if something nasty has gone under her nose. Maybe she is shocked at Jessica's singing. At the top of the staircase, there is a glowing ghostly figure of a man.....I won't insult anyone's intelligence by asking the obvious question...YES this is the ghost of the inn.
We open with the twins, Steven and Joe Howell at the Wakefield's humble abode (with Spanish tiled kitchen). They are watching a horror film in the den; I think Steven and Joe are supposed to be babysitting as the Wakefield parents aren't mentioned in this scene and I think they have gone out for the evening. When the adverts come on, Steven gets up and goes for a drink. When he comes back, the film has come back on and he asks Liz to turn it down, which she does. Just as it reaches a suspenseful moment, mit creepy music and effects, a weird moaning starts. At first they think it's the film, but then the suspenseful moment stops, and the moaning continues. Jessica is freaked, as it sounds like it's coming from upstairs, and starts screaming (good move, I'm sure), but Liz just turns the TV off and listens. She accuses Steven and Joe of playing a practical joke. They try to deny it but Logical Liz has it all figured out. They have recorded the moaning on a tape and played it near the air conditioning ducts so it comes through the house. Steven turned it on when he supposedly got a drink. They left a blank bit at the start of the tape so the moaning wouldn't start before Steven had time to come down and sit back down. She saw Steven rummaging in the junk drawer for some batteries earlier, so she knew he wanted to use something battery powered, ie a walkman (dated ref: these days would be an ipod or similar). Steven and Joe try to deny it but she has them! Jessica is embarrassed and claims she knew all along. Yeah, right. She is huffy and puts the TV back on to find the film has finished. Haha!
The next morning, Steven and Elizabeth are having breakfast (in la Spanish tiled kitchen). Steven starts mocking Jessica's performance the night before, to which Elizabeth replies "I'm sure she would have figured it out.....eventually". Aww poor Jess, not everyone, even identical twin sisters, have Logical Lizzie powers! Anyway, Jess enters the kitchen and starts bickering with Steven. The mail arrives and Jessica gets it, bringing back an envelope addressed to the three of them. She opens it, despite Steven bickering about how it had his name on it so he should open it (whatever, Steven). It's from aunt Helen, and she is inviting the three of them to an old inn she's just being left by her old friend Alexandra Whyte in her will. The Lakeview Inn. It is in rundown condition, and do they want to spend their break helping to fix it up? Err, not likely, but apparently they all think it's a great idea! There will be a family reunion to celebrate it's reopening.Steven is allowed to take Joe (much to Jessica's disgust) and Robin and Stacey (their cousins from San Diego) will be there too. Somebody tell me, in the later books featuring Robin, is Stacey mentioned? Stacey is 8, and Robin is the twins age. The parents give immediate permission (probably so they can have an empty house to practice their brilliant parenting skills in) and they start preparing for the trip.
Jessica has the Unicorns over, and they are in her bedroom 'helping' her pack. (When I say helping, I mean Lila finds an old sock under the bed, to Jessica's delight as she has been looking everywhere for it for months. Do her parents not buy her new socks?) Also, how do all those Unicorns fit into Jessica's already overcrowded and messy room?Maybe they overspill into the bathroom, after all, they are drawn to mirrors. So, Jessica is packing, and her suitcase is crammed full. Elizabeth comes in and offers to put some of Jessica's stuff in hers, as Logical Lizzie hasn't packed her entire wardrobe (maybe she's secretly a bloke). Steven comes by and says he has got the spare suitcase down from the attic. Jessica is surprised, but thanks him very nicely. She opens it to find a bloody hand inside. The Unicorns freak out completely, wailing about the blood, but Logical Liz grabs the hand and shows them it's a fake, obviously put there by Steven and Joe. Like that wasn't obvious. That is an insult to Jessica's intelligence, if you ask me!
The next day they board the coach to Holton, where the Lakeview Inn is located. Their parents tell Steven and Joe to quit with the practical jokes, as Aunt Helen has had some heart trouble and doesn't need to be stressed out. They reluctantly agree. Jessica is smirky happy. Hours go by and eventually they arrive, to be greeted by Aunt Helen, Robin and Stacey. They all head to the inn, getting a smidge of local history from Aunt Helen on the way. When they arrive, Elizabeth looks up at the bell tower and gets a cold shiver (yawn, foreshadowing). The inn has a massive lake in the grounds (hence the name I guess) and it is extremely rundown, with peeling paint and a sagging front porch (shock!) They go in and have dinner at a massive table, which Steven proclaims could seat a hundred, but in fact could seat 20. Umm, OK then Steve, your perception is a little off! Aunt Helen asks the girls if they would mind clearing out the attic, to eventually get to the bell tower so it can be checked for being structurally sound, and the boys to do the boathouse. She also tells them that the Inn apparently has a ghost, to which Liz laughs it off and is very skeptical. After dinner, Liz helps Aunt Helen with the washing up (as per usual) whilst Robin, Stacey and Jessica go to explore and choose rooms. Liz seems a little out numbered in this book, and Jessica and Robin are very alike (ie, make-up, boys and NOT helping out) and Stacey follows Robin around. Anyway, Liz goes to find the other three after finishing washing the dishes, and wanders through the inn on her own calling them. No answer. Uh-oh, have they been eaten alive? Umm, nopes, sorry, Liz eventually finds them in the room Robin and Stacey have chosen to sleep in. Jessica has chosen the room next door, and when Liz looks at it, with its full length mirror and purple bedding, she knows why. Lol! It also has a massive portrait of a stern man on the wall, who Aunt Helen tells them is of Phineas Whyte, Alexandra's father.
That night, Elizabeth can't get to sleep. Jessica is out like a light. Suddenly, Robin and Stacey appear at the door. They are swathed in the blankets, and their lips are blue. They claim their room is freezing cold, even though the twin's room is warm. Jessica is awake by now, and they go to investigate. Hmm. Sure enough, the room is freezing, but when Elizabeth checks the windows, they are shut. The fireplace flue is shut. The radiator is warm, and pinging. Very odd. Jessica and the others think maybe it's a ghost, but Logical Liz isn't convinced, much to Jessica's frustration.
The next day, they start on the attic. It's a mess. Books, clothes, papers, furniture and so on, everywhere. Liz finds a book pile, and is happy to go through that, whilst the others try on try to clear the clothes away. Steven and Joe come up to announce they have found a cave, but, as nobody seems particularly excited, they go again.
Jessica and Robin are shoving furniture around, and ask Liz to go and get them all a drink. Liz has found Alexandra's diary, and being the nosy sod she is, she is reading it, accompanied by an old photo album she has found of Alexandra's. The diary tells how Alexandra was sitting on the porch when a young man came by, called William Cliff. Alexandra likes young Will, and the next entry states how be brought her a wild rose. The rose is pressed into the diary. Fascinating stuff. Liz eventually agrees to go and get drinks, taking Stacey with her. When they get back, Jessica is sitting on the floor panting loudly, saying the old trunk she was moving was really heavy. Abruptly, Jessica then decides it's lunchtime, and they all go down. Liz nips to their room to put the diary and album away in a 'safe place' (safe from what, exactly)?. Shock horror, the portrait of Phineas has gone, to be replaced with one of a mother and child. Liz is a little upset, and goes running down to get Jessica and the others. Jessica and Stacey are trying to 'invent' a new sandwich (try, Peanut butter and olives, peanut butter and maple syrup, ick)! Robin is washing her hands in the bathroom. Liz is trying to explain to the others, saying she needs them to tell her she isn't going crazy. Jessica after a few minutes, agrees to go up and look. When they get there, Liz points to the wall and says "There! Now tell me I'm not going crazy". Jess replies, "OK, you're not going crazy".Very smooth! Liz looks, and gasps....Phineas has reappeared. She tries to explain but Jessica again alludes to the fact it's got to be the Lakeview Inn ghost haunting them. Maybe it's because Liz doesn't believe! Liz won't accept that, and Jess, exasperated, says, "well, you must be going crazy then".
That afternoon, Liz decides to help Aunt Helen picking flowers doing the gardening. Meanwhile, Jessica is alone in the attic when a man comes up. His name is Bill (and, no, there's no raping, stalking etc in this) and he is one of the builders helping to renovate the Inn. She notices how he has a really old fashioned hairstyle, but on him, it looks good! Typical Jess! He asks Jessica if she has discovered any of the secret passages yet; she says no and he shows her some blueprints showing a secret passage between her room and Robin's that goes through the mirror. It is a trick mirror, so if the light is on in the passage, you can see into the room, and vice-versa (not sure how that would work but OK). Robin and Stacey then come up to the attic, and when Jessica turns round Bill has gone.
Elizabeth, in the meantime, has picked a massive bouquet of flowers and put them on the nightstand in her and J's room. She has also found the key that locks the bedroom door, telling Jessica how she bets no 'ghost' will be able to play tricks through a locked door. Jessica is like "whatever Elizabeth, if he wants you he will get you!" Go Jess! Jessica sniffs the flowers, saying how she loves the smell of the roses. Liz puts the key under her pillow, and goes to read a bit more of Alexandra's diary, but after Jessica taunts her for being afraid of the dark, she goes to sleep instead.
In the morning, Elizabeth wakes up. She feels 'refreshed', and calls over to Jessica, who is wide awake. She says, "it's funny how no ghostly activities happen when the door's shut". Jessica responds by saying "It's going to take more than one peaceful night to convince me, Elizabeth!" Liz goes to get out of bed, when she sees the fresh flowers are dead, in fact, more than dead, they are brittle, as if they have been burned. She is astounded, and Jessica again states it's got to be the ghost at work, then demands the key so she can go get ready! That's my girl, always focused on the important stuff! As Liz enters the kitchen for breakfast, Aunt Helen comments on how good the flowers they placed in the hallway look, and how their fragrance is so strong it can be smelt in the kitchen. Elizabeth thinks it's strange, as she couldn't smell them in the hallway! Dun der dun!
The girls decide to take a break from cleaning the attic to explore Holton. Stacey decides to stay at the Inn, but the other 3 go. They visit the entire 4 shops, commenting on how it isn't like SV/SD (snobs). They spend ages in the drugstore, lingering over cosmetics (J&R) and books (Liz) - stereotyping, anyone? Robin eventually buys some lipstick and they start to walk back to the inn. On the way, Jessica suddenly stoops down and says she has seen tracks in the dirt leading away into the underbrush. She thinks they are Steven and Joe's, and must lead to their cave. How she would know this from seeing a set of footprints, I don't know. She basically demands they go to explore the cave, and off they go, though Liz protests, you know what she's like! They come to what Liz says is a deserted mine shaft, and immediately, she decides it isn't safe so they can't go in. Sense of adventure nonexistent in this girl! But then Jessica starts worrying about Steven's welfare - "what if they're in there? Shouldn't we warn them?" Much against Liz's better judgement, although she wants to rescue Steven, in they go. Robin very conveniently has a flashlight in her purse, and they use that. They go in, shouting for Steven and Joe, until the entrance is a small chink of light in the distance. Hmm, yeah right, if Liz was scared to go in in case it fell she sure forgot that. Suddenly, a shriek echoes down the tunnel, and a tall white figure comes running from the depths, screaming. The girls scream and run back towards the entrance. As they get near the entrance, Liz looks back to see the ghost has disappeared. She quickly pulls her very-handy notebook out of her pocket and throws it on the floor. Then she catches up. Jessica and Robin are scared; they tell Liz it must be the ghost from the inn trying to convince her it is real. She won't agree, and says she has dropped her notebook and must go back to get it. Robin and Jessica are worried, but agree to wait while she goes back. She quickly grabs the notebook, and brushes away the footsteps in the sand by the entrance using a reed growing nearby. When she goes back to Jess and Robin, she says it must have been Steven, and will prove it's him by going back to the inn, double quick time, to catch him before he gets back. They get back and she's confidently leads the way, calling to Aunt Helen to ask if Steven is there. Buggar. He has been with Aunt Helen the whole time, teaching her the bank shot in pool. Jessica is like "well, Liz, I told you so, do you believe me now?" Liz is skeptical, and won't say anymore.
Aunt Helen tells them all that Gold Rush day is the day after tomorrow, and if they want they can go. The town dresses up in old costumes and there's stalls and so on.
That night, the girls both fall asleep quickly, even though Liz does find some time to read more of the diary. Alexandra and Will are becoming a couple, and there's a photograph of them together. Aww! However, Liz wakes up when she hears a loud noise. Jessica wakes up too, but can't turn the light on - apparently both bulbs are out. Liz notices that the pitch dark of the room is getting lighter...and the light is coming from the mirror. They both get up and stand in front of it. A message appears in what looks like bright red blood - "I am coming to get you, Elizabeth Wakefield. Though you do not believe, you cannot escape". Elizabeth is terrified, and grabs Jessica's hand, and is relieved to find it calm and steady. Hmm, strange! The message starts to fade away, to be replaced by a 'horrible face, with glowing eyes'. Jessica, shaking, goes and screws the bulb in the bedside lamp. Hmm, that was the cause, was it, of the lights not working. Jessica is convinced it is the ghost, but Liz comes up with a theory that they are both dreaming the same dream as they are, I dunno, identical twins. Jessica insists on sleeping with the light on (is she not worried a ghost will unscrew the bulb again) , but Liz falls asleep quite quickly.
In the morning, Liz tells the others that Aunt Helen has asked her to help her, whilst they continue with the attic. They moan, but get on with it. Liz smiles to herself, and slips out the house. She isn't helping Aunt Helen. Shock horror, is this the real Elizabeth Wakefield? Anyway, Liz retraces her steps to the cave. Funnily enough, there are two sets of footprints leading away from the cave. One is a lot smaller than the other. Liz, being a) logical and b) apparently an amateur detective, has come equipped and whips out notebook (obviously), pencil and ruler. She measures and draws the footprints, then goes back to the inn. She slips along to Steven and Joe's room. and measures his footprints. Hmm, they match one set. She goes to Robin and Stacey's room, where, lo and behold, the smaller set match Stacey's footprints. Haha!!!!!!!! As she goes to leave, having figured out that the others were trying to scare her, she notices that there is a fan shape in the carpet near the bookcase. Shock horror. Using her vast detective experience (reading Amanda Howard novels) she deduces that the bookcase is in fact a doorway. After moving the books around, she comes across a secret knob. This of course lets her into the secret passageway, where she sees a cardboard sign, with the "Beware" message written in red lipstick (Robin's from the drugstore, remember). She smiles grimly...."you have been very clever, Jessica Wakefield, but I will be cleverer yet!" Or something.
She goes up to the attic where she overhears Jessica asking Robin where the mask came from. Robin is confused, she denies ever using a mask, only the message they agreed on. Liz smiles and walks in, announcing she has thought and thought about it, and there is no logical way she can figure out the ghost. Jessica asks hopefully if she believes in the ghost yet, to which Liz replies she isn't sure. Jessica is frustrated. Grr I would be too!
Liz goes and confronts Steven and Joe in the boathouse. She tells them she has caught onto what Jessica etc have been up to, and whilst they deny it, they know she has them! Steven is disappointed as he won't be able to trick Liz again, BUT Elizabeth, who is full of surprises today (though we all know that ghosts make Liz change personality - blame the flu someone), asks Steven and Joe to help her scare Jessica, Robin and presumably Stacey (even though she is only 8!).
Elizabeth's great idea is this: they will make a raft to float across the lake that night. Joe will pull it behind him in a boat. The raft will have a mast, to which will be attached a white floaty sheet. The idea is that, from the inn, the raft will look like a ghost floating across the lake in the dark. Just as they are finishing, Bill the workman appears. Don't forget Liz hasn't met him, and therefore doesn't know he helped to scare her by telling Jess about the passage. He suggests they use a torch, or flashlight, to light up the ghost, otherwise it may not be seen as clearly. Liz turns to the boys to help them, and when she goes to thank him, he's gone!
That night, they all go up to the twins room. Jessica and Robin are still trying to convince Liz that she is being haunted by a ghost. She is refusing to get involved in the conversation, and instead comments on how bright the moon is. She then opens and shuts the curtains. This is the signal arranged so Joe knows when to sail the 'ghost' across the lake. She stands by the window as in lost in thought for a minute, then obviously when she sees Joe has started sailing, she 'stiffens dramatically' (sounds rude, ooh-er)! She points a trembling finger at the window and says "look....." The other girls rush to the window to see the 'ghost' floating across the lake. They are terrified. Liz is slyly watching Jessica. Suddenly, the ghost explodes into flames, and "night closed in around the lake once more". Well, Jess, Robin and Stacey (especially Stacey) are petrified. Their haunting antics seem to have gotten out of their control. Liz is puzzled; obviously she didn't plan for the ghost to explode like that. She slips down to Steven and Joe's room, and asks them how they made the ghost explode like that. They say they didn't but she doesn't believe them. The other girls are too scared to sleep in their own room so they all share Liz and Jessica's room, two to a bed.
The next morning, all the girls are tired. They go up to the attic to continue cleaning, but keep yawning and moaning. Liz suggests they take it in turns to have an hour nap each; Robin and Stacey can go first, and her and Jessica second. Jess moans but Robin and Stacey are knackered and go for their nap. Jessica continues to sort through some old sheets and comforters (are they like duvets?) but she keeps feeling her eyes slipping closed. She lies down for a second on the sheets, feeling like they are like a bed, but she feels herself drifting off to sleep. As she falls asleep, she wonders why Elizabeth is humming a lullaby.
When Jessica wakes up, the attic is pitch black. The only light is coming from the small window in the eaves. She calls out for Liz but no answer. She wonders why Liz has turned the light off, and gets up to find her. Suddenly she hears a creaking noise from behind her. She goes to turn around when she hears it again. It sounds as if someone is walking across the attic towards her. She calls again for Elizabeth but no answer. She starts to run towards the window, as the creaking sounds are coming from near the door, thinking she call yell out to someone. She looks behind and sees a tall white figure coming after her, with a horrible glowing face. She is terrified and tries to jump out of the attic window, screaming!!!!!
Elizabeth is in the garden picking wild raspberries for Aunt Helen when she hears the screams. She sees Jessica attempting to jump out of the window. She is horrified, and calls "hang on Jess, I'm coming". Good ol' Liz! She rushes up to the attic and wonders why the lights are off. She gropes for the light switch but she can't find it. Jessica's screams are increasingly frantic by this time, and suddenly the light comes on. Without stopping to think why it suddenly came back on, she rushes over to Jessica and eases her back inside. She makes her go down to their room, and says "right, this has gone far enough, stay there, I'm going to get Robin and Stacey". She wakes them up, and they all go and sit in the twins' room.
Elizabeth takes the floor, as it were. She says she knows all about their little scare tricks, and whilst they try to deny it, she works it all out with LOGIC, boys and girls!!
The cold room: Robin and Stacey opened all the windows and turned the radiators off. Liz knew the radiator had been turned on cos it was pinging, even though it was warm to touch. Robin also wore the same shade blue eyeshadow the next day as what her lips looked like, apparently.
The portrait swapping: Jess made Liz go and get a drink; when she got back to the attic Jess was panting, as if she had been running. However, at the time Liz thought it was because of the heavy furniture Jess had been moving. When she came running to get Jess, she purposely took ages, messing about with sandwiches, so Robin (who remember was 'washing her hands') could switch the portraits back.
The dead flowers: Jessica snuck out the room using the secret passage and cooked them in the oven. Aunt Helen remarked on how she could smell them in the kitchen, but the smell wasn't in the hallway. Liz must sleep like the fucking dead but there ya go.
The ghost in the cave (sounds like a Nancy Drew title doesn't it): Joe and Stacey were waiting in the cave; that's why Jess and Robin took so long in the drugstore, to give them time to get there and set everything up. Steven stayed behind because they knew Liz would suspect him.
The ghost in the mirror: Robin sat behind the mirror with the sign. The loud noise was the signal for Jessica to 'wake up'.
The girls are a bit disappointed. Liz then tells them about her part in the scare war. She has confessed all because she realised it had gone too far when Jess tried to take a dive out the attic window. Jess indignantly remarks that if she hadn't of turned the lights off and got someone to chase her through the attic, she wouldn't have been so scared. Liz denies it, she says she left the lights on and didn't ask anyone to chase Jess anywhere. She only played the tape recording of creaking floorboards. Same as she didn't plan the exploding lake ghost.They come to the conclusion that it must have been Steven, taking things too far as usual. However, Robin is still vehemently denying using a mask in the mirror. They decide to stop scaring each other.They also tell each other about how Bill helped them.
The next day is Gold Rush day. The girls have all dressed up in costumes they found in the attic. Jessica, Robin and Stacey all decide to go and look at the stalls, whilst Liz attends the history lecture (BORING!!!) She finds out from the local historian, Homer Bates, the legend of the Lakeview Inn......apparently the ghost of a jilted lover is supposed to haunt the bell tower. When his lover got married to another man, he died of a broken heart in the bell tower. Legend says that, when the bell is rung, the ghost will be vanquished forever.
Back at the Inn, Elizabeth carries on reading the diary. Alexandra and William became a couple.
The next day, Jessica is assigned by Aunt Helen to do the laundry. Because they found mass amounts of sheets etc in the attic, Jess has to wash them all ready to put on the beds. The other girls are in the attic as usual. Jessica soon gets bored of doing the laundry, even though she had gloated about not having to work her arse off in the attic. She feels like the pile of sheets and bedding is endless. Eventually she gets to the last pile, and when it's finished in the dryer, she folds it up and puts it in the airing cupboard. Going back to the laundry room, she sees the dryer is again full of sheets. She is puzzled, but thinks maybe she was mistaken. Upon folding these sheets, as she leaves the room she looks back. Both the washer and dryer are empty. She puts them away, goes back, and they are again full of sheets. She is suspicious (not freaked, as I would be), and again folds them up. As she leaves, she shuts the door, then springs back in, shouting "gotcha". The room is empty, the machines are empty. Hmm, fishy! She goes and puts the sheets away, then when she comes back they are again full. Jessica is furious; she is certain it is Elizabeth still trying to scare her. Though, obviously, where would Liz get the sheets from? And would she be quick enough, really? Or that childish; after Jessica had tried to jump out of an attic window I think Liz would give it up. Jessica is mad, anyway.
Cut to the evening. Liz is still reading the diary (I thought she was a quick reader). She decides to have a bath, and read in the bath. She sets the bath to run on hot, and goes to get changed into her dressing gown, or robe. When she goes back to her bath, she is engrossed in the diary. She sticks a toe in to check the temperature, and it is freezing! There is a layer of ice on the top of the water! Grr!! Elizabeth immediately suspects Jessica (which is slightly plausible how? How would they have got ice in the tub in what, 5 minutes)? Elizabeth is pissed off, big time! She storms to where the others are sitting to have it out with them! They deny it, and have a screaming match. Aunt Helen comes and breaks it up, as she is on the phone to an important developer. Liz stomps back to the bath to find it steaming hot again. She figures it must have been Steven all along. Bollocks, time to apologise.
At bedtime, Jess and Liz make up. They agree it must have been Steven and Joe who messed around with the sheets, and the bath. Yeah, right! They go to sleep. In the morning, Liz wakes up thinking the sun is very bright. She then realises that her bed isn't by the window, so, err, why is she in the bed by the window? She sits up; sure enough the twins' beds have swapped positions. She wakes Jess up, who comes up with the theory they both sleepwalked. Liz scuppers this by pulling out the diary, which she put under her pillow (lesbian tendencies) before she went to sleep. I don't suppose she could have sleepwalked with the diary? Anyway, they immediately think it was Steven, but when their brains kick in (eventually) they realise the room is too small for the beds to have gone round each other, and besides the beds are too heavy.Also, wouldn't they have woken up? They go to Robin's room. She doesn't believe them. Eventually, however, they all decide the Lakeview Inn must be haunted. Jessica, Robin and Stacey all want to go home, but Elizabeth objects (she would). She doesn't want to leave Aunt Helen to the mercy of the ghosty wosty!! Elizabeth also tells them the legend of the Inn.
They work half-heartedly in the attic all day. That night, they are all gathered in the twins' room. Elizabeth is looking through the photo album when she realises that the photo of Alexandra and Will looks familiar somehow....on further inspection they realise that William is in fact Bill. Remember how he had an old fashioned hairstyle, and disappeared mysteriously. Bill is short for Will, and Will for William. The window slams open and a gale comes roaring in. The photograph is snatched from Jessica's hand, but Liz manages to save it and slam the window shut. A warning message appears on the wall, telling them to get out of the Inn whilst they still can. It fades away just as Aunt Helen comes into the room. She is concerned as she thought the girls had hurt themselves. They tell her they were having a pillow fight, but Liz made them stop.
In the morning, they go down to breakfast. Aunt Helen tells them to help themselves to the fresh blueberry muffins that are in the oven, as she has to go make an important phone call to a developer. Liz opens the oven door and slams it again. When she shows the others, they see white maggots crawling amid the muffins. Ugh!! She is pissed off. They spend the day wandering around the lake. Jessica, Robin and Stacey want to go home but Liz won't hear of it. They eventually decide to ask Steven for help, but he and Joe laugh at them. No help there then!
In the afternoon, Aunt Helen tells them she has to spend a late evening with the town council concerning development in the area. Will they be OK on their own? Erm, no Aunt Helen, sorry there's a nutty ghost here. I mean, Elizabeth says its fine. Meh! Liz spends the rest of the day finishing the diary.
Aunt Helen goes and the girls decide they have to get to the bell tower to ring the bell to banish Bill the ghost. There is a storm raging outside (cue those Super Chiller storms). They toddle off to the bell tower, where Stacey admits she turned the light off, as "Dad always tells us to turn the lights off when we leave a room". Meh I had to laugh! They draw straws (figuratively) to choose who turns the light on. Robin does it, calling out "Nice little ghost! please don't hurt me, I wanted to back to San Diego and leave you alone". Lol! Jessica leads the way up the stairs into the attic, figuring that way it will be Elizabeth's turn to lead the way into the bell tower. great twin-sistership Jessie!
They go into the attic and start to shift things to get to the bell tower door. Suddenly a huge clap of thunder knocks the lights out. Oh noes!! Everyone screams, apart from Liz (of course). She tells them to shut up, as it was only the storm. I'd hit her, wouldn't you? Anyway. They continue on pushing things out the way, using the lightning flashes for light. As they push things out the way, they see that behind them trunks and things are sliding back into place, blocking off their escape route. Except they're not going back, are they! Suddenly, a nightgown comes floating at them, and scarf attacks Jessica. Hahahahaha! I mean, ahem, v scary! Suddenly, everything falls to the floor. Stacey has chopped the gown in half with a bayonet (a kind of sword) she has found, and is wildly wielding about! They carry on to the bell tower door, and when they get there they see the handle is circled with snapping electricity. Elizabeth states it isn't real, and, much to everyone's horror, turns the handle. She doesn't get electrocuted though, it is hard and cold to touch. Funny how it isn't locked, either. The twins step through (funny how in the ending, Robin and Stacey fade into the background) only to find the steps are covered in spiders. Liz is determined, and treads on them, though Jessica isn't so sure...they sure feel like spiders. Ugh I couldn't!!!
Stepping through, they come face to face with Will. He is pale and slightly transparent. He says he will have to kill them, as he cannot leave the tower. Liz says he won't; he didn't hurt Steven and Joe when he set the lake ghost on fire, he made the lights come on in the attic to prevent Jessica jumping from the window, and he made the clothes fall when he saw Stacey might hurt someone waving the bayonet around. He softens and says "life is more precious that you will ever know". Awww! He says he is waiting for someone to return, and he cannot leave the Inn until she has returned. Obviously he means Alexandra; she was the bride who jilted him and he died at her wedding in the bell tower of a broken heart. Liz tells him no, Alexandra didn't jilt him; she was being pressured into marrying a wealthy doctor by her father. However, she was going to announce her love for Will at the altar, and call off the wedding. Except he kind of ruined that by dying. Meh! She called the wedding to a halt anyway, and left the Inn, never to return. Liz tells Will Alexandra is dead, and he says there is nothing left for him if she will never return. He agrees to let them ring the bell. The twins reach up together and ring the bell. There is rush of air and he is gone.
The book then cuts to the Wakefield parents arriving for the reunion (and a slightly weird line by Alice, who says "where's Steven? Come and hug me baby", which is slightly ever so alarming if you ask me). The girls haven't mentioned their 'terrible experience' again (hang on, WHAT terrible experience? They sorted out a poor lovelorn ghost who the reader actually felt sorry for. Nobody died, or got taken over, which makes a change admittedly). Robin and Stacey's parents arrive too, and they have a feast in the Inn.
The book ends with the girls all sitting out by the lake, too full to move. A huge spider drops out of the tree they are under into Jessica's lap. She calmly picks it up and tosses it aside. "Pretty lame guys", she says to Steven and Joe, who are obviously up in the tree. Good on ya Jess! They run off in disappointment, and the girls discuss whether Bill has found peace. Suddenly they see a ghostly couple walking on the other side of the lake; of course it's Alexandra and Will, reunited at last. They wave to the girls and disappear. Jess sniffles and asks Liz how she explains that. "Easy", Elizabeth says, "true love is very, very logical".
The End
Well, firstly, wrong Liz. Love is not logical. It makes you do illogical things, like die in bell towers and hang around mouldering old inns as a ghost. Plus you can't choose who to fall in love with. Methinks this girl needs some serious life lessons!
This book is another of my favourite of the Super Chillers. When i was younger I liked the tricks bits best, but the whole books pretty neat. A bit soppy perhaps :)! But I suppose the ghostwriters had to touch on a love story at some point!
Note that Amy was not in this book; the Unicorns were in it briefly at the beginning but never Amy. Liz was a bit of a loner in this book, actually.
Hope you guys like the recap, hmm, maybe the Haunted Burial Ground next!