SVT Super Chiller #2: The Ghost In The Graveyard
OK, I'm trying to catch up on the gigantic list of SV books I've said previously that I'll recap. And, I'm quite anal about leaving things incomplete, so to finish off the SVT Super Chillers, here's book 2, The Ghost in the Graveyard. Woo! This book is just as, if not more so, ridiculous, than any of the other Super Chillers written, and that includes the burial ground one, believe it or not! Also, after just recapping the awesome Nightmare Mansion arc, this book is somewhat of a letdown. Oh well, I suppose we can't have enraged little girls running round all the time.
The Cover
Ah, one of those good old circle covers, which is actually the one I have. We have Elizabeth (see the ponytail) and a random boy (who is Sam Sloane), standing in a graveyard at dusk, with a faded out image of a boy standing by a grave in the distance. Sorry if that's a bit hard to see on the pic. Liz looks like she's catching flies and she has yet another huge jumper on, stolen from Ned's wardrobe no doubt. Either that, or Jess has finally nicked all her clothes and left her with this. Actually, if I'm honest, the first time I looked at the cover the immediate thought that entered my filthy mind was that there must be a reason Liz and Sam were in a graveyard by themselves at dusk, and it had a lot to do with the way her mouth was open like that, but I stopped myself there. Eww! Moving on....(oh, and the sub-title is misleading. The twins do not go on a ghost hunt. In fact, as you'll find, a lot of this book isn't even from their point of view, and they have a bigger part in the subplots, which are also more interesting than the main story as well!)
It's lunchtime at SVMS and Liz is sitting in the cafeteria reading a ghost story, much to Jessica's disgust. She wants to know why Liz isn't more excited about (yet another) spring vacation. "Jessica could never understand why Elizabeth thought books were so interesting." This leads us to the stock description of the twins, which is on PAGE TWO! PAGE TWO GUYS! That beats any records set previously I think. It also specifies that, sometimes the twins didn't even need to talk to communicate. 'It was as if they could read each other's minds.' This could quite possibly be foreshadowing, people! Caroline Pearce, she of the imaginary boyfriends, comes over and tells the twins that a new family is moving in down the street from them (remember she lives on Calico Drive too) and that they have a boy who is in sixth grade. Yay. Jess then muses whether or not he will be going on the boat trip on Sunday, the day-long one they're all having. Though why he would, I'm not sure. The twins decide to go and invite the new boy along to the trip and poke their noses in as usual, and, surprise surprise, it's Elizabeth's idea. Jessica isn't so keen as she doesn't know how cute he is (I kid you not) but she soon gets in on the action by waiting around the living room all night to see if the new family will move in. However, there's no sign by dark so she marches upstairs, leaving Liz to read her book in peace.
The next morning, Jessica wakes Liz up early (??) to go meet the new boy. It is the first day of spring vacation. Jessica is super excited, as Caroline has already called to say he is cute. Gag me. Liz gets up and gets dressed in her favourite old blue jeans and a striped T-shirt. She puts her hair in a ponytail too. Exciting stuff! They walk along the street nonchalantly, until they come to the house. A boy rides his bike out of the moving van, skidding to a stop when he sees the twins. He had 'curly black hair, was a little taller than the twins, and his eyes were a deep, warm brown.' Groan, sounds like another love interest for Elizabeth as he sounds like Todd's twin. Elizabeth marches forward and introduces both of them to the boy, who turns out to be Sam Sloane. Sam would be another one of those one-plot characters, by the way. He's from San Francisco, and will be attending SVMS with the twins, although we never hear about him again. Liz invites him along to the boat ride and he agrees, although he isn't going to actually know anybody. *Rolls eyes.* Jessica offers the Wakefields to pick him up, without asking permission first, something I'd have never dared to do. They go home, and Jess says how jealous the Unicorns will be when they see her arriving with such a cute boy. Ugh.
Sam finishes arranging his furniture and decides to go for a bike ride around town. He gets a serious sense of deja-vu when he's riding around, as if he knows where to go and what buildings will be where. Then we hear about how Sam lived in SV when he was a baby, but moved away as his natural parents were killed in a car crash and he was adopted before he turned one. They moved when he was nine months old, so he doesn't know how he can possibly remember anything about SV. Stranger still, he feels as if he belongs in Sweet Valley, as if he'd never been away. Dun der dun! Eventually, he comes to McClarendon Street, and he feels as if something has pulled him there like a magnet. Straight in with the mysteries, aren't we ghostwriter! He comes to a stop in front of a crumbling old mansion, complete with weeds (on no, not weeds),broken windows and peeling paint. Sam thinks he knows something about the abandoned house, but he doesn't know what.......
That night, Sam has a bad dream about being stuck in the sea whilst some old man tries to talk to him, but he can't reach him. What is it about these kids and premonitions through dreams, eh! We hear he has had this dream before. Oooh! He goes and eats breakfast with his parents, who ask him if he's OK. He tells them about feeling like he knows Sweet Valley already, but they tell him to forget it and he goes to the Wakefield's for a trip to the marina for the boat ride.
When they get to the marina, Sam recognises everything, the boats, the shops and so on. He is alarmed because he feels like he is connected to Sweet Valley somehow, but he doesn't know why. Am I getting this point across strongly enough? He tells Elizabeth, as, 'she wouldn't make fun of what was happening to him." Someone who recognises Saint Elizabeth for what she is. Liz doesn't laugh at him, but she does tell him that deja vu doesn't happen all the time, and it's probably because he feels like he already belongs in Sweet Valley. Bless. Except he clearly doesn't, as he feels so uncomfortable about it, as we keep getting told. Elizabeth gives Sam a big smile. "Don't worry about it." Way to go, Lizzie. They walk along the dock to the boat when an old fisherman mending a net greets Sam and tells him he gets taller everytime he sees him. Whafuck? Sam is confused, especially when the man tells him to say hello to his father for him. He panics and drags Liz off to the boat, but she dismisses it as a case of mistaken identity. Because that happens to her all the time, especially with a certain girl with the initials JW. Sam disagrees and thinks things are getting weirder by the minute. He's right, they are.
They board the boat. Lila is first in line, and Amy shows up and tells Sam that Lila has to be the first to do anything, and that she is Jessica's best friend. On the boat, Sam ditches Liz and Amy in a vain attempt to find some boys to talk to, but none pay attention to him, so he goes and sits alone by the railings, watching the water. Bless, it's horrible to be the new girl/boy, isn't it. Lila and the rest of the Unicorns come up and tell Sam to move because that's where they are going to sit. He thinks Lila seems to expect him to move just because she said so. He's right, she does. That's our Lila for you. Heh, he tells her there's no such thing as a Unicorn, which is so not the way to impress any of them at all, and she is annoyed. Jessica steps in and saves the day, telling Sam about the Unicorn Club (as if he'd care) and asks him to move. He notices that Jessica seems to be under Lila's thumb, being careful not to offend her. The day goes by, with Sam being on his own because no one bothers to talk to him or look at him. He eats on his own until - guess who - Elizabeth comes up and invites him to the pool party at Casa Wakefield in a couple days. Sam is reluctant as he doesn't want to be left out again, but agrees to go anyway.
The Unicorns are discussing Sam, saying how he may be cute but he is a 'dud' as he is being left out. Ever the Samaritans. Lila rips Elizabeth, saying how she is the only one being nice to him, and takes the piss out of her as well. Jessica sticks up for Liz and thinks to herself, 'somebody should teach Lila Fowler a lesson. Even if she is a Unicorn.'
Cut to the next night, Monday. The twins apparently gave Mrs Wakefield four 'No-Cooking Monday' nights for her birthday, where they have to do all the cooking and cleaning so she can take it easy. But I thought they helped with dinner and stuff already, as we're always hearing
about how Liz has to do Jessica's chores. Jessica hasn't shown up yet though, like last time, and Liz has had to make the entire dinner on her own. She's making boiled flounder, apparently Mrs Wakefield's favourite dish. Sounds disgusting. The kitchen's a mess and Steven comes in and demands dinner. He would. He asks where Jess is just as she comes in, saying her Unicorn meeting dragged on because they were discussing something really important. We never find out what this is, but I bet it was something drastic, like a new colour of lipgloss. Liz tells her she can do all the cleaning up after, which Jess has to agree to. Everyone agrees the dinner is delicious, and Ned thanks both the girls, which Jessica wholeheartedly accepts, and of course doormat Liz doesn't say anything. Afterwards, Jess dumps the washing up on Liz because there is a reincarnation film on and Jess just has to watch it. Doormat Liz says OK, and Jess rushes off. Steven comments that Jessica must have been reincarnated from a human to a monster, heh!
Jessica rings Lila when the commercial break is on, and Lila says she is sure she is reincarnated, and was in fact Cleopatra in a past life. Jess takes the piss (understandably - sorry Lila fans) and Lila hangs up after saying that Jess just wouldn't understand. Jess hangs up and moans to Steven. that Lila is really snobby, but everyone knows that already, Jessica! He suggests that, if Jessica is angry, she should try to get Lila back.....
Tuesday. Liz has done all the work for the pool party, (again showing her doormat syndrome) when Jessica comes out, resplendent in a silver bathing suit, and says she will let everyone in. When the kids arrive, Jess and Lila start discussing reincarnation again, saying who they think other kids were in previous lives. Peter Burns (who?) = Albert Einstein (because he's good at science) and Ginny Lu Culpepper (really good with horses and from bad fashion sense shame) was Annie Oakley or someone from the Wild West (heh). Liz joins them and says she hopes she was Florence Nightingale. HEH I just LOLLED! Lizzie sure does have big aspirations, doesn't she! Lila fakes a wide yawn as her way of showing how boring she thinks Liz is. Amy shows up in amid some sniping on Liz's behalf at having missed the now infamous reincarnation moving starring Kent Kellerman (now there's a cheesy name if I ever saw one) and Lila tells everyone she was Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. Liz and Amy go into the pool. Sam turns up, and sits on his own by the side of the pool. Honestly. Does he expect everything to be handed to him on a silver platter. Would help maybe if you tried, Sam, instead of sitting with a face like a slapped backside. Liz goes to talk to Sam, and he starts on about reincarnation as well, except he totally believes that he has been reincarnated as a way of explaining why he feels so weird in Sweet Valley and why he knows everywhere. To be fair, that's not a bad theory, and it gets him in with the conversation of the moment, except he won't go and actually talk to anybody. Sigh. Liz is freaked (but, Liz, you've already gone to a magical wonderland, grown up and returned back, and met your guardian angel), and goes to help Jessica serve the food out. She tells Jessica about Sam's theory, and, to give Jess credit, she doesn't take the piss for once, but she does come up with an idea to get revenge on Lila for being such a stuck up snob. But she's a Unicorn, Jessica! She enlists Elizabeth's help with a minimum amount of whinging on Liz's part, for a change.
Sam comes up and so does Ellen, who has a crush on him. Even though the Unicorns think he's a 'dud', Ellen? I'm shocked! Ellen asks Sam if he believes in reincarnation, and he says he does and he was someone in a circus. He then proceeds to juggle Ellen's purple running sneaker, a beach ball and a jar of mustard. Everyone applauds, and Sam now has instant friends. The kind where you just add water and stir, ya know. At the end of the party, Jess fucks off, leaving Liz to clear up as usual. Sam offers to stay and help on the proviso than Liz goes with him to the old house on McClarendon St the next day. Wonder what he has in mind, eh what! Wink wink nudge nudge.
Jess and Lila are in Jessica's room. Lila is staying over. Jess runs downstairs and looks through a Sweet Valley history book that is conveniently sitting on a shelf in the den. She wants to find someone who she can pretend to be reincarnated. Jessica finds a section called, 'Notorious Women of Sweet Valley,' (such as who? I bet Alice is in there somewhere, and Eva) and thinks that all she has to do now is fill Liz in on her plan and the stage is set.
At 12:30 AM, Jessica decides it's time. She is sure Lila is asleep, and bangs her heel on the floor muttering, "I have to get it back. They wanted to steal my gold. I had to hide it. They're coming but it's my gold. It's my gold mine." Lila wakes up confused, but Liz comes in from the bathroom (just the way Jess planned) and acts frightened because Jessica is supposedly talking about a gold mine and apparently it's a regular dream Jess has. Because, sure, Jess would have never mentioned this to Lila before, or been at a Unicorn sleepover before. Liz tells Lila that it's almost like Jessica knows something about the past, about what has happened in the past....Liz then goes back to bed, having planted the seed that Jessica may be reincarnated, and Jessica says her name is Lillian Barnes. Then she 'wakes up'. Lila is totally convinced that Jessica is actually Lillian Barnes, or was, anyway, although Jessica dismisses it. Lila won't give up though, and insists on sneaking downstairs to look through the SV History book. How did she know it was there I ask myself. Sure enough, Barnes, Lillian is listed (and I'm surprised these two know how to use an Index) and Lila reads about how Lillian Barnes owned a gold mine but it got stolen from her and she got shot. Lila thinks Jessica could be a millionaire, and determines to find the gold. Gotcha, hook, line and sinker m'dear!
Liz asks Jess to accompany her and Sam to the house. I think she thinks Sam may have an ulterior motive, such as attempted date rape in a bush. Jess agrees, and promises to be 'nice'. Gee, that's good of you, Jess, to be nice to the new kid on the block. When they get there, Liz practically begs Sam's forgiveness for inviting Jessica along, but he isn't bothered. The more the merrier, eh! He is more concerned with what he might - or might not - find out about the house and his past. But you're supposed to pay attention to the glorious Wakefield twins, Sam. From now on I'm going to refer to you as Samantha, as you must be gay. They poke around the house, but there isn't much to see, apart from the aforementioned peeling paint and weeds and stuff that is helping to corrupt Sweet Valley's idyllic look. Liz also gets this idea that Sam lived in the house when he was a baby, which is why he feels like he knows it. Good idea, except when he mentioned it to his adoptive parents wouldn't they have told him? We learn he used to be Sam Burroughs. Sam aldo feels cold near the house, but the twins don't feel cold (ooo, ghosties and ghoulies and shiver makers). Sam then thinks he sees a figure moving in an upstairs window but when he looks again, it is gone! Ooooooh! They then ask a neighbour about the house's history, but no, a Jeremiah Seever used to live there, and he was rich! And tighter than a duck's arse (although ducks don't actually have muscles in their, ahem,bottom areas and therefore when they need to go they just go, so their bottoms can never be tight, but I'm sure you didn't want to know that). And he was a grouchy fucker, who rowed with everyone. He's dead now, and no heirs have come forward, so the house is being sold to a developer. Sam is upset by the house not having been his family's after all, and wishes to be alone. To do what, I'm not sure. And not sure I want to know either.
Sam decides to run to, of all places, Whyte Memorial Cemetery. Not Sweet Valley Cemetery as mentioned in the Nightmare Mansion arc then. CONTINUITY, GHOSTWRITER! Though I suppose there could be more than one, but do these ghostwriters have the creativity for that really! Anyway, as per usual, it's nearly dark and he runs there, not needing street signs as he knows the way through his deja-vu thing. He is looking for his parent's graves, if you hadn't guessed. Then, suddenly.....a hand grabs Sam's shoulder. It is a, 'tall, gaunt, angry-looking man with piercing eyes.' So, a classic villan description then. The man accuses him of coming to vandalise, but when Sam explains what he is really doing there, the man introduces himself as the caretaker, Mr Clayton. Sam says the cemetery is scary (so why did he go there, on his own, in the dark then?) and Mr Clayton says, "It's not scary. Sometimes dead people are a lot friendlier than the living." Creepy. He's as bad as Mr Brangwen. No wonder Sam's scared. Anyway, so Sam goes off to find his parent's graves, declining Mr Clayton's offer of assistance (don't blame him) and finds them surprisingly quickly in a family plot. There's quite a few generations, but he finds one grave for a Michael Burroughs, who was Sam's age when he died thirty years ago. Sam is pondering this when he hears footsteps. However, he can't see anyone, and he calls for Clayton, but no answer. Spinning round, he sees a figure in the murky gloom walking towards him and it has his face! Is he really dead? Who knows? Sam certainly doesn't stop to stick around; he whirls round and runs off.
Liz is at the library (where else) lookng up reincarnation in none other than a book. She is debating with herself whether Sam is a liar or just delusional. Liz, just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it isn't true! *Sigh.* Upon leaving, someone calls her name. She can't see in the dark who it is (and what kind of parents let their twelve year old daughter wander around in the dark anyway. Oh, I forgot, the Wakefield (and Sloane) ones) but it turns out to be Sam. He tells her about seeing the so called ghost in the cemetery. Do you know, I've just thought that how come they call it 'graveyard' on the cover, and 'cemetery' inside the book? Is this another English cover and American book scenario, like Sarah's Dad & Sophia's Mum? Is 'cemetery' a predominantly American word? Anyway, Liz is more concerned with how he found the graves in the dark, lolz! Sam tells her the ghost had his face, which gets her attention (finally). I'm very tempted to leave the recap here for now just to get everyone's opinions on this but I won't. Sam wants to go back but Liz won't in the dark, so they arrange to go the following day. *Shakes head.* Nutcases! Liz tells Jess all about it, basically daring Jess to go with them by being afraid of the 'imaginary ghost.' Oh, Liz, you bitch! Jess can't go til the afternoon, so they plan to go then.
Jess meets Lila at the library the next morning. THE LIBRARY! Oh dear Lila what has come over you. They are researching into who Lillian Barnes was. Lila doesn't want to tell the other Unicorns so she can keep the (imaginary) gold to herself. That would be our Lila. It almost makes up for her being so darn gullible in this book. Lila wants to hypnotise Jessica (using a library book for guidance) to find the gold. Hahaha! Jess goes along with it, and pretends to be hypnotised through Lila's use of 'Beginning Hypnotism.' Heh! Jessica pretends to be Lillian Barnes, and says she lived in the house on McClarendon Street. Then they get kicked out by the librarian for shouting or something and they bike to the house. Jessica feels uncomfortable because it is the darkest house on the street, and they go off to meet the Unicorns.
Jessica then proceeds to tell the rest of the Unicorns about Sam's ghost sighting. Lila says she believes in them whilst everyone else scoffs, as she's seen a ghost on some holiday she went on with her dad. Jessica gets all freaked by the story, and is nervous about going to the cemetery with Liz and Sam. She goes home and tries to wiggle out of it by saying she wants to rearrange her closet, but Liz sees straight through that one, as anyone who knows Jessica would, and forces her to go by being upset. Steven comes by and tells them even more ghost stories to further scare them. Brothers, eh! Liz still makes Jess go though. Nice of her.
They wait with Sam at the cemetery but to no avail. Jessica is impatient and Liz even thinks they should go. Sam points out Michael's gravestone and as he does, Jessica screams. Sure enough, there is a figure standing fifty yards away with Sam's face. In fact, his whole body resembles Sam's. The ghost turns and runs away, with Lizzie in hot pursuit (two guys who look like Todd? Come back!) Eventually she catches up with the 'ghost', just as Sam and Jessica catch up with her. It is in fact a real boy, not a ghost at all. . Liz knew he wasn't a ghost due to his suntan and Johnny Buck T-shirt. His name is David Barton, and Jessica is the first to point out that Sam & David must be twins! When they realise that they have the same birthday, and they were both adopted when they were babies as their real parents, Ted & Julie Burroughs, died, they realise in fact they must be twins! Triple groan! I'm quite tempted to go out into the car park and find a twin myself, as I'm starting to feel a little left out! Anyway, Liz suggests they go home and talk to their parents, which they do.
On the bus, it is revealed that David goes to the other Sweet Valley middle school, as he's lived in SV all his life. Also, Sam reasons that David is the reason that he knew Sweet Valley so well, and of course the old man on the dock thought he was David.Jess tells them that her and Liz have a connection too. The boys go to Sam's house to reveal everything that's happened, finding out they both have dogs called Terry on the way. Sam's mother is astounded, and calls his dad back from work. Turns out they didn't know Sam had a twin, either! Then they go to David's house to talk to his parents. However, unlike Mr & Mrs Sloane, the first thing David's mother says is, "Sam! What are you doing here?" David's parents knew he had a twin who got adopted and never told him! Not just a brother, but a twin! Federal treachery!! David is rightly pissed, and tells them so. They explain that thy didn't want him to have to wonder about his brother and maybe never meet him. Yeah, ok then. Turns out the Bartons didn't know the boys' parents; but when they saw the crash on TV that killed not only their parents but their grandmother, they knew they had to help. The twins went to a great aunt who was to old to look after both of them, so she kept David and Sam was adopted. She never told anyone about Sam so she could keep him instead of him being adopted with David. That seems a little selfish to me, in my humble opinion.That's why Sam's parents didn't know. Great aunt Bea then broke her hip, and Sam had to be adopted too. So that's the twins' story explained and everyone is so happy that they all have dinner together, Sam's parents too. All in an afternoon. Uh-huh!
You may think now that this story is over. They've found the 'ghost', right! Wrong! There's more. This book is so ummm, exciting :-D!
David and Sam are comparing what they do alike in David's room ie hanging baseball cards on a bulletin board. Yawn. And they have the same books. Double yawn. Then they decide to plan a joint birthday party for their upcoming twelfth birthday, which of course the parentals are happy with. They go to bed in David's room (as Sam is staying over) and Sam tells David all about his weird dream, the drowning one. David has the same dream too. Fancy that. And of course, they both have the dream that night. When they wake up, the look at pictures of their dead parents, and there is one of them standing outside the house on McClarendon Street. It's all coming together now. David thinks Sam is being a bit ridiculous about being 'drawn' there (and I agree) and Sam sadly thinks that they aren't so alike after all. Talk to those Wakefield girls, they'll tell you all about looking alike but being different. Or we could, after all we hear it all the time. Sam notices in the photo there is the face of a person in one of the house's windows, like he thought he saw when he was there. He is excited and thinks it's haunted but David is less than interested. He does agree, however, to go back there with Sam in the afternoon.
Lila calls up Jess, admitting to being a bit scared that Jessica has been reincarnated. So much for being Cleopatra, Lila. She is ridiculous in this book, and not her usual self at all. Lila thinks they should try to find the gold soon, so Jess can stop being haunted (and have money, haha). Jess is annoyed as it seems all Lila cares about is the gold after all (atta girl, you are redeemed) and decides to go a bit further with her plan.
Sam & David are at the bike store near the marina. Sam feels a powerful tug in his memory every time he is there, but he can't think why the seascape would affect him that way. He thinks it's where his parents may have died but it isn't. He just wants to leave as soon as possible, but they get waylaid by none other than Elizabeth and Jessica, who are at the record shop. He explains about the face in the photograph, and asks them along to help explore.
Sam's adoptive mother is all upset when he gets back that now he's found his darling twin brother, he will leave her and his dad behind. Woman, get a life. Although, admittedly, she does seem more bothered than say, Alice would be, so ten points. I'm sure some time in Sweet Valley will lose that though!
They all go to the house that is now a mansion in the book and poke around. Going round to the back garden, they see an old man gardening. Strange and strangerer! The twins realise that the man is actually the old man in their dream. Sam notices a chill in the air, but no one else does. The old man offers to show them his garden, to which Elizabeth replies, "I love flowers."Yeah, and rocks. They notice he has a formal way of talking, and talks about perennial flowers as having a 'second chance at life,' which is ever so slightly disturbing. He then picks some flowers and gives them to the girls. Man, he's creepy. Sam asks his name, which is P.J (pyjama?). He says that the Burroughs used to own the mansion, a long time ago. Sam is like, yay, I knew I was right! P.J then tells them the sad tale (another one, yes) of the Burroughs...
The mansion had been in the Burrough family for generations, last owned by the twins' great grandad, Peter Burroughs, who's best friend was Jeremiah Seever. Peter was an inventor, and didn't care about money, although Jeremiah did. They decided to start a business together, and Peter mortgaged the mansion to get the money. The business was a great success, until Peter thought Jeremiah was trying to cheat him. And Jeremiah thought Peter was cheating him.So they had a huge row, dissolved the partnership, and never spoke to each other again. "In their entire lives?, " Jessica asked. She took pride in the fact no one could stay angry at her for more than a day'. Lol! Twelve months later, Peter died, and Jeremiah produced legal papers stating the house as his as part of the agreement when they dissolved the business. This was a lie, but the court ordered Peter's widow and children out so Jeremiah could move in, where he lived until he died.
I'm thinking this should be a book, The Burroughs of Sweet Valley. It's about as good as the rest of them :-D though it might need to be longer. Anyone up for writing it?
The boy twins realise that the house should be by rights theirs. Sam asks P.J who Michael Burroughs was, and how he died, but P.J gets annoyed for some reason, and tells them to buggar off. He then storms off, but when Sam follows him he has 'vanished into thin air.'Hands up everyone who was expecting that. *Nods sagely.* A whole forest of hands I see.
The next day, Jessica decides to finish off her trick on Lila. She gets a wooden box from her closet (it isn't explained why she has this in there) and writes on a piece of paper, 'Fooled you Lila.' She then bikes to the mansion on McClarendon Street, worrying about if it's haunted or not as she trespasses in anyway. She feels like she is being watched. Could it be P.J? Nope, no sign. Jessica quickly bends down and buries the wooden box in a shallow grave hole. She then freaks and runs out.
Liz is cooking dinner for another one of her mom's birthday meals. Jessica, again, hasn't shown up.Liz is making a fine old mess, and running late with dinner, when Jessica shows up and demands dinner straight away. *Bitchslap.* Apparently Janet Howell made them stay at the mall to see Mr Bowman clothes shopping. How would Janet know he was going out clothes shopping? Does she stalk him? Then Jessica says that she is staying at Lila's the night, and having dinner there actually, leaving Liz to finish dinner all by herself. Liz fumes and swears revenge.
At Lila's, Jessica tells Lila she had a dream as Lillian Barnes, and that she remembered that she buried the gold at the mansion. Lila falls for it, and they arrange to meet at the mansion tomorrow to dig it up. Jess has misgivings, as the mansion creeps her out, but then Lila gets all excited so she goes along with it.
Sam and Liz are at the City Hall researching into his family history. Does Liz not have like, a life? They find an old article on Michael Burroughs, who had the same birthdate as Sam & David. Also, he died the day before his twelfth birthday, and tomorrow is the day before the boys' twelfth birthday. We are (finally) building up to a climax, everyone. They go to the library to find out how he died, but it's shut. Sam moans but the librarian won't let him in.Sam feels that someone is going to happen, and he needs to know what happened to Michael.
Lila and Jess meet at the mansion. Lila thinks it's spooky, and Jess agrees, but they go in anyway. Lila digs under the tree to find the gold, finds the box, opens it, reads the note and looks at Jessica, who is dying of mirth. Lila is furious, and cries. She then slams the box on the floor and storms off, slamming the iron gates shut behind her. Jessica is left alone, and decides to leave, as she feels watched again, and it's getting dark. However, the gates are locked, and she can't get out!!
Liz feels an overpowering sense that Jessica needs her. She feels 'drawn' to the mansion and finds Jessica locked in. Damn, no horror stories of Jessica being alone all night, left to starve with werewolves and ghosts then. The gates aren't locked after all, and Liz opens them to let Jess out, saying, "I'm glad we're twins." Ker-splat. That was me throwing up. Jess tells Liz all about the practical joke she played on Lila, and Liz suggests Jessica says she is sorry. Would she even know the meaning of the word?Jess states that the house is dangerous, and from now on everyone should stay away from it.
The next morning, Sam goes back to the library and finds the article on how Michael died. The headline reads, 'Local Businessman and Grandson Drown in Boating Accident.' Peter J. Burroughs and Michael were on a boating trip to celebrate Micahel's birthday the next day, but there was a sudden ferocious storm and the boat capsized. They both drowned, even though Peter tried to save Michael. There is also a photo of Michael, who is yet another Sam & David lookalike. And of course, a photo of Peter, who looks exactly like P.J, the caretaker at the mansion and the man in Sam's dream. Fancy that. But Peter died thirty years ago in the boating accident, remember! Or did he? We know SV has a history of people supposedly dying when they didn't.
Sam rings David, only to find he has gone sailing with his dad. Sam is seriously alarmed, and convinced that what happened to Michael and Peter will happen to David and his dad, as all the dates match up. He goes to the Wakefields and demands a lift to the marina, telling them he is convinced David is going to die. However, Alice & Ned aren't home, so they ring the marina to tell David and his dad not to go. The twins are easily convinced aren't they! Too late, David and his dad are already headed for open water.
The twins and Sam bike to the marina, and on the way a storm blows up, when before the weather was perfect. Very coincidental. And what an opportune moment for this to happen. They get there in time to see a small boat out on the waves, struggling to come inshore. However, it capsizes, and they see a boy fall into the water. No one can go and help because it's Sweet Valley, and where would the plot be if they did! Sam feels what David is feeling; confusion, splashing and the taste of saltwater. He can't breathe, and collapses. Now, does this mean that, as kids, if one of them fell over the other got a cut, like stigmata? Sam wakes up again on the dock, covered in blankets, with his parents nearby. The storm is over, and David's dad has been found and is OK, but no David. Sam cries and blames himself, as he knew it was going to happen. He would make a brilliant partner for Liz.
The coast guards search for David all day, to no avail. Sam sits and waits, and eventually falls asleep, where he dreams that the old man, who is actually P.J, swims deeper and deeper under the waves until he rescues an unconscious body, David. P.J then carries him to a remote beach house, and covers him with a wool blanket. David is alive but unconscious. Sam wakes up and tells everyone David is alive. No one believes him, and the coast guards start to give up. Sam, in desperation, tells one of the coast guards, who eventually agrees to go and have a look. Sam, the twins and two coast guards go. Wouldn't Alice & Ned be missing the twins by now? Liz tells Jess there is something special between Sam & David, like there is between them. Bless. they go to the beach house, and, lo and behold, there's David asleep under the blanket.
David wakes up and tells them all that he remembers being grabbed in the sea by an old man, who he thought was P.J, but he thought he was dreaming. Turns out he wasn't. Under David's head is a plaid shirt, rolled up to make a pillow, that is the same as the one P.J was wearing at the mansion. Sam tells David that P.J is the ghost of their great grandfather. Everyone is happy and they go back to the marina. The end? Nope, more yet. Really hashing this one out, ghostwriter!
That night, Sam stays at David's. They remember the face in the photo, and discuss how it must have been P.J trying to warn them, and how he must be happy now he's had a second chance to save a life, as he couldn't save Michael he saved David instead. They look at the photo and the face is gone. He is finally at peace :-)! However, on the photo is the outline of a door on the wall of the mansion. Yep, it's a message from P.J to say there's a secret room. They decide to go to the mansion tomorrow and explore...
Jessica rings Lila and apologises for the joke. Lila forgives Jess and all is well (but don't forget Liz is plotting...)
Sam and David go to the mansion and explore. They ask a neighbour if she's seen the caretaker, but she says she never saw one in the first place, which confirms that P.J was a ghost. They find the secret door, hidden by some ivy (it's like the Secret Garden isn't it), and inside they find some boxes and old furniture. There isn't anything of value in there however. The Wakefield twins then turn up, as Jess had lost Liz's headband there, and offer to help. Very convenient, again. I suppose the twins had to be in grand finale, otherwise this book would have had to be renamed Sweet Valley Male Twins. Liz gets all excited about a beautiful old roll top desk (she would) and starts pawing through it. What does she find but a large envelope entitled, 'Personal Property of Jeremiah Seever.' Inside are papers signed by both Jeremiah and Peter. David recognises them as legal documents, as both his parents are lawyers (where were they for Liz's trial, eh. Some healthy competition for Ned) and they take them to his dad. Turns out the papers show that the house was never signed over to Jeremiah, and therefore Sam & David are the real owners. Wouldn't it be put into a trust for them or something? They're twelve!
They decide to throw their joint party at the old mansion. Whaaat? It's all neglected and horrible. Would the Sweet Vallians really lower themselves to go there for a party which isn't at Halloween? Anyway, so the party is held, and Sam & David wear exactly the same outfits with name tags to identify themselves. I suppose they have got a lifetime of twin switch to catch up on. Liz & Jess aren't fooled though. They have too much experience I imagine.
During the party, Jessica notices Lila and Liz whispering together in the corner. However, she soon forgets about it. At the end of the party, only the two sets of twins are left. Liz of course helps to clean up, whilst Jess lounges around in a chair.They all leave the room, leaving Jess by herself.Jess gets all nervous and calls out for the, but no answer.She walks around the house calling for them, but no one calls back. She eventually sees a door ajar with light coming from the room beyond, and, gathering her courage, walks in. What's behind the door? Umm, Liz, Sam & David, talking.Jess has a go at them for scaring her, and Liz suddenly looks terrified at the dark hallway behind her. Jess turns round and a figure screams, "Wroooaaa," behind her. Sounds like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh to me. Jess screams, and Lila bursts in and laughs. Payback! Hehe, go Lila!
That night, the twins discuss going back to school. Jessica tries to worm out of doing the last No-Cooking Monday by saying she promised to help Lila with something. Liz says it's no problem at all, in fact she is looking forward to it. Jess is suspicious that Liz isn't mad at her, and is convinced that Liz is actually planning revenge for Jessica's laziness all the times before. In fact, she gets so suspicious, she declares she will do all the cooking on Monday so Liz can't wreak revenge, which of course is what Liz wanted all along. The manipulator is out manipulated, for a change. And, yes, Liz's big revenge was manipulating Jessica into making dinner. Very avengeful, Liz!
On Monday, Jess makes a complete mess of dinner. Nothing goes right, and she has to throw it all in the bin. Eventually, she goes to last resorts, and makes cheese sandwiches for dinner. Heh! She cuts them into triangles and puts parsley on top, and sets the table with candles and best china. I love Jess, she does crack me up. Though I'm sure this will be responsible for another inferior complex when she's older. The family sit down to dinner, and everyone is, erm, well, underwhelmed shall we say. Apart from Elizabeth, who look at Jess and says, "looks good to me. In fact, I think this is the best No-Cooking Monday yet. Thanks for cooking, Jessica." Sanctimonious bitch! She gets to look brilliant in mommy and daddy's eyes, yet again. Though I guess Jess does deserve it. Jessica eyes Liz suspiciously, ' If she didn't know better, she would have thought Elizabeth planned it this way. But that would just be letting her imagination run away with her again, wouldn't it."
I love it that this book isn't even about the twins, and yet the sub plots are still more interesting that the main one, and we end the book with them as well. Lol!
The Cover
Ah, one of those good old circle covers, which is actually the one I have. We have Elizabeth (see the ponytail) and a random boy (who is Sam Sloane), standing in a graveyard at dusk, with a faded out image of a boy standing by a grave in the distance. Sorry if that's a bit hard to see on the pic. Liz looks like she's catching flies and she has yet another huge jumper on, stolen from Ned's wardrobe no doubt. Either that, or Jess has finally nicked all her clothes and left her with this. Actually, if I'm honest, the first time I looked at the cover the immediate thought that entered my filthy mind was that there must be a reason Liz and Sam were in a graveyard by themselves at dusk, and it had a lot to do with the way her mouth was open like that, but I stopped myself there. Eww! Moving on....(oh, and the sub-title is misleading. The twins do not go on a ghost hunt. In fact, as you'll find, a lot of this book isn't even from their point of view, and they have a bigger part in the subplots, which are also more interesting than the main story as well!)
It's lunchtime at SVMS and Liz is sitting in the cafeteria reading a ghost story, much to Jessica's disgust. She wants to know why Liz isn't more excited about (yet another) spring vacation. "Jessica could never understand why Elizabeth thought books were so interesting." This leads us to the stock description of the twins, which is on PAGE TWO! PAGE TWO GUYS! That beats any records set previously I think. It also specifies that, sometimes the twins didn't even need to talk to communicate. 'It was as if they could read each other's minds.' This could quite possibly be foreshadowing, people! Caroline Pearce, she of the imaginary boyfriends, comes over and tells the twins that a new family is moving in down the street from them (remember she lives on Calico Drive too) and that they have a boy who is in sixth grade. Yay. Jess then muses whether or not he will be going on the boat trip on Sunday, the day-long one they're all having. Though why he would, I'm not sure. The twins decide to go and invite the new boy along to the trip and poke their noses in as usual, and, surprise surprise, it's Elizabeth's idea. Jessica isn't so keen as she doesn't know how cute he is (I kid you not) but she soon gets in on the action by waiting around the living room all night to see if the new family will move in. However, there's no sign by dark so she marches upstairs, leaving Liz to read her book in peace.
The next morning, Jessica wakes Liz up early (??) to go meet the new boy. It is the first day of spring vacation. Jessica is super excited, as Caroline has already called to say he is cute. Gag me. Liz gets up and gets dressed in her favourite old blue jeans and a striped T-shirt. She puts her hair in a ponytail too. Exciting stuff! They walk along the street nonchalantly, until they come to the house. A boy rides his bike out of the moving van, skidding to a stop when he sees the twins. He had 'curly black hair, was a little taller than the twins, and his eyes were a deep, warm brown.' Groan, sounds like another love interest for Elizabeth as he sounds like Todd's twin. Elizabeth marches forward and introduces both of them to the boy, who turns out to be Sam Sloane. Sam would be another one of those one-plot characters, by the way. He's from San Francisco, and will be attending SVMS with the twins, although we never hear about him again. Liz invites him along to the boat ride and he agrees, although he isn't going to actually know anybody. *Rolls eyes.* Jessica offers the Wakefields to pick him up, without asking permission first, something I'd have never dared to do. They go home, and Jess says how jealous the Unicorns will be when they see her arriving with such a cute boy. Ugh.
Sam finishes arranging his furniture and decides to go for a bike ride around town. He gets a serious sense of deja-vu when he's riding around, as if he knows where to go and what buildings will be where. Then we hear about how Sam lived in SV when he was a baby, but moved away as his natural parents were killed in a car crash and he was adopted before he turned one. They moved when he was nine months old, so he doesn't know how he can possibly remember anything about SV. Stranger still, he feels as if he belongs in Sweet Valley, as if he'd never been away. Dun der dun! Eventually, he comes to McClarendon Street, and he feels as if something has pulled him there like a magnet. Straight in with the mysteries, aren't we ghostwriter! He comes to a stop in front of a crumbling old mansion, complete with weeds (on no, not weeds),broken windows and peeling paint. Sam thinks he knows something about the abandoned house, but he doesn't know what.......
That night, Sam has a bad dream about being stuck in the sea whilst some old man tries to talk to him, but he can't reach him. What is it about these kids and premonitions through dreams, eh! We hear he has had this dream before. Oooh! He goes and eats breakfast with his parents, who ask him if he's OK. He tells them about feeling like he knows Sweet Valley already, but they tell him to forget it and he goes to the Wakefield's for a trip to the marina for the boat ride.
When they get to the marina, Sam recognises everything, the boats, the shops and so on. He is alarmed because he feels like he is connected to Sweet Valley somehow, but he doesn't know why. Am I getting this point across strongly enough? He tells Elizabeth, as, 'she wouldn't make fun of what was happening to him." Someone who recognises Saint Elizabeth for what she is. Liz doesn't laugh at him, but she does tell him that deja vu doesn't happen all the time, and it's probably because he feels like he already belongs in Sweet Valley. Bless. Except he clearly doesn't, as he feels so uncomfortable about it, as we keep getting told. Elizabeth gives Sam a big smile. "Don't worry about it." Way to go, Lizzie. They walk along the dock to the boat when an old fisherman mending a net greets Sam and tells him he gets taller everytime he sees him. Whafuck? Sam is confused, especially when the man tells him to say hello to his father for him. He panics and drags Liz off to the boat, but she dismisses it as a case of mistaken identity. Because that happens to her all the time, especially with a certain girl with the initials JW. Sam disagrees and thinks things are getting weirder by the minute. He's right, they are.
They board the boat. Lila is first in line, and Amy shows up and tells Sam that Lila has to be the first to do anything, and that she is Jessica's best friend. On the boat, Sam ditches Liz and Amy in a vain attempt to find some boys to talk to, but none pay attention to him, so he goes and sits alone by the railings, watching the water. Bless, it's horrible to be the new girl/boy, isn't it. Lila and the rest of the Unicorns come up and tell Sam to move because that's where they are going to sit. He thinks Lila seems to expect him to move just because she said so. He's right, she does. That's our Lila for you. Heh, he tells her there's no such thing as a Unicorn, which is so not the way to impress any of them at all, and she is annoyed. Jessica steps in and saves the day, telling Sam about the Unicorn Club (as if he'd care) and asks him to move. He notices that Jessica seems to be under Lila's thumb, being careful not to offend her. The day goes by, with Sam being on his own because no one bothers to talk to him or look at him. He eats on his own until - guess who - Elizabeth comes up and invites him to the pool party at Casa Wakefield in a couple days. Sam is reluctant as he doesn't want to be left out again, but agrees to go anyway.
The Unicorns are discussing Sam, saying how he may be cute but he is a 'dud' as he is being left out. Ever the Samaritans. Lila rips Elizabeth, saying how she is the only one being nice to him, and takes the piss out of her as well. Jessica sticks up for Liz and thinks to herself, 'somebody should teach Lila Fowler a lesson. Even if she is a Unicorn.'
Cut to the next night, Monday. The twins apparently gave Mrs Wakefield four 'No-Cooking Monday' nights for her birthday, where they have to do all the cooking and cleaning so she can take it easy. But I thought they helped with dinner and stuff already, as we're always hearing
about how Liz has to do Jessica's chores. Jessica hasn't shown up yet though, like last time, and Liz has had to make the entire dinner on her own. She's making boiled flounder, apparently Mrs Wakefield's favourite dish. Sounds disgusting. The kitchen's a mess and Steven comes in and demands dinner. He would. He asks where Jess is just as she comes in, saying her Unicorn meeting dragged on because they were discussing something really important. We never find out what this is, but I bet it was something drastic, like a new colour of lipgloss. Liz tells her she can do all the cleaning up after, which Jess has to agree to. Everyone agrees the dinner is delicious, and Ned thanks both the girls, which Jessica wholeheartedly accepts, and of course doormat Liz doesn't say anything. Afterwards, Jess dumps the washing up on Liz because there is a reincarnation film on and Jess just has to watch it. Doormat Liz says OK, and Jess rushes off. Steven comments that Jessica must have been reincarnated from a human to a monster, heh!
Jessica rings Lila when the commercial break is on, and Lila says she is sure she is reincarnated, and was in fact Cleopatra in a past life. Jess takes the piss (understandably - sorry Lila fans) and Lila hangs up after saying that Jess just wouldn't understand. Jess hangs up and moans to Steven. that Lila is really snobby, but everyone knows that already, Jessica! He suggests that, if Jessica is angry, she should try to get Lila back.....
Tuesday. Liz has done all the work for the pool party, (again showing her doormat syndrome) when Jessica comes out, resplendent in a silver bathing suit, and says she will let everyone in. When the kids arrive, Jess and Lila start discussing reincarnation again, saying who they think other kids were in previous lives. Peter Burns (who?) = Albert Einstein (because he's good at science) and Ginny Lu Culpepper (really good with horses and from bad fashion sense shame) was Annie Oakley or someone from the Wild West (heh). Liz joins them and says she hopes she was Florence Nightingale. HEH I just LOLLED! Lizzie sure does have big aspirations, doesn't she! Lila fakes a wide yawn as her way of showing how boring she thinks Liz is. Amy shows up in amid some sniping on Liz's behalf at having missed the now infamous reincarnation moving starring Kent Kellerman (now there's a cheesy name if I ever saw one) and Lila tells everyone she was Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. Liz and Amy go into the pool. Sam turns up, and sits on his own by the side of the pool. Honestly. Does he expect everything to be handed to him on a silver platter. Would help maybe if you tried, Sam, instead of sitting with a face like a slapped backside. Liz goes to talk to Sam, and he starts on about reincarnation as well, except he totally believes that he has been reincarnated as a way of explaining why he feels so weird in Sweet Valley and why he knows everywhere. To be fair, that's not a bad theory, and it gets him in with the conversation of the moment, except he won't go and actually talk to anybody. Sigh. Liz is freaked (but, Liz, you've already gone to a magical wonderland, grown up and returned back, and met your guardian angel), and goes to help Jessica serve the food out. She tells Jessica about Sam's theory, and, to give Jess credit, she doesn't take the piss for once, but she does come up with an idea to get revenge on Lila for being such a stuck up snob. But she's a Unicorn, Jessica! She enlists Elizabeth's help with a minimum amount of whinging on Liz's part, for a change.
Sam comes up and so does Ellen, who has a crush on him. Even though the Unicorns think he's a 'dud', Ellen? I'm shocked! Ellen asks Sam if he believes in reincarnation, and he says he does and he was someone in a circus. He then proceeds to juggle Ellen's purple running sneaker, a beach ball and a jar of mustard. Everyone applauds, and Sam now has instant friends. The kind where you just add water and stir, ya know. At the end of the party, Jess fucks off, leaving Liz to clear up as usual. Sam offers to stay and help on the proviso than Liz goes with him to the old house on McClarendon St the next day. Wonder what he has in mind, eh what! Wink wink nudge nudge.
Jess and Lila are in Jessica's room. Lila is staying over. Jess runs downstairs and looks through a Sweet Valley history book that is conveniently sitting on a shelf in the den. She wants to find someone who she can pretend to be reincarnated. Jessica finds a section called, 'Notorious Women of Sweet Valley,' (such as who? I bet Alice is in there somewhere, and Eva) and thinks that all she has to do now is fill Liz in on her plan and the stage is set.
At 12:30 AM, Jessica decides it's time. She is sure Lila is asleep, and bangs her heel on the floor muttering, "I have to get it back. They wanted to steal my gold. I had to hide it. They're coming but it's my gold. It's my gold mine." Lila wakes up confused, but Liz comes in from the bathroom (just the way Jess planned) and acts frightened because Jessica is supposedly talking about a gold mine and apparently it's a regular dream Jess has. Because, sure, Jess would have never mentioned this to Lila before, or been at a Unicorn sleepover before. Liz tells Lila that it's almost like Jessica knows something about the past, about what has happened in the past....Liz then goes back to bed, having planted the seed that Jessica may be reincarnated, and Jessica says her name is Lillian Barnes. Then she 'wakes up'. Lila is totally convinced that Jessica is actually Lillian Barnes, or was, anyway, although Jessica dismisses it. Lila won't give up though, and insists on sneaking downstairs to look through the SV History book. How did she know it was there I ask myself. Sure enough, Barnes, Lillian is listed (and I'm surprised these two know how to use an Index) and Lila reads about how Lillian Barnes owned a gold mine but it got stolen from her and she got shot. Lila thinks Jessica could be a millionaire, and determines to find the gold. Gotcha, hook, line and sinker m'dear!
Liz asks Jess to accompany her and Sam to the house. I think she thinks Sam may have an ulterior motive, such as attempted date rape in a bush. Jess agrees, and promises to be 'nice'. Gee, that's good of you, Jess, to be nice to the new kid on the block. When they get there, Liz practically begs Sam's forgiveness for inviting Jessica along, but he isn't bothered. The more the merrier, eh! He is more concerned with what he might - or might not - find out about the house and his past. But you're supposed to pay attention to the glorious Wakefield twins, Sam. From now on I'm going to refer to you as Samantha, as you must be gay. They poke around the house, but there isn't much to see, apart from the aforementioned peeling paint and weeds and stuff that is helping to corrupt Sweet Valley's idyllic look. Liz also gets this idea that Sam lived in the house when he was a baby, which is why he feels like he knows it. Good idea, except when he mentioned it to his adoptive parents wouldn't they have told him? We learn he used to be Sam Burroughs. Sam aldo feels cold near the house, but the twins don't feel cold (ooo, ghosties and ghoulies and shiver makers). Sam then thinks he sees a figure moving in an upstairs window but when he looks again, it is gone! Ooooooh! They then ask a neighbour about the house's history, but no, a Jeremiah Seever used to live there, and he was rich! And tighter than a duck's arse (although ducks don't actually have muscles in their, ahem,bottom areas and therefore when they need to go they just go, so their bottoms can never be tight, but I'm sure you didn't want to know that). And he was a grouchy fucker, who rowed with everyone. He's dead now, and no heirs have come forward, so the house is being sold to a developer. Sam is upset by the house not having been his family's after all, and wishes to be alone. To do what, I'm not sure. And not sure I want to know either.
Sam decides to run to, of all places, Whyte Memorial Cemetery. Not Sweet Valley Cemetery as mentioned in the Nightmare Mansion arc then. CONTINUITY, GHOSTWRITER! Though I suppose there could be more than one, but do these ghostwriters have the creativity for that really! Anyway, as per usual, it's nearly dark and he runs there, not needing street signs as he knows the way through his deja-vu thing. He is looking for his parent's graves, if you hadn't guessed. Then, suddenly.....a hand grabs Sam's shoulder. It is a, 'tall, gaunt, angry-looking man with piercing eyes.' So, a classic villan description then. The man accuses him of coming to vandalise, but when Sam explains what he is really doing there, the man introduces himself as the caretaker, Mr Clayton. Sam says the cemetery is scary (so why did he go there, on his own, in the dark then?) and Mr Clayton says, "It's not scary. Sometimes dead people are a lot friendlier than the living." Creepy. He's as bad as Mr Brangwen. No wonder Sam's scared. Anyway, so Sam goes off to find his parent's graves, declining Mr Clayton's offer of assistance (don't blame him) and finds them surprisingly quickly in a family plot. There's quite a few generations, but he finds one grave for a Michael Burroughs, who was Sam's age when he died thirty years ago. Sam is pondering this when he hears footsteps. However, he can't see anyone, and he calls for Clayton, but no answer. Spinning round, he sees a figure in the murky gloom walking towards him and it has his face! Is he really dead? Who knows? Sam certainly doesn't stop to stick around; he whirls round and runs off.
Liz is at the library (where else) lookng up reincarnation in none other than a book. She is debating with herself whether Sam is a liar or just delusional. Liz, just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it isn't true! *Sigh.* Upon leaving, someone calls her name. She can't see in the dark who it is (and what kind of parents let their twelve year old daughter wander around in the dark anyway. Oh, I forgot, the Wakefield (and Sloane) ones) but it turns out to be Sam. He tells her about seeing the so called ghost in the cemetery. Do you know, I've just thought that how come they call it 'graveyard' on the cover, and 'cemetery' inside the book? Is this another English cover and American book scenario, like Sarah's Dad & Sophia's Mum? Is 'cemetery' a predominantly American word? Anyway, Liz is more concerned with how he found the graves in the dark, lolz! Sam tells her the ghost had his face, which gets her attention (finally). I'm very tempted to leave the recap here for now just to get everyone's opinions on this but I won't. Sam wants to go back but Liz won't in the dark, so they arrange to go the following day. *Shakes head.* Nutcases! Liz tells Jess all about it, basically daring Jess to go with them by being afraid of the 'imaginary ghost.' Oh, Liz, you bitch! Jess can't go til the afternoon, so they plan to go then.
Jess meets Lila at the library the next morning. THE LIBRARY! Oh dear Lila what has come over you. They are researching into who Lillian Barnes was. Lila doesn't want to tell the other Unicorns so she can keep the (imaginary) gold to herself. That would be our Lila. It almost makes up for her being so darn gullible in this book. Lila wants to hypnotise Jessica (using a library book for guidance) to find the gold. Hahaha! Jess goes along with it, and pretends to be hypnotised through Lila's use of 'Beginning Hypnotism.' Heh! Jessica pretends to be Lillian Barnes, and says she lived in the house on McClarendon Street. Then they get kicked out by the librarian for shouting or something and they bike to the house. Jessica feels uncomfortable because it is the darkest house on the street, and they go off to meet the Unicorns.
Jessica then proceeds to tell the rest of the Unicorns about Sam's ghost sighting. Lila says she believes in them whilst everyone else scoffs, as she's seen a ghost on some holiday she went on with her dad. Jessica gets all freaked by the story, and is nervous about going to the cemetery with Liz and Sam. She goes home and tries to wiggle out of it by saying she wants to rearrange her closet, but Liz sees straight through that one, as anyone who knows Jessica would, and forces her to go by being upset. Steven comes by and tells them even more ghost stories to further scare them. Brothers, eh! Liz still makes Jess go though. Nice of her.
They wait with Sam at the cemetery but to no avail. Jessica is impatient and Liz even thinks they should go. Sam points out Michael's gravestone and as he does, Jessica screams. Sure enough, there is a figure standing fifty yards away with Sam's face. In fact, his whole body resembles Sam's. The ghost turns and runs away, with Lizzie in hot pursuit (two guys who look like Todd? Come back!) Eventually she catches up with the 'ghost', just as Sam and Jessica catch up with her. It is in fact a real boy, not a ghost at all. . Liz knew he wasn't a ghost due to his suntan and Johnny Buck T-shirt. His name is David Barton, and Jessica is the first to point out that Sam & David must be twins! When they realise that they have the same birthday, and they were both adopted when they were babies as their real parents, Ted & Julie Burroughs, died, they realise in fact they must be twins! Triple groan! I'm quite tempted to go out into the car park and find a twin myself, as I'm starting to feel a little left out! Anyway, Liz suggests they go home and talk to their parents, which they do.
On the bus, it is revealed that David goes to the other Sweet Valley middle school, as he's lived in SV all his life. Also, Sam reasons that David is the reason that he knew Sweet Valley so well, and of course the old man on the dock thought he was David.Jess tells them that her and Liz have a connection too. The boys go to Sam's house to reveal everything that's happened, finding out they both have dogs called Terry on the way. Sam's mother is astounded, and calls his dad back from work. Turns out they didn't know Sam had a twin, either! Then they go to David's house to talk to his parents. However, unlike Mr & Mrs Sloane, the first thing David's mother says is, "Sam! What are you doing here?" David's parents knew he had a twin who got adopted and never told him! Not just a brother, but a twin! Federal treachery!! David is rightly pissed, and tells them so. They explain that thy didn't want him to have to wonder about his brother and maybe never meet him. Yeah, ok then. Turns out the Bartons didn't know the boys' parents; but when they saw the crash on TV that killed not only their parents but their grandmother, they knew they had to help. The twins went to a great aunt who was to old to look after both of them, so she kept David and Sam was adopted. She never told anyone about Sam so she could keep him instead of him being adopted with David. That seems a little selfish to me, in my humble opinion.That's why Sam's parents didn't know. Great aunt Bea then broke her hip, and Sam had to be adopted too. So that's the twins' story explained and everyone is so happy that they all have dinner together, Sam's parents too. All in an afternoon. Uh-huh!
You may think now that this story is over. They've found the 'ghost', right! Wrong! There's more. This book is so ummm, exciting :-D!
David and Sam are comparing what they do alike in David's room ie hanging baseball cards on a bulletin board. Yawn. And they have the same books. Double yawn. Then they decide to plan a joint birthday party for their upcoming twelfth birthday, which of course the parentals are happy with. They go to bed in David's room (as Sam is staying over) and Sam tells David all about his weird dream, the drowning one. David has the same dream too. Fancy that. And of course, they both have the dream that night. When they wake up, the look at pictures of their dead parents, and there is one of them standing outside the house on McClarendon Street. It's all coming together now. David thinks Sam is being a bit ridiculous about being 'drawn' there (and I agree) and Sam sadly thinks that they aren't so alike after all. Talk to those Wakefield girls, they'll tell you all about looking alike but being different. Or we could, after all we hear it all the time. Sam notices in the photo there is the face of a person in one of the house's windows, like he thought he saw when he was there. He is excited and thinks it's haunted but David is less than interested. He does agree, however, to go back there with Sam in the afternoon.
Lila calls up Jess, admitting to being a bit scared that Jessica has been reincarnated. So much for being Cleopatra, Lila. She is ridiculous in this book, and not her usual self at all. Lila thinks they should try to find the gold soon, so Jess can stop being haunted (and have money, haha). Jess is annoyed as it seems all Lila cares about is the gold after all (atta girl, you are redeemed) and decides to go a bit further with her plan.
Sam & David are at the bike store near the marina. Sam feels a powerful tug in his memory every time he is there, but he can't think why the seascape would affect him that way. He thinks it's where his parents may have died but it isn't. He just wants to leave as soon as possible, but they get waylaid by none other than Elizabeth and Jessica, who are at the record shop. He explains about the face in the photograph, and asks them along to help explore.
Sam's adoptive mother is all upset when he gets back that now he's found his darling twin brother, he will leave her and his dad behind. Woman, get a life. Although, admittedly, she does seem more bothered than say, Alice would be, so ten points. I'm sure some time in Sweet Valley will lose that though!
They all go to the house that is now a mansion in the book and poke around. Going round to the back garden, they see an old man gardening. Strange and strangerer! The twins realise that the man is actually the old man in their dream. Sam notices a chill in the air, but no one else does. The old man offers to show them his garden, to which Elizabeth replies, "I love flowers."Yeah, and rocks. They notice he has a formal way of talking, and talks about perennial flowers as having a 'second chance at life,' which is ever so slightly disturbing. He then picks some flowers and gives them to the girls. Man, he's creepy. Sam asks his name, which is P.J (pyjama?). He says that the Burroughs used to own the mansion, a long time ago. Sam is like, yay, I knew I was right! P.J then tells them the sad tale (another one, yes) of the Burroughs...
The mansion had been in the Burrough family for generations, last owned by the twins' great grandad, Peter Burroughs, who's best friend was Jeremiah Seever. Peter was an inventor, and didn't care about money, although Jeremiah did. They decided to start a business together, and Peter mortgaged the mansion to get the money. The business was a great success, until Peter thought Jeremiah was trying to cheat him. And Jeremiah thought Peter was cheating him.So they had a huge row, dissolved the partnership, and never spoke to each other again. "In their entire lives?, " Jessica asked. She took pride in the fact no one could stay angry at her for more than a day'. Lol! Twelve months later, Peter died, and Jeremiah produced legal papers stating the house as his as part of the agreement when they dissolved the business. This was a lie, but the court ordered Peter's widow and children out so Jeremiah could move in, where he lived until he died.
I'm thinking this should be a book, The Burroughs of Sweet Valley. It's about as good as the rest of them :-D though it might need to be longer. Anyone up for writing it?
The boy twins realise that the house should be by rights theirs. Sam asks P.J who Michael Burroughs was, and how he died, but P.J gets annoyed for some reason, and tells them to buggar off. He then storms off, but when Sam follows him he has 'vanished into thin air.'Hands up everyone who was expecting that. *Nods sagely.* A whole forest of hands I see.
The next day, Jessica decides to finish off her trick on Lila. She gets a wooden box from her closet (it isn't explained why she has this in there) and writes on a piece of paper, 'Fooled you Lila.' She then bikes to the mansion on McClarendon Street, worrying about if it's haunted or not as she trespasses in anyway. She feels like she is being watched. Could it be P.J? Nope, no sign. Jessica quickly bends down and buries the wooden box in a shallow grave hole. She then freaks and runs out.
Liz is cooking dinner for another one of her mom's birthday meals. Jessica, again, hasn't shown up.Liz is making a fine old mess, and running late with dinner, when Jessica shows up and demands dinner straight away. *Bitchslap.* Apparently Janet Howell made them stay at the mall to see Mr Bowman clothes shopping. How would Janet know he was going out clothes shopping? Does she stalk him? Then Jessica says that she is staying at Lila's the night, and having dinner there actually, leaving Liz to finish dinner all by herself. Liz fumes and swears revenge.
At Lila's, Jessica tells Lila she had a dream as Lillian Barnes, and that she remembered that she buried the gold at the mansion. Lila falls for it, and they arrange to meet at the mansion tomorrow to dig it up. Jess has misgivings, as the mansion creeps her out, but then Lila gets all excited so she goes along with it.
Sam and Liz are at the City Hall researching into his family history. Does Liz not have like, a life? They find an old article on Michael Burroughs, who had the same birthdate as Sam & David. Also, he died the day before his twelfth birthday, and tomorrow is the day before the boys' twelfth birthday. We are (finally) building up to a climax, everyone. They go to the library to find out how he died, but it's shut. Sam moans but the librarian won't let him in.Sam feels that someone is going to happen, and he needs to know what happened to Michael.
Lila and Jess meet at the mansion. Lila thinks it's spooky, and Jess agrees, but they go in anyway. Lila digs under the tree to find the gold, finds the box, opens it, reads the note and looks at Jessica, who is dying of mirth. Lila is furious, and cries. She then slams the box on the floor and storms off, slamming the iron gates shut behind her. Jessica is left alone, and decides to leave, as she feels watched again, and it's getting dark. However, the gates are locked, and she can't get out!!
Liz feels an overpowering sense that Jessica needs her. She feels 'drawn' to the mansion and finds Jessica locked in. Damn, no horror stories of Jessica being alone all night, left to starve with werewolves and ghosts then. The gates aren't locked after all, and Liz opens them to let Jess out, saying, "I'm glad we're twins." Ker-splat. That was me throwing up. Jess tells Liz all about the practical joke she played on Lila, and Liz suggests Jessica says she is sorry. Would she even know the meaning of the word?Jess states that the house is dangerous, and from now on everyone should stay away from it.
The next morning, Sam goes back to the library and finds the article on how Michael died. The headline reads, 'Local Businessman and Grandson Drown in Boating Accident.' Peter J. Burroughs and Michael were on a boating trip to celebrate Micahel's birthday the next day, but there was a sudden ferocious storm and the boat capsized. They both drowned, even though Peter tried to save Michael. There is also a photo of Michael, who is yet another Sam & David lookalike. And of course, a photo of Peter, who looks exactly like P.J, the caretaker at the mansion and the man in Sam's dream. Fancy that. But Peter died thirty years ago in the boating accident, remember! Or did he? We know SV has a history of people supposedly dying when they didn't.
Sam rings David, only to find he has gone sailing with his dad. Sam is seriously alarmed, and convinced that what happened to Michael and Peter will happen to David and his dad, as all the dates match up. He goes to the Wakefields and demands a lift to the marina, telling them he is convinced David is going to die. However, Alice & Ned aren't home, so they ring the marina to tell David and his dad not to go. The twins are easily convinced aren't they! Too late, David and his dad are already headed for open water.
The twins and Sam bike to the marina, and on the way a storm blows up, when before the weather was perfect. Very coincidental. And what an opportune moment for this to happen. They get there in time to see a small boat out on the waves, struggling to come inshore. However, it capsizes, and they see a boy fall into the water. No one can go and help because it's Sweet Valley, and where would the plot be if they did! Sam feels what David is feeling; confusion, splashing and the taste of saltwater. He can't breathe, and collapses. Now, does this mean that, as kids, if one of them fell over the other got a cut, like stigmata? Sam wakes up again on the dock, covered in blankets, with his parents nearby. The storm is over, and David's dad has been found and is OK, but no David. Sam cries and blames himself, as he knew it was going to happen. He would make a brilliant partner for Liz.
The coast guards search for David all day, to no avail. Sam sits and waits, and eventually falls asleep, where he dreams that the old man, who is actually P.J, swims deeper and deeper under the waves until he rescues an unconscious body, David. P.J then carries him to a remote beach house, and covers him with a wool blanket. David is alive but unconscious. Sam wakes up and tells everyone David is alive. No one believes him, and the coast guards start to give up. Sam, in desperation, tells one of the coast guards, who eventually agrees to go and have a look. Sam, the twins and two coast guards go. Wouldn't Alice & Ned be missing the twins by now? Liz tells Jess there is something special between Sam & David, like there is between them. Bless. they go to the beach house, and, lo and behold, there's David asleep under the blanket.
David wakes up and tells them all that he remembers being grabbed in the sea by an old man, who he thought was P.J, but he thought he was dreaming. Turns out he wasn't. Under David's head is a plaid shirt, rolled up to make a pillow, that is the same as the one P.J was wearing at the mansion. Sam tells David that P.J is the ghost of their great grandfather. Everyone is happy and they go back to the marina. The end? Nope, more yet. Really hashing this one out, ghostwriter!
That night, Sam stays at David's. They remember the face in the photo, and discuss how it must have been P.J trying to warn them, and how he must be happy now he's had a second chance to save a life, as he couldn't save Michael he saved David instead. They look at the photo and the face is gone. He is finally at peace :-)! However, on the photo is the outline of a door on the wall of the mansion. Yep, it's a message from P.J to say there's a secret room. They decide to go to the mansion tomorrow and explore...
Jessica rings Lila and apologises for the joke. Lila forgives Jess and all is well (but don't forget Liz is plotting...)
Sam and David go to the mansion and explore. They ask a neighbour if she's seen the caretaker, but she says she never saw one in the first place, which confirms that P.J was a ghost. They find the secret door, hidden by some ivy (it's like the Secret Garden isn't it), and inside they find some boxes and old furniture. There isn't anything of value in there however. The Wakefield twins then turn up, as Jess had lost Liz's headband there, and offer to help. Very convenient, again. I suppose the twins had to be in grand finale, otherwise this book would have had to be renamed Sweet Valley Male Twins. Liz gets all excited about a beautiful old roll top desk (she would) and starts pawing through it. What does she find but a large envelope entitled, 'Personal Property of Jeremiah Seever.' Inside are papers signed by both Jeremiah and Peter. David recognises them as legal documents, as both his parents are lawyers (where were they for Liz's trial, eh. Some healthy competition for Ned) and they take them to his dad. Turns out the papers show that the house was never signed over to Jeremiah, and therefore Sam & David are the real owners. Wouldn't it be put into a trust for them or something? They're twelve!
They decide to throw their joint party at the old mansion. Whaaat? It's all neglected and horrible. Would the Sweet Vallians really lower themselves to go there for a party which isn't at Halloween? Anyway, so the party is held, and Sam & David wear exactly the same outfits with name tags to identify themselves. I suppose they have got a lifetime of twin switch to catch up on. Liz & Jess aren't fooled though. They have too much experience I imagine.
During the party, Jessica notices Lila and Liz whispering together in the corner. However, she soon forgets about it. At the end of the party, only the two sets of twins are left. Liz of course helps to clean up, whilst Jess lounges around in a chair.They all leave the room, leaving Jess by herself.Jess gets all nervous and calls out for the, but no answer.She walks around the house calling for them, but no one calls back. She eventually sees a door ajar with light coming from the room beyond, and, gathering her courage, walks in. What's behind the door? Umm, Liz, Sam & David, talking.Jess has a go at them for scaring her, and Liz suddenly looks terrified at the dark hallway behind her. Jess turns round and a figure screams, "Wroooaaa," behind her. Sounds like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh to me. Jess screams, and Lila bursts in and laughs. Payback! Hehe, go Lila!
That night, the twins discuss going back to school. Jessica tries to worm out of doing the last No-Cooking Monday by saying she promised to help Lila with something. Liz says it's no problem at all, in fact she is looking forward to it. Jess is suspicious that Liz isn't mad at her, and is convinced that Liz is actually planning revenge for Jessica's laziness all the times before. In fact, she gets so suspicious, she declares she will do all the cooking on Monday so Liz can't wreak revenge, which of course is what Liz wanted all along. The manipulator is out manipulated, for a change. And, yes, Liz's big revenge was manipulating Jessica into making dinner. Very avengeful, Liz!
On Monday, Jess makes a complete mess of dinner. Nothing goes right, and she has to throw it all in the bin. Eventually, she goes to last resorts, and makes cheese sandwiches for dinner. Heh! She cuts them into triangles and puts parsley on top, and sets the table with candles and best china. I love Jess, she does crack me up. Though I'm sure this will be responsible for another inferior complex when she's older. The family sit down to dinner, and everyone is, erm, well, underwhelmed shall we say. Apart from Elizabeth, who look at Jess and says, "looks good to me. In fact, I think this is the best No-Cooking Monday yet. Thanks for cooking, Jessica." Sanctimonious bitch! She gets to look brilliant in mommy and daddy's eyes, yet again. Though I guess Jess does deserve it. Jessica eyes Liz suspiciously, ' If she didn't know better, she would have thought Elizabeth planned it this way. But that would just be letting her imagination run away with her again, wouldn't it."
I love it that this book isn't even about the twins, and yet the sub plots are still more interesting that the main one, and we end the book with them as well. Lol!