The Stinal Countdown: Fear Street: The Mind Reader

It's back to Shadyside for another Fear Street outing. We actually kind of are reaching the final gasps of the original series. We have psychic powers on display this time, which I seriously hope isn't just hypnosis again, but the old man has managed to surprise me before. Can he do it again? Don't think about it, because it's time for The Mind Reader.

I don't know what it is, but blue, wispy ghosts on covers are always a winner in my book. One of the reasons I love the cover for The Ghost of Slappy for example. And this one is no different. Our ghostly girl comes off as ethereal and haunting, clearly to the point of driving our protagonist into some sort of cradled panic. Simple enough on paper but enough to make this feel like a mental conflict that is pivotal to the story we're going to read. And the possibility of it actually being a dream sequence for once actually isn't the deal breaker it normally would. Great stuff.

Ellie Anderson and her dad recently moved to Shadyside. Residing on, where else, Fear Str-wait it's 1201 Raintree Lane. Hey, another actual street in Shadyside. Stine's trying, folks. When she was two, her mother died and she and her father moved from Shadyside, living with her grandparents for about fourteen years before finally being able to make it out on their own. She's been handling things well with a new school and new social life, even befriending Sarah Wilkins. The two start the story at a coffee shop observing Frank Schuler and Joel Harper, two of Shadyside High's most popular students, and are both known as the Yuppie Twins. Weird they'd be at a coffee shop. It's not faux dive, it's just a dive! They're with their girlfriends as well, Anna Toro and Patty Jacquet. Wait... Patty Jacket? 

Their discussion is cut short when Ellie and Sarah notice a boy their age entering the cafe. The boy's name is Brian Tanner, and despite both herself and Sarah being a bit smitten, Ellie feels something foreboding about Brian that causes her to make a run for home. She walks her dog Chaz (which is a decent dog name I guess). She thinks about Brian, then remembers her time at Fairfield High and her former boyfriend Tommy Wheaton. It was a good relationship, but she had to call it off on account of her visions. They gave her a vision of Tommy cheating on her with her friend Janine, but it never happened. At least when they were a couple. But the actions cost her her boyfriend and friend. So her visions are more a curse than a gift.

Ellie's had these visions since she was a kid, and this being a Stine book, her first vision was her Cocker Spaniel Jake being it by a car and dying. And sure enough, it happens. Dog death on page 7. Stine couldn't hold it in I guess. Ever since then, she's held back her visions as best she could as to not let them possibly come true. Her exposition dump is interrupted when Chaz drags her into Fear Street Woods by the cemetery where he finds a bone. After digging it turns out to be multiple bones connected to each other as it's a skeletal hand. She gets a drive from the Yuppie Twins and their girlfriends to the police station where a Sergeant Frazier and Sarah's father, Lieutenant Wilkins are skeptical, but still willing to see what's up. But when they head to the location to find the hand, it's missing! Well, it was missing for a minute, but Ellie gets a vision where it is and finds it for them. Lieutenant Wilkins tells Ellie to go home, but since she's still confused as to what's going on in her head, she decides to stay.

Sarah shows up and talks with Ellie about the hand. As Ellie mentions they haven't found the source, Sarah jokes, saying maybe it belongs to Bambi. But-um, wait, but Bambi was the deer-HUH? Also Brian Tanner is there. As they talk, the police find another piece of evidence: a piece of red fabric. It causes Sarah to faint suddenly. As Lieutenant Wilkins checks on his daughter as Ellie is forced to go home. But now she's more confused. What was it about that piece of fabric that made Sarah faint? So, if the reveal is what I think it is, well, 25 pages to reach there is a change of pace for once.

We then get our explanation the next day from Frank and Patti. Sarah had a sister named Melinda who mysteriously disappeared while wearing a red sweatshirt, the same color as the fabric that was found at the crime scene. Ellie begins to suspect that these are all connected to her visions and that Melinda must be the dead body. She then goes to work at the Shadyside Library, restocking books, when she runs into Brian Tanner again, who is interested in a book about primitive weapons of some sort. Also he's a college boy from Waynesbridge, which is usually Fear Street-ese for alibi. In the middle of the conversation, Ellie has another vision, this time of a knife on a shelf that's dripping so much blood that it falls and goes right into her heart. Of course, that's just another of her visions. She begins to think that maybe it's her visions returning and that Brian is the trigger. Then she notes that this is her first time meeting with him and how could he know her name? I mean earlier in the book, Sarah was speaking to him so, like, it's possible that's the reason, but we're super early to put two and two together.

Ellie stops at the Wilkins residence, only to find it empty. Not to mention in really bad shape. She goes to look through a window, but sees a skull on the other side! Another vision obviously, but still odd that both aren't home and that Sarah was so hush hush about a sister. And also coincidentally, Brian shows up again, offering her a ride to the coffee shop. But, for once in these books, Ellie uses her better judgment and decides to walk instead. She arrives at the shop and talks with the owner and cook, Ernie Marks. Turns out that Sarah works there, but didn't show up, which is out of character for her. And, because I guess he's just going to frigging stalk her all book, Brian shows up and sits with Ellie. As he asks her about the body she found, Lieutenant Wilkins walks in super quick to grab an order and to say that Sarah's at her aunt's and nothing else of importance. Also Brian disappears for a totally not coincidental reason, I can assume.

She returns home and tells her dad about finding the body. This upsets him and he tells her to stay away from the investigation for unspecified reasons, only that she might end up like her mother. See, Ellie's mother was murdered when Ellie was two for reasons that Mr. Anderson (Anderson! Hey, got to get the wrestling reference in), doesn't know, or just won't elaborate on. She has a shower which brings up another vision. Another dangling bloody knife, tub filled with blood and the knife falling and stabbing her again. She then hears a strange cry. A cry she recognizes as her mother's. After she recovers, her dad mentions that Brian called her. Okay, the alibi I thought we had doesn't hold water now unless Sarah gave him Ellie's number, I guess. But another vision of her death when Brian Tanner is in her vicinity. Even just on a phone I guess.

At the library the next day, Ellie finds an old newspaper article about her mom's murder. Fourteen years ago, Louise Anderson was stabbed to death in her home on Fear Street. The only witness at the time was the toddler Ellie. So maybe that's what the connection is. She then sees what looks like her mother outside who then crumples to nothingness. She then reads that the alleged killer was found, as was the murder weapon, a silver knife, but no motive was ever given. She returns to Sarah's house and Sarah is actually there. Also she doesn't have an aunt. But the red fabric did belong to Miranda. But her dad's been hush hush about everything, not letting Sarah know what's going on. As Ellie leaves, she spots Miranda's room. Untouched like she was still living there. She spots a photo of Miranda which goes from a smile to a silent scream, causing Ellie to drop the picture and run out the house and into Brian Tanner. Okay, even if he's not the killer, or unless he's a ghost or something, RESTRAINING ORDER NOW!

Brian apologizes for disappearing, saying that he has a history of getting tickets and didn't need another one. He also asks Ellie out for a date at Fear Lake, canoeing to Fear Island. Because those are some lovely names for a dating spot. Despite her better judgment, she still likes him, so she accepts and asks "what could go wrong?" So expect that to change. Ellie watches a news report on the case of Melinda Wilkins, and again Lieutenant Wilkins is acting strange, barely mentioning much of anything. He says that as far as he was aware, Melinda planned to run away with her boyfriend Brett Hawkins, but she was found dead, though Brett was never considered as suspect. Ellie tries to contact Sarah again, but gets no answer, which is setting off alarms, but maybe the right kinds of alarms. 

And speaking of not setting off blaring red alarms, Ellie goes on her date with Brian. Also, she brought her Labrador Chaz with them on the canoe ride, which won't play into a cliffhanger I bet. It all goes well until she sees Brian cutting an apple with a silver knife. The exact same one in her visions. He says that it was his grandfather's who passed it down to him. She gets Chaz who ran off, then Brian starts to row them home, only for Chaz to panic and knock Ellie into the lake. As she tries to get out, she can feel something pulling her down. Like someone underwater, dragging her to the bottom. She escapes and heads back to the surface, only to find Brian in the water almost drowned. A fisherman named Raphe saves them and gets them to shore. Brian says he tried to swim to save Ellie, but swallowed too much water and almost drowned, making Ellie think it must have been him who tried to drag her under. But he thanks her for saving him, though says he was supposed to save her, before calling her Melinda. 

Ellie confronts Lieutenant Wilkins about Sarah, but he gives the same excuse. She then asks about Brett Hawkins, to which he says that Brett is probably dead as well, but like Melinda, the body hasn't been found yet. She then asks about if he knows a Brian Tanner, but he doesn't. But when he shows her a picture of Brett, it finally clicks. Brett looks exactly like Brett. Ergo, Brian IS Brett. She then reveals to Wilkins that she can find the murder weapon that killed Melinda. A knife similar to that of the one Brian carries. He believes her on this, which is surprising but given she's been the closest thing to solving the case, she must know something. Sure enough, they find a knife exactly like one Brett would carry, meaning that Brett's the killer and he's still at large.

Now convinced it's Brian, Ellie mentions that it could be him. Wilkins asks for an address, but he never gave one. So if he should call her again, coax it out of him. Which I mean, if he is the real killer than he'll totally do that. As she tries to leave, Sarah shows up in a panic, trying to get Ellie to get away as fast as she can. Ellie then runs into Brian who is in a panic since Lieutenant Wilkins found the knife. He reveals that he's Brett and he did die that night. Ellie believes that must mean that he was using her to get information on the knife and try to evade the cops. He tries to grab her, but she elbows him in the throat, just as Wilkins arrests him. Well that's a cut and dry ending. Or it would be, but Ellie's father tells her that Wilkins called. Brett escaped.

Mr. Anderson says that he doesn't want her to engage further after what happened to Ellie's mom. Turns out that she too had the visions that Ellie had and got glimpses of a man in a flannel shirt murdering a child. She cooperated with the cops to find him. It turns out it was the girl's uncle who killed her, but because the justice system in the states sucks a nut, he was let go due to lack of substantial evidence. However, the man found Ellie's mother and murdered her, stabbing her with a knife. It's why he didn't want her to get involved. In case the same thing happens again. Though Ellie says that she still has to stop Brett from killing someone else and to get justice for Melinda too, so her father actually becomes kinda fine with it. The kind of fine where there's really not going to be a "no" response that will work.

Lieutenant Wilkins again tries to get Ellie to get a vision, but she only sees a flash of gold. She revisits Sarah to get answers, but Sarah panics, saying she was the one who ruined everything. Melinda was never meant to actually be found because Ellie was the killer the whole time. Why? Well, for once it's not entirely a romantic reason. She did love her sister, but after their mom died, things were different. Her dad was devoted to Melinda while it became burdened upon Sarah to be the one to do all the housework and not get anything in return from her dad. So when Melinda wanted to run away with Brett, she was ecstatic, trying to do everything possible to expedite the process. So she killed Melinda... by sending her off to be with Brett. Yeah, she's not the KILLER killer, but still feels the guilt. 

As she tries to process this, Ellie suddenly has a vision of her being dragged into a grave. It's enough for her to clue in to the big picture. That in the place where Melinda was buried is something pivotal to the case. The girls head out, Sarah grabbing a gun to add tension to the climax-I MEAN, if Brett shows up. They find a gold button. Brett shows up and also sees the button, confirming his suspicions. Suddenly, Lieutenant Wilkins shows up and points his gun at Brett, ready to kill him when Sarah shoots her dad. So, what we all ultimately guessed is what happened. The gold button was from Lieutenant Wilkins' uniform that night. He was the one who confronted Melinda that night. He fought with Melinda and in the scuffle, knocked her head first into a nearby rock, killing her instantly. In a panic, Wilkins stabbed his daughter, making it look like it was the work of Brett. It was also why Brett "escaped" the arrest earlier. Wilkins wanted to finish the job and murder him. He tries to shoot Brett, but misses.

After everything dies down, Ellie and Brett are at her house as he reveals what went down that night. He made it to Melinda's too late. Both of them were gone. He then discovered that Wilkins had killed Melinda and made it look like it was Brett who did it. With Wilkins after him, Brett was forced to move out of Shadyside for two years and change his entire look and name, going under the name of Brian Tanner. He also knew that Ellie would be the one to solve the case as he too has visions. He had a vision about Melinda from beyond the grave and returned to Shadyside, knowing that Ellie had the similar powers. As for the whole similar knife issue, Brett's grandfather was a police offer, hence the same standard issue knife. But now that this is all over, they're now a couple and I guess live happily ever after. 

I can't believe it. R.L. Stine didn't hit a wall. He didn't default to the swerves I expected him to go. No hypnosis, no gaslighting, no lovesick killer, not even anything he should stay out of the lane for. He actually built a compelling mystery. Granted, a super obvious culprit, but I'll admit, once Sarah admitted she was the killer, I almost bought into that even though it makes all the sense of the world that it's Lieutenant Wilkins. Which, when you also think about it, given he was the killer and tried to pin it on someone else, this is the most ACAB book I've read from R.L. Stine. Only thing is it's really less MIND READING as it is visions. Spurred in mostly from Brett and Ellie's clairvoyance and the spirit of Melinda seeking justice for not just her death, but Brett being framed. We also don't really get why they have these powers aside from Ellie's mom having them so she inherited it, but it's also a situation where we don't really need the answer, I guess. Though if you were expecting more of a Shining power then you'll be let down.

Ellie is a solid protagonist. She too doesn't feel like she stumbles into the Fear Street tropes as much as some others do. Aside from falling for Brett/Brian, she always stays dedicated on trying to solve the mystery of Melinda's death and in many ways trying to save Sarah from whatever is causing her mental anguish. Brett/Brian is a solid red herring, but it becomes obvious once he's blamed so early in that it's not him. While a creep for constantly stalking Ellie, given his reasoning and that he actually does care for Ellie, it doesn't feel as bad as it could have been. Sarah isn't given much time, but her mental anguish is well detailed and you sympathize for her. And Lieutenant Wilkins is kind of sympathetic until you remember that he wanted Brett to take the rap for the murder of his own daughter, going so far as to stab the corpse of his daughter to pin it on Brett. So one of the least likable villains in the series bar none.

The motivations also all make perfect sense in context to the story. Lieutenant Wilkins needs Ellie to both find the "real killer" of Melinda and more importantly to find the gold button, the one lingering piece of evidence that would be needed to ruin his plans. Brett's motivations make sense as he needs to finally get justice not just for Melinda but himself. And Ellie's make sense as it's her visions and mind that's being tormented until this case can be solved. And speaking of those visions, it's a good use of horror in the story as there are some really dark visions like the shower scene, or Ellie being pulled into the grave. Nothing overly disturbing, but enough to again convey the horror. Good lord, he tried. He actually TRIED! It really is true. A broken watch can be right twice in a day. 

Overall, this is a solid book that does everything correctly in terms of a mystery story with its villain and horror both working perfectly to tell the story. Pacing is solid, and there's no extra beat that just ruins the vibe. There's still a dog death, but hey, I guess Stine can be given a pass on that when he lands on everything else. A little bit of clunky dialogue and a misleading title are really the only super concerns I'd say hurts it from an A+ rating. A definite recommend regardless. The Mind Reader gets an A.