Every Halloween, I pick up at least one horror/thriller book that was made into a movie. This year, I went with a blast from my teenage reading past. The book was first published in 1973, and I read it years later when I was in high school (before the movie adaptation came out in the late 90s).

First off, if you’re expecting a slasher story with a hook-wielding killer in a fisherman’s slicker, that’s not what the book is. I had forgotten how wildly different the book is from the movie. The movie leaned into horror tropes and created an entire slasher franchise around them. The book is much quieter. It’s a mystery at its core, not a gorefest. Yes, there’s still a tragic hit-and-run accident, a pact of silence, and the infamous ominous note.

We also still have the four main characters who will feel familiar if you’ve seen the movie. But blood and body count? Practically nonexistent. Instead, the tension is in the shadows. The book focuses more on guilt, paranoia, and the psychological weight of living with a terrible secret. The suspense here isn’t in jump scares or gruesome scenes, it’s in the notes, the whispered threats, and the sense that danger is circling closer. The characters, for the most part, match their movie counterparts. Each teen handles the aftermath of the accident differently, some with denial, others with guilt, others by trying to outrun it.

Another thing that caught my eye is that this edition has been slightly modernized. Cell phones pop up, and a few references have been updated to reflect more recent history. It doesn’t change the core of the story, though. Duncan’s prose still feels tight and fast-paced, and it’s clear why her books became staples of YA suspense back in the ’80s. The updates make it accessible for a new generation without stripping away the mood of the original.

That being said, readers looking for the adrenaline rush of the film may be let down. This is a slim novel (about 200 pages) and the scares are minimal. It’s not designed to make you jump. It’s a mystery with a tinge of light thriller. The tension builds slowly, more like a classic mystery than a horror novel. It was a little jarring at first, but once I settled in it didn’t bother me. It’s a quick, engaging read for anyone in the mood for suspense without too much gore.

I will admit, though, that this is one case where I thought the movie was better (not the most recent reboot–I didn’t care for that one). That said, while the movie may have become a cult classic for horror fans, the book stands on its own as a lean, clever YA thriller. If you want buckets of blood, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, spooky little mystery to tuck into your Halloween stack, this one still holds up.