Release: January 1, 1989
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Source: Amazon
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon
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Jenny is understandably confused and scared when she simultaneously receives anonymous love letters and is the object of some very cruel pranks, and she is determined to find the culprit or culprits
About the author:
Carol Ellis is an American author of young adult and children’s fiction. Her first novel, My Secret Admirer, was published in 1989 by Scholastic as part of their popular Point Thriller line.
She went on to write over fifteen novels, including a few titles in the Zodiac Chillers series published by Random House in the mid-1990s, and two titles in The Blair Witch Files series for young adults, published by Bantam between 2000 and 2001.
My Secret Admirer by Review:
Creepy but Frustrating
Carol Ellis delivers a stalker thriller with some genuinely scary moments, though the main character makes it a bumpy ride.
What Works: The book really nails the atmosphere in certain scenes. When Jenny is alone in her new house and senses someone watching, it gave me actual goosebumps. That slow-building dread is Ellis at her best. The phone booth scene is similarly unsettling. The mystery itself pays off well; the culprit’s identity caught me completely off guard, which doesn’t happen often. Moreover, the author gives you plenty of suspects to consider, making the final reveal genuinely satisfying. Sally also stands out as Jenny’s loyal friend, bringing some much-needed normalcy.
What Falls Short: Jenny herself is tough to root for. Instead of finding her secret admirer’s messages creepy, she actually starts looking forward to them, even as scary things keep happening. It makes her seem more foolish than sympathetic. Her parents are equally baffling; they move to a new town and immediately leave her alone constantly? Additionally, the painters subplot takes up space without adding much. And looking back after reading, some characters behave so strangely throughout that the explanations given at the end feel pretty weak.
Verdict: My Secret Admirer works as a quick horror read with solid scares and a good mystery payoff. Ellis knows how to build tension. But Jenny’s questionable decisions and the story’s logic gaps keep it from being truly gripping. Worth a read for the creepy highlights, though you might find yourself yelling at the main character.
Perfect for: Fans of stalker thrillers, 90s YA horror, and guessing games with suspects.
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