The Knife (Fear Street, No. 14) [School & Library Binding]

R. L. Stine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1992 | ISBN-10: 0833589482 | ISBN-13: 978-0833589484

The doctors and nurses at Shadyside Hospital want to keep many things about their hospital a secret. But a student volunteer aide, Laurie, stumbles onto the hospital's sickest secret of all--and the staff prescribes a deadly diagnosis for poor Laurie. Original.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 176 pages
• Publisher: Tandem Library (January 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0833589482
• ISBN-13: 978-0833589484
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,961,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best R.L Stine book I have ever read in my life, December 31, 2004

By 

Steve L. Morris (Ellicott City, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Knife (Fear Street, No. 14) (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this story in the course of 2 days. It is so good and you dont want to put it down. It is full of suspense and mystery, and the ending is the best as well. Get this book today, TRUST ME, you won't be disappointed!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book ever!, April 21, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Knife (Fear Street, No. 14) (Mass Market Paperback)

"The Knife" is my favorite Fear Street book, tied with "Runaway." I really enjoy the plot and the characters, too. The clues are kinda obvious...so obivous you wouldn't guess! You'll probably be just like me and once the culprit is revealed you'll slap your head and say "I can't beleve I missed that!" The ending is great! R.L Stine is my favorite author of all time! Once I started I couldn't put the book down. I read it in like 2 hours. Thanks for an amazing book R.L

4.0 out of 5 stars Cuts Away -- No Fluff!, April 7, 2011

By 

intothemorning (Green Brook, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Knife (Fear Street, No. 14) (Mass Market Paperback)

It seems to be a trend in my reviews lately that the books I'm reading tend to deal with real issues that are important to society. This one is no different, even if it is an older book. The issue touched in this book is one that will always be relevant as long as there are power-hungry people in the world.

An illegal adoption ring is being operated inside the hospital and Laurie has her pretty nose in the middle of it because her heart has gone out to a poor little 2 year old who seems to have been left alone with his misery and a very scary nurse. The plot unfolds with all the delicious fun of YA books from the 90s with a hint of possible romance and a snarky best friend too. All elements of a good, fast read.

The characters are a little cookie-cutter in some respect. Laurie feels like many other of Stine's leading ladies who are quite, intelligent, but insatiably curious and caring. Her best friend felt equally similar to past sarcastic, funky best friends. And of course, the possible romantic interest is just like other mysterious, possible serial killers that popped up in many of Stine's works. They are all likable however and interesting so it's more like being among good friends than being bored.

What really makes this work, better than many of Stine's books, is that it had the feel of a more adult plot structure. There were subplots (which don't always crop up in Stine's books from the 90s) and twists that not even I could figure out until the final reveal. Not that this was any cerebral read. No, it was just finely crafted and a head above shoulders read among the rest of 80s & 90s YA thrillers.

If you are looking for a super fast read, snag this one from the library or Amazon.com. It's a nice change of pace from some of the ponderous current YA books which take a while to get to the action and have scenes that feel inflated to elongate the book to contemporary lengths of 350+ pages. Then take a peek at my other Retro Reads for more fast reads from the 80s & 90s.