The Silent Scream by Diane Hoh is a YA mystery novel set in Nightingale Hall, a secluded brick house with a dark history. The story follows college freshman Jessica Vogt as she unravels the mysterious death of former student Giselle McKendrick, who allegedly hanged herself in Jessica's room. With twists and suspenseful moments, the book keeps readers engaged as Jessica delves into the suspicious circumstances surrounding Giselle's death. Despite some supernatural elements, the plot transitions into a murder mystery, blending eerie happenings with mundane college life.

Characters:

Characters are generally well-defined, with a strong protagonist and varied supporting roles, though some lack depth.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and descriptive, maintaining suspense, though occasionally overly detailed.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative combines supernatural themes with a murder mystery, following a college freshman as she uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding a death.

Setting:

The setting is a college, mainly focusing on Nightingale Hall, which adds a dark and mysterious atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow at times but builds to an entertaining climax filled with twists.

Notes:

The Silent Scream is part of a young adult horror series called Nightmare Hall by Diane Hoh.

The story is set in a college called Salem University.

The main character is a college freshman named Jessica Vogt.

Jess discovers her roommate's dark history involving a past student who died under mysterious circumstances.

The book combines supernatural elements with a murder mystery, although some readers felt it was more of a mystery than horror.

There are a few specifically creepy scenes, particularly when Jess first arrives at Nightingale Hall.

The character development was considered strong for some characters, particularly Jess, but others, like Jon, were not as well fleshed out.

Readers appreciated the suspenseful writing style, which kept them engaged until the end.

The plot has twists that can keep readers guessing about the true villain.

Some found the story predictable at times but still enjoyable, particularly for its young adult audience.

The cover art of the book varies; some editions feature dark imagery that reflects the story's themes.

Readers noted that Hoh's work holds up well over time, even if contemporary YA fiction has evolved.

The book is characterized by its quick pacing and twists that can provide a fun reading experience for teens and adults alike.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of suicide, mild horror elements, and discussions surrounding murder.

From The Publisher:

Jess can't wait to start freshman year at Salem University-but her new dorm room has a terrifying past

There's a reason why they call it Nightmare Hall . . .

Jessica Vogt gets a rude awakening when she moves into Nightingale Hall and learns that the previous spring, a student named Giselle hanged herself from a light fixture-in Jess's new room. Campus officials pronounced it a suicide. But did Giselle really kill herself? Or was it a setup?

Strange things are happening to Jess. One night, she is awakened by a terrifying scream. A photo taken of Jess and a classmate reveals a third person in the shot-a girl with long, pale hair and a sad face. Is Giselle trying to communicate with Jess? As Jess moves closer to what really happened that fateful night, someone starts targeting her. Is she being haunted by a ghost, or is there a killer on the loose?

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Diane Hoh including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.

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The Silent Scream

Diane Hoh

Book 1 in the series:Nightmare Hall