Review: The Dark Secret (Fear Street: The Cataluna Chronicles #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Dark Secret

Series: Fear Street: The Cataluna Chronicles #2

Previous book in this series: The Evil Moon (#1)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 1995

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Buy it: Amazon | Thrift Books

Synopsis:

License to kill...

Stepsisters Regina and Lauren are thrilled—they’ve got their own wheels! And this sexy Cataluna is one hot car!

Too hot. Because inside the Cataluna the curse of Bad Luck Catherine lives on. And while Catherine is hunted in her own time, Regina and Lauren will be haunted in theirs. Because in this car, evil is always in the driver’s seat.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Don't tell a living soul—or a dead one

The book starts off with William narrating, reminding us that he swore revenge on Catherine, the girl who brought bad luck on their colony and killed his brother and father. Meanwhile, I’m over here like, “Bro, I don’t even like you.” I’m literally rooting for Catherine at this point cause I hate that dickhead. Quit trying to make Will sympathetic! He was an absolute asshole to Catherine right from the start! His entire family was awful to her and I’m totally okay with Catherine having killed them 🤷‍♀️ William keeps saying that he’s gonna hunt her down so she won't bring her evil onto others, but honestly, he made her this way! This is all his goddamn fault for being a dick! Him and the rest of his stupid, judgmental family 🙄

Again, this book switches between 1600s POV, and a POV in the present (aka the 90s). In the past, the 1600s, Catherine fled the colony and William is still looking for her, hunting her down or whatever. He stays with a family briefly and thinks that one of them may actually be a shapeshifted Catherine. I didn’t think it was obvious, so I was shocked when we found out. We also learn some things about Catherine and her mom... some really weird stuff.

Apparently the mom was from the 1960s and she was also bullied then. She had some vague magical abilities, got pregnant and decided it would be best for her and her child to live in the past... Where witches are hung 🤦‍♀️ Dude...


The mom escaped in a time traveling car (the Cataluna, which where TF did it come from?? We don't know 🤷‍♀️) and when she was killed by William’s dad/brother, her spirit inhabited the car. Which is yes, still in the 1600s. To escape William, Catherine gets in the car (aka her mother? Lol) and goes to the future! At the last minute, William also gets into this car.

In the present day (aka 1995), two stepsisters get a brand new car, the Cataluna, when one of the sisters starts acting strange. There was a plot twist there with the sisters that I saw coming, but liked it nonetheless. And also, the opening scene was insane! Bloody and violent and I loved it! Just like in the last book, I’m still more intrigued by the story of the past, but overall, I enjoyed the book!

The Fear Street connection: The stepsisters live on Fear Street.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊