trope: McGuffin ahoy!

An attempt is made to casually reference something that is clearly going to be a plot point at a later date. And it fails to be casual.

Recap #329: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark by Alvin Schwartz Part 1

Posted on 28 February 202323 February 2023 by Jude Deluca

Title: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, a.k.a. “The Big Toe Is A Metaphor For Climate Change” Author: Alvin

Recap #323: Jude’s Dreaming Of A Green Christmas ~ Goosebumps: Don’t Open The Monster Blood! by R.L. Stine

Posted on 24 December 202221 December 2022 by Jude Deluca

Title: Goosebumps – Don’t Open The Monster Blood!, a.k.a. “SHADY PINES, GRANDPA!” Author: R.L. Stine Initial Thoughts Oh, Stine thinks

Recap #320: Jude’s Cornucopia of Chaos ~ Strange Matter: The Journal by Mike Robinson

Posted on 24 November 202219 November 2022 by Jude Deluca

Title: Strange Matter – The Journal, a.k.a. “The M-Files” Author and Illustrator: Mike Robinson Initial Thoughts Well, loathe as I

Recap #297: Jude’s Stocking Stuffers – Goosebumps: Something Fishy ~ Illustrated Edition by R.L. Stine

Posted on 23 December 202122 December 2021 by Jude Deluca

Title: Goosebumps – Something Fishy, a.k.a. “Super Eric 64: Secret Aquarium” Author: R.L. Stine Illustrator: Frederic Rebena Summary: A boy

Recap #295: Jude’s Stocking Stuffers – Strange Matter #22.1: The Abominable Snowman by Andy Goble

Posted on 15 December 202112 December 2021 by Jude Deluca

Title: Strange Matter #22.1 – The Abominable Snowman a.k.a. “Frosty The Homicidal Snowman” Author: Andy Goble Tagline: 1996 Scary Story

Recap # 278: Even More Short & Shivery By Robert D. San Souci – Part 4

Posted on 11 October 202028 September 2020 by Jude Deluca

Title: Even More Short & Shivery Author/Editor/Reteller: Robert D. San Souci Illustrator: Jacqueline Roberts Tagline: Thirty Spine-Tingling Tales Summary: Thirty

Recap #261: Fear Street #44: The Rich Girl by R.L. Stine

Posted on 22 April 202013 April 2020 by Jude Deluca

Title: Fear Street #44 – The Rich Girl, a.k.a. “Capitalism Stinks!” Author: R.L. Stine Cover Artist: Bill Schmidt Tagline: Would

Recap #250: Nocturnal Letters by Ms-Bowser

Posted on 29 December 201928 December 2019 by Jude Deluca

Title: Nocturnal Letters, a.k.a. “Night of the Nasty Notes” Developer/Author: Ms-Bowser Summary: A scary/creepy point-and-click adventure game. Very plot-driven. You

Weekend at Poison Lake Cover by Craig White

Recap #225: Give Yourself Goosebumps Special Edition #8: Weekend at Poison Lake by R.L. Stine

Posted on 13 June 201910 June 2019 by Jude Deluca

Jude recaps Give Yourself Goosebumps Special Edition 8: Weekend at Poison Lake by R.L. Stine. So much poisoned water, so little time.

Recap #219: The Witching Hour #1

Posted on 2 May 201928 April 2019 by Jude Deluca

Jude recaps The Witching Hour 1.

Recap #205: Give Yourself Goosebumps #3: Trapped in Bat Wing Hall by R.L. Stine

Posted on 8 January 201913 April 2019 by Jude Deluca

Jude recaps Give Yourself Goosebumps 3: Trapped in Bat Wing Hall by R.L. Stine and it’s two stories for the price of one. Two delightful, kind of charming stories. Good job, Stine.

Recap #191: Give Yourself Goosebumps Special Edition #4: One Night In Payne House by R.L. Stine

Posted on 31 October 201813 April 2019 by Jude Deluca

Title: Give Yourself Goosebumps Special Edition #4 – One Night In Payne House Author: R.L. Stine Cover Artist: Craig White

cover of The Wish by Diane Hoh has a woman behind a window with the title in green font

Recap #84: Nightmare Hall #4: The Wish by Diane Hoh

Posted on 4 September 201713 April 2019 by Dade

Title: Nightmare Hall #4: The Wish by Diane Hoh Summary: Alex is the first to notice the strange little booth

Recap #56: Books of Blood 1: The Principal by M. C. Sumner

Posted on 16 January 201714 November 2019 by Dove

Dove recaps Books of Blood 1: The Principal by M. C. Sumner where Talli is going to save the world from vampires. And it’s as cool as it sounds.

Recap #51: Followers by Anna Davies

Posted on 28 November 201631 July 2019 by Wing

Title: Followers by Anna Davies Summary: To tweet or not to tweet . . . what a deadly question. When

Recap #47: Halloween Night by R. L. Stine

Posted on 31 October 201631 July 2019 by Wing

Title: Halloween Night by R. L. Stine Summary: Brenda hates her cousin, Halley, and she’s not the only one. Halley

Recap #46: The Claw by Carmen Adams

Posted on 24 October 201631 July 2019 by Wing

Title: The Claw by Carmen Adams Summary: The mark of death… Kelly is excited about her summer job at the

Recap #41: The Surfer by Linda Cargill

Posted on 5 September 201631 July 2019 by Wing

Title: The Surfer by Linda Cargill Summary: Surf’s up. You’re dead. Jessie has never seen the daring beauty on the

The Return of the Vampire by Caroline B. Cooney

Recap #36: Return of the Vampire (Vampire Series: Book 2) by Caroline B. Cooney

Posted on 1 August 20168 July 2020 by Dove

Dove recaps Return of the Vampire (Vampire Series: Book 2) by Caroline B. Cooney, where Devnee trades humans not for popularity like Althea, but for beauty. It goes about as well as can be expected.

Recap #23: The Train by Diane Hoh

Posted on 16 November 201513 April 2019 by Dade

Title: The Train by Diane Hoh Summary: Hannah and her friends are on a train trip that begins as a