I Know What You Did Last Summer

The novel that inspired the classic horror film and the 2025 major motion picture starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Madelyn Cline.

Four reckless teens fight to outsmart a brutal killer determined to avenge a young boy's death in this suspenseful thriller.

After a party, four teens are in a hit-and-run accident that results in a young boy's death. Unable to deal with the consequences, they leave the body behind and make an anonymous phone call to the police, tipping them off.

The group makes a secret pact to bury the memory of that night and never speak of it again, but when one of the girls receives a note that reads, "I know what you did last summer," their dark lie is unearthed. With twists and turns at every corner, they'll have to fight to stay steps ahead of a killer determined to make them pay.

"Does anyone write scarier books than Lois Duncan? I don't think so." ―R.L. Stine, New York Times bestselling author of the Goosebump and Fear Street series

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Published May 5, 2020

240 pages

Average rating: 5.95

22 RATINGS

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Hartfullofbooks

Jun 10, 2025

3/10 stars

I’m a huge fan of the 1990s slasher series I Know What You Did Last Summer, and finally got around to reading the YA novel. Important to mention that the book was originally published in 1973 but was also re-released and updated in 2010 to make it more relatable. I kept getting thrown off by mentions of Starbucks and Cell phones when I knew this was published in the 70s, unaware that I was actually reading the re-released updated version. This was a very simple, very quick read and one of the rare occasions where the film was better. The characters are very stereotypical with a fast and rather simple narrative that makes the twist at the end very obvious. I had fun reading this but only because I love the films and really wanted to compare and read the original source material. If you’re looking for a good slasher or a good thriller I would 100% look somewhere else. Even with the odd updates, this book feels very dated and there is not real danger since everyone miraculously always works out, which makes the story very flat.

Shahna

Jul 18, 2024

6/10 stars

Welp, the movie is better.
I read the updated version. I'm okay with the changes.
Not as bloody as the movie.

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