They only meant to scare him.
Mr. Griffin is the strictest teacher at Del Norte High, with a penchant for endless projects and humiliating his students. Even straight-A student Susan can't believe how mean he is to the charismatic Mark Kinney. So when her crush asks Susan to help a group of students teach a lesson of their own, she goes along. After all, it's a harmless prank, right?
But things don't go according to plan. When one "accident" leads to another, people begin to die. Susan and her friends must face the awful truth: one of them is a killer.
Leave the lights on when reading this classic thriller! This new edition features modernized text and a new introduction by Lois Duncan, the master of teen horror.
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"This is a great book. One of the teachers in my study group recommended it for teaching students (8th graders) about the concept of empathy and I have to agree, this is a fantastic book for that. The story is very intriguing. Five students work together to accidentally kill their hated English teacher. I liked that you came to understand (not really like) all five of the characters. Mark, especially, was super creepy. The others just served as examples of why being a follower can be a bad thing. I think the way the story is written is very engaging and it's hard to pull yourself away. I'd highly recommend this to middle and high school students and teachers. This book will serve as a springboard for lots and lots of great discussion."
— Anna (4 out of 5 stars)
“A tremendously good read…This book is almost glued to your fingers as you read it because you cannot put it down.”
— Teen Ink" This book was challenged at my school...after reading it I am even more angry...this book has nothing wrong with it. "
— Medi, 2/19/2014" Re-read this one because I still had it in my collection since junior high years. Not my type of book...made it through the whole thing (though I'm not sure how I did - I'm famous at abandoning books when I become uninterested) and was glad when it was over. "
— Cathy, 2/12/2014" I didn't care for this book very much. It was a short and easy read and I was glad to finish it and move on to something else. It lacked substance and was predictable. "
— April, 2/7/2014" Teenage I wish my english teacher were dead. Oops, we killed him. Straight forward, the suspence comes from trying to hush it up. "
— Krista, 2/3/2014" I think this is a good book filled with suspence and would be a good book for teenagers. Killing Mr.Griffin is easy to read and easy to stay focused, You won't get bored with any of it. The main characters are fighting to get away with murder, who knows if they'll get away with it. "
— Siani, 2/2/2014" Killing mr griffin is one of the best books i have read. If had my attention al thoughout the book. "
— Andrea, 2/2/2014" Is was a good book and i think everybody would like it. It is a really good book if you dont like english. "
— Jimmy, 1/22/2014" It was really surprising and it was pretty good. Not necessarily one of my favorites but pretty good. I did not enjoy the movie though and would not recommend seeing the movie. "
— Nataytay, 1/12/2014" I read this because I work at the high school it takes place at, which I think probably made it better than it really is. It was a fun read if a little formulaic, but then again it is a young adult novel. "
— Andrew, 1/9/2014" the thing I really like about this book is that you can't tell what year it was written, 1977. It's only when teens use regular telephone you wonder why their not using their cells:) "
— Jeffrey, 1/9/2014" Ok, some students plot to play a scary prank on their strict English teacher and the prank goes terribly wrong. Are these teenagers ready to face a murder charge or will they try to hide the evidence... er body, cough, cough. Ok, guys, don't be getting any bad ideas from this book. Mr. Maxwell told me he was worried. "
— Ms.Hope, 1/5/2014" The ending made me think what if Mr. Griffin was his dad? This shows that when you think you know your friends truly and they will have your back check again? Because they might not be the friends you thought they were. "
— Leticia, 1/2/2014" This book is by Lois Duncan. She also wrote "I know what you did last summer". This book is about a couple of kids who hate their english teacher and decide to kidnap them but then when he dies while they left him up in the mountains tied up things just got a lot harder. Then they learn his wife is pregant and that she is getting suspicious and thinks it is them. Will they be able to cover their tracks or will they be caught? Will the leader of the plan take things too far? read this book to find out. "
— Eletric, 12/26/2013" I couldn't finish. I didn't like the characters and I could see where it was going. Other reviews mention the unraveling of their deed is well done but I couldn't stand it enough to get there. "
— Karlen, 12/25/2013" Killing a teacher? Didn't like this Lois Duncan as well... "
— JaNise, 12/24/2013" Received this book free after hearing Lois Duncan speak at NCTE 2010. Great character development and twists. I look forward to reading Lois's other books. "
— Julie, 12/24/2013" it was good, but i didn't finish it...again. "
— Rojo, 12/22/2013" I think this book was very exciting. It made me thing a lot and most of the time it stumped me. THis book also made me never stop reading. I was always interested and focused. I love it. "
— Kevin, 12/16/2013" This book is good. I didn't liek the ending. "
— I, 12/12/2013" From the summary I read I predict that the kids that killed their teacher are going to end up snitching on themselves. I think they are going to go crazy with guilt. "
— Anitsugeiry, 12/8/2013" Great book. Even greater plot twists. "
— Amanda, 12/4/2013" I love how the character views changed up in this book it shows a certain inexact feeling that a story like this needed. I watched the movie right after (book is always better) and its been awhile since I read it and I still remember a quote which is new for me. "
— Jared, 10/23/2013" From the summary I read I predict that the kids that killed their teacher are going to end up snitching on themselves. I think they are going to go crazy with guilt. "
— Anitsugeiry, 10/16/2013" It was a good book about students coming together, but it got predictable towards the end. But still an awesome book! "
— Tina, 9/29/2013" This is a really good book. the plot is what i liked the most. how omplicated it was that one event led to another one and so on. in particular, i enjoy murder novels. so this was one that really caught my attention and showed me that i did enjoy reading, but about something i liked. "
— Alfredo, 8/13/2013" Killing mr griffin is one of the best books i have read. If had my attention al thoughout the book. "
— Andrea, 6/22/2013" Really good and creepy. ;) "
— βҽϲκαÓίη, 6/13/2013" i believe "Killing Mr.Griffin" is a good book for people who are interested in books when you need to guess what happen next.I enjoyed reading this book, but it wasnt the best book i read. "
— Kierra, 4/14/2013" She's a young adult writer and a good one. This book explores the mind of a psychopathic killer who hates the teacher of his senior english class and involves other students in the plot to "scare" him....except they kill him. "
— Donna, 4/3/2013" um. a good nostalgia trip. "
— Branden, 3/3/2013" I'm teaching it this semester. It should keep the kiddies interested. "
— Tracy, 2/16/2013" High school students kidnapped their teacher, Mr Griffin, and keep him tied to the tree on the top of the hill. They just want to scare him. What they didn't know is, he has an asthma, and the panic killed him instantly. A good story, but don't you think it would give the students an idea? "
— Sylvia, 1/16/2013" This book was good, but I personally think that they could use more imagery. "
— Cole, 10/19/2012" This book is pretty good. I liked it. "
— Brooke, 9/26/2012" This was a really good book with alot of suspence and an unintended prank gone all wrong. "
— Jasmine, 6/22/2012" I didn't care for this book very much. It was a short and easy read and I was glad to finish it and move on to something else. It lacked substance and was predictable. "
— April, 5/5/2012" Killing a teacher? Didn't like this Lois Duncan as well... "
— JaNise, 4/17/2012" this book was really good and the movie was too. "
— C3.C3, 4/15/2012" The book itself is not scary, but one of the characters is a budding Anti-social Personality Disorder teenager which is what makes things scary. "
— Brittany, 3/17/2012" I felt like there needed to be more character development and more wrapping up of loose ends. I didn't find any of the characters likeable, and the protagonists were anti-heroes I felt ambivalent toward as I read - I'm not sure if this was her intended effect. "
— Lydia, 2/4/2012" I found this book very realistic but really deppressing, mostly because kids would really do this. "
— Grey, 9/17/2011" This book was good, but I personally think that they could use more imagery. "
— Cole, 8/26/2011" I read this with my sophomore class this semester. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a quick read, but one that took me right back to high school. Not that I killed my English teacher, but the perspectives of the characters are realistic. "
— Christina, 7/31/2011" there are 5 highschool students that hate their English teacher, Mr. Griffin. they planed to kill him, but sometimes the best plan might go wrong. So Mr.Griffin died, and they had to hide evidences. However, in the end of story, they got caught. "
— Hoac5, 5/23/2011" its actually a good book(: "
— Andrea(:, 5/15/2011" This book was scary, but it was'nt as horrifying as I thought it would be. "
— Sabiha709, 4/9/2011" This book was scary, but it was'nt as horrifying as I thought it would be. "
— Sabiha709, 4/9/2011" The ending made me think what if Mr. Griffin was his dad? This shows that when you think you know your friends truly and they will have your back check again? Because they might not be the friends you thought they were. "
— Leticia, 3/12/2011" The ending made me think what if Mr. Griffin was his dad? This shows that when you think you know your friends truly and they will have your back check again? Because they might not be the friends you thought they were. "
— Leticia, 3/12/2011" Killing a teacher? Didn't like this Lois Duncan as well... "
— JaNise, 2/28/2011" Killing a teacher? Didn't like this Lois Duncan as well... "
— JaNise, 2/28/2011" Powerful and eye-opening. When the boys kidnap Mr. Griffin, it's astonishing. The real problem is that Mr. Griffin has a bad heart, astonishing becomes a life or death situation. "
— Rachel, 2/22/2011" Powerful and eye-opening. When the boys kidnap Mr. Griffin, it's astonishing. The real problem is that Mr. Griffin has a bad heart, astonishing becomes a life or death situation. "
— Rachel, 2/22/2011" I liked this book, it wasn't one of the books I'd read again, but it's still a good one. I like murder/mystery novels so this one caught my interest in 8th grade when I read it. I also thought the storyline was very catchy and straight-forward, which I like. "
— Omar, 2/13/2011" I liked this book, it wasn't one of the books I'd read again, but it's still a good one. I like murder/mystery novels so this one caught my interest in 8th grade when I read it. I also thought the storyline was very catchy and straight-forward, which I like. "
— Omar, 2/13/2011" This is a really good book. the plot is what i liked the most. how omplicated it was that one event led to another one and so on. in particular, i enjoy murder novels. so this was one that really caught my attention and showed me that i did enjoy reading, but about something i liked. "
— Alfredo, 2/11/2011" This is a really good book. the plot is what i liked the most. how omplicated it was that one event led to another one and so on. in particular, i enjoy murder novels. so this was one that really caught my attention and showed me that i did enjoy reading, but about something i liked. "
— Alfredo, 2/11/2011" this book was the first book i read of Lois Duncan. It has been one of the best of all three books ive read of this author. "
— Paola, 2/3/2011" this book was the first book i read of Lois Duncan. It has been one of the best of all three books ive read of this author. "
— Paola, 2/3/2011" Killing mr griffin is one of the best books i have read. If had my attention al thoughout the book. "
— Andrea, 2/1/2011" Killing mr griffin is one of the best books i have read. If had my attention al thoughout the book. "
— Andrea, 2/1/2011" This was a really good book with alot of suspence and an unintended prank gone all wrong. "
— Jasmine, 1/5/2011" This was a really good book with alot of suspence and an unintended prank gone all wrong. "
— Jasmine, 1/5/2011Lois Duncan is the author of forty-eight books, ranging from children’s picture books to adult novels, but she is best known for her young adult suspense novels. Many of those have been chosen as American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults and Jr. Literary Guild Selections, and they have won Young Readers Awards in sixteen states and three foreign countries. Six of her novels, including Summer of Fear, Killing Mr. Griffin, Gallows Hill, and Ransom, were made-for-TV movies. Over 300 of her articles and short stories have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, McCall’s, Good Housekeeping, and Reader’s Digest. In 1992, Lois received the Margaret A. Edwards Award. Lois has also written novels and nonfiction books for adults, including Who Killed My Daughter?, the true story of her search for the truth behind the brutal murder of the youngest of her five children, eighteen-year-old Kaitlyn.
Dennis Holland is a voice actor with an extensive background from commercials for Lucky Charms, Sam Adams, Panasonic, American Express, and others, to audiobooks by authors such as Anita Shreve, William Gibson, and Douglas Brinkley. He previously worked as a talent representative for television sports and news personalities.