Are You in the House Alone

Are you in the House Alone?

Richard Peck

Richard Peck's Are You in the House Alone is the ultimate teen thriller.  Gail Osborne is an average high school student.  She has a boyfriend and a best friend.  She goes to school during the week and babysits on Saturday nights.  Her life is turned upside down when she finds a vulgar threatening note in her locker.  She is afraid to answer the phone because her stalker seems to know when she's alone.  Someone is watching her, and they want to hurt her.  How will Gail survive?

Although written in 1976, Are You in the House Alone stands the test of time.  On the surface, the book's plot seems like a typical Hollywood suspense flick.  In fact, Dennis Quaid and Blythe Danner star in the movie adaptation of the book:  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077174/ ).  However, on a deeper level, the book shows how a small conservative town deals with a young girl's sexual assault when the rapist happens to be the son of the wealthiest family in town.  

A short video clip from the 1978 movie: