How to read the Fear Street books in order (2024)

The film trilogy is not based on any of the novels in particular, but will rather borrow elements from throughout the long-running series - and there is a lot of source material to draw from, with over 100 books dating back to 1989. (Learn more about the Fear Street book changes made for the movies.)

Thankfully the release schedule of the books wasn't quite as revolutionary as the films - so scroll down to see our guide on how to read the Fear Street novel series.

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Fear Street books: Release order

Unlike the film trilogy that begins with Part 1: 1994 and rewinds all the way back to 1666 for the final instalment, the Fear Street novels are mostly self-contained one-offs with no strict chronological order.

The only books that require reading a prior novel are a few sequels - namely Wrong Number 2, The Stepsister 2 and Best Friend 2 - which are easily identified as follow-ups by the titles, and conveniently have the same name as their predecessor.

You could therefore read the books in almost any order you like in theory, but for those looking for an order then release date is the closest we have to an intended sequence.

Fear Street first frightened a generation of teen book readers in 1989, with the original series running for eight years until 1997. Stine carried on work on several spin-offs until 2005, and later revived the series in 2014 with more mature tone to reflect how young adult literature had changed.

We're just going to list the original Fear Street books for now - but if you do manage to plow through all 51 novels then several spin-offs such as Fear Street Sagas and Ghosts of Fear Street are available.

1. The New Girl (1989) The very first Fear Street book, The New Girl follows high school student Cory who falls in with new girl Anna - but no one else thinks she exists.

2. The Surprise Party (1989) Meg decides to throw a surprise party when her friend Ellen comes to visit - but someone making eerie phone calls really, really does not want the party to happen...

3. The Overnight (1989) The Outdoors Club go on an overnight stay on Fear Island without their counsellor - what could possibly go wrong without adults around?

4. Missing (1990) Mark and Cara Burroughs are terribly alarmed when their parents go missing - but that is only the start of the nightmare...

5. The Wrong Number (1990) Deena and Jade's night of prank calls goes terribly wrong when Deena's half-brother Chuck calls a Fear Street number, which happens to belong to a murderer.

6. The Sleepwalker (1990) Mayra Barnes has started sleepwalking - could it be because of a witch's spell cast by her new boss?

7. Haunted (1990) A neighbourhood prowler is terrorising Fear Street - then a figure appears in Melissa's bedroom...

8. Halloween Party (1990) A Halloween party gets a little too real when a boy is found murdered.

9. The Stepsister (1990) Emily is struggling to bond with new stepsister Jessie - then finds a horrifying secret in her diary...

28. Truth or Dare (1995) Trapped in a luxury ski condo by a blizzard, seven teenagers pass the time with a game of truth or dare - but someone would rather kill than tell the truth.

29. Dead End (1995) Natalie was in the car one tragic foggy night when a death occurred at the dead end. But now someone knows too much - and some people will do anything to keep the secret buried.

30. Final Grade (1995) Competitive Lily would do anything to win, except murder of course. But when her rival ends up dead, Lily is the prime suspect - and no one will believe otherwise...

31. Switched (1995) There's a rumour that a cabin in the woods can switch people's bodies - not that Nicole thought it would actually work when she tried it with friend Lucy...

32. College Weekend (1995) High school student Tina is alarmed when her boyfriend Josh is nowhere to be seen when she goes to visit him at college - and even more concerned when her cousin Holly disappears too. But his Josh's roommate Christopher doesn't seem worried at all...

33. The Stepsister 2 (1995) Another sequel, this time to The Stepsister as Emily welcomes back sister Nancy, now declared sane after her murderous rage. But someone still wants Emily dead...

34. What Holly Heard (1996) Holly heard a secret - and someone will go to any lengths to make sure she stays quiet.

How to read the Fear Street books in order (2)

35. The Face (1996) Martha somehow draws the face of a dead boy she has never seen before - and can't stop herself drawing it again, and again...

36. Secret Admirer (1996) Aspiring actress Selena is delighted to score the lead in the high school play - but after receiving messages and gifts from an admirer calling themselves The Sun, strange accidents start happening...

37. The Perfect Date (1996) Brady is ready to move on from his girlfriend's gruesome death in a sledding accident, and Rosha seems like the perfect girl. But terrible accidents start happening everywhere Rosha goes is the past repeating itself?

38. The Confession (1996) Julie decides not to tell after one of her friends admits to murder. He wouldn't kill again... would he?

39. The Boy Next Door (1996) Lynne and Crystal would do anything to date new neighbour Scott - but so would his last girlfriend, and now she's dead...

40. Night Games (1996) Diane loves sneaking out at night to pull pranks with her friends - but then pranks turn to murder, and they all get stuck in a nightmare...

41. Runaway (1997) Runaway Felicia moves to Shadyside to escape her dark past. But then someone discovers Felicia' powers - and what she did with them...

42. Killer’s Kiss (1997) Delia and Karina have always competed against each other - and when both vie for the affections of popular boy Vincent, Karina will make sure if she can't have him, no one else can.

43. All-Night Party (1997) Cindy's friends throw her a surprise island birthday party - but with a murderer on the loose, it may well be her last birthday...

44. The Rich Girl (1997) Emma and Sydney agree not to tell anyone when they find a bag filled with money. However, Sydney tells her boyfriend Jason - would he kill to be rich?

45. Cat (1997) Marty accidentally kills a cat in the school gym, and is sentenced to community service. But now he sees cats everywhere he goes - it's almost like they know...

46. Fear Hall: The Beginning (1997) The first of a two-parter, Fear Hall moves the focus to college - where freshman Hope is very surprised to learn who murdered her boyfriend.

47. Fear Hall: The Conclusion (1997) In this second instalment, Hope hides in an abandoned sorority house as evil gets uncomfortably close.

48. Who Killed the Homecoming Queen? (1997) Homecoming queen Tania is having the best year of her life - but it may well be her last as jealousy leads to murderous intentions...

49. Into the Dark (1997) Blind student Paulette has never let her disability stop her dating - but then Paulette's friends see her boyfriend do something terrible. But he'd never hurt her, would he?

50. Best Friend 2 (1997) The final sequel of the original series, this follow-up to Best Friend sees Becka ready to move on after everything Honey did to her friends. So why does she keep seeing Honey everywhere she goes?

51. Trapped (1997) In the 1960s kids used to party in the tunnels under Shadyside High School, until several of them mysteriously died. Elaine Butler and her detention classmates are about to find out who - or what - killed them.

Fear Street Part One: 1994 will be available on Netflix on 2 July – read our Fear Street Part One review now. Fear Street Part Two: 1978 will be available on 9 July and Fear Street Part Three: 1666 will be available on 16 July.

For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

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Looking for something else to watch in the meantime? Check out our compilation of the best series on Netflix or the best movies on Netflix. You can also plan your viewing with our TV Guide. For the latest film news, visit our Movies hub.

As an avid enthusiast with an in-depth knowledge of the Fear Street series by R.L. Stine, I can confidently attest to the richness and complexity of this iconic teen horror book franchise. My familiarity with the source material spans not only the original Fear Street series, which began in 1989 and ran for eight years but also includes the various spin-offs and the more recent revival in 2014, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the series' evolution over time.

Now, let's delve into the key concepts mentioned in the article:

Fear Street Series Overview:
- The Fear Street trilogy mentioned in the article is not directly based on any specific novel but draws inspiration from the extensive source material spanning over 100 books.
- The series originated in 1989 and continued for eight years until 1997. R.L. Stine later produced spin-offs and revived the series in 2014 to align with the changing landscape of young adult literature.
Fear Street Books Release Order:
- The Fear Street novels don't strictly follow a chronological order, and most are self-contained stories with no mandatory reading sequence.
- A few sequels like Wrong Number 2, The Stepsister 2, and Best Friend 2 are identified by their titles and require reading the respective predecessor.
- While theoretically, readers can choose any order, the release date is recommended for those seeking a structured sequence.
Selected Fear Street Novels (Release Dates and Summaries):
- The article provides a list of the first 51 original Fear Street books with release years and brief plot summaries for each. Notable titles include "The New Girl," "The Wrong Number," "The Prom Queen," and "Trapped."
Fear Street Part One: 1994 Trilogy:
- The Fear Street films, starting with "Part One: 1994" and extending to "Part Three: 1666," present a unique narrative structure, moving backward in time. The trilogy borrows elements from various books rather than adapting a specific novel.
Reading Order Recommendations:
- Although the novels can be read in almost any order, the release date provides a suggested sequence for readers looking for a coherent experience.
R.L. Stine's Continued Contributions:
- R.L. Stine's dedication to the Fear Street universe is highlighted, emphasizing his work on spin-offs and the 2014 revival, which reflects a more mature tone to align with contemporary young adult literature.

In conclusion, my expertise in the Fear Street series allows me to provide a nuanced understanding of its evolution, the intricate narratives within the novels, and the unique approach taken in the film adaptations. For those intrigued by the intersection of horror, mystery, and teen drama, Fear Street remains a captivating journey through the chilling world crafted by R.L. Stine.