They just wanted to have some fun. Randy, the initator of the whole stay-over at The Mall House thing, did not foresee the danger that lurked in their home for the night, which was actually nothing but a vampire's nest. The 6 of them: Lacey, Randy, Sherree, Zach, Roxanne, and Bobby, each lead different lives, and they come together on this single night just to find out how selfish individuals are. The air-headed Sherree, a pretty blonde cheerleader, nominated Lacey when asked, forced, and then frightened into nominating someone from their crowd. From how she responds to certain happenings in the house, I can tell how dense Sherree is. While Lacey was the first to sense a vampire, 'silly cheerleader Sherree, was doing what she did best, giggling between Randy and Bobby'. This portrayed a typical bimbotic girl who has shallow, and evene zilch ideas about practicality. She would do anything to save herself from the vampire, and that includes sacrificing her friend. 'Sherree tightened herself into a ball, thinking. Lacey's standing up. He'll take her first. I'll run. He can't do two at a time.' What goes on in Sherree's mind shows clearly this way. She cannot be really trusted, as she would promise anything to save herself. Promise anything to save yourself. The vampire wanted them to choose who would have to stay and to be the vampire's next victim. Each of them wanted to leave very much, each of them thinking 'Hey, that won't be me. I'm leaving'. But if everyone leaves, who would be the next victim? This book ventures deep into a person's inner conscience, for everyone is selfish but to a certain extent for some. In the middle [nearing the end of the book], the 5 people came back for Lacey just as the vampire was about to devour her. But when Randy volunteered to be the vampire's victim just to save Lacey and be seen as a hero, the vampire lets him go for voluteering not anyone but himself. Sherree, on seeing this, volunteered too, but the vampire could tell her selfish motives and personal agenda to be the second one out of there, he decided to take her for his next victim. This shows a certain knowing on the vampire's part, that he/she under the mysterious cloak isn't exactly a cold-blooded menace but rather, quite understanding of human nature. Lacey's battle with the vampire was an interesting and exciting one. She made use of the vampire's weakness--fear of the coming of dawn, to destroy the vampire and emerged as a winner and a true hero. She was one who was not afraid even of death darkness and the vampire, one who would never promise anything just to save herself but she cared for the rest of the people. Her personal agenda was not to get herself out of the Mall House, but to get everyone out of there. Her selfless motives were one of courage and deserves praise. She said something really meaningful in the story, which is: 'The vampire's weaknesses don't count. Our own weaknesses are the ones that matter.' This shows her determination to triumph over evil by being strong. Strength and will are the only ways to survive in the Mall House. I loved this series. I have read all three books in this series and I loved this last novel best as it is the most exciting one. One night in the Mall House with the Vampire. One to be sacrificed. Who would it be? It is certainly a captivating plot. So, read this book by Caroline B Cooney, the master of mystery and horror! Vampires may not be real, but what the story may be trying to say, may be that vampires, or the dark, can exist in everyone. In fact, everyone has a vampire in his/her heart. The dark side of human nature, that is. And that we should always lock that dark side in us, lock them out behind shutters in a tall dark tower and never ever release it.
