Killing Mr. Griffin

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4.3 (20)

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Author(s)

Lois Duncan

Publisher

Laurel Leaf

Genre(s)

Horror

Age Range

12+

Release Date

August 01, 1978

ISBN

0440945151

Buy This Book

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.

They only meant to scare him.

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.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Teachers Beware...

December 25, 2000

Overall rating

4.0

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Killing Mr. Griffin is a truly terrifying book (especially if you happen to be a teacher). A group of teenagers, including one girl who is coerced into going along with the plan through peer pressure and a desire "to belong", hatch a plan to frighten their English teacher.

But their plan goes wrong. Instead of merely scaring their teacher into submission, they scare him to death. None of them, even the slightly stereotypical "bad kids," had intended for it to go that far.

Throughout most of the book, the reader is treated to a thorough exploration of the guilt, false bravado and despair the teenagers go through as they wrestle among themselves about what to do.

None of the characters, even the girl who was dragged into the plot to be the decoy, are particularly likable characters. But, that's a good thing. We may not like these characters, but we believe them.

Even though the story is far-fetched, we begin to understand how it could have happened as we travel the tortuous route to the ending. That's really the lesson here.

The characters in the story have created the terrible circumstance they find themselves in. At the same time, the situation shapes and molds their entire lives and beings. The scariest parts of the story are the ones that we see ourselves in.

Kimberly Pauley Top 50 Reviewer 393 reviews

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User reviews

20 reviews

5 stars

55%

4 stars

3 stars

25%

2 stars

1 star

15%

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

3.9(20)

Characters

5.0(1)

Writing Style

4.0(1)

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Killing Mr Griffin

June 02, 2023

Overall rating

4.7

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Killing Mr. Griffin is a great read for teenagers/young adults. It follows the thriller-like plot of several Highschool students planning the violent confrontation of their ever-criticizing English teacher, Mr. Brian Griffin. Each character is written well, there is an intense yet exciting plot. An exceptional read from Lois Duncan.

Leobwhps 1 reviews

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GOOD

March 02, 2010

Overall rating

3.0

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Reader reviewed by f00lishchick

this book was pretty good! i thought it was going to be a boring book because it was one of the books on my english reading list, but it turned out to be pretty good. i like the plot becuase i have never read a book where students kill their own teacher. i think the ending is really nice and it puts the reader in a place where they probably wouldn't have been in the beginning of the story.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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a plan

October 16, 2008

Overall rating

3.0

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Reader reviewed by Jacob

This book is about a language Arts teacher and his students. The kids don't like him and made a plan. They were going to take him to a secret spot and make him beg. They didn't know how long it would take.

I think the kids that would read this would be kids that don't like one of there teachers. They could get an enjoyment out of this book. But hopefully not a plan. It might take a little while to get exciting but when it does you will enjoy it.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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This book sucks

May 06, 2008

Overall rating

1.0

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Reader reviewed by brandon

this book sucks. i had to read it for my 9th grade english class. the only way that it served its purpose to me was as a pillow. the writer just went know where with the book. the characters did not use there heads at all in the book. and the ending with the grand-mother made the book even dumber. this book caused me to waste hours of my life that i will never get back.

Guest #1 Reviewer

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Creepily Good!

November 02, 2007

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by Mary

Killing Mr. Griffin is a stunning thriller that any teen should find interesting. This book details a group of high school students who kidnap their strict teacher to scare him a little. However, sometimes things don't always happen as you think they might.

Every page of the story is filled with action that will have the reader on the edge of their seat with anticipation. The high school students are easy to relate to. Empathy is a major issue throughout this book for both the students and the teacher. What would you do if a prank turned into a murder>

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bannas

December 06, 2006

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by j-boog

i wasnt clear on what happened at the end when mark set the hous on fire and started to leave who grabbed him what happened???????????? this book was sad i dont know why betsy and jeff was following mark....but i gues thats what peer preasure will do to you i feel bad that his dad was good to him but you would never guess that mark was a crazzy killing syco if you have any anwsers to my questions post it imtellin you this iz one heck off a book well a gotta go and do a report on this book but this site helped me get alot of information like the setting i kinda skipped some pages that i thought wasnt important

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Entertaining

October 21, 2006

Overall rating

3.0

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Reader reviewed by Eve

This book was interesting and I really like how Lois Duncan got such an ensemble of characters. I felt bad for the main character who because of her love for David helps them kidnap Mr. Griffin. This is all because Mr. Griffin is hated because of his tough teaching style.

Unfortunately for all the teenagers involved in this kidnapping plot Mr. Griffin dies and they are all left trying to cover up his death.

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Teen Choices: To Join or Not to Join......

September 19, 2006

Overall rating

1.0

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Reader reviewed by Eve39

Killing Mr. Griffin is a novel which inspires adolescents to think and question peer pressure. It also allows students to see the consequences of their hastened actions. This is a great read for all reading levels. Students who have not read all year are reading this novel anticipating the next shift in the plot! Kudos to Duncan for her insight into the adolescent minds!

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review by ashley

February 09, 2006

Overall rating

3.0

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Reader reviewed by ashley (ashii)

heyy this book is okay from what i've read i'm only in the beginning but so far it seems ok but i have read better books by lois duncan like "i know what you did last summer", "ransom", "stranger with my face", and "don't look behind you"....these are only some of them i have read alot of lois duncan's book but sometimes they don't turm out that good after all it is hard coming up wit these books and ideas.....

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Killing Mr Griffen review

February 01, 2006

Overall rating

1.0

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Reader reviewed by B

This bokk was ok, however, I did not like the ending. I didn't really get it, and it doesn't tell you everything that you need to know. There is a part about Mr. Griffen;s ring, but you never know how it turns out, and as far as I know, there isn't a sequel

Guest #1 Reviewer