Headstands and Hauntings Begin

Cory Brooks, a talented gymnast at Shadyside High, is first introduced while performing a headstand in the lunchroom, showing off for his friends. Amid the laughter and chaos, he glimpses a new girl—pale, beautiful, and ethereal—wearing a blue dress. Her presence is magnetic and unsettling, and Cory is instantly obsessed. His friends, David and Arnie, tease him, but Cory can't shake the image of the mysterious girl. He learns her name is Anna Corwin, and she's just moved to town, living on the infamous Fear Street—a place shrouded in local legends of hauntings and tragedy. Cory's fixation on Anna marks the beginning of a spiral into obsession, mystery, and danger.

The Girl in Blue

Cory's attempts to learn more about Anna are met with confusion and resistance. She is elusive, often absent from school, and when Cory tries to call her house, a strange man answers and insists Anna doesn't live there. Anna's behavior is odd—she's frightened, withdrawn, and seems to float through the halls like a ghost. Cory's best friend Lisa, who harbors feelings for him, warns him about Anna, but Cory is undeterred. The more he tries to get close to Anna, the more he is drawn into her world of secrets and fear.

Fear Street Whispers

Cory's investigation into Anna's life leads him to Fear Street, a place with a dark reputation. He learns from Lisa that Anna's family moved from Melrose and that Anna is rumored to be dead. Cory's late-night visit to the Corwin house is unsettling—he encounters a strange neighbor and Anna's brother, Brad, who angrily insists Anna is dead. Cory's confusion deepens as he struggles to reconcile the living girl he's seen with the claims of her death.

Obsession and Ominous Calls

Cory's obsession with Anna begins to affect his life—his gymnastics performance suffers, his friendships strain, and he becomes increasingly isolated. He receives threatening phone calls warning him to stay away from Anna or risk death. Anna herself calls Cory in the middle of the night, begging for help and arranging secret meetings. The line between reality and nightmare blurs as Cory is pulled deeper into Anna's orbit, haunted by dreams and the sense that something is terribly wrong.

Midnight on Fear Street

Cory sneaks out to meet Anna on Fear Street at her request. Their encounter is intense and confusing—Anna kisses him passionately, but her behavior is erratic and desperate. As Cory tries to understand her, he is attacked by a large dog belonging to the strange neighbor. The night is filled with fear, confusion, and the sense that Cory is being watched and manipulated by forces he doesn't understand.

The Dead Girl's File

Desperate for the truth, Cory breaks into the school's permanent records to find Anna's file, only to discover there is no record of her at all. This discovery, combined with a newspaper clipping Lisa finds that reports Anna's death in Melrose, convinces Cory that something supernatural or sinister is at play. Cory's grip on reality weakens as he questions whether Anna is a ghost, a figment of his imagination, or something else entirely.

Ghosts, Dreams, and Doubt

Cory is plagued by dreams of Anna, in which she appears ghostly and menacing, urging him to join her in death. He is tormented by the idea that Anna might truly be dead, and his friends begin to worry about his mental state. Lisa tries to support him, but Cory is consumed by his need to solve the mystery, even as the evidence points to the impossible.

Anna's Kiss, Anna's Curse

Cory and Anna share a passionate, almost violent kiss, after which Anna's behavior becomes even more erratic. She alternates between affection and terror, warning Cory about her brother Brad and insisting he stay away. Cory is left reeling, unsure whether Anna is a victim or a threat, and whether he is falling in love with a living girl or a ghost.

Threats, Cats, and Confessions

Lisa, jealous and worried for Cory, becomes the target of a gruesome prank—a dead cat is left in her locker with a threatening note. She is also harassed by menacing phone calls. Cory suspects Brad, but Lisa is convinced Anna is behind it. The tension between the three intensifies, and the danger becomes more personal and immediate.

The Dance Turns Deadly

At the Turnaround Dance, Lisa is pushed down a flight of stairs in a dark hallway. She survives, but Cory realizes that Brad was present and may have been responsible. The incident confirms that someone is willing to kill to keep Anna's secrets hidden. Cory and Lisa's relationship is strained to the breaking point as the mystery deepens.

Brad's Warning

Cory and Lisa confront Brad at school, and he confesses that he has been trying to protect Cory from Anna. Brad's behavior is erratic and desperate, and he locks Cory and Lisa in a classroom before fleeing. Cory's suspicion of Brad grows, but he also begins to suspect that Anna's family is hiding a much darker secret.

Truths in the Attic

Cory finally forces Anna to tell him the truth. She reveals a tragic family history: her father abandoned them, her mother is ill, and her brother Brad became mentally unstable after the death of his girlfriend Emily. Brad began to confuse Anna with their other sister, Willa, and started telling people Anna was dead. Anna confesses her fear that Brad may have killed Willa, and that she herself is in danger.

The Real Anna Revealed

Cory's confrontation with Anna and Brad at the Corwin house leads to a shocking revelation: the girl Cory has known as Anna is actually Willa, Anna's jealous sister. Willa killed Anna in a fit of envy and assumed her identity, fooling everyone—including herself. Brad, tormented by guilt and confusion, tried to protect others from Willa's madness, but was powerless to stop her.

Sister's Secret, Sister's Sin

Willa, fully unhinged, attacks Cory with a letter opener, intent on killing him as she killed Anna. Cory's gymnastics skills save him from being stabbed and falling out a window. Brad intervenes, and the truth of Willa's crime and mental illness is finally revealed. Willa is subdued, and Brad urges Cory to call the police so Willa can get the help she needs.

Willa's Wrath Unleashed

The police are called, and Willa is taken away to receive psychiatric care. Brad, devastated by the loss of both sisters and his own inability to prevent tragedy, is left to pick up the pieces. Cory is traumatized but relieved to have survived. The truth about Anna's death and Willa's deception is finally known, bringing an end to the nightmare.

Escape and Aftermath

Cory and Lisa, both shaken by the ordeal, find comfort in each other. They reflect on the horrors they've witnessed and the dangers of obsession and jealousy. Cory is left to process his feelings for Anna/Willa and the trauma of nearly being killed. Lisa's steadfast support helps him begin to heal.

Lisa and Cory's New Start

In the aftermath, Cory and Lisa grow closer, their friendship deepened by shared trauma. They realize the importance of trust, honesty, and facing reality. As they move forward, they leave behind the darkness of Fear Street, determined to build a healthier, more grounded relationship—one based on truth rather than obsession and illusion.

Characters

Cory Brooks

Cory is a talented gymnast whose confidence and bravado mask deep insecurities and a longing for connection. His obsession with Anna Corwin drives the narrative, leading him into danger and self-doubt. Cory's relationships with his friends, especially Lisa, are strained by his fixation, and his inability to let go of Anna nearly costs him his life. Throughout the story, Cory's journey is one of confronting the dangers of obsession, learning to trust his instincts, and ultimately choosing reality and genuine connection over fantasy.

Anna Corwin / Willa Corwin

Anna is initially presented as the beautiful, mysterious new girl, but is ultimately revealed to be Willa, Anna's jealous and mentally unstable sister. Willa's deep-seated envy and identity confusion drive her to murder Anna and assume her identity, fooling everyone around her. Willa's psychological unraveling is at the heart of the novel's horror, as her need for love and validation turns violent and deadly. Her duality—both victim and villain—embodies the destructive power of jealousy and the fragility of identity.

Lisa Blume

Lisa is Cory's lifelong friend and neighbor, secretly in love with him. She is intelligent, sarcastic, and fiercely loyal, providing emotional support and practical help even as Cory's obsession with Anna threatens their relationship. Lisa's jealousy and frustration are understandable, and her willingness to forgive and support Cory in the end highlights her strength and resilience. Lisa represents the voice of reason and the importance of genuine, grounded relationships.

Brad Corwin

Brad is Anna and Willa's older brother, traumatized by the death of his girlfriend and the loss of his sister. His mental instability manifests in confusion, overprotectiveness, and desperate attempts to keep others away from Willa/Anna. Brad's actions are both threatening and pitiable—he is a tragic figure, unable to save his family or himself from the consequences of untreated trauma and mental illness.

David Metcalf

David is Cory's best friend and fellow gymnast, providing humor and camaraderie. He is supportive but increasingly concerned about Cory's obsession with Anna. David's role is to ground Cory in reality and remind him of the importance of friendship and normalcy.

Arnie Tobin

Arnie is another member of the gymnastics team, often the butt of jokes and a source of comic relief. His jealousy of Cory's talent and his need for attention reflect the broader themes of envy and insecurity that run through the novel.

Mrs. Corwin

Mrs. Corwin is a background figure, her illness and passivity contributing to the family's dysfunction. Her inability to intervene or seek help for her children allows the tragedy to unfold unchecked.

The Fear Street Neighbor

The neighbor, always accompanied by his dog Voltaire, serves as a symbol of Fear Street's menace and the community's tendency to watch but not intervene. His ambiguous warnings and presence heighten the atmosphere of paranoia and dread.

Voltaire (the dog)

Voltaire, the neighbor's Doberman, is both a literal and symbolic threat, representing the dangers lurking on Fear Street and the animalistic violence underlying the Corwin family's tragedy.

Shadyside High Community

The students and staff of Shadyside High serve as a chorus of rumor, disbelief, and inaction. Their failure to notice or intervene in Anna/Willa's unraveling reflects the dangers of apathy and the ease with which tragedy can be overlooked.

Plot Devices

Unreliable Identity and Doppelgänger

The central plot device is the confusion between Anna and Willa, with Willa assuming Anna's identity after murdering her. This doppelgänger motif creates a sense of unreality and suspense, as both Cory and the reader are led to question what is real and who can be trusted. The gradual revelation of Willa's true identity is the novel's core twist.

Foreshadowing and Red Herrings

Stine employs foreshadowing through rumors, dreams, and supernatural hints, leading readers to suspect Anna is a ghost or that something paranormal is at play. Red herrings—such as the neighbor, the threatening phone calls, and the dead cat—keep the reader guessing and heighten the sense of danger and uncertainty.

Epistolary and Media Clues

Cory's search for Anna's school file and Lisa's discovery of the newspaper obituary serve as key plot devices, providing external evidence that challenges Cory's perceptions and propels the investigation forward.

Psychological Horror and Obsession

The novel's horror is as much psychological as it is physical. Cory's obsession, Willa's identity crisis, and Brad's trauma create a web of internal dangers that are as threatening as the external violence. The blurring of dream and reality, sanity and madness, is central to the book's unsettling atmosphere.

Gothic Setting and Atmosphere

Fear Street itself is a classic gothic setting—isolated, cursed, and filled with dark history. Its reputation and physical presence amplify the novel's sense of dread and inevitability, making it both a backdrop and an active force in the story.

Analysis

R.L. Stine's The New Girl is a masterclass in psychological suspense, using the familiar trappings of high school drama to explore deeper themes of obsession, jealousy, and the fragility of identity. The novel's central twist—that the new girl is not Anna but her sister Willa, driven to madness and murder by envy—transforms what appears to be a supernatural ghost story into a chilling tale of psychological horror. Stine deftly manipulates the reader's expectations, using red herrings and unreliable narration to keep the truth hidden until the final, violent confrontation. The book's enduring lesson is the danger of unchecked obsession—whether it's Cory's infatuation, Willa's envy, or Brad's trauma, each character is undone by their inability to face reality and seek help. In a modern context, The New Girl remains relevant for its portrayal of mental illness, the consequences of family dysfunction, and the importance of genuine connection over fantasy. The story's resolution, with Cory and Lisa finding solace in each other, offers a hopeful counterpoint to the darkness, suggesting that healing and growth are possible even after the most harrowing experiences.

Last updated: May 23, 2025