
In 1992, "Welcome to Dead House" unleashed R.L. Stine's Goosebumps phenomenon - a series that sold 4 million copies monthly at its peak and became history's second best-selling book series. This terrifying debut launched a $41 million empire that haunted an entire generation.
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The Benson family never wanted to move to Dark Falls. But when Dad inherits a house from a great-uncle they never knew existed, the opportunity seems too good to pass up. For twelve-year-old Amanda and her younger brother Josh, leaving friends behind is devastating enough-but something about their new home feels fundamentally wrong from the moment they arrive. The house stands tall and imposing with black shutters, surrounded by unnaturally tall trees that block most sunlight. Even in summer, dead leaves carpet the ground. Most disturbing of all, their normally friendly dog Petey grows instantly aggressive toward Mr. Dawes, the overly cheerful real estate agent who welcomes them to town. While exploring her new bedroom-spacious, with a beautiful bay window-Amanda glimpses a blond boy watching her, who vanishes when she tries to speak to him. When she mentions possible ghosts to Mr. Dawes, he dismisses her with a practiced laugh, blaming shadows from the trees. This establishes a pattern that will haunt the family throughout their stay: unexplained sightings, adults dismissing legitimate concerns, and an environment that feels wrong in ways difficult to articulate. Even the town itself seems designed to create unease-streets lined with trees creating perpetual shade, as if sunlight itself avoids lingering too long.
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