Nothing like the movie. It seems like the bare bones of this novel was taken and adapted for the movie-Four high schoolers driving too fast at night hit someone, and then a year later they get sent a note that says 'I know what you did last summer'. Who they hit and who sends them the note are not the same in both book and movie.

I think the book, although dated, had a better twist. This book does end abruptly (I also had this complaint with Duncan's "Down a Dark Hall"). I would have liked at least one more chapter to wrap things up. ( )

A fun book that I read back when I was younger. I use to love reading Lois Duncan, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, Caroline Cooney, and all of those authors in the library, sitting on the floor. ( )

I admit I bought this book because the title was familiar and the book was real cheap.
So many problems with this book.
1. This is at best a YA book but it reads even more remedial than that.
2. The book was written in 1973, but has recently been revised, so sometimes there are things like texting, and cellphones and Starbucks, and the war in Iraq and other times people work at Wards.
3. The plot is as simple as Can be, the characters couldn’t be less interesting, and 1 picks up and goes to California one go to college, one quits school to d of a job that has never existed, and one stays in school.
The final reveal of who the bad person is was completely idiotic and not at all plausible.
Don’t waste your time.
( )

I really wish there had been a lot more tension in this story. It's quite a short book so there was definitely room to add some more scary scenes. I feel like the movie may have been an improvement on the original idea, which is actually a really good one, but given it scored 5.7 on IMDB that's not saying a lot. Great premise, underwhelming delivery. ( )

“Girls like her are a dime a dozen, and I happen to have a pocket full of dimes.”
― Lois Duncan, I Know What You Did Last Summer

One is never to old to read the classic mystery "I know what you did last summer" which was also a movie (not a very good one) and spawned many a copy c at book with a similiar premise.

I first read this as a kid. I am a huge fan of Louis Duncan's work and this was one of her best novels. The premise is simple. A group of 4 teenagers, out late one night, partying it up, hit a boy on a bike and do not stop. They make a pact to keep what happened a secret.

One year later, Julie James one of the members of said pact, receives a letter in the mail. All it says is:

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER.

This book was so damn good. And I sort of wish the movie spin off had not happened as they took the original premise..and it WAS original back then..and turned it into a horror/slasher movie which in my opinion is unforgivable given that the original book was so readable. I would have liked to see the film follow the book.

What is also great are the characterizations. Duncan was always so good at that. You feel you know everyone from Julie to her sweet mom to Ray to Helen and her sullen sister to Barry the ultimate jock and frat boy. It is short book but it demands attention and honestly if you are in your adult years and have not read it, you would most likely like it.

SPOILERS!

Back then, twists were not an every day thing as they are now so when Duncan did a stunner of one in this book, it was actually a surprise.

I have reread this a few times and I always love it. Nostalgia is no doubt one reason but there is also no getting around the fact that it's a mighty fine book. Read the book, skip the movie. ( )