Books in Strange Matter, series

On the outskirts of town, the Fairfield Starlight Drive-In waits silently in the dark. A long time ago the giant movie screen flickered with life, showing technicolor westerns, murky mobster flicks and monster movies, but not anymore. Now the giant screen is overgrown with vines while rows of rusted speakers line the barren field like grave markers. Jonathan Drake often wonders what it would have been like to see his favorite old horror movies on the big screen. He and his friends visit the Starlight Drive-In often. They wander around the dark, overgrown field, remembering their favorite scenes from horror movies and reciting lines by heart. Then Jon hears a strange noise, like the hiss and pop of an old movie. They watch in shock as the speakers begin to shake and a beam of light leaps from the projection booth on to the screen. Jon and his friends are about to make their scream debut in a special feature . . . a real creature feature . . . and their roles are to die for.

Something strange is moving into the house behind Rachel Pearson's - and only she knows it. While exploring the vacant house, Rachel comes across some weird looking plants. They are large, green shells that have blossomed. . . letting whatever was inside them out. Then, two months later, the Smith family moves into the empty house. They're very odd people. Not only do Mr. and Mrs. Smith and their two weird children, Jane and Richard, look unsettling, they act strange as well. Jane seems to have a taste for bugs, while Richard disappears late at night with a shovel in hand, only to return early the next morning. It's made Rachel very suspicious. But soon that suspicion turns to fear when strange things happen to those who come into contact with the Smiths. Kids get sick. Parents disappear. And plants come to life. Now no one's left to believe Rachel, except for the Smiths. . .

Darren Donaldson is staring out his bedroom window at 2 o'clock in the morning, panicked, looking down the street for any sign of his brother. His older brother, David, snuck out of the house at midnight, taking the car as usual, making Darren promise he wouldn't tell. He's been gone for three hours, the longest he's ever been gone. Something must have happened. Something dreadful. Wait! There's David now! The car is coming down the street. He's killed the engine, coasting toward the driveway. He's scrambling out of the car, pushing it from behind. He looks frantic, terrified! What's going on? He's signaling for help, looking over his shoulder as if. . . Headlights snap on at the end of the street as an engine roars to life. David is screaming! Something is chasing him. . . and it isn't stopping.

Morgan Taylor was terrified of flying. Shocking visions of fatal falls and explosive crashes shook loose with each thump of the plane. The electrical storm didn't help much, nor did his sister Kelly. The thought of his father waiting at the boarding gate was the only thing pushing back his fear and swelling panic. Then a horrified scream brought Morgan's worst fears to life. Morgan and Kelly learn the horrible secret of an unseen war: a war being waged in our very bedrooms while we sleep. Invisible battles fought between dark and sinister visitors grappling to secure the survival of their race . . . And others who struggle desperately to bring us a grave warning before it's too late. Be aware . . . We are not alone.

Stephanie Meeker has a secret that's getting too dangerous to keep. Her cousin Daniel is determined to win the Fairfield Junior Science Competition, and he has been working on something in his room for days. Now Stephanie has discovered his shocking secret, the greatest science project in the world, but Daniel has sworn her to secrecy. Even as the project becomes more and more terrifying, Stephanie tells no one about the "Electronic Brain," a computer capable of thinking for itself. Daniel promises Stephanie he can keep it under control until he wins his award. The brain has other things on its mind...