History Literature / IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer

* [[BluffingTheMurderer Bluffing the Hit-And-Run Drivers:]] Barry's initial reaction to the note is to assume this. He points out that everyone probably did something last summer that they aren't exactly proud of, and the note writer likely sent this to Julie without knowing about the accident. He tries to invoke this when [[spoiler: talking to Collie several days later--the latter has called him and is demanding money in exchange for not showing the police a photo of the accident]]--but instead ends up confirming his guilt.

* ChekhovsGun: When talking about the little boy's funeral, Julie mentions "I sent flowers". [[spoiler: The very thing that ended up giving the culprit a lead]].

** Collie himself calls Helen out on the fact that she's self-centered, pointing out that she knows nothing about him because ever since they met, they've only talked about ''her''. [[spoiler: It's a little undercut by the fact that he's the guy who's been stalking the group, but he's right]].

* BeingWatched: Barry gets a spooky feeling about this as he leaves Helen's apartment, but keeps trying to dismiss it as merely coincidence that another starts up and leaves the parking lot just as he does, even though from the very beginning of the book, we get numerous hints that this is what's happening. [[spoiler: And this is exactly what Collie confesses to when he confronts Helen.]]

[[caption-width-right:294:''"Last Summer" did not involve hook-handed fisherman by the way.'']]

[[caption-width-right:294:'Last Summer' did not involve hook-handed fisherman by the way.]]

''"I know what you did last summer"''

* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Despite being beautiful, Helen is hated by many of the other female characters for this reason. Barry's mother views her as a manipulative GoldDigger, her own sister Elsa is jealous of everything her beauty gets her and a gang of school teachers in her apartment complex are jealous that the boys all love Helen.

* InfantImmortality: Averted. The victim in this novel is a little boy.

* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Averted. Julie gets accepted to Smith University and she's still very proud, as are her teachers, mother and boyfriend. It's implied that she was something of a slacker before she worked hard to improve her schoolwork, so an Ivy would probably be a bit out of reach for her.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After Ray and Julie visit David Gregg's family, she states, "We didn't just kill a little boy, we wrecked a whole family.", noting that the boy's mother has been institutionalized, leaving his sister to fend for herself as her father is staying close to her.

* NoGuyWantsToBeChased: Barry's mother snootily tells Helen this when she calls to find out what time he's picking her up. Afterwards, Helen makes sure to call only when necessary, which is how Barry knows something is seriously wrong when she calls and insists that he come over (Julie has just shown up at her house with the note)

If you're looking for the 1997 slasher movie loosely based on this book, see ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer''.

Here is the original 1973 novel from Creator/LoisDuncan. The plot is incredibly different from the slasher film, with the characters' names and the accidental murder being the only similarities.

"I know what you did last summer"

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Helen is beautiful but also kind and compassionate. Her sister Elsa is overweight and described as repulsive - she's also every bit as ugly on the inside.

* [[BluffingTheMurderer Bluffing the Hit-And-Run Drivers:]] Barry's initial reaction to the note is to assume this. He points out that everyone probably did something last summer that they aren't exactly proud of, and the note writer likely sent this to Julie without knowing about the accident. He tries to invoke this when talking to Collie several days later--the latter has called him and is demanding money in exchange for not showing the police a photo of the accident--but instead ends up confirming his guilt.
* BrainlessBeauty: Helen veers close to this, though she's more naive than actually stupid.

* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler: What Collie thinks he's doled out to Barry when he learns that the shot merely left him paralyzed rather than killing him. "For a guy like Barry, life in a wheelchair might be worse than no life at all"]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Barry [[spoiler: From the minute the accident happens, his chief thought is getting away from the scene and covering up their role, fretting only about how much trouble he'll get into, as he was the one driving. When Julie gets the note, he dismisses her and Helen's concern--it's pretty obvious he's the only one of the group who doesn't have any remorse over what happened. When he's shot, he not only flat-out lies about why, he lets Helen be blamed for it, all to cover his own ass. Plus, he's been stringing Helen along, not only having no intention of making a serious commitment to her, but is cheating on her left and right--yet flips out upon hearing that a male friend accompanied her to the hospital and is ready to dump her instantly]]

* LamePunReaction: Helen has this reaction to one of her own puns, remarking she doesn't normally use them but this one was too easy to ignore.

* [[spoiler: EverybodyLives: Not that Bud/Collie didn't try though, it's only circumstances that keep him from killing anyone. In fact he actually came dangerously close to offing Julie if not for Ray's BigDamnHero moment.]]

Here is the original 1973 novel from LoisDuncan. The plot is incredibly different from the slasher film, with the characters' names and the accidental murder being the only similarities.

* [[spoiler: EverybodyLives: Not that Bud/Coolie didn't try though, it's only circumstances that keep him from killing anyone. In fact he actually came dangerously close to offing Julie if not for Ray's BigDamnHero moment.]]

* [[BluffingTheMurderer Bluffing the Hit-And-Run Drivers:]] Barry's initial reaction to the note is to assume this. He points out that everyone probably did something last summer that they aren't exactly proud of, and the note writer likely sent this to Julie without knowing about the accident.

* YouJustToldMe: [[spoiler: Collie]] believed that he'd found the people responsible for the accident, but he wasn't absolutely sure until he saw Julie's reaction to the note.

* [[spoiler: EverybodyLives]]

* BitchAlert: Elsa in-universe for Julie. When she first met her, Helen was showing off her new prom dress. Elsa quickly informed Julie that Helen got it at goodwill.

* DramaticIrony: Julie's mother and her "feelings". She thinks of one night where she had one of her feelings but nothing happened. The reader is informed that was the night of the accident.

Here is the original 1973 novel from Lois Duncan. The plot is incredibly different from the slasher film, with the characters' names and the accidental murder being the only similarities.

Here is the original novel from Lois Duncan. The plot is incredibly different from the slasher film, with the characters' names and the accidental murder being the only similarities.

* TheCheerleader: Julie was previously a cheerleader. After the accident she quit the squad and focused on her school work.