Kiss Daddy Goodbye * Thomas Altman

Desperate for some personal time to pursue her dream writing career while her husband travels for business, a suburban mother initiates a neighborhood baby-sitting co-op, unknowingly inviting a dangerous psychopath into her home who targets her children.

The Story: Written under a popular pen name by prominent Scottish thriller authority and dark suspense master Campbell Armstrong (writing as Thomas Altman), this terrifying 1980 masterpiece transforms a relatable domestic setup into an exceptionally raw nightmare. The narrative strips away the quiet safety of American suburbia. Instead, it establishes an emotionally dense framework built around the devastating consequences of a simple classified advertisement.The plot centers on Emily Allbright, a dedicated young mother living in a quiet New York City suburb. Because her husband Ted's corporate travel schedule leaves her isolated at home, she organizes a baby-sitting network, drawing responses from four seemingly friendly local women. Emily believes she has successfully constructed a low-friction support group, but her reality permanently fractures when she fails to see that two of the applicants are liars, three are hiding severe secrets, and one is a malicious, calculating predator determined to steal Emily's children.The tension builds as a series of disturbing occurrences compromises the family sanctuary. Emily receives threatening letters left inside her car, undergoes late-night prank phone loops, and catches shadows actively stalking her children by the nearby tree lines. Reaching a terrifying deadline when Emily leaves for an evening poetry class, the narrative races through a fast-paced maze of deception, leading to a shocking conclusion. This legendary 1980s thriller stands as an excellent showpiece for vintage pulp horror shelves.

Perfect For: Fans of traditional, fast-reading 1980s paperback horror and slow-burn psychological suspense thrillers like the works of John Saul, V.C. Andrews, or early Stephen King; readers who enjoy locked-room domestic nightmares and missing-child mysteries; and horror book collectors archiving the scarce hardcovers of Campbell Armstrong and Thomas Altman.

Published 1980 by Bantam Books.

Vintage 1980s Horror / Psychological Suspense / Suburbia Thrillers / Hidden Psychopath Plots