Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Secrets and lies abound in this page-turning thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 34 kid reviews
Kids say this book is a gripping thriller that captivates readers with its intense plot twists and relatable characters, making it suitable for ages 12 and up, though it may be too intense for sensitive readers. With themes of violence, occasional swearing, and elements of romance, many reviewers found it hard to put down and appreciated its emotional depth, while some noted predictable aspects.
- thrilling read
- intense themes
- cute plot twists
- age appropriate
- emotional depth
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
FIVE SURVIVE plays out over eight terrifying hours. Over spring break, 17-year-old Redford (Red) Kenny is driving from Philadelphia to Gulf Shores, Alabama, with five of her friends -- Maddy Lavoy and her college student brother Oliver, his girlfriend Reyna Flores-Serrano, and two high school friends, Arthur Grant and Simon Jinsan Yoo. At 10:00 at night, they find themselves lost on a dead-end road in rural North Carolina. The RV has broken down, and with no cell service, there's no way to call for help. Help they desperately need as they find themselves targeted by a shooter hiding in the darkness. Then the shooting suddenly stops. Could the gunman be gone? Not only has he not gone, he's placed a walkie talkie inside the RV and his voice tells them what he wants -- a secret one of them is keeping. He wants it before the night is over, and if they try to escape from the RV, he'll shoot them. Maddy and Oliver are certain it must involve the two of them, as their mother's an assistant district attorney prosecuting a killing involving the Mafia. But that's not the secret the gunman wants. As the friends begin revealing their darkest secrets, the gunman keeps rejecting secret after secret. And as the hours pass, the friends start turning on one another and paranoia begins to set in. How could the gunman have known about their travel plans, and how could he have gotten a walkie talkie into the RV? Is one the six actually working with the gunman?
Is It Any Good?
This dark and gripping thriller with a head-spinning number of plot twists features a cast of complex characters whose secrets will forever change their lives. Fans of Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series won't be disappointed in Five Survive and its never-saw-that-coming ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about about how the characters managed to work together as a team in Five Survive. Have you ever been on a team where no one got along? Did you manage to overcome your differences?
Do you think any of the characters made a good decision in deciding to keep their secret?
Would you rather read a thriller or watch a film or TV version of the book?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : November 29, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 388
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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