Review: Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night. 

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an audiobook from the publisher for review

I wanted to read Five Survive because I enjoyed Holly Jackson's debut, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

Five Survive is about six friends who are on their way to the beach during Spring Break. After taking a wrong turn they suddenly find themselves stranded as someone shoots out the wheels of their RV. The only way out? One of them must reveal the secret they've been hiding. 

For a story that takes place over eight hours this should have been fast paced and exciting. Unfortunately, I thought it was boring and would have struggled to get through it if I had been reading the physical book. However, I listened to it on audiobook while doing other things which helped. Although Five Survive was well narrated, I found that when I paused it the only reason I felt compelled to continue was so I could finish it, which is never a good sign.

As for the characters, although none of them stood out to me, I think they were pretty well developed considering the story takes place over a short period. Even though it was far fetched, the best part of the book and what saved it was the plot twist and ending. It leaves room for a potential sequel and I will admit that I am curious about the direction Jackson will take the story if she does decide to continue it. 

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