Five Total Strangers

A New York Times Bestseller

A "page-turning thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end" (School Library Journal) about a road trip in a snowstorm that turns into bone-chilling disaster, from New York Times bestselling mystery author and "master of tension" (BCCB) Natalie D. Richards.

She thought being stranded was the worst thing that could happen. She was wrong.

Mira needs to get home for the holidays. Badly. But when an incoming blizzard results in a canceled connecting flight, it looks like she might get stuck at the airport indefinitely.

And then Harper, Mira's glamorous seatmate from her initial flight, offers her a ride. Harper and her three friends can drop Mira off on their way home. But as they set off, Mira realizes fellow travelers are all total strangers. And every one of them is hiding something.

Soon, roads go from slippery to terrifying. People's belongings are mysteriously disappearing. Someone in the car is clearly lying, and may even be sabotaging the trip--but why? And can Mira make it home alive, or will this nightmare drive turn fatal?

Perfect for readers who love:

  • YA horror books for teens
  • Mystery books for teens
  • Natasha Preston, Megan Miranda, Karen McManus and Ruth Ware

Praise for Five Total Strangers:

"A twisty thrill ride that will leave you breathless. I stayed up after midnight just to see how it all ended."--April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Girl, Stolen

"Richards is a master of tension. Suspense fans will get all the ups-and-downs of a well-paced narrative, but they may never want to drive on a snowy road again."--BCCB

"A page-turning thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Just the kind of fun book one needs for a hot summer day or a cold winter's night."--School Library Journal on Five Total Strangers

"High thrill factor."--Booklist

Also by Natalie D. Richards:

Six Months Later

Gone Too Far

My Secret to Tell

One Was Lost

We All Fall Down

What You Hide

BUY THE BOOK

320 pages

Average rating: 5.87

175 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

1mrsbeck
Feb 12, 2025
4/10 stars
Unlikable characters, unrealistic, no real climax, slow burn but did keep you wanting to know who was behind it all.
Anonymous
Aug 23, 2024
8/10 stars
3.5-4 stars!!!!! That was such a ride!!!!
brunette_rapunzel
Aug 09, 2024
8/10 stars
I liked this book very much but at times, the writing got a little repetitive. I also guessed the bad guy about half way through the book, though I wasn't sure. Not the best thriller I've read, but still a very good book.
nnenna…
Dec 27, 2023
10/10 stars
I’m usually a romance girlie but this book definitely makes me what to get into thriller/ suspense. Book of the year for me honestly
Anonymous
May 01, 2023
4/10 stars
I don't really know what I was expecting from a YA thriller.

Mira, a young and impressionable teenager, embarks on a journey to reach her grieving mother by Christmas. Unfortunately, the biggest snowstorm of the year grounds her connecting flight and forces her to join a ragged group of young strangers on a journey through Pennsylvania to reach her destination, Pittsburg. Fairly early in the novel, we find out that Mira has a stalker that she isn't aware of and it leads us to question the intentions of everyone in the car with her. Who could it be? Is the annoying, narcissistic rich boy that everyone would usually assume it is, the drug user, the rich posh chick, the loner addict, or the quiet, kind nerd?

I find the premise of this whole novel ridiculous. Who in their right mind would consider driving through a blizzard, let alone with young inexperienced strangers, and in the mountains. Even if it was a light storm, a lot of the things that happen in this novel are ridiculous. Like when they ask to use a phone and get shot down. Come on, IT'S FREAKING CHRISTMAS!! Or the crazy 'redneck' gas station attendants, no one is that heartless and I doubt they would waste their time chasing some kids through a snowstorm. Plus, the plot twist with the stalker comes so late and was just disappointing. It would have been much more interesting if we could see the stalker's real dark side in more than just a quick scene.

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