Five Survive

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Holly Jackson, best known for her A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, delivers another gripping thriller in Five Survive, a heart-pounding, locked-room-style survival story with high tension, unreliable characters, and shocking twists. Set over the course of a single night, this novel traps six friends in a life-or-death situation, forcing them to confront secrets, betrayals, and the terrifying consequences of their past actions. With its fast pace and claustrophobic atmosphere, Five Survive keeps readers on edge from start to finish.Red and her five friends—Reynolds, Maddy, Arthur, Oliver, and Simon—set off on a road trip for spring break, but their journey takes a nightmarish turn when their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Stranded with no cell service and a rapidly dwindling supply of resources, their situation becomes even more sinister when they realize they are being watched. A sniper is lurking outside, ready to attack if they try to escape. As the group scrambles for survival, the sniper makes their demands clear: one of them has a secret, and unless the truth is revealed, none of them will make it out alive. Paranoia and desperation rise as long-buried secrets unravel, friendships are tested, and the group’s trust fractures. With time running out, Red and her friends must uncover the truth before it’s too late—but not everyone will make it out alive.Red Kenny – The protagonist, Red is a quiet, introspective girl struggling with personal trauma. As the night unfolds, her resilience is tested, and she emerges as an unlikely leader. Oliver – The controlling and self-righteous member of the group, Oliver’s strong personality causes tension and conflict as the group fights for survival. Arthur – The most level-headed and rational of the group, Arthur tries to keep everyone calm while searching for a way out. Maddy – Red’s best friend, Maddy finds herself caught between loyalty and self-preservation. Reynolds and Simon – The remaining members of the group, each with their own secrets and fears that contribute to the escalating tension. The characters are all deeply flawed, and as the situation worsens, their true natures come to light. Holly Jackson does a great job of showing how fear, pressure, and desperation can bring out both the best and worst in people.Holly Jackson’s writing is sharp, tense, and highly cinematic. The novel is fast-paced, with short chapters and cliffhanger endings that make it difficult to put down. The confined setting of the RV adds to the claustrophobic and intense atmosphere, making the reader feel as trapped as the characters. Unlike her previous books, which follow investigative storylines, Five Survive is a pure survival thriller, focusing on immediate danger rather than a slow-burning mystery. The dialogue is realistic, and the shifting dynamics between the characters heighten the psychological tension.At its core, Five Survive is a story about survival under extreme conditions. When faced with a life-or-death situation, the characters’ true personalities emerge. The book explores how fear and desperation push people to their limits, revealing both their strengths and their flaws. Some characters become selfless, while others become selfish and manipulative. The tension between cooperation and self-preservation is a key driving force in the story, forcing the characters to make impossible choices. Another key theme in Five Survive is the idea of justice—both legal and personal. The sniper’s actions raise the question: who deserves to be punished, and who has the right to deliver that punishment? The novel explores the gray areas of morality, showing that justice is not always black and white.The novel tests the limits of friendship, showing how extreme circumstances can either strengthen bonds or tear them apart. The characters are forced to question their trust in one another, and as secrets come to light, betrayal becomes inevitable. The book challenges the idea of unconditional loyalty, asking whether friendship should outweigh the need for survival."Maddy and Red’s friendship is particularly tested as Maddy is caught between protecting Red and siding with Oliver, who pressures her into following his lead. Their bond is pushed to the breaking point, raising the question of whether true friendship can survive such intense circumstances"Five Survive is a fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller that keeps readers hooked with its relentless suspense and unpredictable twists. Holly Jackson crafts a tense, gripping survival story that explores morality, fear, and the limits of friendship under extreme pressure. While some characters may frustrate readers and the ending could have been stronger, the book succeeds in delivering an immersive, edge-of-your-seat experience. If you enjoy thrillers that make you question who you can trust, Five Survive is definitely worth reading.

I admit I struggled through the setup in the beginning of the book. But it was like a jigsaw puzzle, first pieces tossed on the table, then areas of the picture beginning to fill in as a tease at an intriguing picture. At some point I just simply couldn't stop, sneaking in paragraphs while my computer installed another update, or my reader propped up while I washed dishes. The first bedtime reading night I had no problem putting the story down to go to sleep. The second night, not so much.I've grown a bit immune to the power of the twisty thriller, but this was a good one. And what might be considered the epilog leaves you a tiny bit hanging, but given the whole of the story, that's just how it should have been.I would agree with others that the start was a bit long and slow, although pondering that now that I know the ending, there might be some nuggets that were worth the buildup time. The end did seem to come out as a gushing breath, as if a word count limit was suddenly looming. But this was an excellent story with a less than usual way of telling it!

Five Survive by Holly Jackson - "What if I said you were the right people, in the right place at exactly the right time.”3/5This book was on the brink of what I was expecting but didn't meet the mark. On one hand, the story does hold your attention because each chapter ends with a cliffhanger but the text within chapters is repetitive and slow. On the other, the story takes place during eight hours but took a long time to grasp your attention that their lives were constantly in danger.I will say that I like that the story is face paced but I often found myself wanting it to be faster, even skipping some parts that were the narrator telling the reader the same information about Red's guilt about her mother's death and how ostracized she feels within her friend group.I also didn't enjoy that the whole story was unknowingly all about Red which I believe made the revelation anti-climatic. It was kind of an "oh that's why there's so much attention on her" moment. I wish more attention would've been shown on the other characters so when the reveal about Red being the witness comes out, it's a major shock. Speaking of Red being the witness, I didn't quite understand what the big deal was. I think if the story spoke more on the dangers of the Mafia in the town, like crimes they were known for or their "no nonsense" tactics were brought up her being the witness would've created a more feared reaction that I think the author intended.Before I get to the characters I will say one last thing that I didn't like about this book before I get to the things I did like. Catherine Lavoy. The presented villain at the end of the book. It seemed rushed. It seemed like it came out of left field. The whole book we hear her speak once, we hear about her being a second mother to Red once or twice and then all of a sudden she's the big bad villain that killed all these people. I shocking agreed with Oliver that they were making the whole thing up because that's what it felt like, the dots were being forced to align rather than the emphany moment I assume the author intended.Now what I liked about the book...Red: she was the traditional outcast friend surrounded by headstrong, entitled, and selfish friends who didn't know who she truly was which gave it a cliche, comforting feeling.Simon: Started off as the annoying character who was drunk and making matters worse and I liked how his character developed behind the scenes once he sobered up and became a small voice of reason.Maddy: I disliked her throughout the whole book but someone has to draw the short straw of an unliked character. She was a bad friend which I think made people feel for Red more.Reyna: The story didn't focus on Reyna until they needed her. I think she would've been a strong competitor for the main character if the story wasn't so focused on Red but she was only brought up in relation with Oliver, when they needed a vote, or her medical experience.Oliver: I thought he was going to be the typical jock that was leadership material. That was until I saw the way he treated the people around him. At one point I thought he was going to sacrifice everyone else to save himself and I believe given the opportunity he would've. After all, he threw Red out of the RV, got Don and Joyce killed, beat up Arthur, belittled Reyna, and got his sister Maddy shot and almost let her die to save his corrupt mother.Arthur: Probably my favorite character, even more so once the truth was revealed. It was a shining moment in the book when the truth came out. I was hoping he'd be a little more villain-esc like his brother but beggars can't be choosers. I was hoping for an evil smile or at the very least for him to kill Oliver and the group found out that way as he stood over his body.Sniper: although an obvious psychopath, he was probably my favorite character. He was the only character that you knew what to expect from. If he said he was going to kill someone he meant it. My only wish was that he tried to build a bond with Red knowing she had the walkie. I would've loved a private conversation between them.Overall, I did enjoy this book at parts and other parts held time that I can't get back. Despite the foreseeable twists and turns there are at least three good reasons to read this book. Is it bad that all my three reasons involve the villains of the book? Who knows, I may pick up another Holly Jackson book in the future.